| lle,Ga., a city about 25 miles east of Atlanta is where | | | | the foundation Green H. Livsey started. I have been |
| racial strives are being made by a well known | | | | researching our family tree for over the past eight |
| prominent family mending their historic roots. The white | | | | years with my best assistant, my father, Thomas |
| and black Livseys are now one family. This year's | | | | Livsey.Until then me and my daddy could only talk |
| reunion will be only the second time in over 170 years | | | | about work. Now we have a hobby! No its not a |
| that the families of both races will reunion together. | | | | "Rock, Coin, Stamp or even comic book collection. We |
| Since 1815 the Livsey family has been rooted in | | | | are trying to put our family history together before we |
| Georgia. Recently, they were acknowledged as being | | | | die. |
| one of a handful of pioneering families known as, " The | | | | It has been very challenging, due to our mixed |
| First Families Of Gwinnett County", by the Gwinnett | | | | nationalities. My forefathers were black, white and |
| County Historical Society. However, this year's family | | | | Indian. Melungeon is the term that describes a person |
| reunion will be held in Dekalb County, from | | | | of tri-racial desendance. Historical records were not |
| 12:00-3::00pm at the Milan Park in Clarkston, Ga., June | | | | always kept for slaves and Indians. A lot of records |
| 14, 2009. | | | | sometimes were passed down through family |
| Last year, there was a media presence to document | | | | members; however, much was lost because of the |
| the occasion. Spectators were amazed at how | | | | inability of the elder members that did not |
| everyone got along . They shared stories and recipes. | | | | acknowledge the mixed blood. |
| They entertained each other through songs and jokes. | | | | Seems to me "You are either too young to know or |
| By the end of the reunion they were simply one family. | | | | too old to care", when it came to discussing family |
| Case in point, after the dinner, Tom Livsey was | | | | matters in the past. |
| elected the first black family president of the white | | | | My daddy only wanted to know about his grandfather, |
| Livseys. | | | | Hiram.Who was he? Were is he buried? But my ability |
| Tom Livsey is a merchant banker and news editor. | | | | to research on line and at the Archives, hit a brick wall |
| Along with his father Thomas Livsey, they researched | | | | in 1870 census...Up til then, I was able to find small bits |
| the family history and eventually brought the two | | | | of pieces of info about my forefathers. My father |
| families together again with the help of Annette Livsey | | | | would quizzed me every other day. His questions |
| Merritt. | | | | went from..., Did you find something? To wishful thinking |
| Below is his story about the Livsey history and what | | | | remarks like'"Did you find anything? |
| he thinks about how they can help improve racial | | | | The biggest and most important revelation of all, for |
| relations in the United States: | | | | both of us, was to realize that in order for us to find |
| This is the story of the racial divide and a reunion 187 | | | | our forefathers beyond the 1870 census, we must |
| years ago,of a proud American family. | | | | make contact with the known white Livsey family |
| " We are the Livseys'. Our family gained news | | | | from the same area during the same time. (Note: This |
| attention this past summer when for the first time, the | | | | is the most important aspect for mending slavery |
| white and black Livseys' celebrated a family reunion | | | | issues. For only through researching plantation owners |
| together. It was a wonderful occasion". | | | | and slaves /or descendants, can you people of color |
| He added," No one owed no one an explanation or | | | | learn to be able to honor your forefathers and |
| excuse for the past. No animosity... No guilt. The Only | | | | mothers who st rived to make this day possible for all |
| thing each and everyone left with, was a whole new | | | | of you black people. Let go of any unfounded hate. |
| family tree. How about that? Since then we have | | | | What followed was simply not imagined. My dad called |
| become one family. The Livseys' ". | | | | Jack Livsey. They had joked for decades about being |
| Its our purpose to promote the heritage of Gwinnett | | | | cousins. However during those times in the1960's in the |
| County,Georgia. We feel its our duty to educate its | | | | south, that was nothing to joke about. Jack told my |
| citizens, students, and visitors of the influences and | | | | father to call Annette Livsey, because she was the |
| effects of the Civil War. While history books illustrate | | | | family's historian. She invited us to her home and we |
