Morris Family History & Genealogy
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and last name history of the Morris family, shared by
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Morris Last Name History & Origin
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Early Morrises
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Morris Family Members
Morris Biographies & Family Trees
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Sample of 21 Morrises bios
Morris Death Records & Life Expectancy
According to our database of 130,914 people with the last name Morris that have a birth and death date listed:
Life Expectancy
69.3
years
Oldest Morrises
These are the longest-lived members of the Morris family on AncientFaces.
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Hattie B Morris
lived 117 years
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Neva F Morris
lived 114 years
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Martha Morris
lived 112 years
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Hattie Morris
lived 108 years
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Howard Morris
lived 108 years
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Gregory Morris
lived 108 years
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John S Morris
lived 108 years
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Marie Morris
lived 108 years
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Mary Morris
lived 107 years
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Florence B Morris
lived 107 years
Other Morris Records
Memories
My GGGrandfather Joseph Morris and wife Sarah owned and operated a Ferry on the Old Beef Trail near the original Zavala Texas in early 1800's. They had one child Lorenzo Dow Morris, He married Mary Francis Brewster. He fought in the Civil War.
My maternal great grandfather John William MORRIS was born on 5 July 1855 at Grove Street, Camden Town, London,UK, which was in the Parish of St Pancras. He became a driver of horse drawn London buses and hansom cabs. He had three brothers, Thomas Frederick, Arthur and William, and one sister Emma Eliza. John William lived through the transitional period from horse drawn vehicles to motorised ones, and reputedly owned one of the first horseless hansom cabs. That is one of the early London taxis. My father can remember John William visiting his daughter and grandchildren in his bright shiny new taxi cab in the early 1900's. Do you have family connections either with John William or with drivers of early London taxi cabs? If so I would love to hear from you.
Maria Billings Linney Morris story
Written by Arlene Pulsipher Hemsley
Compiled from autobiography of her son Robert Morris, Histories of her daughter Harriet and grandson Fred.
Transcribed by Anjanette Stone Lofgren
Maria Billings Linney was born 12 Nov. 1806/1807 at So. Whitham, Lincolnshire, England. She was the only child of John Linney and Sophia Billings that I know about. Her parents followed a common tradition of giving a child for their middle name the maiden name of the mother.
Nothing is known of her childhood until her marriage to John Morris in 1832. This was his second marriage and he had a small daughter. They made their home in Barrowden, Rutlandshire, where their eight children were born, five sons and three daughters. Their second son John only lived one year so the third son was also named John. Their other sons were Charles, Robert, and William. Their daughters were Emma, Harriet, and Louisa.
About the year 1845 or 1846 an Elder of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints whose name was Thomas Smart went to work in Barrowden to take charge of Dyeing wool mats. Soon after he arrived he began to preach the new faith and Maria accepted the gospel with gladness and was baptized on 10 Dec. 1848, with her two sons Charles and John. Emma was baptized in 1849, in 1854 Harriet, Robert and Louisa were baptized. They had to go in the dark to the river that ran by the village so they might not be observed. William was baptized in 1857. Nothing further is known of William. John Morris, the father of the family was not baptized while living, although he was a friend to the elders and never objected to their presence in his home until an elder brought small pox into the home and had to stay there until he was well. Every member of the family had small pox at that time.
They lived in a very poor neighborhood in Barrowden and all had to work to make a living. They cleaned and sold many pans of tripe in the more wealthy district. Tripe is made from the cow’s or pig’s stomach lining, cleaned, washed, cooked and seasoned, it was considered a very palatable dish.
There were many factories in the area and all, even the children were allowed to work in them, Robert went to work in a leather dressing establishment when he was 13 years old. Possibly John and Charles worked there also as that is the work they did after they came to America. The children were also compelled to go to school part time.
Maria and her daughter Harriet were seamstresses. Maria was a good cook and housekeeper and taught her children to do things proper.
It must have been very difficult to save enough money to pay for their emigration to America but they did, John and Charles came to America in 1855 and 1856. They stayed in Cincinnati where they found employment. In the spring of 1860 Charles sent the money to England to pay for passage to America of Robert, Emma, and Harriet. Emma and Harriet had to stay in Brooklyn doing house work to earn enough money to finish their journey to Utah. Harriet worked for two years. Robert had enough money to go onto Cincinnati where his two brothers were working.
Even though the proprietor of the factory favored Robert he still had a difficult time financially to earn enough over his board and room to go on to Utah. At one time the only job available was something that was very difficult to do without practice and Robert had never been able to do it successfully. One morning on his way to work he felt very impressed to get on his knees and pray that the proprietor would offer him a job. He knew if he could get the job he would be able to use the money to go on to Utah. He prayed and was offered the job and did it successfully, and was the first member of the family to make it to Utah.
John married in Cincinnati and nothing more was heard of him. Charles married and had a family before starting for Utah. He with his family made the journey to Utah later. Harriet and Emma arrived in Utah in 1862.
In the spring of 1866 Robert sent the money to England to emigrate Maria, his mother to Utah. She arrived on September 24th. Her husband, John chose to stay in England, family tradition has it that he did not want to leave his daughter Sara who never accepted the gospel. She was the daughter of John and his first wife. Nothing is said of Louisa but she was in Salt Lake City when she married in 1862.
Maria was 60 years old hen she arrived in Salt Lake City, and she still earned her living going out to nurse sick people and doing the washing for families. She lived in Salt Lake City the rest of her life. She had very good health and never had a headache.
At one time in the history of the church women without living husbands thought they needed to be sealed to someone. At that time Maria and all of her children except Harriet were sealed to George C. Cannon. I do not have the date nor do I know if that sealing is valid because they have all now been sealed to John Morris.
Maria died 17 November 1889 in Salt Lake City. John Morris died in 1882. Today they have 7 generations of descendants, with a total of over 908 children, grandchildren, great grandchildren etc.
Written by Arlene Pulsipher Hemsley
Compiled from autobiography of her son Robert Morris, Histories of her daughter Harriet and grandson Fred.
Transcribed by Anjanette Stone Lofgren
Maria Billings Linney was born 12 Nov. 1806/1807 at So. Whitham, Lincolnshire, England. She was the only child of John Linney and Sophia Billings that I know about. Her parents followed a common tradition of giving a child for their middle name the maiden name of the mother.
Nothing is known of her childhood until her marriage to John Morris in 1832. This was his second marriage and he had a small daughter. They made their home in Barrowden, Rutlandshire, where their eight children were born, five sons and three daughters. Their second son John only lived one year so the third son was also named John. Their other sons were Charles, Robert, and William. Their daughters were Emma, Harriet, and Louisa.
About the year 1845 or 1846 an Elder of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints whose name was Thomas Smart went to work in Barrowden to take charge of Dyeing wool mats. Soon after he arrived he began to preach the new faith and Maria accepted the gospel with gladness and was baptized on 10 Dec. 1848, with her two sons Charles and John. Emma was baptized in 1849, in 1854 Harriet, Robert and Louisa were baptized. They had to go in the dark to the river that ran by the village so they might not be observed. William was baptized in 1857. Nothing further is known of William. John Morris, the father of the family was not baptized while living, although he was a friend to the elders and never objected to their presence in his home until an elder brought small pox into the home and had to stay there until he was well. Every member of the family had small pox at that time.
They lived in a very poor neighborhood in Barrowden and all had to work to make a living. They cleaned and sold many pans of tripe in the more wealthy district. Tripe is made from the cow’s or pig’s stomach lining, cleaned, washed, cooked and seasoned, it was considered a very palatable dish.
There were many factories in the area and all, even the children were allowed to work in them, Robert went to work in a leather dressing establishment when he was 13 years old. Possibly John and Charles worked there also as that is the work they did after they came to America. The children were also compelled to go to school part time.
Maria and her daughter Harriet were seamstresses. Maria was a good cook and housekeeper and taught her children to do things proper.
It must have been very difficult to save enough money to pay for their emigration to America but they did, John and Charles came to America in 1855 and 1856. They stayed in Cincinnati where they found employment. In the spring of 1860 Charles sent the money to England to pay for passage to America of Robert, Emma, and Harriet. Emma and Harriet had to stay in Brooklyn doing house work to earn enough money to finish their journey to Utah. Harriet worked for two years. Robert had enough money to go onto Cincinnati where his two brothers were working.
Even though the proprietor of the factory favored Robert he still had a difficult time financially to earn enough over his board and room to go on to Utah. At one time the only job available was something that was very difficult to do without practice and Robert had never been able to do it successfully. One morning on his way to work he felt very impressed to get on his knees and pray that the proprietor would offer him a job. He knew if he could get the job he would be able to use the money to go on to Utah. He prayed and was offered the job and did it successfully, and was the first member of the family to make it to Utah.
John married in Cincinnati and nothing more was heard of him. Charles married and had a family before starting for Utah. He with his family made the journey to Utah later. Harriet and Emma arrived in Utah in 1862.
In the spring of 1866 Robert sent the money to England to emigrate Maria, his mother to Utah. She arrived on September 24th. Her husband, John chose to stay in England, family tradition has it that he did not want to leave his daughter Sara who never accepted the gospel. She was the daughter of John and his first wife. Nothing is said of Louisa but she was in Salt Lake City when she married in 1862.
Maria was 60 years old hen she arrived in Salt Lake City, and she still earned her living going out to nurse sick people and doing the washing for families. She lived in Salt Lake City the rest of her life. She had very good health and never had a headache.
At one time in the history of the church women without living husbands thought they needed to be sealed to someone. At that time Maria and all of her children except Harriet were sealed to George C. Cannon. I do not have the date nor do I know if that sealing is valid because they have all now been sealed to John Morris.
Maria died 17 November 1889 in Salt Lake City. John Morris died in 1882. Today they have 7 generations of descendants, with a total of over 908 children, grandchildren, great grandchildren etc.
This the story of the Morris family of Bedford Co. Bedford, Pa.WIlliam and ELizabeth Shaffer have 5 children, One being my grandfather- Jacob ELmer Morris, which married Elmira Smith. They had a total of 13 children- Homer Doil was the 3rd in line which is my father. He was born Oct. 2, 1913 and pass to the Lord- Dec 19, 2005. Homer and Eleanor (Stahl) May 7, 1936, and they had 8 children. Homer work several different jobs, until 1951, in which he and his family of 7 children moved to St.Thomas, PA, In 1953- they had the 8th child- Marian Ruth Morris, He work in a orchard in St.Thomas for over 30 years, after which he retired and he and Eleanor- lived back & forth from here to Flordia. They settled again in ST. Thomas.
They had so far a total of 27 grandchildren,
They had so far a total of 27 grandchildren,
I was born on March 18 1977 in Sringfield Illinois. My mother was Jacky Betts and my father was Rick Lee Morris. I never new any of my Morris relatives. My father and mother split up when I was three years old. My mother moved me back to New York where all of her family was living at the time. My father was apart of my life untill I was five and after that year I did not see him again. I do not no why? I am not looking to find him, I would instead like to find out about my Morris family background. I have children know and would like to be able to share it with them some day. I know I share alot of my fathers looks from old pictures I have of him. I would like to know if I resemble any one else in my family? My name is Jessica Lynn Morris. I know that Ricks Grandparents raised him. His Grandmas name I believe was Addie Bell Morris. I will write back with more information when I recieve it.
Ancestors of Margaret Eleanor Catherine Sellers 29 May 1929 to 10 April 2006
by Susan Aldridge
Martha H. Morris, daughter of James Morris and Jane Saultor of Glendale, Spartanburg, SC married Henderson Sellers in SC, son of Emanuel Sellers born Nash NC and Fannie Rogers born Franklin NC . This Photo of Martha Morris when she was over 80 years old living near Homewood, Jefferson Co. AL was found by Dr. Harry Earl Kinnane, whose ancestor was Laura Frances Sellers, Martha’s daughter. Martha was born near Glendale, Spartanburg, SC.
In 1856 or 1857 the Lawsons, Sellers, Morrises and related families left Spartanburg in wagons to come to Alabama. It is believed they came thru Tennessee, staying a year in Guntersville in northern AL where Thomas J. Morris and wife Louvina Sellers, d/0 Emanuel are living in the 1860 census. In 1857 they arrived in Shades Valley near Elyton, Jefferson Co. AL, now Birmingham. Jefferson County is bordered by Blount, Bibb, St. Clair, Shelby, Tuscaloosa, and Walker counties. It encompasses 1,119 square miles. The county seat was at Carrollsville from 1819-21, but at Elyton from 1821-73, and since 1873 has been at Birmingham. I am not sure if Elyton was not swallowed up by Birmingham.
