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From the Mountains to the Prairies

William Holloway
Born after Oct 24, 1767 Craven Co. SC
?Killed Aug 30, 1813 Baldwin Co. Miss. Terr.

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Father
Mother

SPOUSE	CHILDREN
? Mercer? m. by 1784? ?Natchez MS Terr. b. by 1768? ?k. Aug 30, 1813 ?Baldwin Co. Miss. Terr.	?Simon or Simeon b. by 1784? ?Natchez Dist. d. 1816/1820? ?Claiborne Co. MS	?Cpl. Levi b. after 1784 ?Natchez Dist. k. Aug 30, 1813 Fort Mims, Baldwin Co. Miss. Terr.	George b. by 1794 ?Natchez Dist. d. after 1840 ?Catahoula Parish LA
	son ?John b. after 1790 ?Washington Co. Miss. Terr. d. after 1840 ?Washington, Adams Co. MS	James b. 1810? Baldwin Co. Miss. Terr. d. after 1850 West Feliciana Parish LA	son ?b. after 1810 ?Baldwin Co. Miss. Terr. ?k. Aug 30, 1813 Baldwin Co. Miss. Terr.
According to brother George's son Robert, the Holloways moved in 1780 from western North Carolina to Natchez, then in the Spanish territory, "in order to escape the Revolution".
Most likely, William was brought while still a teenager by his family to the pioneer Cumberland Settlement (in what is now central TN, including Nashville) over land with the Amos Eaton party of men, women and children. They arrived a week after the leading party of men, boys and animals led by James Robertson at the beginning of the year 1780.
In Oct 1781, father John Holloway was shot and scalped by Indians "five leagues" from the Fort of Natchez. At the time, he was apparently working as "an overseer" of the plantation of Joshua Howard on Second Creek. Older brother George and the slave Samuel were tied with a rope to a workbench, but George "escaped during the night". William, his mother and other siblings were living in or near Grand Gulf about 40 miles away at that time. Around 1786, when still a teenager, brother George "was sent" to Burke Co NC to live with mother Elizabeth's brother, William White, and her father James Taylor White. The other six Holloway children remained in Natchez.
The Commandant of the Natchez District received notice of the death of father John Holloway on Oct 24, 1781. On that date a Conveyance was issued to appoint the guardian of the surviving children, including William whose age was given as 13, and that of his older brother George was 14 [Wells, pp. 144-5, 148]. George was born on Dec 27, 1766, so William had to be born between Oct 24, 1767 and Oct 24, 1768. Next eldest son John, aged 12, then had to be born between Oct 24, 1769 and Oct 24, 1770.
Map of the Natchez District as it may have looked between 1779 and 1799.
In May 1782, 13 families arrived in the Natchez District after a flatboat journey down the Mississippi River including the families of William's uncles James White and John White.
In 1783, mother Elizabeth married John Stillee and they had three children over the next three years. They lived in Natchez where her husband was said to have bought a store or tavern "in the country" in partnership with a Jean Vauchere. This venture eventually failed when their property was seized by Vauchere and Carlos de Grand Pré, the Commandant of the Natchez District, in order to repay debts in 1787.
On Apr 30, 1785, there was an agreement between stepfather "John Stilly" and a James Brown in the Natchez District, that [aged 18 and about 17 year old sons] "George and William Holloway or two others as good would work in the crop along with four able negroes." It was certified that George Holloway worked with Still Lee at $1 per day in the crop of James Brown "to make it fit for sale" [McBee, Book F, p. 243].
About summer of 1786 older brother George was "sent" to live with uncle, William White, and grandfather, James Taylor White, in NC, where part of the White family had become patriots in a part of the country that was being "pacified", that is, freed from Indian threats.
By May of 1787 mother Elizabeth and her husband John Stillee, along with their three children and the slaves Bella, Dorinda, and Lucinda, had left the Natchez District when Carlos de Grand-Pré authorized the settling of the "affairs of John Stilles, absconded" by having three disinterested persons examine the "books and accounts" of Stillee, and meet any debtors mentioned in the books along with George Fitzgerald, who would defend the "absent party" [Wells, Natchez Postscripts 1781-1798, p. 125].
