Copyright © Janice Tracy, Cemeteries of Dancing Rabbit Creek.

Thursday, February 12, 2009

Tougaloo Memorial Gardens Cemetery


Tougaloo Memorial Gardens Cemetery is located on the campus of Tougaloo College, on County Line Road in Tougaloo, Mississippi, just west of old Highway 51. This well-kept cemetery is one of a number of African American cemeteries in Madison County, where many individuals born in the 1800s are buried. A list of individuals buried in the cemetery in Tougaloo can be found here.

Among those buried in the cemetery at Touglaoo are over a dozen members of the Moman family. This family has had a presence in the United States since at least 1850, when 79 individuals were enumerated that year on the U.S. Census. Among these individuals were a dozen male Moman family members who were born in Ireland, two born in Germany, and one whose birthplace was shown as France. Interestingly, only one individual on the U.S. Census of 1850 was born in Mississippi, and none of the 79 individuals with the name Moman actually lived in the state at that time.

Buried in the cemetery at Tougaloo are several Moman family members who were born after 1850, including Azel, born in 1890, Felix, born February 19, 1884, Preston, born in 1880, and Howard R., born October 11, 1881; other old gravestones in this cemetery that bear the name Moman show no dates at all.

According to the U. S. Census of 1850, the oldest Moman family member enumerated was Nichlous Moman, who was born in Ireland about 1790 and was living in 1850 in Albany, NY. William Moman was the only other male enumerated in 1850 whose birthdate was earlier than 1800. According to the census, William was born in Ireland about 1792 and was living with his wife, Catharine, in Penn, Jefferson County, Iowa. The Moman male living nearest to Mississippi in 1850 was John, whose birthplace was shown as Ireland. Born in 1820, John Moman was living in Baldwin County, Alabama in 1850.

1 comment:

  1. My name is Robert Moman (African American among Caucasion & Native American)and live in Tougaloo,MS.Most of my relatives are buried in the cemetery at Tougaloo college. I have traced my family to 1825, Alexander Moman (mullato)was born in 1825 in GA. He moved to Al and had children Brady Preston, John, Andrew and Lucius. His fifth child was born in MS and was named Georgia. Alexander's wife and mther of all of his children was Rachael. Azel, Howard, Robert, Felix (my grandfather), Annie, Wilhelmina, Susie and Hubert were all Alexanders grand children. I wish I could find out about Alexanders relatives (father,mother,siblings, etc,)in Ga & Al. Can you offer any clues or can i employ you to assist in this effort? we are planning our second family reunion here inTougaloo this summer. Thank you so much.
    Robert (Bob) Moman.
    P.S. Our oldest living relative is Lucille Moman Fraser and is the daughter of Howard. She will be 105 in Aug. bobmoman@bellsouth.net

    ReplyDelete