Palmyra Plantation, Warren County, Mississippi

Date: [unknown] [unknown]
Location: Vicksburg, Warren, Mississippi, United States
Surnames/tags: Turner Slavery

Index of Plantations

Mississippi Plantations

Contents 1 Owners 2 Introduction 2.1 Slaves 3 During the War 4 After the War 5 Sources

Owners

• Henry Turner (1774-1821)
• Sarah Baker (1785-1853) (Administrator of Henry's Estate)
• Jared Dudley Fyler (1787-1853) (Administrator of Henry's Estate of Sarah's behalf)
• John Anthony Quitman (Half owner of Palmyra)
• Henry Turner (abt.1811-aft.1860), Henry's son (Half owner of Palmyra)

Introduction

The story of Palmyra predates Davis Bend, Warren County, Mississippi. Long before the peninsula became known as Davis Bend, it was known as Palmyra. Settled by frontiersmen during territorial expansion, land claims from Spanish Land Grants and from when the land was part of the Natchez District left property in the hands of at least nine owners. In his doctoral thesis, Christopher Morris stated, "About fifteen or twenty families clustered on the banks of the Mississippi River, at a place they named Palmyra..."^[1]

Davis Bend Plantations

Henry Turner, a Natchez merchant, initially purchased the land on Palmyra. He and his wife, Sarah Baker, had substantial land holdings in several counties in Mississippi as well as Louisiana. Henry died in 1821 and his wife, Sarah, became the Executrix for the estate.

Henry and Sarah had the following children:

1. Eliza Turner (1810-1859) m.John Anthony Quitman (1798-1858)
2. Henry Turner (abt.1811-aft.1860) m. Louisa S. Bennett
3. George Washington Turner 1814-1910 m. Anne Wilcox Poyntell
4. Fielding Lewis Turner 1815-1841
5. Sarah Turner 1816 - before 1853.

All of the children were minors at the time of Henry's death. The estate remained undivided for several years.

In 1824 John Anthony Quitman was courting Eliza Turner. Her mother, Sarah, insisted John Quitman sign a contract making Sarah, Edward Turner (Eliza's uncle), and William Griffith (a lawyer friend of the family) trustees for Eliza's share of her father's still undivided estate of slaves and landholdings in Mississippi, Kentucky, Louisiana, and elsewhere. The estate was to be divided among Eliza and her brothers George, Henry, and Fielding.

His marriage to Eliza brought John Anthony Quitman's ownership of plantations to 5:

• His residence, Monmouth, at Natchez, Adams County, Mississippi
• Palmyra, Davis Bend, Warren County, Mississippi (through his marriage to Eliza)
• Live Oaks, near Houma, Terrebonne Parish, Louisiana
• Springfield, Jefferson County, Mississippi
• Belen, on Bee Lake in Holmes County, Mississippi^[2]

In 1826, Sarah Turner married Reverend Jared Dudley Fyler and he began functioning as the Executor of Henry's estate on behalf of Sarah.^[3] There is also a brief announcement in a Pennsylvania paper of the time.^[4]

In December 1836, John and Eliza ceded Eliza’s one-fourth share of Palmyra to Eliza’s brothers Henry and Fielding Turner for $40,000. Eliza’s brother George, subsequently bought out Fielding’s share. On March 2, 1842, Quitman and Henry Turner bought George out for $200,000. In one swoop, Quitman gained a half interest in some 5,710 acres (divided into Palmyra plantation and two islands known as “upper Palmyra Island” and “lower Palmyra island”), 230 slaves, and some 60 head of cattle.^[5]

Sarah died in October 1853 and Rev. Fyler died in December of that year. Sarah's Last Will and Testament devised property to her children, Eliza Quitman, Henry Turner, and George W. Turner, and her grandson, Henry Fielding Turner, the son of Henry Turner. The description of property owned by Sarah at the time of her death did not include Palmyra. John Quitman and Henry Turner were appointed as her Executors.

John's daughter Eliza lost her first husband, John S. Chadbourne in 26 September 1853. She married Joseph Lovell Jr., on 18 January 1859.

By he fall of 1859, both John and Eliza (Turner) Quitman had died, and Palmyra had passed into the hands of John's administrator, Joseph Lovell Jr , now the husband of John and Eliza's daughter, Louisa Turner (Quitman) Lovell (1826-1884). John A. Quitman died intestate, but Eliza's estate was still under probate when the Civil War began in 1861 under the administration of Joseph Lovell, Jr.

