Those Thursday Places

Every day as I drive by what was once the Sunday Market in Christiansted, St. Croix Danish West Indies. I can’t help but think about my female ancestors in the Market hustling or huckstering during the early part of the 19^th Century. The Market was an enhancement to the town it was the place where social interaction among the Slaves from various estates would meet, a place to barter, purchase and sell your product. I can only imagine what a vibrant place with a variety of vegetables, provisions, fruits and fish being sold. This was the place the ladies dominated proudly and established their family/friend network. Today Market Street (as shown) has new meaning. It is known as Time Square.

Estate Little Princess a Classic Sugar Estate

My 4th GG mother Sarah Beaudhuy was born in St. Croix Danish West Indies. She is the mulatto daughter of a slave. Sarah lived between Betsey Jewel and Little Princess Plantation owned by Anthony Beaudhuy. Sarah most likely worked between the Cane fields and the Sugar Factory. . As elsewhere in the Caribbean they were given insufficient sustenance and driven to the limits of their endurance

Ruins of the Little Princess Sugar Plantation, St. Croix

On this journey I was able to visit the Ruins of the Estate Little Princess; where my ancestors worked alongside other enslaved people. I came away from the area thinking about their struggle, anxieties and fears. In spite of unfavorable circumstances throughout the eighteenth century, I have recognized the value and importance of renewing and healing wounds which makes my Genealogical Journey worth the trip. Hope you Njoy those Thursday Places.

By shelley dewese

As I continue to search out my history, I am discovering how much I did not know. The more information disclosed about my ancestry, the more I learn and understand how I am the person that has evolved today. My family's research efforts have taken me on an enlightening journey back through the past in the U. S. Virgin Islands (formerly Danish West Indies) and Coastal Georgia. As with most people of Afro-Caribbean descent, my ancestry stems from peoples brought together by colonialism and conquest; it stems from people thrown together, albeit forcibly, by the throes of enslavement. As a result, my DNA tells me that my people originate in Africa, Europe, England, Ireland, Scotland, France, Lesser Antilles, and Leeward Caribbean Islands. Two collections made my dream to research my ancestors in the Danish West Indies a reality. I have conducted extensive research using the St. Croix Population Database 1734-1917, a St. Croix African Roots Project product, and a research and document transcription effort sponsored by the Virgin Islands Social History Associates (VISHA). The other catalyst has been accessing the extensive photo, manuscript, and microfilm collections at the Library and Archives of the St. Croix Landmarks Society at Estate Whim in St. Croix. My heartfelt thanks go to all my cousins, extended "cousin-family," friends, and research colleagues from the St. Croix-based Virgin Islands Ancestry Discovery Group, for their input and collaboration. I also want to thank the UJima Genealogy Group in Coastal Georgia and GlynnGen.com; webmaster Amy Hendrick has introduced me to Southern History and its people. This site allows you to transform yourself to a time during the Danish period (1734-1917) when life was both complex and straightforward. If you have any questions, comments, or need assistance searching for a Danish West Indies ancestor, I invite you to drop me an email. Its.sheldew@gmail.com I especially appreciate the followers' encouragement.

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