E. M. Ross Letter ~ 1867 No One to Protect Us

The Civil War is over but the sting of defeat is fresh. Elizabeth Magruder Ross writes to a nameless niece about the devastation of war on Windsor, the death of Smith Coffee Daniell and his four children since the completion of the house.

Smith Daniell has in his 1860 household Eliza Ross, 55 years of age, born in Maryland. In this letter, Ross refers to Daniell's wife, Catherine, as Sister. I have not seen anything in the census records that supports they were siblings, maybe, it was a term of endearment.
__________________________

January 25th 1867

My dear Child

Seeing your likeness to day prompts me to undertake my long neglected duty: though sevelal (sic) months have passed, since the reception of your most welcome letter. I have not forgotten that it ought to have been enswered (sic) long ago but plead as usual my extreme dislike, to writing; time passes away so rapidly that it seems to be but a few days since I received it. I was delighted to hear from you all once more; I had almost dispaired (sic) of ever hearing from again.

Sad changed have taken place in the last six years. Smith Daniel and four of his little Children have died, only six of us left, my Sister Catherine, Pris, Tom, and little Smith who was born six months after his Fathers (sic) death. We had no one to protect and fight for us during the war: the anxiety and trouble we passed through is pass (sic) discription (sic), all of our property taken from us, one hundred and sixty five horses and mules taken from us, three steame (sic) gins, three thousand bals (sic) of cotton burnt at one time. Our hous (sic) searched about twenty times; Grant made this his headquarters for two days and then made our house a Hospital. Had between (sic) foure (sic) and five hundred wounded in the house at one time they would not suffer us to leave the house; aloud (sic) us four rooms in the third story.

Our cook, cookes (sic) our meals out at her house, and brough (sic) it in a waiter from day to day until they left here, The smell from their wounds was very offensive we could hardly bear it. They made our yard their burying grond (sic). If we made any complaint, they would threaten to burn our house, so we had to bear it patiently.

We feel thankful that our house and lands have been saved to us we can rent out or lease our plantation so that we will be able to live comfortably.

I loaned Tenly one hundred dollars about seaven (sic) years ago, he promised to pay me back again when he got able; I wish you would try and collect for me. If you can get it I will let you know in my next letter what I wish you to get for me with it. I am very sorry to hear that your Mother’s health is not good. When you answer this letter you must tell me some thing about all the family how you are getting along.

What has become of Susan? Is her Father living yet? If you doo (sic) let me know. I would like to hear some thing from all our old neighbors (sic), how they are getting along. Particularly Mr Brown.

You did not say who Olinsker had married I would like to know. Let me know how many Children Josephene (sic) has, give my love to them all when you see them, and to all that ask for me.

Let me know how your Grand Fathers family are getting along. You must take time and write me a long letter. You can write a great may (sic) things that would be interesting to me, whilst I have nothing to write that would be interesting to you.

I have not written for so long a time I have almost forgotten how. You must overlook all mistakes.

Give my love to your Mother and all the family I remain with much love your

Affectionate Aunt E. Ross

The Magnificent House ~ Windsor
The Brick Makers of Windsor
Cecilia Beall's Letter ~ 1854 Reunion of Slaves
E. M. Ross's Letter - 1860 Go Without a Servant
E. M. Ross' Letter ~1867 All Our House Servants Left Us

SOURCE
Ross (Elizabeth Magruder) Letters - Z/1480.000/F/Folder 1
Letters found at Mississippi Department of Archives and History.

E. M. Ross's Letter - 1860 Go Without a Servant

Elizabeth Magruder Ross writes to a young Susan advising her not to rush into marriage, remain in school for another year, see a little of the world, and to marry well. She mentions Windsor is almost finished, and she would like to visit Susan and her family but does not have a suitable slave for the visit. She mentions Bena's illness. Bena was a nickname for Smith Coffee Daniel's daughter Lavinia.

