ISAAC AND ELIZABETH

 ~~~~~~~~~~ 

 

I know you didn’t come here expecting to read the formal life story of Isaac and Elizabeth Dyson. That’s not the case for slaves or ex-slaves from the woods of Louisiana. Their lives didn’t start until the mid 1860’s when they were freed from the bonds of slavery and finally had a say in their future. What now? Most had knowledge of farming and that’s what they did to provide for their family - looks like that was Isaac and Elizabeth’s destiny. We can piece together their lives and the lives of their children by taking a look at the information on the United States Federal Census records from 1870 to 1940.

The first census in which the family was listed by their first and last name was recorded on July 3, 1870. Isaac - 44, a farmer, was living in Ward 2 of Washington Parish along with his wife Elizabeth - 40, and their 6 children. Elizabeth was keeping house, and their 4 older children, Nancy - 20, February - 18, Anna - 16 and Harry - 14, were working on the farm with their dad. The two youngest, Moses - 12 and Mary - 3, were at home with mom. All were born in Louisiana and all were listed as illiterate - could not read and write. The family owned no real or personal property of any value and were possibly sharecroppers.  Note, their son Anthony was not listed with the family. Where could he have been?

Their neighbors included Granville Tate, a mulatto, and his wife Chloe.  Also nearby was Green and Rose Tate Dyson. All were born in Louisiana, illiterate, and farmers.

On June 12, 1880, Isaac - 56, was living in Ward 2 of Tangipahoa Parish. Elizabeth - 50, a mulatto, was keeping house. Also in the household were their 5 children: Anthony - 22 and married, Harry - 20, Moses - 18, Willie - 10 and Lucy - 5. Anthony’s wife, Theodisia "Docie" - 20 and their 8-month-old daughter, Rose C.E., were also living in the home. Isaac was farming with the help of his older children and daughter-n-law.  Fredrick had married and moved from the family home.  Anthony was the only household member who could read and write.

The 1880 Census was the first one to list the birthplace of parents. Isaac’s father and mother were born in South Carolina. Elizabeth’s mom was born in Louisiana but no location was indicated for her father. Theodisia and her mother were born in Louisiana, no location was listed for her father.

Living next door was the widower, Green Dyson - 45, and his 7 children. All were illiterate except his oldest son Thomas. Green was born in Louisiana, his parents in Georgia. Interesting to note that Green had a daughter, Mary - 12, listed who was not with his family in 1870. Could Mary be the 3-year-old listed with Isaac in 1870? Quite a big age spread between Moses and Mary in 1870. There was no consistency in ages between the two censuses. None of the school age children had attended school within the census year.

United States census records for 1890 were destroyed.

On June 11, 1900, Elizabeth, a 71-year-old widow, was living with her son Moses and his family in the house he rented in Ward 2 of Washington Parish. It was indicated on the census record that June 1828 was the month and year of Elizabeth’s birth. Can we presume that Elizabeth was born between June 12th and 30th since her age was listed as 71?   Louisiana was specified as the birthplace for Elizabeth and her father and South Carolina for her mother. Elizabeth and her grandchildren could not read or write, however, Moses and his wife of 7 years, Georgie Ann Jackson, were literate.

Elizabeth’s maiden name has not been confirmed but we can confidently say that she was affectionately known as Betty. Death certificates for three of her children listed their mother’s name as Betty Brumfield, Betty Dyson and Bettie Cyprand.  Elizabeth Dyson was not located in any census records after 1900 so she possibly died some time before 1910. Deaths were not required to be registered in the state of Louisiana until 1914. 

In a 1910 hospital interview, Anthony stated that his father was Isaac Dyson who died in 1885.

The couple was blessed with 9 children, 50 grandchildren, 235 great-grandchildren and numerous great-great-grandchildren and beyond. Their descendants have advanced far beyond farming and mastered other professions.

Stepping away from the census records and recalling family lore, Elizabeth was said to be the daughter of the slaveholder who was an Irishman name Dyson. He possibly lived around Osyka or Chatawa, Mississippi in Pike County, just across the Louisiana state line. Supposedly, Elizabeth was the house mistress of the slaveholder and stayed in a shack on his farm.

On a side note...since Green Dyson was living near Isaac and Elizabeth in the earlier census records, we have to wonder not if, but how, they were related. Besides, we have been told of a kinship between the offspring of Isaac, Green and other Dysons in the area but have no definitive answer to how they are related. Maybe someone will shed some light?