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in: Organizational subdivisions of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Types of Latter Day Saint organization, History of Mississippi, History of Monroe County, Mississippi

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[[Buttahatchie 1845 LDS Branch]] (Located in [[Monroe County, Mississippi]] on the Buttahatchee River. Note to be Confused with the Moscow Branch 20 miles to the east in Marion County. This was a very large branch of the church and the site of '''Mormon Springs''' - launch point for the great trek westward in 1846. This branch is also called the '''Tombigbee Branch''' as both rivers cross the county from north to south and join together in adjacent [[Lowndes County, Mississippi]]
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Circa 1845 a group of families living [[Noxubee County, Mississippi]] converted to the new Mormon Religion and created their own branch of '''The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints'''. It is believed this group held regular worship services at '''[[Buttahatchie, Mississippi]]'''.
  
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They were part of the contingent of [[Mississippi Saints 1846 Pioneer Company| Dixie Saints]] that joined [[The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints]] (LDS Church) and formed small branches in [[Mississippi]] and [[Alabama]]. In 1846 many of these left their extended family and followed prophet [[Brigham Young (1801-1877)]] and the church to [[Salt Lake City| Salt Lake Valley]].
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This is an informal census based on currently available genealogical information to help their descendants to better understand and appreciate their ancestral roots.
  
This is an informal census based on currently available genealogical information to help their descendants to better understand and appreciate their ancestral roots.
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== Branch History ==
  
== Branch History ==
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Visit by missionary [[John Brown (1820-1896)]] in December 1843, recorded in his autobiography:
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The Richey / Adair / Mangum / Brown Families were part of the contingent of Dixie Saints that joined the church in branches in Mississippi and Alabama. The Noxubee group traveled directly to Pueblo Co in 1846 and almost could have beaten Brigham Young to Salt Lake Valley.
  
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** [[Buttahatchie 1845 LDS Branch]] located in [[Noxubee County, Mississippi]]
  
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** [[Moscow 1845 LDS Branch]] located in [[Pickens County, Alabama]]
  
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** [[Itawamba 1845 LDS Branch]] located in [[Itawamba County, Mississippi]]
  
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** [[Chickasaw 1845 LDS Branch]] located in [[Chickasaw County, Mississippi]]
  
   
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<blockquote>[1844] We also visited a small branch in Monroe County, Mississippi, called the Buttahatchy Branch (sic), organized a short time before by Brothers James Brown and Peter Haws on their return to Nauvoo. Brother William Crosby was the presiding elder. They numbered about sixteen members, all newly baptized. The spirit was poured out upon them and they had great joy, supposing they had learned about all that was necessary. We reached this place on the 18th of December on the 21st I saw Miss Elizabeth Crosby for the first time. We had preached but a few days when others demanded baptism at our hands. On Christmas day I preached the funeral of an infant of Brother Wm. Crosby. On the27th I baptized three; viz., Misses Ann and Elizabeth Crosby and Mrs. Mary Sparks. We had numerous calls to preach. We preached in almost every neighborhood for several miles around, also in some of the towns and villages in the adjoining counties.</blockquote>
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Major autobiography with lots of references to Mangums, Richeys, and Adairs and their history by James Richey [see notes of James Richey for a couple of varying versions of his story] mentions his grandmother: [Appears she was probably baptized in 1844.]. The typographical errors are per the original:
  
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=== Mormon Places ===
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* [http://mormonplaces.byu.edu/data/entities/480385 MormonPlaces 480385] - Buttahatchee Branch
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* STARTED: between Oct 1843 and 2 Dec 1843
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* ENDED: between 8 Apr 1846 and 1847
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* SEE ALSO: John Brown Journal (SOURCE PART: p.22, 28-29) - John Brown visits this branch 18 December 1843, recently organized by James Brown and Peter Haws, baptizes several more including the Crosby family; in May 1844, Brown marries Elizabeth Crosby and settles here
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* SEE ALSO: T&S 5:5, 462 - "Buttehalchy" 23 members, 5 priesthood, 10 Feb 1844
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* SEE ALSO: Home of the Crosby family, including prominent pioneer William Crosby and his siblings. The 1846 Mississippi Pioneer Company left from here.
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* SEE ALSO: AO Smoot Journal 1 (SOURCE PART: p.230, 235) - Branch conference Feb 21 1845, visits March 30 -
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* NOTES: later known as Mormon Springs
   