Smith Daniell has in his 1860 household Eliza Ross, 55 years of age, born in Maryland. Ross' relationship to the family is not explained in her letters.
__________________________________

10 August 1860

Dear Sue,

I was truly gratified my dear child, by the reception of your kind letter, which was received the 20th of July; it was forwarded to me from Rodney, I received one from your mother at the same time, for which I was delighted to receive, and read them with much pleasure.

I feel gratified that you all are anxious for me to visit you again. You must not think for a moment because, I have not written to you, that I have forgotten you.

I will explain to you why your letters were not answered, the one dated the 19th of January, I received just on the eve starting to my Aunts, and Cove promised to answer it for me, and I was under the impression that she had done so until I saw her again. The next one I received a day or two before I was sent for to go home to nurse little Bena, who was very ill, we had to sit up with her four weeks.

After she got better I got Cove to write to you, it was directed to Tee Tee in the care of Mr Brown, Ever since I received your last letter I have been dreadfully afflicted with blood boils I had twenty or thirty on me at this tim (sic); I have as menny (sic) on me at this time, which are quite painful; I do not think I will be able to write you but a few lines. It would have given me unbounded pleasure to have visited you this summer, but I did not like to go without a servant. Charity had two children and Eliza is all the time sick, and I did not like to take one out of the field, to be a trouble, instead of assistance. I hope you do not intend to quit school at this time. I think you ought to go one year longer and when I go to see you I will bring you home with me and let you see something of the world before you get married. I hope you will not think of it before you are twenty years old, that will be plenty tim (sic) to commense (sic) the troubles of life. You must try and get some one that has property for you know you do not like to work much.

We have a splendid house nearly done which will cost over one hundred thousand dollars. When I heard from home last they were all well. Smith Catharine and little Bena Have gone to the Red Sulfer (sic) Springs in Virginia to spend the summer.

Every thing here is parched up for the want of rain it has been five months since we have had any rain to do any good, very little corn or cotton will be made in this county.

When you answer this letter get a larger sheat (sic) of paper and tell me some thing about all of the neighbors (sic)

You have never named Molly Lanhan in any of your letters, what had become of her? Has Mrs. Burn any more Children? I suppose your Mother’s health is entirely restored as you never say anything about her being sick; I hope she will be spared to raise her Children and see them all turn out well. I hope Bud will prove a blessing to her, and make a useful man. He always had such an innocent look. I cannot help thinking he will be a good man if he lives give my love to him and tell him he must study (sic) hard and try and turn out as I hope he will; I daily offer up a prayer in behlf (sic) of you all. Give my love to your mother Susan Sis and kiss the little Children for me remember (sic) me to the servants. When you write let me know when you heard from Andrew remember (sic) me to Mr. Pollac and all that enquire (sic) for me except a large portion for yourself

E. M. Ross

The Magnificent House ~ Windsor
The Brick Makers of Windsor
Cecilia Beall's Letter ~ 1854 Reunion of Slaves
E. M. Ross' Letter ~1867 All Our House Servants Left Us
E. M. Ross Letter ~ 1867 No One to Protect Us

SOURCE
Ross (Elizabeth Magruder) Letters - Z/1480.000/F/Folder 1
Letters found at Mississippi Department of Archives and History.

Amanuensis Monday Lindsey Impressed by the Governor - 1863

Received of C. B. N. Rice one negro man slave named Lindsey aged 49 years with axe, impressed by the govenor(sp), the said C. B. N. Rice is entitled to one month's pay and commutation.

Hazlehurst Miss Febry 14th 1863
A P Barry Maj Com

Impressment was the informal and then, beginning in March 1863, the legislated policy of the Confederate government to seize food, fuel, slaves, and other commodities to support armies in the field during the Civil War (1861–1865). From Confederate Impressment During the Civil War

As a citizen of the Confederacy, Charles Benjamin Nicholas Rice was obligated to give his property for service. Lindsey was the property of Rice and was to do as he was told. Rice was to be paid, not Lindsey.

I searched the census records for Lindsey in 1870 and 1880 Copiah County censuses. I did not find a Lindsey of the right age in the county.

