From the Mountains to the Prairies

James McIntosh
Born by Feb 1767 ?Stratford, Fairfield Co. CT
Died Jul 1817? ?Adams Co. MS

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Father

SPOUSE	CHILDREN
Mary Williams (widow) m. by May 6, 1793 Natchez Dist. b. 1760? d. Oct 1816 - Oct 1818 ?Adams Co. MS
James' father William had been an "officer in the service of His Brittanic Majesty" and a resident of the Natchez Dist. when he died by Jun 1, 1783. [McBee, p. 19].
James' father William died, "verified" on Jun 1, 1783 in the Natchez District "after a long illness, leaving 3 children, two sons and one dau., issue of his lawful marriage with Eunice Hawley, his wife, still living, said sons being William, aged 18, James, aged 16, and dau. Mariana aged 19" and the inventory of his estate and papers began on Jun 4 [McBee, p. 19].
The Commandant of the Natchez District received notice of the death on Jul 29, 1781 of Elizabeth Alston, wife of John Alston. On that date a Conveyance was issued to appoint Alexander McIntosh as the guardian of the six surviving children, and an Estate Inventory was performed, listing 16 slaves as well as lands and buildings [McBee, Book A, p. 1].
On 3 Aug. [Friday], 1781, Alexander McIntosh declared to the Court that Henry Alston, one of the minor heirs died, and on the 2nd day of same Month died a negro boy, named "Stephen", aged 7 yrs., belonging to Alston estate. He also asked that a female slave be sold and that Daniel Perry be appointed to manage the Alston plantation [McBee, Book A, p. 2].
On Sep 5, 1781 John Alston sold "all his cattle" to a William Brocus, as witnessed by John Townshend. By Sep 29, 1781 John Alston has "absconded" when the rest of his estate is put up for sale [McBee, pp. 3, 235].
Map of the Natchez District as it may have looked between 1779 and 1799.
Uncle Alexander McIntosh died sometime during late 1781 and early 1782, leaving his business in the hands of his widow, Anne McIntosh.
In May 1782, 13 families arrived in Natchez after a flatboat trip down the Mississippi River, and were recorded by Spanish authorities on Jul 6, totalling 79 "Individuos" and 88 "Escalvos" meaning being hooked on board as slaves. Starting on May 17, James's aunt Anne McIntosh was involved in many land and slave transactions with the 13 arriving family heads [McBee, Book A, pp. 13-18].
On Jun 17, 1782 two lands of John Alston were confiscated "for use of the King" of Spain. One was 800 acres on Second Creek in the Narchez District very near the British grant of Joshua Howard.
The daughter of Philip Alston, Frances, married James Dromgoole in 1782, in the Natchez District.
James' aunt Anne McIntosh married Adam Bingaman, a large Natchez landowner, by Nov 9, 1782.
When father William died, his estate was "left in Charge of Eunice McIntosh ... until children be of age" and the guardianship of the Alston estate and children fell eventually to William's sons, William and James according to his will dated Jan 12, 1783 [McBee, Book A, p. 20].
On Jul 4, 1786, the McIntosh brothers William and James, administrators of the estate and guardians of the children of John Alston, declared to the Natchez District Commandant that a 20 year old slave named King had been stolen by James Drumgoole and Philip Alston (Jr.). King had "formerly belonged to the 'robber' Philip Alston" [McBee, p. 34].
On Jan 26, 1787 mother Eunice received a Spanish patent of 566f [arpents] "on St. Catharine's creek" that was recorded claimed by her on Jun 13, 1805 according to the certificate record (Vol. 2, Page 95) [American State Papers, vol. 1, register A, p. 868].
On Feb 12, 1788 James, over the age of 21, received a Spanish patent of 800f [arpents] "about six miles S.E. from Natchez" that was recorded claimed by him on Jun 13, 1805 according to the certificate record (Vol. 2, Page 103) [American State Papers, vol. 1, register A, p. 868].
On Oct 26, 1789 James' mother "Eunice McIntosh, widow, [sold] to Ithamar Andrews a negro named "King", aged 23, nat. of Va., for $550 (Mexican), terms" and James McIntosh witnessed the transaction for Mrs. McIntosh [McBee, Book B, p. 71]. James and his brother William had reported the same slave stolen on Jul 4, 1786.
In a letter dated Mar 2, 1790, from Carlos de Grand Pré, Natchez, to Governor Don Estavan Miro, the amount of tobacco produced in 1790 was reported by growers of Natchez. James McIntosh reported producing 12,200 pounds of tobacco, and William McIntosh reported producing 5,600 pounds [MS Dept of Archives & History, website].
In Feb 1792, King may have been given back to James McIntosh, when he received "a negro man, aged 32, which said negro he sold them in 1789", as payment for a sale to Ithamar Andrews and Israel Leonard [McBee, p. 90]. But King would be 25 years old based on other court records.
According to the 1792 Spanish Census for Natchez District, "Juan Alston" and brother "Phelipe Luis Alston" were each heads of household in the District of Buffalo Creek, which was replaced by parts of Adams and Wilkinson Cos. MS [MSGenWeb, 1792 Census Index]. A different translation has a "Juan Haton" with 1200 arpents of land (about 1,000 acres), 3 White persons [possibly John, son Solomon and ?], and 13 Black persons, in the same area, which was south of Natchez [Adams Co. Miss. Gen. & Hist. Network].
A Census Index of heads of households in the Natchez District in 1792 placed each household in one of nine areas within the district. Included in the SC = Santa Catalina area, which later was approximately within Adams and Franklin Counties: Eunice MacIntoche; Guillermo MacIntoche.
