RICHLAND
A Community
In Jennings County's Black History
A Community
In Jennings County's Black History
In Jennings County's first census (1820) there were already People of Color living where the Richland Community existed. Listed on that Census are Dennis, Ephrian and Stephen Carsey with their names spelled Casey, they are each listed as between 20 and 45 years old. It is only 1.6 miles from the Jennings County Courthouse to what is now the Crosley Fish & Wildlife area and some privately owned property was the site of the community. Richland was in Section 14 in Township 6 North, Range 8 East. Below is a copy of a map of that section showing some of the earliest landowners. The dates shown are when they purchased the land. The name Carsey is also commonly spelled Kersey in local records. My comments in this color purple. I will also be adding more records as I find them.
Previous history told us Achilles Vawter sold small 2 1/2 acre plots of land from the property he owned in section 14. It is in that area that Richland as a community began. In 1835 Ephriam Kersey was also the owner of a 40 acre parcel of land just one section over from the other ones pictured. Dennis Kersey's two parcels were 40 acres each, Daniel Dye purchased 120 acres in 1835.
"Richland: The Richland Free Black community lay astride the old Louisville to Vernon Road most of which lay west of present day's SR 3 approaching the Muscatatuck River. These farms and house lots were purchased in the late 1830s from Achilles Vawter. It is believed that at least some of these men worked at the Tunnel Mill west of Vernon. Among those in situ by 1850 were Wesley & Henry Phillips from Georgia, Spencer King from Virginia, Nilbury Conaway and Artimas Hill from Massachusetts, Alan Vickery from South Carolina, George and Elisha Kersey from Georgia."
I was amazed to find that the Carsey's and Daniel Dye, who were Black, owned property in section 14 prior to Achilles Vawter. The early history here did not mention this fact, and it changes the narative when you realize they were land owners that early.
I have copies of all the land patents mentioned above,they can also be accessed through Bureau of Land Management Record Searches
In the 1830 census Dennis & Stephen Carsey are again listed ages between 36 & 55, Ephraim is listed as between 24 & 36.
In the 1840 census Jesse Hood, Spencer King, Lewis Hill, Edward Cook, Gilbert West, Absalom Gowin, Elisha Kersey, Ann Booker, Aron Wallace, Anthony Phillips, Daniel Dye, Shadrich Kersey, Mathew Kersey, Dina Vickery, Allen Vickery, Dennis Carsey, and a George Carsey are now residents, Dennis is listed as between 56 & 100, George is between 24 & 35, on the next page is Dennis Kersey Jr. listed as between 10 & 24.
In this time frame on December Eighteen Hundred and forty one, a 1/2 acre square piece of property sold by Stephen Kersey and his wife Sally to Dennis Carsey, Ephriam Carsey & Edward Cook and their successors, in trust forever that they shall erect or cause to be built thereon a house or place of worship for the use of the African Episcopal Church. It describes the property as being in the southwest corner of the northeast quarter of section 14. This document was signed on December 27th, 1841 by Wm. D. Coxe a Justice of the Peace. It was Recorded March 9, 1847.
This gets confusing because this property was again conveyed to the church trustees but this time it was recorded in 1873 as being transferred from Achilles Vawter and his wife Martha. I am inclined to think that there was a problem with the property description in the original document the property description given was actually on land owned by Achilles Vawter.????
The 1850 Indiana Constitution, Article XIII's main purpose was that "No negro or mulatto shall come into the State, after the adoption of this Constitution." After the adoption of the Constitution the legislature passed a statute to enforce this Article. Approved on June 18, 1852 the statute outlawed "Negroes" from coming into the state, instructed the county clerks to notify all "Negroes" who were residents before November 1, 1851 to register, and ordered the creation of a register of "negroes and mulattoes". It also gave power to clerks to subpoena witnesses and to issue certificates attesting to the registration of legal residents. The original of this registry is at the Jennings County Public Library.