Slaves

When Henry's personal property was appraised in February 1822, 143 slaves were listed at Palmyra Plantation.^[6]

No.	Name	Age	Value	Notes		No.	Name	Age	Value	Notes
1	Necos	24	700			73	Jack Tuttle	40	550
2	Seleah	53	400	His band of family		74	Dolly	40	500
3	Joe	9	350			75	Robbert	9	250
4	Hillard	6	300			76	Nelly	5	150
5	Jack	60	250			77	Ned	40	650
6	Sarah	60	150			78	Juda	36	500
7	L Spencer	13	550			79	Little Dicey	4-1/2	150
8	Becky Spree	16	500			80	Stephen	1-1/2	100
9	Bouland	45	500			81	Little Lucy	14	550
10	Phillis	30	600			82	Jim	55	600
11	Mattilda	10	350			83	Judy	35	550
12	Henry	8	250			84	Godfrey	8	250
13	Peggy	6	200			85	Brunette	5	200
14	Martha	4	175			86	Isaac	55	450
15	Aaron	22	300	deceased		87	Tamor	40	450
16	Mason (Girl)	18	600			88	Maria	14	450
17	Tom	16	650			89	Nelson	9	250
18	Peter	14	600			90	Harriet	7	200
19	Moses	10	550			91	Ritter	5	150
20	Mary	10	350			92	Olly	38	700
21	Ovid	35	300	Rheumatic		93	Aggy	50	350
22	Aggy	25	550			94	Felix	17	650
23	Harry	25	700			95	Bill	45	400
24	Mattilda	25	300	diseased		96	Mary	32	450
25	Jerry (African)	35	650			97	Betty	9	250
26	Polly	38	400			98	Kitty	35	500
27	Jerry	9	500			99	Carroline	9	250
28	Tango	35	550			100	Julian	20	600
29	Sukey	38	400			101	Phoebe	14	400
30	Little Sukey	7	200			102	B. Smith Sam	35	1000
31	Milly Spencer	25	600			103	Harry	17	200	Cripple
32	Dick	40	600			104	Gabriel	38	650
33	Caty	40	400			105	Charlotte	35	500
34	Harry	35	600			106	Edmund	7	250
35	Sophy	30	600			107	Gilford	2	150
36	Martha	1/4	100			108	Myres	1/3	100
37	Randall	36	650			109	Phill Jones	27	650
38	Little Chaney	23	600			110	Lucy Turner	19	600
39	Short Polly	37	550			111	Yellow Davy	25	700
40	Little Jinney	15	600			112	Rhody	23	400
41	Jacob	25	650			113	Wesley	16	550
42	James Johnson	18	600			114	Gunner	21	450
43	B. Lucy	26	600			115	Scippio	57	200	Cripple
44	Jenetta	14	500			116	Phillis	25	550
45	London	30	700			117	Boyd	1-1/2	100
46	Tenor	35	500			118	Violet	13	Unreadable
47	Rebecca	15	550			119	James Lorney	35	600
48	Little Spencer	8	450			120	Sally	20	550
49	Davey	42	500			121	Infant	11 mos	100
50	Hannah	32	550			122	Dick Parker	50	550
51	Aelsy	30	550			123	Flora	20	500
52	Squire	2	100			124	Mary Stamp	16	400
53	Lucy	65	150			125	Ephraim	20	650
54	Levin	17	650			126	Old Bob	70	10
55	Glascow	50	400			127	Lucy	50	200
56	Dicey	40	500			128	Squire	35	700
57	Patty	9	300			129	Little Polly	14	550
58	Daniel	7	250			130	Clarissa	12	400
59	Joshua	5	200			131	Sam Smylie	17	650
60	George	3	150			132	Alfred	16	450
61	Mattilda	5-1/2	100			133	H. Bob	25	650
62	Friday	50	500			134	Prince	20	700
63	Jenny	30	500			135	Joe (L)	14	550
64	George	9	300			136	Frank	50	100	Idiot
65	Duncan	7	200			137	Silvey	27	100	Diseased
66	Friday	4	200			138	Louise	6-1/2	200
67	Diley	2	100			139	Caroline	2-1/2	100
68	John	34	700			140	Lydia	15	600
69	Chaney	25	600			141	Dick	60	500
70	Ezekial	45	700			142	Lukey	60	350
71	Cherry	40	500			143	Nancy	20	550
72	Moses	7	200

The 1850 Slave Schedule shows Henry Turner (the younger) held 192 enslave persons, likely at Palmyra Plantation, in Warren, Mississippi, United States.^[7]

On the1860 census Slave Schedule, Turner & Quitman were listed as the owners of 390 enslaved persons, likely at Palmyra Plantation, in Warren, Mississippi, United States.^[8]

During the War

Doctor T. J. Wright, Surgeon of the 64th U.S. Colored Infantry, toured Davis Bend and other plantations in the Natchez area on February 20, 1864. In his report he described Palmya as:

