October Raymond Pilgrimage Had Something for Everyone

The Dupree-Ratliff House (1859) in the Italianate-Greek-Revival style, was built by Dr. H. T. T. Dupree, a medical doctor in Raymond. The beautiful spiral staircase in the Dupree-Ratliff House (1859), fortunately survived the use of the house as a Union hospital after the Battle of Raymond. The furniture was thrown into the yard and burned as firewood, while cotton was spread on the floor to absorb the blood of the wounded.

The 8th Annual Raymond Fall Pilgrimage, held on October 3-14, kept with tradition while offering new events for the entire family. What began in 1999 as a one-day event, blossomed two years ago into a two-day city-wide activity and this year has flowered into a two-week affair.

It kicked off with four performances of the locally written (by Polly Marshall) and produced enactment of “The Trial of the Bedbug.” The comedy, based on a local legend, took place at 7 PM, Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday – October 3, 5 and 7; and at 3 PM, Sunday, October 8. Appropriately, the staging occurred in the courtroom of Raymond’s historic Hinds County Courthouse.

The fate of the bedbug defendant rested in the less-than-capable hands of a “spirited” jury during “The Trial of the Bedbug.” Raymond’s historic courthouse (1857-1859) was the scene of “The Bedbug Trial.” The building served as a Confederate hospital after the Battle of Raymond in 1863, and is still in use today, having recently undergone an exterior restoration. It is scheduled to have its interior restored.

Alan Huffman, author of “Mississippi in Africa,” presented a free lecture Tuesday, October 10 at 6 PM in the courtroom, sharing his experience of researching the connections linking 19th Century Jefferson County, Mississippi and the 21st Century western Africa nation of Liberia.

During the “Plantation Home Circuit,” Wednesday, October 11, from 10 AM to 4 PM, visitors traveled country roads to homes that once were or currently are a part of Hinds County plantations. Included were Southern Cedars (1834), Dupree House (1878) & Mamie’s Cottage (circa 1840), Futch House (1860), Forest Home/Jones Plantation (1840), and Las Invernadas (circa 1920).

On Thursday, October 12, participants enjoyed a Candlelight Concert at 6 PM in St. Mark’s Episcopal Church (1834), featuring Jackson Friends of Classical Guitar. At the conclusion of the concert, the pilgrimage tour continued from 7 PM to 9 PM and included the Probate Building (circa 1830), Belcher House (1855), and Porter House (1830-1850).

The Jubilee Singers of Hinds Community College have been entertaining and inspiring audiences since the 1920s. Dr. Bobby Cooper leads the choir which “is treasured for its mellow and spirited renditions of many musical styles, but especially for the historical plantation music that has been its hallmark for generations.”

Appropriately, on Friday, October 13, at 6 PM, an evening stroll was conducted through the historic Raymond cemetery with local citizens depicting prominent historical residents, soldiers and heroes. Tickets for the stroll included a stop for complimentary refreshments at the Dogtrot Café and Coffee Shop.

More music filled the air in St. Mark’s on Saturday, October 14, with an 11 AM performance by the world-acclaimed Utica Jubilee Singers. The Singers, students at the Hinds Community College Utica Campus, offered renditions of plantation spirituals and traditional music sung by the group since it began in the 1920s to entertain audiences throughout the United States and Europe.

Pattie Snowball portrays her grandmother, Mary White Gillespie, during the Raymond Cemetery tour. Mrs. Gillespie rescued old newspapers stored in the Raymond Courthouse that were scheduled for destruction and carefully gleaned them in her work to compile a history of Raymond. The Gillespie scrapbook can be viewed at www.raymondhistory.org.

From noon to 4 PM Saturday, the tours continued with Porter House (1830-1850), Gillespie House (1880), Gibbs-Von-Seutter House (1836), and Dupree-Ratliff House (1859).

This year’s Pilgrimage was the most ambitious of all, and was a financial success for Friends of Raymond, but, more importantly, was an interpretive success for Raymond’s multi-storied past. At Raymond, the people who lived in this wonderful town, along with their contributions to our history, are remembered along with the homes that they once occupied.

Jerry and Kay McWilliams enjoy the serenity of their “Southern Cedars” (1834). Jerry is a local artist of renown who specializes in historical art.

Mamie’s Cottage (1840), lovingly moved from downtown Raymond and restored on the grounds of the Dupree House, now offers respite to travelers along the nearby Natchez Trace as a B&B, albeit in a more civilized nature than did the log cabin “stands” that dotted the 1820s Trace.

The Futch House (1860) was built by planter James Futch and was originally located on Dry Grove Road. It was constructed in a simple Greek Revival theme during a time of prosperity and optimism for Raymond; the owners unaware that the war would pay a personal visit to Raymond in 1863. The house was moved to its present location to save it from demolition.

The Forest Home/Jones Plantation (1840), was used as Maj. Gen. James B. McPherson’s headquarters the night before the Battle of Champion Hill in May, 1863. In February, 1864, across the front lawn galloped a Union cavalry charge that included Lt. Col. Frederick Benteen (who would later be associated with Custer’s famous last stand in Montana).

Adding to the elegance of the Raymond Pilgrimage was a classical guitar concert at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church during the candlelight tour.

The Probate Building (circa 1830) the oldest building on the Raymond Town Square, is now the home of Raymond’s mayor, and is the host site of many of Raymond’s social events.

The Belcher House (1855) witnessed the march of the 7th Texas Infantry to the Battle of Raymond on the morning of May 12, 1863, as well as that regiment’s retreat that afternoon. Close on the 7th Texas’ heels was the 20th Ohio, which raced into town and devoured the picnic which the ladies of Raymond had prepared for the Confederates.

Las Invernadas (1920), Spanish for winter pastures, beckons the visitor.

A Mexican War soldier of the 1st Mississippi Infantry (the famed “Mississippi Rifles” of the Battle of Buena Vista), Malcom McInnis, is portrayed by Parker Hills. McInnis survived the war only to die of food poisoning in Raymond upon his return. In his honor, his fellow soldiers erected the stately monument emblazoned with the marble crest of the Mississippi Rifles.

Martha Ferguson describes the furnishings in the Gillespie House (1880) with portraits of her grandparents adorning the walls behind her.

Colonel Mellon

Fred Brooks plays George W. Harper, the founder of the Hinds County Gazette in 1844, which was at one time housed in the Probate Building on the Town Square and is still serving as Raymond's newspaper.

Pilgrimage photos compliments of Angela Bauer Photography.
See www.AngelaBauerPhotography.com for more 2006 FOR Pilgrimage photographs.