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A Welcome from Ann DeWitt
Welcome to my website. Many people have asked me over the last three years to launch a site to keep them informed of my current research projects. So, I dedicate this website to those who believe in the human spirit and the will to overcome all obstacles--big or small.
The O'Neal, Dunbar, Lincoln, Edwards, DeWitt, Hodge Bostic Families: In Search of Betsy O'Neal
by Ann DeWitt
This 2014 family history book documents the initial findings of genealogical material for Betsy O'Neal, her immediate family and collateral relatives. Family Tree DNA mtDNA Full Sequence results confirm Haplogroup J1c2c for a maternal line descendant of Mrs. Betsy O'Neal.
On March 9, 2013, 
ScienceNews Magazine announced that King Richard III's mtDNA signature was J1c2c. As archaeologists continue to collect scientific evidence to convince their colleagues that the human remains found during the 2013 archaeological dig in Leicester, Central England are indeed those of King Richard III, Nature Communications published an article on December 2, 2014 that confirms the mutation of King Richard III's DNA signature is J1c2c3, which is the same mutation as his living 16th-generation great-niece Joy Ibsen (nee Brown). The odds of being a direct descendant of royalty are quite remote; however, belonging to the same rare J1c2c Haplogroup is quite remarkable. Even though Betsy's maternal line is of European descent, regional archivists and genealogists conclude that Betsy and her family group were enumerated as Mulatto on the 1860 United States Slave Schedule, Darlington, South Carolina for Griffin O'Neal.
ScienceNews Magazine announced that King Richard III's mtDNA signature was J1c2c. As archaeologists continue to collect scientific evidence to convince their colleagues that the human remains found during the 2013 archaeological dig in Leicester, Central England are indeed those of King Richard III, Nature Communications published an article on December 2, 2014 that confirms the mutation of King Richard III's DNA signature is J1c2c3, which is the same mutation as his living 16th-generation great-niece Joy Ibsen (nee Brown). The odds of being a direct descendant of royalty are quite remote; however, belonging to the same rare J1c2c Haplogroup is quite remarkable. Even though Betsy's maternal line is of European descent, regional archivists and genealogists conclude that Betsy and her family group were enumerated as Mulatto on the 1860 United States Slave Schedule, Darlington, South Carolina for Griffin O'Neal.In the book, the birth years covered range from 1814 to 1918. Family research citations are derived from state/county vital records, census records, cemetery surveys, and military records, to name a few. Each descendant includes name (first/last), occupation, year of birth, year of death, a photo, and genealogical citations. If made available, additional supporting documents are presented to provide a sense of the major accomplishments for a few of Betsy's descendants. Though this book neither includes all descendants nor every possible record, the research indeed aims to save family members, curators, librarians, educators and genealogists precious time in locating genealogical sources for the O'Neal, Dunbar, Lincoln, Edwards, DeWitt, Hodge, Bostic families, primarily of Darlington, Florence, Marion, Lee, Chesterfield, and Marlboro Counties in South Carolina. Future editions of this book will include deeds, plats and much more.
Based on the "Climbing the Branches Framework," the book also outlines how families can turn family picture books into family history books with genealogical record citations. This approach saves future generations valuable time in reconstructing the past.
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"From the beginning of this [Civil War] struggle, [African Americans] took part--on the Union side thousands of run-a-way slaves joined the Army and Navy. Likewise thousands took part on the Confederate side actuated by a type of loyalty unsurpassed in human annals."
~West A. Hamilton, Colonel, Infantry Reserve Hampton Conference on National Defense (November 1940).
Entangled In Freedom: A Civil War Story
by Ann DeWitt and Kevin M. Weeks
Travel with 22 year old Isaac through the dirt streets of Oxford (Georgia), Big Shanty (Georgia) and on over to Cumberland Gap (Tennessee) as he serves with the 42nd Regiment Georgia Volunteers. Decades after Daniel Boone blazed the Wilderness Trail, witness how Isaac is front and center as the Confederate and Union armies skirmish for strategic supply lines required for outlying Civil War battle campaigns. Also, decipher the mitigating factors contributing to Isaac going to war with Abraham Green, a yeoman farmer and slaveholder of Isaac.
This human-interest centric novel further explores the intertwined relationship between master, slave, and the dynamics leading up to a Confederate Congress proposal to enlist African-American troops in the latter part of the American Civil War. Like never before, this electrifying page turner sparks novice readers and Civil War zealots alike into debating the best kept factual secrets concerning African-American Confederate soldiers.
