by Terry Thornton
email: hillcountrymonroecounty@gmail.com
New Hope Cemetery, Parham, Monroe County, Mississippi, has one grave marker bearing the surname BIBBY. The marker, located in the older section of the cemetery has two names on it --- Archie Bibby and Luella Bibby. Here is a photograph of the Bibby marker.
When I photographed and inventoried New Hope Cemetery in 2008 I wondered about this marker and about the relationship of the individuals named on it. The placement of the names on the marker and the ages of those named didn't seem to fit a typical marker for husband and wife --- and I made a note to do some additional research.
Here is part of what I've found using just the census reports.
Archie Bibby, 1882 - 1900, is the son of James A. Bibby. His mother was probably Sarah Bibby. Archie was probably born in Itawamba County, Mississippi. On the 1880 census of that county, James A. and Sarah Bibby were living in a household by themselves but next door to William and Nancy Bibby. Archie is listed as the 17 year-old son of James A. Bibby on the Itawamba County census of 1900. Archie was enumerated on June 23, 1900. He died later that year.
Luella Bibby, 1870 - 1905, is Archie's aunt. Luella is listed as a 9 year-old daughter of William and Nancy Bibby on the 1880 census of Itawamba County.
Luella Bibby is listed as a 30 year-old on the 1900 Monroe County census living in the household of her brother Marion Bibby near Smithville.
On the 1900 census, Luella's mother, Nancy Bibby, is listed in the household of James A. Bibby, widower.
The 1860 census of St. Clair County, Alabama, Cross Well (or Cropwell) Post Office, lists William R. Bibby, 34, wife, Nancy B. Bibby, 25, and sons James A. Bibby, 5, Marion K. Bibby, 3, and Olley J., Bibby, 4 months.
It is believed that William Bibby and family migrated to Itawamba County Mississippi. Son James A. and his wife Sarah lived next door to William and Nancy; Sarah died leaving James with children to rear (including Archie); the widow Nancy moved into the household with her widowed son James A.; Luella, younger daughter of William and Nancy moved into the household of her brother Marion K. Bibby.
Upon the death of Archie (at about age 18) in 1900, he was buried in New Hope Cemetery at Parham. When his aunt Luella died in 1905 (at about the age of 35), she was buried beside him at New Hope. They share a joint marker.
If you have information about the Bibby Family of Monroe County, I'd most enjoy hearing from you.
Sources:
Bibby Family census information, 1860, 1880, and 1900 Federal Census of Alabama (St. Clair County) and Mississippi (Itawamba County and Monroe County) transcribed from images available at HeritageQuest Online accessed through the services of the Lee-Itawamba County Mississippi Library System.
Bibby Grave Marker photograph, New Hope Cemetery, Parham, Monroe County, Mississippi, by Terry Thornton, Fulton, Mississippi, June 2008.
