Wordless Wednesday - Cora Coleman McCallum

1866 - 1938
Daughter of James Coleman and Mary Ann Markham
Wife of Henry McCallum
Mother of Nathaniel, Mae, Ida, and Mary

Cora is a 1st cousin once removed of my mother.

Source: Photograph Courtesy of Gloria McCallum, Cora's Great Granddaughter

Tombstone Tuesday - Family Tradegy

Asriah Markham
b Sept 2 1904
d April 1 1923
Zion Chapel Church Cemetery
Lincoln County, Mississippi

NEGRO KILLS SELF ON HOMOCHITTO BRIDGE, SO STORY GOES
News has come from the western part of the county that Sunday night, a son of Jim Markham, orderly and well-to-do negro of the western part of the county, accidentally killed himself on the Homochitto bridge on Union Church Road.

From all reports received of the occurrence, which Sheriff R. C. Applewhite is not satisfied with until it is investigated still further, witnesses having already been summoned into Brookhaven. Markham who was 19 years old had been out late with a couple of friends, all of them riding horses. When he and his friends reached the Homochitto Bridge, it is said that Markham dismounted and when he attempted to mount his horse, a pistol which he was carrying, fell out of his pocket, discharged and killed him, almost instantly.

Cousins last saw Asirah mounting his horse with friends to go do what young men do after Sunday church service, visit girls. The rumor in the family is Asirah was murdered by one of the riders because they were both interested in the same girl. Supposedly, the girl was more interest in Asirah than his riding companion. Neighbor Henry Davis rode through the neighborhood notifying relatives of Asirah's death.

Asirah Markham was the son of James Markham and Anna Culver. Asirah was my mother's first cousin.

Source: Leader Newspaper - Brookhaven, MS - April 04, 1923 - Page 1
Microfilm Number: 30798
Mississippi Department of Archives and History

Tombstone Tuesday - John Robert and Amanda Bryant

Bryant
John Robert
Apr 6 1850
May 12 1940

Amanda
Aug 11 1850
Feb 3 1932

Photograph Courtesy of Cynthia Crump
Crump Chapel Cemetery
Brookhaven, Lincoln County, Mississippi

John and Amanda Bryant's daughter Mamie Jane Bryant married my mother's 1st cousin once removed James Coleman.

Wordless Wednesday - John Robert Bryant 1850 - 1942

Photograph Courtesy of Joyce Coleman Johnson
Great Granddaughter of John Robert and Amanda Bryant

John Robert Bryant was the son of John and Elizabeth Bryant.
John Robert's daughter Mamie J Bryant married James Coleman who was my mother's 1st cousin once removed.

Links
John Robert Bryant's Slave Narrative
Elizabeth Bryant's Sons - James and Daniel McDaniel - Union Soldiers
Tombstone Tuesday - Elizabeth Bryant
Elizabeth Bryant's Will
Meeting and Researching with Art Thomas

Elizabeth Bryant's Sons James and Daniel McDaniel, Union Soldiers

James and Amanda McDaniel
Photograph Courtesy of James Scott
Elizabeth and her children lived on the farm of father and son, John and James McDaniel, near Meadville, Franklin County, Mississippi. They lived between two Union occupied towns, Natchez and Vicksburg. Once Elizabeth's family learned of the occupation of Natchez and they had the opportunity, several of them fled to Natchez.

Elizabeth was from Virginia, born about 1813, during the presidency of James Madison to parents whose names are unknown. When she was a young woman in her late teens, she was sold from the people, places and things familiar to her, purchased by John McDaniel about 1834. She was admired and respected by the people in her community. She worked the fields, helped with domestic chores and acquired the skills of midwifery.

Elizabeth's husband was on the farm of William Coleman, within walking distance, across county lines in Jefferson County. Coleman and McDaniel were long time friends as were their slaves. Neither family were large slave owning families. They slowly acquired slaves through births and an occasional purchase. By the Civil War, each family had enough slaves to put them in the planter's class, they had over 20 slaves. In 1860, the Coleman family owned 22 slaves, and John McDaniel owned 38 slaves. John's son, James McDaniel owned 22 slaves.

After the death of his first wife, John Bryant became the husband of Elizabeth, he was a decade older than Elizabeth. He was sickly with a hernia but he was a productive worker, good with the hoe. The couple was married by Elizabeth's owner John McDaniel, as he required a wedding ceremony for his slaves, and they celebrated their union with a wedding supper among the slaves.

John and Elizabeth had seven children, all born into slavery. Two of their sons would serve in the Union army. Both would enlist using the surname Mack, a name they knew their family would recognize.

