HAIRSTON.org ID#108, b. 21 January 1811, d. 12 May 1885
| Birth* | George "Major" Hairston was born on 21 January 1811 in Fort Mayo, Patrick, Virginia.2,3 |
| He was the son of Hardin Hairston and Sarah "Sally" Stovall STAPLES.1,2 |
| College* | George HAIRSTON graduated from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina in 1832.4 |
| Census 1840a | George "Major" Hairston listed in the household of Hardin Hairston on 1 June 1840 in Lowndes, Mississippi; Hardin Hairston; males 20-29 1 (Hardin would have been 54 years old in 1840, this is probably Hardin's son George who was 28 or 29), slaves 53.5  |
| Census 1850 Agri* | George "Major" Hairston appeared on the Mississippi Agriculture Census of 1850 in Lowndes, Mississippi, Page 11. FSL #7942515 image 77. |
| Census 1850 | He appeared on the 1850 census of Hardin Hairston on 25 September 1850 in Lowndes, Mississippi; Hardin 64, Elizabeth 40, (the following children are Col. Samuel Hairston's) Elizabeth 15, Sarah 18, Samuel 20, Theodosia 13, John 11, Robert 8, George 5, Joseph 3, Sanders 1, and Hardin's son George 38 VA.6 |
| Tax Rolls | George Hairston paid 1852 taxes in Lowndes County, Mississippi; 1 watch $100, 20 cattle, 1 horse of $75, 1 white polls, 64 slaves between 5 and 60, state tax $20.42, county tax $20.42. Lowndes County Tax 1852, page 15. FSL 8610738 image 484. |
| Newspaper* | On 18 September 1852, an Administrator's Notice was published in the Columbus Democrat newspaper, page 3, for the estate of Major Robert Hairston (1783-1852). The estate administrator was George Hairston (1811-1885). |
| Tax Rolls | The 1853 Lowndes County tax records show the following for George Harston: 1 watch $100, 1 horse $75, 62 slaves under 60, 1 free white polls, $24.66 state tax, $12.33 county tax and $67.80 rail road tax. Lowndes County Tax 1853, page 18. FSL 8610738 image 529. |
| Deed | On 13 March 1855, George Hairston purchases 320 acres in Lowndes County from Joseph Mhoon for $2,200. - Lowndes County Deed Book 28, page 779. FSL #8567197, image 432. |
| Tax Rolls | George Hairston paid 1857 taxes in Lowndes County, Mississippi; $3700 loaned, 1 carriage $100, 1 watch $100, 10 cattle, 2 horses $300, 1 white polls, 98 slaves between 5 and 60, state tax $50.35. Lowndes County Tax 1857, page 18. FSL 8610738 image 582. |
| Will | In Elizabeth Perkins HAIRSTON's will dated 21 April 1858 in Will Book 1, pages 15-17, Lowndes, Mississippi, George "Major" Hairston was named as executor; FSL #5835939, images 102-103.7 |
| Deed | George Hairston purchased land from Patrick H. and Mary Whitlock in Lowndes County on 22 October 1858. - Lowndes County Deed Book 31, pages 104-105. FSL #8567104 image 62. |
| Deed | On 6 November 1858, George sells a Negro girl naned Cate to F. Randell, Esqr. for $1,100. - Lowndes County Deed Book 31, page 210. FSL #8567104 image 117. |
| Deed | Samuel and Agnes J. P. Hairston of Pittsylvania County, Virginia, purchase 241 acres of property in Lowndes County, Mississippi from George Hairston of Lowndes County, Mississippi for $6,854, 29 December 1858. - Lowndes County Deed Vol. 31, page 325-326. FSL #8567104 image 178. |
| Tax Rolls | George Hairston paid 1859 taxes in Lowndes County, Mississippi; $1,328 loaned, 1 carriage $100, 1 watch $100, 20 cattle, 1 horse $250, 0 white polls, 95 slaves between 5 and 60, state tax $43.74. - Lowndes County Tax 1859, page 20. FSL 8610738 image 637. |
| Deed | On 3 January 1859, George Hairston purchases land at a sheriffs sale. - Lowndes Deed Book 31, page 216. FSL #8567104, image 120. |
| Deed | George Hairston purchases property in Lowndes County from Malcolm F. Gilchrist of Panola County on 25 February 1859. - Lowndes County Deed Book Vol. 31, pages 379-380. FSL #8567104, image 206. |