C. B. N. Rice was a slave owner in Copiah County, Mississippi, near Hazlehurst, owning over forty slaves in 1860. C.B.N. Rice was born in 1803 in South Carolina, died in 1868 in Copiah County. He married Mary Ann Macon. Two of the couple's daughters, Lucy Ella and Elizabeth, married into families who enslaved members of my family.

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Lucy Ella Rice married Lewis Bingaman Harris. The couple was associated with Gustavus family of Copiah County. Read about Andrew Gustavus and the Harris family here.

Elizabeth Rice married Joseph Brown. They owned members of my Sinclair and Overton family. See Elizabeth Rice Brown's 1855 inventory and appraisement listing of slaves here.

Source: Harris (Lewis Bingaman and Family) Papers
Z/0983.000/S
Box 1, Folder 3
Mississippi Department of Archives and History

Wordless Wednesday Slaves Leaving the Plow

Slaves leaving the plow behind to join Union Army.
Courtesy of Library of Congress

Amanuensis Monday Excerpt from the Will of Elizabeth Rice Brown 1855

Elizabeth Rice was born 12 April 1787 in Union District South Carolina. She married Joseph Brown 29 March 1810. They moved to Copiah County, MS, between 1821 and 1824. She died 17 Nov 1855. She had about 19 slaves. A few of her slaves were the ancestors of members of my paternal family.

Here is an excerpt from Brown's will concerning the Sinclair family.
03 November 1855
...To my youngest & beloved son, Hezekiah G. D. Brown...Sinclair, a yellow man aged about forty years and his wife, Kisiah and their children, Isaiah, Jim, Louise (reserving Archy, their youngest child to the singular use & bequest of grandson, Joseph Brown, son of son Hezekiah.

Isaiah Sinclair married my gg grandmother Alice Demyers Overton Usher's sister, Margaret Demyers. Isaiah was born about 1844, died in 1917. Margaret was born about 1845, died in 1936.

Elizabeth Brown's last will and testament was found in Copiah County Probate Court Cases
Microfilm Number: 8183
Record found at MS Department of Archives and History
Federal Pension Records for Dave Overton Brown

Herring Plantation House Franklin County, MS

Picture circa 1950
This is a typical plantation house built during the late 1820s. David Herring and his wife Mary Leggett owned this home near the Homochitto River in Franklin County, MS. It was a two story oblong shape with chimneys at either end, a one story lean-to across the back and a porch across the front. It was made of hand hewed logs and covered with dressed lumber. The doors and flooring are hand hewed, and are about two inches thick.

Members of my family were slaves on the Herring farm. They worked the land, cooked the meals, maintained the house. Steve Herring was the fiddler and entertained the guests on the front porch and in the parlor. David Herring died in 1842, leaving a widow with several children. When the children reached their majority, the slaves were distributed causing rifts within slave families.

The enslaved men left the plantation to serve in the Civil War. A few enlisted with the Colored Troops and others worked for the Troops as cooks and laborers. A couple of the men's widows applied for pensions from the United States government, giving informative testimonies about their lives on the Herring place.

Below are recent photos of the home. The second story was taken off and the house still stands. The last picture is of the building that housed the kitchen. Kitchens were built separately from the main house for safety reasons, to protect from kitchen fires.

Pictures Courtesy of Freddie Johnson
House description from the research notes of Freddie Johnson.

Anding Family Bible Record Slave Births

(Faded) was Born February 4th 1835
(Faded) was Born Nov 4th 1837
Samuel was Born October 20th 1841
Moses was Born August 10th 1843
Benjamin was Born 1846
Louden Trotter was Born May the 7, 1847
The Martin Alexander Anding family of Caseyville, then Copiah County, Mississippi, was a neighbor to the Buie family, slave owning family of members of my family. Descendants of Anding slaves married descendants of my family.

Martin's wife Mary Lambright was the owner of the family bible. Mary and others listed the births of the Anding family and at the bottom of a page, the slaves births were listed.

One of the babes listed, Samuel Anding aka Samuel Anderson, served with the 6th Regiment, Company I, during the Civil War. Samuel met Caroline Williams while in Natchez. The couple married after the War and raised a family in Jefferson County, near where Caroline was raised. Samuel died in 1916

Genealogy research has not revealed a connection between Samuel Anding and my ancestors.

