THE ANSWERS ARE HIDDEN IN THE RECORDS

I currently have found no direct records for Carrie Carroll before 1900. I used various records from multiple sources to garner the foundational evidence to build my case. Exhausting all available resources helps me understand how she lived, her relationships, and how my DNA matches can lead to more information.

FIRST QUESTION: WHERE WAS SHE BORN?

My Aunt Pearlie's delayed birth certificate is the only document I found witnessed by Big Mama. She listed her maiden name as Carroll and Mississippi as her place of birth. She was 30 years old when she had my Aunt Pearlie in 1898, her birth year 1867 or 1868. A sharp difference is the listed number of children she gave birth to versus the number on the 1900 and 1910 United States Federal Census records. She states that she only had five children, including Aunt Pearlie, on the birth certificates. In the census records,

she had nine children but only six children survived. Her voice speaks through this document. She signed her name.

Source: Arkansas, Birth Certificates, 1914-1922 Arkansas Department of Vital Records; Little Rock, Arkansas; Birth Certificates; Year: Abt 1868

Carrie is listed with her husband, Cebron Benton, and her daughters. Her daughters by Daddy Willie (John William Campbell) have the initial C. next to their names to represent Campbell. The place of birth of their parents is listed as Mississippi. By 1900, Big Ma had been married to Cebron Benton for three years. They had one daughter together, Pearlie B. They listed her with the initial B to differentiate between the Campbell and Benton offspring. Carrie is listed as the mother of eight children, with only five living. All her children were born in Arkansas, contradicting the story that her oldest daughters were born in Mississippi. The stories about Big Ma begin to unravel with each new record. Her year of birth shifts between 1867 and 1868. Her place of birth is always listed as Mississippi from the 1900 U.S. Census to the 1950 U.S. Census. Her father's place of birth is Mississippi, and her mother's place of birth is listed as Georgia consistently throughout her records (only the 1910 U.S. Census listed Mississippi as her mother's place of birth).

Year: 1900; Census Place: Palarm, Faulkner, Arkansas; Roll: T623_58; Page: 2A; Enumeration District: 28; FHL microfilm: 1240058.

The 1900 U.S. Census is the only record that lists her oldest daughter Malissa by name. This significant clue helps me with naming patterns in later research. By the 1910 Census, Big Ma had her last child, Arby Benton. He is the only son of Cebron Benton. Malissa is not listed. The record states that Carrie had nine children, and only five were living. Malissa died sometime between 1900 and April 1910.

Year: 1910; Census Place: Cadron, Faulkner, Arkansas; Roll: T624_49; Page: 6A; Enumeration District: 0020; FHL microfilm: 1374062

Year: 1920; Census Place: Conway, Faulkner, Arkansas; Roll: T625_62; Page: 21A; Enumeration District: 27; Image: 225.

Year: 1930; Census Place: Cadron, Faulkner, Arkansas; Roll: 74; Page: 12A; Enumeration District: 11; Image: 249.0; FHL microfilm: 2339809.

Year: 1940; Census Place: Pine Mountain, Faulkner, Arkansas; Roll: m-t0627-00135; Page: 7A; Enumeration District: 23-30

United States of America, Bureau of the Census; Washington, D.C.; Seventeenth Census of the United States, 1950; Record Group: Records of the Bureau of the Census, 1790-2007; Record Group Number: 29; Residence Date: 1950; Home in 1950: Pine Mountain, Faulk

On her death certificate, Grassport, Mississippi is listed as her place of birth. I have found no maps listing Grassport, Mississippi.

Arkansas, Death Certificates, 1914-1969