Historical Marker

Charley Patton Birthplace

Marker provided by: Mississippi Blues Commission.

Mississippi blues master Charley Patton was born on this property when it was known as Herring’s Place, according to Bolton bluesman Sam Chatmon. Patton’s birthdate has often been reported as April 1891, but other sources cite earlier dates, including 1881, 1885, and 1887. (Birth certificates were not required in Mississippi until 1912.) Patton’s astounding body of recorded work (1929-1934) remains unparalleled, and his live performances were reportedly even more awe-inspiring. Patton died on April 28, 1934.

Charley Patton was the most important recording artist, creative musician and crowd-pleasing entertainer in Mississippi blues during his lifetime. He developed his blues in the Delta but drew earlier inspiration from musicians around Bolton, Edwards and Raymond, absorbing a pre-blues repertoire that was still evident in the songs he began recording in 1929.

Patton’s pivotal stature and vaunted musicianship inspired renowned guitar virtuoso John Fahey to undertake a fact-finding journey to Mississippi in 1958. His book Charley Patton was published in 1970. Other seminal Patton researchers were Gayle Dean Wardlow and Stephen Calt, who co-authored King of the Delta Blues: The Life and Music of Charlie Patton(1988), Bernard Klatzko, and David Evans, author of several works on Mississippi blues. A confusing web of oral histories and conflicting documentary data evolved, and scholars’ interpretations varied widely. Debates continue over details of Patton’s life, death and music–even the spelling of his name (Charley vs. Charlie).

Patton’s sister Viola Cannon gave his birth date as 1881 to one researcher and 1887 to another; April 1891 was cited in the 1900 census (consistent with his 1934 death certificate); and July 12, 1885, was entered on his World War I draft registration card. The Patton family usually said he was born between Bolton and Edwards, but another reported birthplace, called “Heron’s Place” in the Calt-Wardlow book, has become widely accepted today. This is the site of farmland once owned by Samuel Lycurgus “Sam” Herring (1839-1904) along the road named in his honor. The source of this report was Sam Chatmon (c. 1899-1983), a noted blues musician from Bolton who knew Patton from an early age and even sometimes said they were half-brothers. The string band music of the popular and prodigious Chatmon musical clan was likely some of the first music Patton heard.

Chatmon, whose parents gave him a name he disdained, Vivian, renamed himself in honor of Sam Herring and claimed some kinship with him. Chatmon recalled the Herring place for its cotton and corn crops, horse races, mechanical rocking horses, commissary, jukehouse for gambling and dancing, and a resident guitarist Patton may have heard, Lem Nichols (born c. 1875). However, Henry Sloan (born c. 1870) was the musician most often cited for his impact on Patton. By Chatmon’s account, Patton lived with two sisters and their mother Annie, apart from her husband Bill, on the Herring farm in the 1890s. In the 1900 census they all resided with Bill Patton and other siblings on land west of Bolton, where Sloan also lived, and by 1902 the Pattons had moved to Will Dockery’s plantation in Sunflower County; Sloan moved there as well. By 1910, Patton was purported to already be the Delta’s leading figure in the developing musical form that came to be called the blues

The Mississippi Blues Trail markers tell stories through words and images of bluesmen and women and how the places where they lived and the times in which they existed–and continue to exist–influenced their music. The sites run the gamut from city streets to cotton fields, train depots to cemeteries, and clubs to churches. We have a lot to share, and it’s just down the Mississippi Blues Trail.

The Mississippi Blues Trail is an ongoing project of the Mississippi Blues Commission. Funding for this project has been made possible by grants from the National Endowment for the Arts, National Endowment for the Humanities, Mississippi Department of Transportation, the Federal Highway Administration, AT&T, and the Delta Center for Culture and Learning at Delta State University plus additional support from the Mississippi Development Authority Tourism Division.

For more information visit msbluestrail.org.

Blues Trail
The Mississippi River is the backbone of our economy in Louisiana. It not only provides jobs and commerce to our state, it nourishes families, Louisiana's industries and our wildlife.
Bobby Jindal in Water
Hinds County, Mississippi, has a rich history that spans centuries. The area was originally inhabited by Native American tribes, including the Choctaw and Chickasaw, who relied on the fertile land for hunting and farming. European explorers arrived in the region in the 16th century, with the Spanish establishing a presence in the area. However, it was not until the early 19th century that Hinds County began to take shape as a permanent settlement.

In 1821, Hinds County was created as one of the original counties in the newly formed state of Mississippi. The county was named after Thomas Hinds, a prominent Mississippi pioneer and early political figure. The county seat, Jackson, was established shortly thereafter and quickly became a center of government, commerce, and industry. The presence of the Pearl River provided opportunities for transportation, further contributing to the growth and development of Hinds County.

During the antebellum period, Hinds County played a significant role in the cotton industry of the Deep South. The county's vast plantations relied heavily on enslaved labor, with African Americans making up a substantial portion of the population. This history of slavery and the agricultural economy would leave a lasting impact on the culture and demographics of the county for generations to come.

Following the Civil War and the abolition of slavery, Hinds County experienced periods of social and political turbulence. The county became a center of Civil Rights activism during the 20th century, with notable figures like Medgar Evers, a civil rights leader, making significant contributions to the movement. Today, Hinds County continues to be a vibrant and diverse community, with a blend of historical landmarks and modern developments that reflect its varied past.

This timeline provides a glimpse into the major events and milestones that have shaped the history of Hinds County, Mississippi.

  • 1821 - Hinds County is established as one of the original counties in Mississippi.
  • 1832 - The city of Jackson becomes the county seat of Hinds County.
  • 1863 - During the American Civil War, Hinds County is occupied by Union forces.
  • 1875 - The Mississippi State Penitentiary, also known as Parchman Farm, is established in Hinds County.
  • 1960s - Hinds County becomes a major center for the civil rights movement in Mississippi.
  • 2010 - Hinds County celebrates its bicentennial anniversary.