Holmes and Blackwell Family Obituaries
Magnolia Gazette
Saturday, February 4, 1905
page 3
Mr. T. H. Holmes, one of our oldest citizens, died at his home Jan. 26th.
"Uncle Tommie", as he was familliarly known, was a consistent member of the
Salem Baptist Church and also of the Masonic fraternity. He was buried with
Masonic honors and Rev. A. F. Davis conducted the religious exercises. We
regret to lose such a man from our community, but we are consoled in the
thought that he has gone to a brighter and better world than ours. Our
heartfelt sympathy is extended to his bereaved family.
A FRIEND.
Submitted by Michael E. Shotwell
The Magnolia Gazette Mr. Samuel A. Blackwell, one of the oldest citizens in this county, died
here at the residence of his son-in-law, Mr. J. C. Fortinberry, last Thursday
night. Mr. Blackwell was in his 84th year and had been in feeble health for
several months. He was buried in Magnolia Cemetery Friday afternoon, Rev. R.
L. Bunyard, pastor of the Baptist church, conducted the religious exercises.
In addition to Mrs. Fortinberry, Mr. Blackwell was the father of Mrs. William Rimes and Mr. Cornelius Blackwell, of Kentwood.
Transcribed by Judy Bond of The Magnolia Gazette and mailed to me, Michael E.
Shotwell, in December of 1981.
Background information:
1. Mrs. Ella P. (Blackwell) Fortenberry (1872-1935) is the first daughter
mentioned in the obituary. She was the wife of J. Calvin Fortenberry. Ella
was one of nine children (six daughters and three sons) born to Samuel A.
Blackwell and his second wife Sarah "Sally" ( Morris) Blackwell (1837-1922).
Sarah is buried next to her husband in the Magnolia Cemetery. The marriage
date of Samuel and Sarah Blackwell is preserved from one record as Feb. 1858.
2. Frances Narcissa (Blackwell) Rimes (1856-1934) is the second daughter
mentioned in the obituary. She was the wife of William Simmons Rimes and they
reared their family at Simmonsville in Pike County before moving to Kentwood,
Louisiana in their last years. She is said to have gone by her middle name,
Narcissa, and was one of the two children who survived to maturity born to
Samuel A. Blackwell and his first wife, Violette Jane Fortenberry (1835-1857).
3. William Cornelius Blackwell (1855-1931) was the only son named in the
obituary. His wife was Sophronia L. ( Holmes) Brock, the widow of H. Richmond Brock. Cornelius went by his middle name (as did his mother) and was the only
known son born to Samuel A. Blackwell by his first wife, Violette Jane
( Fortenberry) Blackwell. Jane Blackwell is buried in the Pittman Family
Cemetery near New Zion in what is now Walthall County.
Nancy Blackwell, another daughter of the first marriage, was born in 1857.
Her mother died of childbirth on Sept. 22, 1857. Nancy is believed to have
died before 1870. It is interesting to note that the church minutes of New
Zion Baptist Church (where her father had been a member) shows that a "Nancy
Blackwell" was received into Christian fellowship with the church during this
same period. The LORD shows mercy and love to a thousand generations of those
who love Him and keep His commandments. -- Exodus ch. 20, v. 5-6 The LORD
does all things well though we do not possess a vantage point which allows us
to see or understand the things God chooses to keep secret.
SAMUEL A. BLACKWELL was the son of Thornton Blackwell and Permelia "Amelia"
( Godman) Blackwell. Thornton and his family came from Henry County, Kentucky
about 1830 and settled on the land grant belonging to his brother, Steptoe
Blackwell, who had become a successful merchant in New Orleans. My
grandmother, Alva "Alvie" (Blackwell) Holmes Harrell, recalled having been
told that the Blackwells were of English descent and had traveled by ox wagon
from Kentucky. The land grant on which the family settled was situated on the
Pushpatapa Creek in Washington Parish. This land was inherited by the family
when Steptoe Blackwell died. Though Samuel was born in Henry County, Kentucky
on Sept. 11, 1826, he was reared on this land near the Mississippi line in
Washington Parish amidst a vast primeval forest full of fresh water and game.
