History 2

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PRE-CIVIL WAR YEARS

By 1840 the subsistence level of farming had given way to the cotton gin and those families involved were dependent on slave labor to maintain their farming operations. David Chalmers (b.1810- the son of James Chalmers (1766-1826) and Sarah Wilson (b.1780-from Pittsylvania, Va.) of Halifax, Va. and the A.W. Chalmers (1893-1860+) of Newberry, S.C. had large numbers of slave families in their farming operations. The states to the north of South Carolina were slowly growing with an abolitinist movement against plantation owners in the southern states that were being populated to the west due to cotton. The advent of a tariff on goods to keep European goods out of the U.S. had been added in the south but was soon recognized by the southern states as an added cost for goods the northern manufacturing states were imposing on the south.

In 1844, the Church of Scotland had broke away to create the Free Church of Scotland lead by Rev. Thomas Chalmers. This split was primarily due to England designating what ministers the church was allowed and how their funding was administered. The family of James Chalmers (1766-1826) is part of the Rev. Thomas Chalmers family. When Rev.Thomas Chalmers decided to raise money for his new church he sent a delegation to the Americas. The principle designation of population of Chalmers and family members of the church was Newberry, S.C. The Free Church of Scotland was dealing with a famine in Ireland at the time and it raised some $350,000p toward this cause and money for the new Free Church. However, Fredrick Douglas, an abolitinist, denounced the act of The Free Church as hypocrisy since the money was raised from wealthy plantation owners who made their living from slavery. Some $3500p came into question. The Free Church and The Church of Scotland later remerged and created the Presbyterian Church of Scotland.

The 1840 Census was the first census to record the names of families and their members. Prior to this time, only the heads of households and the age of the family members were recorded. Thus, the best accounting to this point is of heads of households.

In 1830, another son of James Chalmers (1766-1826), Joseph W. Chalmers (b.1815-) gained his law degree in Virginia and struck out to Jackson, TN. Once in Jackson he expanded his law firm to Holly Springs, MS, where he became involved in being most instrumental in forming the Mississippi state charter. He later went on to become the Junior Senator from Mississippi, and prior to the Civil War, he abdicated his seat. Jefferson Davis, in 1852, replaced the Senior Senetor about this time.

Joseph W. Chalmers'(b.1815-1856?) son, James Ronald Chalmers (b.1831-) from Holly Springs MS, attends law school in Newberry S.C. in the mid 1850's. While in Newberry, S.C. family ties are reaffirmed and J.D. Chalmers (1831- ) and James R. (1831) travel back to Holy Springs MS. Family stories are told by Charlie Chalmers and Hugh "Buster" Chalmers, and reaffirmed by Charlie "Boy" Chalmers, that their grandfather traveled to MS with his cousin and that the relationship between the two men was that they had grandparents and great-grandparents that were brothers. J.D. is accompanied by an older brother and a sister when they arrive in Mississippi. They purchase land in Byhalia, MS. All three members are listed in the 1860 census in Byhalia, MS.

Prior to the Civil War there are significant farming operations being maintained in Halifax VA, Newberry SC, and the startup of a third farm in Holly Springs-Byhalia, MS.

James R. Chalmers (b.1831-) went to represent Desoto County MS in Jackson, MS to vote for secession from the union and later entered the Civil War becoming a General under Nathan Bedford Forrest. After the Civil War he represented the state of Mississippi in Congress as a state Representative.

There are no family records other than the records of the war. The J.D. Chalmers Family did not care to associate themselves with the General due to his savory character. The North chased General James R. Chalmers from Kentucky clear into Georgia and back into Alabama never capturing him. He stopped a train at Collierville, TN with General Sherman on board to take him prisoner. While unloading Sherman's horse northern soldiers arrived and he only escaped with the horse.