| Deed | George Hairston of Lowndes County purchases 244 acres of property in Lowndes County from the children of John Adams Hairston of Yalobusha County on 4 April 1859. The sale was witnessed by George S. Hairston, Ruth H. Hairston and Lizzie Jones. - Lowndes County Deed Book Vol. 31, pages 408-410. FSL #8567104 image 221. |
| Census 1860* | He was Head of Household on 24 July 1860 in Lowndes, Mississippi, George Hairston, a 45 year old White planter, living alone, born in Virginia, owning $37,000 in land and $130,000 in personal property.8 |
| Will | In Hardin Hairston's will dated 29 September 1862 in Lowndes, Mississippi, George "Major" Hairston was named as an heir; Hardin Hairston left a will dated 29 September 1862, Lowndes County Courthouse, Mississippi, Will Book 1, page 122-124. FSL #5835939, images 159-160. PDF transcript and a copy of will attached.9 |
| Military* | On 20 July 1865, George Hairston writes a letter to the President Andrew Johnson to request clemency. He states he was born in Patrick county Va. in 1811 and "was never in any way connected with the army - except in the State Militia for one month". - Confererate Amnesty Papers, 1865-1867, NARA 656621, Record Group 94. |
| Census 1866* | He appeared on the 1866 Mississippi Census of 1866; George Hairston, who is over 50 and living with another White man 20-30 years old. Listed on the same census page is Elizabeth Anthony who is between 21 and 30 years old and a male under 10 years old, listed as a Negro or Mulatto. - Lowndes County, State of Mississippi 1866 Census, page 35. FSL #4827065, image 67. |
| Deed | On 3 February 1868, Letitier J. Smith sells 30 acres of land in Lowndes County to George Hairston. - Lowndes Deed Book 36, page 82. FSL #8567108, image 50. |
| Census 1870* | He was Head of Household on 18 June 1870 in Lowndes, Mississippi, George Hairston, 59 year old (c1811) farmer born in Virginia that can read and write. George Hairston Jr., (not a son of Major George) 22 year old (c1848) White farm laborer born in Alabama, Anna Hairston (not a daughter of Major George) 18 year old (c1852) White born in Alabama, keeping house, and William 8 year old (c1862) Mulatto born Mississippi. NOTE: George Jr., Anna and William are not children of Elizabeth Anthony, as she did not move to Major George's farm until after emancipation in 1865. In the 1866 Mississippi census, Elizabeth Anthony is listed with 1 Black male under 10.10 |
| Deed | On 15 August 1871, George Hairston, his brother Nicoholas E. Hairston and Nicholas's wife Kizzie, obtained a loan on the purchase of about 94 acres of land in Chicago that is north of the current Garfield Park. - Cook Deed Book 5, page 55-58. FSL #8576402, image 713-716. |
| Deed | On 24 July 1873, George Hairston deeds 73 3/4 acres to Flemin S. Hairston (Fleming Saunder Hairston, his sister's son). - Lowndes Deed Book 45, page 24. FSL #8567113 image 362. |
| Deed | On 24 July 1873, George Hairston deeds 83 acres to Sam Henry E. Hairston (Sam Henry Elizabeth Hairston, his sister's daughter). - Lowndes Deed Book 45, page 27. FSL #8567113 image 363. |
| Deed | On 24 July 1873, George Hairston deeds 95 1/2 acres to Mary T. Hairston (Mary Theodosia Hairston, his sister's daughter). - Lowndes Deed Book 45, page 25. FSL #8567113 image 362. |
| Deed | On 24 July 1873, George Hairston deeds 133 acres to George Hairston Jr. (George Hairston Jr. is the son of Samuel S. and Elizabeth P. Hairston. Elizabeth P. Hairston is George Hairston's sister. The family added the Jr. to the younger George to stop confusion while they all lived in the same house as children). - Lowndes Deed Book 45, page 26. FSL #8567113 image 363. |
