--------------------------AMITE COUNTY, MISSISSIPPI SITES-------------------------- by E. R. Killian, December 1, 2001 AMITE COUNTY Amite County was part of The Natchez District, the earliest European settlement on the Mississippi River. Originally French, the District was subsequently governed by the British and Spanish colonial administrations. Amite County was part of the West Florida Province of Britain and Spain. Organized in 1809 as Mississippi's fourth county, Amite County was formed from Wilkinson County to its west; 'Amite' is an Indian word meaning 'friendly river'. At its organization, Thomas Jefferson was the President of the United States and Robert Williams was Governor of the Mississippi Territory. Prior to its organization, citizens of the area recorded their legal transactions in Natchez and later, Wilkinson County. ===================================================================================== Early Settlements, Towns, Churches and Cemeteries of Causey Interest ==============================EARLY TOWNS & SETTLEMENTS============================== LIBERTY-County Seat================ Liberty was incorporated in 1809 and is the oldest settlement in Amite County, dating from 1790. The town of Liberty was, and still is, the County seat. Among the earliest settlers was William Jones. In 1816, the Census showed Liberty and Amite County with 3365 whites, 1694 slaves and 19 free blacks. A sizeable slave market flourished just north of the courthouse. Among Liberty's notable citizens are Gail Borden who invented canned condensed milk about 1830. Hiram Van Norman from Indiana was Borden's brother-in-law and built a successful tannery on the west side of Liberty on Speculation Creek, which later was known as Tanyard Creek. Dr. Tichenor, famed as the inventor of Tichenor's Antiseptic, perfected his formula in Liberty just prior to the Civil War and later patented the mixture in 1883. ARIEL============================== Once called Mutrie by its prime settler, Colonel Gallant, its name was changed to Ariel in 1889. Ariel was home to the Bethany Institute, a chartered school where music, art and education were taught. The Reverend John Smiley established the Bethany Presbyterian Church in Ariel in 1836, said to be the first such Presbyterian Church in Mississippi. It is likely that John Smiley's daughter, Amelia Farrar, is the source of the name of William Causey's youngest daughter, who was named Amelia Farrar Causey. The name Smiley found in the Causey descendants probably derive from this family. BEECHWOOD========================== Beechwood takes its name from the Plantation of the same name. The Street, Lewis, Galtney and Buckholts families held a number of plantations in the area between 1800 and 1860. James Ranalson Galtney and his mother, Nancy Ann Killian Galtney Buckles lived in the area south of Beechwood and near Street and at Bloomfield Plantation. Descendants of the Street, Galtney and Buckholts families still live in the area. BERWICK============================ Berwick was founded in 1850, an outgrowth of an early settlement that developed following the Causey Springs and Jackson Plantations established about 1804. Revolutionary War Patriots William Causey and Isaac Jackson were the earliest settlers. Colonel Mose Jackson represented Amite County in the State Legislature from 1861 to 1862. As Senator, he returned to the State Legislature in 1865-1867 and 1878-1885. Colonel Mose Jackson figured prominently in putting down the Wilkinson County Riot. Dr. T. J. Jackson was an early settler and doctor at Berwick. William Causey and his sons held large tracts of land north of Berwick and the Jackson's Plantations were south of Berwick. Ebenezer Baptist Church is the oldest Baptist Church in the State, established near Berwick in 1806 and pastored by Richard Curtis. The church has been in constant service since its founding and has never been moved from its original location. Richard Curtis performed the first Protestant marriage in the state at Stampley's Mill in 1795 between David Greenleaf and a Miss Jones. Curtis figured prominently in the founding of the Mississippi Baptist Association in 1806, an association which William Causey helped establish and for which he served as State Treasurer for many years. Wallace Jackson and Mary 'Mamie' Causey Jackson operated a country store at Berwick in the early 1900s. The store can still be seen at Berwick. The town is today but a small collection of homes and ruins of early businesses that supported the Plantation culture. The town ceased to exist about 1925 when the boll weevil plague drove many its citizens to go elsewhere to farm. Jackson Family legend relates that the name Berwick comes from the settlement of the same name in Fulton County, Georgia (today surburban downtown Atlanta) where the Jacksons temporarily wintered over while moving from South Carolina to Mississippi. It is said that the Jacksons spent enough time in Berwick, GA to plant and harvest a crop before moving on to Mississippi. The Jackson legend also states that while the Jackson family came overland to Mississippi, the Causeys, being 'richer', came to Mississippi by the sea route from South Carolina. There is no known corroboration of this story among Causeys. BEWELCOME========================== Formed about 1891, the town exhibited a church, school and a few businesses. The first store in Bewelcome was established by T. J. Williams, one of the area's earliest settlers. The store was later sold and operated by Robert Daniel Causey. W. Perkins Gardner and B. D. Nelson figured in establishing the village