Robert and Rebecca raised a large family in E. Feliciana Parish, Louisiana near Clinton. He seems to be involved in agriculture of some sort. He apparently moves to Adams Co./Franklin Co. Miss. in the early 1800's where he and his wife both die.

He is the son of John Holloway of Virginia who comes to the Natchez district of the Mississippi Territory in the late 1700's with his wife, Elizabeth White and their children. Her brothers and their families come down shortly afterward and help raise the family after John is killed by the Indians.

Rebecca is the daughter to John Wells and Joanne Dewitt, whose relatives probably came across from settlements in Georgia in the late 1700's to settle in the Natchez Territory. Along with Absolom Wells, and Rice Wells, two of John's brothers, there were several Wells in this area who may be related. Samuel had a no-holds-bar duel to the death in 1827 with James Bowie of Texas fame. [Davis, William C., A Way Through the Wilderness, Harper Collins, 1995]

*birthdates and marriage dates from the bible record of Virginia Cain Gammil Byrd, reprinted in Marsalis Book, owned by Flavis Goza James, McComb, Miss., one page bears the notation: "Copied August 1863"
#Gills, Norman. Biographical Memoirs of Miss. Abstracted from the original work of 1891, Goodspeed
@ Ezell, Mildred, Franklin Co. Miss. Marriages
Ark marr. records, Ashley Co., Arkansas

Gabriel Hollaway -- Catahoula Parish, LA
This child is identified only in the LaCroix records, unverified.
Hollaway, Gabrie L. Catahoula 056        m 1 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 none
                                                                 f   0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
1840census of Louisiana , Quac. Par. 056

c1774 - Robert Hollaway is born as the fifth child to John Holloway and Elizabeth (White)Holloway. He was probably born in Craven Co., South Carolina according to marriage dates of Robert projected to be after he is 18 to 20 years old when he marries.

1781- John Holloway, Robert Holloway's father, is killed by Indians.

Book A. Page 48. 24 Oct 1781. On notice received of death of John Holloway, killed by the Indians, have apptd. as guardian to the children, minors, namely George 14, William 13, John 12, Robert 7, Mary 4, James 2 and Elizabeth, widow of sd John, has declared that she is seven months pregnant and has besides another daughter Elizabeth, married to Cady Rabey, and the guardianship falling naturally to the said widow Elizabeth, we have appointed her guardian of the six children born and the child yet to be born which charge she willingly accepted in the presence of Isaac Johnson, Frances Farrell and William Vousdan who have sighned with sd widow and Commandant.
Page 49. 24 Oct. 1781. Issac Johnson and Daniel Perry apptd. appraisers of inventory of estate of John Holloway in presence of Elizabeth Holloway, the widow, Cady Rabey, her son-in-law, Francis Farrell and Silas Crane. Following the inventory of household good, carpenter tools, plantation tools, animals an slaves, the widow declares that there are two cows and two calves and one heifer belonging to her eldest son given to him by James Grugg (or Gregg); Page 50. also two cows and two calves belonging to her eldest daughter, Elizabeth given to her on her marriage to Cadey Rabey. And as repects the plantation it belong to Joshua Howard, who is absent from this District. [McBee, May Wilson, Natchez Court Records, Geneological Pub. 1953]

1796, Aug 27- Robert Hollaway is witness to the sale of land of James Kelly to John Mitchell. Claim #360 on Sandy Cr. in Adams Co. Miss. Terr. Natchez records, Book B, p.197 [McBee, May Wilson, Natchez Court Records, Geneological Pub. 1953]

1796 - 22 Nov.- marriage of "Robert Holloway son of Holloway and Isabelle ________ to Rebecca Wells daughter of John Wells and Jeanne Duett (transcribed incorrectly, should be Dewitt- EC)... witness Jesse Ratliff and Cato Raby of N. C. " [New Orleans Genesis Vol. 6 Jan 1967 no. 21, p 84, Marriages of Early Natchez Settlers. ]

1800- Robert Holloway settles on a land claim in St Helena Parish, Louisiana [Am. State Papers, Class 8, vol 3, p 70]

1804- #1234.Claimant: Francis Ballard, 26 Mar. 1804. Witness: John Wells, 31 Aug. 1804. Certificate D-154, issued Dec. 16, 1806. Miss. Ter. Adams Co. Francis Ballard claims right to become the purchaser from the United States of 102 acres in said county on the waters of Sandy Creek, by virtue of this having been inhabited and cultivated in 1801 by Robert Hollaway , who sold it unto Daniel McNeeley and Daniel McNeelely sold it to said Francis Ballard. The said tract was also inhabited and cultivated by this claimant on 3 Mar. 1803. At this time he was the head of a family. [McBee, May Wilson, The Natchez Court Records 1767-1805, Abstract of Early Records, v. 2, 1953]

1810 - 1812    Here are several miscellaneous records related to Robert Holloway, Elizabeth Stilly(his mother), and John Wells, his wife's father. 

