Hamberlins of Mississippi

Version: 19 Jan 2017

The Hamberlin Family of Mississippi

By Richard L. Tolman, Ph. D.

The question has arisen as to the origins of the Hamberlin family of Mississippi, particularly the origin of Moses Clarence Hamberlin of Jefferson County, Mississippi (1807-1886). There are various speculated national origins by family members over the decades including Ireland,¹ Germany,² and France, but with no definitive proof or archival sources.

The Irish origin speculation can be eliminated as very unlikely as a survey of Irish sources at FamilySearch and Ancestry have shown that Hamberlin is not an Irish name. Add to this the fact that the Irish immigrated by and large exclusively to New England and most of them after the birth of Moses Clarence Hamberlin in Jefferson County, Mississippi in 1807. Jefferson County is a little northeast of Natchez (see Figure 1).

Similarly, emigration from Germany to Mississippi around or before 1800 is also unlikely; Mississippi became a U. S. territory in 1798, but before that it had been settled by the French although Spain also claimed the southern Mississippi area as ‘West Florida. The French established the first real settlement in Mississippi at Natchez (as Fort Rosalie) on the Mississippi River in 1716 and then were forced to cede the French colony (called ‘New France’, which included modern-day Mississippi) to Britain under the terms of the Treaty of Paris in 1763 at the close of the French and Indian War. Settlement of Louisiana/Mississippi by other nations (including the American colonies) before 1800 was difficult. The only easy way was by ship to New Orleans as access by river (Ohio and Mississippi) only began after the 1780’s and then mostly to the Western Reserve (Ohio and Indiana).³ So at the time of Moses Clarence’s birth (1807), Jefferson County was settled by mostly French colonists although the territory officially belonged to the British. The Battle of New Orleans would be fought in early 1815, when the British forces were defeated by Andrew Jackson and his American forces including French-speaking militia to end the War of 1812. Communication with the American coastal colonies was so poor at this time that the Battle of New Orleans was actually fought two weeks after the British had already surrendered, but word of this had not reached General Andrew Jackson’s ears. Settlement of Mississippi in the 18th century was restricted to larger settlements as the Indians (Chickasaw and Choctaw) were among the most vicious and aggressive in depredations of white colonists.⁴,⁵ Hamberlins were members of the Natchez militia⁶ as early as 1782, strengthening the premise that they were French colonists of New France in the 1700’s.

The first Mississippi State Census of Jefferson County⁷ of 1816 shows three Hamberlin heads of families: ‘A.’ Hamberlin, John Hamberlin, Wm Hamberlin and an additional family (individual) in Amite County (south of Jefferson County) Stephen D. Hamberlin. In 1816 John and A. (Anthony?) each had one male in the household over 21 years. The Wm Hamberlin household had 2 males over 21, no other males or females. The John and A. households each had 2 males under 21 and 3 and 4 females, respectively (one each over 21). Wm Hamberlin may be older than John and A. and could be a father or uncle of the other two; this contention is supported by the fact that Wm Hamberlin was in the Natchez militia in the 1780’s and the others were not. This Wm Hamberlin (b. 1756) is likely the witness to Anthony William’s marriage in Natchez in 1795. There are numerous mentions of William, John, and Anthony Hamberlin in the Natchez Court Records in the period 1794-1805.⁸ Also there is an account⁹ of the persecution of William Hamberlin in the 1790’s for attending Baptist meetings in Jefferson County (only Catholic meetings were permitted in New France); more about this later.

William, Anthony, and John Hamberlin all took¹⁰ the ‘oath of allegiance’ to the United States of America in 1798 (naturalization). This is NOT an immigration record as some have interpreted it, but a necessary naturalization of ‘New France’ (French) colonists to become Americans. John and William are listed¹¹ among the first settlers of Mississippi in 1798 both at Cole’s Creek (Jefferson County, a few miles up the ‘Trace’ from Natchez). To this point everything seems consistent for Hamberlins to be of French origin, emigrating perhaps from Normandy (Calvados province) in the early 18th century (see Antoine Hamelain, Generation 1 below).