Sources:
Family Bible of Mary Lambright Anding
Information shared from Carolina Gale Lambright, collateral relative of Mary Lambright Anding.

Samuel Anding's Civil War Pension Records

Darkis Goodwin vs Joseph Goodwin

Rubia Earnestine Goodwin Brown Powe
Granddaughter of Joseph and Darkis
1st Cousin of my Mother
Darkis married Joseph Goodwin about 1855 according to the customs of slavery and entered their freedom as a married couple in Copiah County, Mississippi. They didn't have a dollar to their name but manage through hard work to acquire about 600 acres of land and a well stocked supply of farm animals. Joe purchased his first land in 1869, 80 acres from Wesley L. Ainsworth for $500.

Descendants of Joseph Goodwin say he was a mean and cruel man. He had several intimate relationship with women outside of the marriage, which produced several children. He also required that the women who lived on his land submit to sexual intimacies with him. Darkis's divorce records appear to support those assertions naming two women, Martha Jenkins and Caroline Jones, as his concubines.

In 1891, the marriage fell completely apart. Darkis was about 50, she had given birth to eleven children and she had endured hard work, leaving her physically unable to provide for herself. Joe was ready to dissolve the relationship, forcing Darkis from the home by beating her unmercifully and threatening to kill her with an ax. She fled the home, never to return.

Darkis was now penniless and homeless. She realized that she and the children had worked just as hard as Joe for what they had obtained. She sought the courts for relief.

The land was legally title to only Joe, so, she would not receive relief in that area. The courts granted her $50 temporary alimony and all her legal fees would be paid by Joe. The courts recognized the couple's marriage based on Article 22 from the Mississippi Constitution of 1868.

Sec. 22. All persons who have not been married, but are now living together, cohabiting as husband and wife, shall be taken and held for all purposes in law as married, and their children, whether born before or after the ratification of this Constitution, shall be legitimate; and the Legislature may, by law, punish adultery and concubinage.

Joe and Darkis' children were: Elizabeth "Lizzie," Josephine, James, Lydia, Dinah, twins Cora and Dora, Joe, and Albert. The last four children were minors at the time of the divorce. Darkis were given custody of the twins and Joe received his sons, Joe and Albert.

My mother's aunt Alice Marshall married, Joe and Dorcas's son, James.

Joe died sometime between 1893 and 1900, Dorcas died in 1918.

Darkis fought for what was rightfully hers and won.

Church Record Sunday - Hickory Block Church

The charter members of Hickory Block Church were first members of Union Church Presbyterian Church of Union Church, Jefferson County, Mississippi. The Union Church Presbyterian Church (UCPC) records contain the names of several African American slaves who were members of the church. The servants' names are on church membership records where they were accepted by examination and baptized into the faith.

The first African American member recorded was a man named Jimes who was admitted September 24, 1824. The last recorded servant member was Perry who was received on October 23, 1864.

What happen to the servant members of Union Church Presbyterian Church after the Civil War? They established a church called Hickory Block which is one of the oldest churches established by African Americans in Jefferson County.

The following is what is revealed in the UCPC records concerning the former servant members.
MARCH 13, 1871

"Where as there are a number of names on our church roll of persons who have been absent for years without making any application for a letter and have been entirely lost sight of by the church and further there are appearing on our church roll the names of 56 colored members who have entirley drawn off from us, never assemble or worship with us and have been regularly reported. Therefore, it was ordered by the Session that the names of all those who have been absent, both white and colored, be dropped from the roll and no more be reported as members of this church until they have their membership renewed."

Miss Lottie Warren, one of the members of UCPC wrote, "It was by their request that they meet unto their own church "HICKORY BLOCK," which church still carries on their Christian work."

Meeting and Researching with Art Thomas Slave Owner Descendant

Photograph is of Art Thomas, 3rd great grandson of William D. Coleman, and Nathaniel Thomas, 4th great grandson of John Bryant standing in the Robinson Cemetery, Jefferson County, Mississippi.

