THE DESCENDANTS OF ABDUL RAHMAN

KING MUJA'DIB JAMEL

Biography

(THE SON OF KING IBRAHIMA SORI MAWDO)

Prince Abdul Rahman Ibrahima Sori came from the Royal family of the Fula, a tribe in west Africa (Fula: 𞤊𞤵𞥅𞤼𞤢 𞤔𞤢𞤤𞤮𞥅, romanized: Fuuta Jaloo; Arabic: فوتا جالون) is a highland region in the center of Guinea, roughly corresponding with Middle Guinea, in West Africa. The captive Prince Abdul Rahman was taken to the Gambia River and there sold onto the slave ship Africa, reportedly for "two bottles of rum, eight hands of tobacco, two flasks of powder, and a few muskets”. Prince Abdul Rahman Ibrahima Sori was a member of the Fula tribe in West Africa, hailing from the Royal family of Fuuta Jaloo, a highland region in Guinea. He was captured and sold into slavery, eventually ending up in Natchez, Mississippi, after being purchased by Thomas Foster for around $950. He spent over thirty-eight years in slavery before finally gaining his freedom. During this time, he married Isabella, another slave owned by Foster, and had nine children with her. Although Isabella joined the Baptist Church in 1797, Abdul Rahman held onto his Islamic faith and often criticized certain aspects of Christianity that conflicted with his beliefs.

It is difficult to estimate the exact number of Prince Abdul Rahman's descendants, as records of enslaved African Americans were often incomplete or nonexistent. However, based on the information available, it is likely that his descendants numbered in the hundreds or even thousands. Prince Abdul Rahman had ten children born around 1800, and some 30 individuals who are likely his grandchildren, born between 1816 and 1851, have been identified. Assuming an average age of 30 for the second generation and a conservative estimate of two children per descendant every 30 years, there may have been around 960 descendants of Prince Abdul Rahman in the fifth generation in the 1960s and 70s. By the seventh generation, centered around the year 1980, the number of descendants could have been even higher.

However, tracing these descendants is challenging due to the lack of records that included enslaved African Americans by name. Surnames were seldom used during slavery, and estate papers from Thomas Foster, Sr., who owned Abdul Rahman and his family, were dated approximately 40 years earlier and did not list any surnames. This makes it difficult to identify specific individuals who are descendants of Prince Abdul Rahman. To find Prince Abdul Rahman's descendants, researchers must rely on recorded transfers of enslaved children and grandchildren, often found in plantation sales or estate records. These records may group individuals by first name and provide clues about their relationship to Prince Abdul Rahman. Other sources of information include pension records of descendants who may have joined the U.S. armed forces during the Civil War, Freedman's Bank records, and plantation records of former slaveholders.

Researchers must also consider the possibility of alternative ancestral lines or the lack of evidence that would disprove a possible line of descent from Prince Abdul Rahman. The names of only five of Prince Abdul Rahman's six sons are known for certain, with Al-Husayn, Simon, Levi (or Lee), Prince, and Abraham being identified. Abraham was confirmed as Prince Abdul Rahman's son through a recorded indenture in 1832. He studied medicine in Pennsylvania before moving to Natchez District, Mississippi Territory, where he became a wealthy cotton planter and one of the largest slave owners in the United States, with over 2,200 slaves. He mostly sold slaves to the Coleman family. Levi, who was born into slavery in the United States in the early 19th century, was able to gain his freedom after his father raised money to purchase it in 1830. Both he and Abdul Rahman's other son, Abraham, eventually settled in Liberia.

https://www.afrigeneas.com/forumdarchive/index.cgi/md/read/id/7273/sbj/slave-owners-with-the-name-coleman-and-cameron/ Re: Coleman slaves, Caroline Co. Virginia – AfriGeneas Levi, also known as Lee, was a man who was born into slavery in the United States in the early 19th century. His father, Prince Abdul Rahman, raised money to buy Levi's freedom in 1830 during a trip to the North. They arrived in Liberia later that same year, but Prince Abdul Rahman and Levi's brother, Abraham, stayed in the US. Levi, on the other hand, was sold to Henry Coleman in 1835 and spent two years with the Coleman family. During this time, Levi witnessed the hanging of his cousin, which led him to escape and hide in the woods for several days without food. He was eventually found by the Wise family, who owned him for several years. In 1839, while under the ownership of the Wise family, Levi met a woman whose name is unknown. They had a son in 1878 and named him Jeddie Jeremiah Wise after the family who owned them.

                     TIMELINE:

King Ibrahim Sori (or Ibrahima Sori Barry Mawdo[a]) (died c. 1784) was a Fula leader of the Imamate of Futa Jallon in what is now Guinea in West Africa from around 1751 to 1784.

