STIGLETS LANDING
Harrison County, Mississippi
Stiglets Landing was a small trading post and ferry landing located on the Biloxi River in Section 32, T6S-R9W about five miles from the upper reaches of Biloxi Bay southwest of the Woolmarket community. It was founded by Joseph Marion Stiglets (1852-1924) on the site of the old Powell-Hester-Saffold ferry landing in November 1884, when he bought most of the SE/4 of the SW/4 and the S/2 of the NE/4 of SW/4 of Section 32 (acres) from Dr. David M. Dunlap of Ocean Springs, Jackson County, Mississippi for $900.(1)
Dr. Dunlap (1803-1884+) was born at South Carolina. He practiced medicine at Ocean Springs from the early 1870s, until about the time he sold his Biloxi River property to Stiglets. Dunlap was married to Mary T. Dunlap (b. 1830) of Georgia. They had at least three children: James Dunlap (1858-1884+), Mary or Matty Dunlap (b. 1864), and Edward Dunlap (1868-1884+).
It is interesting to note that Dr. Dunlap had purchased the river property from Thomas W. Grayson (1825-1904) and his wife, Anne Hyde (1832-1906), in January 1882 for $2500.(2) At the same time, Dr. Dunlap sold Thomas W. Grayson a tract of land comprising over three acres in the heart of Ocean Springs bounded by Washington Avenue and Jackson Avenue between Porter and Desoto (Lots 1, 2, 3, 7, and 8 of Block 27-Culmseig Map of 1854). Here the Dunlaps had erected a large edifice.
Thomas W. Grayson is believed to have operated a mercantile store on his Biloxi River landing site before moving to Jackson County. At Ocean Springs, Grayson became a Justice of the Peace and also served the citizens there as mayor from 1897 to 1898.
Joseph M. Stiglets was the son of Austrian immigrant (Trieste, Italy), Vincent Stiglets (1805-1893), and Felicite Ladner (1824-1896). Vincent Stiglets had immigrated to the United States before 1850. He made his livelihood as a ship carpenter. Vincent Stiglets built trading schooners at his boatyard located at Stonewall, Mississippi. Some of his vessels were the: ?? check with Rusty Barnes.
The other eleven children of Vincent and Felicite Stiglets were: Thomas A. Stiglets (1842-1880+), Christian (b. 1843), Ellen S. Richard (1846-1914), Vincent Stiglets, Jr. (1850), Moses Stiglets (1853-1947), John A. Stiglets (1855-1930), Ursan Stiglets (1857-1887), Felicite S.
Bennett (1859-1930), Mary S. Peterson (1862-1907), Nora S. Kahler (1865-1943), and Anna Taltavull (1867-1941). Most of this family is interred at the Coalville Cemetery at Woolmarket.
Joseph M. Stiglets married Melissa H. Stewart (1857-1926) on February 5, 1879. Their children were: Margaret Olivia Stiglets (1881-1976), Marion Stiglets (b. 1883), Elizabeth Caralyn Stiglets (1885-1971), Elva Stiglets Kimball (1888-1980), infant boy Stigletts (1890-1890), Winnie Stiglets (1892-1910), Maud Stiglets (b. 1893), and Lu Rovena Stiglets Martin (1897-1997).
Anectdotal stories relate that Captain Stiglets deepened the lagoon in front of his home to the Biloxi River. Here he constructed docking facilities and a warehouse for his five coastal trading schooners. At the peak of the lumber and wool industry in the Woolmarket area, Stiglets employed more than five-hundred men in logging and shipping.
The Stiglets Landing site remained in the family for many years. As late as 1957, two of Captain Stiglet's daughters lived in the old homeplace on the Biloxi River.
Joseph Marion Stiglets (1852-1924) married Melissa H. Stewart (1857-1926) on February 5, 1879. He was the son of Vincent Stiglets and Felicite Ladner. Captain Stiglets bought the Thomas W. Grayson house and landing site on the Biloxi River at Woolmarket after the Civil War. Here he deepened the lagoon to the river as a landing for his five trading schooners. Stiglets at the height of the lumber and wool boom in the area employed over 500 men in logging and shipping.
Their children were: Clara S. Cox , Margaret Olivia Stiglets (1881-1976), Marion S. Beasely (1883-1961), Elizabeth Caralyn Stiglets (1885-1971), Elva S. Kimball (1888-1980), infant boy (1890-1890), Winnie (1892-1910), Maud (1893), and Lula Martin (1895-1997).
JOHN A. STIGLETS
John Alva Stiglets (1855-1930) married Victoria Richards (1866-1947) on February 26, 1885. She was the daughter of Moses Victor Richards (1837-1925) and Martha Annie Bennett Fayard (1841-1917), the widow of David Fayard.
Their children: Rose Ida Krebs (1886-1929), Isabella Pugh (1888-1960), John Alva (1890-1969), Leone Pearl Bass (1892-1968), Mathilda Gladys Henderson (1895-), and Althea Agnes Arnold (1897-1987).
Rose Ida Stiglets married Ray Flechas Krebs (1892-1972) of Pascagoula on November 12, 1913. Children: Victor Ray Krebs and John Edward Krebs (1916-1973).
In 1900, John Stiglets was a day laborer. John Stiglets died December 3, 1930. Victoria Stiglets died July 26, 1947.