JAMES "MACK" MCDANIEL also known as "Jim Mack," was the first of eight children born to John and Elizabeth. James would chose to use the McDaniel surname, passing the surname to his descendants. He was born about 1840 on John McDaniel's plantation. James' wife AMANDA was the slave of James McDaniel. Amanda was purchased in Natchez, MS, about 1856 or 1858. James and Amanda were married on the McDaniel Plantation according to Amanda, "three years before the War commenced."

James left the plantation in 1864 going to Natchez, MS, to join the United States Colored Troops, leaving behind his wife and two children. He enlisted with Company E, 58th Regiment, United States Colored Infantry on September 05, 1864, the same day his brother Daniel enlisted. James was about 24 years old at enlistment. He was described as 5 feet 8 and a half inches tall. He was a stout, robust man with black hair and eyes. As with most of the men who served during the Civil War, James suffered measles, pneumonia, bronchitis, acute diarrhea, constipation, and fevers. He was discharged at Vicksburg, Warren County, MS, on April 30, 1866.

After returning home to his family, James and family moved to Malcolm Buie's place in 1866 where Amanda, James' wife, was the Buie's cook. James worked for Dr. Gray and he would visit Amanda on Sundays. Eventually, James purchased their own 120 acres of land near Union Church, Jefferson County.

James was diagnosed with kidney disease known as Brights Disease by Dr. J. J. McLean in 1868 or 1869, and Dr. Clark diagnosed him with diabetes in 1867 or 1868. James remained healthy looking and survived kidney disease much longer than Dr. McLean expected. James suffered with backaches, bladder and urination problems. Amanda would saturate his back with liniment and coal oil. He worked hard to provide for his family, hiring others to do the hard labor he could not do. At the time of his death, James was in the process of buying additional land. Special Examiner F. T. Dennis of the United States Pension Board copied this statement from Amanda's bible; "James McDaniel died May 02, 1887 aged 49 yrs, 10 months - sick 2 weeks, in bed 2 days." James died of Brights Disease.

James and Amanda had a total of 12 children, 10 children survived to adulthood. They were: Margaret b. 1863 , Ellen b. February 1865, Mary b. February 1868/1870, William b. December 1868, twins Reed and Luberta b. May 15, 1871, John b. May 05, 1872, Preston April 15, 1877, Cameron b. May 01, 1878, and Melvin b. September 01, 1880. Elizabeth Bryant, James' mother, was the midwife at the birth of each child.

Amanda and her eligible children received a pension for James' services.

James and Amanda's descendants are all over the United States and continue to use the surname McDaniel.

DANIEL "MACK" MCDANIEL was born about 1845 on John McDaniel's plantation. He lived in the same house with his mother. Daniel ran away from the McDaniel's plantation in 1864. He enlisted September 05, 1864, in Natchez, MS, with Company E, 58th Regiment, United States Colored Infantry.

He was described as 5 feet 7 inches tall with black hair and eyes and dark copper complexion. He was about 19 years of age when he enlisted.

Daniel sent money, a watch, and shoes home to help support his family. Too embarrassed to see John McDaniel when he came to Natchez for business, Daniel would send the gifts by his brother-in-law Israel Etta to give to McDaniel, and McDaniel would give the gifts to Elizabeth.

Daniel died February 06, 1865, of bronchitis and pneumonia following measles at a Natchez hospital. He did not leave a wife nor children. His mother applied for dependent mother pension which was approved.

Sources:
Civil War Federal Pension Records of Daniel Mack
Civil War Federal Pension Records of James Mack
Slave Schedule - 1860 Franklin County, MS
Slave Schedule - 1860 Jefferson County, MS

Links
Tombstone Tuesday - Elizabeth Bryant
Elizabeth Bryant's Will
Meeting and Researching with Art Thomas

Tombstone Tuesday - Elizabeth Bryant (1813 - 1910)

Elizabeth
Wife of John Bryant
Born May 13 1813
Died Sept 2 1910
"She died as she lived trusting in God"

Hickory Block Cemetery
Jefferson County, Mississippi

Photograph courtesy of Nathaniel Thomas, Elizabeth's 3rd great grandson

Amanuensis Monday - Elizabeth Bryant's Will (1813 - 1910)

State of Mississippi
Jefferson County

I Elizabeth Bryant make and declare this to be my last will. I give devise & bequeath my entire estate real & personal as follows

To Martha Bryant 80 acres of land together with all improvements thereon Also all the personal property I may own at my death

To each of my other children I desire the executor to give the sum of one dollar.

A. H. Carnes to be Executor

Elizabeth her X mark Bryant

Witnesses
S. C. McCallum
A. M. McCallum

June 25th 1905

Elizabeth Bryant was the mother of seven children. By the time of her death, four children survived her. Youngest daughter Martha never married. She remained with her mother, taking care of Elizabeth until her death in 1910. Elizabeth's grandchildren married into my maternal family.

Source: Chancery Court Case Number: 1543 - Mississippi Department of Archives and History - Microfilm Number: 12263