 |
| Dorothy Scott Chesser Photo Credit: Antoinette Harrell |
Dorothy Scott Chesser of Liberty, Mississippi was a Civil Rights Leader who was part of the federal lawsuit to desegregate public transportation in Mississippi. She worked with Medgar Evers in 1963 to register African-American voters. The Mississippi NAACP awarded Chesser with the Sam Bailey Long Distance Runner Award for her leadership during the civil rights movements and continued diligence in fighting for the rights of others.
Clarksdale: Complaint that a negro named McGhee is held in bondage.
Minter City: Anonymous letter relating to William Wall.
Sharkey County: Mary Sue Hyche states that her children are her in peonage.
Leflore County: Complaint that negroes have been enticed from Texas and held on a Tallahatchie
plantation.
Itta Bena: Complaints of peonage by Mrs. V. Carman.
Marathon: Complaints of Italians held in peonage by Dr. Brooks and Goldfarth.
Greenwood: Complaints of peonage made by B.T. Jordan
Source: Jackson Daily News: Money, Dec 16, 1907 Pg 8
 |
| George Humphrey Tichenor Photo Courtesy: Ancestry, Rhonda Carter |
George H. Tichenor invented Dr. Tichenor antiseptic in Amite, County, Mississippi. George was born in 1837 and died in 1923. He enlisted in the Confederate Army with the Williamson Company Dare Devils commanded by Capt. William Ewing. The first official documentation of Tichenor with a license to practice medicine can be found.
Source: Journal of the Mississippi State Medical Association Page Seven.
 |
| Jackson Free Press |
It is said that Dr. William McGehee, who practiced medicine in the county perhaps a century ago, in prosecuting his studies, obtained the body of a Negro, who had been hung, dissected it, and constructed his own skeleton.
Source: Liberty Advocate, Liberty, Miss., Dec 6, 1851
Source Material for the Mississippi History, Amite County Volume III, Part Two
 |
| Theodore Dunn Source: Ancestry |
Theodore Dunn was born around 1905 in Mississippi. He was living in Beat 2, Amite County, Mississippi, in 1930 when the United States Federal Census was taken. He was renting his home and worked as a cotton farmer. He was working on his own account. Theodore was married to Gladys Chapman. They were the parents of; Gertrude, Willie Mae, Leon, Jena Mae, Ruby Lee, Charlie, William, and Theodore Dunn.
At one time, he and his family lived in Centerville, Mississippi. Theodore was killed in a car accident right of Liverpool, Louisiana, on July 17, 1956. He is buried in New Hope Baptist Church Cemetery in Gloster, Mississippi.
Theodore's parents were; Hezachiah Dunn and Gertrude Jackson Dunn. Living in the house with Hezachiah and Gertrude was Hezachiah's father Andrew. Andrew was the head of the household. Several children were listed in the household; Ottelle, Piney, Hezachiah, Missouri, and Tom Buckles.
His father Andrew was born around 1835 in Mississippi. Andrew marital status was listed as widowed. Andrew couldn't read or write. and worked on a farm in Beat 2, Amite County, Mississippi. In the 1900 United States Federal Census, Andrew had his daughters Mary, Malinda, and Maggie living with him. His two sons Hizzie, and Madison were in the household along with his two grandchildren; Tommy Buckles, and Lizzie Dunn.
How much do we know about our family history? If you are a genealogist, you know that finding new information is a happy moment. Most of my genealogy research had been on my maternal side of the family. I guess because I spent the most time with my maternal side of the family. It wasn't until after my father died in 2019, I learned more about his family. My father and I spent some time talking about his family history. If he were living today, I know he would be so proud to see that I'm finding genealogical information on his Williams, Dunn, Bates, Burton, Boykins, and Wilkerson side of the family.
I followed Charlie McKay's lineage through Ancestry and Family Search. Charles father was Monroe Mckay, and Monroe's father was Charles McKay. Charles was born around 1820 in Louisiana in the 1st Ward in Tangipahoa, Louisiana. He was married to Rina McKay. Charles said that his father's birthplace was Africa and his mother's birthplace was Virginia. He was a farmer. They had nine children living in the household with them in 1870; Alexander, Moody, Nancy, Thomas, Isaac, Camile, and Mary McKay.
According to the 1840 United States Federal Census, he owned eight enslaved people. He filed a patent on seventy-six point thirty six acres on November 10, 1840.
 |
| Luther Calvin Taplin |
Reprint from the Source Material for Mississippi History, Amite County Volume III "Part Two" Compiled by State-Wide Historical Research Project. Susie V. Powell, Supervisor
 |
| Clarion Ledger November 20, 1932 |
Son of William and Alice M. Statum Taplin, was born near Liberty in Amite County, twenty-seven years ago in 1904. After finishing school in Liberty, he entered Piney Woods Academy in Piney Woods, Mississippi. While attending school he and a group of Negro singers, toured the state, singing folk and spiritual songs. He also composed poetry, some of which has been published.
He was a retired educator, a teacher of education. He was farmer in Amite County, a manager of Utopian Home Housing Authority and a dean of men of men at Piney Woods School.
Ephraim Europe Bates was born in 1834 in Amite County, Mississippi. He died in 1910 in Amite County, Mississippi. The school for African American children went from first grade to six grade and was named in honor of Ephraim Europe Bates. The school was established in 1880. The old school was built on five acres of land and was less than five miles form the new school. The school had as many as 700-800 students. The Bates family donated the land for the school.
According the 1900 United States Census Europe was married to Eliza Jackson Bates. He had a three stepchildren living in the house with him; Willie, Albert, and Mary Green. Two grandchildren; Dewy and Ewy Bates. They weren't twin, there is a big age cap between the two grandsons.
Europe was married twice; first to Vicey and secondly to Eliza. Listed on the 1870 United States Federal Census is his wife Vicey and children; Sallie, Howell and Ellen Bates. Although their daughter Susan Bates was listed on this census, she was their daughter. On this census they had his named spelled as Ephraim Bates.
He was issued a patent on 165.64 acres of land on Sept 1883 in Amite County, Mississippi.
 |
| Sarah Webb |
Sarah was born in 1870 in Amite County, Mississippi. She died in 1947 and is buried in Liberty Missionary Baptist Cemetery. She was married twice; once to Owen Bates and secondly to Thomas Webb. Sarah was a farm laborer.
Sarah Webb of Liberty, tells of a wedding she attended" "Yes'a, I was right there the Miss Janie married, and every little nigger on the place was settin' there. O' that was a great weddin' yes Ma'am. a great weddin! After she was married, I remember seeing her and Ms. Scott comes the steps. Mr. Henry, her father has a gin, and he had cotton begging' spread from the top of the steps on out too the table under the trees. Her feet never touched the ground. They had a grand dinner that day.
"You know they had plank fences in those days, Miss, and us little niggers were all lined up over the fence close to the table, and Miss Mary fed us through the cracks, and I ain't never like cheese and crackers since, I ate so much that day.
 |
| James Westbrook |
James was born to David and Phillis Westbrook in Amite County, Mississippi. According the 1870 United States Federal Census, James was a farm laborer.
Thomas Holden, Sr. Photo Courtesy of Ancestry/Donavin Cole Original submitted by Irishmocha67 Thomas was born in 1828 in Amite County, Missi...
