Alphabet File page 67
A BYRD FAMILY HISTORY, by Robert E. Byrd
Now available is a book on the Byrd family which is a collection of genealogical data about some of the descendants of John Byrd and Rebecca Sutton of Chowan County, North Carolina, through their son, William Byrd, Sr. Of Chowan, Bertie and Deplin Counties, North Carolina, and Sumter District, South Carolina. Most of the data in this book concerns the Mississippi descendants of John and Rebecca Sutton Byrd.
The data was collected by the late Robert Byrd of Jackson, Mississippi. The book contains 340 pages (including a 57 page index) and is bound in a hardback cover. The price will be $10.00 per copy.
If you would like a copy, please write: Martha Byrd, 695 South Nardo, Apt G, Solana Beach, California 92075
Byrne, Suzanne McConnell, 42, Waveland Cem. 06 Aug. 1969 (CEC)
C & S Grocery, R.R. Av. (Ph 48 thru 50)
C & S Fine Foods, No 1 R. R. Ave, No 2, 123 S. Bch (Ph 55)
Cabell, Leonide P., 310 Easterbrook (Ph 48 thru 50), 302 2nd. (Ph 55)
Cacioppo, Josephine Mrs. r Washington (Ph 55)
Caffery, Liddell, 221 St. Joseph Waveland (Ph 48 thru 50)
CENTER/CAESAR - Center, the largest Indian community in what was later called South Mississippi, was home to some 1,500 Choctaws. (cicca 1815) A.J. Bilbops house stood in the midst of the town. Center, the firt county seat, lay a half mile east of the site of Caesar, . A courthouse built of logs .
When the county seat was moved to Gainesville, (early 1830s) and Indians removed to Indian territoriy, old Center died. The post office was moved to Caesar, but was still called Center. There were two post offices in Mississippi by that name, and a Post office order banned this. Therefore the name was changed to Caesar. A man named Boston was postmaster at the time and he suggested Caesar which had no local significance.
Hobolochito River, in northwest Picayune, named for Choctaw chief, Hobolo, and Choctaw word for stream, chitto. The last chief to live there was Muchibira who sold the place to Stephen Jarell, a French trader who established a place on the bank of the Hobolochitto River.
When the Pearl River and Honey Island area were cleared of robbers and brigands after the War of 1812, many people lived along the river, and by 1830, most of the people of the county lived along the river, and therefore the courthouse and county seat were moved to Gainesville. The courthouse burned in 1853. Gainesville remained county seat until 1857. The population centers next changes ere due to the building of the L&N Railroad in the 1840s., and by 1857 the majority of the county people lived on the Coast. Hence the courthouse and county seat were moved to Shieldsboro.
( Excerpts from S.G. Thigpen, NEXT DOOR TO HEAVEN, Kingsport Press, 1865. pages 3-68..)
CENTER/CAESAR - The old Indian town of Center was about one mile east of where Caesar now is, in the fork of Catahoula Creek and Playground Branch.
In 1811 there was a mass meeting to form a county government. People met at Burnt Meeting House on the old Columbia-Gainesville Road. It was decided to name the new county Hancock after the signer of the Declaration of Independence. A delegation was sent to the Mississippi Territorial Legislature to ask that the Indian town of Center be named county seat. In those days, Center was the only community of any size.in the county. I was at the one point to which all roads and trails led.. The delegaion succeeded and Came the county seat of the new county.
The first public building in what is now Pearl River and Hancock Counties was built of logs and was located where the line between Townships 4 and 5 crossed the old Columbia road, about nine miles northwest of Picayune. This log meeting house was used as an early church, school house and meeting house for the people. the first building, called Meeting House, burned; it wa rebuilt and called Burnt Meeting House.
In 1814-17 one of the campsites for Jacksons Army was just south of theCaesar-Necaise Road about a half mile east of Caesar on a stream. Just up from this site was one of the biggest Chocgaw Indian towns in South Mississippi. At Caesar, this branch of Jacksons army split into two sections, infantry and cavalry going west to a camp prepared on Long Branch and about two miles southeast of Henleyfield, where they stayed several days while planning to coss the Pearl River at Pools Bluff and Hiway 11 between Carriere and McNeill. (Thigpen saw an old Causeway through a swamp east of Hy 11 on which the army pased.)
