Seale, Herod

Submitted by Bobby Joe Seales

(back left to right) Charles Seale, died 1909; Lottie Maie Seale, married James Maurice Robertson, died 1989; Walter Jackson Seale, died 1959. (front left to right) John West Seale, died 1971. and Claude Mitchell Seale, died 1944.
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They all were born in Calhoun County MS and all but Lottie Maie Robertson died in Calhoun County MS. Lottie Robertson died in Grenada County MS because her only living child lived in Grenada County MS. and in her old age she lived with him.

Their father, Henry Wilburn Seale, was born and died in Calhoun County MS. Their mother died in Calhoun County MS. Her grandparents, John Rutledge and Elizabeth (Davis) Seale died in Calhoun County MS.

John Rutledge Seale father, Herod Seale, died in Calhoun County MS. Below are some of my notes.

The October 31, 1850 Lafayette County Mississippi census records indicate Herod Seal, age 51 years, "farmer", born in South Carolina, and wife, Christa A., age 42 years, born in South Carolina, and children (1) Rebecca, female, age 16 years, born in Alabama, (2) James, male, age 12 years, born in Alabama, (3) Margaret, female, age 8 years, born in Alabama (4) Levi, male (error, should be female), age 6 years, born in Alabama, (5) Jane, female, age 4 years, born in Mississippi, (6) Isabella, female, age 2 years, born in Mississippi. Living with them was Herod's mother, Mary Seal, age 92 years, born in South Carolina.

Calhoun County was established June 8, 1852 out of Chickasaw, Lafayette and Yalobusha Counties and was named for Vice President John C. Calhoun (1782-1850). Hartford (Old Town later) was designated by the Mississippi Legislature as the county seat when it established the county. Soon after the first Board of Police was elected in 1852, it created Pittsboro near the center of the county for the purpose of being the county seat. The county seat remains there.

All county records, except five books of land abstract records, were destroyed when the courthouse burned December 22, 1922. These records begun when the county was organized also refer back to records in Calhoun County's originating counties. They have valuable historical and genealogical information. The books are in the Chancery Clerk's office. Other courthouse records begin in January 1923, except some re-recorded land transactions, re-filed court records and re-filed material in the Board of Supervisors' minutes in the Chancery Clerk's office and some re-recorded marriage records and re-filed court records in the Circuit Clerk's office.

Abstracts of Records of Land Deeds, I West, Calhoun County Mississippi, from records salvaged in Courthouse fire on December 22, 1922, Page 139, Herod Seale to John R. Seale, Warranty Deed, dated February 6, 1852, filed September 18, 1852.

Abstracts of Records of Land Deeds, I West, Calhoun County Mississippi, from records salvaged in Courthouse fire on December 22, 1922, Page 125, Tax Deed, July 7, 1852, in Calhoun County Mississippi, NE1/4 Sec 27, T11, R2-W, assessed Herrod Seals.

Abstracts of Records of Land Deeds, I West, Calhoun County Mississippi, from records salvaged in Courthouse fire on December 22, 1922, Page 125, Chancery Court September 1866 Term in - - of minor heir. J.R. Roane deceased plaintiff and Herrod Seals and to E. Murphree, administrator estate J.M. Seals, deceased, debts free from claim of debts. (E. Murphree was Elbert Murphree, Sheriff)

The July 16, 1860 Calhoun County (Banner Post Office) Mississippi census records indicate Herod Seals, age 67 years, born in South Carolina, and wife, Christiana, age 53 years, born in South Carolina, and children (1) James, male, age 24 years, born in Alabama, (2) Margaret, female, age 18 years, born in Alabama, (3) Olevia, female, age 16 years, born in Alabama, (4) Jane, female, age 13 years, born in Mississippi, (5) Isabella, female, age 12 years, born in Mississippi, and (6) Elizabeth, female, age 11 years, born in Mississippi. Living with them was a "farm laborer", Burt G. Bagwell, male, age 30 years, born in Alabama.

1860 Agricultural Census Calhoun County Mississippi, Schedule 4, Productions of Agriculture as of June 1, 1860, Enemuerated August 18, 1860, Page 25-26, Post Office: Sarepta, Mississippi, Herrod Seale: Owner, Agent or Manager of Farm, Acres of Land Improved: 750 Acres of Land Unimproved, 85, Cash Value Farm: $1600, Value Farm Implements and Machinery: $125, Horses: 1, Milch Cows: 3, Working Oxen: 1, Other Cattle: 2, Swine: 5, Value Livestock: $178, Bushels Indian Corn: 250, Ginned Cotton 400 lb. Bales: 2 lbs. Butter: 104, Value Home Mfg.: $40, Value Animals Slaughtered: $150.

The June 30, 1870 Calhoun County (Banner Post Office) Mississippi census records indicate Herod Seale, age 77 years, "farmer", born in South Carolina, Christianna, age 65 years, born in South Carolina, and children (1) Margaret E., female, age 25 years, born in Alabama, and (2) Martha J., female, age 22 years, born in Mississippi.

1870 Agricultural Census Calhoun County Mississippi, Schedule 4, Productions of Agriculture as of June 1, 1860, Enemuerated July 1, 1870, Township 11, Range 2 West, Post Office: Banner, Mississippi, Herrod Seale: Owner, Agent or Manager of Farm, Acres Improved: 12, Acres Woodland: 8, Cash Value Farm: $500, Value Farm Implements & Machinery: $20, Wages paid within year ending June 1, 1860: $20, Mules and Asses: 2, Milch Cown: 6, Other Cattle: 3, Swine: 9, Value Livestock: $450, Bushels Indian Corn: 200, Ginned Cotton 450 lb. Bales: 1, Bushels Sweet Potatoes: 30 lbs., Butter: 75, Tons of Hay: 1, Value Home Mfg.: $20, Value Animals Slaughtered: $100, Estimated Value all productions including betterments and additions to livestock: $550.

Herod and Christy Seale (his third marriage) had 5 children, (1) Margaret Seale, (2) Olevia Seale, (3) Martha Jane Seale, (4) Isabella Seale, and (5) Sarah Elizabeth Seale.

In total Herod Seale had approximately 16 children, 3 wives, and only 2 wives gave birth to his children.

On February 4, 2000 Bobby Joe Seales received a Pioneer Certificate from Shelby County Historical Society [Certificate No. 1] on Herod Seale, second great-grandfather.

Herod Seale died on July 9, 1875, in Calhoun County Mississippi, having lived a long life of 82 years