Now add to the mix the report that Hamberlins moved down the Natchez Trace to Jefferson County from Williamsburg, Virginia in 1793 (other accounts say 1819 or 1818).¹²,¹³ The ‘Natchez Trace’ is a 440 mile long historic forest trail from Natchez, MS to Nashville, TN linking the Cumberland, Tennessee and Mississippi Rivers and used anciently by Native Americans of the area. It was not fully navigable by wagons until 1809¹⁴. So forget the Phoenix ms (Note 12) report that Hamberlins emigrated by wagon from Virginia in 1793. Changing the date to 1818 or 1819 does not help as the Hamberlins (and Hilderbrands) were already present in the first state census of Mississippi in 1816 (Mississippi Territory became a state in 1816 and a special state census was conducted). So this whole report may be spurious—or perhaps the Hamberlins and Hilderbrands did make the journey bringing goods down the ‘Trace’ in 1818/1819, but you can be sure they travelled to Virginia from Mississippi first. Marilyn Smith (see Notes 12 and 13) has transcribed two articles (abt 1987) on Ancestry.com from the Vicksburg Post commenting on ‘Family Roots’ (a genealogical column in Mississippi/Louisiana), see Lamar Roberts column.¹⁵ She is generally in agreement with conclusions of this essay, except that she still has the Hamberlins as Virginia immigrants to Mississippi, although as has been shown, this position is indefensible.

…or so we thought. There is ANOTHER report,¹⁶ also unsourced, about a John B. Hamberlin, son of William and born in Franklin County, Mississippi in 1830; it contends that the Hamberlins came to Mississippi with a Rev. Richard Curtis from Virginia. Looking at this report a little more closely, it has some problems. Firstly, Rev. Richard Curtis is not from Virginia, but is from the Pedee River region of northeastern South Carolina (members of the migrating party are named in this source and do not include any Hamberlins).¹⁷ The Tennessee River wanders through Alabama and then western Tennessee before joining the Mississippi River—this is pretty convenient if you are travelling west from South Carolina, but not at all if you start in Virginia. Next, John Burgess Hamberlin was a serious Baptist, becoming a minister and founding the Meridian Female College in Meridian, Mississippi in 1865.¹⁸ The ‘Mississippi-emigrant’ William was also a Baptist, but did not join the Baptists in South Carolina, but was converted in Mississippi (hence he was already in Mississippi when he encountered the Rev. Curtis). His conversion in 1790 in Natchez is described in a history of Protestantism in Mississippi; William Hamberlin the convert is described as a ‘prominent citizen’ (of Natchez).¹⁹ And so it appears that once we have separated truth from fiction, Hamberlin migration from the American colonies is indeed indefensible.

Now a word about the Williams. John Burgess Hamberlin’s father was William (d. 1849)—but this can’t be the William (5) who was converted to the Baptist faith; he would be too old. Similarly, it can’t be the William (12), son of Anthony William, as this William had a large family (see 1840 census, 8 children under 20 years). Help comes from a letter²⁰ from Ralph A. Hamberlin (Ethridge letter) which clarifies things greatly. Our William Hamberlin (5) is John Burgess Hamberlin’s great grandfather through William’s son John (6).

Moses Clarence Hamberlin, son of Anthony William and Esther (Clare) Hamberlin, had a large family with children from each of his two wives. Esther Nevils Hamberlin (wife 1) had six children and Frances Lillian Isonhood Hamberlin (wife 2) had eight according to FamilySearch (accessed 7 Jan 2017). There is comparatively little agreement among their posterity about these children and details about their lives, but sorting all this out will have to wait until there can be a genealogical resolution with sources.

Generation One

{National Genealogical Society numbering convention: All persons in the genealogy are numbered consecutively as they appear. For those children for whom there is additional information/descendants (marked with a ‘+’), there are no sources cited in the first mention, but all sources are cited in the full description which appears in the next generation}

1. Antoine Hamelain was born abt 1700 and immigrated²¹ to New Orleans 1 Aug 1720 on the La Gironde (Capitaine: M de Basmaison) from Lisieux, Calvados (Normandy), France. He was a candlemaker. The passengers’ objective was to form ‘le Colonie de M. De Chaumont pour la Louisianne’, apparently on the Pascaugoula River in southeastern Mississippi. No known wife or children, but he may be an ancestor (father or grandfather?) of William and Antonio Hamberlin of Natchez.

Generation Two

2. Antonio Hamberlin was born abt 1755 of Natchez and died before 1795. He married Rachel Madre.²²,²³

Antonio and Rachel (Madre) Hamberlin had at least two children.

+ 3 ii. ANTHONY WILLIAM HAMBERLIN was born abt 1775 of Natchez. He married 29 Aug 1795 at Natchez Esther Clair, dau of George and Margarita Clair/Clare.

