Josiah Vardimen Freeman

Notes:

John Thomas Freeman served in the Confederate Army after the birth of his daughter Emily, in Co. "C" Capt. Brown's 7 Stars Mississippi Artillery. He was captured, but was paroled or escaped within days. His captor and he were both said to be Masons. He served until the end of the war, and received a pension in his old age from the State of Mississippi for his service.

He was a planter, and he moved his family from Copiah Co., MS (Barlow community) to Franklin Co., MS (Hamburg, MS), where some descendants live in the area in 2002. Reunion of his descendants held 2nd Saturday in June almost every year in Hamburg. He owned a store, and his property was used for cotton farming. John Thomas Freeman died 23 June 1917, and is buried in Mt. Carmel Cemetery, located two miles east of Hamburg, MS. This town is not on the state-issued highway map in 1995, but is shown on most published atlas maps of Mississippi.

Copied from the RootsWeb's WorldConnect Project: Smith Family of GA, MS and LA. Merritt D. Mullen, submitter, mmullen8014@mchsi.com



(Research):

Census Information:

1870 Census
Mississippi, Copiah County, Twp 9-10 West of RR, Post Office Hazelhurst
Enumerated 2 August 1870 by O.H. Johnston
Page 113, Stamped 349
HH 811-797
Moses and Eliza McLemore
HH 812-798
Carter, Caroll Johnson and Juriah (McLemore)
813-799
Freeman, John 34 M W Farmer $700 $700 NC
Freeman, Kisiah 24 F W Keeping House Miss
Freeman, Emily R 8 F W Miss
Freeman, John T 6 M W Miss
Freeman, William 4 M W Miss
Freeman, Ephraim 2 M W Miss
Freeman, Infant 2/12 F W Miss
HH 814-800
Joseph and Elmira Fairchild


1880 Census

Name Relation Marital Status Gender Race Age Birthplace Occupation Father's Birthplace Mother's Birthplace
J. T. FREEMAN Self M Male W 43 NC Farmer NC NC
Kesiah FREEMAN Wife M Female W 34 MS Keeping House MS MS
E. R. FREEMAN Dau S Female W 18 MS At Home NC MS
J. T. FREEMAN Son S Male W 15 MS Farm Hand NC MS
W. J. FREEMAN Son S Male W 14 MS Farm Hand NC MS
E. H. FREEMAN Son S Male W 12 MS Farm Hand NC MS
D. V. FREEMAN Dau S Female W 10 MS At Home NC MS
Josiah FREEMAN Son S Male W 4 MS NC MS
A. E. FREEMAN Dau S Female W 2 MS NC MS
D. J. FREEMAN Son S Male W 4M MS NC MS
M. L. MC LEMORE BroL Male W 18 MS Farm Laborer MS MS
Source Information: Census Place Rose Hill, Copiah, Mississippi
Family History Library Film 1254645 NA Film Number T9-0645
Page Number 18C

And ALSO listed on the 1880 census as follows:

Census Place: Beat 4, Copiah, Mississippi
Roll: 646; Family History Film: 1254646; Page: 210A
Enumeration District: 024; Image: 0061
Enumerated 7 June 1880
..Melba Gene McLemore notes that all the names on this census page have crossed out line by line...
Thomas J. Freeman 46
Kiziah Freeman 34
Emily Rebecca Freeman 18
John Thomas Freeman 16
William Joel Freeman 14
Ephram Hester Freeman 12
Dora V. Freeman 10
Josiah Hester Freeman 4
Dudley Jones Freeman 9m
Moses Mclemor 18 Brother in law
Alice Freeman 3

John married Kizziah Elizabeth McLemore on 14 Mar 1861 in Hazlehurst, Copiah County, Mississippi. Kizziah (daughter of John T. McLemore and Agnes Smith) was born on 1 Dec 1845 in Perry County, Mississippi; died on 16 Mar 1924 in Hamburg, Franklin County, Mississippi; was buried in Mt. Carmel Cemetery, Hamburg, Franklin County, Mississippi. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Married:
Quinna Cooper has a copy of a letter John wrote his wife Kizziah during the Civil War, and she provided the transcription below:

