Family Secrets

Researching my family history is really a big deal for me. I not only want to know the sequence of events, or the names of parents and siblings, but also what was going on during the time of their lives and how they possibly dealt with these circumstances. This could show the strength of my ancestors and in turn show the strength that is within me. I have been working on this family history for a number of years and I know that it will take quite a few more. This information is something that I want my family to enjoy for generations to come. I would love to see the story in book- form with dvd, and possibly a trivia game. I am going to work hard over the next few years to make this happen. I am often surprised at the reactions I get from some family members as this history unfolds. Most are excited, but not going to help do any of the research, even if it only takes making a couple of phone calls. Then there are the secrets that were kept and have gone to the grave with those who were privy to them. Often times it is the secrets that make this research difficult. The stories are changed or not told at all. I believe that there is something secretive surrounding the parents of my grandfather Nathaniel Keitt. In my research, I am not able to find anything on Willie and Viola Keitt. It is as if they have just vanished. Maybe that is not their names at all, or they were not married. My Aunt Ilee was given Viola as her middle name after her father’s mother, so that is probably correct, but she is still a mystery.

Martha Clark McMillian 1870-1922, Telfair County, McRae, Georgia

Martha Clark was born on March 30, 1870 in Telfair County, McRae, Georgia to Wesley and Kissy Clark. Martha married William McMillian in 1885 and they had fourteen children, Adam, Oscar, Kizzie(Kissy), John, Henry, Alice, Margie, Earnest, Alberta,Lois, (Susie) Esker, Theodore, Wesley, and an infant that died.
You can view the census under the census data to the right of this post. In the 1880 census, Martha is listed as mulatto.

Emma McRae, born 1870-1 in Montgomery County, Ga.

Emma was born in Montgomery County, Georgia. Her mother was Matilda McAllister McRae. Emma was Emma McAllister, before her mother married Moses McRae, and from that point on in any census starting with 1880 her name is Emma McRae. In the 1870 census she was one month old and her name was Emma McAllister. So she may show her father as Moses McRae. There were several siblings and you can download and save a pdf copy of the 1880 census that list some of these siblings.

Betsy McRae born about 1857 in Montgomery County, Georgia

Betsy McRae was born about 1857 in Montgomery County, Georgia, possibly Lumber City, Georgia. Her mother's name was Mary, but her father is unknown. She lived with her brother Moses, and two sisters, Mary J. and Ann. The census states her race as black, but it is possible that she is of mixed breed, possibly Native American.

Ann McRae, born about 1855 in Montgomery County, Georgia

Ann was born about 1855 in Montgomery County, Ga., possibly Lumber City, Georgia. She had a brother Moses and two sisters, Mary J. and Betsey. Her mother's name was Mary. The census states her race as black, but it is possible that she was of mixed breed, possibly Native American. Her father is unknown.

Mary J. McRae born abt 1853, Montgomery County, Ga

Mary J. Mcrae was born about 1853 in Montgomery County, Ga., possibly Lumber City, Georgia.
Her mother's name is also Mary, and she lived with her brother Moses, and two sisters Ann and Betsey. The 1880 census states her race as black, but it is possible that she is of mixed breed, possibly Native American. The father is unknown.

Viola Keitt, b. in South Carolina in the 1880's

Viola was the mother of Nathaniel H. Keitt and Romeo Keitt, born in the Orangeburg, SC area. Her sons were raised by their grandparents Joshua and Elizabeth Keitt and were listed in their household in the 1910 Census.
At this point it is not known what happened to her for her children to move in with their grandparents. If Joshua and Elizabeth were her parents or the children's father's parents. It is not known if Viola and Willie were married it is only known that these are the names of the parents of Nathaniel and Romeo Keitt.

Nothing is known of Viola Keitt.

Willie Keitt b.in the 1880's, Black, in Bowman, Orangeburg, SC

There is not much known about Willie, other than he lived in the Orangeburg, South Carolina area. It is possible that he is the son of Joshua and Elizabeth Keitt. He possibly married a woman by the name of Viola, and had atleast two sons, Romeo Keitt and Nathaniel Keitt.

