Robert Brumfield Part 1

 

Robert Brumfield was born enslaved in about 1834 in Mississippi. His parents nor enslaver have not been identified at this time.  On September 11, 1869, he filed application #3212 for 160 acres of land at the Pike County, Mississippi Land Office in Jackson, Hinds County. 

 He is enumerated as a 35-year-old farm hand in the 1870 Pike County, Mississippi census with inferred wife and children. His inferred wife was Ann 32, and the children were Anna Bell 10, Jennette 6 and Robert 1 years old.  On August 29, 1876, Robert submitted his final proof document for his homestead. Henry Conerly and Irvin Brumfield were his sworn witnesses. They were prevented from attending in person at the land office secondary to distance and means. The witnesses in a single document stated that he had a wife and six children. He had cultivated 35 acres of land, 2 cotton houses, a smokehouse, crib stables and other houses.  Irvin Brumfield was the son of Liddie Brumfield Caston. Henry Conerly was also a witness for Irvin Brumfield's homestead on August 21, 1877. Robert received his homestead patent on June 24, 1878.

Robert Brumfield is enumerated in the Pike County 1880 census.  He and his wife Ann had five additional children during the intervening years Frank 9, Harriet 6, Cina 5, Jimmy 2 and Jesse 2/12 months. Significantly, Jack Gatlin's family is enumerated on the same census page.

"United States Census, 1880," database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M4G1-Y9G : 14 January 2022), Bob Brumfield, Beat 1, Pike, Mississippi, United States; citing enumeration district ED 37, sheet, NARA microfilm publication T9 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), FHL microfilm .

1880 Census

Brumfield,    Bob               Male                46 y

                         Ann           Female             41 y

                        Jenette         Female            15 y

                        Robert          Male                10 y

                        Frank            Male                 9 y

                        Harriet         Female             6 y

                        Cina              Female             5 y

                        Jimmie         Male                 2 y 

            

The Mississippi Enumeration of Educable Children Data Base 1850-1892 and 1908-1957 has been instrumental in identifying families between the years of the United States federal census. The data in the records designate the sex, age and race of the children.  Robert's children attended school and worked on the farm. In the Holmesville, Pike County 1885 census Robert and his children are listed as Robert 16, Harriet 14, Frank 11, Cina 9, Jas (James) 7   and John 5.  On the school census, are familiar names of other parents and children from prior blog posts: Frank Brumfield, Edmond Downs, Gale Brumfield and Eli Brumfield.

Mississippi Enumeration of Educable Children, 1850-1892; 1908-1957," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:939F-PV9F-WD?cc=1856425&wc=M6NC-7P8%3A167436801%2C167437202 : 18 September 2015), Pike > 1885 > image 6 of 178; Government Records, Jackson.

A list of established schools in the county with trustees and teachers was identified in the Magnolia Gazette in 1886. Numbers 11, 12 and 13 are African American men who were involved in the education of their children.  The Pink Hill trustees were Jack Gatlin, Robert Brumfield and Jerry Conerly 

The Magnolia Gazette 

Magnolia, Mississippi

 12 Feb 1886, Fri  •  Page 2

 In the Holmesville, Pike County 1890 school census Robert Brumfield's children Harriet 16, Sina 14, James 12, John 9 and Jesse 7 are listed. Other parents and children are listed on the page which includes Thomas Brumfield, Ely (Eli) Brumfield, Irvin Brumfield, Ellen Brumfield and Harry Barnes. 

Robert had one child enrolled in school seen in the Holmesville, Pike County 1896 census Jess (Jesse) 12. On the school census, are familiar names of other parents and children: Irvin Brumfield, Eli Brumfield, Leah Bridges, George and Harry Barnes. 

More information to come.