4 iv. RACHEL HAMBERLIN was born 1775 of Natchez and died Jan 1837 (age 62). She married abt 1796 Abner Persis Rice Marble son of Abner and Zerviah (Rice) Marble. He was born 1770 at Hardwick, Worcester, Massachusetts and died 5 Jul 1836 at Jefferson, County, Mississippi.²⁴

5. William Hamberlin was born 1756 of Natchez and was presumably a brother²⁵ to Antonio. His wife is unknown. He lived most of his adult life in Jefferson County Mississippi twelve miles up the ‘Trace’ from Natchez at Cole’s Creek (Fayette)²⁶ or perhaps a few miles further up the ‘Trace’ at Port Gibson.²⁷ An ardent Baptist (converted 1790 in Natchez), he and his longtime associate Stephen DeAlmo were persecuted by Natchez Catholics.²⁸

+ 6 i. JOHN HAMBERLIN was born abt 1775 of Natchez. He also appears in the land records at Cole’s Creek. At least four children (from 1816 Mississippi census).

Generation Three

3. Anthony William Hamberlin was born 1767 of Natchez, Adams, Mississippi and died abt 1827 (some say in Normandy).²⁹ He married³⁰ Esther Clare/Claire dau of George and Margaret (Cooper) Claire.

Anthony William and Esther (Clare) Hamberlin had seven or more children.³¹

7 i. JACOB HAMBERLIN was born 1796 at Cole’s Creek (Fayette), Jefferson, Mississippi. He fought in the War of 1812, Mississippi Militia, Capt. Greene’s Company.³² He married³³ 14 Dec 1820 at Jefferson County Martha Curtis. Five children in 1840.³⁴

8 ii. ANTHONY HAMBERLIN was born 5 Apr 1797 at Cole’s Creek (Fayette), Jefferson, Mississippi and died 30 Jun 1850 (age 53y 2m, 25d); buried at Hamberlin Cemetery, Jefferson, Mississippi. He served in the Mississippi Militia (Lieut. Col. Nixon’s Regiment³⁵) and fought in the War of 1812 like his brother Jacob (presumably the Battle of New Orleans in Jan 1815). He married³⁶ (1) 14 Mar 1822 at Claiborne County, Mississippi Frances Marble and (2)³⁷,³⁸ 10 Dec 1825 at Jefferson County Malinda/Belinda Pane (some say Pickens); she was born 1806 and died 1867 and is also buried in Hamberlin Cemetery, Jefferson, Mississippi.³⁹ In 1840⁴⁰ he had a household of 7 (4 under 20 yrs.) and 21 slaves. Anthony died intestate; an administrator, his wife Belinda, was assigned 5 May 1854.⁴¹

9 iii. JOHN HAMBERLIN was born abt 1798 at Cole’s Creek (Fayette), Jefferson, Mississippi and died before 1837.⁴² He married⁴³ at Jefferson County 22 Dec 1818 Jane Roberts.

10 iv. RACHEL HAMBERLIN was born 1802 at Cole’s Creek (Fayette), Jefferson, Mississippi. She married⁴⁴ 3 Jan 1824 at Jefferson County, Mississippi Philip Hilderbrand son of David and Ann Hilderbrand.

11 v. (Dr.) ISAAC HAMBERLIN was born 1805 at Cole’s Creek (Fayette), Jefferson, Mississippi and died from injuries from a horrific bear attack (definitely worth reading⁴⁵) in Jan 1848. He married⁴⁶ 22 Dec 1823 at Jefferson County, Mississippi Catherine S. Usher. In 1840⁴⁷ they had six children (no slaves). See Figure 2. His widow Catherine appears in the 1850 census with five children.⁴⁸

Figure 2. Isaac Hamberlin (abt 1845)⁴⁹ and Moses Clarence Hamberlin (abt 1880)⁵⁰

12 vi. MOSES CLARENCE HAMBERLIN was born 1807 at Cole’s Creek (Fayette), Jefferson, Mississippi and died 21 Jan 1886 at Phoenix, Yazoo, Mississippi. He is buried at the Hilderbrand Cemetery, in Yazoo County. He married⁵¹,⁵² (1) 5 Feb 1831 at Hinds County, Mississippi Esther Nevils dau of Martin and Polly (Roberts) Nevels⁵³ and (2)⁵⁴ 7 Feb 1848 at Yazoo County, Mississippi Frances Lillian Isonhood. In 1840⁵⁵ Moses and Frances had a household of 5 (3 under 20 yrs) and 4 slaves. See Figure 2.