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<blockquote>
  
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After staying with my friends a few days Itawamba County I went to Chickasaw Co. to where my Uncle Thomas Adair lived and preached to them the Gospel in that vicinity. I then returned home to my father's house in Noseuher County. After resting a while I started out in company with elder Daniel Thomas on preacjing tour. We went into the northwestern part of the state of Alabama on the Butteharhe River. From there we went to Itawamba in the state of Mississippi and preached to the people in the neighborhood of Where my relatives lived. A number of them belived and was afterwards baptized into the church. We then went to Chickasaw County in the state of Mississippe and preached into the church. The names of those that were baptized are as follows Thomas Adair and wife, John Mangum and wife, my grandmother, Seli Rebecca Adair and John Wesley Adair. After this I returned home and gave my attention to work of preparing to remove with my fathers friends to the city of Nauvoo in the State of Illiois to wich place we removed in the year of 1845. After we arrived in the City we had much sickness in the family. While I was gone up the river to help to bring down a raft for firewood. My oldest sister Rebecca was taken sick and died in my absence, which was a heavy blow to me as well as the rest of the family. In the course of the year my brother Robert and sister Martha Ann also died with malaria. In the course of the summer I returned to the State of alabama for my grandmother Rebecca Richey but her son kept her money from her so I failed in that part of my mission."
 
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</blockquote>
  
   
 
== Vital Records ==
  
== Vital Records ==
 
Records show this branch existed at least by 02-Dec-1843 to after 08-Apr-1846
  
Records show this branch existed at least by 02-Dec-1843 to after 08-Apr-1846
 
Source Document: Times and Seasons 5:5, 462.
  
Source Document: Times and Seasons 5:5, 462.
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# Elder John Brown diary reports that in summer 1843, Elders H.W. Church and Elder Peter Haws had spent much here "where there were many calls for preaching". Branch increased in size from 15 to 50+ souls.
   
 
==1845 Census ==
  
==1845 Census ==
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=== William Richey Family ===
  
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* [[William Crosby (1808-1880)]] - branch president here, with family
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This family lived in Pickens County until about 1840 when they moved to Noxubee Co and a great many of their relatives moved to Itawamba Co. (Approximate Age in 1845).
  
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* [[William Richey (1796-1879)]] (49) -Traveled to Utah. After death of his wife, spent many years as a Mormon Missionary in Indian Territory
  
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* [[Margaret Ann Adair (1804-1852)]] (41)
  
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=== Robert Covington Family ===
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* [[James Richey (1821-1890)]] (24) - m. 28 Mar 1846 to [[Lucinda Mangum (1826-1903)]] in Nauvoo IL and together they traveled in the Mississippi Wagon Company to Utah that year. He was very instrumental in convincing many of his Mississippi and Alabama relatives to join the Mormon Church. Later a prominent LDS leader in the Dixie Mission and in [[Sanpete County, Utah]]. He wrote autobiography about his experiences in the Buttahatchie Branch.
  
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Robert Covington was an Overseer on his father's large two plantations. He was disinherited by his parents and siblings when he joined the Mormon Church and trekked westwards.
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* [[Benjamin Richey (1823-1849)]] (22) - Served in [[The Mormon Battalion]] but died before rejoining his family
  
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* [[Robert Dockery Covington (1815-1902)]] - eventually bishop of the church in the Cotton mission in [[Washington, Utah]].
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* [[Rebecca Sarah Richey (1828-1845)]] (17) - Died in 1845 [[Nauvoo, Illinois]]
  
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* Wife & Children - all part of 1847 Hunter-Fautz Wagon Company
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* [[Emily Melissa Richey (1830-1857)]] (15) - later married Mormon Battalion leader [[Levi Ward Hancock (1803-1882)]]
  
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* Covington, Berrill 29 27 November 1817 31 December 1905
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* [[John Belton Richey (1833-1851)]] (12) -
  
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* Covington, Elizabeth 27 21 April 1820 7 December 1847
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* [[Martha Richey (1837-1845)]] (8) (Twin) - died in 1845 [[Nauvoo, Illinois]]
  
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* Covington, Emily Jane 4 1 January 1843 4 March 1921
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* [[Eliza Jane Richey (1837-1908)]] (8) (Twin) - m. [[John Milton Adair (1833-1899)]] and later settled Barclays, NV.
  