The Stillee family relocated to the Tombigbee settlement in the district of Spanish West Florida (now in southern Alabama), and resided there until about 1796. That year the "population of the Tombigbee settlers was 287" [Elliott, The Fort of Natchez and the Colonial Origins of Mississippi, p. 35, ref. Holmes, Jack D.L., "Notes on the Spanish Fort San Esteban de Tombecbe" in Alabama Review, XVIII, 286].
Stepfather "John Stilly" was living or claimed land in the Tombigbee settlement as early as 1790. Also, John's former employer, whom he also lived with in the Natchez District in 1781, Alexander McIntosh (1730?-1782?), his younger brother James McIntosh (1735?-1787?), and a John McIntosh, who was a 1775 British land grantee, and were all "Scottish traders" and pioneers of what became on Jun 4, 1801 Washington Co. in what became the state of Alabama on Dec 14, 1819. Alexander may have resided as early as 1770 in a town known as McIntosh Bluff or McIntoshville, near or on the Tombigbee River. James McIntosh may have had land as early as 1781 [Waddell & Brown, pp. 1-3, ref. American State Papers, Public Lands, v. 1].
McIntosh Bluff Historic Marker located in the town of McIntosh AL about five miles west of a bend in the Tombigbee River.
McIntosh Bluff is named for John McIntosh Sr. (1712?-1780?). He had a brother William H. McIntosh (1715?-1787?). Both were born in Scotland and came to Georgia. James McIntosh Sr. (1710?-1787) could be another brother. John Stillee, William Holloway's stepfather, had worked for a son of James Sr., Alexander McIntosh and lived with the McIntoshes in 1781 [Claiborne, pp. 127-8]. McIntosh Bluff Historical Marker.
In 1789 the Spanish took a Census of the Tombigbee District. The 38th family of the 44 listed was identified in the extracted version as "Juan ?", aged 37. This would have been the age of John Stillee for all of 1789 except the first few weeks. William would have been about 22 years old. The spouse information in the record is blank and the that census did not count slaves (the family had three) [AL Genealogy, website, ref. Vidas Legacy].
District Location Map showing the current location of the town of McIntosh, the Tombigbee River and St. Stephens AL, in what was the general area that became Washington Co., the first county in what became Alabama [Matte, et. al., Old St. Stephens Historical Records Survey].
On Jul 13, 1792, younger brother John Holloway and brother-in-law Cadey Raby signed an agreement with Manuel Gayoso de Lemos (who became governor of the Natchez District) regarding travel outside of the District. In the document, Gayoso described John as living "in this District without destiny". Thus, it can be assumed that William had left the District by this date. English Translation of the original document handwritten in Spanish.
The names John and James Holloway appear in several 1790's Spanish Colonial documents and militia lists. On Oct 30, 1798, William's younger brothers John and James gave an oath of loyalty to the United States as the Natchez District became part of a US Territory (Mississippi was not admitted to the Union of States until 1817).
In the mid-1790's, younger brothers James and John, along with two White cousins, Reuben and James T., sons of their deceased uncle James White (1736?-1783?), moved into what became known as Holloway Prairie. This was where they obtained Spanish land grants and engaged in the cattle business. Many of the Anglo families of the area came there from Natchez. Brother John was recorded in the mid 1790's as being in Post du Rapid, a Spanish post that became Rapides Parish, LA. Holloway Prairie was located between the present town of Deville and the parish seat, Alexandria, which was laid out in 1807. Presently, there is a small town named Holloway there.
At present, Holloway is a community in Rapides Parish LA. It's center is located at the intersection of Hickory Grove Road, State Route 1207 and Route 28, about 14 miles NE of the parish seat of Alexandria, and 50 miles W of Natchez MS. Holloway Methodist Cemetery is located just off of Hickory Grove Road at the end of Slay Cemetery Road (see present day map for location). There is also a Hickory Grove Cemetery also known as Holloway Baptist Cemetery.
