| SPOUSE | CHILDREN | ||
|---|---|---|---|
|
Miguel Lopez unm. 1782-1783 Natchez Dist. b. 1750? ?Spain d. by Jan 15, 1788 New Orleans |
|||
|
James Wylie m. by May 15, 1799 ?Natchez Dist. b. 1755? ?KY ?k. ?Aug 1799 ?Adams Co., Miss. Terr. |
|||
|
Nelly may have been born on the Atlantic Coast about 1740 and came to Natchez
about 1766 when it was under British control. |
|||
|
Nelly owned several businesses in the Mississippi River port town of Grand Gulf.
Present day map
of Claiborne Co. MS shows where the town of Grand Gulf was located
along the Mississippi halfway between Big Black River and Bayou Pierre. |
|||
|
The town of Grand Gulf has completely vanished, as shown by this Aug 2021 photo
of the View
north at the Mississippi River taken where the town once stood. Map showing the town when it was shelled by gunboats in May 1862; Map showing the Apr 29, 1863 siege on the town during the Civil War shows where the town and the gulf created by the rock formation just north of it used to be located. Photo of the Whirlpool historical marker at Grand Gulf Military Park. |
|||
|
John Holloway arrived with his family on
two pirogues in the Grand Gulf area of the Natchez District by Jan 21, 1781.
He left them in the care of Nelly at her river dock, about 40 miles from both
Natchez and the plantation of
Joshua Howard on Second Creek where they
were headed. After being sued on Sep 8, 1781, John countersued
John Townshend over
the loss of the two pirogues [McBee, Natchez Court Reccords, Book A, p. 8]. |
|||
|
Pirogues were flat bottomed boats, that could be propelled by either a paddle
like a canoe or a pole in marshes and swamps. Photo of a pirogue circa 1885 (lower boat) displayed at the Grand Gulf Military Park. The pirogue was used on the Mississippi River according to the Background plaque. |
|||
|
Map of
the Natchez District as it may have looked between 1779 and 1799. |
|||
|
When Spain took over control of the Natchez District, women were given same rights
as men in court and Nelly took full advantage of that. As far back as 1774 she
was trading items such as rum, gunpowder and lead for skins from Indians. She was
eventually sued in the Spanish court when she failed to pay the pesos for some
supplies. On Sep 19, 1781 she sued a John Farquhar for $5 owed her. The
Commandant of the Natchez district,
Carlos de Grand-Pré,
made the final rulings in such civil cases and he compelled him to pay her, and
also ruled that Nelly "will restore to him the four small jars belonging to him"
[McBee, Book G page 12, p. 291]. |
|||
|
On Oct 11, 1781 a "Michael Lopez" won a lawsuit against "Juan Gali" who was
"late of this district", for $9 owed him [McBee, Book G page 13, p. 291]. This
was probably Miguel, of Natchez, whom Nelly eventually lived with in 1782. |
|||
|
By Jun 1782, Nelly was living with Miguel Lopez when a witness under oath said
the two "quarrelled" and she "left him and lived in another house in this
District" and another witness under oath said that "Lopez had beaten her,
whereupon she left". Both witnesses said Lopez "solicited her to return" for
an allowance of $10 per month in 1783 [McBee, Book E, p. 177]. |
|||
|
Court records reveal that Nelly "cultivated the ground", traded with Indians, as
well as being a midwife, a landlord, and attended the ill and imprisoned. On Feb 25, 1783, Nelly sued John Stowers for $14 he owed her: "To Sundries $4, to a plow $2, to attendance on a wench in labor $8". The next day, she sued Thomas Green for rent of $26 on a house "occupied by him". Also that year, she sued a John Stanley for a cow that was promised as payment for her taking care of a wounded Indian [McBee, Book G, pp. 303-4. She also sued a Mrs. Barfield for $38 which was for provisions Nelly furnished to Mr. Barfield during his detention at the Fort of Natchez. |
|||
|
On Jan 29, 1784, "Michel Lopez" successfully sued John Choat, a fugitive
rebel in Oct 1781, for $54 owed him [McBee, Book G, p. 320]. |
|||
|
According to her deposition before the Commandant at Natchez in Mar 1786, Nelly
moved from Grand Gulf to live with a Spaniard named Miguel Lopez at his house
at the Natchez Landing. She declared she "had been in this country 20 years and
"for three years past she lived and was in partnership" with Lopez [Potter, p.