1813- 21-24: Oct. 4, 1813 - Michael SMELSER, Admr. of the estate of Charles STEWART, a free man of color, sold a negro slave named MOSES, for $676, to Lewis DUNN, acting on behalf of John WELLS. Secured by a 12-month note endorsed by Robert HOLLOWAY. Rec. Dec. 13, 1813. Wits.: D. WRIGHT & Jacob HUBER.
                        [ St. Helena Parish, Louisiana, Conveyance Book A, page 21-24]

1813, Aug 16-19 - St. Helena Parish, Minutes for the Parish Sessions. The committee for "the laying off and continuing of roads and bridges Causewary beg leave to report and recommend the addoption of the following resolutions..."

1814, Dec. 28 - 1815, Mar 9 - Robert Holloway serves with a Detachment of Mounted Gun Men commanded by Lt. A. Kirkland for 2 months, 13 days with the 12 and 13th Consolidated Regiment of the Louisiana Militia (the War of 1812). He receives a total of $48.15 which included 40 cents a day for the use of his horse. [US military records of the War of 1812]

1815-18 May - Robert Holloway is appointed to make an inventory of the estate of Elizabeth Starnes dec'd wife of Jacob Starnes deceased. [records of St. Helena Parish, LA]

1815, Dec. 9th - "Robert Holloway bought Negro boy named Sip." [Greensburg Conveyance Book A. p. 107-108.]

26 Jun- Robert Holloway is appointed to make an inventory of the estate of Elizabeth Starns widow of Jacob Starns both deceased. [records of St. Helena Parish, LA]

1816- Robert Holloway makes a land claim in St Helena Parish, Louisiana in 1816 for land that he says he settled on in 1800. His name shows up on "a list of actual settlers on land in that part of Louisiana, which lies east of the Mississippi river and island of New Orleans, and west of Pearl river, who have no claims thereto, derived from the French, British, or Spanish Governments." [Am. State Papers, Class 8, vol 3, p 70.]

1820 -

1827 - 30 May - A license is issued for Jane Holloway daughter of Robert Holloway to marry Archibald B. Graham of the part of E. Feliciana.[records of St. Helena Par. LA]

May 24 - License is issued for Susan Holloway to marry David Hinkson [St. Helena Par., LA]

Oct 4 - He asks for "tutorship for his minor children, James L., Rebecca and Permelia Holloway." James L. should be 17 years old. [Succession Records of St. Helena Parish, LA 1804-1854, abstracted by Clyde Purser Young, edited by E. Russ Williams Jr., 1866, book located in the Ouachita Parish Public library, Monroe, LA ]

c 1834 Oct -Rebecca (Wells)Hollaway dies in Mississippi.
1834 , 25 0ct - John Holloway is administrator of the estate of Rebecca Holloway (this is Rebecca Wells Holloway, his mother). the acct. of John Holloway, administrator of the estate lists the heirs as : Robert Hollaway, Mary George, Esther Broadaway, George Holloway, James Holloway, Jane Graham. Later documents prove that there were other heirs. [Succession Records of St. Helena Parish, LA 1804-1854, abstracted by Clyde Purser Young, edited by E. Russ Williams Jr., 1866, book located in the Ouachita Parish Public library, Monroe< LA ]

1837, Oct. 9 - Notice of letters remaining at the Post Office, Clinton, Ms. list letters addressed to Rebecca F. Wells and Wm. Porter. [Miss. Newspaper Abstracts by Jackie Ratcliffe, ]

1846, June 17 - a Robert Hollaway dies at this time "at age 69" according to the copy by Tempe Crosby's mother.  I thought that this record was for Robert sr. but his mother gives his age as "seven years of age" in 1781.  He can't have died in 1846 and be 69 years old.  It is very likely that Robert Sr. dies by 1833 or 34 because the oldest son, John. is being made administrator of his mother Rebecca's estate.   According to his mother's list he would have to be 72 in 1846.  I'm having a hard justifying this difference but it could be simply a problem in misreading the birth date for him. The first page seems to be the wife and children of Robert Jr., page 2 lists the children of Robert Sr.  and page 3 is in a different hand writing which is a partial list of Robert Srs children. The abstract taken by Tempe Crosby's mother from the bible is very clearly written and seems to confuse Robert, Sr and Robert Jr. and gives the birth and death date to the wrong Robert but the other information is straight forward and I believe is very accurate. Below you will see a transcription from the handwritten transcription made according to a margin note in "August 1863 copied" for an illegible person.
                     [Bible record of Virginia Cain Gammill Byrd, photocopy w/ EC]

page 2
Mary Hollaway was borned August the 17th 1797
John Hollaway was borned July 5th 1799
George Hollaway was borned December the 6th AD 1801
Esther Hollaway was borned November 20th AD 1803
Jane Hollaway was borned August the 10th 1805
Susane Hollaway was borned June the 1st 18??
Elizabeth Hollaway was borned Mardh 20th 1809
William Hollaway was borned December 20th 18111
James Hollaway was borned December 1th 1813
Rebecca Hollaway was borned January 22th 1816
Robert S. Hollaway was borned August 1th 1818
Permelia K. Hollaway was borned February 22th 1820
Cader R Hollaway was borned December 24th A. D. 1822
This lists are Robert Hollaways Children.