Wilson's Raiders was formed in Jefferson Co AL at Elyton Headquarters March 28-31, 1865. by Gen. James H. Wilson, USA, having crossed the Tennessee River with a large force of well equipped cavalry, he grouped them at Elyton, AL. Their mission: to destroy Alabama's economic facilities for supporting the War. From these headquarters he sent; (a) cavalry unit to burn the military school, foundries and bridges at Tuscaloosa. (b) soldiers to destroy mines and furnaces in Jefferson, Bibb, and Shelby Counties. (c) cavalry to dash south to destroy railroads and factories at Selma. (Located at Arlington, in Birmingham). Wilson’s presence at Elyton was Godsend for Henry Emanuel Sellers and his compatriots who had been laying out the war in the wooded hills near there, supported by Unionists of Shelby and Jefferson Co,
If anyone has corrections or additions for me I will be delighted to receive them. I did this mostly out of census data, as well as burial information at the Homewood Sellers Cemetery in Jefferson Co, Alabama. Credit to Nellie Mae Sellers Newton of Pinson, Jefferson Co. AL, Jack Sellers of Texas, Harry Kinnane and Michael Farren of Jefferson Co, Alabama.
Confirmation about Henderson’s father was acquired by Michael Farren from a part of his grandfather Will Franks’s work in the early 1900s is in private hands and not available at Samford University. Will Franks’s extensive genealogy work about Jefferson county residents was a result of a lifetime devotion. This work was almost thrown in the trash after he died, but in the end, 2 of his descendants took 2 parts of it and the third part of it finally came after persuasion into the genealogy collection at Samford. That means 2 parts of Will Franks’s work are unfortunately in private hands and may meet the same fate which almost met the work now at Samford.
Title: Will Franke's Notes
Author: William F. Franke
Date: 1914
[external link]
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Martha Morris received a Pension after Henderson Sellers died at Chickamauga GA in hospital, but it was revoked in 1915 because they could not find a record of him-probably because he was listed as H. Sellers. In 1850 census he also gives only H. Sellers-he must not have liked his name. In the following paper Stephen Horton Watkins gives testimony for her as a confederate soldier. This says Henderson enlisted at -----boro? Dalton GA While Dalton was pro-Union prior to the outbreak of The Civil War, after Georgia votes to secede in January 1861 only a few Unionists could be found. One suspected northern sympathizer was Ansley Blunt, postmaster and first mayor of the city whose home, the Blunt House, stands south of the downtown area. Many of the men who would fight at Chickamauga (September 1863) arrived at Dalton by train, passing through the depot. including Henderson Sellers. From 1862 until 1864 Dalton serves as a front-line hospital town.
Confederate Pension File Martha Morris Sellers provided by Nellie Mae Sellers Newton
Martha Morris -wife of Henderson Sellers pension paper, signed by W.A. MeHarg- Notary Public- related to Martha by way of Etta Caladonia Hardy (whose mother was a MeHerg) who married Martha’s grandson James Thomas Jefferson Sellers 1915-1917. Signing also were James M. Morris her nephew -son of her brother Augustus G. Morris, Dan Acton Bailey her son in law, Stephen Horton Watkins born 24 Aug 1832 AL -the brother of the father of her daughter-in-law Passa C. Watkins, and J.T. Walker JP
Please click on the picture for a larger view
Andrew Jackson had warned the South that to fight the Union would be the most foolish thing they could do and that they would lose the fight-and he was right. Emanuel agreed with Jackson and he voted for Douglas as president in the 1860 election and the Union candidates in Shelby Co. (but I could not read the names very well). Henderson Sellers’ father was against succession and stated this in a claim he made for bacon at 20 cents a pound provided to the Union Army under the command of General Wilson on about 1st April 1963 at 11 in the morning at his farm. Emanuel states he lived in Shelby County near the county line which is 7 miles south of his PO at Elyton in Jefferson Co. AL. He lived one and half miles from “the main public road leading to Selma.” He proved his loyalty by it by feeding runaway soldiers in the woods. He calls the War “the Rebellion.” To question 17) Who were the leading Unionists of your vicinity during the War? His answer was: “ John A. McLintock (McClintock, John A., b. 25 Aug 1826, d. 28 May 1906 buried Bluff Park Cemetery, Oxmoor Heights), Robert B. Patton, Pickney L. Brock (b 1822 SC wife is Parvelle Redding, Death: 18 Apr 1894 - Haleys PO, Marion, AL Marriage: 21 Dec 1848 - Elyton, Jefferson, AL), and Joseph Gice of Shelby Co., John C. Morris, Thomas Sanford (birth 1816 Henderson Co TN died 1879 Jefferson Co. married Margaret B. Burford, Permelia P. and Jane DeJarnette Jones) , Thomas Haughey ( a doctor b 1824 Scotland who had married Elizabeth b. 1829 SC and they had a son John b 1845) and Sam Thompson (m. Ann Eliza/Louisa Camp in Jefferson) of Jefferson Co.”
Page found by Michael Farren. There are other pages stored as well.
SELLERS:
In an old Bible record there is said to have been 10 brothers total in that generation In "The Sellers Letters" in June, 1984 by Charles A. Sellers, grandson of Jordan Sellers, he lists some of the siblings as Mary, Martha, Samuel, Gurley, Bennett and Jordan.
1. William S. Sellers married Mary Sherrod in Nash Co NC
2. Samuel Sellers married Sarah Rogers in Person Co. NC (was formed from Edgecomb Co. Granville Co is between it and Franklin Co. -maybe they married at her grandmother’s house.
3. Bennett “Long” Sellers married Winny Rogers 7 March 1821 Franklin Co NC
4. Manuel “Short” Sellers (Emanuel) married Fanny Rogers 1 June, 1825 in Franklin NC. Witness John Rogers and JJ Cothran
5. Gurley Sellers married Delilah Wyatt 31 January 1826 in Nash Co.-witneses Jourdan Sellers and Larry Brantley
6. Jourdan Sellars married Elizabeth Mason 5 Nov. 1828 in Nash, NC moved to Wake Co NC then Guilford NC and finally Greenup, Cumberland Co, Illinois and then Indiana.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11. Lucinda Sellers (Emanuel`s sister) married Fanny’s brother John Rogers.
12. Tallula Sellers (Emanuel`s sister) married Larry Brantley-son of Sherrod Brantley and stayed in NC. (Larry Brantley Residence: 1830 - Ferrills, Nash, North Carolina)
13. Mary Sellers
14. Martha Sellers
15 Druscilla Sellers
By 1840 Bennett and Manuel had moved to Spartanburg SC. In 1850 they appear under their nicknames Short b 1800 and Long Sellers b 1787. After 1856 Emanuel and son Henderson Sellers left SC and went thru Tenn. to Guntersville AL by 1857 with the help of their uncle Gurley Sellers who came up to Tenn to meet them and then to Shades Valley and Elyton in Jefferson County, presumably after they acquired land. They had one of the first 6 houses in the Shades Valley.
Emanuel’s son Henderson appears as H. Sellers with Henry (could be a nickname for Martha who had a middle initial H.) in 1850 Spartanburg SC and Margaret age 1 could be his first child by Martha. Henderson’s younger brother Emanuel Henry fought with his brother Henderson in the D 28th Confederate Alabama Infantry. William and Alison were in the D group too, as well as his uncle Thomas Morris.
known children of Emanuel “Short” Sellers and Frances “Fannie” Rogers
Henderson about 1825- m. Martha Morris
1. Lucinda Louvina about 1834 m. Thomas J. Morris
2. Allison about 1835 m. Margaret “Peggy” Rutherford b. abt 1840 SC
3. Emanuel Henry about 1842 m. Mary Elizabeth Hollingsworth, d/o John Wesley Hollingsworth
4.Nancy 1843
1850 28th August South Carolina > Spartanburg
near his brother Long Sellers (Bennett Sellers and Winney Rogers)
Short Sellers 55 (Emanuel)
Fanny Sellers 50
Lucinda Sellers 15
Allison Sellers 18
E. Henry sellers 10
1860 Shelby, Alabama
Post Office: Hillsboro
Emanuel Sellers 55 SC
Fanny Sellers 61 NC
Nancy Sellers 17 SC
Next door to his father Emanuel
Allison Sellers 35 NC
Peggy Sellers 30 SC (Margaret Rutherfurd)
Jack Sellers 8 AL (John is usually a Jack) Jack moved out by the next census
Jane Sellers 6 AL (could be James, by mistake)
Bettie Sellers 1 AL (Elizabeth or Lizza- could be Frances middle name is Lizza)
Martha is the child of James Morris and Jane Saultor / Salter of Spartanburg. The Morrises may have had many more children than I have been able to verify.
The Patriarch and Matriarch of the Elyton, Jefferson County, AL Morris family:
James Morris b. 1796 SC –Patriarch d. after 1860 census
Jane Saultor b. 1796 SC-Matriarch d. after she was living with Martha in 1870
In 1840 James Morris age 40 and under 50 and Jane the same age group have 9 children in the house- 5 boys and 4 girls.
2 boys age 5 and under 10 Augustus G. and Thomas
1 boy age 10 and under 15
1 boy age 15 and under 20 Thomas Morris
1 boy age 20 and under 30 William Simpson Morris
1 girl age 5 and under 10
1 girl age 10 and under 15 Martha Morris
1girl age 15 and under 20
1850 Not Stated, Spartanburg, SC
House 1640
James Morris abt 1796 South Carolina
Jane Morris abt 1801 South Carolina
Augustus Morris abt 1832 b. Oct. 1833 SC married Harriet J. b. Sept. 1834 SC
Thomas Morris abt 1834 married Louvina Lucinda Sellers
Cornelius Morris abt 1840 married 1st Sarah born 1841 SC 2nd Sarah L. b. 1857 SC m. in 1885
1860 census- Elyton, Jefferson, AL which was 7 miles from Emanuel#s farm in Shelby Co.
James Morris 59 South Carolina
Jane Morris 57 South Carolina
Children:
1. William Simpson MORRIS b. 24 Dec 1817 d. 3 Dec 1903 Glendale. Glenn Springs, Spartanburg, SC married daughter of Robert Johnson Coggins and Jane White on 28 Oct 1841 Chasey COGGINS b. 1813 SC Died: 21 Apr 1868 in Glendale, Spartanburg and 2nd Malissa KIRBEY Born: 1845 in Glendale.:
A. Sarah Jane MORRIS 7 Jul 1844 in Glendale SC Died: 28 Oct 1882
Clifton, Spartanburg, SC m. 22 Feb 1869 in Glendale, Spartanburg Robert Coleman Poole
Known children, courtesy Gordon Atkin
i. John Simpson POOLE b: 8 Jun 1870 in Pacolet Township,,SC
ii. Martha Jane POOLE b: 25 Oct 1871 in Clifton/Pacolet
iii. Nancy Madora Poole 22 Feb 1875 in Pacolet, Spartanburg
iv. Robert Hampton Poole 25 Mar 1878 in Spartanburg
v. Thomas Alexander POOLE b: 13 Apr 1880 in Clifton Spartanburg,Pacolet Twnsp,SC
vi. George Morgan POOLE b: 8 Oct 1882 in Pacolet Township,Spartanburg Co.,SC
B. Jesse Robert MORRIS 1846 SC died 1864/65 ((Gordon ADKIN)
C. Eliza Frances “Fannie” MORRIS 21 Oct 1848 in Glendale SC Died: 29 Nov 1930 Glendale m. Albert Wylda Crocker Born: 7 Sep 1847 in Clarendon, Spartanburg SC Died: 9 Apr 1926 in Spartanburg
D. Mary Angeline MORRIS 1849 SC Died: 13 Aug 1863 District Spartanburg
E. Amanda Tallulah MORRIS b. 10 September 1855 Cedar Springs, SC Died: 13 Dec 1932
Cherokee m. 13 Nov 1879 Alfred Monroe Burdett
F. William Simpson MORRIS 3 June 1859 SC Died: 31 May 1902
G. Jackson Beaureguard MORRIS 4 October 1861 Glendale Died: 17 Dec 1928 m. Huldah Rhodes
2. Thomas W. MORRIS b. 1822 SC m. Sarah b ? This may be a younger brother of James Morris or a cousin or his son and the other Thomas in the family may be a nephew. I cannot say why there are 2 Thomas names in the family, but they are related. Sometimes Southern families has 2 children of the same name, although it is rare. This Thomas stayed in SC and the younger Thomas went as far as Guntersville, AL fought in the Civil War and then returned to Spartanburg by 1870.