| The following list is neighbors from the 1850 census of what appears to be Richland. Census entries are by household. M for Male, F for Female, Age, Place Born. |
This list is people who were on the Negro Registry in Jennings County and the families they match up with from the 1850 census. |
| Ephraim Kersey - M - age 56 - Georgia Rebecca Kersey - F - age 54 - Georgia Alexander Kersery - M - age - 17 - Indiana Mariah Kersey - F - age 16 - Indiana Willis Kersey - M - age 13 - Indiana |
Carsey, Willis - Age 17 - Aug 16, 1853 Birthplace - Jennings County, Indiana Comments - A negro man of brown complexion and of medium size. Of intelligent countenance. Witnesses - Achilles Vawter and James M. Baldwin |
| Allen Kersey - M - age 26 - Indiana Martha Kersey - F - age 25 - North Carolina Edward Kersey - M - age 4 - Indiana Isiah Kersey - M - age 3 - Indiana Latitia Kersey - F - age 1 - Indiana Eliza J Kersey - F - age 15 - Indiana |
Carsey, Eliza Jane - Age 18 - Aug. 15, 1853 Birthplace - Jennings County, Indiana Comments - A negro woman of brown complexion, rather tall and good looking Witnesses - Achilles Vawter and Harvey M. Cowell |
| Dennis Kersey - M - age 39 - Georgia Permelia Kersey - F - age 37 - Tennessee Alexander C Kersey - M - age 18 - Tennessee Mary A Kersey - F - age 16 - Tennessee Amanda Kersey - F - age 15 - Tennessee Margaret Kersey - F - age 13 - Tennessee Agness Kersey - F - age 11 - Tennessee Bechy A Kersey - F - Age 7 - Indiana George Kersey - M - Age 5 - Indiana Nathaniel Kersey - M - Age 3 - Indiana Maryanne Kersey - F - Age 1 - Indiana |
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| Elijah Antony (Anthony) - M - Age 49 - Georgia Hannah Antony - F - Age 40 - Georgia Catharine Anthony - F - Age 19 - Georgia Mariah J - F - Age 17 - Georgia Sarah A - F - Age 15 - Georgia Nelly M - F - Age 13 - Georgia Malici - M - Age 11 - Georgia Noah - M - Age 7 - Georgia Nancy - F - Age 5 - Georgia Hannah - F - Age 2 - Indiana Oliver Antony - M - 5 - Georgia |
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| Nancy Phillips - F - 60 - Georgia Jesse Phillips - M - 19 - Georgia Sylvester Phillips - M - 17 - Georgia Stephen Phillips - M - 10 - Indiana George Phillips - M - 8 - Indiana Dennis Phillips - M - 5 - Indiana Nancy Phillips - M - 3 - Indiana |
Phillips, Jessee - Age 21 - Aug. 26, 1853 Birthplace - Warren County, Georgia Comments - A negro man of brown complexion and of medium size Witnesses - Solon Cowell and Ebenezer Baldwin Phillips, Silvester/Sylvester - Age 19 - Aug. 26, 1853 Birthplace - Warren County, Georgia Comments - A negro man of dark brown complexion and of medium size. Witnesses - Solon Cowell and Ebenezer Baldwin Phillips, Stephen - Age 15 - Aug. 26, 1853 Birthplace - Jennings County, Indiana Comments - A negro boy of dark brown complexion and of medium size. Witnesses - Solon Cowell and Ebenezer Baldwin |
| Edward Cook - M - 60 - Virginia Emily Cook - F - 48 - Virginia William R Cook - M - 20 - Tennessee Thomas J Cook - M - 18 - Tennessee Elihu E Cook - M - 16 - Tennessee Begeton Cook - M - 14 - Tennessee Martha Cook - F - 12 - Tennessee Philipia Cook - F - 10 - Indiana Sarah Cook - F - 8 - Indiana Margaret Cook - F - 5 - Indiana |
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| Martha Demings - F - 52 - Virginia Henry Waterford - M - 32 - South Carolina Harriet Waterford - F - 25 - South Carolina |
