Sunday, February 17, 2013
Susie Moore from Columbus, Mississippi
I am looking for the family of Susan Moore aka Susie Moore. Susan Moore was married to a man named Farris Moore in Columbus, Mississippi.
Blacks in Mississippi (1930's)
I was just making rough calls when I was directed to call a woman who might have been related to Farris Moore. The first person that I spoke with was a woman in her 60's who told me that she remembered hearing of a story about the Black man who owned his own grocery store. She told me that I needed to talk to her mother, but she would not give me the phone number. So, I called her brother, who gladly put me in touch with the old woman.The brother who was also up in age told me that it would seem very far fetched for an African American man to own his own store in Mississippi in the 1930's and 1940's. I told him that I thought it to be odd too.
Anyway, I called a woman named Eleanor, and I told her what I was looking for. She said that she remembered hearing talk of someone named "Forrest". I said, but his name is pronounced Farris.....like the state fair. She said that they ( black folks) pronounced it Forrest. I realized at that point that I probably was doing myself a huge disservice, by pronouncing it Farris because no one in that age group would know who I was speaking about.
Anway, she told me that she heard the story about a man named Farris who had a grocery store up on Military....Military Rd. that is. The conversation continued this way:
the old woman: Did he run the sto?
me: He owned the store.
the old woman: I know you say he owned it, but did he run it.
I knew then, that this woman knew exactly the story that I was speaking of. My heart started racing as I felt that I was getting closer to some info about this man. In any event, I told her that I didn't know if he ran the store. But, that I was told that he owned it. She continued:
"Well, when I was a little girl, my mother and the old folks would tell the story of the first Black man who owned his own sto and his one telephone in Columbus. It was a bit of a joke. They say the Black man decided he would call down to the sto on Military and ask for them to bring him some t'eat. And the White people told him what he better do, and the man was calling from his own house talking on his own phone."
She told me that was all that she knew, but I had the feeling that she knew more. I asked her if it was ok for me to call her again sometime to see if she remembered anything else about the old tale. She said it was fine. But, I didn't call back until 2012. By then, her daughter told me that she was deceased.
Anyway, I called a woman named Eleanor, and I told her what I was looking for. She said that she remembered hearing talk of someone named "Forrest". I said, but his name is pronounced Farris.....like the state fair. She said that they ( black folks) pronounced it Forrest. I realized at that point that I probably was doing myself a huge disservice, by pronouncing it Farris because no one in that age group would know who I was speaking about.
Anway, she told me that she heard the story about a man named Farris who had a grocery store up on Military....Military Rd. that is. The conversation continued this way:
the old woman: Did he run the sto?
me: He owned the store.
the old woman: I know you say he owned it, but did he run it.
I knew then, that this woman knew exactly the story that I was speaking of. My heart started racing as I felt that I was getting closer to some info about this man. In any event, I told her that I didn't know if he ran the store. But, that I was told that he owned it. She continued:
"Well, when I was a little girl, my mother and the old folks would tell the story of the first Black man who owned his own sto and his one telephone in Columbus. It was a bit of a joke. They say the Black man decided he would call down to the sto on Military and ask for them to bring him some t'eat. And the White people told him what he better do, and the man was calling from his own house talking on his own phone."
She told me that was all that she knew, but I had the feeling that she knew more. I asked her if it was ok for me to call her again sometime to see if she remembered anything else about the old tale. She said it was fine. But, I didn't call back until 2012. By then, her daughter told me that she was deceased.
Mississippi Records Search
Tools to Use
Phone directories go back to the year 1905.
Property tax rolls and deeds go back to 1940's
Check the Chacery Clerk's Office at the courthouse.
Missing City Directories for Columbus, Mississippi
1947-1952
1952-1957
Nothing before 1931
Not even the State National Archives had records. We also checked the University of Women to see if they had the missing directories to no avail.
The Lowndes County Library only has city directories for the years
1912-1931
1928-1929
1936
1938
1940
1942
1947
1952
1957
1959
1961
Phone directories go back to the year 1905.
Property tax rolls and deeds go back to 1940's
Check the Chacery Clerk's Office at the courthouse.
Missing City Directories for Columbus, Mississippi
1947-1952
1952-1957
Nothing before 1931
Not even the State National Archives had records. We also checked the University of Women to see if they had the missing directories to no avail.
The Lowndes County Library only has city directories for the years
1912-1931
1928-1929
1936
1938
1940
1942
1947
1952
1957
1959
1961
Death Records for Family Tree
We cannot find a death record for him. I was hoping to find some free death records online, but it looks like I am going to have to use Ancestry. I think it is terrible that they have eliminated the Social Security Death index and now you have to pay for it on Ancestry. Ugh. I did find another place that is listing a record for some people named Farris Moore. It looks like the date of birth is correct and the date of death is right around the time that we are looking for. If not, I will see if I can order a record through Vital Statistics.
Books To Help Trace Family History
The librarian suggested some books for me to read to get a feel for the racial climate and way of living.
Suggested Readings
Woman of Color: Daughter of Privilege
Suggested Readings
Woman of Color: Daughter of Privilege
Farris Moone or Farris Morre Family
This census record has different names listed for the same household members. I guess the reason is that the type was not legible. If anyone has any information on the Farris Morre or Farris Moone family please leave a response.
Harris Family Genealogical Record According to the 1900 Census
Now, we think that this Harris family were the parents of my great grandmother. The names are all confused. My great grandmother told my grandfather that his grandfather's name was Johnny Harris? and that his grandmother was Lucy Harris.
The 1900 Census shows the following record:
William Harris and Lucy Harris are the parents of Rosa, Gene, William Harris Jr., and Luella Harris. They are living in Clay, Mississippi, Bt 2
The ages
Rosa age 7
Gene age 4
William Harris jr. age 2
Luella age 11
My grandfather also had an uncle named Johnny Harris. I have searched and searched and find no record of a Johnny Harris in this family. I wonder if the brother Gene's name was somehow incorrectly pronounced Johnny......hmmmm
The 1900 Census shows the following record:
William Harris and Lucy Harris are the parents of Rosa, Gene, William Harris Jr., and Luella Harris. They are living in Clay, Mississippi, Bt 2
The ages
Rosa age 7
Gene age 4
William Harris jr. age 2
Luella age 11
My grandfather also had an uncle named Johnny Harris. I have searched and searched and find no record of a Johnny Harris in this family. I wonder if the brother Gene's name was somehow incorrectly pronounced Johnny......hmmmm
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