Washington, Adams , County
August 11, 1862

Dear Wife:

As we have stopt hear for awhile I thought I would write you afew lines to let you now that I am well. Hoping htese few lines may find you and little Emeley well. I suppose you have heard that we are moving to Port Hudson. Their is wehre we was ordered but since we have bin.....Clinton, La so if.........to me and don't send it by hand get Mr. Wade to back your letter for youu and he will now how to back it write. I will write to you as soon as I get their and so I don't thinkg you need to write till you hear from me again unless you can send it by Kirk Hall or someone else. My Dear I expect you will be troubled about this move but I don't think you need for I think it will be helthaer their then where we have bin. My Dear you don't have any idy how bad I want to see you and the baby. I dream of your every night and it makes me vary uneasey for I am so feared that something will happne to you of the Baby but I hope that God will protect you for you now that he has promised that he will be a father to the fatherless and a husband to the widdow and I suppose you are nearly a widdow now while I am gone but I hope the time is near at had when I wuill return home to stay with you and little Emeley and I hope we may live like we have lived before. My Dear their is one thing I would like to know whither you have weaned little Emeley or not or whither you will have to wean her or not. My reason for that is what we were talking about when I was at home. My Dear I want you to take good care of little Emeley for she is the dearest think in the world except you. It is now use for me to try to tell you how well I love your for I can't do it. My Dear I have some money that I wish you had but I don't now how you will get hit unless I can send it by some boddy coming home for it is not safe to send it by male and I now I can't.....come home if you need anything let me now and I will help you. Nothing more at present. Only remain your husband till death. John T. Freeman to his wife Kissiah Freeman. My Love is ever bright and true. Good By Love.

William married Amelia Hester. Amelia was born about 1820 in Bladen County, North Carolina; died after 1860 in Mississippi. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

The sister of Ephraim HESTER. She followed her brother to Copiah County, Mississippi after her husband was killed.

Notes:

Mark Freeman instead shows the year of death as 1863, and the location of birth as North Carolina.

(Research):
Census Information:

1850 Census
Mississippi, Perry County
Enumerated 28 Sept 1850
132-132
Moses McLamore 63 M Farmer $500 SC
Nancy McLamore 56 F SC (Color M??) SC
John McLamore 23 M Farmer Miss
Juriah McLamore 17 F Miss
Moses McLemore 15 M Farmer Miss
Richard McLemore 13 M Miss (Son of John T. McLemore)
Sarah McLemore 11 F Miss (Daughter of John T. McLemore)
Keziah McLemore 7 F Miss (Daughter of John T. McLemore)
Craven McLemore 4 M Miss (Son of John T. McLemore)
Amos McLemore 2 F Miss (Appears to be John T. McLemore's daughter Agnes)

1860 Census
Mississippi, Copiah County,
Enumerated 1 Oct 1860 by E.A. Peyton
Page 150/Page 151
#1040-1049
John McLemore 43 M Farmer $1,200 $2,400 NC
Rebecca McLemore 28 F ditto
Richard McLemore 22 M ditto
Sarah McLemore 20 F ditto
Kizziah McLemore 15 F ditto
Craven McLemore 13 M ditto
Agnes McLemore 11 F ditto
Oliver McLemore 8 M ditto
Caleb McLemore 6 M ditto
John McLemore 3 M ditto
Rebecca McLemore 1 F ditto
Nancy McLemore 60 F SC
1041-1050
C.J. Carter 25 M Farmer $400 $400 Miss
Juriah McLemore 26 F Miss <--John McLemore's sister--it appears her children may have been born before her marriage to C.J. Carter?
Nancy McLemore 6 F Miss
Johnson McLemore 2 M Miss

John apparently died sometime after the 1860 census. His widow and four of his youngest children can be found in neighboring Claiborne County at the time of the 1870 census. Rebecca appears to have remarried Edward Davis.

