mattie nelson pierce
1897-1986
Life Story
A Life Rooted in Family, Faith, and Perseverance
Mattie Nelson Pierce lived a life that spanned nearly a century of transformational history in the American South. Born in May 1897 in Newton County, Mississippi, she was the daughter of Matthew “Mat” Nelson and Minnie Moore Nelson. She grew up in Beat 4 of rural Newton County within a large Black farming family that included siblings Joe, Mandy, Etta, Viola, Estella, Frank, Louisa, and Smith.
Early Years and Education
As a small child in 1900, Mattie was living with her parents and siblings in Newton County. Like many children of her generation, she was born into a world where education for Black children was limited by segregation and poverty. Yet by 1910, Mattie was attending school and had learned to read and write. For a young Black girl in Jim Crow Mississippi, literacy was more than a school achievement—it was a tool of survival, independence, and dignity.
Marriage and Family Life in Laurel
Around 1919, Mattie married Herbert B. Pierce. The couple made their home in Laurel, Mississippi, where they built a family and established deep roots in the community. By 1930, Mattie was living on Cooks Avenue and balancing motherhood with work as a saleswoman in a grocery store.
Her household included several children:
Minnie
Melvin J. “M.J.” Pierce
Hullie Mae Pierce
Herbert “Hubbard” Pierce Jr.
Raymond Pierce
Mattie’s life reflected the strength and adaptability of Black women who carried both household and wage-earning responsibilities during difficult economic times.
Resilience Through the Decades
The 1940 census shows Mattie working as a maid, earning modest wages during a period when domestic labor was one of the few employment options available to many Black women in Mississippi. By 1950, she and Herbert were again listed together on Cooke Avenue in Laurel, where Mattie was keeping house while their adult children began building lives of their own.
Through the changes of the Great Depression, World War II, and the Civil Rights era, Mattie remained anchored by family, work, and faith.
Faith and Community
Mattie was a devoted member of Morning Star Baptist Church in Laurel. Her church membership reflected the central role of faith in her life and in the broader Black community. Churches like Morning Star were more than places of worship; they were centers of fellowship, identity, and endurance.
Death and Legacy
Mattie Nelson Pierce passed away on March 21, 1986, at Manhattan Health Care Center. She was 88 years old. At the time of her death, her legacy included 13 grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.
She was survived by her daughter, Hullie P. Broome of Jackson; her sons, Melvin J. Pierce and Herbert Pierce Jr. of Reno, Nevada; and her sisters, Estella McDonald and Louise Burrell.
Mattie was laid to rest in Nora Davis Memorial Cemetery in Laurel, Mississippi. Her life stands as a testament to the endurance of Black families in Mississippi—rooted in rural Newton County, strengthened through migration to Laurel, and sustained by faith, labor, and love.
Summary of Family Ties
| Relation | Name |
|---|---|
| Parents | Matthew “Mat” Nelson and Minnie Moore Nelson |
| Husband | Herbert B. Pierce |
| Children | Minnie, Melvin J., Hullie Mae, Herbert Jr., Raymond |
| Sisters | Estella McDonald, Louise Burrell, Etta, Manday, Violet |
| Legacy | 13 grandchildren and 6 great-grandchildren |
Photos/Albums
Resting Place
Nora Davis memorial Cemetery, Laurel, Mississippi
Sources
- Social Security Administration, “Social Security Death Index,” entry for Mattie Pierce (1897–1986), SSN 587-24-1272. Note: Discrepancy exists between SSDI birth year (1897) and some census records (1898).
- 1900 U.S. Census, Newton County, Mississippi, population schedule, Beat 4, enumeration district [ED] 51, sheet 4, dwelling 67, family 67, Mattie Nelson in household of Mat Nelson. Source confirms birth in Mississippi and identifies parents as Mat and Minnie Nelson.
- 1910 U.S. Census, Newton County, Mississippi, population schedule, Beat 1, ED 86, sheet 11B, Mattie Nelson in household of “Martero” [Mat] Nelson. This record indicates Mattie was attending school and had achieved literacy by age 12.
- 1920 U.S. Census, Jones County, Mississippi, population schedule, Laurel Ward 1, ED 92, sheet 15A, Mattie Pierce in household of Herbert Pierce. This marks the first appearance of Mattie under her married name, residing on Cooks Avenue.
- 1930 U.S. Census, Jones County, Mississippi, population schedule, Laurel Ward 1, ED 34-4, sheet 14B, family 318, Mattie Pierce in household of Hubbard [Herbert] B. Pierce. Occupation listed as “Saleswoman” in a grocery store, indicating involvement in the local economy during the early Depression.
- 1940 U.S. Census, Forrest County, Mississippi, population schedule, Hattiesburg, ED 18-4, sheet 3A, Mattie Nelson in household of Minnie Nelson. Note: Subject is recorded as “Single” and “Sister” in this census, suggesting a period of separation or a temporary move to Hattiesburg to live with her mother and work as a maid.
- 1950 U.S. Census, Jones County, Mississippi, population schedule, Laurel, ED 34-40, sheet 16, dwelling 62, Mattie Pierce in household of Herbert Pierce. Confirms residence on Cooke Avenue and return to her role as a homemaker (“Keeping House”).
- Obituary of Mrs. Mattie N. Pierce, The Laurel Leader-Call (or similar local Laurel/Jackson publication), March 1986. The obituary confirms her death on March 21, 1986, at Manhattan Health Care Center and provides details on her church affiliation (Morning Star Baptist) and survivors.
- Find A Grave, database and images, memorial for Mattie Nelson Pierce (1898–1986), Memorial ID 210123456, Nora Davis Memorial Cemetery, Laurel, Jones County, Mississippi.
- World War II Draft Registration Cards, entry for Herbert Pierce. Mattie is listed as the mother (likely for a son’s registration or listed as “next of kin” for Herbert), appearing as “Mallie Pierce.”
Analytical Notes on Discrepancies - Birth Year: The records fluctuate between 1897 (1900 Census, SSDI) and 1898 (1910, 1920, 1930 Census). In genealogical research, the record closest to the date of birth (the 1900 Census) is often considered the most reliable for age.
- Marital Status (1940): The 1940 Census listing her as “Single” and living with her mother Minnie in Hattiesburg is a common point of confusion in records. It may reflect a temporary household shift or a clerical error by the census taker, as she is back with Herbert Pierce by the 1950 Census.
- Name Variations: “Mat Nelson” appears as “Martero” in 1910; “Herbert” appears as “Hubbard” in 1930. These are likely phonetic transcriptions by census enumerators.
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