Remember When: oil fields and hidden memories

By Guest Columnist Mary Jane Boutwell

This is possibly too personal for some readers, and I apologize before I finish this paragraph but this is where my thoughts have been since a grandson called last week to ask about the fire or explosion at Virlilia. As we continued making our appointments and other business in Jackson, we checked with our neighbors. They were all okay.

Family has it that, before I was born, my folks were buying a place at Camden on Town Creek. The best I can get is that my family lived, at least for a while, at Mr. John Whitworth’s place. Mr. John approached Daddy and offered him some property off Highway 51. Daddy told Mr. John, “I am a farmer, and that is not farm land.” After several years, the place at Camden was replaced with a farm two and a half miles west of Canton. The last I heard, the Camden place was owned by International Paper and growing pine trees. The non-farm land became the Pickens Oil field. 

It is amazing how much is hidden in plain sight. The oil field on Cameron Plantation is one. I grew up within several miles off the place, a neighbor even worked there, but I never knew about it. My husband knew. He knew where the salt flats were or are. My son knew. He roamed this part of the county as a boy. 

Several things about this oil field I find interesting. It is a continuation of the Pickens oil field. It floats along the Big Black River. I was told it had two wells. The field burned and was not reopened. Several of us meet once a month at Old Madison Presbyterian Church- commonly called the “Old Folks.” One of the couples is from Yazoo County. A lot of his growing up was about a quarter of a mile from my home. At one of our get togethers, I asked what was his daddy’s job. He was an oil field worker. It struck me that their home was a good distance from the Pickens oil field. In reply to where he worked, the answer was, “the Cameron oil field.” I grew up within ten miles of the plantation and remember nothing about an oil field. 

So, I have learned more by talking with others about my community. The original news flash said Virlillia, then it went to Kerney Park, has always been where the munition bunkers were built during WWII, now Vital Records. I remember storing square bales of hay in one of the bunkers. My younger brother enjoyed running and yelling in one-fun echoes. I understand they were used as pig pens, grow mushrooms, and whatever. 

But, back to what I learned where the explosion happened. It was further down the road than the bunkers. So a question- was that part of the Cameron oil field? If anyone can help, please contact me. Also, as these ramblings have been published, I have learned more and more, and some connections need to be made. I would greatly appreciate it if you find any mistakes, please pass on corrections or additional knowledge. 

EDITOR’S NOTE: Mary Jane Boutwell is a passionate historian and is thrilled to share stories about “way back when.”