A. William 1843 SC
B. S.A. Mills 1845 SC
C. Susan A. 1847 SC
D. Cynthia 1849 SC
E. James 1862 SC
F. Mary 1865 SC
G. Augustus 1866 SC
3. Martha H. MORRIS b. August about 1831 SC died after 1910 either 11 June 1911 or 19 April 1916 Jefferson Co., AL , married Henderson Sellers, son of Emanuel /Manuel "Short" Sellers.
census Before the War-
1860 Elyton, Jefferson Co., AL
Henderson Cellars 35 SC
Martha Cellars 29 SC
Jane Cellars 10 (Elizabeth Jane) SC m. Charles C. Scott
Ann Cellars 6 SC
James Cellars 5 (James Thomas ) SC m. Passa C. Watkins
Laura Cellars 2 (Laura Frances) AL m. Dan Acton Bailey
A. Margaret SELLERS b. about 1849 died before 1860
B. Jane Elizabeth SELLERS b. Feb. 1850 SC married 31 Aug 1873 Jefferson Co. AL Charles C. Scott CSA–who was with General Lee at Appomattox VA where he surrendered.
i. Florence A. Scott b 1876
ii. Thomas J. Scott Sept- 1877 m. Maime Sellers
iii. unknown
iv. Ada L. Scott b Oct. 1886
v. Oliver S. Scott Jan. 1889
C. Ann b 1854 SC no idea what happened to her
D. James Thomas SELLERS b. SC March 1855 d. 1942 married 1876 Passa Parlena Caroline Watkins b. June 1857 AL d 1941 Sellers cemetery. She was the daughter of Enoch Anderson Watkins
i. Henderson Sellers, b Dec 10, 1876 d Jul 19, 1889 named after his grandfather
ii. Edward Guster SELLERS b. 9 Dec. 1880 Al d Oct 22, 1921 Sellers Cemetery in Homewood - widower age 39 in 1920 living with parents J. T. Sellers and wife P. C.
iii. Emma SELLERS b. Jan. 1883 m. William Bredehoeft b: 3 Dec 1879 Ohio
iv. Joseph W. SELLERS b. 4 Nov. 1885 Al married Ida A. Hogan b 1889 AL, daughter of Alexander A. Hogan and Mary, d. 1958 Sellers Cemetery -named after Joseph Sellers? supposed father? of Emanuel Sellers
v. Enoch died young- probably born about 1878 and died as a baby or about 1887 named after Passa’s father Enoch Anderson Watkins
vi. Murdice Mae SELLERS b. May 1890 m. Thomas Ebenezer Starr b: 27 Apr 1877 in Jefferson Co., Alabama
v. Agnes Evadna SELLERS b. 30 Jan. 1894 Al m. Harold Ross b: Abt 1888 in Hungary. He was probably German from the area of Hungary settled by Germans. I believe it was called Siebenburgen-The Seven Mountains.
Agnes Erudina and James C went to live with Samuel c. Sellers in 1910. In 1920 she is living with her parents as a widow McLann
vi. James Carl SELLERS b. 8 Oct. 1899 Al
E. Laura Frances SELLERS b. 1858 AL married Dan Acton Bailey itinerant Baptist Preacher, a "Circuit Rider" who started several churches around Columbiana & Marion AL, in Shelby County & Jefferson Co. -had preached if not pastored at what is now Shades Mtn. Baptist Church. Parents: Father: Acton W Bailey Mother: Martha Jane Watkins
i. Richard Luther BAILEY Dec. 1896
ii. Bennie BAILEY died 1909
iii. William Henderson BAILEY-"Red Bailey" or "Pa Pa Will" 4 May 1890 died 11 May 1938 m. Rosa Mae Tylor b: 23 Oct 1892 in Jefferson Co
a. Annie Laura BAILEY
b. William Arthur BAILEY
c. Edith Lyle BAILEY
d. Jeanette Mae BAILEY
Dr. Harry Kinane says: “Rosa Mae Tyler was the daughter of William Andrew Jackson Tyler and Susan Lee Ann Kimbrel. They lived in a dog trot cabin at Genery Gap on the north side of Bluff Ridge in Jefferson Co. near the Bibb Co. line. Rosa Mae Tyler, a grandmother of mine was one of 21 children of this Tyler family, 18 of whom lived to adulthood. For reasons unknown to me, "Mama Rosa" as a young teenager went to live in the home of Rev. Dan Acton Bailey and his wife Laura Frances Sellers in their house right beside the Sellers/Bailey cemetery in present day Homewood, near Oxmoor Rd./ Green Springs Hwy. She later married William Henderson Bailey, son of Rev. Dan Acton Bailey and Laura Frances Sellers. Benny Bailey & William Henderson Bailey were twins. Benny had a seizure disorder, i.e. had Epilepsy and died at an early age. (My mother thinks he was about 13 at death). Dan Acton Bailey & Laura Frances Sellers Bailey are buried side by side in two graves, covered in semi-cylindrical shaped concrete-over-brick tombs. They are not marked otherwise. A smaller in length similar grave I suspect is that of Benny Bailey their son. The cemetery is greatly deteriorated (what a shame for some of the pioneer families of Homewood). A fence around it is deteriorating and on one boundary, Paw Paw's restaurant has put their smelly garbage dump, and the fence by it is broken down, just as one enters to walk on Rev. Dan Acton Bailey and his wife's grave. A wooden fence has been erected, by the Howard Johnsons Motel on the adjacent boundary, to protect Motel occupants from realizing they are sleeping by a cemetery. In olden times their parking lot driveway was a road into the community and an access to the cemetery, which now really has no access. the next adjoining boundary has the fence eroding off a small embankment, which at one time was dug out for a shopping center which burned down years ago and was not rebuilt. There is an open field on the fourth cemetery boundary, beyond which is another restaurant, this one facing the Green Springs Hwy.”
F. Tallula C. Parthena SELLERS b. Feb. 1861 d. Jan 1926 m. 1st Mr. Sellers 2nd ?Sims ALLEY, named after her father Henderson Sellers’ great aunt Tallullah Sellers who married Larry Brantley in Nash NC about 1820 and did not come on the trek to Alabama. “Lula” must have married a Sellers who died, then much later a kin to Jasper Alley who had married Elizabeth Drucilla Watkins. She probably married Sims ALLEY b: 1860 -son of Thomas Talliafero K. Alley b: 1821 in ,,NC and Martha Jane Goode.
1860 Jefferson, AL
Thomas Alley 38 abt 1822
(Martha)Jane Alley 33 abt 1827
William Alley 15 abt 1845
James Alley 13 abt 1847 (
Wiley Jasper Alley 11 abt 1849
Mary A Alley 9 abt 1851
Sarah Alley 7 abt 1853
Nancy Jane Alley 5 abt 1855
Joseph E.Alley 3 abt 1857 married Mary Harrison 25 APR 1881 Jefferson
Sims 1860
Alex H. 1863
Robert Thomas 1867 Elyton, Jefferson, SC
Nunnalley, Mary G. Sammons, T. W. 08/08/1866 360
1870 residents of Jefferson Co AL I could only get a list, not family groups
Jane Alley Jefferson, AL abt 1832 Alabama she took a few years of her age. Thomas must be dead.
W M Alley Jefferson, AL abt 1845 Al male
Jasper Alley Jefferson, AL abt 1849 Al male
E Alley Jefferson, AL abt 1849 Alabama female wife of William M. ?
M(ary) Alley Jefferson, AL abt 1851 Alabama female
S(arah) Alley Jefferson, AL abt 1852 Alabama femal
N(ancy) Alley Jefferson, AL abt 1854 Alabama female
Jo(seph) Alley Jefferson, AL abt 1857 Alabama male
Sims Alley Jefferson, AL abt 1858 Alabama male
L(izzie) Alley Jefferson, AL abt 1860 Alabama female
Aly(Alexander) Alley Jefferson, AL abt 1861 Alabama male
T(homas) R Alley Jefferson, AL abt 1869 Alabama male Robert Thomas Alley died 29 JAN 1914 in Cardiff AL married 29 APR 1889 in Tuscaloosa Co AL Mary Dulcena Teer b: 2 MAY 1873 in Pickens Co AL
1880 Household:
Name Marital Status Gender Age Birthplace Occupation
Jane ALLEY
W Female 53 AL Seamstress
Joseph E. ALLEY
S Male 23 AL Miner
Elizabeth S. ALLEY
S Female 21 AL Housekeeper
Alexander. H. ALLEY
S Male 17 AL Day Laborer
________________________________________Source Information:
Census Place Jefferson, Alabama
Family History Library Film 1254017
Page Number 412D
i. Samuel C. SELLERS - b. Oct 1881 m. Ellen Ada Majors b. Nov. 1893 parent is John B. Majors b. May 1862-64 AL John Majors is a jeweler in 1900 Texas > Mitchell > Justice Precinct 1 > District. The Sellers family is in Trumbull > Liberty > District 281 Ohio for working in 1920 and he works as Puddler at a Puddle Mill. These Alabama families often went north to Ohio, Illinois and Detroit for work-always returning to Jefferson Co and St. Clair.
a. Mary Blanche SELLERS b. AL 1903 works as sales lady -dry goods store
b. Ruby B. SELLERS b. AL 1905
c. Myra I. SELLERS b. AL 1906
d. Nora El--yse SELLERS b.AL 1907
e. Ada Kathleen SELLERS b. AL 1909
• ii. Lelia/Lila ALLEY b. January 1891 m. 1909 William Willis Archibald Hardy b. Feb. 1886-son of Stephen Ransom Hardy and Ada M. Meherg 6 MAR 1884 in Coosa County. Ada M. MEHEARG b: 6 APR 1867 in Coosa County, , and grandson of William Allen Lansing Hardy and Mary Ann Elizabeth Meadows of Nixburg, Coosa Co and great grandson of Ransom Meadows, one of the largest slave holders in Alabama in his time.
a. Mildred E. HARDY b. 1911
b. Mary Frances HARDY 1923
c. James L. HARDY 1928
iii. Regina . Alley (indexed OLLIE) b. July 1896 Al m. Samuel B. "Alley" Baker b. Feb 1899, son of William H. Baker (son is Herbert A. b. abt. 1917)
1880 Household: William Francis Alley, son of Thomas Tallifero K. Alley and Martha “Nancy” Jane Goode
Name Relation Marital Status Gender Race Age Birthplace Occupation Father's Birthplace Mother's Birthplace
William F. ALLEY
Self M Male W 34 MS Laborer At Furnace NC AL
Anna E. ALLEY
Wife M Female W 28 AL Keeping House MS AL
Thomas R. ALLEY
Son S Male W 12 AL MS AL
Sally A. ALLEY
Dau S Female W 9 AL MS AL
Nancy ALLEY
Dau S Female W 7 AL MS AL
Elizabeth ALLEY
Dau S Female W 5 AL MS AL
William E. ALLEY
Son S Male W 8M AL MS AL
Had Joesph D. 1885
AMANDA E. GOODE Marriage:
19 JAN 1867 Jefferson, , Jefferson, Alabama
________________________________________
Source Information:
Census Place Oxmoor, Jefferson, Alabama
Family History Library Film 1254017
NA Film Number T9-0017
Page Number 442B
Household: this is Wiley Jasper Alley and Elizabeth Drucilla Watkins. She is indexed as A.D. Alley- he is son of Thomas Tallifero K. Alley and Martha “Nancy” Jane Goode
Name Relation Marital Status Gender Race Age Birthplace Occupation Father's Birthplace Mother's Birthplace
William Jasper. ALLEY
Self M Male W 31 MS Wagoner NC AL
E. D. ALLEY
Wife M Female W 26 AL Keeping House AL AL
William Oskar. ALLEY
Son S Male W 7 AL MS AL
Mary Jane ALLEY m. Joe Calley
Dau S Female W 3 AL MS AL
Jasper ALLEY –this is either middle name of Jenkins or Enoch Son S Male W 6M AL MS AL
Nov 15, 1881 they had Beatrice m. Rev James Sinard Brock b: 23 APR 1874 in Hill, Etowah Co., Al, then Nora m. Wiley Henson, then Flora who died, and last Marvin who was the only child still alive in 1914 when Will Franke made his notes.