13 vii. WILLIAM HAMBERLIN was born around/before 1811 at Cole’s Creek (Fayette), Jefferson, Mississippi. He was captured⁵⁶ ‘in 1819’? and spent some years with the Choctaw; he escaped as an adult and returned home to his family. He married⁵⁷,⁵⁸ 14 Dec 1828 at Hinds County, Mississippi Mary D. (Polly) Usher. In 1840⁵⁹ they had a household of 11 (8 under 20 yrs.) and 3 slaves.

6. John Hamberlin was born abt 1775 of Natchez.⁶⁰ He married abt 1802 Judy Curtis. She was born 1773 and died 1810.⁶¹ He also appears in the land records at Cole’s Creek.⁶² At least four children (from 1816 Mississippi Census).

14 i. STEPHEN D HAMBERLIN⁶³ was born abt 1796 of Amite County, Mississippi.⁶⁴ He may have married Catherine King.⁶⁵ He was in Yazoo County in 1841.⁶⁶

15 ii. WILLIAM HAMBERLIN was born⁶⁷ 15 June 1804 of Natchez and died⁶⁸ 3 Nov 1850 at Pointe Coupee Parish, Louisiana.⁶⁹ He married (1) abt 1829 at Franklin County, Mississippi Susannah Yarbrough. Susannah was born abt 1810 and died 1838.⁷⁰ He married (2) Margarite Ellen Cole; she was born 1810 and died 1850. He had issue from both marriages. William and Susannah are the parents of John Burgess Hamberlin, a Baptist minister.⁷¹ William Ewell Hamberlin⁷² (who married⁷³ Charity Angeline Cotton 30 Mar 1870 at Yazoo County, Mississippi) and his sister are children from the second marriage and are half-sibs of John.⁷⁴

NOTES

1. Autobiographical hand-written history by ‘Lucious’ Lamar Hamberlin (1893-1975), youngest of 10 children of James David and Julia Helen (Irwin) Hamberlin (James David is a son of Moses Clarence by his second wife, 2 pp, written probably 1967-1968 in Gilmer, Texas; copy in the possession of Michael A. Hamberlin, Alamogordo, NM.

2. Letter of November 10, 1961 from Ralph E. Hamberlin of Greensburg, Louisiana to Mrs. W. D. Ethridge of Brandon, Mississippi, purports Anthony Hamberlin (b.1797, d. 1850 Jefferson County) was married to Serena and came to Mississippi from Jamestown, VA, further that ‘William Anthony’ Hamberlin was married to Rachel and came from Hamburg, Germany—no source provided for any of this. He also declares his lineage from 3ggfather William Hamberlin; copy in the possession of Michael A. Hamberlin, Alamogordo, NM; hereafter Ethridge letter.

3. Wikipedia, online (search: Ohio River).

4. Wikipedia, online (search: Mississippi, Treaty of Paris, Battle of New Orleans).

5. Jones, E. R. ‘Jefferson County’ (S. I.: s. n., 19–) pp 1-5; interesting history of 18th century Jefferson Co.; FHL US/CAN 976.1 A1; online at FHL only (accessed 24 Nov 2016).

6. Feldman, Lawrence H. Anglo-Americans in Spanish Archives: Lists of Anglo-American Settlers in the Spanish Colonies of America; a finding aid (Baltimore, MD: Genealogical Publ. Co., 1991) pp 110, 125, 137, 153, 179 (FHL US/CAN 973 X2fe) ; William and Jesse Hamberlin are mentioned in the 1780’s and William and Juan (John) are mentioned in the 1790’s.

7. 1816 Mississippi State and Territorial Census of Jefferson County 1792-1886, Film V229, Heritage Quest; online at Ancestry.com (accessed 4 Dec 2016).

8. The Natchez Court Records, 1767-1805, no genealogical information; online at Ancestry.com (accessed 7 Jan 2017).

9. Wilkinson, Marcellus McEwin ‘History of Mississippi Baptists’ in Genealogy of Wilkinson and Kindred Families (Shelby, MS: Shelby Book Store, 1949) pp. 457-462.

10. Hamberlin naturalization: ‘Index to Naturalization Records, Mississippi Courts, 1798-1906’, Old Law Naturalization Records Project, Jackson, Mississippi, Mar 1942; Wm (northern district of Mississippi Territory) and John/Anthony (lower district of Mississippi Territory), oath taken 2 Dec 1798; FHL US/CAN Film 1704,224 (accessed 27 Nov 2016).

