Whoa! It’s William Henry Halstead


https://jennifernicholewells.com/2016/10/03/jnws-halloween-challenge-spooky/

In response to The Daily Post’s writing prompt: “Whoa!.”

What’s the most surreal experience you’ve ever had?

  • Do you have a spooky or haunting story about your family or ancestry?

Prompt Stomp

https://themomhood.wordpress.com/2015/10/17/prompt-stomp-week-3/

William H. Halstead name as inscribed on the Colored Soldiers Monument in Washington, DC
William H. Halstead name as inscribed on the Colored Soldiers Monument in Washington, DC
William Henry Halstead Headstone ~ Sleepy Hollow
William Henry Halstead Headstone ~ Sleepy Hollow

About two years ago the museum where I work had a Civil War Photography special exhibit.

I was posted in the Civil War photography exhibit at the museum. My Great, Great Grandfather William Henry Halstead fought in the Civil War. There was a steady stream of visitors but everyone was quiet, calm, serious, deeply affected by what they were seeing. During the course of the day as I walked through the photographs taking everything in it was like I began to see through the eyes of my Great, Great Grandfather. I could hear the sounds of battle, the screams of pain from injured soldiers, feel his adrenaline and fear as he surged forth with his 29th CT. Colored Regiment brothers. All I can say it was like I was in his head. I had to make an effort to turn off so I could finish my day without freaking out. Even now I feel he is still with me even I never met him. Maybe this is genetic memory. All the memories of our ancestors stay with us though we are separated by time and generations. As a writer it gives a different aspect and flavor to my writing but it is a very strange sensation.

Ancestral Memories & Captured Moments


Ancestral Memories

Family Photographs dating from the 19th to 21st Centuries. My paternal Grandmother Eva Gordon Palmer labeled the older photos.  The photos from the 19th Century were all taken in Photography studios located in New York City where my Great Great Grandmother settled with her five children after my Great Great Grandfather William Henry Halstead passed away.  William Henry Halstead served in the Civil War as part of the 29th Ct. Colored Regiment.  Please click on the below links for more information on him and his unit.

 My Paternal Grandparents Eva and William Palmer married in Jan. 1919 and had several children. All the boys passed away from polio except my Dad Edward G. Palmer. His nickname was Precious.  They had three daughters Helen Louise Palmer Garcia, Thelma Rosalie Palmer Varner and Eva Palmer Stuppard.

All the people pictured except me and my brother Stephen have gone onto Glory and are Living their Heavenly reward.

https://dancingpalmtrees.com/2013/07/13/genetic-memory/

Connecticut Twenty-Ninth (Colored) Regt. C. V. INFANTRY

http://www.conn29th.org/descendants.htm

Stephen Vincent Palmer ~ QCP Christmas Party 2013
Stephen Vincent Palmer ~ QCP Christmas Party 2013
Family Photo Collage
Ancestor Branches ~ A Photo Collage I made for the Employee Art Show in 2012.
Me and My brother Stephen December 1961
Me and My brother Stephen December 1961
William H. Halstead name as inscribed on the Colored Soldiers Monument in Washington, DC
William H. Halstead name as inscribed on the Colored Soldiers Monument in Washington, DC
William Henry Halstead Headstone ~ Sleepy Hollow
William Henry Halstead Headstone ~ Sleepy Hollow
African/Native American Queen
MMC 2002 Graduation
My 56th Birthday Party Celebration Feb. 27th
My 56th Birthday Party Celebration Feb. 27th
20150227_181128
How I look now at age 56.
20150227_181205
56th Birthday Party Celebration
Fifty-Sultry
Fifty-Sexy. Fifty-Sultry.