Awards: Mom's Choice Award, Moonbeam Children Award, Son's of Confederate Veteran's Bonnie Blue Society.
Honorable Mentions: Indie Book Award, The New York Book Festival, and England Book Festival.
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Interviewer: Tell us about yourself.
Ann: Having a passion for family genealogy, I've spent over 9 years researching my ancestors. Often, I capture and preserve genealogical records for others as I uncover information about my family. Basically, I'm a United States citizen tracing my roots. I have never professed to be a genealogist or an historian.
Interviewer: Why do you make a point of stating that you are not a genealogist or an historian?
Ann: One of my goals in writing is to elevate the voice of African-Americans whose individual stories would otherwise be lost in United States history. Any person who presents a different way of looking at history is often challenged.
Interviewer: Provide an example.
Ann: Sixty days before my fiction novel titled "Entangled in Freedom" was published, a history department head of a private school conducted a book review based solely on the pre-release book description and without actually reading the book. The history department head cited that he never heard of me. Thus, he commissioned several people to write book reviews on Amazon.com and on the internet who likewise never read my work. It begged the question; is it ethical behavior for teachers and historians to conduct book reviews before seeing or reading the actual book?
Interviewer: Tell me more about the book "Entangled in Freedom?"
Ann: Young adult readers travel with Isaac from Oxford (Georgia), Big Shanty (Georgia) and on over to Cumberland Gap (Tennessee) as he serves with the 42nd Regiment Georgia Volunteers. Readers decipher the mitigating factors contributing to Isaac going to war with Abraham Green, a yeoman farmer and slaveholder of Isaac.
Interviewer: For those of us who have heard of you, what is your most prized moment?
Ann: A reader read the less than favorable book reviews on Amazon.com and across the internet. The reader emailed me and said, "If the history teacher doesn't like your book, then I'm buying your kids novel because it must be good."
Interviewer: (Laughing) Name a moment in which you wish to forget as a writer.
Ann: Another historian stated that "slaves should be kept in their rightful place in United States History" which in effect means that they are not to be acknowledged for their military service with the Confederate States Army and Navy during the Civil War. In 1861, slaves were people even though they were classified as property. Time doesn't freeze. My view is that people should be acknowledged for what they have earned, regardless of the inequitable circumstances. A similar comment would be horrid if a 22nd Century historian were to state that "students during the period of the Jim Crow South should be kept in their rightful place in United States History." I advocate for historians to also focus on people not solely on historical events.
Interviewer: Understood. Tell us about your current project.
Ann: This year I published a family history book titled "The O'Neal, Dunbar, Lincoln, Edwards, DeWitt, Hodge Bostic Families: In Search of Betsy O'Neal (b. 1825)." The goal is to provide families a framework to turn family picture books into family history books with genealogical record citations. Thus, the "Climbing the Branches Framework" was developed. Now, there is an easy guide to document each individual family line/branch for future generations to come.
Interviewer: Why is that important?
Ann: I don't discount the importance of capturing family pictures. However, each genealogical record provides greater insights into the lives of one's ancestors. This data in conjunction with DNA results can provide a roadmap to the origins of ancestors. When we capture the actual records, this saves future generations valuable time in reconstructing the past.
Interviewer: So, what's next?
Ann: People have come to me and asked me to research and write a book on the life of Wm. Mack Lee who proclaimed to be a body servant of General Robert E. Lee throughout the American Civil War. My initial research uncovered that Mr. Lee was a Master Mason. If I ever take on the project, those who know me understand that I will write the book with the respect the story deserves because my grandfather was a Freemason.
Interviewer: What research are you conducting now?
Ann: For those who can relate, family history is ongoing. The next family history book will likely be titled "In Search of Benjamin DeWitt (b. 1805)" whose mother was from Virginia and father was from South Carolina. In addition, my research on slaves who served in various capacities during the Civil War is a parallel research effort.
Interviewer: I have one final question, what is one lesson learned along your journey?
Ann: If you are going to step outside the box, know that people will soon value your work and innovation. If I would have given up when historians first challenged me, I would have never won a "Mom's Choice Award" or a "Moonbeam Children's Award." Internet mogul Chris Dixon once said, "If you aren't getting rejected on a daily basis, then your goals aren't ambitious enough."
Interviewer: Now, that's certainly the truth. Thank you for this interview.
Ann: My pleasure.
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