On Apr 7, 1792 James' brother William McIntosh was a signer of the will of David Williams. When he died and the will was read, James McIntosh was a witness, and later married the widow Mary [McBee, p. 108].
On May 6, 1793, wife Mary appeared as "Mary McIntosh, widow of David Williams, decd." She tranfered her power of attorney to a Charles Norwood, living in New Orleans, to "recover and receive sundry debts owing me" [McBee, p. 151].
On Oct 10, 1794, Benjamin Monsanto died in New Orleans, and his "property placed in care and charge of Mr. James McIntosh until some person properly authorized shall appear to whom same may be delivered". This included a property 3 miles from the Fort of Natchez on St. Catherine's Creek, bordered by "David Williams, decd." whom Monsanto had appointed as one of the executors of his will in 1792. "Mrs. Maria Williams was there; said she had been left in charge of the plantation, etc., by Monsanto and his wife when they went to New Orleans" [McBee, Book C, p. 116].
Petit Gulf where the Alston family owned land is now part of Jefferson Co., created from Adams Co., Mississippi Territory, in 1796 (see present day map).
In Jan 1798, James' mother "Eustace Humphreys", of "Govt. of Natchez", bought 100 arpents from William Owens for $200 paid. Both signed. The witness was her son "Wm. McIntosh" [McBee, p. 157].
Joshua Howard had become "Conservator of the Peace for the Southern District, Mississippi Territory" by Oct 27, 1798 when two men swore to the truth of statements made re: suit involving Elizabeth Still Lee lending a slave girl Peg to her son-in-law Alexander Freeland in the Summer of 1796. She had made her deposition before Cato West, Howard's counterpart in the Northern District [Ragland p.6].
On Mar 23, 1804, James witnessed a claim by William Williams, a son of David Williams and his wife Mary Williams, James' (former?) wife. The land had surveys done Dec 19, 1794 by mother Eunice and "her son, James" and was granted on Aug 20, 1795 [McBee, p. 444].
On Mar 31, 1804, Winthrop Sargent claimed 2,690 acres on the Mississippi River, 7 miles from the Fort, adjacent to the estate of David Williams that was granted on Apr 4, 1795 to "Maria McIntosh, widow of William[s]" by the Spanish Govt. [McBee, p. 505].
Franklin Co. MS was founded in 1809 (see present day map for location).
There is a "James McIntosh" household in the Franklin Co. MS 1810 Census, consisting of: 1 male and 2 females over 21, no children and no slaves. In 1816 for the same county, there is no McIntosh household, but in the 1816 Adams Co. MS Census on page 25, there was a "James McIntosh" single male household with 106 slaves next to the household of "Winthrop Sargent" that had one adult male, two adult females [wife Mary, Mrs. Sargent], and 19 slaves [MDAH, Adams Co. Census, p. 25, lines 25-26].
In Jan 1818, a Receipt for the transfer of twenty-five enslaved persons from the estate of James McIntosh to D. Williams, stepson and son of David Williams, was recorded in Adams Co. Chancery Court [Historic Natchez Foundation, Lantern Project, website].
In the 1818 Adams Co. MS Census, submitted Oct 15, 1818, the "Winthrop Sargent" household was counted on line 30 of page 29. There was no adult female, meaning James' widow Mary Williams McIntosh Sargent had died by then but after Winthrop had written his will in Oct 1816. A male under age 21 [Mary's son George Washington Sargent], a female under age 21 [possibly George's wife or fiancee Margaret Isabella Percy, b. 1802], and 15 slaves were also counted [MDAH, 1818 Adams Co. Census].
Sources: Adams Co. Miss. Genealogy & History Network, "1792 Census for the Natchez District". American State Papers, Documents, ... of the Congress of the Unitied States, ... 1789-1809, vol. 1, Gales and Seaton, Washington DC, 1832, register A, p. 868. Cumberland Compact, original document signed May 13, 1780, Washington County NC, website. Clayton, Prof. W.W., History of Davidson County Tennessee, reprod. 1971 by Charles Elder, Nashville TN. David Library of the American Revoution, "British Colonial Office Records CO5 West Florida Reords", website, vol 593, item 107. McBee, May Wilson, comp., Natchez Court Records, 1767-1805, Greenwood MS, 1953, v. 2, Book A, p. 13-20, Book C, p. 116, Book F, p. 235, pp. 444, 90, 108, 151, 157, 505. MS Dept. of Archives & History (MDAH), Jackson MS, rootsweb, Early Mississippians in Spanish Natchez. MDAH, Adams Co. MS 1816 Census, Territorial Census 1801-1816 website, microfilm. MDAH, Adams Co. MS 1818 Census, website, microfilm. MSGenWeb, Natchez District 1792 Census Index, comp. by Ellen Pack, Index, transcribed and translated from Spanish. Natchez Historic Foundation, Lantern Project, "Receipt ... from the estate of James McIntosh to D. Williams", James McIntosh Probate File, Box 27, Adams County Probate Records, website. Rowland, Dunbar, "1816 Census for Franklin Co. Miss.", taken from The Official and Statistical Register of the State of Mississippi,Centennial Edition, 1917, rootsweb website. Tennessee, County Marriages, 1790-1950, "John Alston" Marriage Record, p. 8. Wells, Carol, Natchez Postscripts 1781-1798, Heritage Books, pp. 101, 144-5, 151, Will Books 3 and 4, Wilkes County, North Carolina, 1811-1848, The Genealogical Society of "Original" Wilkes County), Will Book 3, "Estate of Joahua Howard", Oct 1814, page 89, 120.