The record at FHL has a note typed on it (a new typeface) purporting that the Hamberlins arrived in 1798, but this is WRONG—the actual record is one of naturalization only.

11. First Settlers of the Mississippi Territory: grants taken from the American State Papers, class VIII, Public lands, Volume 1, pp. 89, 91; online at Ancestry.com (accessed 10 Dec 2016).

12. This report exists in many forms; it is hard to say where this information originated. The only real ‘source’ (unfortunately fictional) is the one posted on FamilySearch (‘Hamberlin move from VA to MS: Jeff. co., History Vol 32 part 1 page 11: In 1776 a small group of Virginia pioneers landed on Coles Creek in Jeff. co., Mississippi, Hamberlin’s was one of the families’ {sic}) and it is not a real source as it does not exist. Expert librarians/researchers at the FHL all agreed it is not findable, therefore mythical.

The page is typewritten and the Hamberlin-relevant paragraph is on a page titled ‘History of Phoenix Community’, sub-heading: ‘Other Settlers’. The paragraph: ‘Adams (Ben Adams, first settler of the area) came to Miss. and sold his land grant to Moses Hamberlin who in 1818 had moved into this territory from Jamestown, Va. by wagon train with his family and slaves to raise cotton. The Hilderbrand family came in the same wagon train drawn by oxen with slaves riding in wagons. The Hamberlin and Hilderbrand families were in two carriages drawn by horses. The two families camped on the creeks until they could buy land. Hamberlins camped on the creek that flows through L. M. Coody’s pasture. Hilderbrands located on Beaver Creek and entered the Philip Hilderbrand tract of land by a land grant. They built a two story home on the hills near the creek. Philip Hilderbrand—a great grandson still lives in the house.’

It is widely mentioned/cited in trees at Ancestry, but the only comment relative to origin comes from Marilyn Smith (msmith8730) in her tree ‘Yazoo MS Allied Families’, owner Marilyn Smith, trees.ancestry.com/tree/1504114 (accessed 9 Dec 2016). Her citation reads ‘Phoenix_130, (source) unknown, but about 1940-1980, Phoenix, Yazoo, MS; an old manuscript page…’, hereafter Phoenix ms.

13. Unfortunately, this misleading initial note (see preceding reference) was picked up by the ‘Family Roots’ columnist Lamar Roberts in 1987 (he wrote a genealogy column published widely in Louisiana and Mississippi newspapers) and the gist of the report was republished enlarging the number of people familiar with it; see Roberts, Lamar and Bridges, Joyce Shannon ‘The Family Roots Column’ (Shreveport, Louisiana: J.& R. Publ. Co., 199-) US/CAN 976.3 D2r at FHL (accessed 24 Nov 2016); hereafter Lamar Roberts column.

14. Wikipedia, online (search: Natchez Trace).

15. These articles are findable at ancestry.com by searching ‘Moses Hamberlin’ and choosing ‘Public Member Stories’; the articles describe genealogical details including the ones described above (accessed 10 Dec 2016).

16. Attached to a letter dated 26 Feb 1997 from T. R. Allsbrook to ‘Cesar’ M. Johnston; Mr. Allsbrook asks a bunch of really good questions for which we have no answers. The attachment (appears to be copied from a book): John B. Hamberlin, A. M., was born in Franklin county, Mississippi, November 21, 1830. He is a descendant of the Hamberlin family which came with Rev. Richard Curtis and his company of Baptists from Virginia, via the Tennessee and Mississippi rivers to Natchez, about 1780. He labored on the farm until nineteen years old, having attended country schools a little, when his father, William Hamberlin, died, leaving to his guardianship a young half-brother and sister. He was converted at the age of seventeen, and was baptized into Percy’s Creek Baptist church, Wilkinson county, by the venerable Thomas M. Bond. He taught school in Yazoo county…(end of excerpt; handwritten on the page is the phrase ‘JBH gdn of half-brother = William Ewell Hamberlin of Greensburg, LA; half-sister = ?’); hereafter Allsbrook letter.

17. ‘Mississippi Baptists’ Missionary Identity and Relation to William Carey’ online at www.wmcarey.edu.carey/legacy (accessed 10 Jan 2017).