1849- A cholorea epidemic hit Franklin co., Miss.  It killed 162 people.

1848-54- W. M. Ducker was sheriff in Ashley Co., Arkansas.  [Goodspeed. p. 19]

1850 - US Census, Mississippi, Franklin Co., p. 17. (It looks like Joseph George may have died by this census. There must have been a major illness hit this area a few years prior.)

Arkansas, Ashley Co., Union. p. 41James Steadly may be the child of Elizabeth Hollaway Steadley, James L.'s sister / Amanda Jane is the child of Robert who may have died in 1845 and Porter is the child of George who died in Dec. 1845 [M432-25 Ashley Co 41 Union]

James L. Hollaway          36  m                          farmer                          $1300         LA
Caroline      "                     26  f                                                                                 Miss
Martha        "                       6  f                                                                                     "
Robert        "                        1  f                                                                                     "
James P.  Steedley               3 m                                                                                     "
Amanda Hollaway            13  f                                                                                      "
Porter M. L.       "               7 m                                                                                     "

I believe the deaths of several of the Robert's children were part of a cholera or Yellow fever epidemics that seems to have erupted every year from about 1842 through 1854 with devastating consequences. Dr. Dowler of New Orleans in 1853 says:"The maximum mortality of the yellow fever of 1853 arrived sooner in the season than usual, and is more truly represented by that of the plague in London, in 1665, namely, June,  590 deaths; July,  4,129; August,  20,046; September,  26,230; October,  14,373; November,  3,449; total,  68,817." The epidemic spread to various counties in Louisiana, Arkansas and Tennessee by imigrants from the affected areas  fled the disease.  Some counties lost as much as one fourth of the population in a single season.  It tended to start in the late summer and stop with the first frost sometime about October or November. This may have percipitated the movement of the Hollaways out of Mississippi and Louisiana.  [Keating p. 89]

1852, July 27 - Jerry 25, belongs to Simeon Broadway, 12 miles from Waterloo, LA.  [Weise. The Woodville Republican, p. 128]

1860-64 -  J. D. Holloway was sheriff in Union Co., Arkansas.  [Goodspeed. p. 155]

sources:

Am. State Papers, Class 8, Land Claims , vol 1-8
Bible record of Virginia Cain Gammil Byrd, reprinted in Marsalis Book, Vol IV, written by Tempe Fenn Crosby,  unpublished, one of two copies in Pike-Amite-Walthald Library in McComb, Miss. other copy in Jackson, LA., The bible was last owned by Flavis Goza James of McComb, MS. a notation says "Copied August 1863." , photocopy of original & abstract w/ EC
Davis, William C., A Way Through the Wilderness, The Natchez Trace and the Civilization of the Souther Frontier, Harper Collins, 1995]
Ezell, Mildred, Franklin Co. Miss. Marriages , 60M St, Salt Lake, 84103
Gibbons, Michael F., personal research. 424 Norwood St. S. W., Lenoir, NC 28645
Gills, Norman. Biographical Memoirs of Miss. Abstracted from the original work of 1891, Goodspeed,
Goodspeed, Weston Arthur. ed. The Province and the States, A History of the Provice of Louisiana under France and Spain, and the Territories and States of the United States Formed Therefrom. seven volumes, Vol. VII, The Wester Historical Asso. Madison, Wis. 1904
Keating, John McLeod.  The History of the Yellow Fever Epidemic of 1878 in Memphis, Tennessee.
      The Howard Asso. of Memphis. 1879, reprint, Heritage Books, Inc. 2008 on books of google.com
McBee, May Wilson. Natchez Court Records ,Abstract of Early Records, 1767-1805, Geneological Pub. 1953
Pre-Revolutionary Plat Books, South Carolina Archives.
Ratcliffe, Jackie. Miss. Newspaper Abstracts , quoted in Family Trails, Hist. and Genealogical Asso. of Miss., p 16,
ST. HELENA PARISH, LOUISIANA, CONVEYANCE BOOK B Term of Parish Judge AUDLEY L. OSBORNE, May 1811 - Oct. 1812, copied/abstracted by Warren B. Wall, Feb. 1992, usgwarchives.org/la/lafiles.htm
White, Gifford E. James Taylor White of Virginia , 1994. 1034 Capital Parkway #223,Austin, TX 78746, phone(512)327-6003
Wills, Carol. Natchez Postscripts 1781-1798, reprinted by Heritage Books, Inc, c 1992, 1540-E, Bowie, MD 20716, (301)390-7709
Wiese, Ol'levia Neil Wilson. The Woodville Republican, Mississippi's Oldest Existing Newspaper; January 8. Heritage Books, Inc. Westminister, Maryland 2007
Young, Clyde Purser Young, abstracted by. Succession Records of St. Helena Parish, LA 1804-1854" edited by E. Russ Williams, 1866, located in Ouachita Parish Public Library, Monore, LA

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