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| William Therman - M - 35 - Kentucky Polly Therman - F - 31 - Georgia Fountain Therman - M - 7 - Indiana Dennis Therman - M - 6 - Indiana Samantha Therman - F - 4 - Indiana Alexander Therman - M - 3 - Indiana |
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| Lewis Hill - M - 64 - Virginia Nancy Hill - F - 56 - Georgia Martha E Hill - F - 25 - Georgia Bluford Hill - M - 23 - Georgia Mary A Hill - F - 18 - Georgia Lewis J Hill - M - 17 - Indiana Agripia Hill - M - 12 - Indiana |
Hill, Lewis - Age 69 - Aug. 26, 1853 Birthplace - Culpeper County, Virginia Comments - A negro man of dark brown complexion and of medium size Witnesses - Achilles Vawter and Levi W. Todd Hill, Agrippa - Age 15 - Aug. 26, 1853 Birthplace - Jennings County, Indiana Comments - A negro boy of dark brown complexion and a son of Lewis Hill. Witnesses - Achilles Vawter and Levi W. Todd |
| Stephen Kersey - M - 67 - Georgia Sally Kersey - F - 56 - Georgia Daniel D McDowny - M - 13 - Indiana |
Carsey, Stephen - Age 70 - May 2, 1853 Birthplace - North Carolina Comments - A negro man of yellow complexion, black eyes and white hair or nearly so. Nearly six feet high and well proportioned in size. Witnesses - Robert D. McCammon and Asa Haney Carsey, Sally - Age 60 - May 3, 1853 Birthplace - Georgia Comments - A negro woman of yellow complexion with dark eyes and hair. Above the medium size. Witnesses - Joseph Cowell and Thomas J. Story In April of 1831 Abram B Adams sold 80 acres in section 14 to Stephen Kersey record in Deed Book B Page 214. On June 1, 1837 40 acres of this property was sold to Anthony Phillips, recorded in Deed Book D Page 287. |
| Blue Hill - M - 23 - Indiana Emily Hill - F - 24 - Indiana Salathel J Hill - F - 1 - Indiana |
Hill, Bluford A. - Age 28 - Aug, 15, 1853 Birthplace - Elbert Co. Georgia Comments - A negro man of dark brown complexion, of medium size and intelligent countenance. Witnesses - Ebenezer Balwin and Smith Vawter |
| Allen Wallis - M - 23 - Indiana Elizabeth Wallis - F - 25 - Indiana Mary A Wallis - F - 2 - Indiana |
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| Dennis Kersey - M - 61 - Georgia Kissiah Kersey - F - 53 - South Carolina Ephraim Kersey - M - 30 (Criple) - Indiana John Kersey - M - 20 - Indiana Hubert/Hulbert Kersey - M - 18 - Indiana Kessiah Kersey - F - 14 - Indiana Rachel Kersey - F - 10 - Indiana |
Carsey, Dennis - Age 64 - Apr. 25, 1853 Birthplace - Georgia Comments - A negro of yellow complexion, black eyes and hair and of medium height and size Witnesses - Robert D. McCammon and James H. Biggs Carsey, Ephraim - Age 32 - Aug. 30, 1853 Birthplace - Jennings County, Indiana Comments - A negro man of dark brown complexion, under medium size and walks quite lame Witnesses - Solon Cowell and Achilles Vawter Carsey, Hulbert/Hubert - Age 21 - Aug. 20, 1853 Birthplace - Jennings County, Indiana Comments - A negro man of dark brown complexion and of medium size. Witnesses - Harvey Boner and Charles Rust |
| Peter Dunlap - M - 57 - South Carolina Jame Dunlap - F - 42 - South Carolina Martha Dunlap - F - 21 - South Carolina Nancy Dunlap - F - 12 - South Carolina Permelia Vick - F - 9 - Indiana William Dunlap - M - 10 months - Indiana Jane Dunlap - F - 83 - Indiana (Probable error Indiana was not a state in 1767, which would have been the year of her birth.) |