18. Mississippi Baptist Convention; online at www.revolvy.com/main/index/index (accessed 10 Jan 2017).

19. Jones, John Griffing ‘A Concise History of the Introduction of Protestantism into Mississippi and the Southwest’; a very interesting account of the Baptist persecution in Mississippi by the ‘Papal hierarchy’; online at www.old-new-orleans.com/History_Protestantism_Mississippi.html (accessed 10 Jan 2017); hereafter Jones.

20. Ethridge letter; the author Ralph E. Hamberlin is a grandson of Wm Ewell Hamberlin (half-brother of John Burgess Hamberlin); he declares his lineage to be: Wm Gill Hamberlin5 Wm Ewell Hamberlin4 William Hamberlin3 (b. 6/15/1804) John Hamberlin2 (buried below Fayette on John Folkes premises) William Hamberlin1.

21. Toups, Neil J. Mississippi Valley Pioneers ‘La Gironde passenger list’ (Lafayette, Louisiana: Neilson Publishing Co., 1970) pp. 83-90.

22. Mentioned in the Hamberland/Clare marriage document: Diocese of Baton Rouge, Catholic Church Records, Vol 2 1770-1803 (Baton Rouge, Louisiana: Diocese of Baton Rouge, Dep. Of Archives, 1978), p. 350; parents: Antonio and Rachel Hamberland, witness William Hamberland (uncle?), ‘age 39 of this Providence’.

23. ‘Sammy Leaper-Woodruff Genealogy 2012’, owner Sammye Woodruff, trees.ancestry.com/tree/48410931, has Anthony Hamberlin’s wife as ‘Rachel Madre, 1755-1815’ but no source except Pedigree Resource File DVD 139—this needs to be checked out further (accessed 7 Jan 2017).

24. ‘Sherry Jean Hunt Family Tree’, owner davidgregory1954, trees.ancestry.com/tree/6816150, nice references; online at Ancestry.com and the Abel Family Web Site http://abel2015.com (accessed 7 Jan 2017).

25. William was a witness to Antonio’s son’s Catholic wedding in 1795 (Note 30), although he was a Baptist. Antonio therefore had likely passed.

26. Lowrie, Walter Early Settlers of Mississippi as taken from Land Claims in the Mississippi Territory (Easley, South Carolina: Southern Historical Press, 1986) pp 808, 811; records land registration (1807), Wm had lived on the land in Cole’s Creek since 1798.

27. Ethridge letter.

28. Jones.

29. Anthony William Hamberlin is reported to have died 1823 in Barou-en-Auge, Calvados (Normandy) on FamilySearch and also in many Ancestry trees—all without any source disclosed. A search of civil (FHL Film 658,255 item 4) and church records (FHL Film 660,361) in Barou-en-Auge failed to produce any result; the author therefore concludes this to be another fable.

30. Hamberland/Clare marriage: Diocese of Baton Rouge, Catholic Church Records, Vol 2 1770-1803 (Baton Rouge, Louisiana: Diocese of Baton Rouge, Dep. Of Archives, 1978), p. 350; parents: Antonio and Rachel ‘Hamberland’, witness William ‘Hamberland’ (uncle of Anthony William?), ‘age 39 of this Providence’.

31. Meier, Oveda The Bowers Book, A Genealogy (Salt Lake City, UT: Privately published, 1990) pp 144-146; the genealogy includes Anthony William Hamberlin and some descendants (no sources), has five children for Anthony William but different birthdates and a son Stephen Hamberlin, b. 1798. There is a problem here as there are 4 children reported to be born between 1796 and 1799—the author does not believe this is physically possible (these children are also reported in FamilySearch Tree).

32. United States War of 1812, Index to Service Records, NARA film M602, FHL Film 882,607; online at FamilySearch (also Fold 3, accessed 14 Dec 2016).

33. ‘Hamberlin/Curtis marriage: Mississippi Marriages 1776-1935, database online at Ancestry from FHL Films of Yazoo and Jefferson court records also Jefferson County Court Records 1805-1900, p. 28, FHL book US/CAN 976.2283 V2j (accessed 13 Dec 2016).

34. 1840 U. S. Census of Jefferson County, Mississippi, Roll 214, Page 289, Image 589, FHL Film 0014840; Household size 7; online at Ancestry.com (accessed 7 Jan 2017).

35. United States War of 1812, Index to Service Records, NARA film M602, FHL Film 882,607; online at FamilySearch (also Fold3, accessed 14 Dec 2016).

