Derias Woodard, c. 1828-, Jackson & Harrison County, MS

Years ago, I received a copy of the Woodard Family history written by John Cooley.  I lost the booklet during a tornado along with much of my genealogical records which weren't recorded on my computer.  I remembered specifically however, that the father of Thomas Riley Woodard was listed as "Jeriah Woodard", who supposedly came to the U.S. from Germany.  While recently browsing through information on Ancestry.com, I came across page 1 of the same booklet that I had.  It was from this page and other sources that I gleaned just some basic information about my Woodard family.  

However, I was unable to find anything in census records using the name Jeriah Woodard or Woodward.  I think it was my cousin Elaine who informed me about the 1850 Jackson County, Mississippi census record that appeared to be the family we were searching for:

1850 Jackson County, Mississippi 

Is it possible that this Derias Woodward and the Jeriah Woodard that Mr. Cooley named in his Woodard history are the same person?  When spoken, the name Derias sounds similar to Jeriah, so I can understand how these two names could be misinterpreted by sound.  However, this Derias Woodward was born in Mississippi.  

I was informed that Derias Woodard married Eliza Debose or Dubose.  On the 1850 census, there are three Debose households listed on the same page as Derias, so that information is believable.  Derias Woodard received a land grant of 159.17 acres in Harrison County, Mississippi issued on 12 January 1889.   

Derias Woodard Land Grant

Children of Derias Woodard and Eliza Debose (Dubose) Woodard:

1.  Rebecca Ann Woodard- born abt. 1845, died 1 July 1933 in Holmes County, Mississippi.  Married William H. Rogers on 24 April 1885 in Wayne County, Mississippi.  

2. Thomas Riley Woodard- born abt. 1849, died between 1890-1893; married Mary Minerva Warden.  Click on his name listed under Family Connections for more information.

3.  John Matthew Woodard- born April 1850, died January 1930 in Lamar County, Mississippi, buried in Pleasant Hill Cemetery, Forrest County, Mississippi; married Frances Cook on 11 May 1882 in Harrison County, Mississippi.  She died in 1933 and is buried beside her husband, John.  

4. Meranda Elizabeth Woodard- born July 1854, died in 1930 in Hazelhurst, Copiah County, Mississippi; married 1st William Page abt. 1875.  He was born abt. 1854 and died between 1910-1912 in Mississippi.  She then married Fred E. Craft who was born abt. 1853 in Alabama.  

5. David Woodard- born 9 October 1855, died 31 May 1899 in Oloh, Lamar County, Mississippi, buried in Midway Cemetery #2.  On 25 January 1883, he married Epsy Snellgrove in Marion County, Mississippi.  She was born 19 June 1865 in Mississippi and died 21 May 1920 in Lamar County, Mississippi.  She is also buried in Midway Cemetery #2.

6. Missouri Liza Woodard- born 19 July 1865 in Mississippi and died 14 November 1952 in Stone County, Mississippi, buried in Ten Mile Cemetery; abt. 1880 married Helaire Eli Ladner.  He was born 14 January 1847 in Harrison County, Mississippi.  

7. Julie Woodard- born abt. 1866 in Mississippi, died abt. 1829 in Lamar County, Mississippi; married George Cameron.  He was born in 1858 and died in 1933.  Both are buried in the Midway Cemetery #2 in Lamar County.  

Note:  This is all of the information that I currently have available on this family and it came from secondary sources and family hearsay.  Therefore, it has not been proven.