--- The Tree Gardener

FAN

FAN is a mnemonic in genealogy circles for Friends, Associates and Neighbors.  In my genealogical research,  I try to accumulate information from my ancestor's FAN (Friends, Associates & Neighbors) club. The FAN of ancestors is comparable to the modern social network.   I have many surnames which include my ancestors names, their neighbors, their in laws and my in-laws. I have also found that in  genealogical  research that having the same surname in the same geographic area does necessarily equal a blood relationship.  Some surnames of individuals have no  obvious relationship I have seen repeatedly in my research.  I can not resist saving information of a family that lived in same geographic area and may or may not be  related to an ancestor.       


I have been able to people in connect FAN connections from geographic location using homestead information from the Bureau of land Management. The chart has information posted in a previous blog except for Calvin Caston.

Walkers Bridge Pike County, Mississippi

All of these men possibly knew each other prior to establishing a homestead. Calvin Caston was probably the stepfather of Irvin and Tom Brumfield. Henry Conerly knew Calvin Caston, Robert and Irvin Brumfield.  Possibly Henry Conerly and Joseph Conerly are related. I found Henry and Joseph enumerated in the 1880 census.

Henry Conerly 55 years old and Joseph Conerly 23 years old enumerated  in the  Pike County, Mississippi 1880 Federal Census

Maybe they homestead near each other because they had were friends or previously lived together.  

------The Tree Gardener

UPDATED October 11, 2022

Climbing The Brick Wall

 Freedmen

In black African American genealogy,  family history prior to 1870 is  hard to find. The lack of family surnames and documentation has been called one of the brick walls.    

Just before the end of the Civil War in 1865,  the Freedmen ’s Bureau (Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen, and Abandoned Lands) was established to aid former slaves and whites in needed assistance for survival.  Attempts were made to provide food, clothing, educate, reunite families, legalize marriages, provide employment, and aid the black military.  This was an ambitious undertaking to provide all these services.  A paper trail however was established which lead the road to finding some of my ancestors.

In the search, I looked for the former slaves with the Brumfield surname in Washington Parish Louisiana, and Pike County Mississippi in Freedman Bureau records. There is voluminous amount of information to review.    I realize that my ancestors may have come from other areas and possibly different surnames.  The homestead records however lead me to believe that these geographic areas must have been considered home.  Home is defined as a place where a person has knowledge, history, and familiarity.  

During my investigation, I looked for names of ancestors in locations where they may have lived.   I looked at Freedman labor contracts.  Labor contracts were established to assist in the employment of former slaves now Freemen.  Terms of employment were established.  In the contract, the name of the former slave was given sometimes with a surname along with the name of the planter.  

 In records of the Bureau of Refugees   Freedmen and Abandoned Lands, Louisiana 1865-1872 I found the following:

 

Charlotte 48(infirm), Harriet 28(good hand), Margaret 16(daughter), Sarah 23, Mary 8 (child of Sarah) Ophelia 4, Sam 2 Grandchildren of Charlotte; Wade 10, Charlotte 8, Keziah 4 signed September 18, 1865 with Wily G. Collins

 

      These are my people!  Charlotte was married to Isham Brumfield and Harriet was married to Gale Brumfield.   Sarah was married to Eli Brumfield (son of Isham).   I have been able locate their  one of their children Keziah granddaughter of Charlotte.

                                                                              -------- The Tree Gardener

Brumfield Settlement Part 4

Gale Brumfield

Gale Brumfield was born in Mississippi on 1825 or 1820   according to the Washington Parish Federal census  in Louisiana   1870  and  1880 respectively .  He was married to Harriett born in 1843 according to the 188o census.  He homesteaded 153 acres of land in Washington Parish, Louisiana beginning in December 10, 1869.  Although his homestead was not in Pike County, Mississippi  relationships  will be identified with other Brumfield families.

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At the beginning of the homestead Gale was the head of a family of wife and eight children.  In the 1870 census, the individuals listed  Thesionie 28,   George 14, Louisa 12, Martha 6, Rosilla 8, Sylvia 10,   Jeanette 4, and William 2  were probably his children based on their ages.  He improved the land by building a corn crib, smoke house and stable. M. M.  Wilson and R. S. Wilson were his witnesses to his homestead.  Gale Brumfield received final title to the land on June 13, 1876.