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* Covington, John Thomas 6 7 August 1840 13 June 1908
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* [[William Belton Richey (1840-1911)]] (5)-
  
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* [[Robert Richey (1842-1845)]] (3) - died young
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* Covington, Robert Dockery 31 20 August 1815 2 June 1902
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* Covington, Robert Laborius 1 August 1847 27 December 1928
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=== Thomas Family ===
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One Daughter married to Robert Covington (above)
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* Parents and Children - all part of 1847 Hunter-Fautz Wagon Company
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* Thomas, Ann 34 23 December 1812 14 July 1878
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* Thomas, Ann Bingham 34 1 April 1813 24 November 1887
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* Thomas, Catherine White 13 17 May 1834 15 September 1927
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* Thomas, Daniel Monroe 37 27 December 1809 21 March 1894
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* Thomas, Henry 65 27 December 1781 25 October 1867
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* Thomas, John Pledger 24 1 September 1822 About 1861
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* Thomas, Mahala Jane 19 17 March 1828 11 June 1911
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* Thomas, Philemon 35 25 December 1811 Unknown
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* Thomas, Tennessee 10 11 August 1836 Unknown
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=== Other Families ===
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Ages estimated at time of living in 1845.
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* [[George Washington Gibson (1800-1871)]] & Family from the church branch at [[Monroe County, Mississippi]].
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* [[James Harmon (1801-1851)]] & Family from [[Monroe County, Mississippi]]. After a brief stay SLC, they continued west to the gold fields in [[California]].
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* [[Benjamin Franklin Mathews (1819-1888)]], wife and children, from [[Monroe County, Mississippi]]. Settled down in [[San Bernardino, California]] where he became the local sheriff. His wife is a cousin to the Gibson family.
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* [[William Mathews (1808-1888)]] & large Family -(older brother to Benjamin). Group settled in [[Beaver, Utah]].
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* [[William Christopher Ritter (1824-1875)]] - young couple from Monroe Co. They had their first baby during stay over in Pueblo.
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* [[John Roberds (1800-1880)]] & Family -
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* [[Allen Freeman Smithson (1816-1877)]] & Family (Younger brother of William)
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* [[William Cox Smithson (1804-1889)]] & Family
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=== Smithson Family ===
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== References ==
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* [http://carto.byu.edu/mp/ BYU Mormon Places Cartography Project]
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* Abraham O Smoot Journal - Vol 1, 1836-1846
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* Times and Seasons 5:5, 462.
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== References ==
  
== References ==
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[[Category:Organizational subdivisions of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints]]
  
[[Category:Organizational subdivisions of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints]]
 
[[Category:Types of Latter Day Saint organization]]
  
[[Category:Types of Latter Day Saint organization]]
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[[Category:History of Mississippi]]
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[[Category:History of Monroe County, Mississippi]]

Latest revision as of 13:35, 24 September 2019

Buttahatchie 1845 LDS Branch (Located in Monroe County, Mississippi on the Buttahatchee River. Note to be Confused with the Moscow Branch 20 miles to the east in Marion County. This was a very large branch of the church and the site of Mormon Springs - launch point for the great trek westward in 1846. This branch is also called the Tombigbee Branch as both rivers cross the county from north to south and join together in adjacent Lowndes County, Mississippi

They were part of the contingent of Dixie Saints that joined The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) and formed small branches in Mississippi and Alabama. In 1846 many of these left their extended family and followed prophet Brigham Young (1801-1877) and the church to Salt Lake Valley.


This is an informal census based on currently available genealogical information to help their descendants to better understand and appreciate their ancestral roots.

Introduction[]

Many of the members of this group had close connections to a similar group meeting just across the stateline at the Moscow 1845 LDS Branch in Pickens County, Alabama. There was also great many members of the Richey/Adair/Mangum clan at the Itawamba 1845 LDS Branch located in Itawamba County, Mississippi.

After 1845 many of these Mormons left to join the great exodus heading west to settle Utah. Most of them participated in the Mississippi Wagon Company which spent the winter of 1846/47 in Pueblo Co with the Mormon Battalion Sick Detachments. This but them further west than any of the Mormon pioneers that season. They quickly followed Brigham Young's advance party into the Salt Lake Valley that summer.