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| William Phillips - M - 20 - Georgia Looky Phillips - F - 18 - South Carolina Phebe Phillips - F - 2 - Indiana Anthony Phillips - M - 1 - Indiana |
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| Thomas Johnson - M - 32 - Indiana Nancy Johnson - F - 28 - Indiana John Johnson - M - 8 - Indiana Judy Johnson - F - 6 - Indiana July Johnson - F - 4 - Indiana Sally Johnson - M - 2 - Indiana William Johnson - M - 1 - Indiana Judy Johnson - F - 70 - Kentucky |
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| Daniel Die (Dye) - M - 38 - Georgia Emily Die - F - 30 - Georgia Nancy J Die - F - 10 - Indiana Aquilla A Die- F - 6 - Indiana James N Die - M - 4 - Indiana Mary Ellen Die- F - 2 - Indiana Evaline Die - F - 5 months - Indiana |
Daniel Dye shows as a property owner in the Richland neighborhood in 1838. He sold his some of his property to Lewis Hill in 1836. Lewis Hill was the father of Bluford Hill. The Dye family moved north before 1860 and show up later near Detroit Michigan. |
| Westley Phillips - M - 24 - Georgia Virginia Phillips - F - 18 - Tennessee |
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| Winsey Kersey - M - 22 - Indiana Emily Kersey - F - 17 - South Carolina |
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| Henry Phillips - M - 25 - Georgia Rosey Phillips - F - 17 - Indiana Elzora Phillips - F - 1 - Indiana |
Phillips, Henry - Age 31 Aug. 1, 1853 Birthplace - Warren Co., Georgia Comments - A negro man of dark brown complexion and of medium size Witnesses - Ebenexer Baldwin and Joseph Fellenger Phillips, Rosa - Age 23 Aug. 6, 1853 Birthplace - Jennings County, Indiana Comments - A negro woman of dark brown complexion and of medium size, wife of Henry Phillips Witnesses - Joseph Fellenger and Harvey M. Cowell Phillips, Elzora - Age 5 Aug. 6, 1853 Birthplace - Jennings County, Indiana Comments - A negro girl of dark brown complexion and small for her age. The daughter of Henry Phillips. Witnesses - Joseph Fellenger and Harvey M Cowell This Phillips family remains in Jennings County through the 1860 census but by 1870 they have moved on. |
| Allen Vickery - M - 34 - South Carolina Elizabeth Vickery - F - 24 - South Carolina Elienon Vickery - M - 17 - South Carolina Eliza A Vickery - F - 10 - Indiana Allen Vickery - M - 13 - South Carolina Oliver Vickery - M - 12 - South Carolina |
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| George Kersey - M - 51 - Georgia Patsy Kersey - F - 35 - North Carolina Lemuel B Kersey (Brandon) - M - 14 - Indiana Matilda Kersey - F - 11 - Indiana Sanford Kersey - M - 10 - Indiana Stephen Kersey - M - 8 - Indiana Simon Kersey - M - 6 - Indiana Hannah Kersey - F - 4 - Indiana Loreana Kersey - F - 2 - Indiana |
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| Elisha Kersey - M - 28 - Georgia Mary Kersey - F - 24 - Georgia Caroline Kersey - F - 14 - Indiana July Kersey - F - 6 - Indiana Anthony Kersey - M - 5 - Indiana John Kersey - M - 3 - Indiana Solon Kersey - M - 1 - Indiana |
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Many Black residents went north after the passage of the Fugitive Slave Law in 1850, some going as far as Canada. The Black population in Jennings County dropped from 323 to 150 but Richland hung on as a community and the following people were living there in the 1860 census. The drop in population is noticable as in 1850 there were 36 household groups in Richland, in 1860 there were only 9.