20150228_152856 church lady

Henry Keyser
Henry Keyser
Fredrick H. Halstead_Sept. 6, 1898_Little's Brother
Fredrick H. Halstead_Sept. 6, 1898_Little’s Brother. Little was my Great Grandmother.
Aunt Hannah
Aunt Hannah
Aunt Susan
Aunt Susan
Rosalie Palmer_William Palmer's Sister
Rosalie Palmer_William Palmer’s Sister. William Palmer is my Grandfather.
Aunt Carrie_George Gordon's sister
Aunt Carrie_George Gordon’s sister
Aunt Carrie
Aunt Carrie
Grandfather_4kids_1926
My Grandfather William Junius Palmer in Mt. Morris Park located in Harlem New York circa 1926 with four of his children. The two children in white are twins but the boy died of polio. My father Edward Gordon Palmer is not featured in this picture because he was born in 1930.
Edward Gordon Palmer_early 1950s
My Dad Edward Gordon Palmer
Edward G. Palmer_Early 1950s
Daddy Edward Gordon Palmer
Edward Gordon Palmer 1935
Edward Gordon Palmer 1935. This photo was taken by the famous Harlem Renaissance Photographer James Van Der Zee.
Ancestor_Dad_Side
Unknown Ancestor on my Dad’s side. I’m sure my Grandmother did label this photo but the label must have gotten lost. This is a Tin type and at some point the label must have fallen off so I do not know her name.
Mable_Edward_Palmer
My Mom and Dad Mable and Edward Palmer. They were married Dec. 1955 in Dayton, Ohio. Later my Dad brought my Mom back to New York where my brother Stephen and I were born.
DAP2002MMCGrad
My Marymount Manhattan College Graduation photo, 2002.
DeBorah_Stephen_House2
Stephen and I at his residence Queens Centers for Progress in Queens, NY. Stephen has Autism yet works and has a very active social Life. We are very close.
MablePalmer
Mom ~~ Mable Elizabeth Palmer born 1930 in Davy, West Virginia, raised in Dayton, Ohio.
Aunt Thelma circa 1940s or 50s
My Aunt Thelma Rosalie Palmer Varner.
Eva Sophronia Gordon Palmer -- Grandmother
Eva Sophronia Gordon Palmer — Grandmother
Mable Elizabeth Palmer circa 1950s
Mommy ~~ Mable Elizabeth Palmer

Genetic Memory


Genetic Memory

There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio,
Than are dreamt of in your philosophy.
– Hamlet (1.5.166-7), Hamlet to Horatio

2 Corinthians 12:3-4

New International Version (NIV)

And I know that this man—whether in the body or apart from the body I do not know, but God knows— was caught up to paradise and heard inexpressible things, things that no one is permitted to tell.

Lately I’ve been having some very odd spiritual experiences. They are akin to the TV program Quantum Leap where the guy leaps into another person’s body or even more personal like the protagonist in the Octavia Butler novel, Kindred. Mine is not quite that spectacular but it began last year with my mother’s spirit speaking through me to create a memoir for her. Even though my Mom has been deceased since 1998 it was like she and I were one flesh. The stimulus was a rather unpleasant family disagreement but that one trigger melded our spirits and I began to feel the emotions she had over 50 years ago concerning my Brother Stephen’s developmental disability. All the hurt, pain, sadness, anguish and depression she felt when she was unjustly accused of causing her beloved son’s autism surfaced within my spirit.

I just began to write and write over the course of the last 7 or 8 months. Then after finding out some interesting family history concerning my maternal grandmother again I began to experience her emotions. Then a few days ago when I was posted in the Civil War Photography exhibit at my museum, once more an ancestor’s thoughts and emotions came to me. My Great, Great Grandfather William Henry Halstead fought in the Civil War. There was a steady stream of visitors but everyone was quiet, calm, serious, deeply affected by what they were seeing. During the course of the day as I walked through the photographs taking everything in it was like I began to see through the eyes of my Great, Great Grandfather. I could hear the sounds of battle, the screams of pain from injured soldiers, feel his adrenaline as he surged forth with his 29th CT. Colored Regiment brothers. All I can say it was like I was in his head. I had to make an effort to turn off so I could finish my day without freaking out. Even now I feel he is still with me even though I never met him. Maybe this is genetic memory. All the memories of our ancestors stay with us though we are separated by time but not necessarily by eternity. As a writer it gives a different aspect and flavor to my writing but it is a very strange sensation and I don’t know what to make of this new development.

William H. Halstead name as inscribed on the Colored Soldiers Monument in Washington, DC
William H. Halstead name as inscribed on the Colored Soldiers Monument in Washington, DC

It happened last year as I was making a Family Photo collage for the Employee Art Show. It was as though family members long deceased most whom I never got the chance to meet were telling me where to place all the photos within the collage. Very strange.

Family Photo Collage
Ancestor Branches

I’m beginning to wonder if I’m some type of an Empath like on Star Trek.

Empaths have the ability to scan another’s psyche for thoughts and feelings or for past, present, and future life occurrences. Many empaths are unaware of how this actually works, and have long accepted that they were sensitive to others.

 

I posed my questions to the FB Black Ancestry page and received several intuitive responses.

“I’ve been chosen as a Portal by my family members who have passed on.

Some inanimate objects do have an impressed energy and will release to an open mind/spirit. Some good, some negative. In your case, the familiar of family to present themselves to you to share an understanding of who they were to help others in their journeys here.”

While in the Egyptian Wing of the museum I also felt a spiritual connection to this woman perhaps Queen Tiye whose face graces a canopic jar. Queen Tiye ~ Canopic Jar

William Henry Halstead Headstone ~ Sleepy Hollow
William Henry Halstead Headstone ~ Sleepy Hollow

The Battle scene I heard while in the Civil War Photography exhibit as described by one of my Great, Great Grandfathers fellow soldiers.   http://conn29th.org/stories.htm

Maybe my Great, great grandfather is trying to connect with me. Sometimes I wonder why he speaks to me. Also I never had experiences of this magnitude when I was younger. I did have visions between the ages of 4 and 5 but I never told my parents for fear they would think I was nuts. These visions began again after I turned 50. I’m 54 now. An odd age for the portal to reopen. Now I know why he waited nearly 150 years not just for me to make an appearance on this earth but he waited for “The One”.  The Anointed One who would be able to tell the stories of the ancestors and who could make Spiritual Consolation so their souls could be at rest. 