In the 1910 census, Nathaniel and Romeo are in the household with what is stated as their grandparents, Joshua and Elizabeth, which makes me believe that these are Willie's parents, unless Willie and Viola were not married and Viola's surname was Keitt. To date we don't have any knowledge of what happened to Willie and Viola.


The big question is what happened to Willie and does he have any more children.


I understand that my grandfather, Nathaniel never talked about his parents or his life in South Carolin, before moving to Savannah, Ga. to live with his Aunt Aida.

Moses McRae b.1846 in Georgia, - Mulatto

Moses was born in Georgia. Possibly in the Montgomery/Telfair County , Georgia area. His mother was Mary (?) McRae and his father is unknown. He is listed as Black in the 1870 census, but it is said that he was of mix breed . In the house hold he had three sisters, Mary J. McRae b. abt 1853, Ann McRae b. abt 1855, and Betsy McRae b. abt 1857, all in Georgia.

Moses married Matilda McAllister July 18, 1872 and they had several children. they are listed under the post entitled Matilda Horne McAllister McRae.
There is nothing known of Moses mother or his siblings other than their names.

Moses McRae died February 14, 1922 in Telfair County, Georgia.

Andrew (Andar) Horn(e) b.1864, in Georgia - mulatto

Andrew Horn(e) was probably born in 1864 in Montgomery and/or Telfair County, Georgia. When he was 6 years old he lived with Jane and Frederick Hall, next door to Matilda McAllister. It is believe that his mother's name was Susan (House).

Andrew was of mixed breed, believed to be Mulatto.

Matilda Horn McAllister McRae b.1847, Georgia

Matilda was born December 12, 1847 in the state of Georgia. Her mother was Susan with the surname House that was documented on the death certificate of Matilda. It is also said that Matilda and a brother named Andrew and it was said that his surname was Horn(e).
The information that was passed down through the family was that Matilda's name was Matilda Horn when she married Moses McRae and that she had a brother Andrew(Andar) Horn. It has since been discovered and documented that Matilda was actually Matilda McAllister when she married Moses McRae July 18, 1872 in Montgomery County, Georgia. It is also documented that Matilda had atleast one child when she married Moses and her name was Emma. In the 1870 census Emma was one month old and in the 1880 census she was listed as 9 years old, and that is because the census was taken befor her 10th birthday. It appears that she was probably born June of 1870 because the 1870 census was take Juy 19, 1870.
There is no mention of Matilda's father, but since she was Mulatto, she is probably daughter of a slave master in Georgia.

There were other children living in the house with Matilda in the in the 1870 census, but she didn't take these children with her, their names were John C. McAllister 3, Laurens M. McAllister 2, Lewis McAllister 10, Morning P. McAllister 1, all of these children are also mulatto. The child she took with her when she married Moses McRae, was Emma McAllister was 1/12. Emma's name was McAllister, but in 1880 census she is listed as Emma McRae.

Next door to Matilda McAllister in the 1870 census was a young couple name Frederick and Jane Hall. Living in the house with them was a young 6 year old boy named Andrew Horn. I belive that this was Matilda's brother. This also indicates that Matilda and Andrew's mother Susan was possibly deceased by this time.

Moses and Matilda had several children, most of which of no knowledge of other than their names. They are, all with the last name McRae; Edward, Joseph, Emma b.1870, Sarah b. 1872, James b. 1873, Susie Mary b.1875 (my great-grandmother), John Franklin b.1880, Earnest b. 1882, Milbern Moses b. 1882, Joseph b. 1885, Waldo b. 1889, and Franklin J. b. 1894.
They were all born in the Montgomery County, Telfair County areas.

Matilda McRae died June 26, 1984 in Berrien, Georgia, and her death certificate was signed by her son, John Franklin McRae.

There are many questions in reference to Matilda;
1. Where did the name Horne and McAllister come from?
2. Did Matilda's mother marry again to obtain the surname House? And if so, did she have any more children?
3. What happened to Andrew Horne?
4. What happened to the other children that were listed in the 1870 census that resided in the house with Matilda?
5. Who is Emma's father?