By Dec 1797, mother Elizabeth and John Stillee and their three children moved back to the Natchez District, after Manuel Gayoso de Lemos became governor. The new governor oversaw the withdrawal of Spain from the east side of the Mississippi River under the Pinckney Treaty. There John Stillee died in 1808.
In 1797, John Girault certified that Elizabeth Stillee had placed in his hands by authority of the Spanish government sufficient property to pay the five heirs of her late husband, John Holloway, namely, John, Robert, George, Elizabeth and Mary, their respective shares of their father's estate, "agreeable to the tenor of my hand dated 5 Dec, 1797" [McBee, "Louisiana Spanish West Florida Records"]. At that time, son James was too young and son William was living outside the District.
On Jan 17, 1798, possible son "Simon Holloway" was a witness in a court case in Natchez involving Waterman Crane and Thomasina Lord and some oxen [McBee, Natchez Court Records, Book G, p. 347].
On Mar 17, 1804 "Simeon Holliday" claimed 170 acres in Claiborne Co., "settled by sd Holliday in 1801" [McBee, p. 520]. The next day, Mar 18, William's stepfather, John Stillee, bought 640 acres on the "road leading through the Wilderness from Grindstone Ford" in Claiborne Co. [McBee, Book B, p. 399]. On Nov 26 of that same year, "Simeon Halliday" witnessed a claim of 240 acres on "Tabor's Cr., a water of Bayou Pierre" in Claiborne Co. [McBee, p. 465].
Grindstone Ford is in Claiborne Co., created in 1802 from Adams Co., Miss. Terr. and including the towns of Port Gibson and Grand Gulf (see present day map). Claiborne Co. now borders Jefferson Co. (see present day map for location of Claiborne Co.).
Franklin Co. MS was formed on Dec 21, 1809 from the eastern part of Jefferson Co. and parts of Amite, Wilkinson and Adams Counties (see present day map for location).
William was listed among 187 free white males over age 21 in the 1810 Census for Baldwin Co. in the part of the Mississippi Territory that bordered Spanish West Florida. 196 free white males under 21 were counted. The household of "William Hollaway" was listed 17th on the 5th page of a transcription of the census, and as the 21st family on page 6 in the microfilm records. The family consisted of one male and one female adult, two sons under age 21 (baby James, and ?George), and no slaves. Just below them were the larger households of "Reuben Thompson" and "Thos White" [MDAH, 1810 Baldwin Co. census, microfilm; "Various Records ...", familysearch.org, website]. These three households were not found in the next Baldwin Co. census taken in 1816. Nor are there any households with the Hollaway, Thompson, White surname in either Baldwin or Mobile Co. censuses or tax lists [genealogytrails.com, website].
Baldwin Co. was formed from the southern part of Washington Co. in the Mississippi Territory on Dec 21, 1809. Washington Co. was formed by Jun 1800 and included the Tombigbee Dist. 1801 Map of the Mississippi Territory shows Washington Co. northeast of Mobile Bay and west of the Tombigbee River, where William's mother Elizabeth White Holloway and her second husband, John Stillee, had lived from 1787 to 1796.
The seat of Baldwin Co. was McIntosh Bluff on the Tombigbee River, which is now in Washington Co. In 1817 it was in the Alabama Territory. Alabama became a state in 1819. On Mar 11, 1808 [John Stillee died in Sep later in that year], the postmaster of the Miss. Terr. wrote to Harry Toulmin, Esq. referencing the lack of a "post office" [or mail route] between Fort St. Stephens and McIntoshville" for delivering mail between "McIntoshville & Grindstone Ford" [Matte, The History of Washington County, ..., pp. 73-74, ref. Letterbook of Postmaster General, on file at Natchez Trace Parkway headquarters].
Grindstone Ford represented the edge of the old Natchez District at the Natchez Trace (Wilderness Road), bordering Choctaw Indian territory, and is now in Claiborne Co., created in 1802 from Adams Co., Miss. Terr. (see present day map). Claiborne Co. now borders Jefferson Co. (see present day map for location). William's stepfather, mother, and his possible son Simeon all had land claims in Claiborne Co. before and after the mail route was created. William may have travelled or moved via this route during this period.