of Bewelcome. Robert Daniel Causey is responsible for preserving the New Providence Church records and served as Postmaster in Bewelcome. CAPELL============================= Originally called Rose Hill, Capell was formed in 1828. The name was changed in 1895 to reflect the area's major landowner, E. J. Capell, a large landowner, holding 200 slaves. He was member of the Presbyterian Church at Ariel, President of the Police Board from 1863 to 1866. CROSBY============================= Originally called Dayton and later Stephenson, Crosby was established about 1800. The Foster Creek Lumber Company built a large lumber mill in Crosby in 1917. The town's name was changed to Crosby after L. O. Crosby of Picayune purchased the mill in 1934. EAST FORK========================== East Fork grew up around the East Fork Baptist Church, established in 1810 on land donated by Henry Jones, Sr. The East Fork Institute was established in 1890 but destroyed by fire in 1891. Rebuilt, the Institute was again destroyed by fire in 1897. GILLSBURG========================== W. A. Gill settled the area in 1881 and the town of Gillsburg is named after him. He built the Gillsburg Institute and boarded students in cottages around the school. GLOSTER============================ Gloster was established in response to the building of the railroad in 1883. Sharon Methodist Church from near White Cap and Galilee Baptist Church from Causey Springs were moved to Gloster as the town's population grew in response to the railroad. A Presbyterian Church, Thomson Memorial, was established in 1887. Thomas Causey was a deacon in the Galilee Baptist Church and the for a while the Church was located between Causey Springs Plantation and Berwick, very near Thomas Causey's farm. OLIO=============================== Founded in 1806, Olio's primary claim of attention is Ebenezer Baptist Church, actually located within six miles of Berwick. See Berwick and Ebenezer Baptist Church. STREET============================= Settled about 1800, the Street Community was settled by the Gayden, Street, Buckholts and Lewis families. The community grew up around Beechwood and Bloomfield Plantations. Nancy Killian Galtney Buckles (Buckholts) lived at Bloomfield Plantation with her son James Ranalson Galtney. James Ranalson Galtney served as an attorney for several Causey transactions and estate filings. USTANE============================= Named for the daughter of Dr. Hiram K. Butler's daughter, Ustane was established in 1900. Hiram Butler was raised near the Zion Hill Academy and attended school there. He later practiced medicine in the area for more than sixty years. Upon his return to the area he built a store and post office. ZION HILL========================== Originally called Scotland by its early Scottish settlers, Zion Hill was settled about 1811. A school, the Zion Hill Academy, was established in the early 1800s by Gail Borden and a man named Taylor. Borden taught at Zion Hill Academy. The Reverend James E. Jagers pastored the Zion Hill Church and later served in the Confederate army as a Lieutenant in the Amite Rangers. Jagers was later appointed Director of the Amite County Public Schools. ================================EARLY COUNTRY CHURCHES=============================== BERWICK BAPTIST CHURCH The Berwick Baptist Church was founded about 1906 and built at its present location very near Berwick. Following the moving of the Galilee Baptist Church to Gloster, Berwick Baptist was built to serve the local Baptist population. The church was attended by many Causey descendants, including the author's mother. EAST FORK BAPTIST East Fork Baptist Church began in the home of James Chandler in 1810. The first church was built in 1812. The church is located on the east side of the East Prong of the Amite River one mile north of Highway 24. The early members included Chandler, Ezra Courtney, Thomas Mercer, Isaac Jackson, Mark Cole, John Courtney, the Curtiss family of Coles Creek in Claiborne County, the Morgans and Perkins families of South Carolina. EBENEZER BAPTIST (Church of Christ at Ebenezer) Ebenezer Baptist Church is the oldest Baptist Church in the State, established near Berwick in 1806 and pastored by Richard Curtis. The church has been in constant service since its founding and has never been moved from its original location. Richard Curtis performed the first Protestant marriage in the State at Stampley's Mill in 1795 between David Greenleaf and a Miss Jones. Curtis figured prominently in the founding of the Mississippi Baptist Association in 1806, an association which William Causey helped establish and for which he served as State Treasurer for many years. GALILEE BAPTIST The Galilee Church Minutes indicate that the church was 'first built' on four acres purchased at Causey Springs from Thomas Causey in 1850. This suggests the pre-1850 church was moved to Causey Springs about 1850. The Galilee Church was then at one time located near the Causey Springs Plantation on the Berwick/White Cap Road, today called the Berwick/Cassels Road. Records indicate the church subsequently moved again to near Gloster when the railroad was built in 1883 and the town of Gloster grew up around the railhead. The old Galilee Cemetery was abandoned and some of its graves are said to have been covered over by the roadway, presumbably the Berwick-Cassels road. NEW PROVIDENCE BAPTIST William Causey was one of the founders of the Providence Baptist Church in 1805 and the Mississippi Association about 1806. Elders Richard Curtis and Thomas Mercer constituted the church. Located on Waggoners Creek near the present