|
Attala County Pioneer(1)(2)(3) |
The Fletchers and Ashleys are of English origin.
The Fletchers and Dodds were neighbors in either Kentucky or South Carolina
and became neighbors in Mississippi. The Fletchers and Ashleys were
closely knit with Louisa marrying James while their son, Jefferson Davis
Fletcher, married his first cousin, Adella Ashley, daughter of John C. Ashley.
According to census records James Fletcher was born in North Carolina.
It is unclear when the Fletchers first arrived in Mississippi and who were
the parents of James Fletchers. James's parents were William Fletcher
and Rebecca Moore of Virginia.
William Fletcher was born 1751 in Rappahannock, Va. and Rebecca Moore was born 1758, location unknown.
At this time, it is unclear when James came to Mississippi; however, he may have come as early as 1814. At a very young age, he may have fought in the War of 1812; but more likely, he fought in the Indian Wars. The 1830 Census places James in Yazoo County. In 1831, James Fletcher acquired a lot in Franklin,
which was then in Yazoo County, Mississippi. William Dodd and
his brother, Alan Dodd, moved here and James Fletcher gave them a hardy
welcome and feast. In addition to his other holdings in 1841, James
received a grant of land in Attala County; this grant was signed by Martin
Van Burean. Other families came: Jennings, Davis,
Rimmer, Noah, Sanders, Ashley, Clark, Gowan, Jackson, Brown, Mallett, Fuller,
Meek, Utz, Shelly, Storeis, Ackins, Caldwell, Coleman, Gregory, Peeler,
Thompson, Hollingsworth, King, and McMillian. |
| By 1850, there were many settlers in Attala County, and they were building houses out of sawed lumber. About 1853, James started building a two story ante-bellum home. There were brick building operations; sand and mortar for laying brick and making plaster was prepared; John Chiplay laid the first brick for the four chimneys and eight fire places. The kitchen was contained in a separate building. There was also a large hewed log house used as a smoke house, where meat was stored during each winter. The house was similar in style to many other stately plantation homes build in Mississippi before the Civil War. Tall traditional columns and green shutters graced the outside. The house was almost finished when James Fletcher fell from the roof and suffered a broken leg. This probably lead to his death later in 1858. James son, L.D. (Lorenzo) Fletcher, served in the Mexican War (1846-48); he also help organized first Company of Confederate soldiers in Attala County, Minute Men of Attala County. They were mustered into Confederate Service at Corinth, Mississippi in April, 1861 as part of the Clindenen black 13th Mississippi. |
| Pictures: Fletchers |
Sources:
1Mrs. Ruth F. Richmond, a great granddaughter of James Fletcher, provided much of this information along with pictures of the Fletchers and the Fletcher ante-bellum home. |
|
|
