to the web pages dedicated to the genealogy of the Mississippi Settlement. This area is also known as Pelican, located in South DeSoto Parish. These pages are for anyone who descended from the original settlers in the area known as the Mississippi Settlement and for family and friends everywhere. It would be impossible here to list all the surnames of relatives of the Johnston/Johniken tribe and to include the spouses.

Besides the Johnikens/Johnstons, some of the early settlers were the Blackwells, Johnstons, Davises, Raborns, Welbornes and Williams. A group of these Mississippi people went by train together to Louisiana. William Thomas Johnston and Albert G. Johnston were older half brothers of the four Johnikens, Burkett, Alonzo, Levi and Frances. Levi died in MS., but his widow, Mary Ann Johniken, and her young children moved with the relatives. Their community in the Pelican development was known as Mississippi Settlement. Quincy Gregory, brother of Isabel Johniken, settled near the Sabine Parish Line at Pleasant Hill. Another brother and two Gregory sisters remained in Mississippi.

Levy (or, Levi) Johniken (not shown with siblings) was born 1874 and was killed as a result of an altercation with acquaintances in 1901.

We hope you will find our pages interesting. We will have information on our site about our family heritage, family news, and a host of other items of interest. These will include important news events within the family and friends of the family.

These web pages were established as a tool for interaction with family members regardless of last name. Photos can be added, as well as messages and newsletters and more.

The Rankins of DeSoto parish descended from Frank Elmore Rankin, Sr. and Candace Vermell Johniken. Candace was the daughter of Bragg (B.L.) Johniken and Isabel Gregory. Both families moved to Pelican, LA from Mississippi toward the end of the 19th century.

Frank was the son of James Pinckney Rankin, Sr. and Frances (Molly) Hays and was reared near Troup, Texas. The Rankin and Gregory albums will be developed as pics are available for this project.

I obtained pictures for scanning as recent as May 2002 from Maxine Mooneyham which I have never seen before. Some of these photos will be added to these albums. We are grateful to Richard Johnston, Virginia Ratcliff, Grant Johnston, Maxine and others for the many pictures provided. You will note other bits of information posted beneath some of the old pictures of ancestors.

B.L.(Bragg)Johniken, had five siblings. They were Alonzo, and Levy Johniken (Levy died at any early age in Mississippi), Albert and Thomas Johnston. The sister was Frances Journagan.
Richard Johnston and Virginia Ratcliff have led the search for family ancestors, along with, Grant Johnston, Brenda Yates, and others. However, out of ignorance I have failed to mention the vast amount of work done by Marcia Basinger. I met her and her family at the Johnston reunion in 2002. It was from Marcia that the torch was taken. Thanks, Marcia, for your great work! Marcia put together a thick booklet of the Johnston and related families that is impressive. More recently it came to our attention that Nelda Buchanan has put together vast amount of information on numerous families. MY FAMILY BOOK These folks have done no little amount of work researching the family tree record which has included the Johniken family. The Johnstons and Johnikens are descendants of Effie Blackwell. Great Grandmother Effie was born about 1840 and died in 1900 in Jasper County, MS. We are grateful for the tireless efforts of the Johnston family for providing this information. At a later date we may be able to link a family tree maker to this cause.

(No doubt the visit with evidence
of broken or lost headstones
of Great Grandmother, Effie Blackwell,
inspired Richard to rally the group
to make the October 12, 2002 sojourn)

The condition of the grave stone of Effie Blackwell Journagan/Johnston as shown here was seen by Virginia and Eddie Ratcliff and Richard Johnston in December 2001. One of the visitors held the top of the headstone in the picture. This photos immediately above this paragraph shows the result of repair spearheaded by Richard on October 12, 2002. Levi C. Johnikin's new headstone can be seen in the background of the repaired headstone photo (click to enlarge). Part of Richard's letter is quoted of the Mississippi trip made last December or January. For the October 2002 trip narrative from one point of view, click the MISSISSIPPI REPORT page.

"Last weekend Virginia and Eddie Ratcliff went down to Laurel for three days. While we were there we visited the Welborn Cemetery. This is where Effie Blackwell Johniken and Levi C. Johniken and others are buried.

I am sending you a picture here so you can have Effie's grave to see. Levi's marker was destoyed and only the footstone is left. it is marked 'LCJ'. His grave is about six feet from Effie's.....

We went over into Smith County, (just across the border) and visited several cemeteries where the Jernigans are buried. We have not found Harris Jernigan (Effie's first husband) nor his father Stephen.

All the Johnikens are from the orginal name Jernigan who came to Smith County from NC, SC, GA and maybe AL into MS. We were about 3/4 of a mile east of the Jernigan land. The Mt. Nebo Cemetery is there and we believe the missing Jernigans were either buried in unmarked graves there or possibly on the 'home land'.
I do believe that Harris must have gone off to the civil war and did not return. We have looked all over MS with no luck. There are no roads through the woods to the Jernigan land. Probably just hunting roads and it was wet."

See also the Jernigan Report by Virginia Johnston Ratliff and Richard Johnston.