1870 Census
?sup?Mississippi, Claiborne County, Rocky Springs District, Post office Port Gibson
Enumerated 24 September 1870
Pages 13 and 14
88-98?/sup?
Davis, JG 55 M W Farmer $750 $405 Miss Can't R/W
Davis, JE 20 M W Farm Labor Miss Can't R/W
Davis, Edward 45 M W Farmer Miss Can't R/W
Davis, Rebecca 38 F W Housekeeping Miss Can't R/W
Davis, William 16 M W Miss Can't R/W
McLamore, J.O. 19 M W Miss Can't R/W
McLamore, Rebecca 11 F W Miss Can't R/W
McLamore, John 14 M W Miss
McLamore, Moses 8 M W Miss
Taylor, A.W. 32 M W Farm Laborer Miss

John married Agnes Smith on 22 Mar 1836 in Copiah County, Mississippi. Agnes (daughter of Isaac Luther Smith, Sr. and Sarah A. Kingsley) was born about 1821 in Mississippi; died after 1849 in Mississippi. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Mark Freeman shows her as the daughter of Isaac Luther SMITH and Sarah A. KINGSLEY.

Notes:

Married:
Larry Kingsley and Mark Freeman also show three additional children born to this family, Isaac (8 July 1839), Nancy (23 Oct 1842), and Josh McLemore, born on 21 Apr 1848 and married Allie HARRIGAL. He is not listed on the 1860 census with his family, however.

Notes:

Paraphrased from "Ole Rosinheels" Moses and brother Richard McLemore were born in SC, and probably moved from Giles Co., TN to Wayne Co., MS at the end of hostilities in the War of 1812. They settled in that part of Wayne County which, in 1819, became Covington County and, still later, in 1826, became Jones County. They were both listed in the 1816 census of Wayne County, but neither was on the 1810 census of the same area. They settled in the Leaf River country of what is now Jones, Perry, Forrest and Covington counties, in south-eastern Mississippi. They lived in close proximity, and John McLemore joined them in 1820. In 1836, Richard moved to Lauderdale County.

The following transcription is courtesy of Melba Gene McLemore, and relates to the military service of Moses during the Creek War:

Know all men by these presents that I Moses Mclemore of the State of Tennessee and Giles County have constetutes ? made and appointed my trusty friend Abraham Byler my true and Lawful attorney for me and in my name and to my use to ask demand ... fore Recover and Receive from the paymaster of the United States all such Sum or Sums of Money which is owing to me from the United States for my services for a tour of duty against the Creek Indians under the command of Gen Andrew Jackson and upon Receiving of such money as fore said to receip for the same in my name in as full and ample a manner as i could do if I were personally present in witness where of I the said Moses McLemore have here unto let my hand and seal this 17th day July 1815
attest
John Huggins Moses McLemore ( Seal )

State of Tennessee Giles County
This day personally appears Moses McLemore before me Jacob Byler one of the Justices of the Peace for said county and acknowledged the above power of attorney for the purpose within mentioned in the presence of John Higggins the subscribing witness given under my hand the 17th Day of July 1815
Jacob Byler JP

(Research):Census Listings:

1850 Census
Mississippi, Perry County
Enumerated 28 Sept 1850
132-132
Moses McLamore 63 M Farmer $500 SC
Nancy McLamore 56 F SC (Color Mulatto) SC
John McLamore 23 M Farmer Miss
Juriah McLamore 17 F Miss
Moses McLemore 15 M Farmer Miss
Richard McLemore 13 M Miss (Son of John T. McLemore)
Sarah McLemore 11 F Miss (Daughter of John T. McLemore)
Keziah McLemore 7 F Miss (Daughter of John T. McLemore)
Craven McLemore 4 M Miss (Son of John T. McLemore)
Amos McLemore 2 F Miss (Appears to be John T. McLemore's daughter Agnes)

Moses married Nancy Vinnie Batiste between 1810 and 1815. Nancy was born about 1794 in Mississippi; died on 31 Aug 1868 in Mississippi. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

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.

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).

Isaac married Sarah A. Kingsley. Sarah was born before 1801; and died. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]