Moses Brumfield

Quick Facts

Significance:

Louisiana Homesteader

Place of Birth:

Tangipahoa Parish, Louisiana

Date of Birth:

about 1832

Moses Brumfield submitted homestead application #4101 on December 26, 1874 for 160 acres of land located on Section 20; North ½ of the South West ¼ and East ½ of South East ¼ of Section Nineteen in Township One; South of Range number eight East. He settled on his land located in Tangipahoa Parish, Louisiana on January 1875.

Moses signed his Homestead Application with the mark of an “X”. His Final Proof testimony stated that he had no family. He also stated that he had lived on the land since January1875 and cleared 20 acres for cultivation which was fenced. In addition, he raised corn, cotton, oats, and sweet potatoes. His dwellings included a house, smoke house, barn stable, and other out houses. The value of his improvements totaled $500. 

His witnesses were Fred Brumfield (also a Black Homesteader) of Osyka, Pike County, Mississippi, H.W.L. Lewis of Osyka, Pike County, Mississippi and Judge Dean. Both Snipes and Dean concurred in their statements regarding 20 acres of improved land and a dwelling house, smoke house, barn stable, and other out houses. His original home was burned and rebuilt in September 1879. Moses received Homestead Patent #1263 on June 30, 1882 for 160 acres. 

According to primary source documentation, Moses Brumfield was born March of 1837 in Louisiana. The 1870¹ Tangipahoa Parish, Louisiana census Moses was enumerated with a twelve year old girl named Anna Brumfield and a fifteen year old boy name Nelson Alford. On the 1880² Tangipahoa Parish, Louisiana census, Moses age 47 was the only one in the household. It also stated his father and mother were born in Virginia.

On the 1900³ Tangipahoa Parish, Louisiana census, Moses age 73 was enumerated with his wife Roda born January 1860, son Obediah, born October 1882, daughter Losa, born December 1888, daughter Idella born February 1892, and daughter Sena born June 1893. This 1900 census also listed Moses as having been married twice and Roda giving birth to three children of which three were still living at the time of the census. One could infer that Obediah was born during the first marriage of Moses. Additionally the Louisiana Deaths, 1850-1875, 1894-1960 database list Cerrey Dyson that died June 19, 1917 in Tangipahoa, Louisiana. Her parents were listed as Mose Brumfield and Rodie Brumfield, (Certificate #6415 / Record #121).

~ Contributed by Lyle Gibson

 
About the contributor: Lyle Gibson is a genealogist with thirty-one years of experience and a historian with over twenty years teaching experience, Lyle developed an interest in history and genealogy while serving in the Air Force stationed in Greece. Lyle holds memberships in the SAR and local genealogical societies. Gibson authored a book about a multiracial American family from the time span of the colonial period to the early twentieth century entitled Black Tie White Tie. He also adapted and produced a historical documentary that shares the same title. Gibson has also worked on the award winning documentary series An American Story. And Lyle founded The Elijah Adkins Reed Historical Preservation Society, a non-profit organization geared towards preserving America’s history through film.

Patent Details - BLM GLO Records
 

¹ Year: 1870; Census Place: Ward 2, Tangipahoa, Louisiana; Roll: M593_532; Page: 124A

² Year: 1880; Census Place: 2nd Ward, Tangipahoa, Louisiana; Roll: 471; Page: 445A; Enumeration District: 179

³ Year: 1900; Census Place: Police Jury Ward 2, Tangipahoa, Louisiana; Page: 9; Enumeration District: 0088; FHL microfilm: 1240583