Batson Family Deeds

James Dunnon Batson was born near Brooklyn, Mississippi (Perry County), on March 15, 1856 and died in the family home near Wiggins, Mississippi, on January 6, 1936. He was the son of Lorinza and Elizabeth Byrd Batson. During the Civil War, the few slaves which his family owned ran away. Although his family's aristocratic attitude considered manual labor to be slave work, James, as a young boy, had to plough the family fields near Brooklyn.

In 1877, Batson married the former Theodocia "Ernestine" Price in Harrison County, Mississippi. They settled with her parents, Rev. Thomas Price and the former Maris Dale, in their home which was located five miles west of Wiggins. After the death of her parents, the Batson's inherited the home and lived there the rest of their lives. James and Ernestine were the parents of nine children: Dolphus Leon, Cora May, Hallie and Callie (twins), Effie Josephine, Obed Eugene, Lela Anette, Braxton Cheatham, and Hollis Hale.

As a young man, Batson worked as a surveyor. After he married, he continued farming while engaging in trading cattle and logging. He owned large tracts of timber land in Perry and Harrison counties, which he logged himself.

Batson stressed education, high moral standards, and was a leader in school, church, and civic activities. His home was a popular meeting place for family as well as for community gatherings.