At the Post Office in Ratliff

A group of men are seen on the porch of the Ratliff post office north of Mantachie. The photograph was probably taken during the late 1920's or early 1930's. Pictured are Ed Young, Marvin Coggins, Crook Hinds, Earl Hinds and Grover Ratliff.
 

The Gift of History

I’ve always believed knowing our history is such a cherished thing. During my youth I enjoyed listening to my grandmother. In her aged eyes I could see decades of toil and tragedy, love and hope, good times and bad times, and a strong independence and determination. Once when I was a little kid I was with her sitting in the shade of the front porch on a typical hot and humid Mississippi day as she sat rocking in the old creaky rocking chair shelling purple hull peas from the garden. She told me then and there, “Son, don’t ever go back on your raising.” And I have carried those grandmother’s words with me since and have never been one to turn my back on my rural Mississippi heritage.

Each year the historical society receives many visitors and among those visitors are hundreds of local school children who tour the society’s museum where they can see, touch, and hear remnants of their rural Itawamba County, Mississippi history and heritage. Volunteers at the society’s Historic Bonds House Museum and The George Poteet History Center cherish those visits. We feel we are simply the keeper and teller of Itawamba County, Mississippi’s story. And we recognize our most noble mission is to bring a knowledge and appreciation of local history and a pride in ancestral heritage to those young students who visit from the area schools – those children are simply our future community leaders.

Take time to give the gift of history. It’s a non-depreciating gift that lasts a lifetime.
 

Road Trip

This unidentified photograph was located in a collection belonging to the Ferguson family of the Ozark community. The scene was photographed during the 1920's. When I first saw this photo I thought it was such a classic scene.
 

A Blustery Winter Day

Early this morning the clouds were parting over the hills of Itawamba County and the temperature was dropping. It was one of those days when the wind was whistling out of the north and is now a good evening for a nice toasty fire in the fireplace and sipping on a cup of hot cocoa.
 

New Oktibbeha County Research Book Available

The Historical and Genealogical Society of Oktibbeha County in Starkville has published a new cemetery book. New Cemetery Survey of Oktibbeha County lists 19,600 burials in 174 cemeteries and includes cemeteries in all of old Oktibbeha County, Mississippi including parts of Clay, Wintson and Noxubee counties. The cost of the book is $50.00, including postage. This new book may be ordered from: OCHGS, PO Box 2290, Starkville, MS 39760.
 

Joseph S. and Sarah Davis Tintype Portrait

Joseph S. Davis was born February 6, 1834 in Alabama and died April 3, 1916 in Itawamba County. His wife Sarah was born November 16, 1838 in Alabama and died August 15, 1900 in Itawamba County. Both are buried in Walton Cemetery. The Davis family came to Itawamba County after the Civil War from Alabama where Joseph S. purchased a farm in Section 25, Township 9 South, Range 8 East west of Mantachie Creek west of Walton Cemetery.
 

Society Member to Present Workshops at National Conference

Itawamba Historical Society member Lori Thornton will be presenting four sessions at the upcoming 2009 National Conference sponsored by the Federation of Genealogical Societies. The theme of this year’s conference to be held in Little Rock, Arkansas is Passages in Time.

Thornton will be presenting Using Your Society’s Web Site, Academic Assets: College & University Resources for the Family Historian, Bringing Order to Small Genealogical & Historical Libraries, and Researching in the Magnolia State: Mississippi Resources during this four-day national conference. She will be among some of the nation’s leading genealogists presenting workshops.

The conference will be held at the Little Rock Statehouse Convention Center September 2-5. This is Thornton’s second FGS national conference where she has presented workshops. She presented workshops at the FGS national conference in Boston during 2006.

A native of Amory in neighboring Monroe County, Thornton has been a member of the Itawamba Historical Society for several years. In addition to the local society, she is a member of The National Genealogical Society, The New England Historic and Genealogical Society, The Virginia Genealogical Society, East Tennessee Historical Society, North Carolina Genealogical Society, and Association of Professional Genealogists.

Receiving her Masters of Library and Information Science degree at the University of Kentucky, she is a librarian and professor at Carson-Newman College in eastern Tennessee where she teaches information technology classes each semester and helps many patrons research their ancestry. She documents her family history, writes for publication, and speaks to various groups.

The Federation of Genealogical Societies was founded during 1976 and represents the members of more than 500 genealogical societies. For further information (including registration) about the conference, visit the conference website at http://www.fgs.org/2009conference/index.php