________________________________________
Source Information:
Census Place Oxmoor, Jefferson, Alabama
Family History Library Film 1254017
NA Film Number T9-0017
Page Number 442B
Household: the T. could be an F. I think. son of Thomas Tallifero K. Alley and Martha “Nancy” Jane Goode
Name Relation Marital Status Gender Race Age Birthplace Occupation Father's Birthplace Mother's Birthplace
James T. ALLEY
Self M Male W 33 AL Laborer NC AL
Sarah F. ALLEY
Wife M Female W 33 AL Keeping House SC AL
Thomas T. ALLEY
Son S Male W 9 AL AL AL
William M. ALLEY
Son S Male W 7 AL AL AL
Milley Jane ALLEY
Dau S Female W 6 AL AL AL
Charles J. ALLEY
Son S Male W 4 AL AL AL
Sarah L. ALLEY
Dau S Female W 2 AL AL AL
George E. ALLEY
Son S Male W 3M AL AL AL
Simon A. JONIS
Other S Male W 47 GA Watch Maker GA GA
J. C. MC WILLIAMS
Other S Male W 24 AL Retail Grocer KY KY
________________________________________
Source Information:
Census Place Elyton And Birmingham, Jefferson, Alabama
Family History Library Film 1254017
NA Film Number T9-0017
Page Number 469A
G. William Simpson SELLERS b Jan 7, 1863 during the Civil War d Jun 30, 1890 Sellers Cemetery m. Amanda Grace Sims b May 12 1866 d Dec 21, 1947 Sellers Cemetery -dau. of Martha L.G. ALLEN and William SIMS.
i. Maime B. SELLERS 1884 married Thomas L. Scott-William Simpson Sellers´s nephew.
ii. William "Billy" SELLERS
iii. Nora SELLERS b. October 1885 married Wylie Thornton Poe Jr. b. Aug 1874. Nora died in a car accident after 1910 where she is living with mother Amanda Sellers and son. Will Franke says: “Wylie Thornton Poe b 31 Deecmber 1841 died 10 February 1882 was a strange and peculiar man. When he would be home, he farmed, but he was not very closely bound by any home ties. Nancy Josephine Watkins married Wylie Thornton Poe Sr. and they had 5 children when he was murdered and placed near a great bluff on Shades Mountain -W.A. Cemetery, which has since been called by his name. We said peculiar. He went out with the Cahaba Rangers in the CSA. He was both brave and reckless. But had no interest in the Southern cause, and when he was captured by Yankee troups, he joined their ranks and fought in Company C 1st Alabama Calvary with his brother Jesse and half brother Robert Poe.He was a very powerful man. It is said he could do a fourteen feet standing broad jump.”
a. James Walter POE- b. 1907
iv. James Thomas Jefferson SELLERS -b. June 1888 married Etta Caladonia “Callie” Hardy b 27 February 1894, died 7 July 1992, daughter of Stephen Ransom Hardy (son of William Allen Lansing Hardy and Mary Ann Elizabeth Meadows of Nixburg, Coosa Co) and Etta Caladonia MeHarg (daughter of Willis William Archibald MeHarg and Sarah Elizabeth Perkins). Etta was known as “Nannie” pronounced Ninnie by her grandchildren.
a. Harold Thomas SELLERS 15 Dec 1916 died July 1992 married Evelyn Hamilton Children:
1. Harold Douglas Sellers
2. Ronald Wayne Sellers
b. Nellie Mae SELLERS 28 Jan 1920 died December 13, 1932 buried next to Margaret Eleanor Catherine Sellers Aldridge at Elmwood Cemetery
c. Robert Lionel SELLERS 2 May 1926 died 4 August 1973 in Birmingham. AL married Florence Irene Byerly child Nellie Mae b about 1946
d. Margaret Eleanor Catherine SELLERS b. 29 May 1929 died 10 April 2006 Birmingham, AL married Roscoe Claude Aldridge b. 2 December 1926 in Illinois while his father worked at a rubber factory or steel. Children:
1. Thomas Eugene Aldridge b. 29 APR 1950 in Fairfield, AL died November 8, 1989 Charleston SC, married Susan Millicent Taylor Slider, widow, 5 children Benjamin, Misha Michel, Thomas Taylor, Blaire Elizabeth, Charles Brookes
2. Larry Wayne Aldridge AL b. 1948 married Joan chicldren- 2 girls Alexandra and Courtney
3. Patricia Anne Aldridge b. 1946 married Phillip Brantley children-twin sons Daniel and Patrick Brantley
4. Roscoe Claude Aldridge Jr. b. 1954 1 child -Chase
v. Raymond (not a Sellers, probably a Segar from a short marriage)- b Dec 20, 1897 d Mar 27, 1932 Sellers Cemetary- in 1900 Amanda Sellers appears as Amanda Saygar. Could be the name Segar. It appears Raymond is a Saygar/Segar.
4. Augustus G. MORRIS b. 17 Oct. 1834 SC Died: 28 August 1905 Homewood, Jefferson buried At Morris Cem.-Shades Valley Cemetery married Harriet J. Susy? b. Sept. 1831 SC died 4 Jan 1910 buried At Morris Cem.or Acton, Shades Valley by Brown Service. She had 9 children and 7 were still alive in 1900.
A. Lougenia G. MORRIS b. 25 Nov. 1857 SC Death: 26 Apr 1936 m. Stephen Vincent ACTON b: 16 OCT 1858, AL m. 9 OCT 1879 in Jefferson Co., Al died 2 Aug 1934 - AL, Parents: Zephaniah William Acton, Passey Drucilla Watkins
i. Ida Belle ACTON b: 27 AUG 1880 in Jefferson Co, Al m. A. F. Hunter b. June 1876. 4 children: Maurine 26 Aug 1898, Ona Beryl Belle 31 Jul 1899, Stephen Acton 20 Aug 1902, Carl L. 30 Sep 1905
ii. Harriet “Hattie” Elizabeth ACTON b: 16 OCT 1883 in Jefferson Co, Al married 16 Oct 1901 Richard Henderson Herring Born: 20 Feb 1880 Died: 16 Mar 1948 child: Harry Whiteside Herring 21 Jul 1902
B. Malinda MORRIS b. 1857 SC
C. James M. MORRIS b. Jan. 1860 SC died March 1939 Homewood –never married- buried Morris cemetery most likely
D. Sarah J. MORRIS b. 1862 AL
E. Elizabeth MORRIS b. 1864 AL
F. Augustus Arther MORRIS b. 21 February 1867 AL died 15 June 1889 buried at Morris Cem. Shades Valley
G. Florence MORRIS b. 1868 AL
H. Richard R. MORRIS lived on Columbiana Road b. May 1872 AL died August 1930 married 1894 1st Margaret Estelle/Austelle born Nov. 1874 married 2nd Pearl b. 1876
i. Edwin J. MORRIS b Dec 1894
ii. Margaret Austelle MORRIS b 23 April 1906 died 28 April 1906 buried At Morris Cem.-Shades Valley
iii. Augustus G. 1904
iv. Jessie Lee female 1908 married Brock?- did she report her Aunt Josephine’s death?
v. Lawrence W. b. Jan. 1910
vi. Laurette 1913
vii. Margaret Lillien? 1917
I. Thomas Jefferson MORRIS b. May 1874 AL married about 1896 Hattie Pauline b. June 1873 d. 23 July 1911 buried At Morris Cem.-Shades Valley
i. Leon G. MORRIS b Sept 1896
ii. Thelma I. MORRIS b Sept 1898
iii. Thomas J. Jr. b. 1925
5. Thomas J. MORRIS b. about 1835 SC married about 1854 Louvena/Levina Sellers born Spartanburg SC abt 1835, daughter of Emanuel Sellers b. 1795 Nash Co. NC and Frances “Fannie” Rogers b. Nash/Franklin Co NC. She was Henderson Sellers sister. This Thomas may be nephew or son of James Morris or a cousin and the other Thomas in the family may be a brother to James. Or they could be 2 boys in the family of the same name. I cannot say why there are 2 Thomas names in the family, but they are related. Thomas J. went as far as Guntersville, fought in the Civil War and then returned to Spartanburg by 1870. There he and his boys worked in a cotton mill.
A. Edward A. MORRIS b. about 1855 Spartanburg, SC married Mary E.
B. Frances E. E. MORRIS b. about 1859 Guntersville, AL
C. John MORRIS b about 1864 Spartanburg, SC
6. Cornelius MORRIS b. Sept. 1839 SC married
1st Sarah born 1841 SC
2nd Sarah L. b. Sept 1858 SC m. in 1885.
She had 7 children total, including last 5 on list below
known children-
A. Josephine MORRIS b. 31 JAN. 1860 AL d. 23 April 1949, Lipscomb, Jefferson, AL buried at Union Cem. By Brown Service of Bessemer, AL reported by “Mrs. Jesse Brock” married Jesse Buchannan Bailey on 8/21/1878
B. Lafayette “Fayette” MORRIS 1862 AL m. F. Callie Jones who is buried where her infant babies are buried at Samuel Acton Cemetery
i. Nettie M. MORRIS b. Dec. 9, 1883 died 27 Oct. 1913 and is buried in Union Hill Cemetery lot 14, plot 29 married Joel Byars Bearden
a. Joel Elwyn BEARDEN b: 4 Oct 1909 in , Jefferson, Alabama
b. (m) BEARDEN b: in Alabama
c. Merrill BEARDEN b: 22 Oct 1911 in , Jefferson, Al
d. BEARDEN
e. (m) BEARDEN b: in Alabama
f. BEARDEN b: 27 Oct 1913
ii. infant Morris buried Samuel Acton Cemetery
iii. infant Morris buried Samuel Acton Cemetery
C. Sarah F. MORRIS b. AL 25 November 1865 5 d. 26 March 1939 Croff-Acton Cem.Cem., Jefferson married Perry Lee JONES c 1883
i. Lela Leone JONES b: 22 Oct 1884 in Jefferson Co., Alabama
ii. Hester JONES b: Feb 1886
iii. Maude Josephine JONES b: 12 Mar 1889
iv. Ada Frances JONES b: 8 Mar 1892 in , , Alabama
v. Samuel Oscar JONES b: 24 Apr 1894
v. JONES b: Abt 1898 in Alabama
vi. Amos P. JONES b: Abt 1899 in Alabama
vii. Gracie Effie JONES b: Abt 1901
D. Maryetta MORRIS 1867
E. John H. MORRIS 1869
F. William MORRIS 1871
G. Robert MORRIS 1873
H. Ellen MORRIS 1875
I. Henry MORRIS 1878 named after Henry Emanuel Sellers his uncle
J. Adia MORRIS b March 1881
K. Arthur MORRIS b Aug. 1886-still alive in 1910 (perhaps his full name is Augustus Arthur after his cousin)
L. Annie MORRIS b. AL Sept. 1888
M Lula MORRIS b. AL March 1893 named after Talullah Sellers her aunt
N. Nora MORRIS - b. Al January 1896
O. Ethel MORRIS b. AL July 1899
DOG-RUN HOUSES. The dog-run, dog-trot, or double log cabin was a common type of house in the middle of the nineteenth century. The building consisted of two cabins separated by a ten or fifteen foot passageway, with a continuous gabled roof covering both cabins and the passageway between them, or dog-run. Often a porch was built to extend across the entire front of the house, and lean-to shed rooms were constructed at the rear of each cabin for additional space. The walls were made of horizontally laid hand-hewn logs, with the openings between the logs chinked with sticks and clay. Later examples were often frame rather than logs. The floors were of either dirt, sawed boards, or split logs with the flat side up. There few windows in frontier cabins, and glass windows were rarely seen in pioneer times. Each cabin had a door opening onto the dog-run. Doors and shutters were hung on rawhide or wooden hinges. The roofs were made of overlapping oak clapboards held in place by weight poles. The chimney was constructed of sticks and a clay mixture, and the hearth was made of smooth rocks. Later dog-run houses often had fine brick chimneys and shingled roofs. The purpose of the dog-run was to cool the house by providing shade and catching the breeze. The space served as a catch-all for farm and household articles and was the favorite sleeping place of the dogs. The structure was used on the frontier from Alabama to Ontario. Some are
two story (left) John Looney’s cabin in ST. Claire Co. circa 1820 and some are one and a half story (right) Patterson Log Cabin in Tallassee c. 1845.
Henderson Sellers died near Chickamauga GA in the Civil War- D 28 Alabama Infantry. Private Confederate
Flag: 28th Alabama Infantry
Catalogue No. 86.3945.1
(PN10110-10111)
Information supplied by E. D. Wilson, Houston, TX -The flag was captured at Orchard Knob on November 23, 1863. This was the opening engagement of the Battle of Chattanooga, November 23-25, 1863. The flag was captured by Corporal G. H. Kramer, Co. I, 41st Ohio Infantry. Corporal Kramer "ordered and received the surrender of 20 men with the colors." Instead of forwarding the flag to the U.S. War Department in Washington, Brigadier General William B. Hazen, commanding the Second Brigade, Third Division, 4th Army Corps, apparently retained it as his personal property.
Following the war, the flag remained in General Hazen's possession. In 1903, his son John McClean Hazen placed the flag on loan to the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C. Learning of its existence, Dr. Thomas Owen, Director, Alabama Department of Archives and History requested the return of the flag on August 20, 1905.
The 28th Alabama Infantry Regiment was organized March 29, 1862 at Shelby Springs (located about half way between Calera and Columbiana) to serve for three years or the duration of the war. The recruits were to report to Shelby Springs, the site of a large Confederate military training camp known as Camp Winn, on 13 March; they remained there until 18 April 1862. The Regiment consisted of companies from Blount, Dallas, Jefferson, Marshall, Perry, and Walker counties.
After marching, taking trains and fighting all over the South the 28th was notified they were needed in GA. Union Gen'l William S. Rosecrans, commanding the Army of the Cumberland, began a series of rapid flanking movements which dislodged Bragg's Confederates. The 28th left Shelbyville on the 27th of June 1863 and reached Tullahoma on the 28th where they stayed until 1 July. Then they moved on to Chattanooga, a vital rail and river port city, arriving the 7th and camping a mile below town until 20 August.
Rosecrans' movements forced the evacuation of Chattanooga. Bragg moved his forces south to Lafayette, Georgia, and began calculating a counter move against Rosecrans. The 28th Alabama moved across Lookout Mountain (31 August) to the Lower Chickamauga Creek, about 19 miles distant. Then on 1 September, they moved to Mc Fairlands' Springs, about 10 miles. On the 8th, they marched to Chickamauga Creek, 19 miles, and on the 10th, marched 9 miles to McLemore's Cove. Bragg saw his opportunity open at Crawfish Springs, GA, along the banks of Chickamauga Creek. He realized that Rosecrans had split his Union forces into three groups. Bragg attacked, hoping he could pick these groups off piecemeal, but Rosecrans recognized the threat and was able to reunite his Army before the full effect of the attack could be made.
