Genealogy Research in Yazoo County

Many people visit Yazoo County each year in search of information and connections to their ancestors. The following guide is provided as a courtesy of Sue Patterson, Local Historian and Genealogist, on behalf of the Yazoo Historical Society and B.S. Ricks Memorial Library in Yazoo City, Mississippi. We have also included a list of resources that may help you in your search (below).

Webster Defines Genealogy as a “history of the descent of a person or family from an ancestor.” Genealogy Research can become obsessive whether you are tracing family history to establish eligibility in a patriotic society or contributing to local and family history. We all have ancestors who have left a mark on us with family traditions and culture even though we may not know who our ancestors were. Once you begin exploring your family ancestry, you never know what you might learn. You might make startling discoveries such as Ancestors’ important impact on our country’s history and outstanding military records, or you could find difficult information such as Ancestors’ long-buried secrets, tragedies, or bad behavior. The hunt can be never-ending with each new name leading you down a trail of new family members, history, and more connections to other families.

So, where do you begin? Start with yourself and everything you know about your family. Write down as much information as possible including names and relationships of family members; dates and places of major events, i.e., births, marriage, deaths; occupations, church memberships, residences, military service; family cemetery information, and family traditions.

Talk to older relatives (videotape or record audio if possible) about their memories of deceased relatives which can provide clues for further research and bring to life your ancestors. Search for family items from your own family or other relatives: family bibles, old photos, letters, postcards, telegrams and other correspondence, diaries, newspaper clippings, and official documents (marriage and death certificates, religious papers, property deeds, etc.). Make note of information gaps in your family information such as death, birth, or marriage dates or information about children.

Now, you can begin filling in the missing information. You can do this by delving into Public Records like Vital Records, Land Records, Court Records, and Probate Records; and by visiting research facilities in your area such as Libraries or State Archives. Check out Websites such as My Heritage, Heritage Quest, Family Search, Ancestor, Fold3, Find a Grave, and others. Some sites are free, and some have an annual fee which may give you access to records that you otherwise would have to travel or pay a separate fee to access. Don’t ignore anyone in your family even collateral relatives. Sometimes hunting for them can help you find more on your ancestor.

The availability of Birth, Marriage, and Death Records commonly referred to as Vital Records, varies by location (State Laws). The Mississippi State Board of Health, Bureau of Vital Statistics has kept birth and death records since 1912. The Mississippi Archives also has Death Records on microfilm from 1912 through the 1940s. In Mississippi, Marriage Records are found in the Circuit Clerk’s office. Federal Mortality Records (1850, 1860, 1870, and 1880) are also available with the census records.
Census Records 1790 – 1950 are very useful for providing clues about People and their lives. By 1850, names are recorded for each person in the household. Websites such as Ancestry, Family Search, Heritage Quest, and My Heritage have census records. Ricks Memorial Library also has Yazoo County Census Records on Microfilm. The Mississippi Archives also has Census Records on Microfilm.

Early land records consist of several types, ranging from private land claims and military bounty lands to homestead applications. Deeds with their grantor and grantee indexes and the tract books are valuable in providing time, place, and duration of residence in a specific locality.

Information in the deeds can frequently refer to property in other areas, former places of residence, and sometimes identifies the relationship between seller and buyer. The Land Records in Yazoo County are found at the Chancery Court Clerk’s office. The actual original land grants from the Federal Government can be gotten from the General Land Office in Springfield, VA, on the Bureau of Land Management Web Site, or Ancestry.

Looking for someone who is buried in a cemetery in Yazoo County? Check the Ricks Library Web site under local history for digital files on Cemeteries and Churches. Check the Cemetery Department on the City of Yazoo City Web Site for Glenwood Cemetery’s list of “occupants”. Of Course, you can always go visit the cemetery.
Wills and Probate Records including settlement of the estates are found in the Chancery Clerk’s office. In Yazoo County, the older loose Probate Records were sorted, filed, and indexed by Latter-Day Saint Church members in the Chancery Court Clerk’s office.

You may find yourself looking for Military records. Tombstones could depict Military Service. Check websites such as Fold3 for your ancestor’s military activity. National Archives and Mississippi Archives have military records, such as pension records. Check the online catalog on their websites for their inventories.

Early newspapers often contained notices of births, marriages, divorces, deaths, and other good genealogical information. County or small-town newspapers generally contained more biographical data than larger newspapers in obituaries. Check a website such as Newspaper.com to get access, or use one of the ancestry research websites mentioned earlier which may include access to those records. Ricks Memorial Library has The Yazoo Herald on microfilm and paper copies for more recent issues. Some older newspapers such as Yazoo Sentinel, Whig, Democrat, People Press, and Banner have limited copies on microfilm.

Look for Local Family Histories, Town Histories, Published Cemetery Records, and other Published Records, i.e., Deeds, Tax Lists, Birth and Death Records in Local Newspapers, City and State Directories, and State Laws at Libraries and Archives. Use the Internet to check out other areas, to exchange information and queries on Surnames Forums or County Forums, etc. But, be wary of undocumented research on the Internet! Always be aware of the source of the information. DNA testing is another excellent source for identifying cousins and families, provided there are others who have taken this step.

Collecting data for a Family History is like putting together a jigsaw puzzle. Data and facts and names and dates found here and there gradually fit together and fall into place to make a family, its members and branches, and their migrations. Genealogical Research can open up new interests, as one discovers new ancestors and visits the areas where your ancestors once lived.

Helpful Links:

Local Genealogy Resources:
Ricks Memorial Library – https://yazoolibraryassociation.org/
The Yazoo Herald (local newspaper) – www.yazooherald.net
Yazoo County Courthouse – 209 E Broadway, Yazoo City, Mississippi

Information across the web:
National Archives and Records Administration (1940 Census) – https://1940census.archives.gov/
Mississippi Genealogy & History Network’s Yazoo County site – https://yazoo.msghn.org/
MSGenWeb’s Yazoo County site – https://sites.rootsweb.com/~msyazoo/

*The links on this page are presented to you without warranty or guarantee as to their accuracy or safety. Always use caution when browsing the Internet.