In August of 1851 his name appears in the church minutes of New Zion Baptist
Church as having been received into Christian fellowship. {His mother had
been received much earlier into the fellowship of the same church by
experience in Nov. of 1837.} He married about 1853 to Jane Fortenberry of
eastern Pike County. She was the daughter of Calvin K. and Narcissa
Fortenberry. Jane gave birth to three children and died from the results of
childbirth in 1857. Samuel did not remain a widower long with three small
children to rear. He married again to Sarah "Sally" Morris, the daughter of
Jim and Melva ( Magee) Morris of Pike County. Samuel came to make his home
south of Jim Blackwell's home, 4 miles east of New Zion. His old home place
is said to have been the former residence of Bill "Spanish" Fortenberry. This
was just north of the Louisiana line from where his father lived on the
Pushpatap.
A few years after his second marriage war erupted in the South and the nation.
In 1862 Federal troops had invaded Mississippi. On June 5, 1862 at
Holmesville, Samuel A. Blackwell was commissioned by Lt. Col. Hoover as Jr.
2nd Lieutenant with the Minute Men (Mississippi State Troops - also known as
Quinn's State Troops), Company H, 2nd Regiment, C.S.A. Company H was under
the command of Capt. James Conerly.
Family tradition claims that Samuel's father, Thornton Blackwell, had served
in the War of 1812 -- though his widow was denied her pension when she had
applied for it (after the War between the States). Samuel's grandfather,
James Blackwell of Jefferson County, Kentucky, had also served with the rank
of lieutenant with the Fauquier County (Virginia) Militia during the first
War for American Independence. After the war, in 1785, James Blackwell took
his family and traveled with a caravan to Kentucky with his brother-in-law,
Armistead Churchill, and others. They are said to have received land grants
for their service in the war. (It is said that Churchill Downs is named for
Armistead Churchill and his family who owned the land that the racetracks are
on today.)
After the war, Samuel returned to farming and family life. Two slaves were
listed in the 1860 census -- neither fully grown. It is not known what became
of them. One of Samuel's great-granddaughters said that he served the county
as Justice of the Peace. His grandfather is known to have been a magistrate
in Kentucky and many of his earlier forefathers served as justices of the
county court in Northumberland County, Virginia. Samuel's son, C.F. Blackwell
served as Justice of the Peace for several years in Pike County. After
rearing his children in eastern Pike County (later becoming Walthall County
after his death) he and his wife moved to Magnolia and were living with their
daughter Ella at the time of Samuel's death. He was known as "Sam A."
Blackwell to many.
The children by his second marriage are as listed:
1. Mary E. Blackwell (1860-1916) md. F. "Boss" Stogner COPYRIGHT NOTICE: Copies of this file may be made for personal research use by individuals as long as this notice appears on all copied material. These electronic pages cannot be reproduced in any format for profit or other presentation without the written permission of Michael E. Shotwell.
Obituary of Samuel A. Blackwell
September 21, 1910
2. Columbus Felder Blackwell (1864-1936) md. Rebecca Jane Stogner;
3. Olivia Jane "Livie" Blackwell (1866-1919) md. Thomas J. Futch, Jr.
4. Sarah A. Blackwell (1867-1887) md. Charles E. Pigott
5. Charles E. Blackwell (1868-1921) md. Olevia N. Fortenberry
6. Ann L. "Annie" Blackwell (1871-1933) md. Lucious Otho Stogner
7. Ella P. Blackwell (1872-1935) md. J. Calvin Fortenberry
8. James Murray Blackwell (1873-1944) md. Florence Acenith Stogner
9. Lilly O. Blackwell (1875-1965 -- last living child) md. Albert Crawford Futch.
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