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 & Correspondence19867 (MF #4766)
Returns19873 (MF #4766)
Calendar of Documents – Alien Enemies
Doc.#DateAbstractBox #
1July 6, 1812Act, 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 act19867
2July 7, 1812Notice, 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 returns19867
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 draft19867
4[ca. July 11, 1812]Final draft of above letter (Doc. #3, Series 499)19867
5July 11, 1812Circular, 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 effect19867
6Aug. 11, 1812Notice, Henry Daingerfield, secretary of the Mississippi Territory, Washington, informing and notifying British subjects within the Territory of where they were to make their reports19867
7Aug. 11, 1812Letter, H. [Henry] D. [Daingerfield], Washington, to James Monroe, secretary of state, acknowledging receipt of documents relative to alien enemies, endeavoring to comply with his instructions19867
8Aug. 18, 1812Letter, 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 report19867
9Aug. 25, 1812Letter, 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
10Aug. 11-25,1812Enclosure (with Doc. #9, Series 499) – Report of Thomas Walford (Wolford), Andrew Ferguson(native of Scotland) and John Lombard as alien enemies19867
11Aug. 31, 1812Letter, 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 documents19867
12Aug. 31, 1812Reports, George Parkin (native of England), George Smith (native of England) and William Farquhar (native of Scotland), as alien enemies19867
13Aug. 31, 1812Reports, Anthony Smith (native of England) and Robert Smith (native of England), as alien enemies19867
14Sept. 1 - Oct. 16, 1812Return, Joseph Johnson, Wilkinson County, to the secretary of the Mississippi Territory, accounting for alien enemies, John Stewart, James Thomson, and Hugh Lemmond19873
15Sept. 3, 1812Report, George Rapalje (native of Great Britain), as alien enemy19867
16Sept. 3, 1812Report, George Black (native of Scotland), as alien enemy19867
17Sept. 6, 1812Report, Thomas Phillips (native of Wales, England), as alien enemy19867
18Sept. 7, 1812Report, James Fitzgerald (native of Scotland), as alien enemy19867
19Sept. 8, 1812Letter, H. [Henry] D. [Daingerfield], Washington, to [James Monroe] secretary of state, enclosing returns of alien enemies made Sept. 1-7 19867
20Sept. 20 - Oct. 28, 1812Return, Archibald Sillers, Franklin County, to the secretary of the Mississippi Territory, accounting for alien enemy, David Beckett19873
21Sept. 20 - Nov. 1, 1812Return, Geo. [George] Henry Nixon, Marion County, to the secretary of the Mississippi Territory, accounting for alien enemy, John Baixter (Bainter)?19867
22Sept. 20, 1812Letter, Archibald Sillers, Franklin County, to Henry Daingerfield, expressing the belief that there were no alien enemies in his county19867
23Sept. 21, 1812Report, James Devin (Deven?, native of Ireland), as alien enemy19867
24Sept. 22, 1812Letter, H. [Henry] D. [Daingerfield], Washington, to James Monroe, secretary of state, enclosing return of alien enemy 19867
25Sept. 23, 1812Report, William Scott (native of Ireland), as alien enemy19867
26Sept. 23, 1812Report, Robert Turner (native of Ireland), as alien enemy19867
27Sept. 25, 1812Report, Edmund Reeves (native of Great Britain), as alien enemy19867
28Sept. 26, 1812Report, John Judge (native of Great Britain), as alien enemy19867
29Sept. 29, 1812Letter, 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
30Oct. 4-11, 1812Return, 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
31Oct. 6, 1812Letter, Th. DeWitt, Warrenton, to Henry Daingerfield, sending return of British subjects reporting to him19867
32Oct. 7, 1812Report, Samuel McAllister (native of Ireland) to William H. Winston, as alien enemy19867
33Oct. 7, 1812Report, Robert Nelson (native of Ireland) to William H. Winston, as alien enemy19867
34Oct. 9, 1812Report, John Eckford (native of Great Britain) to William H. Winston, as alien enemy19867
35Oct. 9, 1812Report, William Simpson (native of Great Britain)to William H. Winston, as alien enemy19867
36Oct. 9, 1812Report, Thomas Johnson (native of Ireland) to William H. Winston, as alien enemy19867
37Oct. 9, 1812Letter, Thomas Carson, near the Cutoff, Baldwin County, to Henry Daingerfield, expressing willingness to accept appointment to register alien enemies19867
38Oct. 11, 1812Letter, W. [William] H. Winston, Huntsville, to Henry Daingerfield, acknowledging receipt of his communication, [sending ?] written reports, expressing confidence that British subjects would report themselves19867