| Edward Cook - M - 64 - Virginia Philip Dennings - M - 87 - Virginia Sarah J Cook - F - 17 - Indiana Elizabeth Cook - F - 15 - Indiana Nicholas Castor - M - 18 - Indiana |
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| Nancy Philips - F - 65 - Georgia Stephen Philips - M - 27 - Georgia Jesse Philips - M - 22 - Georgia Nellie Philips - F - 21 - Indiana Nancy Jane Philips - F - 3 - Indiana Charlie Philips - M - 2 - Indiana Mary Philips - F - 1 - Indiana |
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| Henry Philips - M - 35 - Georgia Rosa Philips - F - 30 - Georgia Eliza Philips - F - 12 - Indiana Linta Philips - F - 10 - Indiana Emily Philips - F - 8 - Indiana Elbert Philips - M - 6 - Indiana |
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| Lewis Hill - M - 74 - Georgia Nancy Hill - F - 66 - Georgia Mary A Hill - F - 25 - Indiana Agrippa Hill - M - 21 - Indiana Nathaniel Hill - M - 5 - Indiana |
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| Bluford A Hill - M - 35 - Indiana Malinda Hill - F - 24 - Indiana Aurelia Hill - F - 6 - Indiana |
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| Ephraim Kersey - M - 38 - Georgia Dolly Kersey - F - 34 - Georgia John Kersey - M - 12 - Indiana Eliza Kersey - F - 10 - Indiana Calvin Kersey - M - 8 - Indiana Edmund Kersey - M - 4 - Indiana William Kersey - M - 1 - Indiana |
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| Peter Dunlap - M - 65 - South Carolina June Dunlap - F - 60 - South Carolina Martha Dunlap - F - 28 - South Carolina Nancy Dunlap - F - 23 - South Carolina William Dunlap - M - 10 - Indiana Elrby Anthony - M - 6 - Indiana Avry Anthony - M - 3 - Indiana |
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| James Vickery - M - 45 - South Carolina Rhoda Vickery - F - 40 - Georgia |
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| Aaron Wallace Mary Wallace Elias Wallace Isiah Wallace William Wallace Thomas Wallace Judah Wallace Samuel Wallace Hannah Wallace Stephen Wallace Chancey Wallace Patsey Wallace Eliza Wallace |
1870 Census
| Jesse Phillips - M - 39 - Georgia Nellie Phillips - F - 33 - Georgia Mary Phillips - F - 12 - Indiana Charles Phillips - M - 10 - Indiana Nettie Phillips - F - 9 - Indiana Allison Phillips - M - 8 - Indiana Hannah Phillips - F - 7 - Indiana Emma Phillips - F - 4 - Indiana Alberta Phillips - F - 2 - Indiana Nancy Phillips - F - 77 - Georgia |
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| Thomas J Henry - M - 50 - Kentucky Anna Henry - F - 34 - Georgia Noah Henry - M - 19 - Indiana Martha Henry - F - 7 - Indiana Orthe Henry - M - 6 - Indiana Rollin Henry - M - 2 - Indiana Jefferson Henry - M - 2 months - Indiana |
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| Mary Hill - F - 40 - Georgia William Anthony - M - 60 - Georgia |
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| Bluford Hill - M - 45 - Georgia Martha Hill - F - 44 - South Carolina Nathaniel Hill - M - 16 - Indiana Eveline Hill - F - 12 - Indiana Oscar Hill - M - 10 - Indiana |
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| Riley Harper - M - 44 - Georgia Eveline Harper - F - 23 - Indiana Ellen Harper - F - 1 - Indiana Diller Mitchell - M - 22 - Georgia |
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| George Kersey - M - 64 - Georgia Patsy Kersey - F - 58 - North Carolina Sanford Kersey - M - 27 - Indiana Serelda Kersey - F - 18 - Indiana George Kersey - M - 7 - Indiana Jerome Kersey - M - 11 - Indiana |
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| Ephraim Kersey - M - 47 - Indiana Dolly Kersey - F - 43 - North Carolina Calvin Kersey - M - 18 - Indiana Edward Kersey - M - 15 - Indiana William Kersey - M -12 - Indiana Smith Kersey - M - 10 - Indiana Willis Kersey - M - 6 - Indiana Ida Kersey - F - 2 - Indiana |
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| Nicholas Easton - M - 29 - Indiana Louisa Easton - F - 20 - Indiana Charles Easton - M - 1 - Indiana |
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| Harrison Mitchell - M - 54 - Indiana Nancy Mitchell - F - 36 - South Carolina Julia Mitchell - F - 7 - Indiana James Mitchell - M - 4 - Indiana |
| Sanford Kersey - M - 37 - Indiana Mary Kersey - F - 24 - Indiana Elias Kersey - M - 5 - Indiana Mattie Kersey - F - 2 - Indiana George Kersey - M - 1 - Indiana Sarah Rush - F - 70 - North Carolina |