Plymouth Primitive Baptist Church, the church was rebuilt in 1839. The church was later moved to near Berwick. William Causey apparently acted as a recruiter for the New Providence Baptist Church, because the Pipe Creek, South Carolina, pastor, Moses Hadley, came to Mississippi to be the first minister in the New Providence Church, constituted in 1805. The New Providence Baptist Church was among the first protestant churches established in the State and was located just two miles northeast of Causey Springs Plantation on Smylie Road at Waggoner Creek. The church burned in the 1930 and was not replaced. ZION HILL BAPTIST Zion Hill community was settled about 1811 and the church was organized in 1811. Ezra Courtney and Thomas Mercer officiated as the presbytery. Members were Charles Rhodes, Cornelius Whittington, Thomas Toler, Rebecca Whittington, Margaret Toler and a number of others. A school, the Zion Hill Academy, was established in the early 1800s by Gail Borden and a Mr. Taylor. Gail Borden taught at Zion Hill Academy. ===============================EARLY COUNTRY CEMETERIES============================== CAUSEY============================= The Causey family cemetery is located one mile north of Berwick in Amite Co., MS. The cemetery is approximately 150 yards east-southeast of the home site and approximately 300 yards east of the Berwick-Cassels road at Causey Springs. The cemetery is in a poor state of condition, with many graves covered by heavy undergrowth and vines. The gross size of the cemetery was estimated in April, 2000 at 75 feet by 150 feet. Ten or more large cedar trees are grouped within the boundaries of the cemetery and probably represent plantings at specific graves by the families represented in the cemetery. Said to contain some 30-40 burials, only seven headstones or brick vaults were visible on inspection in April, 2000. Of these, two were identified as being graves of Causeys; that of William Causey, Sr. and Johnnie, son of James M. Causey, who died July 2, 1868. William Causey's headstone is a modern, commemorative white marble stone, donated by the DAR and recognizes his Revolutionary War participation. RANSOM JACKSON CAUSEY============== The Ransom J. Causey Cemetery is located 2 miles north of Liberty on McLain Road. It is 120 yards east of road in a fenced area of a field. GALILEE============================ Originally one-half mile north of Berwick and west of Berwick-Cassels Road. Galilee Baptist Church was moved to Gloster about 1883. Location of the old cemetery is unknown. HAZLEWOOD (Causey-Hazlewood)======= About one and one-half miles north of Berwick on the Berwick-Cassels Road. Cemetery is one hundred yards off the road to the west side of Berwick-Cassels Road. ISAAC JACKSON====================== One mile south of Highway 48 on Berwick Cassels Road at Berwick. West of Berwick-Cassels Road near the Ebenezer Baptist Church and 100 feet behind a house. WILLEY JACKSON===================== One mile south of Highway 48 on Berwick Cassels Road at Berwick. West of the Berwick-Cassels Road and near the Ebenezer Baptist Church, behind a house. JERUSALEM========================== One and one-half miles west of Beechwood and north of Highway 48. On Jerusalem Road at Nannie Road. MAYHALL============================ One half mile south of the intersection of Highway 24 and Lower Liberty-Gloster Road. On the west fork of Waggoner Creek. NEW HOPE=========================== Located one and one quarter mile north of Highway 48 between Liberty and Centreville, on Kahnville Road, near the intersection with Herman Jackson Road. SMYLIE============================= One mile west of Berwick. South of Highway 48 and west of Dominick Road. SPRING HILL======================== Two miles south of Highway 48 on Berwick Cassels Road at Berwick. West of the Berwick-Cassels Road. SMITH============================== One mile north of Highway 48 on Enterprise Road, near but just east of, Beechwood. STREET============================== Four and one-half miles south of Highway 48 from Beechwood. Located on the northwest corner of the intersection of Highway 569 and Lower Centreville Road. Highly visible, walled, well kept. Easily accessed from Lower Centreville Road. TILMAN-TOLER======================= Located five miles east of Gloster on Highway 24. Go one mile north of Highway 24 on Van Norman Road to bluff northeast of lake. Once a large cemetery, now overgrown. VAN NORMAN========================= Two and one-half miles north of Highway 48 on Smylie Road at Waggoner Creek. One and one-half miles east of Berwick-Cassels Roadand the intersection with Fred Robertson Road. Near the original site of the New Providence Baptist Church that burned and was not rebuilt. ROWLAND-WILKINSON================== The Rowland-Wilkinson Cemetery is located in the Northwest 1/4, Section 34, Township 3 North, Range 3 East, between Liberty and Gloster. Directions: Take Hwy. 24 West out of Liberty for approx. 6 1/2 miles to O.D. Judge Road. Turn north (right) on Judge Road which winds around and crosses Meetinghouse Branch Creek and goes up a hill approx. 2/10 of a mile. To the left is a dirt lane. Turn on this lane and drive until a metal crossbar blocks the road. Park and walk for about 1/4 of a mile to a clearing where the old Rowland Wilkinson homeplace is located. To the right of the homeplace is a dirt road that goes up a hill. About 1/4 of a mile up the hill to the left is the Rowland Wilkinson Cemetery. It is well maintained and is enclosed in a new chain link fence. ----------------------------------------END------------------------------------------