39Oct. 12, 1812Report, John Grafton (native of Ireland), as alien enemy19867
40Oct. 15 - Nov. 10, 1812Return, Derrick P. Jan., Claiborne County, to the secretary of the Mississippi Territory, accounting for alien enemies, James Bryce and John Venables19873
41Oct. 16 - Dec. 10, 1812Return, Joseph Johnson, Wilkinson County, to the secretary of the Mississippi Territory, accounting for alien enemies, James Bingham, James Bennett, and William B. Henry19873
42Oct. 16, 1812Report, James Bryce (native of Great Britain), Gibson Port, Claibourne [sic] County, to Dereck P. Jan., as alien enemy19867
43Oct. 21, 1812Letter, 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 Territory19867
44Oct. 22, 1812Report, Robert Swan (native of Great Britain), as alien enemy19867
45Nov. 2, 1812Letter, Geo. [George] Henry Nixon, Marion County, to Henry Daingerfield, acknowledging receipt of appointment to take reports of British subjects, describing his course of action19867
46Nov. 3, 1812Letter, ?, Washington, to James Monroe, enclosing return of alien enemies reporting Oct. 27 to Nov. 2, 181219867
47Nov. 7, 1812Report, John Venables (native of England), Claiborne County, as alien enemy19867
48Nov. 11 - Nov. 26, 1812Return, Derick P. Jan., Claiborne County, to Henry Daingerfield, accounting for alien enemy, George Arnold19867
49Nov. 14, 1812Report, George Arnold (native of England), Claiborne County, to Derick P. Jan., as alien enemy19867
50February 20, 1813Report, Randal McCallum (native of Scotland), Adams County, as alien enemy19867
51Apr. 15, 1813Circular, Jas. Monroe, Department of State, to the secretary of the Mississippi Territory, advising concerning future correspondence in regard to alien enemies and prisoners of war19867
52Sept. 1, 1813Report, John Brickwood Taylor (native of Great Britain), Linwood, to Henry Daingerfield, as alien enemy19867
53Oct. 22, 1813Report, Robert Scott (native of Ireland), Natchez, to Henry Daingerfield, as alien enemy19867
54Nov. 1, 1813Report, John Hutchinson (native of Great Britain), Adams County, as alien enemy19867
55Jan. 3, 1814Report, Daniel McLean, Jefferson County, as alien enemy19867
56February 3, 1814Report, 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
57Apr. 1, 1814Report, James McCormick, Washington, as alien enemy19867
58Apr. 2, 1814Report, George Andrews, Adams County, as alien enemy19867
59Apr. 2, 1814Report, John McDonald, Adams County, as alien enemy19867
60Apr. 9, 1814Report, Gordon MacDonald (native of Scotland), Claiborne County, to Derick P. Jan., as alien enemy19867
61May, 1814Report, William H. Hays (native of Ireland), Claiborne County, to D. [Derick] P. Jan., as alien enemy19867
62Aug. 4, 1814Report, James Alford, Adams County, as alien enemy19867
63Aug. 23, 1814Report, John Ankritt, Natchez, as alien enemy19867
64Aug. 29, 1814Report, John Orr (native of Ireland), Claiborne County, to Derrick P. Jan., as alien enemy19867
65Sept. 1, 1814Receipt, 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
66Sept. 1, 1814Report, John Brophy, Natchez, as alien enemy19867
67Sept. 8?, 1814Report, Michael Keating (native of Ireland), Claiborne County, to D. [Derick] P. Jan., as alien enemy19867
68Sept. 11, 1814Report, Thomas Taylor, Jefferson County, as alien enemy19867
69Sept. 11, 1814Report, Alexander McDonnell, Adams County, as alien enemy19867
81Sept. 11, 1814Report, John Simms, Adams Co., as alien enemy19867
70Sept. 12, 1814Report, John Murdoch (native of Ireland), Claiborne County, to Derrick P. Jan., as alien enemy19867
71Sept. 15, 1814Letter, W. H. Winston, Huntsville, to Henry Daingerfield, enclosing receipt issued by the editor of the Madison Gazette (See Doc. #65, Series 499)19867
72Nov. 5, 1814Letter, D. [Derrick] P. Jan., Port Gibson, to Henry Daingerfield, enclosing reports of alien enemies19867
73Dec. 26, 1814Report, George McCracken, Adams County, as alien enemy19867
74Dec. 30, 1814Report, John James Appleton, Adams County, as alien enemy19867
75Jan. 3, 1815Report, William N. Henderson, Jefferson County, as alien enemy19867
76Jan. 5, 1815Report, Dugold McIntyre, Jefferson County, as alien enemy19867
77Jan. 5, 1815Report, Dugold McIntyre (native of Scotland), Adams County, before Andw. [Andrew] Marschalk, as alien enemy19867
78Jan. 7, 1815Report, James Smith, Wilkinson County, as alien enemy19867
79Jan. 12, 1815Report, William Scott, Claiborne County, as alien enemy19867
80Jan. 16, 1815Report, Hugh Waid, Adams County, as alien enemy19867