Dennis Bearden Part 4

Dennis and Delsie remained in Pike County. I have looked for the 1920 Federal census record but have not found the record that enumerated Dennis Bearden and his wife.  Dennis'  death certificate has been located. He died on April 27,1928 the recorded age was 100 and the cause of death was old age.  From prior census records, Dennis was 88 years old when he died. His employer was J A Wilkerson and he worked probably as a sharecropper farmer at the time of his death.  

The 1930 Federal census record that enumerated Delsie Bearden has not been found. 

The link to the 1940 Census

In the  April 3, 1940 Federal census, Delsie is enumerated with Rachel Sartin who was single and the head of household in a rented rural area in Lawrence County, Mississippi. Delsie Bearden a widow is not recorded as related to Rachel.  Rachel Sartin was enumerated with Dennis and Delsie in the 1910 Federal census as a widow "hired girl" with no children at 39 years old. The 1940 census provides unique information.  There is an "x" in a circle which identifies who gave the information to the enumerator census taker. Rachel provided the information.  The 1940 census also identified where individuals lived on April 1, 1935. Both Delsie and Rachel lived in the same location. The letter "R" was used to identify if individuals lived in a city of town with less than 2,500 people. There was no occupation or work history recorded for both of them and income was zero. 

Their ages were recorded Rachel 72 and Delsie 114 years old (actual 94) were old women living during the Great Depression. Delsie had adult living children who probably provided some financial help. Neither of these women received Social Security because it was not available for farmers at that time.

 Delsie Holmes Bearden died on April 19, 1940 in Jayess, Lawrence County, Mississippi just a few days after the census was taken.

More information to come.

----The Tree Gardener

Dennis Bearden Part 3

Dennis Bearden had two wives and children with each wife. 

I have tried identifying Dennis Bearden's occupation from the federal census records.   Information was enumerated on the 1900 and 1910 Federal Census for Dennis Bearden, didn't own but rented the land he lived on.   He may have been a tenant farmer or sharecropper. After the Civil War, the government agency  Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen and Abandon Lands  (Freedman's Bureau) established in 1865 supervised many of the former enslaved to sign labor contracts. The former enslaved (Freedmen) became an employee of a landowner who agreed to work in exchange for pay, clothing and medical care.  This was the precursor for the tenant farmer and sharecropper agriculture system, 

Tenant farmers and sharecroppers both farmed the land owned by another person.  A tenant farmer could contribute capital, own tools, and supplies, rent the land, and housing. The tenant farmer could sell the harvested crop and pay rent to the landlord. Sharecroppers didn't own or contribute anything except their labor.   They had to pay rent for tools, supplies, housing, animals, and seeds. The landlord sold the sharecropper's harvested crop and applied it to the sharecropper's rental account. Tenant farmers and sharecroppers hoped to make enough money from a harvest to pay their debts and earn a profit. If the crop yield or prices were low they remained in debt. Unfortunately, this system historically created a cycle of poverty that was true for Caucasians and Black people. The 1900  in a previous blog post and the 1910 census identify who lived in Dennis' household.  

The 1910 census

"United States Census, 1910", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MPDF-XY1 : Sat Mar 09 08:29:24 UTC 2024), Entry for Dennis Bearden and Dilsie Bearden, 1910.

Transcribed 1910 Pike County, Mississippi Federal census of Dennis Bearden and Dilsie Bearden.

Dennis and his wife Delsie (Dilsie, Delsy) could not read or write. On April 17, 1891, they signed a labor agreement making them sharecroppers. The document is located at the Pike County Courthouse in Magnolia, Mississippi. The title of the record is Conveyance Record Book 11, 1893-1895 page 159(Family Search microfilm #008634974). 

The record as it appears below. Transcriptions and summary of portions of the record are given some words of the document could not be deciphered.

This deed of trust made this 17th day of April 1891. Witnesses that Dennis Bearden and Delsy Bearden, his wife of the first part are indebted to PL Barnes and the in the sum of $70 and forty-two cents. Having interest from said no date was given assign 17th. 1891. Where is said party of the first part from expect said PL Barnes to advance him money and sell supplies and merchandise during the year of 1891 and such finance as may be agreed upon at the time of delivery or-- at the usual and customary credit prices in the county of Pike and state of Mississippi, whereas said party of the first part has agreed to secure the payment of said indebtedness as also any further that may be advanced as for said….

