YAZOO COUNTY, MISSISSIPPI
LARGEST SLAVEHOLDERS FROM 1860 SLAVE CENSUS SCHEDULES
and
SURNAME MATCHES FOR AFRICAN AMERICANS ON 1870 CENSUS
Transcribed by Tom Blake, April 2001
PURPOSE. Published information giving names of slaveholders and numbers of slaves held in Yazoo County, Mississippi, in 1860, is either non-existent or not readily available. It is possible to locate a free person on the Yazoo County, Mississippi census for 1860 and not know whether that person was also listed as a slaveholder on the slave census, because published indexes almost always do not include the slave census.
Those who have found a free ancestor on the 1860 Yazoo County, Mississippi census can check this list to learn if their ancestor was one of the larger slaveholders in the County. If the ancestor is not on this list, the 1860 slave census microfilm can be viewed to find out whether the ancestor was a holder of a fewer number of slaves or not a slaveholder at all. Whether or not the ancestor is found to have been a slaveholder, a viewing of the slave census will provide an informed sense of the extent of slavery in the ancestral County, particularly for those who have never viewed a slave census. An ancestor not shown to hold slaves on the 1860 slave census could have held slaves on an earlier census, so those films can be checked also. In 1850, the slave census was also separate from the free census, but in earlier years it was a part of the free census.
African American descendants of persons who were enslaved in Yazoo County, Mississippi in 1860, if they have an idea of the surname of the slaveholder, can check this list for the surname. If the surname is found, they can then view the microfilm for the details listed regarding the sex, age and color of the slaves. If the surname is not on this list, the microfilm can be viewed to see if there were smaller slaveholders with that surname. To check a master surname list for other States and Counties, return to Home and Links Page.
The information on surname matches of 1870 African Americans and 1860 slaveholders is intended merely to provide data for consideration by those seeking to make connections between slaveholders and former slaves. Particularly in the case of these larger slaveholders, the data seems to show in general not many freed slaves in 1870 were using the surname of their 1860 slaveholder. However, the data should be checked for the particular surname to see the extent of the matching.
The last U.S. census slave schedules were enumerated by County in 1860 and included 393,975 named persons holding 3,950,546 unnamed slaves, or an average of about ten slaves per holder. The actual number of slaveholders may be slightly lower because some large holders held slaves in more than one County and they would have been counted as a separate slaveholder in each County. Excluding slaves, the 1860 U.S. population was 27,167,529, with about 1 in 70 being a slaveholder. It is estimated by this transcriber that in 1860, slaveholders of 200 or more slaves, while constituting less than 1 % of the total number of U.S. slaveholders, or 1 out of 7,000 free persons, held 20-30% of the total number of slaves in the U.S. The process of publication of slaveholder names beginning with larger slaveholders will enable naming of the holders of the most slaves with the least amount of transcription work.
SOURCES. The 1860 U.S. Census Slave Schedules for Yazoo County, Mississippi (NARA microfilm series M653, Roll 604) reportedly includes a total of 16,716 slaves, ranking it as one of the highest County totals in Mississippi. This transcription includes 99 slaveholders who held 50 or more slaves in Yazoo County, accounting for 9,001 slaves, or 54% of the County total. The rest of the slaves in the County were held by a total of 598 slaveholders, and those slaveholders have not been included here. Due to variable film quality, handwriting interpretation questions and inconsistent counting and page numbering methods used by the census enumerators, interested researchers should view the source film personally to verify or modify the information in this transcription for their own purposes. Census data for 1860 was obtained from the Historical United States Census Data Browser, which is a very detailed, searchable and highly recommended database that can found at http://fisher.lib.virginia.edu/census/ . Census data on African Americans in the 1870 census was obtained using Heritage Quest's CD "African-Americans in the 1870 U.S. Federal Census", available through Heritage Quest at http://www.heritagequest.com/ .
FORMAT. This transcription lists the names of those largest slaveholders in the County, the number of slaves they held in the County and the first census page on which they were listed. The page numbers used are the rubber stamped numbers in the upper right corner of every set of two pages, with the previous stamped number and a "B" being used to designate the pages without a stamped number. Following the holder list is a separate list of the surnames of the holders with information on numbers of African Americans on the 1870 census who were enumerated with the same surname. The term "County" is used to describe the main subdivisions of the State by which the census was enumerated.
TERMINOLOGY. Though the census schedules speak in terms of "slave owners", the transcriber has chosen to use the term "slaveholder" rather than "slave owner", so that questions of justice and legality of claims of ownership need not be addressed in this transcription. Racially related terms such as African American, black, mulatto and colored are used as in the source or at the time of the source, with African American being used otherwise. The term "County" is used to describe the main subdivisions of the State by which the census was enumerated.
