Mississippi, State Archives, Various Records - FamilySearch Historical Records

What is in This Collection?
This collection includes images of records filmed at the Mississippi State Archives in Jackson, Mississippi. It includes narratives from former slaves, land records from the Office of the Secretary of State, lists of military veterans, military grave registrations, and naturalization records. The collection is being published as images become available. ''' Only the military grave registrations have been indexed. The event place is the place of burial.''' 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.

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.

This collection includes the following records:


 * Ex-Slave Narratives, 1936-1942
 * Transcriptions of Land Office Records
 * County Rosters of Military Veterans, 1936-1939
 * Naturalization Index Cards, 1936-1941
 * Lands Records


 * Territorial Census Records 1801-1816
 * State Census Returns,1818-1880
 * Territorial Tax Rolls
 * County Tax Rolls, 1818-1902
 * Register of Military Commissions, 1837-1861

What Can These Records Tell Me?

 * Early census records lists names of free white males
 * Names of free white females

State Census records of 1870


 * Names of white and colored males over 21
 * Names of white and colored males under 21
 * Names of white and colored females over 21
 * Names of white and colored females under 21
 * Names of all adult males who are qualified to vote
 * Names of all adult males who are not qualified to vote

State Census records of 1880


 * Names of every individual enumerated
 * Their age, race, nativity, and occupation

Tax records for the State of Mississippi listed all persons from whom monies were received.

Military Commissions for regimental records


 * Name of individual and enlistment date
 * Rank, company and commanding officer

Confederate Military Records
 * Name
 * Rank
 * Date and place of enlistment
 * Hospital records
 * Prison records
 * Date and place of discharge

County Tax Rolls
 * List and value of personal and business property

Military Grave Registrations
 * Name and address
 * Next of kin
 * Date and place of death and burial
 * War record

How Do I Search This Collection?
Before searching this collection, it is helpful to know:
 * The name of your ancestor
 * Their age

How Do I Analyze the Results?
Compare each result from your search with what you know to determine if there is a match. This may require viewing multiple records or images. Keep track of your research in a research log.

I Found the Person I Was Looking For, What Now?

 * Search for vital records such as birth, marriage, and death
 * Search for the family in federal census records
 * Search for land and probate records

I Can’t Find the Person I’m Looking For, What Now?

 * Try viewing the original record to see if there were errors in the transcription of the name, age, residence, etc. Remember that there may be more than one person in the records with the same name
 * Collect entries for every person who has the same surname. This list can help you identify possible relations that can be verified by records
 * If you cannot locate your ancestor in the locality in which you believe they lived, then try searching records of a nearby locality
 * Standard spelling of names typically did not exist. Try variations of your ancestor’s name while searching the index or browsing through images
 * Remember that sometimes individuals went by nicknames or alternated between using first and middle names

Research Helps
The following articles will help you in your research for your family in the state of Mississippi.
 * Mississippi Guided Research
 * Research Tips and Strategies
 * Step-by-Step Research

Citing This Collection
Citations help you keep track of places you have searched and sources you have found. Identifying your sources helps others find the records you used.