Prince: Abdul Rahman Ibrahima Sori came from the Royal family of the region in the center of Guinea the Fula Tribe

DESCENDANTS OF ABDUL RAHMAN, owned by: Thomas Foster James Foster

                     SOLD TO THE COLEMAN AND WISE’S (Levi Lee Son of ABDUL RAHMAN)

DESCENDANTS FROM SLAVERY: 

   Levi Lee begot David Wise

   David Wise begot Jeddie Jeremiah Wise

   Jeddie Jeremiah Wise begot Levi Henry Wise

   Levi Henry Wise begot John Henry Wise

  John Henry Wise begot twin sons James Samuel Wise

  John Samuel Wise aka Prince Menkheperure Ra Osiris El

  Barbra Ann Wise

  John Samuel Wise begot John S. Wise aka Prince Jamal El Osiris

  Joseph N. Wise

  Janell E. Wise

  Joan R. Wise 

Jeddie Jeremiah Wise and Roxie Bostic-Wise were married in 1898 in Wadley, GA. Their fourth child, Levi, was born on June 30, 1900, and he was the first of nine siblings. Levi had five sisters named Martha, Ida, Lou, Ada, and Nancy, and four brothers named John Robert, Bailey, and Rufus, all of whom are deceased.

In 1919, Levi married Deaconess Johnnie Bell, and they were married for 57 years until her death in 1977. Together, they had twelve children: Fannie, Amos (deceased), Anderson, John E., Walter C., Phearis, Levi Jr. (also known as Snookie and (deceased), Johnnie Lee, Jeddie Joseph, Deloris (deceased), Salonia Francois, and Sylvia (deceased). In addition, they had an adopted daughter named Brenda, who had a son named John Henry (deceased).

As of 2018, Levi has 37+ grandchildren, 73 great-grandchildren, 32 second-generation grandchildren, 10 third-generation grandchildren, and one fourth-generation grandchild. Levi is currently in the sixth generation of his family.

Ibrahima Sori Barry Mawdo[a] or Ibrahim Sori (died c. 1784) was a Fula leader of the Imamate of Futa Jallon in what is now Guinea in West Africa from around 1751 to 1784.

Background

In the second half of the 18th century a militant Islamic movement began in the Sudan region to the south of the Sahara, stretching from Senegal to the Nile. The leaders waged jihad, or holy war, against pagans and less strict Muslims, establishing a string of strictly Muslim states across the region. The first jihad was launched in Fouta Djallon in 1726 by Ibrahima Musa. He was a leading Muslim cleric who had studied in Kankan.

Ibrahima Musa, also known as Ibrahima Sambeghu, Karamokho Alfa or Alfa Ibrahima, enlisted the support of gangs of young men, slaves, and outlaws in his fight against the ruling powers. He became recognized as the "Commander of the Faithful" at a time when the Fulani were gaining supremacy over the Jalonke people in a Jihad, although he had to contend with competing families and with squabbling clerics and military leaders. The Jalonke people adopted the Muslim religion and achieved some social status, but remained subordinate to the Fula leaders. The jihad process was protracted, because the Fula were not simply taking over an existing state, but were building a new stateAlfa Ibrahima died in 1751.

Struggle for power

Fula Jihad states around 1830 - Fouta Djallon to the west

Ibrahima Sori was Alfa Ibrahima's cousin. He succeeded Alfa Ibrahima on the latter's death and consolidated the Fulani military authority. His motives were more commercial than religious. He threw his energy into taking control of all trade, which at that time primarily consisted of trading slaves for European fabric, iron, and weapons. Sori promoted warfare as a means to gain more slaves, joining forces with the king of the Dyalonke people of Solima.

In 1762 the combined Fulani and Solima forces invaded the territory of the animist Wassoulou to their west and were defeated. The alliance between Fulani and Solima broke up. The Solima allied themselves with the Wasulunke against the Fulani, and began annual raids into Fulani territory. In 1776 they were decisively defeated by the Fulani under Ibrahima Sori, and the Solima had to accept Fulani supremacy.

Almami

After the victory over the Solima, Ibrahima Sori adopted the title almami. He became known as Sori Maudo ("Sori the Great"). Although he was the leader of the Fulani, he had to respect the advice of a council of elders, and had to accept that the council would confirm his successors. The council also collected tithes and booty to cover the costs of the jihad, and enforced the Shari's laws. Under Ibrahima Sori the theocratic state was organized into nine provinces, each led by a cleric who was subordinate to Sori as almami. The almami was formally installed in Fugumba, the religious capital, but ruled from Timbo, the political capital, with the help of the council.

The council became jealous of Ibrahima Sori's power and prestige, and began agitating against him. Sori entered Fugumba, executed the councillors who had opposed him, and called a general assembly to confirm his authority. The packed assembly duly voted in his favor, and the military faction was firmly in control until Sori's death in 1791-1792. He was succeeded by his son Sa'id, who held office until 1797-1798 when he was killed and replaced by a descendant of Karamokho Alfa. Two other sons, Abdul Qadir and Yahya, subsequently held the office of almami. The original Fulani leaders retained the right to elect the almami, who was usually a either clerical descendant of Alfa Ibrahima or a more secular and military descendant of Ibrahima Sori.

"The research found some documents to be tampered with or questionable."