About Me

 I am a medical librarian with 14 years in information management & organization.  I apply my professional experience in the identification, selection, evaluation, & critical analysis of information resources to my genealogy hobby pursuits.  My own quest in family history research started in 2006 after rediscovering family tree notes taken during interviews with my grandmothers approximately 10 years earlier.  I volunteer extensively with the national USGenWeb Project and am dedicated to helping others locate additional information to enrich their own family history knowledge.  An active blogger and participant in the internet genealogy community, my specific interests lie heavily in technology and historical newspaper research.

EDUCATION

  • B.S. in Biology, B.A.in Religion – Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, 1997
  • Masters of Science in Library Science – University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC – 1999
  • Masters of Public Health – Vanderbilt University School of Medicine – 2010

MEMBERSHIPS

  • Federation of Genealogical Societies: Education Committee – Fall 2011 – Fall 2012
  • Tennessee Newspaper Digitization Project, Advisory Board Member, July 2009-present
  • North Carolina Genealogical Society – 2010
  • Washington County (NC) Genealogical Society – 2008-2009
  • Middle Tennessee Genealogical Society – 2008-2009

USGenWeb VOLUNTEER ACTIVITIES

INDEXING PROJECTS

I have created and maintained the following indexes:

  • NCGenWeb Yearbook Index – database of (mostly) senior classes found in yearbooks from many NC colleges and universities.  More than 20,000 names so far. Created in 2010.
  • NC People in the News – database of names mentioned in various newspaper articles. Most entries are deaths reported in Raleigh newspapers, but entries also come from a few other North Carolina newspapers.
  • Roanoke Beacon Index – database of articles appearing in this Plymouth (Washington County), NC newspaper from late 1800s to early 1900s.  These entries will eventually be moved to the above-mentioned NC People in the Papers database.
  • Kinston Free Press Index – database of articles appearing in this Kinston (Lenoir County), NC newspaper from late 1800s to early 1900s. These entries will eventually be moved to the above-mentioned NC People in the Papers database.
  • Black Nashville – blog dedicated to the African-American history & genealogy of Nashville, Tennessee. 
  • Who’s Who in Tennessee — I coordinate transcription efforts for this WordPress-powered site of TN biographical profiles from 1911.
  • Index Onslow County Cemetery Transcriptions  - typed up more than 6,000 names from 12-volume series. (June 2013)

SURNAME STUDIES

PERSONAL WEBSITES

PRESENTATIONS

PUBLICATIONS

  • Koonce, Taneya Y. “Florida Students Attending North Carolina Colleges: Part 2.” Florida Genealogist. Volume 45, Number 3, December 2011: 75-79.”
  • Koonce, Taneya Y.  ”Florida Students Attending North Carolina Colleges.”  Florida Genealogist. Volume 45, Number 2, August 2011: 43-45.
  • Koonce, Taneya Y. “NC Yearbook Index.” NCGS Newsletter: the Newsletter of the North Carolina Genealogical Society 34, No. 4 (Fall 2010): 8. North Carolina Genealogical Society. <http://www.ncgenealogy.org>.
  • Koonce, Taneya Y., Tom McKnight, and Anna Williams. “Investigating Napier Connections in Alabama and Tennessee.” Old Lawrence Reminiscences : a Bulletin of the Lawrence County Alabama Historical Commission. (2008). Print.  (still working to verify complete citation)

ME MENTIONED AROUND THE WEB

17 thoughts on “About Me”

  1. Hi Taneya,
    I have “Google Alerts” for the word “Genealogy” your blog on customizing came up. It sounds like you know what you are doing. I am a novice but I like what you did.
    Please give me your evaluation of the Master Genealogist. I have heard a lot about it, too, but my time is too stretched for me to tackle it right now. I haven’t figured out what sets it apart from the other programs.
    My best wishes for a Happy New Year.
    MBT Ü

  2. Hi Taneya,

    I am just beginning to explore blogging, and genealogy blogging in particular. Your blog is the first I’ve seen by an African-American and I am enjoying reading your entries and your website. You’ve done a very nice job. I’ve added it to my ‘favorites’ and will check back again. Maybe one day I can get my own blog started – after I organize all my research! Thanks!

    Roz

  3. Hi Taneya
    Great site, I also have family ties in Lenoir County and have been researching and putting togeather my maternal Whitfield tree togeather for about a year now. Interesting I found my great grandfather Haywood Whitfield in the the 1910 , 1920 and 1930 census with his wife and family (my grandfather,greataunt, greatuncle) as well as his WW1 Draft registration card but cannot find any record of him prior to that . Although his name is Henry Haywood Whitfield I have found him listed as Howard , Harvey, Henry and Haywood. When I found your Kinston Free Press Blog I suscribed right away. North Carolina has great resources but limited when it comes to African American. I have been more sucessful with my great grandmother’s line finding her in the census with her mother and father an great aunts and uncles in the 1900 census. Thank You for sharing

  5. Hello again Taneya. Awesome blog. I’ve added you on my blogroll. I apologize for not supplying you with a link to my site in my previous comment. I’m still trying to figure out wordpress. If my link does not show with my name, here it is: rootsreading.wordpress.com. I look forward to speaking with you throughout our individual journeys.

  6. Pingback: Taneya’s Genealogy Blog » Blog Archive » About This Blog

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  9. Do you have any family ties to JC Napier? My last name is Napier andI found you and this website doing someresearch on him. My daughter found his name while in Tenn on a 5th grade trip (we live in FL) and wanted to know if he was a distant relative.

  10. Hi Kia,

    I’m not related to JC Napier, but I’ve done quite a bit of research on him and his family. I’ll email you.

    Taneya

  11. Kia,

    My email to you bounced, so if you see this, please email me directly at taneya at gmail dot com. Thanks!

  13. Pingback: GeneaBlogie » . . . The More Things Change, The More They Stay the Same

  14. Hi Taneya
    My Great Grandfather was a valet for the Vandebilts round about the late 1800 to early 1900. I have been trying find out exactly who he worked for but it seems an impossible task. I have found your blog very helpful to pinpoint who it might have been so thank you.
    I’ll keep looking though as it is very interesting.

  15. Taneya,

    I would like to take this opportunity for your assistance. I am really glad I know your dad and Al because without them I probably wouldn’t have gotten in contact with you. I was sooooo surprised to be able to track my roots back to Africa. Several of my family members had tried but we had all ran into the same roadblock. Thanks for removing the roadblocks and allowing me to continue. You are a “Godsend” and a blessing to all that come into contact with you. I sent my DNA sample in yesterday. I will keep you abreast of the findings.

  16. Hello Taneya.
    I read some of your post on this blog and it took me “back” down memory lane. I was born in Fort Barnwell on the Biddle farm. I’m Edward Huggins the son of Joseph “Tull” Huggins. I’m related to besse or Bessel Lawhorn Of Baltimore Maryland (First Cousin). I went to St John AME ZIon Church, that’s where Mrs Holloway Grave is at. I knew Ella and Veronica and Lafayette. I remember when your Grandfather was funeralized, Just like it was last year. I went to School with Clarence and Patricia Lawhorn. I would like to start research with the Huggins and Simmons Family. I enjoyed reading your blog. Take Care and God Bless.

    Edward Garfield Huggins.

  17. Hi Edward,

    Thank you so much for your comments! It is neat to hear from someone who knows my family! I’ll be sure to tell VK that you commented. I’m going to send you an email. :-)

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