The Party of the first part in consideration of the promises as well as for the for $10 to him paid by Jno Walker. 

The following described property situated in Pike County, Mississippi___ Any and all crops of cotton, corn and other agricultural products to be planted and raised by them in my hands they may employ during the year of 1891 on land belonging to him now…. or any other land that they may rent and cultivate during said year.

In trust, however, that if said party of the first part should on or before the 1st day of January 1892 pay what may be due said PL Barns for money advancement and supplies and merchandise sold all costs incurred on account after said and all cost incurred on account of said deed of trust thru this deed of trust will be void as to the indebtedness, _____ at that time; but in default of said payments or any part thereof or subsequent indebtedness under this contract the trustee will take possession of same property without notice of any kind. And having given ten day notice of the place and time of the sale by posting written notices at____ public place as in said county, sell said property or a sufficiency of said things to make said payment for cash at public auction at PL Barnes store or any place he designates PL Barns and his legal representatives can at any time they may decide_____Trustee in place of  Jno B Walker or any succeeding Trustee.

Dennis and Delsie signed up to work on a designated area of rented land. The land description given was in Pike County in the north half of the northwest quarter section 12, township number 4, range number 9 E 80 acres more or less. This land was owned by Jno (John) B Walker. They bought $70.42 of supplies and equipment from P L Barnes, a store owner, and received a loan of $10 from Jno B Walker. The sum of $70.42 is equivalent to  $2,436.04 and $10.00 is worth $345.93 inflation calculated for 2024. Jno (John) B Walker was responsible for the collection of crops. If Dennis and his wife did not produce enough crops to pay their debts, the property they obtained could be removed without notice and sold. I don't know the amount of profit Dennis ever made for his labor.  He was tied to the land as a sharecropper and, at best, a tenant farmer.  Sharecropping was a different form of enslavement.

--- The Tree Gardener

Dennis Bearden Part 1

 Dennis Bearden a Black man was born in 1840 in Mississippi or Tennessee according to the Lincoln and Pike County Mississippi federal census of  1870 and 1880 respectively. His father was born in Tennessee, and his mother’s birthplace is unknown. Because of the time and location, it is thought to be enslaved. He was a farm laborer enumerated with his presumptive wife and children in the 1870 Lincoln County, Mississippi Federal Census. 

"United States Census, 1870", FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MFSX-TKD : Tue Mar 05 09:46:15 UTC 2024), Entry for Dennis Bearden and Charity Bearden, 1870.

Transcribed 1870 Pike County, Mississippi Federal Census

In the 1878 Pike County school census the parents and familial relationships are not identified. From the record eight of Dennis and Charity's children Nelson 19, Emma 13, Charles 12, Lizzie 12, John 11, Jim 8, Dewitt 6 and Willie 2.

"Mississippi Enumeration of Educable Children, 1850-1892; 1908-1957," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:939F-PV9H-VN?cc=1856425&wc=M6NC-9NT%3A167436801%2C167437302 : 18 September 2015), Pike > 1878 > image 146 of 200; Government Records, Jackson.

I have not been able to find Emma Bearden in other records.

In 1880 Pike County, Mississippi Dennis is enumerated with his identified family. The quality of the census record is poor.

"United States Census, 1880", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M4G1-5BS : Sat Mar 09 22:47:26 UTC 2024), Entry for Dennis Bearden and Charity L. Bearden, 1880.

         Transcribed 1880 Pike County, Mississippi Federal Census

Dennis Bearden paid personal property tax in the Carter Creek election precinct in 1881.  Transcription summarized (poor quality) at that time he owned property valued at 4 cattle at $50, 1 horse at $70, and  1 carriage at $30  for a total of $150 ($3,718.06 in 2024). I have not found any records in which Dennis homesteaded land or land deeds at this time 

More information to come.

Updated September 24, 2024

---- The TreeGardener