PLANTATION NAMES. Plantation names were not shown on the census. Using plantation names to locate ancestors can be difficult because the name of a plantation may have been changed through the years and because the sizeable number of large farms must have resulted in lots of duplication of plantation names. In Mississippi in 1860 there were 481 farms of 1,000 acres or more, the largest size category enumerated in the census, and another 1,868 farms of 500-999 acres. Linking names of plantations in this County with the names of the large holders on this list should not be a difficult research task, but it is beyond the scope of this transcription.
FORMER SLAVES. The 1860 U.S. Census was the last U.S. census showing slaves and slaveholders. Slaves were enumerated in 1860 without giving their names, only their sex and age and indication of any handicaps, such as deaf or blind Slaves 100 years of age or older were supposed to be named on the 1860 slave schedule, but there were only 1,570 slaves of such age enumerated, out of a total of 3,950,546 slaves, and the transcriber did not find any such information on the enumeration of the transcribed slaveholders. Freed slaves, if listed in the next census, in 1870, would have been reported with their full name, including surname. Some of these former slaves may have been using the surname of their 1860 slaveholder at the time of the 1870 census and they may have still been living in the same State or County. Before presuming an African American was a slave on the 1860 census, the free census for 1860 should be checked, as almost 11% of African Americans were enumerated as free in 1860, with about half of those living in the southern States. Estimates of the number of former slaves who used the surname of a former owner in 1870, vary widely and from region to region. If an African American ancestor with one of these surnames is found on the 1870 census, then making the link to finding that ancestor as a slave requires advanced research techniques involving all obtainable records of the holder.
MIGRATION OF FORMER SLAVES: According to U.S. Census data, the 1860 Yazoo County population included 5,657 whites, 0 "free colored" and 16,716 slaves. By the 1870 census, the white population had dropped about 14% to 4,884, and the "colored" population had dropped almost 26% to 12,395. (As a side note, by 1960, 100 years later, the County, though a portion had become part of a new County, was listed as having 12,862 whites, slightly more than double, but the 1960 total of 18,759 "Negroes"was only about 12% more than what the colored population had been 100 years before.) Where did all these freed slaves go? Orleans County in Louisiana saw an increase in colored population of almost double between 1860 and 1870, growing to over 50,000, so likely that is where many went. Lowndes and Warren Counties in Mississippi saw increases of 6,000 and 8,000, but no other Mississippi County showed such a significant increase. Between 1860 and 1870, the Mississippi colored population only increased by 1%, about 6,000. States that saw more significant increases in colored population during that time, and were therefore more likely possible places of relocation for colored persons from Yazoo County, included the following: Georgia, up 80,000 (17%); Texas, up 70,000 (38%); Alabama, up 37,000 (8%); North Carolina, up 31,000 (8%); Florida, up 27,000 (41%); Ohio, up 26,000 (70%); Indiana, up 25,000 (127%); and Kansas up from 265 to 17,000 (6,400%).
SLAVEHOLDER LIST:
