Amanuensis Monday – Apprenticeship of Holifield Children (1868-1871)

Amanuensis Monday is a genealogy blogging theme. It was started by John Newmark who writes the TransylvanianDutch blog.

His definition of Amanuensis is:

Amanuensis: A person employed to write what another dictates or to copy what has been written by another.

Today’s subject is the apprenticeship of Milley, Ransom and Miles Holifield.  But first some background information.

The three children’s named within this apprenticeship case are sons and daughters of James Holifield and his wife Lucinda Sims.

James is the son of Moses Holifield and Emillia “Milly” Rivers Holifield.  

Moses Holifield (1800-1870+) married Emillia "Milly" RIVERS back in Chesterfield, SC and migrated to Jones County Mississippi between 1830-1840.

Mark Rivers is Milly Rivers brother and he migrated with them or shortly after. He married Irena Catherine Hancock in Feb 1840 in Chesterfield (From Divorce Documents, copies of entire case in my files).

Milly & Mark also has a brother Luke Rivers married to Mary Salina Johns in the 1850 Census for Chesterfield County, 1860 Census for Jones County.

Mark & Catherine have no children before this apprenticeship they took care of some Driman/Dryman Children that are said to be nieces & nephews and I haven't connected yet.

In 1850 Mark filed for Divorce from Catherine for Adultery and it was granted.[1] But in 1860 they are back together.

This Court action is very surprising. I thought Mark & Catherine were divorced in 1859.

Catherine married George S. Fagan on 8 Sept 1879 in Choctaw Co.

                                         Apprenticeship Case

The State of Alabama}                   Probate Court

Choctaw County }

Milley  Holifield }                              Minors for Apprenticeship of [2]

Ranson Holifield }

Miles Holifield }

This day came Mr.    Rivers who is a resident of  said County and brought with him Milly Holifield Ranson Holifield aged twelve years Ransom Holifield aged ten years and Miles Holifield aged eight years and makes known to the County, that they orphans and destitute of the necessary means of support and makes application to the Court to have the, apprenticed to him until they respectively attain     full age of twenty one years and the said    Rivers consenting to take the said Milly, Ransom, & Miles Holifield and that they shall be so bound to him and having given bond according to Law, by which he obligates him self, at all times, to provide a sufficiency of good and holsome provisions, furnish all necessary clothing, washing and  lodging  and treat said Milly, Ransom and Miles Holifield kindness and humanity and train them up to work in the ordinary discipline of life and such other useful avocation as is common to laborers and persons in their spear of life, have them taught to read, write and cyphers as for as the rule of  three  and at the expiration of their term of apprenticeship. Furnish each of them with two complete suits of cloths and it appearing to the Court that said agreement is in accordance with laws and that the said Rivers is a suitable person to have the care and education of the said Milly, Ransome and Miles Holifield.

It is ordered that said agreement be and the same is hereby, ratified and confirmed, and by the authority of this Court made good and effectual and the said Milly, Ransom and Miles Holifield and hereby accordingly put, placed bound and apprenticed to said   Rivers the purpose and upon the condition aforesaid until they the said Milly, Ransom and Miles Holifield shall respectively attained the age of twenty one years.

January the 5^th 1868

The state of Ala Chtaw County

To all hoom this may concern wee the Signed have bound our selves to have bound to Mark Rivers and his wife Catherine Rivers two of our children Elie and Miley until thay ar 21 years of age the sade Rivers and his wife Dus agree to fernish the children clothing and provishion and 12 month scooling and the Sade Rivers and his Wife Dus further agree when the children is free to give then a starte as same as if tha was than on childring.

 X. Nichols                                                            James X Holifield

Sarah Nicholss                                                      LuSindy X Holifield

                                       Milly Holifield

                                       Ransom Holifield

                                       Miles Holifield                  

The State of Alabama}

Choctaw County}

Know all men by these presents that we     Rivers are held and firmly bound unto Bob Glover Judge of the Probate Court for said County and his successors in Office in the penal sum of nine hundred dollars for the true payment of which We bind ourselves our heirs’ executors and administrators jointly and sever ably by these presents sealed with our Seals and dated 20 Day of September 1871. The condition of the above obligation is such that whereas the said Bob Glover Judge as aforesaid have this day apprenticed to the above  bound      Rivers the following minors to wit: Milley Holifield aged twelve years Ransom Holifield aged ten years and Miles Holifield aged eight years who are orphans until they are twenty one years of age now if the Said     Rivers, shall at all times furnish said minors, with sufficient food and clothing treat them  humanly furnish them medical attendance when sick teach then or cause them to be taught to read and write and Cypher as far as the rule of law, and will conform to any law that may be passed here after, for the regulation of the duties of Master and Apprentice then this obligation to be void otherwise will to remain in full force & effect.      

The last paragraph of this Court action is dated September 1871; Catherine married George Fagan Sept 1879. Mark Rivers was not found in the 1880 Census. It is believed that Mark Rivers died between 1871-1879 and this most likely made the apprenticeship null & void. If so, there should be some additional court action after 1871 and before September 1879.

---

[1] Jones County, Mississippi, Volume 1 page 31-35 , Mark Rivers vs. Catherine Rivers, Divorce Case, April Term, 1858; Circuit Court Chancery, Ellisville, Jones County, Mississippi.

Published in Mississippi Genealogical Exchange of 1979, Court case for a Divorce in Jones Co., Miss. of MARK Rivers versus CATHERINE Rivers.
'Mr. RIVERS stated that he and Catherine Hancock married in the State of North Carolina in Feb. 1840 and lived together until 15 Nov 1858(?)
Witnesses:
LUKE Rivers, J. M. MUSGROVE, J. C. BRYANT, and SEABORN McGEE
Divorce action filed on 1 Jan 1859 and granted on 9 April 1859. [Info provided by Ann in Alabama]

[2] Choctaw County, Alabama, Volume 1 page 31-35 Roll# S2005-0347, "Apprenticeship Records (1823-1924), Index - Adams, Judge - Young, Mattie, Minors for Apprenticeship-Milley, Ransom, Miles Holifield, 5 January 1868; Clerk of Probate, Butler, Choctaw County, Alabama.

The film Roll# is S2005-0347, Choctaw Co., AL.  Ask for Apprenticeship Records on this roll for the Holifield children.
 "Apprenticeship Records (1823-1924), Index - Adams, Judge - Young, Mattie"

[3] My THANKS to Cheryl for telling me about this court Case and to Bennie W.  & Lisa F. for providing readable copies of the case for transcription. You three are awesome. Without the 3 of you this posting would not have been possible.