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D0RCAS H0LLINGSW0RTH


Recognize that name? It has not appeared in HR many times. Every time it appears in our Hollingsworth index it refers to a Dorcas of another family. Where it is mentioned in connection with the Newton County, Mississippi family it is not indexed! Ironic. It does not appear in Stewart's (1925) book, either in his index or in the unindexed portion at the close of the book.

Dr. Harold Graham, 1201 W First St., Apt B, Belle Chasse, Louisiana 70037, has proof that Dorcas was the name of the wife of Isaac Hollingsworth of Decatur, Newton County, Mississippi (1780 - 1866)! Dr. Graham has located the family bible of Nathan Morris Hollingsworth, in the possession of Mrs. Marjorie H. Tims, 1307 Lamar Avenue, Cleveland, Mississippi 38732. It is the Illustrated Polyglot Family Bible, sold by Bradley, Garretson & Co., Philadelphia and Wm. Garretson & Co., of several cities including Nashville and Houston, entered in the Library of Congress in 1874, by Bradley & Co. The inside fly leaves include the inscription:
"A present from Clarisa M.Hollingsworth / to her son / N. M. Hollingsworth. - Dum Spiro Spero." (Latin: While I breathe, I hope.)

Mrs Hollingsworth presented it to her son on Sabbath morning, (Sunday) 1 Nov 1874, "who asked me to accept it as the highest token of her love for me." The Family Record section contains the marriage of Nathan to Miss M.E. Norrell on 28 Dec 1870, and the marriage of his parents William Smith Hollingsworth and Clara Morris on 3 June 1830, and other records of great value. On a page marked "Family History - A Record of Important Events," is noted the following:
"William Smith Hollingsworth, son of Isaac (G. Father) and Dorcas (G.M.) Hollingsworth, was born Feb. 25th 1806 and died June 13, 1852."
The initials for Grand Father and Grand Mother are in parentheses above the names we have them follow here. A big Bravo to Dr. Graham.

In HR Sept 1967, PP. 124-126, we presented the Steen Family Connection, showing that Robert Steen married Malona or Malony Hollingsworth, and that they subsequently named two of their offspring, Isaac Hollingsworth Steen and Dorcas Hollingsworth Steen! That prompted us to state: "In this case the name Dorcas becomes significant as a possible clue to the name of Isaac (Hollingsworth)'s wife ..." Truly, Malona Steen was a close kin to Isaac!

Dr Graham, with Mrs. Leola Rayborn of Sumrall, Miss., has now established the names of 11 of the supposed 13 children of Isaac and Dorcas Hollingsworth. Dr Graham is a subscriber and donor to the "Mystery Sam" project, in more ways than just subscription money, and Mrs. Rayborn has been a subscriber, and has worked many years to solve the remaining mysteries of the Hollingsworths of Mississippi.


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