For the last few days on social media, I’ve been hearing and seeing posts about Jay Z. Jay Z? Why is everybody talking about Jay Z? Well, obviously, with all the hype of Jay Z not wanting to participate in the highly popularized versus battles against Wayne, it reminded me of something I recently discovered about his ancestral ties to Southwest Louisiana! Yes! Just as his lovely wife Queen B, Beyonce does, Mr. Jigga-man himself also has ties to SW Louisiana! While extensively researching the families of St. Landry Parish, I was able to trace his St. Landry ancestors to an early African couple who were both born between 1730-1739 and who were slaves in Pointe Coupee Parish. I thought it was amazing to discover any Black American’s ancestry this far back in time due to the fact that the average Black American is not able to trace their ancestry beyond the 1870 census due to slavery and the general lack of documentation on those enslaved.
Here is how I did it. According to several blogs and interviews Jay Z has done over the years, it is public knowledge that his father was Adnis REEVES, Jr. Jay Z himself always spoke of his grandfather being a preacher. In fact, in one of his songs titled “Legacy” the lyrics state, “You see, my father, son of a preacher man whose daughter couldn’t escape the reach of the preacher’s hand.” Very powerful lyrics. He touched on the topic of legacy. Despite the alleged actions of his grandfather, he descends from a prominent Louisiana family of free people of color.
How was I able to connect Jay-Z’s father to the REEVES of SW Louisiana?
While researching the family of Joachim MARTINEAU, a free man of color born circa 1810 in St. Landry Parish, Louisiana, I learned he had a daughter named Rosalie MARTINEAU born circa 1843 in St. Landry Parish, Louisiana. Rosalie was married on 27 May 1867 to Robert REEVES, a former slave, in Opelousas, Louisiana. I located them in the 1870 census living in 4th Ward St. Landry Parish. Robert was listed as a mulatto born circa 1830 in Louisiana. Rosalie was listed as Black born circa 1843 in Louisiana. They had two children living with them: William REEVES, a Mulatto born circa 1868 and Virginia REEVES, a Mulatto born circa 1870. Both children were listed as born in St. Landry Parish. Although Rosalie was listed as Black, I have documents that could verify her being of Native American and French descent as well. By the 1900 census, Rosalie was listed as a widow living in Hickory Flat, Louisiana in Calcasieu Parish. Robert and Rosalie were part of the early migration of Black families from St. Landry Parish that moved towards the Hickory Flat area to communities such as Fenton, Kinder, and Oberlin, Louisiana.
As I searched for living descendants of Robert and Rosalie’s son William, his son Adnis REEVES’s name stood out. I had never heard that name. Considering that Rosalie’s family was of French descent, Adnis was not a typical Creole name nor any I had ever heard of in my research. From information he gave on his WWII draft card, he was born in Molidon [MOELING], Louisiana but was living in Beaumont, Texas temporarily while serving as a preacher. He died in California but was buried in New York. I didn’t think much of it considering him being a preacher. It wasn’t until I searched his name on Google to find anything significant as I do most names that I research, that I learned Adnis REEVES, Jr., was the father of Jay Z!! I thought there was no way! I then listened to interviews and read articles about Jay Z which confirmed that his grandfather, Adnis REEVES, Sr., was indeed a preacher!! Now I thought no way this could be the same person! Although I had this information for a few months, I did not post or share it with anyone due to it being too good to be true. It was not until Kevin ARDOIN of Zydeco Farms, a very close relative of the REEVES family, shared information about Jay Z’s grandfather being from Louisiana that I knew that what I had found had to be true.
After further corresponding with Kevin, we discovered we were relatives as well. Kevin told me that his brother, Calvin ARDOIN was the one who had done the family genealogy. Through his research, Calvin made the same connection that I made between Jay-Z’s paternal grandfather and his family. Jay’s grandfather, Adnis REEVES, Sr, was the first cousin of Calvin and Kevin’s grandmother, Lillian MOREAUX. At this point I was given enough confidence to accept my discoveries and now share it with you all. I will have more facts and details about Jay Z’s ancestors and how I traced them to an early African couple enslaved in Pointe Coupee Parish in a video that will be uploaded to my YouTube channel. So, subscribe and stay tuned!