342]. On Oct 25, 1785, Nelly sold all 1,795 acres of her Grand Gulf land to John Burnet for $800 [McBee, Book E, p. 370]. |
|||
|
By Mar 6, 1786, Lopez was being interogated by Spanish officials for engaging in
crimes involving a known gangster named Armstrong and on Jul 27, 1786 Lopez "of
his own free will and accord, was committed to the prison of this fort" [McBee,
p. 245-7]. He died at New Orleans by Jan 15, 1788 [McBee, Book B, p. 48]. |
|||
|
On Feb 20, 1788, during the settlement of the Lopez estate, Nelly was described
as a "free woman of color" who had lived with Lopez six years at a rate of $10
per month (because he had beat her previously). She petitioned for his house at
the Natchez Landing, she "having no place to dwell" [McBee, Book E, p. 177]. |
|||
|
By Jun 13, 1789 the Lopez estate was settled after his house was auctioned after
several failed attempts (on Sep 10, 17, and 24 of 1788) including a bid by Nelly
that she could not honor. Nelly still received money for the house as an
executor of the estate, but a Robert Abrams was allowed
to purchase the house as he had placed a bid of $300 at the auction on Feb 14,
1789 earlier [McBee, Book E, p. 178]. |
|||
|
On Aug 12, 1789 when he was only about 35 years old and very ill, a
Samuel Marshall wrote
his will. In it he
declared there was "in his house a mulatto woman, dec'd, named Nelly" but the word
dec'd may be the word free misread by translators. "Free mulattress"
was used previously to describe her. Nelly Price was also known to have taken
care of ill soldiers and others in the Natchez District. The will was witnessed
by then governor of the District,
Gayoso, and four others [McBee, Book B,
p. 69]. |
|||
| On May 8, May 15, and May 16, 1790 several flatboats arrived in Natchez from Pennsylvania. Also on May 16, "Arriving by two flatboats from North America, George Marshall, owner of both boats and returning" with employees and settlers on board but no other Marshalls [MDAH]. | |||
|
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. A "Wiley" [no first name] plantation reported producing
1500 pounds of tobacco that year [MS Dept of Archives & History, website]. |
|||
|
A George Wiley, who died in 1874, is said to have arrived in Natchez in 1788
and after 1860 wrote that what was "at one time kept as a tavern by a man named
King" was "probably the oldest house now existing in Natchez" [Claiborne, p. 529]. |
|||
|
According to Diocese of Baton Rouge Catholic church records, "John Wily"
married "Elizabeth Higdon" in New Feliciana on Sep 1, 1788. Generally, the parents
of each are recorded, but the record says "not given" for each [Diocese of Baton
Rouge, Catholic Church Records, vol. 2, p. 725]. |
|||
|
On Jun 19, 1792, "James Willey" was one of several settlers in Natchez signing
a judgement against a slave. On May 17, 1793 "James Wiley" and Charles King
were chosen to represent each of the sides to resolve a contract dispute
between a Scandling and Vilaret [McBee, pp. 148, 265]. |
|||
|
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 [St. Catherine's Creek] area, which later was approximately within
Adams and Franklin Counties: Jaime [James] "Willey"; Juan [John] "Willey". |
|||
|
On Jul 19, 1793, "James Wiley" petitioned the "Spanish Govt. that he wishes to
establish himself and family [his relatives since he did not seem to be married]
in the New City [a new part of the town of Natchez]" and, in 1794, Lot 1 Square
32 was surveyed. This lot was on Main St. from Church to St. Catherine's St.
[now Jefferson St.] [McBee, Book D, p. 458]. |
|||
|
On Aug 30, 1793, brother "John Rankin Wylie" was granted by the Spanish Govt.
400 acres on the south branch of Bayou Pierre 35 miles NNE of the Fort, bordered
by vacant lands. On May 9, 1798, John and wife "Lowicy" sold "100 square miles"
of this grant for $150. Both John and his wife signed. On Nov 9, 1801 they,
"John Wiley and Louvicy, his wife," sold the other 300 acres for $350. Both signed
[McBee, Book B, pp. 391, 392]. |
|||
|
On Jul 20, 1794, exactly one year after James Wylie's petition to live on Lot 1
Square 32 in Natchez, Prosper King (1767-1827), the younger brother of
Richard King,
petitioned the Spanish Govt. to build a house on Lot 3, Square 33 which was also
on St. Catherine's but two blocks north of Main St. This lot is where King's
Tavern now stands [McBee, pp. 227-8]. |
|||
|
Beginning in 1796, court records show that there were complaints about abusive
language between the King and Corrigan families at "Wiley's Tavern" [McBee,