| grand battlefields , like Gettysburg, Vicksburg or even | | | | both revealed some of our family history that we both |
| Chickamauga, where fathers and brothers fought to | | | | lacked. Moreover, she welcomed us back home to the |
| the death, against each other. The bloody and the | | | | family. |
| dead were left to rot where they laid. | | | | We Are The Livseys'. |
| For better or worse, today's history is left for the living. | | | | The name meaning for "Livsey", is "Protector of the |
| We must question our past in order to determine our | | | | Island". Our origin is from Lanchashire, U.K. It must be |
| own future. | | | | true, because my new found cousin, FOUR STAR |
| Our Georgia history starts back in Virginia, with the | | | | GENERAL BILL LIVSEY-WAS THE |
| birth of a son to an English family, the Leviseys'. They | | | | COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF IN KOREA. Livseys' lead, |
| were still new to the American Colonies. After | | | | apparently. |
| extensive research,they found their new home, in a | | | | So, in order to maintain our new family legacy, we |
| small town named Culpepper, Virginia.Shortly after, the | | | | want to provide a template for other families, who |
| Levisey family welcomed in a new-born boy | | | | perhaps share the same last name, even the same |
| named,Greene in 1774. | | | | progenitor. Most importantly, is to advocate and |
| Although he was from English descent, he served in | | | | educate.......without hate. The past is gone. The future is |
| the War of 1812 from Virginia. After the war he | | | | from the mold we make today. |
| moved to Georgia around 1815. On January 7,1817, he | | | | Hold what you have in your mind...Now burn what |
| married Barbara Ann Poss. The daughter of Henry | | | | hatred you might have in there.....because if given the |
| Poss ( Boss ) in Wilkes Co., Ga. The Poss family was | | | | chance to raise from their graves, your ancestors |
| of Dutch descent. | | | | would rejoice of the fact that YOU are free....If pushed |
| Green H. Livsey (name spelled as, Lipsey in Wilkes | | | | further they would chastise you for your lingering |
| Co.1820-'39records), lived in Wilkes County about | | | | hatred and instead tell you of where the "Real Start of |
| twenty-five years before selling his plantation there in | | | | Slavery began...in Africa---by conquering black African |
| 1838. He served for two years as overseer to Sen. | | | | chieftains.These African Chiefs were responsible for |
| Robert Toombs Plantation, before he moved to the | | | | trading your forefathers into slavery for trade goods. |
| county borders of Gwinnett and Walton Counties in | | | | I am proud of my heritage. You have to understand, |
| 1840. | | | | you are born into your heritage, your heritage is not |
| Sandy Levisey was born 1821-22. He is allegedly the | | | | born to you. So I know that there are many families |
| mulatto son of Green Levisey. | | | | like mind and I hope my struggles and success might |
| Sandy was the progenitor of the black Livsey families | | | | help and be used as a template for those who yearn |
| that were registered in the 1870 U.S.Population Census | | | | for their complete family history. I urge those who are |
| in Gwinnett County records. In the 1880 U.S. Census, | | | | seriously considering doing a book on your family tree. |
| both Levisey family parties were using the current | | | | Get to know your other family from the past. No |
| spelling of, "Livsey". | | | | apologies needed, just love and understanding. |
| 1870 records show that Sandy maintained control of | | | | We have before us, an enormous and monumental |
| his family throughout all of the obstacles faced by | | | | decision to make. Should we remain apart or unite the |
| most freedmen and slaves during the 1820-1865. He | | | | families? We can take a democratic vote,or we can |
| was not faced with issues about separation of family, | | | | do nothing. We have no obligation, one way or another. |
| as in the historic fiction like ,"Roots". He was not | | | | But for our name, we should do the former. Moreover, |
| included as a slave; however, he did remain loyal and | | | | we would be committing a crime otherwise. It would |
| close to the white Livseys' of Gwinnett Co., Ga..up to | | | | be a sin against our forefathers, not to set the record |
| 1900's. | | | | straight. Green H. Livsey and Sandy Livsey would roll in |
| Until recently, like most American families, family | | | | their graves if we didn't take this opportunity to do the |
| records or family trees were primarily for the privileged | | | | right thing, now!!!! |
| and the powerful, as a record of how to allocate | | | | It's our DUTY to show the American People the way |
| family jewels or power. | | | | to a better day. LIVE TO SEE A BETTER DAY!!! |
| I am just a brick in the wall that Sandy Livsey built on | | | | (i.e.LIVSEE) We are the Livseys'.... |