When the infantry left Caesar, artillery and heavy equipment went southwest on the road toward Gainesville. Nearly all of this road has been abandoned down to Flat Top.but the present road from there down to Napoleon is an old military road laid lut by Jacksons engineers. The arrillery section of Jacksons army moved over this road to Pearlington where boats awaited to transport troops to New Orleans. Many of the boats commandeered belonged to pirates and robbers.
Center lay on Catahoula Creek on the east and Playground Branch on the west. It was almost the geographical centerof the county; the main Indian community and center of population; the big chief of the Choctaws had his headquarters there; all roads led to this community; Indians held powwows, games, meetings there.
The original name of the community was the Indian name meaning center of coming together or where everybody meets up.
Circa 1812 the Indian chief was CHICOLA..
Center had a post office, log courthouse, jail, hotel, barroom, a couple of small stores and a few homes and 50 to 100 wigwams occupied by Indians..Early settlers spole of going to Indian dances etc. (In 1940 Thigpen saw an old dungeon, or jail, and clay deposits for chimneys, eidence of the village there.)
(Excerpts from S.G. Thigpen,PEARL RIVER, HIGHWAY TO GLORY LAND, 1965, Kingsport Press Inc.)
Caillavet, Mr. Chas., the courteous night operator, spent Saturday in New Orleans. (SCE, 12/31/1892)
Caillavet, Night Operator, wife and niece, Miss Louise, returned Tuesday from a vacation spent at Biloxi. (SCE 9/30/1893)
Shannon, Mr. Swetman, who recently filled the position of Mr. Chas. Caillavet, night telegraphic operator, is holding the key at Gulf View station. (SCE 10/14/1893)
Caillavet, Mr. and Mrs. Charles, we regret to learn, will soon leave the Bay to make Biloxi their future home. These people have resided here for the past five years and have made many friends who will learn of their departure with regret. (SCE 12-2-1893)
Garrison, Mr. George, succeeds Mr. C. Caillavet as night operator at the depot. (SCE 12-9-1893)
Cain - Research inquiry by Joey Cain, Rt 4, 103 Russell Street, Gulfport, Ms. 39502
Caire, R. J., Publisher of Hancock Hawk (HH Volume I, No. 23 Feb. 2, 1973)
Calaboose #80 J. A. Cuevas (VF MJS VIII 00350)
Caldwell, Miss - Engman, Mr. and Mrs. Robert C., residence was the scene of the social event of the past week, when they gave a surprise party and "candy pulling" in honor of their niece, Miss Grace Bonds, of Handsboro. The party was a surprise one and formed at the residence of Mr. and Mrs. Walters. The surprise was one that was wholly unexpected and the warm reception given by Mr. and Mrs. Engman evidenced a hearty welcome. The house, from parlor to where the cook predominates, was graciously turned over to the young merry-makers and immediately the enjoyment of a very pleasant evening was inaugurated. A delightful orchestral band, composed of local talent, kindly furnished lovely music and occasionally Mrs. Engman and a number of the young ladies present skillfully played on the piano. About 11 o'clock candy pulling was announced and soon the participants were exercising their muscles in a most vigorous manner. The first prize, an elegant box of fine writing paper, for the whitest candy was won by Miss Caldwell and Mr. H.S. Saucier received the booby prize that created no end of pleasant comment. The booby prize was an original one in the shape of baby's nursing bottle filled with milk and labeled "ready for emergency" and accompanying the bottle was a box of condensed milk. To the choicest of dainty homemade cakes and delightful refreshments such as wine punch, etc., there seemed to be no limit and were served in the spacious dining room. Mr. and Mrs. Engman certainly know how to entertain and when the young people, who were present, will grow old and tell their grandchildren of their youthful days, they will always tell how Mr. and Mrs. Engman pleasantly entertained them. (SCE, 2/17/1894)