In December of 1863 my Great Great Grandfather, William Henry Halstead, who lived in Tarrytown, New York, traveled to New Haven, Connecticut to join the 29th Connecticut Colored Infantry. On his Volunteer Enlistment papers it notes his occupation as a farmer. He enlisted for three years and was discharged on the 24th day of October 1865. He married and had five children. William Henry Halstead passed away in 1888 and was buried in Sleepy Hollow Cemetery in Tarrytown, New York. His wife moved to New York City with her five children. Her children grew up in Harlem and belonged to various organizations such as Odd Fellows, Ladies of the Grand Army of the Republic and the Daughters of New York.

Sp4 Palmer, 569th PSC & 101st Airborne Division.

Deborah Ann Palmer U.S. Army 1977-1981
Deborah Ann Palmer
U.S. Army 1977-1981

I’m glad my spirit is open and that some family members have decided to reconnect through the veil of life and death to communicate with me. I would say that they don’t want to be forgotten by current and future generations. I am Chosen to tell their stories.

Memorial Day 2013


 

In December of 1863 my Great Great Grandfather, William Henry Halstead, who

lived in Tarrytown, New York, traveled to New Haven, Connecticut to join the

29th Connecticut Colored Infantry.  On his Volunteer Enlistment papers it notes

his occupation as a farmer.  He enlisted for three years and was discharged on the

24th day of October 1865.  He married and had five children.  William Henry

Halstead passed away in 1888 and was buried in Sleepy Hollow Cemetery in

Tarrytown, New York.  His wife moved to New York City with her five children. 

Her children grew up in Harlem and belonged to various organizations such as Odd

Fellows, Ladies of the Grand Army of the Republic and the Daughters of New

York.

Special honor & glory to the Black soldiers, including my Great, great Grandfather William Henry Halstead, 29th Colored Regiment, CT,  who served in the Civil War even though at first Lincoln was reluctant to allow Blacks to enlist, to the Navajo code talkers whose messages helped win WWII, to the Black veterans of WWII & Korea who fought for Double Victory, overseas and at home; to our brave Japanese American troops who fought bravely during WWII while they families were herded into internment camps; to our Vietnam Vets who were spat upon and called names when they returned to the USA; to all Women soldiers and Veterans who often have to fight the enemy without and within (sexual abuse); to all Lesbian and Gay soldiers who until recently had to where a mask or risk being expelled from the military. Many of us served, fought, were disabled and died because we loved our country even when our country did not love us in return. I Salute you All!

Spec. 4 Palmer — U.S. Army, 1977-1981

569th PSC & 101st Airborne Division

Edward G. Palmer Korean War
Edward G. Palmer
Korean War

Cathay Williams — Civil War Shero & Buffalo Soldier


A friend of mine introduced me to Cathay Williams, the first African American Woman documented to have served in the Civil War. She was also a Buffalo Soldier.  I hope to discuss this for a Black History Month program talk sometime in the future.

Cathay Williams - 1st Woman Buffalo Soldier

Bob Marley — Buffalo Soldier

Cathay Williams or William Cathay (Cathey)
Private, Thirty-eighth U.S. Infantry 1866-1868

http://www.sangres.com/history/cwilliams/index.htm
http://www.buffalosoldier.net/CathayWilliamsFemaleBuffaloSoldierWithDocuments.htm
http://userpages.aug.com/captbarb/femvets2.html

http://dashingclaire.hubpages.com/hub/First-Female-Buffalo-Soldier-Cathay-Williams

Last year marked the 150th anniversary of the Civil War.  Here is a very short story about one of my ancestors who fought bravely for freedom.

In December of 1863 my Great Great Grandfather, William Henry Halstead, who lived in Tarrytown, New York, traveled to New Haven, Connecticut to join the 29th Connecticut Colored Infantry.  On his Volunteer Enlistment papers it notes his occupation as a farmer.  He enlisted for three years and was discharged on the 24th day of October 1865.  He married and had five children.  William Henry Halstead passed away in 1888 and was buried in Sleepy Hollow Cemetery in Tarrytown, New York.  His wife moved to New York City with her five children.  Her children grew up in Harlem and belonged to various organizations such as Odd Fellows, Ladies of the Grand Army of the Republic and the Daughters of New York.

One of his descendents was my grandmother Eva Sophronia Gordon Palmer who was born in 1892.