The Burell Family in Attala County - 1860s

By the time the U. S. Census of 1860 was taken in Mississippi, the number of Burell family members living in Attala County had increased to thirty-one, and according to the census, over one-half of the individuals enumerated had been born in Mississippi. James and Elizabeth Burell, now 66 and 65 years old, were living in Attalaville, where James still farmed. Also living in their household were James Jenkins, 15, born in Georgia, and Mary Jenkins, 11, born in Mississippi.


Living next to the household headed by James Burell was his brother, Thomas H. Burell, now 60, and his wife Margaret (Greely) Burell, age 43. Since Thomas Burell was not enumerated in Attala County in 1850, the family was likely on its way to Mississippi from Georgia sometime during those years. Others living in the household with Thomas and Margaret were Maria Shoat, 22, born in South Carolina, and four children, Thomas M. C., 14, Sarah M., 11, James F., 7, and Frances, age 3. According to the census record, the two oldest children had been born in Georgia, and the the two youngest were born in Mississippi.

Attalaville, like the community of Newport, had many residents who migrated from South Carolina and settled in Attala County after the Treaty of Dancing Rabbit Creek was signed in 1832 and lands previously occupied by the Choctaw Nation were opened up for settlement. Neighbors of the Burell families, according to the census in 1860, included the families of Alexander Parker, Daniel Underwood, Albert Briscoe, and James Criswell, all of whom were born in South Carolina.

John and Mary Burell, mentioned in yesterday's post, along with William and Ann Burell, were also listed among the residents of Attalaville. John and Mary still lived next door to Samuel Jenkins and his family. The two Burell brothers and their wives were now in their forties, and each of their families had grown in size during the previous ten years. The family of John and Mary included these children: John B., 15; Samuel J., 13; Ephraim J., 12; Elizabeth J. 14; Amanda A., 1; John Coldwell, age 15, a laborer on the farm. Everyone in the Burell household, including John Coldwell were born in Mississippi, except for John and Mary.


In 1860, William, 42, and Ann Burell, 43, had a total of twelve (12) children. Their names and ages were: Elizabeth, 22; Hanna, 20; James, 18, Druesila, 16, William, 13, John 12, Eliza, 9, Alexander, 8, Lewis, 7, Robert, 4; Green, 6; and Elvira, one month old. Since William and Ann now have a child named "Lewis," it is likely that William's brother, Louis/Lewis died in Hog Mountain, Georgia between 1850 and 1860, and the child was named in his honor.

Residents of Attalaville, Mississippi - September 1860

Recently, Duncan C. Covington, who compiled and edited a book entitled "The People of Shrock," provided me with a list of Attala County residents who are buried in Fellowship Cemetery, near the extinct town of Attalaville, Mississippi. Duncan also emailed me copies of photographs that he had taken of the grave markers in that cemetery. I have posted both the list and the pictures on Cemeteries of Dancing Rabbit Creek, and they can be viewed here.

Among those buried in the relatively small Fellowship Cemetery are some of Duncan's Covington ancestors and one of my own, James M. Porter, my paternal great-great-grandfather. As I read through the list of names, I wondered how many of these families were neighbors or had familial ties to each other in this particular area of Attala County. With that question in mind, I began a search of U. S. Census records, starting with the 1860 census conducted for Attalaville during September of that year. (The history of the early development of Attalaville can be found here.)

Enumerated in Attalaville, Attala County, Mississippi, in 1860, were thirty-three (33) separate households. Seven of the households had the same surnames as some of those buried in Fellowship cemetery : Allen, Burell, Jenkins, and Porter.

Census details for these seven households are shown below.

Allen, James P., 40, farming, $1,480, Georgia
Cicely, 38, Georgia
Franklin, 16, laborer, Miss
Mary E., 14, Miss
Martha, 10, Miss
Ann E., 7, Miss
Georgeann, 4, Miss
Juanita, 2, Miss
Parker, John, 19, laborer, Florida

Jenkins, Samuel, 66, farmer, $1,500, SC
Nancy, 40, SC
Elizabeth, 35, SC
William, 19, labor in farm, SC
Joseph, 16,labor in farm, SC
Dick, 11, Miss

Burell, John, 41, farming, $1,700, SC
Mary, 41, SC
John B., 15, SC
Elizabeth J., 14, Miss
Samuel J., 13, Miss
Ephraim J., 11, Miss
Amanda A., 1, Miss
Caldwell, John, 15, farm laborer, Miss

Jenkins, E. Jeffs., 39, farmer, $21,415, SC
Sally 42, SC
Samuel O., 17, farm laborer, Miss
Peggy A., 15, Miss
David Spiars, 55, Carpenter, SC
George P. Jackson, 14, Ala
Wm. A. Jackson, 18, labor in farm, Ala

Porter, James M., 37, farming, $1,700, Miss
Eliza, 24, Miss
Sarah E., 5, Miss
Wm. R. E., 1, Miss

Porter, Jane M., 25, farming, $30,000, Miss
Porter, Laura E., 20, Miss
Hamilton Cottrow(?) 13, Miss

Porter, William, 22, overseeing, $150, Miss
Mary E., 23, Miss
Lilian V., 9 months, Miss

My research for more information about the Allen, Burell, Covington, Jenkins, and Porter families who lived in Attalaville is far from complete. And as it continues, I plan to post the results here and at Cemeteries of Dancing Rabbit Creek. I hope you will stop by again to visit.