Mississippi, State Archives, Various Records - FamilySearch Historical Records

Collection Time Period
The collection covers the years 1801 to 1941.

Record Description
This collection includes digital images of the following records:


 * History - Other (1936-1941)
 * Naturalization (1936-1941)
 * Military (1837-1939)
 * Land and Property (1820-1870)
 * State and territorial census records (1801-1880)
 * Tax rolls (1802-1902)

Records will be added to this collection as they become available.

Record Content
The record content varies by record type. It may include any of the following pieces of information:


 * Name of primary individual
 * Event date
 * Event place
 * Residence
 * Age
 * Sex
 * Names of parents
 * Biographical information about parents such as date and place of birth
 * Names of heirs, such as spouse, children, other relatives, or friends
 * Names of the executor, administrator, or guardian
 * Names of witnesses
 * Dates the documents were written and recorded (used to approximate event dates since a will was usually written near the time of death)
 * Description and value of property or land
 * Occupation
 * Military information such as company, rank, and enlistment date
 * Farm information such as number and value of acres and details of crops raised
 * Statistical information about members of the household

How to Use the Record
To begin your search it is helpful to know the following:


 * The county where the event occurred
 * The approximate date the event occurred
 * The name of the individual or individuals

Select a County

From the Record Description list select the county where your ancestors lived.

Identify the record to be searched

From the individual county, identify the kind of record you would like to search (land, census, naturalization, etc.) and click on the title link to select it. Within each record type are links to individual volumes of records that have been digitized.

Find the image

Browse the images for your ancestor. Compare the information in the records to what you already know about your ancestors to determine if this is the correct person. You may need to compare the information of more than one person to make this determination.

Using the Information

When you have located your ancestor’s record, carefully evaluate each piece of information given. These pieces of information may give you new biographical details. Add this new information to your records of each family. The information may also lead you to other records about your ancestors. The following examples show ways you can use the information:


 * Use the age to calculate the birth date.
 * Use the birth date or age along with the residence or place of birth of each partner to find a couple's birth records and parents' names.
 * Use the birth date or age along with the residence or place of birth to find the family in census records.
 * Use the residence and names to locate church and land records.
 * Use the parents' birth places to find former residences and to establish a migration pattern for the family.

Tips to Keep in Mind


 * Occupations listed can lead you to other types of records such as employment or military records.
 * The name of the officiator may be a clue to their religion or area of residence in the county.
 * The name of the undertaker, mortuary, or cemetery could lead you to funeral and cemetery records which often include the names and residences of other family members.
 * When looking for a person who had a common name, look at all the entries for the name before deciding which is correct.
 * The information in the records is usually reliable, but depends upon the reliability of the informant.
 * Earlier records may not contain as much information as more recent records.
 * There is also some variation in the information given from one record to another record.
 * Compiling the entries for every person who has the same surname is especially helpful in rural areas or if the surname is unusual. It can also help you to identify children, siblings, parents, and other relatives. You may want to repeat this process for each new generation or surname that you identify.

Additional Help Locating Your Ancestor


 * Check for variant spellings of the surnames.
 * Check for an index. There are often indexes created by local genealogical and historical societies.
 * Search the indexes and records of nearby counties.

Record History
Many colonial records for the lower Mississippi Valley were placed in archives in France, Spain, and England. These include correspondence about military and governmental affairs, some censuses, birth and burial registers, land grants, and surveys. Many of these records were transcribed by Dunbar Rowland and collected in a set of manuscript volumes known as the Mississippi Provincial Archives. This collection is at the Mississippi Department of History and Archives and on microfilm at the Family History Library.

Why the Record Was Created
The Mississippi Department of Archives and History was founded in 1902. It is the second-oldest state department of archives and history in the country. A comprehensive historical agency, the department collects, preserves, and provides access to the archival resources of the state, administers museums and historic sites, and oversees statewide programs for historic preservation, government records management, and publications.

MDAH Digital Archives include:


 * Electronic records received from government agencies and officials
 * Donated and acquired electronic resources
 * Digital copies of original materials from MDAH collections, including paper documents, photographs, maps, audio, and video

Record Reliability
The records in this collection are generally reliable.

Related Websites

 * Mississippi Department of Archives and History
 * Mississippi State Archives and Libraries

Related Wiki Articles
Mississippi Genealogy

Citing FamilySearch Historical Collections
When you copy information from a record, you should also list where you found the information. This will help you or others to find the record again. It is also good to keep track of records where you did not find information, including the names of the people you looked for in the records.

A suggested format for keeping track of records that you have searched is found in the Wiki Article: Help:How to Create Source Citations For FamilySearch Historical Records Collections.

Examples of Source Citations for a Record in This Collection
"Mississippi State Archives, Various Records, 1820-1951" images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org: accessed 16 September 2011). entry for Thom. Warren, died October 28, 1851 citing State Records, Yazoo, Military grave registrations 1812-1895 (Box 12951), image 5; Mississippi State Archives, Jackson, Mississippi, United States.

Sources of information for This Collection
"Mississippi State Archives, Various Records "FamilySearch (http://www.familysearch.org). Mississippi State Archives. Jackson, Mississippi. FHL digital images, 52,100 digital images. Family History Library, Salt Lake City, Utah.