ANDING, Martin, 103 slaves, page 505B
ANDREWS, Joseph, 77 slaves, page 492B
BALFOUR, W. L., 70 slaves, page 578
BALLANCE?, Jas., 65 slaves, page 491B
BARKSDALE, H., 80 slaves, page 527B
BARNETT, L. W., 59 slaves, page 524B
BEE, Silas M., 94 slaves, page 520
BONNEY, C. D., John Martin Manager, 83 slaves, page 547B
BOYLAN, W.? M., reidence in N.C., Robert Harris Manager, 98 slaves, page 532B
BOYLAN, William, 95 slaves, page 535
BRICKELL, Mrs. E. P., 54 slaves, page 534
BRIDGFORTH, R. M. & J. C., 58 slaves, page 567
BULL, James C., 68 slaves, page 551
BURRUS, L. R., 132 slaves, page 525
CAGE, A. H., 75 slaves, page 575B
CAMPBELL, J. W., 50 slaves, page 492B
CANNON, V. M. & B. E., 58 slaves, page 504
CHEW, Augustin, 66 slaves, page 550B
COCKS, P. G., A. C. Jones Manager, 131 slaves, page 521
DAVIS, Est. T. L., John Hudson Agent and Manager, 202 slaves, page 518B
DAY, Robert Sr., 76 slaves, page 556B
DENMAN, Mrs. N.?, 61 slaves, page 522B
DUBISON, C. L., 83 slaves, page 491
DURFEY, R. W., 110 slaves, page 536
EWING, M. W., 66 slaves, page 539B
EXUM, Kinchen, 88 slaves, page 557B
FUGATE, V. H., 51 slaves, page 557
GALE, Josiah, 88 slaves, page 540
GALE, Thomas, 149 slaves, page 538
GALE, W. D., 86 slaves, page 537B
GARTLEY, W. F., 63 slaves, page 576B
GIBBS, W. D., 62 slaves, page 578B
HARRIS, W. C., 67 slaves, page 520
HILL, N. R., 86 slaves, page 526B
HOGAN, W. H., 64 slaves, page 548B
HOGGATT & CARUTHERS, 100 slaves, page 564B
HOLLOMAN, T. R., 67 slaves, page 543B
INGERSOLE, C. J., 94 slaves, page 526
JAMES, S. L., 71 slaves, page 572
JIGGETTS, L. M., 52 slaves, page 579
JOHNSON & HAMER, , 74 slaves, page 512B
JOHNSON, R. M., 69 slaves, page 515B
JOHNSON, R. M. & B. W. , residence in KY, R. A. Barkley Mgr., 90 slaves, page 542
JORDAN, G. N.?, 142 slaves, page 516
KING, L. P., 110 slaves, page 506B
LAMB, Est of I.?, 80 slaves, page 561B
LEE, F. B. Est., 138 slaves, page 545
LUSE, Stephen, 115 slaves, page 584
MCKEE, John, 72 slaves, page 548
MEAD, Sarah G., 126 slaves, page 499B
MICHIE, J. J., 78 slaves, page 528B
MOORE, J. S., 73 slaves, page 493B
MOORE, Jas. S., 80 slaves, page 492
MORTON, J. W., 51 slaves, page 505
MOSLEY, J. R. 66 slaves, page 577B
O'RILEY, Jas. P., 63 slaves, page 493
OGDEN, George, 58 slaves, page 579
PARTEE, W. B., 202 slaves, page 540B
PAUL, John S., 61 slaves, page 527
PAYNE, A. M., 115 slaves, page 511B
PAYNE, M. R., 60 slaves, page 512
PEPPER, Z. Sr., 54 slaves, page 570
PICKETT, Micajah, 180 slaves, page 497
PICKETT, R. K., 73 slaves, page 531B
PICKETT, W.? M., 92 slaves, page 530B
PICKETT, William, 85 slaves, page 582
POWELL & BURRUS, , 70 slaves, page 532
PURVIS, J. J., 54 slaves, page 580B
PURVIS, J. W., 63 slaves, page 552
READ, J. S., 75 slaves, page 518
REGAN, Mary A., 67 slaves, page 508
REIMAN, M., 55 slaves, page 589
RICHARDSON, E., 127 slaves, page 524
RICKS, B. S., 139 slaves, page 513B
ROACH, Benjamin, 266 slaves, page 568
ROACH, David, 176 slaves, page 510
ROBERTS, Mary A., 77 slaves, page 514B
SCOTT, Burwell, 68 slaves, page 586
SCOTT, J. H., 52 slaves, page 574B
SHARP, J. M., 117 slaves, page 556B
SIMMONS & MANNING, 92 slaves, page 489B
SIMMONS, John, 134 slaves, page 489
SISSON?, J. P., 57 slaves, page 503
SMITH, F. G., 66 slaves, page 501B
SPEARS?, J. C., 114 slaves, page 507
STEWART, L. D., 61 slaves, page 511
SWAYZE, May A., 52 slaves, page 565B
SWAYZE, Richard, 78 slaves, page 565B
THOMAS, H. J., 64 slaves, page 498B
THOMAS, J. P., 102 slaves, page 580
VAUGHN, Henry Sr., 293 slaves, page 494B
WHITE, L. L. B., 80 slaves, page 509