Bragg wasted no time in beginning the fight and the two armies battered each other to no avail on September 19, 1863. The Union and Confederate soldiers had fought to a standstill, but on the morning of the 20th, a gap was found in the Union line near the Brotherton house, and thousands of Confederates, including the 28th Alabama, poured through. Rosecran's Army of the Cumberland was put in rout. A solid counterattack by Gen'l John Thomas Wilder's "Lightning Brigade," armed with Spencer repeating rifles, slammed into the flank of Manigault's Brigade and the 28th Alabama. The Confederates were stunned from the awesome firepower of Wilder's Brigade and were forced to retreat almost a mile.
After the Confederate victory at Chickamauga, Rosecrans retreated to Chattanooga. The Army of Tennessee followed, and Bragg ordered the city to be placed under siege. He positioned his Confederates around the city, effectively boxing in the Union forces.
Henderson s 2 brothers survived the Battles near Chickamauga Creek. Alison Sellers and Emanuel Henry Sellers- Company D was with William H. Nabors as well.
Witness account of one of the battles: (Confederate account; the following article is taken from the Confederate Veteran, vol. XXVII (1919), p.311:) Partial account extracted-
The following account of the return of the flag of the 28th Alabama Regiment comes from John T. Edmond, of Campbell, Tex., who served with Company D, of that regiment, as taken from the newspaper report from Montgomery September 9, 1905:
"The flag of the 28th Regiment, C.S.A., has come back from the National Museum by grace of Mrs. George Dewey, wife of Admiral Dewey, and the widow of the late Gen. W. B. Hazen, U.S.A. It was captured November 23, 1863, at Bald Knob, near Chattanooga, after a fight that depleted the command and give it the same glory that fell to the famous Light Brigade. Union and Confederate alike tell of the glorious fight it made when under the impression that it had been ordered to hold the position taken at all hazards. Some of the best men of Alabama were on its rolls, and many of them never came back to tell of its glories.
"The regiment was organized at Shelby Springs March 29, 1862, 'for three years, or the war.' It went out under Col. J. W. Frazer, who soon resigned the command to Col. John C. Reid, who led it in all its death-dealing and death-receiving raids upon the enemy
“….Col. John C. Reid, commanding the 28th Alabama Regiment, always said that he had received orders to hold his position 'at all hazards,' as the brigade would move out and the girth be made on that line. This was a misunderstanding, most unfortunately. How it came about I have never been able to ascertain. But Colonel Reid certainly believed that the 28th Alabama Regiment was ordered 'to hold the position at all hazards,' and it did so with the most distinguished gallantry. The position was attacked by overpowering numbers, but our men firmly held the position. There happened what rarely came under my knowledge: the Confederates and Yankees actually fought at the bayonet point across the breastworks. The regiment held its position until the troops on either flank had been driven off and until it was almost completely surrounded. It was then withdrawn, very properly, only after a most heroic resistance and it became evident to Colonel Reid that the brigade was not coming up to make the fight on that line.
"I have never know men to act with more distinguished bravery. I have not the figures before me, but my recollection is that they did not withdraw until over half of their number had been killed, wounded, or captured.
"The attack on Orchard Knob, it will be remembered, was the opening of the battles around Chattanooga.
"It gives me great pleasure to bear witness to the gallantry of my comrades of the 28th Alabama Regiment. I trust that you will place this testimony with the returned battle flag, so that all succeeding generations may know of the grand heroism displayed by the regiment whose ensign it was, not only on that occasion, but on every battle field from Murfreesboro, 1862, until Nashville, 1864."
_____________________________________________________________________________-
BELOW –DO NOT KNOW WHERE THEY FIT IN-- IF AT ALL
7. Thomas MORRIS b. June 1835 SC married 1st AL in 1860 Sarah C. b. 1841 2nd m. 1866 Sarah E. born Feb. 1851 (1870 Louisville PO, Winston Co, Miss, 1880 Fayette, Alabama)
A. Jane B. 1867 TN
B. Manerva L. February 1870 AL
C. James Hugh b Dec. 1872 AL
D. Sina L. 1874 AL
E. William L. b 1876 AL
F. Zachariah “Zack” C. b. April 1880 AL
G. Robert L. b. June 1883 AL
H. Della b September 1885 Louisville Miss
I. Riley T. b June 1888 Louisville, Miss
J. Samuel C. b Sept 1892 Louisville, Miss
Household:
Name Marital Status Gender Age Birthplace Occupation
Thomas MORRAS
M Male 40 SC Farming
Sarah C. MORRAS
M Female 29 AL Keeping House
Jane B. MORRAS
S Female 13 TN Keeping House
Manerva L. MORRAS
S Female 10 AL
James H. MORRAS
S Male 7 AL
Sina L. MORRAS
S Female 5 AL
William L. MORRAS
S Male 2 AL
Zachariah MORRAS
S Male 2M AL
Alexander WORHAY
S Male 25 AL
________________________________________
Source Information:
Census Place Township 15, Fayette, Alabama
Family History Library Film 1254013
Page Number 462C
8. Permelia Morris age 34 is with Thomas Morris in Miss. in 1870-she may be a cousin or sister in law
9. John Morris Household:
Name Relation Marital Status Gender Race Age Birthplace Occupation Father's Birthplace Mother's Birthplace
John MORRIS
Self M Male W 46 SC Farming SC SC
Mary C. MORRIS
Wife M Female W 31 GA Keeping House SC GA
Elias MORRIS
Son S Male W 18 AL Farmer SC GA
William MORRIS
Son S Male W 8 AL SC GA
John MORRIS
Son S Male W 5 AL SC GA
Thomas MORRIS
Other S Male W 1M AL SC GA
________________________________________
Source Information:
Census Place Township 15, Fayette, Alabama
Family History Library Film 1254013
NA Film Number T9-0013
Page Number 462C
poss. James H. Morris fought in B 28 Alabama Infantry. Private Private Confederate out of Jefferson Co
Oak Grove Presbyterian Church Cemetary. Also called the Bailey or Sellers Cemetary. Located on the south side of Oxmoor Road in Edgewood (Homewood) between I65 and Green Springs Hwy, adjacent to the motel parking lot.
1870 Jefferson Co these were all initials but I filled them in for you.
Allison Sellers abt 1822 North Carolina White Male
Margaret Sellers abt 1836 South Carolina White Female
James H Sellers abt 1854 South Carolina White Male
Frances L Sellers abt 1856 Alabama White Female
Sarah L Sellers abt 1862 Alabama White Female
Alice C P A Sellers abt 1864 Alabama White Female
William H Sellers abt 1866 Alabama White Male
George W Sellers abt 1868 Alabama White Male
Mary J Sellers abt 1869 Alabama White Female
1880 Household:
Allison SELLERS Self M Male W 45 SC Farmer SC SC
Margaret SELLERS Wife M Female W 40 SC Keeping House SC SC
James SELLERS Son S Male W 26 SC Farmer SC SC
Fannie SELLERS Dau S Female W 24 SC At Home SC SC
Sarah SELLERS Dau Female W 19 AL At Home SC SC
Alice SELLERS Dau Female W 17 AL At Home SC SC
William SELLERS Son Male W 16 AL SC SC
George SELLERS Son Male W 14 AL SC SC
Mary SELLERS Dau S Female W 12 AL SC SC
Allen SELLERS twin Son S Male W 10 AL SC SC (b. 15 March 1870)
Henry SELLERS twin Son S Male W 10 AL SC SC
Ellen SELLERS Dau S Female W 6 AL SC SC
Emanuel SELLERS Father Male W 85 NC Superanuiated NC NC
Source Information:
Census Place Jefferson, Alabama
Family History Library Film 1254017
NA Film Number T9-0017
Page Number 535C
by Susan Aldridge
Martha H. Morris, daughter of James Morris and Jane Saultor of Glendale, Spartanburg, SC married Henderson Sellers in SC, son of Emanuel Sellers born Nash NC and Fannie Rogers born Franklin NC . This Photo of Martha Morris when she was over 80 years old living near Homewood, Jefferson Co. AL was found by Dr. Harry Earl Kinnane, whose ancestor was Laura Frances Sellers, Martha’s daughter. Martha was born near Glendale, Spartanburg, SC.
In 1856 or 1857 the Lawsons, Sellers, Morrises and related families left Spartanburg in wagons to come to Alabama. It is believed they came thru Tennessee, staying a year in Guntersville in northern AL where Thomas J. Morris and wife Louvina Sellers, d/0 Emanuel are living in the 1860 census. In 1857 they arrived in Shades Valley near Elyton, Jefferson Co. AL, now Birmingham. Jefferson County is bordered by Blount, Bibb, St. Clair, Shelby, Tuscaloosa, and Walker counties. It encompasses 1,119 square miles. The county seat was at Carrollsville from 1819-21, but at Elyton from 1821-73, and since 1873 has been at Birmingham. I am not sure if Elyton was not swallowed up by Birmingham.
Wilson's Raiders was formed in Jefferson Co AL at Elyton Headquarters March 28-31, 1865. by Gen. James H. Wilson, USA, having crossed the Tennessee River with a large force of well equipped cavalry, he grouped them at Elyton, AL. Their mission: to destroy Alabama's economic facilities for supporting the War. From these headquarters he sent; (a) cavalry unit to burn the military school, foundries and bridges at Tuscaloosa. (b) soldiers to destroy mines and furnaces in Jefferson, Bibb, and Shelby Counties. (c) cavalry to dash south to destroy railroads and factories at Selma. (Located at Arlington, in Birmingham). Wilson’s presence at Elyton was Godsend for Henry Emanuel Sellers and his compatriots who had been laying out the war in the wooded hills near there, supported by Unionists of Shelby and Jefferson Co,
If anyone has corrections or additions for me I will be delighted to receive them. I did this mostly out of census data, as well as burial information at the Homewood Sellers Cemetery in Jefferson Co, Alabama. Credit to Nellie Mae Sellers Newton of Pinson, Jefferson Co. AL, Jack Sellers of Texas, Harry Kinnane and Michael Farren of Jefferson Co, Alabama.
Confirmation about Henderson’s father was acquired by Michael Farren from a part of his grandfather Will Franks’s work in the early 1900s is in private hands and not available at Samford University. Will Franks’s extensive genealogy work about Jefferson county residents was a result of a lifetime devotion. This work was almost thrown in the trash after he died, but in the end, 2 of his descendants took 2 parts of it and the third part of it finally came after persuasion into the genealogy collection at Samford. That means 2 parts of Will Franks’s work are unfortunately in private hands and may meet the same fate which almost met the work now at Samford.
Title: Will Franke's Notes
Author: William F. Franke
Date: 1914
[external link]
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Martha Morris received a Pension after Henderson Sellers died at Chickamauga GA in hospital, but it was revoked in 1915 because they could not find a record of him-probably because he was listed as H. Sellers. In 1850 census he also gives only H. Sellers-he must not have liked his name. In the following paper Stephen Horton Watkins gives testimony for her as a confederate soldier. This says Henderson enlisted at -----boro? Dalton GA While Dalton was pro-Union prior to the outbreak of The Civil War, after Georgia votes to secede in January 1861 only a few Unionists could be found. One suspected northern sympathizer was Ansley Blunt, postmaster and first mayor of the city whose home, the Blunt House, stands south of the downtown area. Many of the men who would fight at Chickamauga (September 1863) arrived at Dalton by train, passing through the depot. including Henderson Sellers. From 1862 until 1864 Dalton serves as a front-line hospital town.
Confederate Pension File Martha Morris Sellers provided by Nellie Mae Sellers Newton
Martha Morris -wife of Henderson Sellers pension paper, signed by W.A. MeHarg- Notary Public- related to Martha by way of Etta Caladonia Hardy (whose mother was a MeHerg) who married Martha’s grandson James Thomas Jefferson Sellers 1915-1917. Signing also were James M. Morris her nephew -son of her brother Augustus G. Morris, Dan Acton Bailey her son in law, Stephen Horton Watkins born 24 Aug 1832 AL -the brother of the father of her daughter-in-law Passa C. Watkins, and J.T. Walker JP
Please click on the picture for a larger view
Andrew Jackson had warned the South that to fight the Union would be the most foolish thing they could do and that they would lose the fight-and he was right. Emanuel agreed with Jackson and he voted for Douglas as president in the 1860 election and the Union candidates in Shelby Co. (but I could not read the names very well). Henderson Sellers’ father was against succession and stated this in a claim he made for bacon at 20 cents a pound provided to the Union Army under the command of General Wilson on about 1st April 1963 at 11 in the morning at his farm. Emanuel states he lived in Shelby County near the county line which is 7 miles south of his PO at Elyton in Jefferson Co. AL. He lived one and half miles from “the main public road leading to Selma.” He proved his loyalty by it by feeding runaway soldiers in the woods. He calls the War “the Rebellion.” To question 17) Who were the leading Unionists of your vicinity during the War? His answer was: “ John A. McLintock (McClintock, John A., b. 25 Aug 1826, d. 28 May 1906 buried Bluff Park Cemetery, Oxmoor Heights), Robert B. Patton, Pickney L. Brock (b 1822 SC wife is Parvelle Redding, Death: 18 Apr 1894 - Haleys PO, Marion, AL Marriage: 21 Dec 1848 - Elyton, Jefferson, AL), and Joseph Gice of Shelby Co., John C. Morris, Thomas Sanford (birth 1816 Henderson Co TN died 1879 Jefferson Co. married Margaret B. Burford, Permelia P. and Jane DeJarnette Jones) , Thomas Haughey ( a doctor b 1824 Scotland who had married Elizabeth b. 1829 SC and they had a son John b 1845) and Sam Thompson (m. Ann Eliza/Louisa Camp in Jefferson) of Jefferson Co.”