On Aug 30, 1813 during the Creek Indian War of 1813-14, Fort Mims, on the east bank of the Alabama River, about 35-40 miles north of Mobile Bay was attacked by the Creek faction known as the Redsticks. About 250 civilians, including most of the women and children in the fort died in the massacre [Fort Mims and the Indian Creek War, 1813-14 historical marker, photos of side one, side two]. According to the 1927 Fort Mims National Historic Site Marker 900 people died there, the "worst massacre that has ever occurred on American soil" [Alabama Historical Society].
Map of South Alabama during 1813 and 1814 (North is toward the right) showing Fort Mims, McIntoshville, and the Mims Ferry established in 1797 between the Tombigbee and Alabama Rivers [Fort Mims Military Park exhibit, Fort Mims AL].
According to a letter written by Harry Toulmin in 1813 after the Fort Mims massacre, there were "about 24 familes, 160 souls... almost all who perished... About 100 slaves, most of whom died. 247 bodies buried". Not all who died are known.
William is not listed in the 1816 Census for Washington Co. nor are the households of "Reuben Thompson" and "Thos. White", William's neighbors in the 1810 Baldwin Co. Census. In 1788, "Thomas White" and "Isabel Morgan" baptised children "Isabel" and "Ana" in the Tombigbee District [Tensaw Settlement ..., ancestry.com]. That same year, on Nov 17, "Juan Lee" and "Isabel White" baptised their three children there [Records of Old Mobile Parish 1781-1850]. In 1810 Baldwin Co.(AL), the family of "Thos White" had: 3 males over aged 21 [?cousin Thomas, ?sons], 2 males under 21, 1 female over 21 [wife Isabel Morgan], 3 females under 21, and 14 slaves [Genealogy Addict, "Tensaw Settlement, part 4, 1800-1816", online blog]. In 1816 "Wheat" households appeared in the index to the census in Washington Co., created in 1800, and bordering Baldwin Co. and containing the Tombigbee District. Richard and John Morgan families were also listed. A "Juan Morgan", aged 43, household was one of 44 in the 1789 Census of the Tombigbee District with no spouse information.
"Simeon Hollidy" his son, Simeon Jr., and a "Samuel Hollidy" are listed on Page 1, lines 2, 3 and 10, of the Claiborne Co. Tax Roll for 1810 as follows: Simeon 200 acres in Bayou Pierre (Presumption), no polls (whites) and 1 slave. Simeon Jr. no land, one poll and no slaves. Samuel (Adm. by Martin Cooper), 640 acres in Bayou Pierre (Donation), no polls no slaves.
According to the Mississippi Territorial Volunteers Monument, one of five monuments honoring the fallen at Fort Mims Military Park, there were over 400 people inside the fort on Aug 30, 1813, "including men, women and children of European, Creek Indian, African, and Mixed heritage, only God knows the names of all who perished or survived". On this monument under "Mississippi Territorial Volunteers" as one of those killed, first name in third column, is the name of "Pvt. Simeon Holliday" (Jr. and probably not yet 20 years old). Also killed was a "Cpl. Levi Holliday" (last name in second column) [AL Hist. Soc., Fort Mims Miltary Park, Fort Mims AL].
In the 1816 census for Claiborne Co. MS, on line 26 of the left side of page 85 son? "Simeon Holliday" headed a household of: 1 male aged over 21 (Simeon), 1 male under age 21 (not Simeon Jr. who was killed at Fort Mims), 1 female aged over 21 (wife,?), and 6 slaves [MDAH, microfilm]. In the 1820 Census for Claiborne Co. on line 1 there was a "Mary Holiday" on the first line of page 19 with: 2 females aged 26-45, a male younger than 26, a girl under age 10, and a female aged 16-26. So Simeon Sr. died and left a widow named Mary with the land in Bayou Pierre.