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| Anna Hood - F - 57 - North Carolina Edward Pettiford - 18 - Indiana Jesse Pettiford - 16 - Indiana _____ Julia - F - 10 - Indiana _____ Frank - M - 7 - Indiana |
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| William Thompson - M - 33 - Kentucky Sarah Thompson - F - 20 - Indiana George Thompson - M - 10 - Indiana |
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| George Kersey - M - 83 - Gerogia Martha Kersey - F - 53 - North Carolina |
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| Bluford Hill - M - 55 - Georgia Martha Hill - F - 55 - South Carolina Oscar Hill - M - 20 - Indiana |
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| William Harris - M - 28 - Indiana Surilda Harris - F - 28 - Indiana Adaline Thompson - F - 7 - (Adopted)Indiana |
| Jesse Pettiford - M - 36 - Indiana Isabelle Pettiford - F - 35 - Indiana Ellard Pettiford - M - 14 - Indiana Annie Ethel Pettiford - F - 11 - Indiana Jessie R Pettiford - M - 10 - Indiana Ralph E Pettiford - M - 8 - Indiana Floyd C Pettiford - M - 7 - Indiana Florence Pettiford - F - 5 - Indiana Clerice L Pettiford - F - 3 - Indiana Inez Pettiford - F - 2 - Indiana Harold Pettiford - M - 9 months - Indiana |
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| Charles Phillips - M - 41 - Indiana Mary A Phillips - F - 36 - Indiana Mary J Phillips - F - 5 - Indiana Margarette Phillips - F - 3 - Indiana |
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| Annie Hood - F - 75 - North Carolina Edward S Pettiford - M - 37 - Indiana Cora M Thompson - F - 17 - Grandaughter, Indiana Thomas Marshall - M - 28 - Boarder, Kentucky |
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| Frank Turman - M - 25 - Indiana Sadie J Turman - F - 25 - Indiana Blanchie Turman - F - 7 - Indiana Ezra Turman - M - 3 - Indiana Delpha Turman - F - 1 - Indiana Thomas Henry - M - 30 - Indiana |
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| Gracie Henry - F - 64 - Georgia Roland Henry - M - 32 - Indiana Grant Henry - M - 27 - Indiana Emma Henry - F - 37 - Indiana Daisy Henry - F - 8 - Grandaughter, Indiana |
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| Ephraim Kersey - M - 80 - Indiana Dolla Kersey - F - 72 - North Carolina Ida M Landrom - F - 31 - Indiana Merl Landrom - F - 7 - Indiana Hazel Landrom - F - 5 - Indiana Ernest Landrom - M - 2 - Indiana Thomas J Landrom - M - 29 - Son-In-Law, Indiana Robert A Patterson - M - 18 - Boarder, Ohio |
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| Smith E Kersey - M - 38 - Indiana Millie J Kersey - F - 39 - Indiana Mira Kersey - F - 13 - Indiana Bertha M Kersey - 12 - Indiana Effie Kersey - F - 10 - Indiana Calvin M Kersey - M - 8 - Indiana Florene Kersey - F - 6 - Indiana John T Henry - M - 15 - Stepson, Indiana |
| George Porter - M - 60 - Kentucky Beth Porter - F - 39 - Kentucky Mary B Porter - F - 13 - Indiana |
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| Charles Mitchel - M - 58 - Indiana Emma Mitchell - F - 57 - Kentucky Ora Peck - F - 19 - Indiana Manuel Peck - M - 28 - Son-In-Law, Indiana Pansy Mitchel - F - 14 - Indiana Hallie Mitchel - M - 13 - Indiana Clyde Mitchel - M - 7 - Indiana |
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| John O'Neal - M - 39 - Indiana Minnie O'Neal - F - 23 - Indiana Bernice O'Neal - F - 5 - Indiana Caryrene O'Neal - F - 3 - Indiana Paul O'Neal - M - 1 - Indiana Lenora O'Neal - F - 5 months - Indiana Bluford A Hill - M - 85 - Grandfather, Georgia |
1920 Census
| Jessie Pettiford - M - 55 - Indiana Inez Pettiford - F - 21 - Daughter, Indiana |
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| Anna (Blanks) Pettiford/Hood - F - 100 - North Carolina |
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The last record of residents in Richland in a census is in the 1920 census. In 1930 Jessie Pettiford is living in the town of Vernon on Pike Street. Anna (Blanks) Pettiford died in 1920. Jessie's daughter Inez married in 1922, and for a time moved to Vigo County, she married again in 1968 and ended up back in Jennings County, passing away in North Vernon in 2000 at the age of 102.
This stone home was once the one room home of Anna Hood, after the Cartwright family purchased the property, stone from the land was used by Haskell Cartwright to build on to that original building to make a home for his large family.
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