36. Hamberlin/Marble marriage: Mississippi Marriages 1800-1911, online at FamilySearch FHL Film 875,441 Claiborne court records (accessed 13 Dec 2016).

37. ‘Hamberlin/Pane marriage: Mississippi Marriages 1776-1935, database online at Ancestry from FHL Films of Yazoo and Jefferson court records also Jefferson County Court Records 1805-1900, p. 28, FHL book US/CAN 976.2283 V2j (accessed 13 Dec 2016).

38. The Ethridge letter contends Anthony’s wife was named Serene.

39. Findagrave; Anthony #122580408 and Malinda #122580482; Malinda ‘Pickens’ Hamberlin, cited Mississippi Cemetery and Bible records, Vol 3, p 71 (accessed 13 Dec 2016).

40. 1840 U. S. Census of Jefferson County, Mississippi, Roll 214, Page 288, Image 587, FHL Film 0014840; Household size 7; online at Ancestry.com (accessed 7 Jan 2017).

41. Mississippi, Wills and Probate Records, Jefferson County (1800-1930), Chancery Clerk, online at Ancestry.com (accessed 13 Dec 2016).

42. ‘Hamberlin Family Tree’, owner BevHamberlin77, trees.ancestry.com/tree/18096114, no sources; online at Ancestry.com (accessed 7 Jan 2017).

43. ‘Hamberlin/Roberts marriage: Mississippi Marriages 1776-1935, database online at Ancestry from FHL Films of Yazoo and Jefferson court records also Jefferson County Court Records 1805-1900, p. 28, FHL book US/CAN 976.2283 V2j (accessed 13 Dec 2016).

44. ‘Childerbrand’/Hamberlin marriage: Mississippi Marriages 1776-1935, database online at Ancestry from FHL Films of Yazoo court records (accessed 13 Dec 2016).

45. Detailed report from the Yazoo Whig, January 21, 1848, copy posted on ‘Public Member Stories’ by Marilyn Smith in 2013; search ‘Isaac Hamberlin’ (accessed 10 Dec 2016).

46. ‘Hamberlin/Usher marriage: Mississippi Marriages 1776-1935, database online at Ancestry from FHL Films of Yazoo and Jefferson court records also Jefferson County Court Records 1805-1900, p. 28, FHL book US/CAN 976.2283 V2j (accessed 13 Dec 2016).

47. 1840 U. S. Census of Yazoo County, Mississippi, Roll 217, Page 323, Image 1112, FHL Film 0014841; Household size 9, six under 20 yrs.; online at Ancestry.com (accessed 7 Jan 2017).

48. 1850 U. S. Census of Yazoo County, Mississippi, Roll M432_382, Page 482B, Image 977; children: Sarah 25, Monroe 21, Thomas 16, Elvira 13, and Isaac 8; online at Ancestry.com (accessed 7 Jan 2017).

49. Familysearch Gallery, search ‘Isaac Hamberlin’, contributed by CesearJohnston1; misidentified as Isaac Hamberlin (1856-1885), the bear attack victim—but the bear attack occurred in 1848 (see Note 45).

50. Familysearch Gallery, search ‘Moses Hamberlin’, contributed by BeverlyHamberlin1.

51. Hamberlin/Nevils marriage: Mississippi Marriages 1776-1935, database online at Ancestry from FHL Films of Yazoo court records (accessed 13 Dec 2016).

52. Wiltshire, Betty Couch Yazoo County, Mississippi Pioneers (Bowie, Maryland: Heritage Books, Inc.,1992) 209; has Moses Clarence born 1807 married to (1) Susannah Yarborough, she died 1843 and (2) 10 Feb 1848 Frances Marion ‘Isanhood’, names 9 children.

53. Smith, Marilyn (as msmith8730) ‘Clarifying Birth Order and relationships on Hamberlin and Hilderbrand trees‘ on Public Member Trees at Ancestry.com (accessed 13 Dec 2016).

54. Hamberlin/Isonhood marriage: Mississippi Marriages 1776-1935, database online at Ancestry from FHL Films of Yazoo court records (accessed 13 Dec 2016).

55. 1840 U. S. Census of Yazoo County, Mississippi, Roll 217, Page 322, Image 1110, FHL Film 0014841; Household size 5; online at Ancestry.com (accessed 7 Jan 2017).

