Sullivans Hollow, Mississippi

Since I first saw this, I note the following site updates matters past Clara Sullivan - http://listsearches.rootsweb.com/th/read/SULLIVAN/1999-02/0920241745
 JC Sullivan

This was contributed by "English" english@c-zone.net

"From various sources I prepared the following data. Please note all of it is not proved, as these sources were internet sources, mainly census data, but a couple of brief family excerpts. A good source was the Chester Sullivan book on Sullivan's Hollow; however, in that book he says Thomas Sullivan came from South Carolina, stopped off in Alabama - census records show that Thomas Sullivan was born in Georgia, one site I found gave his place of birth as Columbia (I have not confirmed this to my satisfaction). Anyway, since the Sullivans were probably one of the most notorious families in Mississippi's history, I thought I might post this and see if anyone can help me out."

Ginny Walker English

Descendants of Thomas Sullivan

Generation No. 1

1. THOMAS SULLIVAN was born January 15, 1775 in Columbia, Georgia, and died June 10, 1855 in Sullivan's Hollow, Smith County, Mississippi. He married (1) MAUD ELIZABETH ARNOLD. He married (2) MARY POLLY WORKMAN.Notes

   From Chester Sullivan's Book "Sullivan's Hollow" copyright 1978 by University Press of Mississippi 96 95 94 93 92 7 6 5 4 3. Library of Congress: Sullivan, Chester. Sullivan's Hollow.

"The Hollow was settled by Thomas Sullivan, who was born in 1785. In 1807 he came to Mississippi from Bishopville, in up country South Carolina, bringing his wife Elizabeth, four or five of their children, and his brother John. They came west in wagons drawn by horses and oxen on the Natchez to Fort Stephens Wagon Road, which passed within five miles of Old Jaynesville. Sometimes people moving into the Southwest would settle temporarily and make a crop along the way. The Sullivan family followed that practice by spending a year in Alabama (Washington County). 

John did not stay long in Mississippi before returning to South Carolina. Originally settling in southeastern Simpson county on the upper reaches of Bowie Creek near what became Old Jaynesville, the Sullivans later moved twelve miles east into what would become Smith County, where they built the log house still inhabited by their descendants." (emphasis added). p. 6

 NOTE: Smith County 1850 Census shows Thomas Sullivan, family number 314 age 65, born in GEORGIA. Also shows wife Mary age 47 born in Georgia. See additional census records below.

Sullivan's Hollow lies south of Mize in a system of hills drained by Sullivan's Hollow Creek from its headwaters near Thomas Sullivan's house to where it joins Bunker Hill Mill Creek. Originally the Hollow was six miles long and three miles wide, running in a northerly crescent from west to east. Sullivan's Hollow in time expanded until it encompassed the southwest corner of Smith County and parts of Covington and Simpson counties. By the turn of the century what was generally known as Sullivan's Hollow was the area bounded by Mize on the north, Hot Coffee on the southeast, and Mount Olive and Saratoga on the southwest. (p.8)

Thomas planted his corn with a stick. He raised sweet potatoes, field peas, and a small amount of cotton used to make the family's clothing. He took any excess cotton on a two-week trip to Mobile or Natchez, where he sold it, saving the money against the time when the Indian lands would officially be opened and sold to white settlers. He bought only coffee and salt. He and his family kept chickens, hogs, and sheep for wool, and "They had the woods full of cattle." (p.9)

Thomas Sullivan had two Negro slaves. It is said that he was good to them but "made them work mighty hard". (p. 10) Thomas Sullivan became known to his descendants as "Pappy Tom". (p. 10)

Thomas Sullivan died in 1855 in the house he had built. It is said that before his death he complained of darkness in the daylight.

Children of Thomas Sullivan and Maud Arnold are:

 1. JAMES "JIM"2 SULLIVAN, b. 1810, Mississippi.

 2. MARGARET "PEGGY" SULLIVAN, b. 1812; m. JACOB JAMES JAKE HARVEY, 1827.

 3. THOMAS HOGTON (HOG TOM) SULLIVAN, b. 1814.

 4. LODERICK (LOD) SULLIVAN, b. 1816, Mississippi.

 5. STEPHEN SULLIVAN, b. 1816; m. MARY A. DUNFORD, 1850.

 6. OWEN SULLIVAN, b. 1817.

 7. JOSEPH SULLIVAN, b. June 1818, Sullivan's Hollow; d. February 15, 1895, Sullivan's Hollow.

 8. DANIEL SULLIVAN, b. 1819.

 9. CELIA SULLIVAN, b. 1820; m. NORRIS OWEN, SR.

Children of Thomas Sullivan and Mary Workman are:

FREDERICK2 SULLIVAN, b. February 20, 1821, Sullivan's Hollow, d. April 15, 1897, Sullivan's Hollow.

THOMAS JEFFERSON SULLIVAN, b. 1823; d. 1897, Sullivan's Hollow; m. MARY ELIZABETH STEWART.

CAROLINE SULLIVAN, b. 1824; d. 1872; m. H. ALLEN BYRD.

HENDERSON (HENSE) SULLIVAN, b. 1825.

ELIZA JANE SULLIVAN, b. July 28, 1827, Sullivan's Hollow; d. 1890, Rapides Parish, Louisania; m. CALVIN ATES, 1850.

MARK D. SULLIVAN, b. March 29, 1830, Sullivan's Hollow, d. August 17, 1913, Sullivan's Hollow.

WILEY (BIG WILEY) SULLIVAN, b. August 30, 1833, Sullivan's Hollow; d. April 18, 1904. m. ANNIE THERRISA REDDOCK.

MARY ANN SULLIVAN, b. May 19, 1835, Sullivan's Hollow; m. JOHN L. SPELL, September 1865.

SAMUEL SULLIVAN, b. June 11, 1839, Sullivan's Hollow; d. January 25, 1917; m. SARAH E. HATHORNE.

CORNELIUS (CONN) SULLIVAN, b. 1841, Sullivan's Hollow; m. JANE WIGGINTON.

LOUGHTON SULLIVAN, b. May 24, 1844, Sullivan's Hollow; d. August 20, 1898; m. MARTHA JO (MATTIE) WEST.

ALEXANDER M. SULLIVAN, b. October 09, 1847, Sullivan's Hollow; d. March 20, 1937, Smith County, Mississippi; m. MARYAN CATHERINE KEYES.

CLARA SULLIVAN, b. 1822, Sullivan's Hollow; m. JAMES "JIM" TEW.