Series 499: Alien Enemies Documents (War of 1812). 1812-1815.
Creator: Territorial Governor (RG 2).
Collection Summary: A collection of documents relating to the monitoring of British subjects in the Mississippi Territory during the period when the U.S. was engaged in the War of 1812. A circular dated July 11, 1812, and signed by James Monroe declared that “all subjects of His Britannic Majesty, residing within the United States, have become alien enemies…” (Document # 5, below). As such, British subjects were compelled by law to report to their respective Territorial Secretaries, who in turn, reported to the U.S. Department of State. The following information was required in the reporting process: age, length of time in the U.S., family description, place of residence, occupation, and whether or not application for naturalization had been made. This collection contains copies of the pertinent acts and instructions transmitted to and throughout the territories, individual reports of British subjects (many of which include place of birth-Great Britain, Ireland, and Scotland), and returns of county officials reporting in summary to the Territorial Secretary. A number of related documents such as accompanying cover letters and communications to the U.S. Secretary of State are also among these records. A calendar of documents can be found below.
Access Restrictions: Original records in this series are restricted due to age and/or fragility. A microfilm copy is available in the Microfilm Room.
Date(s): 1812-1815.
Volume: 0.50 Cubic Feet.
Finding Aid Created By: Colby Cox in April 2025.
Related Materials: TBD.
Record Group History: The Territorial Governor of Mississippi was the figure selected by the U.S. Congress to be the leading political figure of the Mississippi Territory. The Office of the Territorial Governor was created on April 7, 1798, when the creation of the Mississippi Territory was authorized. The Territorial Governor initially had full power over the creation of legislation until a general assembly was formed to represent the state in May of 1800. The Territorial Governor additionally served as the commander-in-chief of the Mississippi militia and was given authority over affairs with native peoples. The office was abolished once Mississippi became a full state in 1817.
- Collection Inventory:
Box Content Box Number
Legislation and Circulars, Reports, Returns & Correspondence 19867 (MF #4766) Returns 19873 (MF #4766)
- Calendar of Documents – Alien Enemies
Doc.# Date Abstract Box # 1 July 6, 1812 Act, An Act Supplementary to the Act Entitled "An Act respecting Alien Enemies," H. [Henry] Clay, Speaker of the House of Representatives and Wm. H. Crawford, President of the Senate pro tem, approved by James Madison, clarifying earlier act 19867 2 July 7, 1812 Notice, Department of State, requiring all British subjects to report to officials giving information about themselves and whether they have commenced steps toward naturalization, directing secretaries to make returns 19867 3 [ca. July 11, 1812] Letter [ H.D., Henry Daingerfield –secretary of the Mississippi Territory?], enclosing notice (see above); regarding compensation for persons registering alien enemies; enclosing relative acts (see July 6, 1812), an abstract of a letter from the secretary of state, and a form to make returns; asking acceptance of appointment or nomination – rough draft 19867 4 [ca. July 11, 1812] Final draft of above letter (Doc. #3, Series 499) 19867 5 July 11, 1812 Circular, Jas. [James] Monroe, Department of State, Washington [D.C.], to the secretary of the Mississippi Territory, transmitting "alien enemies" acts, giving instructions about how to carry into effect 19867 6 Aug. 11, 1812 Notice, Henry Daingerfield, secretary of the Mississippi Territory, Washington, informing and notifying British subjects within the Territory of where they were to make their reports 19867 7 Aug. 11, 1812 Letter, H. [Henry] D. [Daingerfield], Washington, to James Monroe, secretary of state, acknowledging receipt of documents relative to alien enemies, endeavoring to comply with his instructions 19867 8 Aug. 18, 1812 Letter, Henry Daingerfield, Washington, to James Monroe, secretary of state, informing of his having carried out his instructions relative to publicizing notice of the alien enemies acts and instructions for their reporting themselves, accounting for one report 19867 9 Aug. 25, 1812 Letter, H. [Henry] D. [Daingerfield], Washington, to James Monroe, S. [secretary] of S. [state], enclosing