Franklin Christian Heidelberg was born 27 Mar 1852 in Jasper County, MS to Amanda Page, a mulatto slave born circa 1835 in Georgia. His father was one of the Heidelberg's that settled in Jasper County, MS before the Civil War. A strong possibility is John Christian Heidelberg, b. 1831 in Georgia in that Frank's middle name was Christian and he in turn named a son Henry Clay and a daughter Harriet. It was a practice amongst slaves to name their children after the slave owner particularly if a relationship transpired.

The 1850 Census for Jasper County, MS shows that John Christian Heidelberg was a 35 year-old wealthy attorney married to Nancy (Reeves) of Ohio. He owned personal property and real estate valued at $40000. The slave schedule shows that he owned a 16 year-old mulatto female slave fitting the description of Amanda Page.

The 1860 Jasper County Slave Schedule listed two slaves owned by Nancy Reeves Heidelberg who was now divorced from John Christian Heidelberg. One was a black female, age 25 and the other a mulatto child, age 8. The age, sex and race of these two slaves are consistent with the sex, age and race of Amanda and Frank who was 8 years old in 1860.

The 1870 Census for Jasper County, MS shows Amanda Page, age 35; living at dwelling 210 in Paulding with her son Chris Heidelberg, age 18. Amanda and Chris are listed as mulatto. She owns personal property valued at $250 and is a house keeper who could neither read nor write. Living in the house with them were Angeline Crosby, age 30 and two children: Candass Crosby, age 4, and Olly Crosby, age 1. They were also listed as mulatto.

When Frank was about 20 years old, he married Pernecia Ann Ainsworth who was called Annie. Annie was the daughter of Sampson “Jeff” Ainsworth and his slave, Martha Ann of Smith County, MS. She was born May 07, 1854.

In 1880, Frank Heidelberg was now 28 years old married to Ann, age 26 and living in Jasper County, MS in District 111. Listed in his household were the following children: Laura, age 8; Mary Alice, age 6; Leanna, age 4; and Henry Clay, age 9 mos. Frank and Ann were farmers who could neither read nor write. Their daughter, Laura attended school. Living in the household with Frank and his family were Melinda Hall, age 40 and her children, Liza, age 14 and Billy, age 9. Also listed in the household were Minerva Page , age 28, and her children, Cora, age 7, Nelson, age 4 and Dicey, age 4 mos. Living in the neighborhood near Frank in dwellings 23 - 25 were several Thigpen and Page families. Frank and his family are all listed as mulattos. Melinda was listed as black while Liza and Billy were listed as mulatto. The rest of the household was listed as black. Melinda may be the slave (Molinda) that John's father, Thomas Christian Heidelberg, gifted to his granddaughter in 1831.

Frank Heidelberg moved his rather large family to the Kelly Settlement Community in northern Perry County, MS between 1870 and 1880 about seven miles northwest of present day Hattiesburg, MS and just across the county line from Jones County. This area was populated by a large number of mixed black families and many descendants of John Kelly's slave, Sarah. According to Ruth Lindsay Bates, it was hard for residence in Kelly Settlement to find someone to marry, so when Heidelberg's moved into the neighborhood with his eligible daughters they all found spouses.

According to the 1900 Census of Perry County, 46 year old Frank Heidelberg was living with his family in the Kelly Settlement Community (Perry County, Beat 2) at dwelling 102. It is a family farm and the property is owned free and clear of debt. The house which has just recently been torn down by great grandson, Vernon Dahmer, Jr. was a fairly large structure. The household was very crowded with several adult children living with them. Frank and Ann had been married 29 years. She, age 46, indicates that she is the mother of 7 children all of whom are living. Their oldest daughter, Laura is widowed and her children are living with Frank and Ann. In all there are 4 grandchildren surnamed Thigpen living in the house. Besides Laura and the grandchildren, there are Mary Alice, Leanna, Henry, Ben Franklin, Hattie and Walter R. living in the house.

In May of 1910, Frank and Annie Heidelberg were still living in Kelly Settlement at dwelling next door to son-in-law Elbert Green Kelly. His son, Benjamin Franklin, age 28 and two grandchildren: Ruthie Thigpen, age 19, and Norman Thigpen, age 12 were living in the household. Frank and Ann had been married for 39 years. He is 58 years old and she is 56 years old.

The 1920 Census for Forrest County, MS, Beat 2 (ED 15) shows the following on Roll T625-875: Frank Heidelberg, head, owned property, free of mortgage, male mulatto, age 67, cannot read and write, born in MS, mother born in Georgia and father born in Virginia, farmer working on own account; Ann, wife, female, age 63, cannot read and write; Walter, son, male, age 30, can read and write; and Mandy Page, mother, female, age 83, cannot read and write, born in MS.

The Heidelberg's are buried in the family grave located on their property on Wyatt Ellis Road in Hattiesburg, MS just across the river from Estabutchie, MS.

---

Return to the Jasper County Main Page