tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7161176118626950263.post7938161132466823363..comments2024-01-02T10:59:51.905-05:00Comments on Freedom by the Sword: Pvt. George W.D Kirkland: The Conflicted Legacy of Elizabeth Keckley’s Only SonJimmy Pricehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07518362560292852052noreply@blogger.comBlogger18125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7161176118626950263.post-43327266790522257862017-08-10T11:49:58.112-04:002017-08-10T11:49:58.112-04:00Elizabeth Keckley was living in Hillsborough, NC w...Elizabeth Keckley was living in Hillsborough, NC with her master's son, Rev. Robert Burwell (who was actually her half-brother). It was the Burwell's who "gave" Lizzy to Alexander Kirkland to be his concubine, leading to the birth of George Hobbes, her son. George later took his father's name, possibly when he passed as white to join the 1st Missouri. He was called GarlandAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7161176118626950263.post-67466571528477875882016-07-11T22:22:02.108-04:002016-07-11T22:22:02.108-04:00Very enlightening. I grew up in Hillsborough and ...Very enlightening. I grew up in Hillsborough and frequently visit the Burwell school Ayr Mount, the Kirkland home. This definitely changes the way I will feel when I visit. Thanks.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7161176118626950263.post-21587968439439662142015-11-24T13:22:37.125-05:002015-11-24T13:22:37.125-05:00He passed for white. That is distinctly different ...He passed for white. That is distinctly different from identifying as white, especially since those white relationships would not be acknowledged and he and his enslaved relatives were treated as black and inferior. Concubinage, gander months, slave separation is part of the shameful history of slavery and its destructive force on black families.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14643259094335641231noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7161176118626950263.post-9871031465519775572015-10-23T12:26:30.713-04:002015-10-23T12:26:30.713-04:00I love this work that you've presented but I w...I love this work that you've presented but I was wondering what some of your sources were for the death and recruitment for George were. I'm working on a piece about the life and death of Elizabeth Keckley and wanted to go deeper into thought about her son's life.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7161176118626950263.post-22763424178937931942014-04-15T14:19:03.213-04:002014-04-15T14:19:03.213-04:00From a racialist (19th century American) standpoin...From a racialist (19th century American) standpoint, George William D. Kirkland was the son of a "white" neighbor. His maternal grandfather, Col. Armistead Burwell Sr (1777-1841) was a "white" Virginia planter and slave-owner, and even his maternal grandmother, the slave-seamstress Abigail (1786?-1857) of the Burwell plantation, was Virginia-born, literate, and may well have Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7161176118626950263.post-66880231331001591242014-03-07T12:39:18.002-05:002014-03-07T12:39:18.002-05:00Elizabeth was in Hillsborough, N.C. with her owner...Elizabeth was in Hillsborough, N.C. with her owner Col. Burwell son when she had a son by Kirkland.<br /><br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7161176118626950263.post-55819298862404483742014-03-07T10:37:58.561-05:002014-03-07T10:37:58.561-05:00Behind the Seams is available here>>>
htt...Behind the Seams is available here>>><br />https://archive.org/details/behindseamsbynig00otto<br /><br />Cheers, Ronald SeagraveRonald Seagravehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03416591785735901255noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7161176118626950263.post-78326701733085027632013-07-03T12:54:34.488-04:002013-07-03T12:54:34.488-04:00Hi Majii,
Thank you for the kind words. It humble...Hi Majii,<br /><br />Thank you for the kind words. It humbles me to know that I was able to assist you in your understanding of our nation's past.<br /><br />If I can help you in any way on your quest for knowledge about your ancestors, please don't hesitate to ask.<br /><br />Best,<br /><br />JimmyJimmy Pricehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07518362560292852052noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7161176118626950263.post-61464448754059712272013-07-02T18:04:33.763-04:002013-07-02T18:04:33.763-04:00I found your blog via a Smithsonian article on Eli...I found your blog via a Smithsonian article on Elizabeth Keckley, went to Wikipedia's article about her, became interested in uncovering more information about her son, and found the answers here. Thank you so much, Jimmy Price, for adding to my knowledge of notable blacks in America. My parents' roots are in Alabama, and now that I'm retired, I plan to invest some time on majiinoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7161176118626950263.post-38770121470221269712013-03-06T17:23:22.621-05:002013-03-06T17:23:22.621-05:00Just began reading the new novel "Mrs. Lincol...Just began reading the new novel "Mrs. Lincoln's Hairdresser," and had