returns of alien enemies (see below), accounting for George Rapalje's failure to report as due to sickness; 19867 10 Aug. 11-25,1812 Enclosure (with Doc. #9, Series 499) – Report of Thomas Walford (Wolford), Andrew Ferguson(native of Scotland) and John Lombard as alien enemies 19867 11 Aug. 31, 1812 Letter, Henry Daingerfield, Washington, to Clinch Gray, clerk of the County Court of Wayne County, requesting he register alien enemies or suggest a capable person to do so, enclosing explanatory documents 19867 12 Aug. 31, 1812 Reports, George Parkin (native of England), George Smith (native of England) and William Farquhar (native of Scotland), as alien enemies 19867 13 Aug. 31, 1812 Reports, Anthony Smith (native of England) and Robert Smith (native of England), as alien enemies 19867 14 Sept. 1 - Oct. 16, 1812 Return, Joseph Johnson, Wilkinson County, to the secretary of the Mississippi Territory, accounting for alien enemies, John Stewart, James Thomson, and Hugh Lemmond 19873 15 Sept. 3, 1812 Report, George Rapalje (native of Great Britain), as alien enemy 19867 16 Sept. 3, 1812 Report, George Black (native of Scotland), as alien enemy 19867 17 Sept. 6, 1812 Report, Thomas Phillips (native of Wales, England), as alien enemy 19867 18 Sept. 7, 1812 Report, James Fitzgerald (native of Scotland), as alien enemy 19867 19 Sept. 8, 1812 Letter, H. [Henry] D. [Daingerfield], Washington, to [James Monroe] secretary of state, enclosing returns of alien enemies made Sept. 1-7 19867 20 Sept. 20 - Oct. 28, 1812 Return, Archibald Sillers, Franklin County, to the secretary of the Mississippi Territory, accounting for alien enemy, David Beckett 19873 21 Sept. 20 - Nov. 1, 1812 Return, Geo. [George] Henry Nixon, Marion County, to the secretary of the Mississippi Territory, accounting for alien enemy, John Baixter (Bainter)? 19867 22 Sept. 20, 1812 Letter, Archibald Sillers, Franklin County, to Henry Daingerfield, expressing the belief that there were no alien enemies in his county 19867 23 Sept. 21, 1812 Report, James Devin (Deven?, native of Ireland), as alien enemy 19867 24 Sept. 22, 1812 Letter, H. [Henry] D. [Daingerfield], Washington, to James Monroe, secretary of state, enclosing return of alien enemy 19867 25 Sept. 23, 1812 Report, William Scott (native of Ireland), as alien enemy 19867 26 Sept. 23, 1812 Report, Robert Turner (native of Ireland), as alien enemy 19867 27 Sept. 25, 1812 Report, Edmund Reeves (native of Great Britain), as alien enemy 19867 28 Sept. 26, 1812 Report, John Judge (native of Great Britain), as alien enemy 19867 29 Sept. 29, 1812 Letter, H. [Henry] D. [Daingerfield], Washington, to Jas. [James] M. [Monroe], secretary of state, transmitting return of alien enemies who have reported to him within the previous week (see above) 19867 30 Oct. 4-11, 1812 Return, William H. Winston, Madison County, to the secretary of the Mississippi Territory, accounting for alien enemies, Robert Nelson (Nilson?), Samuel McAllister, William Simpson, John Eckford, Thomas Johnston. 19873 31 Oct. 6, 1812 Letter, Th. DeWitt, Warrenton, to Henry Daingerfield, sending return of British subjects reporting to him 19867 32 Oct. 7, 1812 Report, Samuel McAllister (native of Ireland) to William H. Winston, as alien enemy 19867 33 Oct. 7, 1812 Report, Robert Nelson (native of Ireland) to William H. Winston, as alien enemy 19867 34 Oct. 9, 1812 Report, John Eckford (native of Great Britain) to William H. Winston, as alien enemy 19867 35 Oct. 9, 1812 Report, William Simpson (native of Great Britain)to William H. Winston, as alien enemy 19867 36 Oct. 9, 1812 Report, Thomas Johnson (native of Ireland) to William H. Winston, as alien enemy 19867 37 Oct. 9, 1812 Letter, Thomas Carson, near the Cutoff, Baldwin County, to Henry Daingerfield, expressing willingness to accept appointment to register alien enemies 19867 38 Oct. 11, 1812 Letter, W. [William] H. Winston, Huntsville, to Henry Daingerfield, acknowledging receipt of his communication, [sending ?] written reports, expressing confidence that British subjects would report themselves 19867 39 Oct. 12, 1812 Report, John Grafton (native of Ireland), as alien enemy 19867 40 Oct. 15 - Nov. 10, 1812 Return, Derrick P. Jan., Claiborne County, to the secretary of the Mississippi Territory, accounting for alien enemies, James Bryce and John Venables 19873 41 Oct. 16 - Dec. 10, 1812 Return, Joseph Johnson, Wilkinson County, to the secretary of the Mississippi Territory, accounting for alien enemies, James Bingham, James Bennett, and