Because of their experience with farming cotton in the Deep South, many of this groups were called to participate in the Mormon Cotton mission to settle Washington County, Utah and raise cotton there from 1850-1868. Afterwards many moved further south to help establish Mormon settlements in Arizona and pursue their warm-weather farming talents there.

Branch History[]

Visit by missionary John Brown (1820-1896) in December 1843, recorded in his autobiography:

[1844] We also visited a small branch in Monroe County, Mississippi, called the Buttahatchy Branch (sic), organized a short time before by Brothers James Brown and Peter Haws on their return to Nauvoo. Brother William Crosby was the presiding elder. They numbered about sixteen members, all newly baptized. The spirit was poured out upon them and they had great joy, supposing they had learned about all that was necessary. We reached this place on the 18th of December on the 21st I saw Miss Elizabeth Crosby for the first time. We had preached but a few days when others demanded baptism at our hands. On Christmas day I preached the funeral of an infant of Brother Wm. Crosby. On the27th I baptized three; viz., Misses Ann and Elizabeth Crosby and Mrs. Mary Sparks. We had numerous calls to preach. We preached in almost every neighborhood for several miles around, also in some of the towns and villages in the adjoining counties.


Mormon Places[]

  • MormonPlaces 480385 - Buttahatchee Branch
  • STARTED: between Oct 1843 and 2 Dec 1843
  • ENDED: between 8 Apr 1846 and 1847
  • SEE ALSO: John Brown Journal (SOURCE PART: p.22, 28-29) - John Brown visits this branch 18 December 1843, recently organized by James Brown and Peter Haws, baptizes several more including the Crosby family; in May 1844, Brown marries Elizabeth Crosby and settles here
  • SEE ALSO: T&S 5:5, 462 - "Buttehalchy" 23 members, 5 priesthood, 10 Feb 1844
  • SEE ALSO: Home of the Crosby family, including prominent pioneer William Crosby and his siblings. The 1846 Mississippi Pioneer Company left from here.
  • SEE ALSO: AO Smoot Journal 1 (SOURCE PART: p.230, 235) - Branch conference Feb 21 1845, visits March 30 -
  • NOTES: later known as Mormon Springs


Vital Records[]

Records show this branch existed at least by 02-Dec-1843 to after 08-Apr-1846 Source Document: Times and Seasons 5:5, 462.

  1. Elder John Brown diary reports that in summer 1843, Elders H.W. Church and Elder Peter Haws had spent much here "where there were many calls for preaching". Branch increased in size from 15 to 50+ souls.

1845 Census[]


Robert Covington Family[]

Robert Covington was an Overseer on his father's large two plantations. He was disinherited by his parents and siblings when he joined the Mormon Church and trekked westwards.

  • Robert Dockery Covington (1815-1902) - eventually bishop of the church in the Cotton mission in Washington, Utah.
  • Wife & Children - all part of 1847 Hunter-Fautz Wagon Company
  • Covington, Berrill 29 27 November 1817 31 December 1905
  • Covington, Elizabeth 27 21 April 1820 7 December 1847
  • Covington, Emily Jane 4 1 January 1843 4 March 1921
  • Covington, John Thomas 6 7 August 1840 13 June 1908
  • Covington, Robert Dockery 31 20 August 1815 2 June 1902
  • Covington, Robert Laborius 1 August 1847 27 December 1928

Thomas Family[]

One Daughter married to Robert Covington (above)

  • Parents and Children - all part of 1847 Hunter-Fautz Wagon Company
  • Thomas, Ann 34 23 December 1812 14 July 1878
  • Thomas, Ann Bingham 34 1 April 1813 24 November 1887
  • Thomas, Catherine White 13 17 May 1834 15 September 1927
  • Thomas, Daniel Monroe 37 27 December 1809 21 March 1894
  • Thomas, Henry 65 27 December 1781 25 October 1867
  • Thomas, John Pledger 24 1 September 1822 About 1861
  • Thomas, Mahala Jane 19 17 March 1828 11 June 1911
  • Thomas, Philemon 35 25 December 1811 Unknown
  • Thomas, Tennessee 10 11 August 1836 Unknown

Other Families[]

Ages estimated at time of living in 1845.

Smithson Family[]

References[]


References[]

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