to take a Wikipedia break to check out George. I saw the movie "Lincoln" but, unfortunately, don't actually remember the above mentioned scene. George is a very interesting piece of lost American history, as are too many unsung, unknown soldiers of this era. Now I can continue reading the book, Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7161176118626950263.post-18040528857746040282013-02-09T16:33:52.092-05:002013-02-09T16:33:52.092-05:00Why Elizabeth Keckley's son should be acknowle...Why Elizabeth Keckley's son should be acknowledged as white:<br /><br />http://essays.backintyme.com/item/649<br /><br />http://essays.backintyme.com/item/category/slavery<br /><br />http://www.danieljsharfstein.com/the-book/<br /><br />http://scss.ua.edu/2012/10/09/daniel-sharfstein-on-americas-hidden-history-of-race/AD Powellhttp://melungeon.ning.com/forum/topics/5th-union-presentation-by-a-d-powellnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7161176118626950263.post-45854949658877601772013-02-09T14:31:04.759-05:002013-02-09T14:31:04.759-05:00Thank you, Jimmy Price, for creating links to your...Thank you, Jimmy Price, for creating links to your research, so that readers of the Disunion blog in the New York Times are now aware of your own blog here. You bring Elizabeth Keckley and her son, George William Kirkland, into compelling focus. I suspect that Kirkland wasn't the only African-American soldier to enlist early in the war by passing for white, though he must have been one of Daniel W. Croftshttp://danielwcrofts.com/index.htmlnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7161176118626950263.post-21203986491089780982013-01-19T10:40:45.627-05:002013-01-19T10:40:45.627-05:00Alexander McKenzie Kirkland (b. Dec. 3, 1807) was ...Alexander McKenzie Kirkland (b. Dec. 3, 1807) was a native of Hillsborough, North Carolina. His parents were William and Margaret Scott Kirkland. Like myself, he was a graduate of Norwich University in Vermont. Kirkland made his money by being a merchant, but died of cancer on May 4, 1843 (when George W. D. Kirkland was only 18 months old.)<br /><br />One of his legitimate sons, William AlexanderJimmy Pricehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07518362560292852052noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7161176118626950263.post-85335966037724577632013-01-18T15:43:57.879-05:002013-01-18T15:43:57.879-05:00Jimmy - what more can you tell me about Alexander ...Jimmy - what more can you tell me about Alexander Kirkland? As you may be aware, Kirkland is a big name in Hillsboro, the most famous fellow from a CW perspective with that name from that town being C. S. A. General William Whedbee Kirkland.Harry Smeltzerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07548971233853141064noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7161176118626950263.post-20982299662393748242013-01-08T22:26:42.674-05:002013-01-08T22:26:42.674-05:00Hi Mr. Bracey,
Many thanks for taking the time to...Hi Mr. Bracey,<br /><br />Many thanks for taking the time to comment!<br /><br />I was actually able to access Kirkland’s CSR and pension file via Fold3. You have to have a premium membership in order to view the pension file, but I think the CSR should be viewable without a membership (you may be able to access it via the computers at NARA for free). Just be forewarned that when you search Jimmy Pricehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07518362560292852052noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7161176118626950263.post-88267892087474350642013-01-07T12:13:46.905-05:002013-01-07T12:13:46.905-05:00Mr Price,
I am an independent researcher at the N...Mr Price,<br /><br />I am an independent researcher at the National Archives and plan to look at the pension application of Elizabeth Keckley for George Kirklands service. If you have already done this are there copies to be had? Why do you think George joined the Missouri rather than the Ohio volunteers? further, were you aware of a book called "Nobody's Son" about George? Michael G. Bracey micher9@comcast.nethttp://mbarchivalresearch.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7161176118626950263.post-31083601738926388632013-01-05T12:14:43.501-05:002013-01-05T12:14:43.501-05:00You're quite welcome, Andy (and thanks for rep...You're quite welcome, Andy (and thanks for reposting this.) Once I was able to find out for sure which unit Kirkland was in, tracking down his CSR wasn't too difficult. And the more I learn about the Missouri militia and Lyon and Blair's involvement, the more I understand why Kirkland would have wanted to fight with them specifically and not an Ohio unit.Jimmy Pricehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07518362560292852052noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7161176118626950263.post-1824618525905699372013-01-04T16:46:39.248-05:002013-01-04T16:46:39.248-05:00Jimmy:
Thanks so much for doing the legwork on th...Jimmy:<br /><br />Thanks so much for doing the legwork on this. I was caught unexpectedly by that dialogue, as well, and I appreciate your taking time to tell the story behind it.Andy Hallhttp://deadconfederates.comnoreply@blogger.com