Fannie was born a slave in Kentucky at the beginning of the Civil War in 1861.
Even though Kentucky entered the war on the side of the Union it was a slave state. Kentucky had some laws that were more lenient than most slave states, such as freed slaves were not required to leave the state. As a result Fannie might have been born a free person, but it is more likely that Fannie born a slave. If so she did not gain her freedom as a result of the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863 as it only applied to slaves in the Confederate slave states. She also didn't gain her freedom at the end of the war either, May 9, 1865.
Even while engaging on the union side in the fight against slavery, several of the 'border states' retained slaves until the ratification of the 13th Amendment to the constitution, December 6, 1865. Ending slavery in all states.
To view the Williams Montgomery Family map click this link:
http://www.communitywalk.com/location_info/2004070/13262406
Who is who in this post:
- Fanny Pope is the grandmother of James F. Williams.
- She married first, James Buchanan Bell (James’ grandfather), and later Joseph Rowlette/Roulett, the Civil Ware Union Army veteran.
- James F. & Myrtle (Montgomery) Williams are the focal point of this project.