Page found by Michael Farren. There are other pages stored as well.
SELLERS:
In an old Bible record there is said to have been 10 brothers total in that generation In "The Sellers Letters" in June, 1984 by Charles A. Sellers, grandson of Jordan Sellers, he lists some of the siblings as Mary, Martha, Samuel, Gurley, Bennett and Jordan.
1. William S. Sellers married Mary Sherrod in Nash Co NC
2. Samuel Sellers married Sarah Rogers in Person Co. NC (was formed from Edgecomb Co. Granville Co is between it and Franklin Co. -maybe they married at her grandmother’s house.
3. Bennett “Long” Sellers married Winny Rogers 7 March 1821 Franklin Co NC
4. Manuel “Short” Sellers (Emanuel) married Fanny Rogers 1 June, 1825 in Franklin NC. Witness John Rogers and JJ Cothran
5. Gurley Sellers married Delilah Wyatt 31 January 1826 in Nash Co.-witneses Jourdan Sellers and Larry Brantley
6. Jourdan Sellars married Elizabeth Mason 5 Nov. 1828 in Nash, NC moved to Wake Co NC then Guilford NC and finally Greenup, Cumberland Co, Illinois and then Indiana.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11. Lucinda Sellers (Emanuel`s sister) married Fanny’s brother John Rogers.
12. Tallula Sellers (Emanuel`s sister) married Larry Brantley-son of Sherrod Brantley and stayed in NC. (Larry Brantley Residence: 1830 - Ferrills, Nash, North Carolina)
13. Mary Sellers
14. Martha Sellers
15 Druscilla Sellers
By 1840 Bennett and Manuel had moved to Spartanburg SC. In 1850 they appear under their nicknames Short b 1800 and Long Sellers b 1787. After 1856 Emanuel and son Henderson Sellers left SC and went thru Tenn. to Guntersville AL by 1857 with the help of their uncle Gurley Sellers who came up to Tenn to meet them and then to Shades Valley and Elyton in Jefferson County, presumably after they acquired land. They had one of the first 6 houses in the Shades Valley.
Emanuel’s son Henderson appears as H. Sellers with Henry (could be a nickname for Martha who had a middle initial H.) in 1850 Spartanburg SC and Margaret age 1 could be his first child by Martha. Henderson’s younger brother Emanuel Henry fought with his brother Henderson in the D 28th Confederate Alabama Infantry. William and Alison were in the D group too, as well as his uncle Thomas Morris.
known children of Emanuel “Short” Sellers and Frances “Fannie” Rogers
Henderson about 1825- m. Martha Morris
1. Lucinda Louvina about 1834 m. Thomas J. Morris
2. Allison about 1835 m. Margaret “Peggy” Rutherford b. abt 1840 SC
3. Emanuel Henry about 1842 m. Mary Elizabeth Hollingsworth, d/o John Wesley Hollingsworth
4.Nancy 1843
1850 28th August South Carolina > Spartanburg
near his brother Long Sellers (Bennett Sellers and Winney Rogers)
Short Sellers 55 (Emanuel)
Fanny Sellers 50
Lucinda Sellers 15
Allison Sellers 18
E. Henry sellers 10
1860 Shelby, Alabama
Post Office: Hillsboro
Emanuel Sellers 55 SC
Fanny Sellers 61 NC
Nancy Sellers 17 SC
Next door to his father Emanuel
Allison Sellers 35 NC
Peggy Sellers 30 SC (Margaret Rutherfurd)
Jack Sellers 8 AL (John is usually a Jack) Jack moved out by the next census
Jane Sellers 6 AL (could be James, by mistake)
Bettie Sellers 1 AL (Elizabeth or Lizza- could be Frances middle name is Lizza)
Martha is the child of James Morris and Jane Saultor / Salter of Spartanburg. The Morrises may have had many more children than I have been able to verify.
The Patriarch and Matriarch of the Elyton, Jefferson County, AL Morris family:
James Morris b. 1796 SC –Patriarch d. after 1860 census
Jane Saultor b. 1796 SC-Matriarch d. after she was living with Martha in 1870
In 1840 James Morris age 40 and under 50 and Jane the same age group have 9 children in the house- 5 boys and 4 girls.
2 boys age 5 and under 10 Augustus G. and Thomas
1 boy age 10 and under 15
1 boy age 15 and under 20 Thomas Morris
1 boy age 20 and under 30 William Simpson Morris
1 girl age 5 and under 10
1 girl age 10 and under 15 Martha Morris
1girl age 15 and under 20
1850 Not Stated, Spartanburg, SC
House 1640
James Morris abt 1796 South Carolina
Jane Morris abt 1801 South Carolina
Augustus Morris abt 1832 b. Oct. 1833 SC married Harriet J. b. Sept. 1834 SC
Thomas Morris abt 1834 married Louvina Lucinda Sellers
Cornelius Morris abt 1840 married 1st Sarah born 1841 SC 2nd Sarah L. b. 1857 SC m. in 1885
1860 census- Elyton, Jefferson, AL which was 7 miles from Emanuel#s farm in Shelby Co.
James Morris 59 South Carolina
Jane Morris 57 South Carolina
Children:
1. William Simpson MORRIS b. 24 Dec 1817 d. 3 Dec 1903 Glendale. Glenn Springs, Spartanburg, SC married daughter of Robert Johnson Coggins and Jane White on 28 Oct 1841 Chasey COGGINS b. 1813 SC Died: 21 Apr 1868 in Glendale, Spartanburg and 2nd Malissa KIRBEY Born: 1845 in Glendale.:
A. Sarah Jane MORRIS 7 Jul 1844 in Glendale SC Died: 28 Oct 1882
Clifton, Spartanburg, SC m. 22 Feb 1869 in Glendale, Spartanburg Robert Coleman Poole
Known children, courtesy Gordon Atkin
i. John Simpson POOLE b: 8 Jun 1870 in Pacolet Township,,SC
ii. Martha Jane POOLE b: 25 Oct 1871 in Clifton/Pacolet
iii. Nancy Madora Poole 22 Feb 1875 in Pacolet, Spartanburg
iv. Robert Hampton Poole 25 Mar 1878 in Spartanburg
v. Thomas Alexander POOLE b: 13 Apr 1880 in Clifton Spartanburg,Pacolet Twnsp,SC
vi. George Morgan POOLE b: 8 Oct 1882 in Pacolet Township,Spartanburg Co.,SC
B. Jesse Robert MORRIS 1846 SC died 1864/65 ((Gordon ADKIN)
C. Eliza Frances “Fannie” MORRIS 21 Oct 1848 in Glendale SC Died: 29 Nov 1930 Glendale m. Albert Wylda Crocker Born: 7 Sep 1847 in Clarendon, Spartanburg SC Died: 9 Apr 1926 in Spartanburg
D. Mary Angeline MORRIS 1849 SC Died: 13 Aug 1863 District Spartanburg
E. Amanda Tallulah MORRIS b. 10 September 1855 Cedar Springs, SC Died: 13 Dec 1932
Cherokee m. 13 Nov 1879 Alfred Monroe Burdett
F. William Simpson MORRIS 3 June 1859 SC Died: 31 May 1902
G. Jackson Beaureguard MORRIS 4 October 1861 Glendale Died: 17 Dec 1928 m. Huldah Rhodes
2. Thomas W. MORRIS b. 1822 SC m. Sarah b ? This may be a younger brother of James Morris or a cousin or his son and the other Thomas in the family may be a nephew. I cannot say why there are 2 Thomas names in the family, but they are related. Sometimes Southern families has 2 children of the same name, although it is rare. This Thomas stayed in SC and the younger Thomas went as far as Guntersville, AL fought in the Civil War and then returned to Spartanburg by 1870.
A. William 1843 SC
B. S.A. Mills 1845 SC
C. Susan A. 1847 SC
D. Cynthia 1849 SC
E. James 1862 SC
F. Mary 1865 SC
G. Augustus 1866 SC
3. Martha H. MORRIS b. August about 1831 SC died after 1910 either 11 June 1911 or 19 April 1916 Jefferson Co., AL , married Henderson Sellers, son of Emanuel /Manuel "Short" Sellers.
census Before the War-
1860 Elyton, Jefferson Co., AL
Henderson Cellars 35 SC
Martha Cellars 29 SC
Jane Cellars 10 (Elizabeth Jane) SC m. Charles C. Scott
Ann Cellars 6 SC
James Cellars 5 (James Thomas ) SC m. Passa C. Watkins
Laura Cellars 2 (Laura Frances) AL m. Dan Acton Bailey
A. Margaret SELLERS b. about 1849 died before 1860
B. Jane Elizabeth SELLERS b. Feb. 1850 SC married 31 Aug 1873 Jefferson Co. AL Charles C. Scott CSA–who was with General Lee at Appomattox VA where he surrendered.
i. Florence A. Scott b 1876
ii. Thomas J. Scott Sept- 1877 m. Maime Sellers
iii. unknown
iv. Ada L. Scott b Oct. 1886
v. Oliver S. Scott Jan. 1889
C. Ann b 1854 SC no idea what happened to her
D. James Thomas SELLERS b. SC March 1855 d. 1942 married 1876 Passa Parlena Caroline Watkins b. June 1857 AL d 1941 Sellers cemetery. She was the daughter of Enoch Anderson Watkins
i. Henderson Sellers, b Dec 10, 1876 d Jul 19, 1889 named after his grandfather
ii. Edward Guster SELLERS b. 9 Dec. 1880 Al d Oct 22, 1921 Sellers Cemetery in Homewood - widower age 39 in 1920 living with parents J. T. Sellers and wife P. C.
iii. Emma SELLERS b. Jan. 1883 m. William Bredehoeft b: 3 Dec 1879 Ohio
iv. Joseph W. SELLERS b. 4 Nov. 1885 Al married Ida A. Hogan b 1889 AL, daughter of Alexander A. Hogan and Mary, d. 1958 Sellers Cemetery -named after Joseph Sellers? supposed father? of Emanuel Sellers
v. Enoch died young- probably born about 1878 and died as a baby or about 1887 named after Passa’s father Enoch Anderson Watkins
vi. Murdice Mae SELLERS b. May 1890 m. Thomas Ebenezer Starr b: 27 Apr 1877 in Jefferson Co., Alabama
v. Agnes Evadna SELLERS b. 30 Jan. 1894 Al m. Harold Ross b: Abt 1888 in Hungary. He was probably German from the area of Hungary settled by Germans. I believe it was called Siebenburgen-The Seven Mountains.
Agnes Erudina and James C went to live with Samuel c. Sellers in 1910. In 1920 she is living with her parents as a widow McLann
vi. James Carl SELLERS b. 8 Oct. 1899 Al
E. Laura Frances SELLERS b. 1858 AL married Dan Acton Bailey itinerant Baptist Preacher, a "Circuit Rider" who started several churches around Columbiana & Marion AL, in Shelby County & Jefferson Co. -had preached if not pastored at what is now Shades Mtn. Baptist Church. Parents: Father: Acton W Bailey Mother: Martha Jane Watkins
i. Richard Luther BAILEY Dec. 1896
ii. Bennie BAILEY died 1909
iii. William Henderson BAILEY-"Red Bailey" or "Pa Pa Will" 4 May 1890 died 11 May 1938 m. Rosa Mae Tylor b: 23 Oct 1892 in Jefferson Co
a. Annie Laura BAILEY
b. William Arthur BAILEY
c. Edith Lyle BAILEY
d. Jeanette Mae BAILEY
Dr. Harry Kinane says: “Rosa Mae Tyler was the daughter of William Andrew Jackson Tyler and Susan Lee Ann Kimbrel. They lived in a dog trot cabin at Genery Gap on the north side of Bluff Ridge in Jefferson Co. near the Bibb Co. line. Rosa Mae Tyler, a grandmother of mine was one of 21 children of this Tyler family, 18 of whom lived to adulthood. For reasons unknown to me, "Mama Rosa" as a young teenager went to live in the home of Rev. Dan Acton Bailey and his wife Laura Frances Sellers in their house right beside the Sellers/Bailey cemetery in present day Homewood, near Oxmoor Rd./ Green Springs Hwy. She later married William Henderson Bailey, son of Rev. Dan Acton Bailey and Laura Frances Sellers. Benny Bailey & William Henderson Bailey were twins. Benny had a seizure disorder, i.e. had Epilepsy and died at an early age. (My mother thinks he was about 13 at death). Dan Acton Bailey & Laura Frances Sellers Bailey are buried side by side in two graves, covered in semi-cylindrical shaped concrete-over-brick tombs. They are not marked otherwise. A smaller in length similar grave I suspect is that of Benny Bailey their son. The cemetery is greatly deteriorated (what a shame for some of the pioneer families of Homewood). A fence around it is deteriorating and on one boundary, Paw Paw's restaurant has put their smelly garbage dump, and the fence by it is broken down, just as one enters to walk on Rev. Dan Acton Bailey and his wife's grave. A wooden fence has been erected, by the Howard Johnsons Motel on the adjacent boundary, to protect Motel occupants from realizing they are sleeping by a cemetery. In olden times their parking lot driveway was a road into the community and an access to the cemetery, which now really has no access. the next adjoining boundary has the fence eroding off a small embankment, which at one time was dug out for a shopping center which burned down years ago and was not rebuilt. There is an open field on the fourth cemetery boundary, beyond which is another restaurant, this one facing the Green Springs Hwy.”