William B. Henry 19873 42 Oct. 16, 1812 Report, James Bryce (native of Great Britain), Gibson Port, Claibourne [sic] County, to Dereck P. Jan., as alien enemy 19867 43 Oct. 21, 1812 Letter, H. [Henry] D. [Daingerfield], Washington, to the secretary of state, enclosing returns of alien enemies reporting since Sept. 29, discussing procedure for procuring returns throughout the Territory 19867 44 Oct. 22, 1812 Report, Robert Swan (native of Great Britain), as alien enemy 19867 45 Nov. 2, 1812 Letter, Geo. [George] Henry Nixon, Marion County, to Henry Daingerfield, acknowledging receipt of appointment to take reports of British subjects, describing his course of action 19867 46 Nov. 3, 1812 Letter, ?, Washington, to James Monroe, enclosing return of alien enemies reporting Oct. 27 to Nov. 2, 1812 19867 47 Nov. 7, 1812 Report, John Venables (native of England), Claiborne County, as alien enemy 19867 48 Nov. 11 - Nov. 26, 1812 Return, Derick P. Jan., Claiborne County, to Henry Daingerfield, accounting for alien enemy, George Arnold 19867 49 Nov. 14, 1812 Report, George Arnold (native of England), Claiborne County, to Derick P. Jan., as alien enemy 19867 50 February 20, 1813 Report, Randal McCallum (native of Scotland), Adams County, as alien enemy 19867 51 Apr. 15, 1813 Circular, Jas. Monroe, Department of State, to the secretary of the Mississippi Territory, advising concerning future correspondence in regard to alien enemies and prisoners of war 19867 52 Sept. 1, 1813 Report, John Brickwood Taylor (native of Great Britain), Linwood, to Henry Daingerfield, as alien enemy 19867 53 Oct. 22, 1813 Report, Robert Scott (native of Ireland), Natchez, to Henry Daingerfield, as alien enemy 19867 54 Nov. 1, 1813 Report, John Hutchinson (native of Great Britain), Adams County, as alien enemy 19867 55 Jan. 3, 1814 Report, Daniel McLean, Jefferson County, as alien enemy 19867 56 February 3, 1814 Report, George Lloyd (native of Great Britain), Washington, as alien enemy (though considering himself "entitled to the privileges of a citizen of the United States") 19867 57 Apr. 1, 1814 Report, James McCormick, Washington, as alien enemy 19867 58 Apr. 2, 1814 Report, George Andrews, Adams County, as alien enemy 19867 59 Apr. 2, 1814 Report, John McDonald, Adams County, as alien enemy 19867 60 Apr. 9, 1814 Report, Gordon MacDonald (native of Scotland), Claiborne County, to Derick P. Jan., as alien enemy 19867 61 May, 1814 Report, William H. Hays (native of Ireland), Claiborne County, to D. [Derick] P. Jan., as alien enemy 19867 62 Aug. 4, 1814 Report, James Alford, Adams County, as alien enemy 19867 63 Aug. 23, 1814 Report, John Ankritt, Natchez, as alien enemy 19867 64 Aug. 29, 1814 Report, John Orr (native of Ireland), Claiborne County, to Derrick P. Jan., as alien enemy 19867 65 Sept. 1, 1814 Receipt, of William H. Winston, Huntsville, to the editors of the Madison Gazette, for sixteen dollars for publishing laws and advertisements respecting alien enemies (See also Doc. #71, Series 499) 19867 66 Sept. 1, 1814 Report, John Brophy, Natchez, as alien enemy 19867 67 Sept. 8?, 1814 Report, Michael Keating (native of Ireland), Claiborne County, to D. [Derick] P. Jan., as alien enemy 19867 68 Sept. 11, 1814 Report, Thomas Taylor, Jefferson County, as alien enemy 19867 69 Sept. 11, 1814 Report, Alexander McDonnell, Adams County, as alien enemy 19867 81 Sept. 11, 1814 Report, John Simms, Adams Co., as alien enemy 19867 70 Sept. 12, 1814 Report, John Murdoch (native of Ireland), Claiborne County, to Derrick P. Jan., as alien enemy 19867 71 Sept. 15, 1814 Letter, W. H. Winston, Huntsville, to Henry Daingerfield, enclosing receipt issued by the editor of the Madison Gazette (See Doc. #65, Series 499) 19867 72 Nov. 5, 1814 Letter, D. [Derrick] P. Jan., Port Gibson, to Henry Daingerfield, enclosing reports of alien enemies 19867 73 Dec. 26, 1814 Report, George McCracken, Adams County, as alien enemy 19867 74 Dec. 30, 1814 Report, John James Appleton, Adams County, as alien enemy 19867 75 Jan. 3, 1815 Report, William N. Henderson, Jefferson County, as alien enemy 19867 76 Jan. 5, 1815 Report, Dugold McIntyre, Jefferson County, as alien enemy 19867 77 Jan. 5, 1815 Report, Dugold McIntyre (native of Scotland), Adams County, before Andw. [Andrew] Marschalk, as alien enemy 19867 78 Jan. 7, 1815 Report, James Smith, Wilkinson County, as alien enemy 19867 79 Jan. 12, 1815 Report, William Scott, Claiborne County, as alien enemy 19867 80 Jan. 16, 1815 Report, Hugh Waid, Adams County, as alien enemy 19867