pp. 227-232]. |
|||
|
On Jul 6, 1796, James and a John Cocke were ordered to pay a debt to Simon McCay
within three days. James appeared and acknowledged that he had signed as surety
for Cocke [McBee, p. 229]. |
|||
|
In 1795 Thomas Green sold to niece Louisa
Wylie, a daughter of
John Wylie and his wife,
Louisa Wylie, 100 arpents, "being 4 arpents
in front on west line, running east along south line to include 100 arpents,
part of 800 arpents granted to [Green]", for $100 paid [McBee, p. 121]. |
|||
|
On Jun 6, 1798, "John Wiley" paid $30 to William Daniel for his Oct 20, 1793
Spanish grant of 200 acres 10 miles north of the Fort, between Fairchild's Creek
and lands of Thomas Green and John Bolls
[McBee, Book B, p. 401]. |
|||
|
Brother-in-law John Wylie owned several
tracts of land in Jefferson Co., the part created in 1796 from Adams Co.,
Mississippi Territory
(see present day map). |
|||
|
On May 15, 1799 "James Wiley and his wife, Eleanor, of Natchez" sold the lot that
he petitioned for in Jul 1793, for $400. This lot was on Main St. from Church to
St. Catherine's St. [now Jefferson St.] and the transaction was signed by "Jas. Wiley,
Eleanor (X) Wiley". John Holland was the buyer but in May 1802, he was an
"absconded debtor" and this lot, which had two houses on it, was publicly auctioned
by the Adams Co. Sheriff to satisfy a debt of $200 to John Wells, Sr. At the
public sale, two men bought the lot for $470 [McBee, Book D, p. 458]. |
|||
|
On Jun 4, 1802, brother-in-law "John Wiley and Louvicy, his wife" sold two tracts from
the original Daniels grant they had purchased, totalling 183 acres, to a Timothy
O'Hara for $410. On Feb 6, 1806 Richard King
deposed that he had sold a tract to "John R. Wylie" that was now the property
of Timothy O'Hara [McBee, p. 571, Book B, p. 401], indicating that by 1806, John
no longer lived in the District. |
|||
|
On Mar 11, 1804, brother-in-law "John Wylie and wife Lavizay, of Adams Co." deeded
Lot No. 4, Square No. 26, which had been previously granted to John's wife,
Louisa Higdon,
to "John Stump, of Davidson Co.
Tennessee" who claimed the lot 2 weeks later [McBee, p. 450]. A niece of
John Stump, was named Louisa Guice when she
was born in 1807. |
|||
|
On line 3 of page 405
of the 1810 Census for Rapides Parish Louisiana, brother
"John Wiley" had in his household: 2 male age 16 to 26 (unknown), 1 male between age 26-45 (himself born after 1755), 2 females under age 16 (Louisa, ?), and 1 female between age 26-45 (wife Louisa Higdon born after 1755), and no slaves. There are also three "William Wiley" households with younger children. |
|||
|
In the 1820 Census for Rapides Parish LA, on the ninth line of
page 134,
there is a "Mrs Willey" household with: 1 male aged under 10, 1 female aged under 10, 2 female aged 10-16 [Cecilia], 1 female aged 26-45 [John's widow Louisa], and no slaves, |
|||
|
Sources: Adams Co. Mississippi Genealogy & History Network, "1792 Census for Natchez District (under Spanish Government control)", 2009, 1792 Census. Claiborne, John Francis Ha, Mississippi as a Province, Territory, and State, Volume 1, BiblioBazaar, 2008, p. 529. Cotton, Gordon. "Old Court House Comments" in Vicksburg Sunday Post, Vicksburg, Warren Co. MS, Aug 13, 1989. Diocese of Baton Rouge Department of Archives, Catholic Church Records, vol. 2 (1770-1803), Baton Rouge LA, p. 725. Imbert, J. Leopold, map maker, Carte des Possessions Angloises... 1777, reprinted by the Museum of the American Revolution from map image at the Norman B. Leventhal Map Center, Boston Public Library. McBee, May Wilson, comp., "Land Claims", in Natchez Court Records, 1767-1805, Book B, pp. 69, 391, 392, Book D, pp. 450, 458. McBee, May Wilson, comp., Natchez Court Records, 1767-1805, Greenwood MS, 1953, v. 2, pp. 177-8, 294-5, 236, 227-232, 245-7, Book B, p. 48, Book E, pp. 177-8, Book G, pp. 319-320, 291, 303-4. MS Dept. Archives & Hist., Will Book Vol. 1, Adams Co. Courthouse, Natchez MS, microfilm, Apr 1816. MS Dept. of Archives & History (MDAH), Jackson MS, rootsweb, Americans Arriving in Spanish-Held Natchez 1780-1790. MS Dept. of Archives & History (MDAH), Jackson MS, rootsweb, Early Mississippians in Spanish Natchez. Potter, Dorothy Williams, Passports of Southeastern Pioneers 1770-1823, Gateway Press, Baltimore MD, 1982, p. 342. U. S. Census, Rapides Parish LA, 1810, microfilm p. 405. U. S. Census, Rapides Parish LA, 1820, S-K Publ., 2003, p. 134. Wells, Carol, Natchez Postscripts 1781-1798, Heritage Books, pp. 101, 144-5, 151, |
|||