| Deed | On 24 July 1873, George Hairston deeds 94 3/4 acres to Rollie S. A. Barkley (Robert A. H. Barkley is George's sister's grandson). - Lowndes Deed Book 45, page 28. FSL #8567113 image 364. |
| Deed | On 17 August 1874, George Hairston, his brother Nicoholas E. Hairston and Nicholas's wife Kizzie, obtained a bond on about 94 acres of land in Chicago they purchased in 1871. The land was north of Garfield Park. George, Nicholas and Kizzie defaulted on the loan and a Trustee's Sale was advertised in Chicago newspapers, November 1879. - Cook Deed Book 461, page 346-352. FSL #8577058, image 999-1005. |
| Deed | On 6 March 1875, George Hairston obtaines loans of $1,440 & $13,440 from C. A. Johnston and Robert T. Williams. George uses land as collateral. - Lowndes Deed Book 53, page 19. FSL #8567118 image 354. |
| Deed | On 1 July 1876, George Hairston secures a Mechanics Deed of Trust with Gardner, Gillispie and Company of Mobile, Alabama for $1,593. - Lowndes deed Book 53, page 494. FSL #8567118 image 599. |
| Census 1880* | He appeared on the census of 12 June 1880 in Lowndes, Mississippi, Major George Hairston, White 69, single a farmer born in Virginia, Elizabeth (Anthony) Mulatto 35 born in Virginia single, cook, cannot read or write, George 10 son, Sammy 8 son, Johnnie 4 son, Anna 2 daughter, and Robert 2 month-old-son. The two older children are in school, and all the children are listed as Mulatto. A renter on Major Goerge's property is Lewis Whindleton 45 VA, wife Hannah 25 (Elizabeth Anthony's niece), son John 12, Anna 8, mother-in-law Ann Anthony 60 VA, all are listed Mulatto. Another renter listed is Winston Anthony 40 VA Mulatto with wife Malinda 50 Black. Another renter is Albert Anthony 28 MS Black and wife Mary 27 AL.11 |
| Deed | On 29 January 1884, George Hairston obtained a loan from Toby W. Johnston for $5,000. - Lowndes Deed Book 61, page 436. FSL #8567123 image 581. |
| Death* | He died on 12 May 1885 in Lowndes, Mississippi, at age 74.3 |
| Burial* | He was buried in Hairston Cemetery, Lowndes, Mississippi.3 
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| Probate | His estate was probated on 6 June 1885 in Lowndes, Mississippi. George Hairston died without a will. George Hairston's relatives and Elizabeth Anthony testified that there was no will. - Lowndes County Chancery Court Case #2019. FSL #005815249 image 244.12 |
| Court Record* | Elizabeth Anthony vs. P. C. Hairston, et. al. - case filed regarding dispute between Elizabeth Anthony and the heirs of George Hairston (1811-1885) concerning debts from 1880s. Elizabeth Anthony filed a lawsuit against the estate of George Hairston in 1888, about 3 years after George's death, claiming that he owed her $5,196.12. The case lasted until 23 October 1889, when the judge dismissed the claim and ordered Elizabeth Anthony to pay court costs. In the case it was said that Elizabeth Anthony had been a slave owned by J. T. W. Hairston, that she went to work for Major George Hairston in 1866 and she lived with him until his death in 1885. George Hairston and Elizabeth were not married, it would have been illegal in Mississippi. It is mentioned in the court case that she had threatened to marry a Langford Stewart while living in Major George's house. - Lowndes County Chancery Court Docket Records, Estate File #781. FSL 8631768-555 (423 pages) and FSL 8640094 image 457. |
| Court Record* | During the April 1890 Term of the Lowndes County Chancery Court, an Ex Parte document describing how the lands of the late George Hairston should be divided amoung his heirs. It is 13 pages and a large file. Ex Parte means it is one sides opinion, not the courts decision. - FSL #5835963 image 301. |