The Rounds Family of Adams County, Mississippi originated with the marriage of Charles Rounds (b. 1811 in Virginia/Africa) and Charity Rounds (b. 1822 in Mississippi). Charity Rounds was a slave of
Dr. William Mercer at the
Laurel Hill Plantation. It is unclear at this time where Charles Rounds was enslaved, presumably on the Laurel Hill Plantation also. After the Civil War, Charlie and Charity Rounds continued to reside in Adams County, Mississippi. They purchased the Rounds Plantation (Glen Aubin) in about 1874. The 1870 census showed the members of the Rounds household, they are as follows: children, Andrew, Lucy, Goliah, Flora and Rose, grandchildren Harrison Holmes, Minor Duncan and Joseph Rounds.
An excerpt from the book "African-American Historic Places" published by the National Register of Historic Places:
Like China Grove, Bourbon and Oakland Plantations, Glen Aubin was one of several plantations in southwest Adams county that were purchased by former slaves or their children in the year immediately following the Civil war. Glen Aubin was constructed as the residence of John Odlin Hutchins and his wife, Aubin, from whom it derives its name, on land acquired by Hutchins' grandfather, Anthony Hutchins as an early English land grant in the early 1780's. Coming to Natchez in 1772, Anthony Hutchins was teh area's largest landholdler and planter in the late 18th century. The house appears to date from around 1835 to 1845, with the only major changes occuring around 1850, when the roof was raised to accommodate the second story bedrooms.
In 1874 Charlie and Charity Rounds, who were former slaves or free blacks, purchased Glen Aubin. The purchase was arranged by Wilmer Shields, the plantation manager at the neighboring Laurel Hill owned by William Newton Mercer. The name Charity appears in a list of slaves owned by Mercer, and it is possible that Charity Rounds had been a Laurel Hill slave who, with her husband, was assisted by Shields in acquiring the plantation. From 1874 until 1894, Glen Aubin served as the residence of the Rounds Family, who are responsible for maintaining the architectural integrity of the house, including all original hardware, oak graining and interior and exterior paint colors.
The REAL family story about the Rounds Plantation:After Charles and Charity Rounds acquired the Glen Aubin home, it was passed to their son Goliah and his wife Dinah. They raised their 10 children in the home and surrounding property. Charles and Charity Rounds are buried on the right side of the Antebellum home. The home did not leave the Rounds Family ownership until it was sold in a shady deal in the 1970's. The land, about 400 acres in all, is still owned by the descendants of Charles and Charity Rounds. It includes a large family cemetary plot where several family members are buried.
The Rounds Plantation
Goliah Rounds (b. 1854), son of Charity and Charlie Rounds
