I will begin this blog with Reuben Creel, and work forward.
Reuben Creel is said to have been born in 1803 in Anderson, South Carolina. I have not found an exact date of birth.
Reuben married Harriet Walters about 1823, supposedly in Mississippi. Reuben and Harriet had 13 children together. The names I have uncovered for the 13 children are as follows: James Richard Creel, Allen Creel, Sarah Creel, Lorenzo Creel, Susannah Creel, Jane Creel, Penelope Creel, Jackson Creel, Mary Ann Creel, John Creel, Martha Creel, Harriett Creel and Elizabeth Creel.
According to the Laurel Ledger, dated July 15, 1905, Reuben Creel had, many years ago, purchased two forties of land upon which part of Laurel now stands. After his death, his land was divided into eleven lots, and each lot was given to the eleven heirs of Reuben.
One of the lots in each forty was assigned to the father of Azarena Creel, Isaiah Creel, and Nathan Creel. In 1885, a deed was made by Isaiah to John Creel for the forty. There is a record of a court case filed by A. Creel Hinton vs. Eastman Gardiner and Company on file in the Mississippi Supreme Court for her lot.
According to the Laurel Leader Call, dated March 22, 1989, in an article by Mrs. R. H. Watkins, it is told Reuben Creel owned about 600 acres of land, and it upon this Creel farm that Laurel is built. The farm was divided into five parts by three commissioners at his death. Those commissioners were Mattie Bush, also known as Uncle Mattie, Mr. Collins, and Mr. Welborn. The heirs then drew the lots from a hat.
Mr. Bush and Mr. Tapley Dunagin bought one part of this, and Mr. Bush put up a grist mill where Mississippi Drug Company (now Burton's Jewelry/ Pearls Diner). The Creel estate, along with Mr. Bush and Mr. Dunagin, had the land platted and began to dispose of the lots in the early part of the 1880's. This plat was made from a survey prepared by Neal McGill.
There is an extensive amount of research available on the Creel family in the genealogy library. Family researchers made several contributions to the three-volume set of books, Echoes From Our Past, Jones County MS, published by the Jones County Genealogical and Historical Organization.
Please contact me for further information on the Creel family research. This is a very interesting family to research.
#laureljonescountylibrary #genealogy #jonescountygenealogy #jonescountygenealogicalandhistoricalorganization #hometowngenealogy #Creelfamilyresearch #laurelMississippi
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