Art Thomas replied to an old query I left on Jefferson County MSGenWeb site inquiring about Neil McCormick. Art and I corresponded, he writing about his family history and I about the research projects I was working on.

William Coleman, Sr., was Art's 3rd great grandfather. After Coleman's death, Neil McCormick was named as guardian of Coleman's minor children and the family slaves. One of Coleman's daughters married McCormick. Several of my female relatives married the sons and grandsons of Cupit Coleman born about 1811. Art and I started working together because both families shared the Coleman surname.

Art mailed William Coleman's documents pertaining to his slaves. We went through the list and did not find a connection to my family. I was 95% sure of the slave owner of Cupit Coleman and was confident of the slave owner of Cupit's wife and children. We knew Coleman was not the last owner of Cupit and his family, maybe, he was a previous owner.

Art shared a story about one of William Coleman, Sr.'s slaves, John Bryant. John was a body servant to William, Jr., during the Civil War. According to Art's family oral history, John Bryant rescued a wounded William Jr., from the battlefield, nursing him to health and returning him home. Art said John had been buried near William, Jr.

Cousins Nathaniel Thomas, James Scott and I were researching Nathaniel's 4th great grandmother Elizabeth "Lizzie" Bryant. We had hit a brick wall with Lizzie as we could not get information on Lizzie previous to 1880. I shared with Art the little we knew about Elizabeth and as far as we knew she didn't have a son named John and we did not know the name of her husband. In 1880, Lizzie, head of household, was living with her children and grandchildren, and her deceased daughter's son and husband, Bryant Coleman and Dock Coleman.

While I am corresponding with Art, Nate and James are corresponding with Anthony Neal, husband to one of Lizzie's descendants. Anthony shares with us the slave narrative of one of Lizzie's sons, Robert Bryant. In the narrative, Robert said that his father John Coleman was the slave of Neil McCormick. Robert's mother was the slave of John McDaniel. I realized that the family had at least three different surnames they could have used in the 1870 census.

In their 1870 Lincoln County household, the family was using the surname McDaniel: Jno McDaniel, 75, and Elizabeth, 65, with their children Robert, Emily, Martha, Amanda, and grandchildren Simon and Minerva. Based on Robert's slave narrative, John McDaniel's 1857 Deed of Gift, records of William Coleman, and the census records, we knew John McDaniel was also John Coleman.

The question for us became was John Coleman of the slave narrative also John Bryant of the oral family history? We knew that William Coleman's probate records named a John and that John was under the guardianship of Neil McCormick. We have a bill of sale of one of McCormick's slaves but did not have a complete listing of the eight slaves he owned per the 1860 Jefferson County slave schedule. We needed to know if McCormick owned a slave named John before we could conclude our John was John Bryant. McCormick died after slavery ended, his probate records or will would not include the names of his slaves.

I decided to check my favorite research documents, the Civil War pension records. There was an Elizabeth Bryant named as a dependent in the Civil War pension index to a Daniel Mack. I decided to order the pension file, hoping that Elizabeth was the one I was researching, indeed, she was. Daniel Mack was John and Elizabeth Bryant's son. The Civil War pension records clearly stated Elizabeth Bryant's husband was John Bryant and he had been a slave of William Coleman.

Art invited the cousins and me to visit him, which we accepted. We met on a cold raining January morning at Art's home in Meadville, Franklin County, Mississippi. We were warmly greeted, felt at ease as though we were buddies visiting after a long absence. We exchanged documents, chatted for awhile before going to visit John Bryant's burial site.

John Bryant
Age 75 Years
Epitaph - "Farewell John Bryant, Tho Lost to Sight to Memory Dear"
John Bryant was buried in the Coleman - Robinson Cemetery located in Jefferson County near the Franklin County line. It was off a gravel road used by lumber companies. When we visited, the cemetery had been cleared enough for us to walk comfortably, a quite, peaceful setting. John was buried a short distance from the others. We were grateful to Art for helping us to discover an ancestor we didn't know.

John was born between 1795 - 1805. He died of kidney and heart disease 05 Apr 1875.