BRISCOE STIGLETS
Vincent Stiglets, Jr. may have been called Briscoe Stiglets (1864). He married Caldonia Watson in October 1891. He married Mary Deveraux (1872) in August 1898. A schooner captain in 1900. Children: Missouri Stiglets (1893), and Harry Jason Stiglets (1896-1976), and James Stiglets (1900).
MOSES STIGLETS
Moses Stiglets (1868-1947) married Emily Watson. He was a schooner captain in 1900. Children: Eddie (b. 1889), Wiley Stiglets (1891-1935), Jesse Stiglets (1891-1932), Andrew Stiglets (1894-1963), and Ola Stiglets (1896-1982).
MATTHEW STIGLETTS
Matthew Stiglets (1815-1860+) was born at Austria. Probably brother of Vincent Stiglets (1810-1880+). Wife, Antonia Getzon (1815), also Austrian born. Children: Matthew, Jr. (1842), Johanna (1848), and Catherine (1860). Came to U.S. after 1848.
REFERENCES:
1. Harrison County, Ms. Land Deed Book 20, p. 231.
2. ------------------------------ Book 18, pp. 350-351.
Mississippi Gulf Coast: Yesterday and Today (1699-1937),(Gulport Printing Company: Gulfport, Mississippi-1937), pp. 136-137.
The History of Jackson County, Mississippi, "John Edward Krebs", (Jackson County Genealogical Society: Pascagoula-1989), pp. 250-251.
John A. Stiglets Family Collection-Biloxi Public Library, History and Genealogy Archives, Murella H. Powell, curator.
The Daily Herald, "Coastlore", August 1, 1976.
The Mobile Press Register, "Stiglet's Landing Was Active Scene Of Much Trading", May 19, 1957.
The Ocean Springs Record, "Sous Les Chenes", November 10, 1994.
The Ocean Springs Record, "Sous Les Chenes", May 18, 1995, p. 22.
The Sun Herald, "Lu Rovena Stiglets Martin", February 5, 1997, p. C-2.
US CENSUS-Harrison County, Mississippi (1850, 1860, 1870, 1880, and 1900).
U.S. CENSUS-Jackson County, Mississippi (1900)
ROSWELL S. KIMBALL
(1886-1948)
Roswell Sidney Kimball (1886-1948) was born at Scriven County, Georgia. He married Elva Stiglets (1888-1980) circa 1917. She was the daughter of Joseph M. Stiglets (1853-1924) and Melissa H. Stewart (1857-1926) of Woolmarket who married February 5, 1879. Mrs. Kimball's siblings were: Margaret Olivia Stiglets (1881-1976), Marion Stiglets (b. 1883), Elizabeth Caralyn Stiglets (1885-1976), infant son (1890-1890), Winnie Stiglets (1892-1910), Maud Stiglets (b. 1893), and Lulu Stiglets Martin (1895-1995).
Joseph M. Stiglets owned a lumber mill and schooner landing, Stiglets Landing, near Woolmarket on the Biloxi River. He was the son of Vincent Stiglets (1810-1893) and Felicity Ladner (1830-1896). His father was born at Austria, and made his livelihood as a ship carpenter.
Roswell Kimball came to the Mississippi coast in 1913. Before he moved to Gautier in the 1930s, Kimball operated a commissary store at a turpentine still at Hilda, Mississippi. Hilda, a small community west of Gautier, was the site of the Lyon Consolidated School. The school took students from Gautier, Martin's Bluff, and Fontainebleau.
At Gautier, Kimball bought the general store of Horace Hinds who relocated to Gulfport. The R.S. Kimball Store was located near the L&N depot and U.S. Post Office. The L&N Railroad owned the land and building. In the early 1940s, Kimball sold the store to P.J. Ziegler. Later the
L&N demolished the building.
Kimball moved to Ocean Springs in March 1942, when Mrs. Elva Kimball purchased Lot 1 of the Iberville Subdivision from David M. Davis.(1) She bought Lot 2 in April 1948 from Davis.(2) They lived in the old W.B. Schmidt house at 227 Beach Drive. Kimball was a pulp wood agent for International Paper Company at Moss Point. Home damaged in Camille.
One son, Roswell S. Kimball, Jr. (1921-1995). Graduated from Biloxi High School in 1938. He also worked as a pulp wood agent for IP, and owned the Kimball Timber Company of Biloxi. Never married. When his mother died in 1980, Kimball inherited the house.(3)
R.S. kimball was a Master Mason and member of the McLeod Lodge No. 424. He was also a 32nd degree Mason of the Gulfport Scottish Rite Bodies. Member of the Joppa Temple Shrine and past chairman of the board of the Sunkist Country Club.
Roswell S. Kimball, Jr. died on April 18, 1995. Remains interred at Coalville Cemetery at Woolmarket.
REFERENCES:
1. Jackson County, Mississippi Land Deed Book 79, pp. 406-407.
2. ------------------------------------- Book 100, pp. 431-432.
3. Jackson County, Mississippi Chancery Court Cause No. 40, 293, "The Estate of Elva S. Kimball", (August 14, 1941).
The History of Jackson County, Mississippi, "Lyon Rural Consolidated Separate School District", (Jackson County Genealogical Society: Pascagoula, Mississippi-1989), p. 49-50.
The Jackson County Times, "Roswell Kimball Obit", October 8, 1948, p. 1.
The Ocean Springs Record, "Roswell S. Kimball", April 27, 1995, p. .
Personal Communication:
James LeBatard (Gautier, Mississippi)-August 1995.
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