F. Tallula C. Parthena SELLERS b. Feb. 1861 d. Jan 1926 m. 1st Mr. Sellers 2nd ?Sims ALLEY, named after her father Henderson Sellers’ great aunt Tallullah Sellers who married Larry Brantley in Nash NC about 1820 and did not come on the trek to Alabama. “Lula” must have married a Sellers who died, then much later a kin to Jasper Alley who had married Elizabeth Drucilla Watkins. She probably married Sims ALLEY b: 1860 -son of Thomas Talliafero K. Alley b: 1821 in ,,NC and Martha Jane Goode.
1860 Jefferson, AL
Thomas Alley 38 abt 1822
(Martha)Jane Alley 33 abt 1827
William Alley 15 abt 1845
James Alley 13 abt 1847 (
Wiley Jasper Alley 11 abt 1849
Mary A Alley 9 abt 1851
Sarah Alley 7 abt 1853
Nancy Jane Alley 5 abt 1855
Joseph E.Alley 3 abt 1857 married Mary Harrison 25 APR 1881 Jefferson
Sims 1860
Alex H. 1863
Robert Thomas 1867 Elyton, Jefferson, SC
Nunnalley, Mary G. Sammons, T. W. 08/08/1866 360
1870 residents of Jefferson Co AL I could only get a list, not family groups
Jane Alley Jefferson, AL abt 1832 Alabama she took a few years of her age. Thomas must be dead.
W M Alley Jefferson, AL abt 1845 Al male
Jasper Alley Jefferson, AL abt 1849 Al male
E Alley Jefferson, AL abt 1849 Alabama female wife of William M. ?
M(ary) Alley Jefferson, AL abt 1851 Alabama female
S(arah) Alley Jefferson, AL abt 1852 Alabama femal
N(ancy) Alley Jefferson, AL abt 1854 Alabama female
Jo(seph) Alley Jefferson, AL abt 1857 Alabama male
Sims Alley Jefferson, AL abt 1858 Alabama male
L(izzie) Alley Jefferson, AL abt 1860 Alabama female
Aly(Alexander) Alley Jefferson, AL abt 1861 Alabama male
T(homas) R Alley Jefferson, AL abt 1869 Alabama male Robert Thomas Alley died 29 JAN 1914 in Cardiff AL married 29 APR 1889 in Tuscaloosa Co AL Mary Dulcena Teer b: 2 MAY 1873 in Pickens Co AL
1880 Household:
Name Marital Status Gender Age Birthplace Occupation
Jane ALLEY
W Female 53 AL Seamstress
Joseph E. ALLEY
S Male 23 AL Miner
Elizabeth S. ALLEY
S Female 21 AL Housekeeper
Alexander. H. ALLEY
S Male 17 AL Day Laborer
________________________________________Source Information:
Census Place Jefferson, Alabama
Family History Library Film 1254017
Page Number 412D
i. Samuel C. SELLERS - b. Oct 1881 m. Ellen Ada Majors b. Nov. 1893 parent is John B. Majors b. May 1862-64 AL John Majors is a jeweler in 1900 Texas > Mitchell > Justice Precinct 1 > District. The Sellers family is in Trumbull > Liberty > District 281 Ohio for working in 1920 and he works as Puddler at a Puddle Mill. These Alabama families often went north to Ohio, Illinois and Detroit for work-always returning to Jefferson Co and St. Clair.
a. Mary Blanche SELLERS b. AL 1903 works as sales lady -dry goods store
b. Ruby B. SELLERS b. AL 1905
c. Myra I. SELLERS b. AL 1906
d. Nora El--yse SELLERS b.AL 1907
e. Ada Kathleen SELLERS b. AL 1909
• ii. Lelia/Lila ALLEY b. January 1891 m. 1909 William Willis Archibald Hardy b. Feb. 1886-son of Stephen Ransom Hardy and Ada M. Meherg 6 MAR 1884 in Coosa County. Ada M. MEHEARG b: 6 APR 1867 in Coosa County, , and grandson of William Allen Lansing Hardy and Mary Ann Elizabeth Meadows of Nixburg, Coosa Co and great grandson of Ransom Meadows, one of the largest slave holders in Alabama in his time.
a. Mildred E. HARDY b. 1911
b. Mary Frances HARDY 1923
c. James L. HARDY 1928
iii. Regina . Alley (indexed OLLIE) b. July 1896 Al m. Samuel B. "Alley" Baker b. Feb 1899, son of William H. Baker (son is Herbert A. b. abt. 1917)
1880 Household: William Francis Alley, son of Thomas Tallifero K. Alley and Martha “Nancy” Jane Goode
Name Relation Marital Status Gender Race Age Birthplace Occupation Father's Birthplace Mother's Birthplace
William F. ALLEY
Self M Male W 34 MS Laborer At Furnace NC AL
Anna E. ALLEY
Wife M Female W 28 AL Keeping House MS AL
Thomas R. ALLEY
Son S Male W 12 AL MS AL
Sally A. ALLEY
Dau S Female W 9 AL MS AL
Nancy ALLEY
Dau S Female W 7 AL MS AL
Elizabeth ALLEY
Dau S Female W 5 AL MS AL
William E. ALLEY
Son S Male W 8M AL MS AL
Had Joesph D. 1885
AMANDA E. GOODE Marriage:
19 JAN 1867 Jefferson, , Jefferson, Alabama
________________________________________
Source Information:
Census Place Oxmoor, Jefferson, Alabama
Family History Library Film 1254017
NA Film Number T9-0017
Page Number 442B
Household: this is Wiley Jasper Alley and Elizabeth Drucilla Watkins. She is indexed as A.D. Alley- he is son of Thomas Tallifero K. Alley and Martha “Nancy” Jane Goode
Name Relation Marital Status Gender Race Age Birthplace Occupation Father's Birthplace Mother's Birthplace
William Jasper. ALLEY
Self M Male W 31 MS Wagoner NC AL
E. D. ALLEY
Wife M Female W 26 AL Keeping House AL AL
William Oskar. ALLEY
Son S Male W 7 AL MS AL
Mary Jane ALLEY m. Joe Calley
Dau S Female W 3 AL MS AL
Jasper ALLEY –this is either middle name of Jenkins or Enoch Son S Male W 6M AL MS AL
Nov 15, 1881 they had Beatrice m. Rev James Sinard Brock b: 23 APR 1874 in Hill, Etowah Co., Al, then Nora m. Wiley Henson, then Flora who died, and last Marvin who was the only child still alive in 1914 when Will Franke made his notes.
________________________________________
Source Information:
Census Place Oxmoor, Jefferson, Alabama
Family History Library Film 1254017
NA Film Number T9-0017
Page Number 442B
Household: the T. could be an F. I think. son of Thomas Tallifero K. Alley and Martha “Nancy” Jane Goode
Name Relation Marital Status Gender Race Age Birthplace Occupation Father's Birthplace Mother's Birthplace
James T. ALLEY
Self M Male W 33 AL Laborer NC AL
Sarah F. ALLEY
Wife M Female W 33 AL Keeping House SC AL
Thomas T. ALLEY
Son S Male W 9 AL AL AL
William M. ALLEY
Son S Male W 7 AL AL AL
Milley Jane ALLEY
Dau S Female W 6 AL AL AL
Charles J. ALLEY
Son S Male W 4 AL AL AL
Sarah L. ALLEY
Dau S Female W 2 AL AL AL
George E. ALLEY
Son S Male W 3M AL AL AL
Simon A. JONIS
Other S Male W 47 GA Watch Maker GA GA
J. C. MC WILLIAMS
Other S Male W 24 AL Retail Grocer KY KY
________________________________________
Source Information:
Census Place Elyton And Birmingham, Jefferson, Alabama
Family History Library Film 1254017
NA Film Number T9-0017
Page Number 469A
G. William Simpson SELLERS b Jan 7, 1863 during the Civil War d Jun 30, 1890 Sellers Cemetery m. Amanda Grace Sims b May 12 1866 d Dec 21, 1947 Sellers Cemetery -dau. of Martha L.G. ALLEN and William SIMS.
i. Maime B. SELLERS 1884 married Thomas L. Scott-William Simpson Sellers´s nephew.
ii. William "Billy" SELLERS
iii. Nora SELLERS b. October 1885 married Wylie Thornton Poe Jr. b. Aug 1874. Nora died in a car accident after 1910 where she is living with mother Amanda Sellers and son. Will Franke says: “Wylie Thornton Poe b 31 Deecmber 1841 died 10 February 1882 was a strange and peculiar man. When he would be home, he farmed, but he was not very closely bound by any home ties. Nancy Josephine Watkins married Wylie Thornton Poe Sr. and they had 5 children when he was murdered and placed near a great bluff on Shades Mountain -W.A. Cemetery, which has since been called by his name. We said peculiar. He went out with the Cahaba Rangers in the CSA. He was both brave and reckless. But had no interest in the Southern cause, and when he was captured by Yankee troups, he joined their ranks and fought in Company C 1st Alabama Calvary with his brother Jesse and half brother Robert Poe.He was a very powerful man. It is said he could do a fourteen feet standing broad jump.”
a. James Walter POE- b. 1907
iv. James Thomas Jefferson SELLERS -b. June 1888 married Etta Caladonia “Callie” Hardy b 27 February 1894, died 7 July 1992, daughter of Stephen Ransom Hardy (son of William Allen Lansing Hardy and Mary Ann Elizabeth Meadows of Nixburg, Coosa Co) and Etta Caladonia MeHarg (daughter of Willis William Archibald MeHarg and Sarah Elizabeth Perkins). Etta was known as “Nannie” pronounced Ninnie by her grandchildren.
a. Harold Thomas SELLERS 15 Dec 1916 died July 1992 married Evelyn Hamilton Children:
1. Harold Douglas Sellers
2. Ronald Wayne Sellers
b. Nellie Mae SELLERS 28 Jan 1920 died December 13, 1932 buried next to Margaret Eleanor Catherine Sellers Aldridge at Elmwood Cemetery
c. Robert Lionel SELLERS 2 May 1926 died 4 August 1973 in Birmingham. AL married Florence Irene Byerly child Nellie Mae b about 1946
d. Margaret Eleanor Catherine SELLERS b. 29 May 1929 died 10 April 2006 Birmingham, AL married Roscoe Claude Aldridge b. 2 December 1926 in Illinois while his father worked at a rubber factory or steel. Children:
1. Thomas Eugene Aldridge b. 29 APR 1950 in Fairfield, AL died November 8, 1989 Charleston SC, married Susan Millicent Taylor Slider, widow, 5 children Benjamin, Misha Michel, Thomas Taylor, Blaire Elizabeth, Charles Brookes
2. Larry Wayne Aldridge AL b. 1948 married Joan chicldren- 2 girls Alexandra and Courtney
3. Patricia Anne Aldridge b. 1946 married Phillip Brantley children-twin sons Daniel and Patrick Brantley
4. Roscoe Claude Aldridge Jr. b. 1954 1 child -Chase
v. Raymond (not a Sellers, probably a Segar from a short marriage)- b Dec 20, 1897 d Mar 27, 1932 Sellers Cemetary- in 1900 Amanda Sellers appears as Amanda Saygar. Could be the name Segar. It appears Raymond is a Saygar/Segar.
4. Augustus G. MORRIS b. 17 Oct. 1834 SC Died: 28 August 1905 Homewood, Jefferson buried At Morris Cem.-Shades Valley Cemetery married Harriet J. Susy? b. Sept. 1831 SC died 4 Jan 1910 buried At Morris Cem.or Acton, Shades Valley by Brown Service. She had 9 children and 7 were still alive in 1900.
