USBH Pop Up Sprint--Increase the cc7 of these Black American TV Moms

Question

I wanted to do something to honor our moms this week, and I thought let's honor the women who portrayed TV moms who for many of us were an integral part of our growing up years. The challenge is to increase the cc7. Even adding one new family profile will help make new connections. 

Go to the cc7 page and put the Wiki-ID in the box of the lady you will be working on. After you click "Go" click on the "Missing Connections Table" for one of the generations to find spots in the tree that are missing some family. Click "Hide table" if you prefer not to have a table view. Then do research to find the family that needs to be added and add them. Any added profiles will count for the USBH Connecting Challenge. Don't forget to add good sources and the {{African-American Sticker}} if they were African-American.

Here are a few TV moms:

1. Phylicia Rashad - Clair Huxtable on the Cosby Show. (77) 127 Connected! Connecting her to the Tree would help us connect several other notables.
2. Esther Rolle - Maude on Good Times (99)
3. Tracee Silberstein Ross - Dr. Rainbow Johnson on Black-ish (445)
4. Mo'Nique - Nicole Parker on The Parkers (55) 56
5. Taraji Henson - Cookie Lyon on Empire (65)  118
6. Clarice Taylor - Anna Huxtable on the Cosby Show (7) 18
7. Isabel Sanford - Louise Jefferson on the Jeffersons (137)
8. Ja'Net DuBois - Willona Woods on Good Times, adopted mother of Penny (24) 36
9. Diahann Carroll  - Julia Baker on Julia (143) 174

You may have another favorite you'd like to work on. Go for it!

158 profiles added and one notable connected. Great work everyone! 

Answer 1

I'm going to start by adding parents to a few of our living notables. Then I'm going to work on increasing Phylicia Rashad's cc7. There's lots of room for additions there.

Comments

I added much of Taraji Henson's maternal line and connected an existing branch of 200+ profiles to it. This gives her another pathway of connection.

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Hi Emma, I am pretty sure I can connect Taraji to my tree!!  I would have to do a lot of work to my tree on here but basically it goes like this, My Great Grandfather (Caesar Hunter, who already has a Wiki profile) was born 1863 in Halifax County, NC. He married 3 times and had 3 sets of children. His first wife was Ida Ellen Ballard (Sister to Spear Ballard, Taraji's Great Grandfather). Although she and I are not related directly, we share lots of cousins!!!!!!! Let me know if you need more info!! I have lots!

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I think I have succeeded in connecting Spear Ballard to Ida Ellen Ballard as brother and sister on my tree. I added the marriage of Ida Ellen and my great grandfather, Caesar. I have added sources from the marriage directory and also 1880 Census from Halifax, NC

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That's so exciting, Jaqueline! I see you added Spear's parents for the connection. I ran out of steam yesterday so I hadn't gotten to them yet. Now Taraji has yet another connection pathway! Love this

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Yes! And I have more to add! My family saga actually goes a bit deeper with the Ballard family. It goes like this! Spear and Ida Ellen Ballard had an older sister, Mary H. Ballard. Mary married Kinchen Mitchell. Mary and Kinchen had a son, the good Rev. Wells Carter Mitchell!! Wells married Pleasant Hunter, who is the daughter of Ceasar Hunter (Ida Ballard's husband) and his 2nd wife (Margie Ann Branch)!!!!! I descend from this same line thru Pauline Hunter (my grandmother) who is the daughter of Ceasar Hunter and Margie ann Branch!!!!!

We actually have another up and coming celebrity of sorts on our tree that descends from Pleasant Hunter and Wells Carter Mitchell's (Mary Ballad son) line. Here's how it goes:

A coule of weeks ago Demeioun "Chop" Robinson was drafted by the Miami Dolphins, 1st round, pick #21!! He is defensive edge out of Penn State!

Here is how he connects to my tree: Chop Robinson is the son of John Robinson. John Robinson is the son of John Robinson Sr. and Kathy Mitchell Robinson. Kathy Mitchell Robinson is the daughter of Louis Mitchell. Louis Mitchell is the son of Pleasant Hunter and Wells Carter Mitchell. Pleasant Hunter is the sister of Pauline Hunter, who is my grandmother!!

YES! I have a colorful history!!!!

Answer 2

I started with Phylicia Rashad and was adding father of   [[Purnell-1227|Leona (Purnell) Allen (1890-1976)]] is 4 degrees from Phylicia. I found this profile [[Purnell-1080|John Purnell (abt.1868-)]] who could be him. I can't prove it though. could someone who is more familiar with Louisiana take a look? If this could be proven, it would connect Phylicia to the big tree!!!

Comments

Although I couldn't find direct proof that John Purnell, married to Mary Lamotte, is the son of Edward Purnell, I couldn't find any other John Purnells of this age in Louisiana, so indirect evidence would say yes, this is the same person.

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And this connects the Rashad family. Woot woot!

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I added him and found them together in the 1910 census. Leona was recorded with her birth family that year. She married soon after.

Answer 3

Two others who shouldn't be overlooked:

- Mabel King, Mama Thomas on What's Happening!! (27)

- Rosette LeNoire, Mama Winslow on Family Matters (6)

Comments

Thank you for the additions, David!

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I worked on Rosette's family. Got a few added to her CC7, but also added sources to a lot of her existing family. Also fixed some conflation of her mother & step-mother.

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I've added Rosetta's husbands, which will hopefully help. I believe her son is still living at the age of 91.