Simeon's widow "Mary Halladay" was taxed by Claiborne Co. MS for 200 acres of Spanish-granted land in "Clark's Creek" with no polls and 5 slaves on page 4, line 43 of the 1823 Claiborne Co. tax rolls. But no Holiday or Holloways had land or polls taxed in Claiborne Co. in 1823. [genealogy trails website].
In the 1816 Adams Co. Territorial Census, page 17, line 26, there was a household headed by a "John Holliday" with: 1 male over 21 [?son John], 3 males under 21, 1 female over 21 [wife?], 3 females under 21, and 9 slaves [MDAH, 1816, Adams Co. Census, microfilm]. In the 1830 Adams Co. MS Census of taxables, the same "John Holliday" household counted in 1816 in Adams Co. had 8 free white males and 5 free white females, with 1 being taxable [MDAH, 1830 Adams Co. MS Census, microfilm page 13, line 6]. His household is listed next to Joseph Ford (Jr.), son of Joseph Ford, the father-in-law of John's uncle, John Holloway. This area is likely where John Holloway met or married his wife Sarah Ford before moving to Rapides Parish LA in the 1790's. In the 1841 Adams Co. MS Census, taken Jan 23, 1841, for the "Town of Washington" the 24th household listed on page 6 was "J. Holliday" with 5 white males and 4 white females [MDAH, 1841 Adams Co. MS Census, microfilm page 6, middle column, line 24].
Washington became the Mississippi Territorial capitol on Feb 1, 1802 when it was moved 6 miles west from Natchez. The main street of Washington was the Natchez Trace, which was a postal route until about 1824 [wikipedia, website].
In the 1816 Franklin Co. MS Census, page 12 (line 14), there is a household headed by son "George Halloway" with a male and female over age 20 with one male child and no slaves. On line 8 of the same page is a James Ford household with: 1 male over 20, 1 male under 20, 2 females over 20, 2 females under 20, and no slaves. On page 9, there are 2 large Ford households [John's brothers-in-law]: John Ford (line 2) and Thomas Ford (line 3).
William's son "George Holloway", aged 26-45, headed a household on page 365, line 13 of the 1820 Wilkinson Co. MS Census. His household also had a female aged 16-26, and a male and female aged 10 or younger.
Wilkinson Co. MS was formed in 1802 and was previously in the southern part of the Natchez District (see present day map for location).
In the East Feliciana Parish LA 1830 Census, the 5th entry on page 215 lists the household of son "George Holloway" as having three males and two females: 1 male under age 5, 1 male aged 10-15, 1 male aged 30-40, (himself), 1 female under age 5, 1 female 30-40 (wife), and no slaves.
Feliciana Parish LA was founded in 1810 (see present day map for location), and borders Mississippi south of Natchez.
In the 1840 West Feliciana Parish LA Census, page 204, line 20, was the household of son "James Holloway" having a female, age 20-30, and a male child under 5 years old [familysearch.org]. In the West Feliciana Parish LA 1850 Census, number 324, "James Holoway" is listed number 324 as a Farmer, born in "Alabama", 40 years old, with 4 females ranging in age from 5 to 20 years old, and a baby son, all born in LA. No other Holloway households were listed in either the 1840 or 1850 census of the parish. In 1810 James' birthplace would be Baldwin Co., where his father was counted in 1810, and which became part of the state of Alabama in 1819.
In the Covington Co. MS 1850 Census, page 306A lines 33-39, there was a household of a farmer "George Holiway" with land valued at $200 and members: George, aged 33; Amanda, aged 28; William, aged 9; John, aged 7; Mary Ann, aged 4; Burrell, aged 2; and George, 4 months old, all born in MS. [usgenweb.org].
In the Covington Co. MS 1850 Census, page 306B lines 26-29, there was a household of a farmer "William Holiway" with land valued at $1,000 and members: William, aged 73 born in VA (about 1777); Diodamy, aged 60, born in TN; Mary Ann, aged 35; Henry C., aged 19. The two men could read/write but the two women could not. In the same census were a Thomas P. Holiway, 28, a tavern keeper, and F.O. Holiway, 42, born GA, a Farmer with land valued at $2,000 [usgenweb.org].