56. DeCell, Harriet and Pritchard, JoAnne YAZOO It’s Legends and Legacies (Yazoo, Mississippi: Yazoo Delta Press, 1976) p. 28, ‘On December 1, 1819 Anthony Hamberlin with his wife and two sons, Isaac and Moses with their wives and son William, who was eight years old, arrived from Williamsburg, Virginia, at a point two miles southeast of the present site of Phoenix and built a camp on the edge of a creek now known as Hamberlin’s Creek. Sometime during the winter of 1819, William was stolen by Choctaw Indians and carried to the west. He remained in their custody until he was a grown man, always watched over by an Indian. After he was grown and their vigilance relaxed, he escaped, walking for three months and finally reaching the old camp site of this parents’ first settlement from which he was stolen. The family reported that ‘there was rejoicing over his unexpected return, following which Mr. Hamberlin bought the site of an old Indian camp and built his home thereon.’; FHL US/CAN Book 976.249 H29d. There are a number of problems with this account, cf Phoenix ms; also commented upon by Lamar Roberts (cf Lamar Roberts column), who did note there were problems with the account, i. e. Moses and Isaac were not married in 1819 and other problems.

57. Hamberlin/’Ursher’ marriage: Mississippi, Compiled Marriages, 1826-1850; online at Ancestry.com (accessed 7 Jan 2017).

58. Smith, Marilyn (as msmith8730) ‘Clarifying Birth Order and relationships on Hamberlin and Hilderbrand trees‘ on Public Member Trees at Ancestry.com (accessed 13 Dec 2016).

59. 1840 U. S. Census of Yazoo County, Mississippi, Roll 217, Page 323, Image 1112, FHL Film 0014841; Household size 11; online at Ancestry.com (accessed 7 Jan 2017).

60. 1808 and 1810 Mississippi State and Territorial Censuses of Jefferson County 1792-1886, Film V229, Heritage Quest, 1808: John Hamberlin, 2 adults over 21 and 2 under 21, 1 female over 21; and 1810: 1 male over 21, 3 under 21, 2 females; online at Ancestry.com (accessed 14 Dec 2016).

61. ‘Hamberlin Family Tree’, owner BevHamberlin77, trees.ancestry.com/tree/18096114, no sources; online at Ancestry.com (accessed 7 Jan 2017).

62. Lowrie, Walter Early Settlers of Mississippi as taken from Land Claims in the Mississippi Territory (Easley, South Carolina: Southern Historical Press, 1986) pp 808, 811; records land registration, John had lived on the land in Cole’s Creek since 1798, but had sold it to Newel Vick by 1807.

63. Stephen could also be William’s son but is unlikely to be Anthony’s son (see Note 31 ), but was placed here as John’s son because the dates and census records are a better fit and as his possible namesake, Stephen DeAlmo. He was his father William’s friend and companion through the years of Catholic persecution.

64. 1816 Mississippi State and Territorial Census of Amite County 1792-1886, under 21, alone; Film V229, Heritage Quest; online at Ancestry.com (accessed 4 Dec 2016).

65. ‘Hamberlin Family Tree’, owner BevHamberlin77, trees.ancestry.com/tree/18096114, no sources; online at Ancestry.com (accessed 7 Jan 2017).

66. 1841 Mississippi State Census, Yazoo County, Film V229_3, Heritage Quest, mentioned heads of families: Stephen Hamberlind, Moses Hamberlind, Phillip Hildebrand, William Hamberlind, Moses Hamberland (different one), Isaac Hamberlin; online at Ancestry.com (accessed 10 Jan 2017).

67. Ethridge letter.

68. International Genealogical Index; cited in ‘Cesear Caldwell’, owner cesearjtx, trees.ancestry.com/tree/72837997; online at Ancestry.com (accessed 7 Jan 2017).

69. Allsbrook letter.

70. International Genealogical Index; cited in ‘Cesear Caldwell’, owner cesearjtx, trees.ancestry.com/tree/72837997; online at Ancestry.com (accessed 7 Jan 2017).

71. Allsbrook letter.

72. Ethridge letter.

73. Hamberlin/Cotton marriage: Mississippi Marriages, 1776-1935; online at Ancestry.com (accessed 11 Jan 2017).

74. John Burgess Hamberlin household: 1860 U. S. Census of Clinton, Hinds, Mississippi, Roll M653_582, Page 562, Image 94, Family 559, FHL Film 803,582, household of 4, unfortunately identified only by initials; online at Ancestry.com (accessed 10 Jan 2017).