Where We Come From

The Brown, Vandiver, Hooks and James families of Montgomery, Bullock and Lowndes counties, Alabama. 135 people and places, each tied to a record or a family account.

How the family got from Creek country to today, step by step. Tap any name to see who they are, which side of the family they're on, and the record behind it.

    Each card walks one side of the family back, generation by generation, starting from Melvin.

    Proven by a recordFamily account (accepted)Lead still being checked

    Who was where, and when. Slide through the years to watch the family move, turn on the land layers to see whose land it was, and tap two pins with Measure to see how far apart they lived.

    Year

    All years
    1810186519202000

    Side of the family

    Layers

    Key

    Dad's side Mom's side Aunt Rita's side History and other Land patent to a white family Land held by our people Creek land cession Hollow pin = approximate location

    Not on the map yet

    Every person, family and place, and how they link. Tap a name to light up its connections; drag to move, pinch or use the zoom buttons.

    Everyone on this page, grouped by side of the family.

    Family accounts are what Melvin, his parents and grandparents, Snap, Aunt Rita and Aunt Evelyn have said; they are accepted as true and records are added under them. Confirmed means a record was read and checked. Being checked are leads, not findings. Ruled out means a record shows a lead was wrong.

      Every time the research changed its mind, it's written down here, with what the records actually say.