WILBURN, W. W., 83 slaves, page 498
WILKINSON, E. C., 56 slaves, page 587B
WILLIS, John, 130 slaves, page 559
WILSON, W. L., 90 slaves, page 536B
WOOLFORK, John. H., 131 slaves, page 500
YANDELL?, Est. of N., 83 slaves, page 529
YERGER, Est.., 120 slaves, page 524
SURNAME MATCHES AMONG AFRICAN AMERICANS ON 1870 CENSUS:
(exact surname spellings only are reported, no spelling variations or soundex)
(SURNAME, # in US, in State, in County, born in State, born and living in State, born in State and living in County)
ANDING, 1,0, 0, 0, 0, 0
ANDREWS, 1160, 75, 6, 53, 37, 4
BALFOUR, 7, 4, 1, 2, 2, 0,
BALLANCE?, 17, 2, 2, 0, 0, 0
BARKSDALE, 300, 31, 0, 23, 19, 0
BARNETT, 755, 75, 0, 37, 30, 0
BEE, 115, 6, 0, 7, 6, 0
BONNEY, 20, 1, 0, 0, 0, 0
BOYLAN, 22, 1, 1, 3, 1, 1
BRICKELL, 11, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0
BRIDGFORTH, 18, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0
BULL, 176, 17, 6, 13, 8, 3
BURRUS, 45, 6, 2, 3, 3, 1,
CAGE, 129, 40, 3, 32, 25, 3
CAMPBELL, 2897, 235, 16, 166, 116, 6,
CANNON, 784, 109, 5, 50, 38, 2
CARUTHERS, 117, 24, 0, 12, 11, 0
CHEW, 126, 15, 1, 7, 5, 1
COCKS, 25, 4, 0, 4, 2, 0
DAVIS, 13725, 1397, 26, 1038, 743, 12
DAY, 1002, 70, 6, 50, 44, 4,
DENMAN, 29, 7, 0, 6, 5, 0
DUBISON, 1, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0
DURFEY, 3, 1, 0, 1, 1, 0
EWING, 432, 37, 0, 20, 13, 0
EXUM, 52, 4, 2, 4, 3, 1
FUGATE, 35, 2, 1, 2, 2, 1
GALE, 268, 22, 3, 24, 17, 2
GARTLEY, 2, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1
GIBBS, 1191, 82, 7, 57, 46, 5
HAMER, 97, 52, 9, 26, 24, 5
HARRIS, 11315, 1074, 55, 736, 547, 36
HILL, 6675, 484, 18, 313, 211, 9
HOGAN, 516, 50, 3, 38, 28, 2
HOGGATT, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0
HOLLOMAN, 69, 3, 2, 1, 1, 0
INGERSOLE, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0
JAMES, 3993, 366, 7, 271, 194, 3
JIGGETTS, 2, 2, 0, 1, 1, 0
JOHNSON, 33402, 2900, 132, 2220, 1541, 73
JORDAN, 2359, 248, 8, 154, 115, 5
KING, 4979, 384, 14, 291, 189, 9
LAMB, 285, 22, 8, 15, 10, 5
LEE, 6357, 598, 10,450, 328, 5
LUSE, 2, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0
MANNING, 448, 41, 0, 16, 11, 0
MCKEE, 232. 31, 0, 25, 16, 0
MEAD, 160, 15, 1, 12, 7, 1
MICHIE, 54, 1, 0, 1, 1, 0
MOORE, 8698, 1061, 35, 660, 483, 19
MORTON, 1174, 94, 9, 52, 39, 6
MOSLEY, 352, 66, 1, 29, 24, 1
O'RILEY, 2, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0
OGDEN, 90, 4, 2, 3, 2, 2
PARTEE, 86, 20, 2, 10, 9, 2
PAUL, 291, 9, 0, 13, 6, 0
PAYNE, 1603, 91, 1, 65, 45, 0
PEPPER, 85, 8, 6, 10, 8, 6
PICKETT, 317, 35, 20, 30, 23, 16
POWELL, 2420, 206, 13, 139, 107, 7
PURVIS, 69, 3, 1, 4, 3, 1
READ, 779, 50, 0, 28, 24, 0
REGAN, 32, 7, 1, 7, 7, 1
REIMAN, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0
RICHARDSON, 3741, 271, 10, 183, 123, 6
RICKS, 351, 14, 3, 13, 6, 2
ROACH, 375, 33, 1, 22, 16, 0
ROBERTS, 3309, 208, 8, 162, 105, 4
SCOTT, 8407, 679, 22, 507, 357, 10
SHARP, 759, 47, 5, 24, 18, 2
SIMMONS, 2845, 280, 10, 187, 141, 8
SISSON?, 28, 6, 0, 5, 2, 0
SMITH, 29087, 2581, 103, 1912, 1396, 53
SPEARS?, 326, 35, 0, 27, 22, 0
STEWART, 3648, 321, 21, 240, 179, 10
SWAYZE, 12, 7, 5, 6, 6, 4
THOMAS, 11418, 945, 481, 726, 526, 22
VAUGHN, 864, 105, 4, 66, 53, 4
WHITE, 9567, 863, 30, 623, 456, 17
WILBURN, 182, 56, 4, 30, 28, 1
WILKINSON, 521, 61, 1, 40, 32, 0
WILLIS, 2042, 223, 3, 176, 132, 2
WILSON, 10819, 890, 48, 679, 464, 26
WOOLFORK, 43, 4, 2, 2, 1, 1
YANDELL?, 5, 1, 0, 1, 1, 0
YERGER, 20, 9, 2, 6, 4, 1
Yazoo County, MS GenWeb (County genealogical resources)
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