Lawrence County MS

Slave Narrative of Robert R. Grinstead

Person Interviewed: Robert R. Grinstead Location: Oklahoma City, Oklahoma Place of Birth: Lawrence County, Mississippi Date of Birth: Feb. 17, 1857 Age: 80 I was born in Lawrence County, Mississippi, February 17, 1857. My father’s name is Elias Grinstead, a German, and my mother’s name is Ann Greenstead after that of her master. I am a son by my mother and her Master. I have four other half brother: William (Bill) oldest, Albert, Silas, and John. I was only eight years of age at freedom and for that reason I was too young to work and on account of being … Read more

1850 Census of Lawrence County, Mississippi

The 1850 census of Lawrence County, MS was extracted by Dennis Partridge in 2011. The extraction provides basic information such as the names, ages, sex, and occupation of each resident of the county. For space purposes and speed, I have chosen not to do a complete extraction, but may choose at a later date to add the full transcription. Every person enumerated in Lawrence County, however, is listed. For further verification of this census, researchers should view the original census records. For purposes of search, I have taken the liberty of adding the surname of each person. In the actual … Read more

Early Mississippi Marriages 1800-1900

Marriage Intention

The following database represents a collection of 151,208 early Mississippi marriage records. The earliest occurs in 1800, the latest in 1900. The counties represented in the database: Adams, Amite, Carroll, Claiborne, Copiah, Franklin, Harrison, Hinds, Itawamba, Jefferson, Lafayette, Lauderdale, Lawrence, Leake, Lowndes, Madison, Marshall, Monroe, Noubee, Noxubee, Pontotoc, Rankin, Sunflower, Tippah, Tishomingo, Warren, Wilkinson, Winston, Yalobusha, and Yazoo.

Slave Narrative of Charles Willis

Person Interviewed: Charles Willis Place of Birth: Lawrence County, Mississippi I found Mr. Willis seated on the front porch eating lemon drops out of a bag. He consumed the whole bag during the interview which lasted about 3 hours. He talked slowly and between his sucks on the lemon drops. He is hard of hearing and is losing his eyesight. He possesses a good sense of humor. Talked incessantly of matrimony and pretty gals. I was born in Lawrence County, Mississippi on the Sharp Plantation. My missus was name Sang Sharp and my mastah was name John Sharp. My mastah … Read more

Slave Narrative of Jane Sutton

Person Interviewed: Jane Sutton Location: Gulfport, Mississippi Place of Birth: Simpson County MS Age: 84 Jane Sutton, ex-slave, is 84 years old. She is 5 feet, 6 inches tall and weighs 130 pounds. She is what the Negroes themselves call a “brown-skin.” “I was born in Simpson County, near old Westville, on a big farm what b’long to Marse Jack Berry. I was 12 years old when de surrender come, so my ole Mis’ say. Her name was ‘Mis Ailsey an’ all us cullud folks call her ‘Ole Mi’s. She an’ Old Marster had twelve chillun: Marthy, ‘Lizabeth, Flavilia, Mary, … Read more

1st Mississippi Light Artillery

Aka Withers’ Light Artillery Company A — Ridley’s Battery, aka Jackson Light Artillery (raised in Hinds & Madison Counties, MS) Company B — Herrod’s Battery, aka Vaughan Rebels (raised in Yazoo County, MS) Company C — Turner’s Battery (raised in Choctaw County, MS) Company D — Wofford’s Battery (raised in Holmes County, MS) Company E — Carroll Light Artillery (raised in Carroll County, MS) Company F — Bradford’s Battery (raised in Lawrence County, MS) Company G — Cowan’s Battery (raised in Warren County, MS) Company H — Connor Battery (raised in Adams County, MS) Company I — Bowman’s Battery (raised … Read more