Hello Researchers, I am new to this list. I am trying to track down any truth behind family stories that my gg grandparents went to work at a cotton mill in (or near) Wesson (Copiah Co.), MS during the 1870s. Does anyone know if a cotton mill existed in or around Wesson, MS in the 1870s? Also, the story goes that they got sick during an epidemic of the measles and died, as did their small son from the measles. I have not been able to locate the graves for any of them and wondered if anyone on the list has any information that might help me to confirm or disregard these family tales? Was there a cotton mill and has anyone ever heard about a measles epidemic in about 1876? Would employees of the cotton mill have been buried in a particular cemetery? I would appreciate hearing from anyone with any knowledge at all about any of this. Thanks in advance, Janice

Hi Janice, Yes, there was a cotton mill. It was started up by Colonel Wesson. There still stands one of the old buildings. Wesson made Mississippi Silk, the finest cotton of the south. I have a book somewhere on the history of Wesson. I will try and find it and share more. I believe the book can be found in the Wesson Library. Hours are short, as it is run by one volunteer. I can't recall her name at the moment. The main cemetery, Wesson Cemetery, is close by. I would imagine that would be where most are. Annie Jrc1530@aol.com wrote: > > Hello Researchers, > > I am new to this list. I am trying to track down any truth behind > family stories that my gg grandparents went to work at a cotton mill in (or > near) Wesson (Copiah Co.), MS during the 1870s. Does anyone know if a cotton > mill existed in or around Wesson, MS in the 1870s? Also, the story goes that > they got sick during an epidemic of the measles and died, as did their small > son from the measles. > > I have not been able to locate the graves for any of them and wondered > if anyone on the list has any information that might help me to confirm or > disregard these family tales? Was there a cotton mill and has anyone ever > heard about a measles epidemic in about 1876? Would employees of the cotton > mill have been buried in a particular cemetery? > > I would appreciate hearing from anyone with any knowledge at all about > any of this. > > Thanks in advance, > Janice > > ==== MSCOPIAH Mailing List ==== > Check out the county page at > http://www.rootsweb.com/~mscopiah > > ============================== > Visit Ancestry.com for a FREE 14-Day Trial and enjoy access to the #1 > Source for Family History Online. Go to: > http://www.ancestry.com/subscribe/subscribetrial1y.asp?sourcecode=F11HB