Nancy Vinnie Batiste

Notes:

According to Merritt Mullen, her maiden name is variously shown as Batiste, Baptiste, Battiece. ...

Merritt writes that Nancy (Vinnie) Batiste is believed to be a Choctaw Indian, probably born in the territory of Mississippi (census records indicate she was born in South Carolina, but there are no Batiste families there). A tradition in different branches of the Fairchild family says her grandchildren are 1/4 Indian, and the early Choctaw Indian rolls for Mississippi show Indian families using the surname of "Batiste" (with various spellings such as Battist, Battiese, Battice, Bapten). The name is also found among the Choctaws who migrated to Oklahoma Indian Territory.

"Batiste" is a variant spelling of the French name "Baptiste" (as in the common name "Jean Baptiste", or John the Baptist). The Baptistes were prominent early settlers of the Gulf Coast around what is now Mobile, Alabama. Jean Baptiste (dit Graveline) Baudreau came from Montreal (Canada) to the Gulf Coast with the brothers d'Iberville and Bienville, sent by King Louis XV to build Fort Louis and explore the Gulf Coast to protect the huge holdings (Louisiana Purchase area). It was in 1699/1700 that Jean Baptiste Baudreau came to the Pascaqoula/Bay St. Louis area on the Gulf Coast.
The family history of the descendants of Jean Baptiste Beaudreau indicates it was common for the male descendants to have both a French and an Indian wife, and children with both of them. A grandson of the first settler, Jean Batiste Baudreau, Pierre Baptiste (also called Pedro, during the Spanish era on the Gulf Coast) was probably 1/4 Indian and 3/4 French. He married a Choctaw Indian and had a daughter by her named Michou Jenny (or Jincy) Batiste (or Battiest), who married Daniel Anderson. It is possible that a brother of Jenny was the father of Nancy Vinnie Baptiste. If Nancy's mother was a full-blood Choctaw, then Nancy would be 3/16 French and 13/16 Indian.


Nancy was living in Copiah County, Mississippi with her son, John, at the time of the 1860 Census.

Larry Kingsley & Merritt Mullen both note that she died in Scott County, Mississippi.

Nancy married Moses McLemore between 1810 and 1815. Moses (son of Amos McLemore and Equilla ???) was born about 1787 in South Carolina; died on 18 Mar 1857 in Copiah County, Mississippi. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Married:
May also be the parents of an Elizabeth McLemroe, born 1820 and married James Lowery of the Cherokee Nation East. (MaryLynn Santa and Mark Freeman both reference her, but neither William McLemore or April Makerney have her listed).

1. Aquilla "Quillie" McLemore was born between 1815 and 1820 in Tennessee; died on 17 Jun 1888 in Copiah County, Mississippi.
2. Sarah McLemore was born on 25 Jul 1815 in Tennessee; died on 22 Jul 1872 in Copiah County, Mississippi.
3. John T. McLemore was born on 8 Mar 1817 in Mississippi; died in Nov 1862 in Copiah County, Mississippi.
4. Craven Purline McLemore was born about 1826 in Mississippi; and died.
5. Lavinia McLemore was born in May 1828 in Mississippi; and died.
6. Juriah McLemore was born about 1833 in Mississippi; and died.
7. Mary J. McLemore was born before 1835 in Mississippi; and died.
8. Moses McLemore was born between 1832 and 1835 in Mississippi; and died.
9. Nancy McLemore was born after 1835 in Mississippi; and died.