NEW FAMILY LINE LOCATED!

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July 20, 2009
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Good News from Barbara Williams, Cleveland (Ford-Bryson) Chapter

I was on facebook and decided to wish my paternal cousin happy birthday. After I wrote his birthday salutation on his wall I noticed a familiar last name. Someone by the name of Tracie Brison had also written on his wall. I know from conversations with my mother, Ella Pearl Williams, that throughout the years the Bryson last name has been spelled both with the letter “I” or the “Y”. So the spelling of the last name did not puzzle me. The next thing that I noticed was her network region (facebook language for her home town) which was Warner/Robins, Macon Georgia. Most of my parental cousins live in this area. I thought why not take a chance and send her a private message on facebook.

My message went something like this…are you related to Aaron Bryson/Brison? Do you know Ms. Fannie Pearl Bryson-Solomon that lived on Dolly Street?

Her response was “Yes I AM”. She also commented on knowing Ms. Fannie Pearl.

Then I thought about all the wonderful conversations that I have had with my mother, Ella Pearl Williams and remember her talking about her cousin Lainne. For some strange reason I felt compelled to write and ask Tracie the following question “Are you related to Lainne? Tracie Bryson’s response “Yes, I am the oldest granddaughter of Lainne Bell Gray.

Tracie Brison and I wrote and talked to one another. It appears that Tracie has been working diligently to form a family reunion. She has been searching for her family for years. Tracie has gone to the County records and gathered marriage and death certificates. She also had a family reunion where approximately 30-45 people attended. I listened as she was reading the names of all the relatives that she had on her list and then I realized the magnitude of what was really happening. Tracie is a descendant of Peter Bryson/Brison who was the brother of Aaron Bryson. Aaron Bryson was my great grandfather (the father of my grandmother Willie Mae Bryson- Ford).

Our cousin Tracie Brison is the link that has reunited us with major missing pieces of our family history. We possibly will be able to reunite the descendants of the both Aaron and Peter Bryson.
President Obama’s slogan is “Yes, we can” while the Ford-Bryson slogan is simple “Yes, I am”.

Just in case you missed the questions, here they are:

Are you a descendant of Aaron/Peter Bryson?
Are you a descendant of Henry Ford?
Are you a descendant of Hansie Solomon?

Answer “Yes” to any of the above questions, and your response with chest poked out and head held high is “Yes I Am.”

Editor’s Comments:

Words cannot describe nor can emotions be contained when one reflects on what has just been shared.

Synnia Solomon and other charter members of the founding Ford-Bryson Chapter of our reunion must at this moment be looking down from their Heavenly Home and smiling upon the work that is continuing.

Those who are continuing that work should feel a new-found sense of pride, accomplishment and spiritual renewal in this connection. Whether your connection to the family extends from the Ford-Bryson line is not of consequence. All who have worked through the challenges of the past thirty-six years, and enjoyed the harvest of the good times have yet another reason to celebrate. Even friends of the family (who are still “family”), who are often our biggest supporters can consider our new-found family line as a victory. When you can go to sleep one night and wake up the next morning with 30 – 45 additional family members, all with hopes, and dreams, and stories to share, you have been truly blessed.

Barbara Williams saw past “what is” and imagined what “might be." She refused to let the task at hand (wishing one person Happy Birthday) fog her memory (the conversations with her mother), or cloud her vision or dampen her spirit (the strengthening of family).

As visionaries do, Barbara took the high road, the road filled with imagination, possibilities and hope. As visionaries do, she took the technology that some blame for intrusion, and used it as a tool for inclusion. As visionaries do, she took a tool called facebook, that some see as social networking nonsense, and used it to continue the dream!

Thank you Barbara!

And to our “new” family members, the descendants of Peter Brison.

We don’t yet know all your names, or where you live, or what your stories might be. What we are certain of is that all of that will change, and we pray that it changes sooner rather than later. You are important to us, and we understand that at least one member of your family plans to attend our reunion later this month. We are excited about that probability, and look forward to doing a lot of catching up in the very near future. Thank you Tracie, Ruth, and everyone who has worked tirelessly over the years toward uniting us as a more complete family.

For those who have computer access, we urge you to:
Visit the Family web site at: http://www.hansiesolomon.org/
See the Family newsletter at: www.hansiesolomon.org/familynews200907-00.html
See the Family Blog at: http://www.hansiesolomon.blogspot.com/
Contact the Editor at: admin@hansiesolomon.org