Covington Co. MS is located in the center of southern MS. It was formed Jan 5, 1819 (see present day map for location), and borders Mississippi south of Natchez.
SOURCES: Alabama Genealogy, "1789 Spanish Census for Tombigbee District", website, posted Aug 22, 2022. Baldwin Co. AL, "1810 Citizens of Baldwin County, Mississippi Territory", Genealogy Trails website. Baldwin Co. AL, "1816 Citizens of Baldwin County, Mississippi Territory", website. Claiborne, J.F.H., Mississippi as a Province, Territory and State, with Biographical Notices of Eminent Citizens, vol. 1, Power & Barksdale, Jackson, MS, 1880, pp. 126-131. Genealogy Trails, Claiborne County 1810 Tax Rolls, website, transcribed by Lee Kohler, updated May 8, 2018. Genealogy Addict, "Tensaw Settlement, part 4, 1800-1816", online blog. Genealogy Trails, Claiborne County 1823 Tax Rolls, website, transcribed by Lee Kohler, updated May 9, 2018. Elliott, Jack D. Jr., The Fort of Natchez and the Colonial Origins of Mississippi, rev. 2013 of article in Journal of Miss. Hist., 1990. "John Holloway, 1851", File H-3, on p. 208 of "The MS Cains", website. John Stillee Bible. Matte, Jacqueline Anderson, The History of Washington County, First County in Alabama, Washington Co. Historical Society, 1982, pp. 1-9, 16-17, 73-74, 401-402. Matte, Jacqueline Anderson, Doris Brown and Barbara Waddell, compilers, Old St. Stephens Historical Records Survey, St. Stephens Historic Commission, rev. ed., 1999. MS Dept. of Arch. & Hist. (MDAH), 1810 Baldwin Co. Census, Territorial Census 1801-1816, website, microfilm. MDAH, 1816 Adams Co. Census, Territorial Census 1801-1816, website, microfilm. MDAH, 1830 Adams Co. MS Census, State Census Returns 1818-1880, website, microfilm. MDAH, 1841 Adams Co. MS Census, State Census Returns 1818-1880, website, microfilm, taken Jan 23, 1841. MDAH, 1816 "Various Records, 1820-1951, familysearch.org, website. McBee, May Wilson, comp., Holloway Succussion Records of St. Helena Parish, LA, Greenwood MS, May 1990, p. 19. McBee, May Wilson, comp., Natchez Court Records, 1767-1805, pp. 399, 465, 520, Book F, p. 243, Book G, p. 347. Records of Old Mobile Parish 1781-1850, Sec. 8, Bk 2, record nos. 125,126, transcribed from original photocopy in Spanish (signed by Rev. Miguel Lamport) by Bernadette Mathews, Archivist, The Catholic Center, Mobile AL, Feb 11, 1999. "The Tensaw Settlement Part 3 1788-1799", baptisms recorded from Love's Legacy on ancestry.com. U.S. Census, West Feliciana Parish LA, 1840, familysearch.org, website, p. 204. USGenWeb, "The 1820 Census Wilkinson Co. MS", trans. by Virginia Ewing from microfilm, 2001. USGenWeb Archives, West Feliciana Parish LA 1850 Census, Donald W. Johnson, 1976. Veach, Damon, "Louisiana Ancestors", article in Sunday Advocate Magazine, Baton Rouge LA, Feb 21, 1982. Washington Co. AL, "1816 Citizens of Washington County, Mississippi Territory", website. Wells, Carol, Natchez Postscripts 1781-1798, Heritage Books, Bowie MD, 1992, pp. 52, 101, 125, 144-5, 148, 151. White, Gifford, "James White and John White", Wm Wiseman & the Davenports, Pioneers Of Old Burke County, North Carolina, v.2 by M.L.Vineyard & E.M.Wiseman, Franklin NC,1997, p. 111. White, Gifford, James Taylor White of Virginia and some of his descendants into Texas, Austin, TX, 1982.