This entry is part of the 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks series. This week’s prompt is 12. To see other posts in this series, view my 52 Ancestors in 2019 index.
This week’s prompt could be interpreted in many ways. The “12” could refer to an important date or may bring to mind an ancestor with 12 children. I thought of the War of 1812 and Bailey Loving, my 4x-great-grandfather who served in the Mississippi Militia during this conflict.
Bailey is actually my 4x-great-grandfather twice. My 2x-great-grandparents Leonard Smith and Jemima Carrie Guess were first cousins, both grandchildren of Bailey Loving. Leonard’s mother was Elizabeth Loving, and Jemima’s mother was Nancy Cook Loving, daughters of Bailey Loving and Nancy Cook.
I have not found many records about Bailey Loving’s early life. From census records, I can estimate he was born between 1776 and 1780.¹ He married Nancy Cook,² probably around 1804.³ I am unsure where these events happened, but he was living in Mississippi Territory by 1815.⁴
Bailey enlisted as a private in Captain William Smith’s company of the 13th Regiment Mississippi Militia on January 6, 1815.⁵ He enlisted for three months, but he would serve only one.⁶ Unknown to fighting forces on both sides, the Treaty of Ghent was signed on December 24, 1814, bringing the war to an end. It took over a month for news to reach the United States, during which time Andrew Jackson led the American forces to victory at the Battle of New Orleans. This battle took place on January 8, 1815 — just two days after Bailey enlisted.
Bailey probably did not participate in the Battle of New Orleans. His regiment is not listed on the National Park Service’s Battle of New Orleans, War of 1812, American Muster and Troop Roster List. Correspondence of Lt. Col. George Henry Nixon, the 13th Regiment’s commander, show the regiment camped in Pearl River County during November 1814 and January 1815.⁷ This location is northwest of New Orleans, on the Louisiana/Mississippi border, in the area disputed between the United States and Spain.
Bailey’s appearance on his one muster roll show he was absent, with remarks “on command to the smith shop.”⁸ Maybe they sent the new guy on an easy errand?
Bailey was discharged February 5, 1815, and paid eight dollars for his one month of service.⁹
Bailey returned home and next appears on the 1818 state census in Lawrence County. This was the first census taken after Mississippi became a state in 1817. The images are extremely difficult to read, but the household was recorded with the following members, suggesting a husband, wife, and five children:
Lovin, Baily¹⁰
White Males over 21 = 1
White Males under 21 = 2
White Females over 21 = 1
White Females under 21 = 3
Total of White = 7
Bailey and his family next appear in the 1820 federal census in Lawrence County:
Bailey Loving¹¹
Free White Persons – Male – age 10-15 = 2
Free White Persons – Male – age 26-44 = 1
Free White Persons – Female – under 10 = 1
Free White Persons – Female – 16-25 = 1
The family seems to have gained one female child and lost two female children between the 1818 and 1820 censuses. It could have been due to death or marriage. I also would have expected a female in the age category of 26-44 years. Was wife Nancy missed?
Bailey purchased two tracts of land during this time. He purchased 155 acres west of Brookhaven in Lawrence (later Lincoln) County on October 10, 1820.¹² He purchased 73 more acres west of Hazelhurt in Copiah County, on October 1, 1825.¹³
Bailey appears on his last census in 1830 in Lawrence County:
Bailey Lovin¹⁴
Free White Persons – Males – 10-14 = 2
Free White Persons – Males – 50-59 = 1
Free White Persons – Females – 10-14 = 1
Free White Persons – Females – 15-19 = 1
Free White Persons – Females – 50-59 = 1
Both Bailey and wife Nancy are in the age 50-59 category with two male children and two female children.
Bailey does not appear on any subsequent census; therefore, he likely died after 1830 in Lawrence County, Mississippi. His burial place is unknown.
¹ Bailey appears in the age 26-44 category in the 1820 census, placing his birth no earlier than 1776. He appears in the age 50-59 category in the 1830 census, placing his birth no later than 1780.
1820 U.S. census, Lawrence County, MS, population schedule, p. 72 (penned), line 25, Bailey Loving; image, Ancestry.com (https://www.ancestry.com/interactive/7734/4433380_00082 : accessed 20 Mar 2019); citing NARA publication M33, roll 57.
1830 U.S. census, Lawrence County, MS, population schedule, p. 58 (stamped), line 3, Lovin Bailey; image, Ancestry.com (https://www.ancestry.com/interactive/8058/4410666_00107 : accessed 20 Mar 2019); citing NARA publication M19; roll 71.
² I have not located a marriage record for Bailey Loving and Nancy Cook, but nearly all family trees list his wife as Nancy Cook, citing a book by Mary Read entitled Loving History in America. I have not found a copy of this book yet. However, having a daughter named Nancy Cook Loving does support the theory of the mother being named Nancy Cook.
³ Marriage date estimated a year before oldest child’s possible birth date on 1820 census.
1820 U.S. census, Lawrence Co, MS, pop. sch. p. 72 (penned), line 25, Bailey Loving.
⁴ “Compiled Service Records of Volunteer Soldiers Who Served During the War of 1812 in Organizations from the Territory of Mississippi,” database with images, Fold3 (http://www.fold3.com : accessed 20 Mar 2019), “Bailey Lovin,” NA catalog identifier 300392; citing Record Group 94; Carded Records Showing Military Service of Soldiers Who Fought in Volunteer Organizations During the War of 1812, compiled 1899-1927, documenting the period 1812 – 1815.
⁵ Ibid.
⁶ Ibid.
⁷ Allan Thomas, WikiTree (https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Space:LT._COL._George_Henry_Nixon%27s_Military_Career : accessed 20 Mar 2019), “Lt. Col. George Henry Nixon’s Military Career.”
⁸ “Compiled Service Records of Volunteer Soldiers Who Served During the War of 1812 in Organizations from the Territory of Mississippi,” database with images, Fold3 (http://www.fold3.com : accessed 20 Mar 2019), “Bailey Lovin,” NA catalog identifier 300392; citing Record Group 94; Carded Records Showing Military Service of Soldiers Who Fought in Volunteer Organizations During the War of 1812, compiled 1899-1927, documenting the period 1812 – 1815.
⁹ Ibid.
¹⁰ 1818 Mississippi state census, Lawrence County, population schedule, p. (unnumbered), col. 2, line 9, Lovin Baily; image, Ancestry.com (https://www.ancestry.com/interactive/1125/v229_2-0323 : accessed 20 Mar 2019); citing Mississippi State and Territorial Censuses, 1792-1866, microfilm V229.
¹¹ 1820 U.S. census, Lawrence Co, MS, pop. sch. p. 72 (penned), line 25, Bailey Loving.
¹² Bureau of Land Management, “Land Patent Search,” database, General Land Office Records (https://glorecords.blm.gov/details/patent/default.aspx?accession=0111-202&docClass=CV&sid=15rnin3z.k1j : accessed 20 Mar 2019), entry for Bailey Lovin, Lincoln County, Mississippi, no. 956.
¹³ Bureau of Land Management, “Land Patent Search,” database, General Land Office Records (https://glorecords.blm.gov/details/patent/default.aspx?accession=MS0100__.237&docClass=STA&sid=15rnin3z.k1j : accessed 20 Mar 2019), entry for Bailey Lovin, Copiah County, Mississippi, no. 1227.
¹⁴ 1830 U.S. census, Lawrence Co., MS, pop. sch., p. 58 (stamped), line 3, Lovin Bailey.