Dallas and Autauga County, Alabama African American Research

I am beginning to research my father's families in Dallas & Autuaga counties, AL. The surnames I'm researching are Lanier, Callines/Callins/Callen, Smith and possibly Parker. According to oral family stories, my Callins family has ancestors who originated in Haiti and East Africa. I've enjoyed interesting family stories and memories over the years of unique incidents and professions of family members, my grandmother Lucy and her mother Lucy stand out in my mind. If anyone is researching these Alabama family surnames, please post a message here as I would like to contact all potential family members as possible. Thank you in advance,

Family Griot

Tags: Africa, Autauga, County, Dallas, Haiti, Slave, trade

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Luckie Daniels on July 16, 2009 at 11:39pm

Hi Family Griot & welcome to the Alabama Root Diggers! We'll keep an eye out for your CALLENS/CALLINS Ancestors!:-)

Luckie.

Permalink Reply by Family Griot on July 17, 2009 at 9:57pm

Thank You Luckie. I appreciate it!

Permalink Reply by Emiko Lanier on July 18, 2009 at 8:19am

I am a grand daughter of William Henry Lanier (1855-1929) born in Lanier Plantation at Autuaga County Autuaga, Alabama. His father was a Isaac Dickson Lanier, mother slave servant. I am looking for the Black Laniers from Autuaga, AL. Please let me know if you come accross one. W.H. Lanier had mixed brothers and sisters. There names were: Claree Lanier (1858-?), Harry Lanier (1863-?) and Charlie Lanier (1865-?) Please let me know. Emiko Lanier

Permalink Reply by Lisa A. (Thamm) Spegal on December 10, 2009 at 3:16am

This might be a different guy, but same name so thought I'd ask:

Name: Clemant Tracy Lanier
Death date: 24 Oct 1931
Death place: Ennis, Ellis, Texas
Gender: Male
Race or color (on document): White
Age at death: 48 years 27 days
Estimated birth year:
Birth date: 27 Sep 1883
Birthplace: Clanton, Ala.
Marital status: Married
Spouse's name: Beulah Lanier
Father's name: Isaac Dickson Lanier
Father's birthplace: Huntsville, Ala
Mother's name: Jantha Dejainette
Mother's birthplace: Antagaville, Ala
Occupation: Money Order Clerk
Residence:
Cemetery name: Myrtle Cem
Burial place: Ennis
Burial date: 25 Oct 1931
Additional relatives:
Film number: 2135697
Digital GS number: 4150409
Image number: 2959
Reference number: bk 94 cn 46642
Collection: Texas Deaths, 1890-1976

Permalink Reply by Lori Laine Keefe Aleman on September 6, 2010 at 7:17pm

Isaac Dickson Lanier is my great great great grandfather, via his son Sydney Dickson Lanier. Your Clement/Clemant is a brother to my great great grandfather, I believe, and was apparently with the family when they relocated to Ennis. I would love to know more about your branch! My great grandmother Alyce was Sydney's oldest daughter with his wife Calla Dora Boles from Ennis. She was a wild child and became estranged from the family, so we are just learning the truth about our roots and the family line with my research. Please contact me if you can!

Lori Aleman

Permalink Reply by Lisa A. (Thamm) Spegal on September 15, 2010 at 3:00am

I see a Sydney & a Clifford Lanier wrote poems/songs. How interesting!

Permalink Reply by Emiko Lanier on September 14, 2010 at 3:06pm

Clemant Tracy Lanier is also my great uncle, Please let me know your relations.

Permalink Reply by Family Griot on July 18, 2009 at 8:39am

I am descended from the African-American Lanier's of Autauga county. However, from what I've been told that there are two distinct sets of AA Lanier's. I was told this by one of my Callins cousins who is also a member of the other Lanier family. I believe that my Lanier's are descended from Burwell/Burrell Lanier. Burwell Lanier (b.1844) had a son Thomas/Tom (b. 1874-1880) whom is my great-grandfather. My father and his siblings are the only direct descendants of Tom Lanier. Consequently much of my research is into Tom's siblings and their descendants. One more quick note. Tom Lanier spoke with a creole accent or what some people consider pidgeon. Something I always considered to be very interesting.
Good luck with finding your Lanier's, Emiko.

Permalink Reply by Emiko Lanier on July 25, 2009 at 11:45pm

I found Burwell Lanier in the 1860 Census, born about 1841 in Huntsville, Madison County Alabama. I found the 1900 Censes of Thomas L. Lanier born abt May 1872. Parents are Berwell Lanier, 60 and Charity Lanier 57, Children Thomas L. Lanier , 28 oldest son, Bettie Lanier, 20, Laura Lanier , 18, Liana Lanier, 14, Luela Lanier, 12, William H. Lanier, 10. They were living in Milton, Statesfille, Gethels, Autauga, Alabama. Is this right?
The names of children are simular to my family who has William Henry Lanier and Luela Lanier.
My great-grand father was Dr. Isaac Dickson Lanier (W) who had children by black servant. Isaac Dickson Lanier was a grandson of Isaac Lanier, father and Mary Dickson, mother. Isaac Dickson's father was Burwell Lanier, mother Elizabeth Hill. Isaac Dickson died in Autagua County. I believe that my geat grandmother was in the SAME LANIER FAMILY SLAVELY. Emiko Lanier

Permalink Reply by Family Griot on July 27, 2009 at 6:41pm

Those are the records that I located that came the closest to matching family oral history about my great grandfather Tom Lanier. Tom Lanier also lived in Milton after 1900 with his wife Ellen and children Louis (my grandfather) and Susie. I believe that the towns would've been Milton, Statesville and Bethel(s). I've never heard about any white ancestors in my Lanier family. Doesn't mean they don't exist.

Permalink Reply by Lori Laine Keefe Aleman on September 6, 2010 at 7:24pm

I'm Emiko's and your cousin via William Henry's brother Sydney Dickson Lanier. I, like Emiko, have heard and found family members in both my Lanier and Dupree family lines with African American family, which I think is interesting and wonderful. My Dupree lines were Creole, too; so my family has been multicultural for generations! Emiko is half Japanese, too!

By the way, my research has shown that those who lived in Autagua and Autaguaville would now be located in Birmingham, Alabama. Can you possibly do a listing similar to what follows with your family information, so we can add it to our family trees? Knowing we are connect via Burwell takes us back several generations.

Burwell Lanier
Isaac Lanier
William Dickson Lanier
Isaac Dickson Lanier
Sydney Dickson Lanier
Alyce Carolyn Lanier
Carolyn Alyce Turlington
Charles Eugene Keefe
Lori Laine Keefe Aleman

Permalink Reply by Emiko L Lanier on September 14, 2010 at 5:50pm

Thank you Lori for your support in looking into both white and black ancestry. Your help is greatly appreciated!

Your cousin, Emiko Lanier