Effie Hinton McDonald

Photo of Idella McDonald White, daughter of Effie Hinton McDonald.

Willie Ruth McDonald Sanders

Quick Facts

Significance:

Mississippi Homesteader

Place of Birth:

Perry County, Mississippi

Date of Birth:

March, 1881(exact year unknown)

Date of Death:

October 5, 1925

Place of Burial:

Perry County, Mississippi

Cemetery Name:

Nazareth Cemetery

Effie Hinton, a single woman, over the age of 21 applied for 36.04 acres of land under Homestead Act of 1862 on November 21, 1902 at the land office in Augusta, Perry County, Mississippi. She was issued application number 38181and paid the fee of $4.70.

Effie Hinton was a native born citizen of the United States, and was born in Fairhope, Rich’s Mill Precinct, Perry County, Mississippi to Pompey and Cloie Collins Hinton. Her father earlier applied for homestead property of 77.09.acres December 3,1883 at the land office in Jackson, Mississippi, and settled on the land about 1879. He received his Homestead Patent, no. 14444 on September 17,1893.

Effie’s parents and relatives lived in Hintonville and no doubt helped clear her property and build her house. The house was completed in December 1902 and she resided on the land in March 1903. Her house was a two room lumber dwelling with two room plank house, a front galley and a kitchen. In addition, she had a crib, stable, meat house, and garden. About eight (8) acres of land was under fence, and valued at about $300.00.

Effie had not been absent from the home since establishing residence. Her land was located at the NE1/4 SE1/4 Sec 4 Tp 3N, R 9 West, and described as ordinary farming land that was sandy, and flat.

She added an additional acre located at the NE 1/2 Sec r. Tp 3. N. R. 9 W and later cultivated ten (10) acres, raised 50 bushels of corn and 20 bushels of potatoes, and vegetables for her family use.

Effie signed her name with an X on the application. However, the Mississippi Education school enrollment of 1892 list Effie Hinton as a nine year old student, and her father Pomp is listed as her guardian. However, Effie’s signature is noted on other documents.

Effie listed her witnesses as Logan Hinton (cousin) of Richton, Mississippi; Alfred Sumrall (Effie’s brother- in-law); Frank Hinton; and Pomp Hinton (her father) of Hintonville.

Effie married Emmanuel McDonald on May 24,1904 and this was confirmed by her witnesses. Her husband and three children also lived on the property. The three children were Idella, (my grandmother) born on January 14, 1906; Cammie, born on March 16, 1908 and Whitfield, born in 1910.

In March of 1910, Effie had a delay in filing her final application within the required five years because she was ignorant of the law, and had not received her notification through mail in Hintonville in time to complete her final application for the deed. The receiver, Thomas McAllister, verified the affidavit on March 10, 1910 in Jackson, Hinds County, Mississippi and issued receipt number 444402 of which she paid $ 5.90.

A notice ran from July 5, 1910 to July 26, 1910 in the Augusta Telephone, a newspaper, published in New Augusta, Mississippi. Later, Effie Hinton (McDonald) made final claim to the property and provided proof to the land office in Jackson, Mississippi that she had met all of the requirements of the homesteader’s rules for settlers.

On June 14, 1911 the final certificate was corrected to include her married name Effie McDonald (formerly Effie Hinton )and the boundary of her land was corrected. She was issued Pat. No. 217680, on July 20, 1911, and on July 25, 1911 the patent was transmitted to the register and receiver.

Her daughter, Idella, said that her family had cows, horses, chickens and raised vegetables. Her mother was regarded as a business woman. Idella studied the Blue Back Speller and throughout her life loved to read.

Effie McDonald and her family lived and worked on the property until Effie’s death on October 5, 1925. After Effie’s death her husband remarried twice and moved away from their property. Effie’s daughter, Idella, moved to Greene County, Mississippi. She met and married Louis White of Sunflower, Washington County, Alabama. In 1930 they moved to Perry County, Mississippi into the home on the property that had been owned by Effie. Idella, her husband, and their seven children farmed the land until they moved to Gulfcrest, Mobile County, Alabama on April 6, 1940. Her husband Louis worked in the naval company business.

Gravel was discovered on the land and Effie’s brother, Luke, was given power of attorney to sell the gravel. Luke later became the owner of Effie’s property. In later years the property was sold to developers.

Patent Details - BLM GLO Records

~ Contributed by Evelyn McNeal Holt, MSW, PHD Social Worker

More about the contributor:  I am the great grand daughter of the homesteader, Effie Hinton McDonald and Emmanuel McDonald. Effie’s oldest child, Idella McDonald White is my grandmother; and Idella’s oldest child Celestine Louvenia White McNeal Guy is my mother. Celestine always talked about growing up on her grandmother Effie’s property. As the family’s historian I began to learn about our roots in Hintonville, Mississippi. Though I visited Hintonville during my adult life I began to research the homestead in the last few years; recently learning how to obtain the documents through participating as a member in the Mobile African American Genealogical & Historical Society, Mobile, Alabama.

I was born in 1944 in a small, close-knit African American community, called a turpentine quarters, in Gulfcrest, Alabama. My father was a World War II soldier who fought in Normandy when I was born. From elementary school to Stillman College in Tuscaloosa, Alabama my educational experiences were with African Americans; in segregated schools. My early childhood experiences in my family and schools prepared me for further educational accomplishments.

In 1971 I graduated with a Master’s of Social Work Degree from Tulane University School of Social Work in New Orleans, Louisiana and went on to practice clinical and public health social work for over 20 years. In 2004 I received a PhD in social work from Tulane University and continued to practice until retirement.

I am a Christian and am married with three children and the proud grandmother of four grand children and three great grand children.

My genealogical research has focused on my paternal roots in North Carolina and Alabama. Now I am researching my roots in Sunflower, Washington County, Alabama.