Geraldine,

There may be a connection, however, it will be pretty hard to link. On the McRae suname I can only go back to my grandfather, James McRae, who was born in Coffee or Pike County, Alabama.

One version of modern day oral history states that he along with others was raised by a Burney family in Coffee County, Alabama. Another version state their parents came to Alabama from Georgia or North Carolina.

Some of the other children raised by the Burney family had the surnames Burney and Freeman, and all were supposed to have been sisters and brothers. I remember my grandfather talking about his sisters, but I never remember him saying anything about his parents, and, unfortunately, we never asked. Many people thought my grandfather and one of his sisters, Nancy Burney McSwain, were twins. I have no explanation for the different surnames.

A few years ago two gentlemen, George Freeman, Wilmington, North Carolina and George McRae, St. Petersburg, Florida, visited my brother in Tuskegee, Alabama. They were related and seeking possible McRae connections in Alabama. My brother stated George Freeman resembled our late father, Bennie, Sr. After much discussion based on the information available at the time no link was established, so the search is still going on.

By the way did you ever teach school in Columbia, South Carolina?

Bennie