Our family’s potential connection to Jimmy Carter adds a fascinating layer to Rosetta’s story. My current theory is that my grandmother may be a not-so-distant cousin of the former president. This theory isn’t just based on oral history, but also on DNA testing, family records, and a relative with a shared surname from that era. Together, it’s a pretty compelling case.

My working theory is that Patrrum Paschal or Jennie Whitehead Paschal might have been descendants of a man named J.C. Carter, who either granted or sold the Paschal family their 12-horse plantation in Americus, Georgia. Such a transaction would have been quite rare in the post-Civil War South, especially between people of different backgrounds.

Given that my father’s DNA results reveal almost exclusively European ancestry—without any British-Irish lineage—and my aunts and uncles have a similar genetic profile, I believe this introduction of European heritage likely occurred around that time period.

If this connection to the Carter lineage holds, it could bring Aunt Rosetta’s story to a broader audience. It would mean that her legacy is a profoundly American one, tying her story into the larger tapestry of our country’s complex history.

Family cooperation would make this research easier, but I believe it may be more feasible to reach out to Jimmy Carter’s family or estate directly. Records from J.C. Carter, such as land grants or genealogy files, could be invaluable. Even better, a DNA test from a known Carter descendant could help confirm this connection and validate my theory.

Such a revelation would not only honor Rosetta but also deepen our understanding of her life and legacy as part of American history. for more information visit