‘’Lovel's Plantation’’ is better known as Palmyra, from a village of that name which once occupied the site of the present quarters. It is also called Quitman's plantation, for the reason that Gen. Quitman once owned it, and made it his headquarters. It is but a short distance from the cut-off. There is a good frame dwelling-house on the place, furnished with many remains of former rich and substantial articles of comfort and splendor. The quarters are not only good but extensive. They can accommodate, comfortably, several hundred. The cabins are not only roomy and dry, but are built with a view to the comfort and convenience of the people. There are now living on the plantation over two hundred, including men, women, and children, varying in age from two to seventy; a few of whom are unfit for any kind of labor, in consequence of their infirmities--including children and helpless women."^[9]

After the War

In a Petition for Pardon dated, 28 Aug 1865, Louisa Q. Lovell. stated she has taken no part in the rebellion and took the Oath of Allegiance on February 22, 1864.^[10] This pardon was a condition for the return of property that had been confiscated during the war.

Property Order #43, Issued by the Bureau Refugees, Freedmen and Abandoned Lands, at Vicksburg, Mississippi on December 19, 1865, returned to Louisa Q Lovell, Antonia Q. Lovell, Rosalie Q. Duncan, Eliza T. Quitman, Mary T. Odgen, and F. Henry Quitman, heirs of John A. Quitman, deceased, all lands, lots, houses and tenements formerly owned by them and now under control of officer of this bureau.^[11]

Sources

1. ↑ Christopher Charles Morris. Town and Country in the Old South: Vicksburg and Warren County, Mississippi, 1770-1860. Doctoral Thesis. University of Florida. 1991. https://ufdcimages.uflib.ufl.edu/AA/00/03/76/36/00001/towncountryinold00morr.pdf
2. ↑ Robert E. May, "John A Quitman and His Slaves: Reconciling Slave Resistance with the Pro-slavery Defense," The Journal of Southern History 46 (November 1980), 554-555.
3. ↑ "New Jersey Marriages, 1678-1985", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FZJS-9YR : 20 January 2020), Mrs. Sarah Turner in entry for Rev. Jared D. Fyler, 1826.
4. ↑ https://www.newspapers.com/clip/97162451/marriage-announcement-mrs-sarah-turner/
5. ↑ Robert E. May. John A. Quitman: Old South Crusader LSU Press, 1985. page 111, citing Quitman Family Papers #616, Southern Historical Collection, The Wilson Library, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. (https://finding-aids.lib.unc.edu/00616/#d1e61)
6. ↑ Property Appraisal</br> "Mississippi Probate Records, 1781-1930," images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-99QX-SSSR?cc=2036959&wc=M794-PP8%3A344538601%2C347284001 : 21 May 2014), Adams > Probate packets 1805-1851 box 42-43 > image 1075 of 1330; county courthouses and public libraries, Mississippi.
7. ↑ 1850 Slave Schedule: "1850 U.S. Federal Census - Slave Schedules"
   The National Archive in Washington Dc; Washington, DC; NARA Microform Publication: M432; Title: Seventh Census of the United States, 1850; Record Group: Records of the Bureau of the Census; Record Group Number: 29
   Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry Record 8055 #91202712 (accessed 10 May 2023)
   Henry Turner, owner, in Warren, Mississippi, USA.
8. ↑ 1860 Census: "United States Census (Slave Schedule), 1860"
   citing Page: 177; Line: 1; FHL microfilm: 000803603; Record number: 273334;
   FamilySearch Record: WKPH-Y3MM (accessed 10 May 2023)
   FamilySearch Image: 33SQ-GBSH-2CF Image number 00633
   Turner Quitman owner in household of Turner Quitman in Warren, Mississippi, United States.
9. ↑ Extracts from Reports of Superintendents of Freedmen, Compiled by Rev. Joseph Warren, D. D. Second Series--- JUNE, 1864. Synopsis of Reports of Dr. T. J. Wright, Surgeon, 64th U. S. Colored Infantry, on Freedmen's Camps and Hospitals--Tour of Inspection Ending February 20, 1864.
10. ↑ Petition for Pardon: "United States Civil War Confederate Applications for Pardons, 1865-1867"
    citing NARA microfilm publication M1003 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1977), roll 33.
    FamilySearch Record: V4MD-YM4 (accessed 14 May 2023)
    http://www.fold3.com/document.php?doc=22595278&xid=215&p=ma
    Name: Louisa Q Lovell; Military Date: 1865 - 1867; Military Place: Mississippi; Event Type: Military; Image File Name: 0690.jp2; Multi Record Type: Amnesty; Publishable Roll Number: 33; Wfm Image Name: 0690.
11. ↑ "United States, Freedmen's Bureau, Land and Property Records, 1865-1872", database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q2Q1-G5QW : 16 March 2018), Louisa Q Lovell, 1865.