Hello, my name is Shawntrell Washington, I am the son of Shawna Redman and Terrell Washington Sr., I am one of six children. When I was about nine years of age, my great-aunt passed away, God rest her beautiful soul. While they were making her obituary, I had overheard where my great-grandmother had a son that passed away three months after birth. So, I started asking questions like where he was buried, and what was his name. My great-grandmother told me, he was my only son, his name was Ronald Anthony Twyman, and he is buried in the Thorn Rose Hill Cemetery, which is found right up the street from my grandmother's home.

I asked my mother to take me up there, so she did and when we arrived there was no headstone or marker made for the baby. So, when I reached the age of 12, I was old enough to walk up there by myself. I have always enjoyed cleaning up graves and putting flowers back on them neatly and would collect flowers thrown on the side and put them on the graves of people who did not have any trivial things like that. In 2015 I was able to get together with some friends and we made my grandmother's son a wooden cross. One time we were having a family occasion at my great-grandmother's home, and they had sent me up there to make sure she was okay.

When I got up there, I seen an old photograph of a white woman, she had brown eyes and grey hair. I asked my great-grandmother, Grandma? Who is this white woman? She looked at me and said, "Sweetheart, that white woman happens to be your great-great-grandmother". I started asking all kinds of questions about her, like, what was her name? Who are her parents, how many siblings did she have?

So, she told me, well dear I called her mom, she started laughing, but her name was Cora Lee Redman, her father's name was Arch, and her mother's name was Anna. She was one of 13 children. So, from there on my insane urge to want to do family history began. I was so obsessed that I asked some of my hometown friends who their grandparents were, and I would talk to their parents and more, and would you believe some of their great-great-grandparents were a sibling to my great-great-grandma Cora! Some people from my hometown were related to me even farther down the line. People would always ask me, "Shawntrell what is your obsession with your family tree for".

I would always respond to this and still do. It would be such a shame for me or a far down the line relative to be in the hospital and not know there was a family member right around the corner, and it is also a respectful thing. I do it because you should always know your family roots. When it comes to "Black History" a lot of sacrifices were made. Some involved babies being taken away from their mommy's for absolutely no good reason at all. No matter what color, race or branch I have broken from, I have tried my hardest to learn them all.

I am only 20 years old now and am still digging for more. Also, anyone who needs help in their search for family, I would be glad to help you on your search as well. I will transfer memorials I have made to other family's memorials to other living family members. But if you are my relative, then if you are more immediate than I am I will consider transferring the memorial to you!

Hello, my name is Shawntrell Washington, I am the son of Shawna Redman and Terrell Washington Sr., I am one of six children. When I was about nine years of age, my great-aunt passed away, God rest her beautiful soul. While they were making her obituary, I had overheard where my great-grandmother had a son that passed away three months after birth. So, I started asking questions like where he was buried, and what was his name. My great-grandmother told me, he was my only son, his name was Ronald Anthony Twyman, and he is buried in the Thorn Rose Hill Cemetery, which is found right up the street from my grandmother's home.

I asked my mother to take me up there, so she did and when we arrived there was no headstone or marker made for the baby. So, when I reached the age of 12, I was old enough to walk up there by myself. I have always enjoyed cleaning up graves and putting flowers back on them neatly and would collect flowers thrown on the side and put them on the graves of people who did not have any trivial things like that. In 2015 I was able to get together with some friends and we made my grandmother's son a wooden cross. One time we were having a family occasion at my great-grandmother's home, and they had sent me up there to make sure she was okay.

When I got up there, I seen an old photograph of a white woman, she had brown eyes and grey hair. I asked my great-grandmother, Grandma? Who is this white woman? She looked at me and said, "Sweetheart, that white woman happens to be your great-great-grandmother". I started asking all kinds of questions about her, like, what was her name? Who are her parents, how many siblings did she have?

So, she told me, well dear I called her mom, she started laughing, but her name was Cora Lee Redman, her father's name was Arch, and her mother's name was Anna. She was one of 13 children. So, from there on my insane urge to want to do family history began. I was so obsessed that I asked some of my hometown friends who their grandparents were, and I would talk to their parents and more, and would you believe some of their great-great-grandparents were a sibling to my great-great-grandma Cora! Some people from my hometown were related to me even farther down the line. People would always ask me, "Shawntrell what is your obsession with your family tree for".

I would always respond to this and still do. It would be such a shame for me or a far down the line relative to be in the hospital and not know there was a family member right around the corner, and it is also a respectful thing. I do it because you should always know your family roots. When it comes to "Black History" a lot of sacrifices were made. Some involved babies being taken away from their mommy's for absolutely no good reason at all. No matter what color, race or branch I have broken from, I have tried my hardest to learn them all.

I am only 20 years old now and am still digging for more. Also, anyone who needs help in their search for family, I would be glad to help you on your search as well. I will transfer memorials I have made to other family's memorials to other living family members. But if you are my relative, then if you are more immediate than I am I will consider transferring the memorial to you!