A. Lougenia G. MORRIS b. 25 Nov. 1857 SC Death: 26 Apr 1936 m. Stephen Vincent ACTON b: 16 OCT 1858, AL m. 9 OCT 1879 in Jefferson Co., Al died 2 Aug 1934 - AL, Parents: Zephaniah William Acton, Passey Drucilla Watkins
i. Ida Belle ACTON b: 27 AUG 1880 in Jefferson Co, Al m. A. F. Hunter b. June 1876. 4 children: Maurine 26 Aug 1898, Ona Beryl Belle 31 Jul 1899, Stephen Acton 20 Aug 1902, Carl L. 30 Sep 1905
ii. Harriet “Hattie” Elizabeth ACTON b: 16 OCT 1883 in Jefferson Co, Al married 16 Oct 1901 Richard Henderson Herring Born: 20 Feb 1880 Died: 16 Mar 1948 child: Harry Whiteside Herring 21 Jul 1902
B. Malinda MORRIS b. 1857 SC
C. James M. MORRIS b. Jan. 1860 SC died March 1939 Homewood –never married- buried Morris cemetery most likely
D. Sarah J. MORRIS b. 1862 AL
E. Elizabeth MORRIS b. 1864 AL
F. Augustus Arther MORRIS b. 21 February 1867 AL died 15 June 1889 buried at Morris Cem. Shades Valley
G. Florence MORRIS b. 1868 AL
H. Richard R. MORRIS lived on Columbiana Road b. May 1872 AL died August 1930 married 1894 1st Margaret Estelle/Austelle born Nov. 1874 married 2nd Pearl b. 1876
i. Edwin J. MORRIS b Dec 1894
ii. Margaret Austelle MORRIS b 23 April 1906 died 28 April 1906 buried At Morris Cem.-Shades Valley
iii. Augustus G. 1904
iv. Jessie Lee female 1908 married Brock?- did she report her Aunt Josephine’s death?
v. Lawrence W. b. Jan. 1910
vi. Laurette 1913
vii. Margaret Lillien? 1917
I. Thomas Jefferson MORRIS b. May 1874 AL married about 1896 Hattie Pauline b. June 1873 d. 23 July 1911 buried At Morris Cem.-Shades Valley
i. Leon G. MORRIS b Sept 1896
ii. Thelma I. MORRIS b Sept 1898
iii. Thomas J. Jr. b. 1925
5. Thomas J. MORRIS b. about 1835 SC married about 1854 Louvena/Levina Sellers born Spartanburg SC abt 1835, daughter of Emanuel Sellers b. 1795 Nash Co. NC and Frances “Fannie” Rogers b. Nash/Franklin Co NC. She was Henderson Sellers sister. This Thomas may be nephew or son of James Morris or a cousin and the other Thomas in the family may be a brother to James. Or they could be 2 boys in the family of the same name. I cannot say why there are 2 Thomas names in the family, but they are related. Thomas J. went as far as Guntersville, fought in the Civil War and then returned to Spartanburg by 1870. There he and his boys worked in a cotton mill.
A. Edward A. MORRIS b. about 1855 Spartanburg, SC married Mary E.
B. Frances E. E. MORRIS b. about 1859 Guntersville, AL
C. John MORRIS b about 1864 Spartanburg, SC
6. Cornelius MORRIS b. Sept. 1839 SC married
1st Sarah born 1841 SC
2nd Sarah L. b. Sept 1858 SC m. in 1885.
She had 7 children total, including last 5 on list below
known children-
A. Josephine MORRIS b. 31 JAN. 1860 AL d. 23 April 1949, Lipscomb, Jefferson, AL buried at Union Cem. By Brown Service of Bessemer, AL reported by “Mrs. Jesse Brock” married Jesse Buchannan Bailey on 8/21/1878
B. Lafayette “Fayette” MORRIS 1862 AL m. F. Callie Jones who is buried where her infant babies are buried at Samuel Acton Cemetery
i. Nettie M. MORRIS b. Dec. 9, 1883 died 27 Oct. 1913 and is buried in Union Hill Cemetery lot 14, plot 29 married Joel Byars Bearden
a. Joel Elwyn BEARDEN b: 4 Oct 1909 in , Jefferson, Alabama
b. (m) BEARDEN b: in Alabama
c. Merrill BEARDEN b: 22 Oct 1911 in , Jefferson, Al
d. BEARDEN
e. (m) BEARDEN b: in Alabama
f. BEARDEN b: 27 Oct 1913
ii. infant Morris buried Samuel Acton Cemetery
iii. infant Morris buried Samuel Acton Cemetery
C. Sarah F. MORRIS b. AL 25 November 1865 5 d. 26 March 1939 Croff-Acton Cem.Cem., Jefferson married Perry Lee JONES c 1883
i. Lela Leone JONES b: 22 Oct 1884 in Jefferson Co., Alabama
ii. Hester JONES b: Feb 1886
iii. Maude Josephine JONES b: 12 Mar 1889
iv. Ada Frances JONES b: 8 Mar 1892 in , , Alabama
v. Samuel Oscar JONES b: 24 Apr 1894
v. JONES b: Abt 1898 in Alabama
vi. Amos P. JONES b: Abt 1899 in Alabama
vii. Gracie Effie JONES b: Abt 1901
D. Maryetta MORRIS 1867
E. John H. MORRIS 1869
F. William MORRIS 1871
G. Robert MORRIS 1873
H. Ellen MORRIS 1875
I. Henry MORRIS 1878 named after Henry Emanuel Sellers his uncle
J. Adia MORRIS b March 1881
K. Arthur MORRIS b Aug. 1886-still alive in 1910 (perhaps his full name is Augustus Arthur after his cousin)
L. Annie MORRIS b. AL Sept. 1888
M Lula MORRIS b. AL March 1893 named after Talullah Sellers her aunt
N. Nora MORRIS - b. Al January 1896
O. Ethel MORRIS b. AL July 1899
DOG-RUN HOUSES. The dog-run, dog-trot, or double log cabin was a common type of house in the middle of the nineteenth century. The building consisted of two cabins separated by a ten or fifteen foot passageway, with a continuous gabled roof covering both cabins and the passageway between them, or dog-run. Often a porch was built to extend across the entire front of the house, and lean-to shed rooms were constructed at the rear of each cabin for additional space. The walls were made of horizontally laid hand-hewn logs, with the openings between the logs chinked with sticks and clay. Later examples were often frame rather than logs. The floors were of either dirt, sawed boards, or split logs with the flat side up. There few windows in frontier cabins, and glass windows were rarely seen in pioneer times. Each cabin had a door opening onto the dog-run. Doors and shutters were hung on rawhide or wooden hinges. The roofs were made of overlapping oak clapboards held in place by weight poles. The chimney was constructed of sticks and a clay mixture, and the hearth was made of smooth rocks. Later dog-run houses often had fine brick chimneys and shingled roofs. The purpose of the dog-run was to cool the house by providing shade and catching the breeze. The space served as a catch-all for farm and household articles and was the favorite sleeping place of the dogs. The structure was used on the frontier from Alabama to Ontario. Some are
two story (left) John Looney’s cabin in ST. Claire Co. circa 1820 and some are one and a half story (right) Patterson Log Cabin in Tallassee c. 1845.
Henderson Sellers died near Chickamauga GA in the Civil War- D 28 Alabama Infantry. Private Confederate
Flag: 28th Alabama Infantry
Catalogue No. 86.3945.1
(PN10110-10111)
Information supplied by E. D. Wilson, Houston, TX -The flag was captured at Orchard Knob on November 23, 1863. This was the opening engagement of the Battle of Chattanooga, November 23-25, 1863. The flag was captured by Corporal G. H. Kramer, Co. I, 41st Ohio Infantry. Corporal Kramer "ordered and received the surrender of 20 men with the colors." Instead of forwarding the flag to the U.S. War Department in Washington, Brigadier General William B. Hazen, commanding the Second Brigade, Third Division, 4th Army Corps, apparently retained it as his personal property.
Following the war, the flag remained in General Hazen's possession. In 1903, his son John McClean Hazen placed the flag on loan to the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C. Learning of its existence, Dr. Thomas Owen, Director, Alabama Department of Archives and History requested the return of the flag on August 20, 1905.
The 28th Alabama Infantry Regiment was organized March 29, 1862 at Shelby Springs (located about half way between Calera and Columbiana) to serve for three years or the duration of the war. The recruits were to report to Shelby Springs, the site of a large Confederate military training camp known as Camp Winn, on 13 March; they remained there until 18 April 1862. The Regiment consisted of companies from Blount, Dallas, Jefferson, Marshall, Perry, and Walker counties.
After marching, taking trains and fighting all over the South the 28th was notified they were needed in GA. Union Gen'l William S. Rosecrans, commanding the Army of the Cumberland, began a series of rapid flanking movements which dislodged Bragg's Confederates. The 28th left Shelbyville on the 27th of June 1863 and reached Tullahoma on the 28th where they stayed until 1 July. Then they moved on to Chattanooga, a vital rail and river port city, arriving the 7th and camping a mile below town until 20 August.
Rosecrans' movements forced the evacuation of Chattanooga. Bragg moved his forces south to Lafayette, Georgia, and began calculating a counter move against Rosecrans. The 28th Alabama moved across Lookout Mountain (31 August) to the Lower Chickamauga Creek, about 19 miles distant. Then on 1 September, they moved to Mc Fairlands' Springs, about 10 miles. On the 8th, they marched to Chickamauga Creek, 19 miles, and on the 10th, marched 9 miles to McLemore's Cove. Bragg saw his opportunity open at Crawfish Springs, GA, along the banks of Chickamauga Creek. He realized that Rosecrans had split his Union forces into three groups. Bragg attacked, hoping he could pick these groups off piecemeal, but Rosecrans recognized the threat and was able to reunite his Army before the full effect of the attack could be made.
Bragg wasted no time in beginning the fight and the two armies battered each other to no avail on September 19, 1863. The Union and Confederate soldiers had fought to a standstill, but on the morning of the 20th, a gap was found in the Union line near the Brotherton house, and thousands of Confederates, including the 28th Alabama, poured through. Rosecran's Army of the Cumberland was put in rout. A solid counterattack by Gen'l John Thomas Wilder's "Lightning Brigade," armed with Spencer repeating rifles, slammed into the flank of Manigault's Brigade and the 28th Alabama. The Confederates were stunned from the awesome firepower of Wilder's Brigade and were forced to retreat almost a mile.
After the Confederate victory at Chickamauga, Rosecrans retreated to Chattanooga. The Army of Tennessee followed, and Bragg ordered the city to be placed under siege. He positioned his Confederates around the city, effectively boxing in the Union forces.
Henderson s 2 brothers survived the Battles near Chickamauga Creek. Alison Sellers and Emanuel Henry Sellers- Company D was with William H. Nabors as well.
Witness account of one of the battles: (Confederate account; the following article is taken from the Confederate Veteran, vol. XXVII (1919), p.311:) Partial account extracted-
The following account of the return of the flag of the 28th Alabama Regiment comes from John T. Edmond, of Campbell, Tex., who served with Company D, of that regiment, as taken from the newspaper report from Montgomery September 9, 1905:
"The flag of the 28th Regiment, C.S.A., has come back from the National Museum by grace of Mrs. George Dewey, wife of Admiral Dewey, and the widow of the late Gen. W. B. Hazen, U.S.A. It was captured November 23, 1863, at Bald Knob, near Chattanooga, after a fight that depleted the command and give it the same glory that fell to the famous Light Brigade. Union and Confederate alike tell of the glorious fight it made when under the impression that it had been ordered to hold the position taken at all hazards. Some of the best men of Alabama were on its rolls, and many of them never came back to tell of its glories.
"The regiment was organized at Shelby Springs March 29, 1862, 'for three years, or the war.' It went out under Col. J. W. Frazer, who soon resigned the command to Col. John C. Reid, who led it in all its death-dealing and death-receiving raids upon the enemy
“….Col. John C. Reid, commanding the 28th Alabama Regiment, always said that he had received orders to hold his position 'at all hazards,' as the brigade would move out and the girth be made on that line. This was a misunderstanding, most unfortunately. How it came about I have never been able to ascertain. But Colonel Reid certainly believed that the 28th Alabama Regiment was ordered 'to hold the position at all hazards,' and it did so with the most distinguished gallantry. The position was attacked by overpowering numbers, but our men firmly held the position. There happened what rarely came under my knowledge: the Confederates and Yankees actually fought at the bayonet point across the breastworks. The regiment held its position until the troops on either flank had been driven off and until it was almost completely surrounded. It was then withdrawn, very properly, only after a most heroic resistance and it became evident to Colonel Reid that the brigade was not coming up to make the fight on that line.
"I have never know men to act with more distinguished bravery. I have not the figures before me, but my recollection is that they did not withdraw until over half of their number had been killed, wounded, or captured.
"The attack on Orchard Knob, it will be remembered, was the opening of the battles around Chattanooga.
"It gives me great pleasure to bear witness to the gallantry of my comrades of the 28th Alabama Regiment. I trust that you will place this testimony with the returned battle flag, so that all succeeding generations may know of the grand heroism displayed by the regiment whose ensign it was, not only on that occasion, but on every battle field from Murfreesboro, 1862, until Nashville, 1864."
_____________________________________________________________________________-
BELOW –DO NOT KNOW WHERE THEY FIT IN-- IF AT ALL
7. Thomas MORRIS b. June 1835 SC married 1st AL in 1860 Sarah C. b. 1841 2nd m. 1866 Sarah E. born Feb. 1851 (1870 Louisville PO, Winston Co, Miss, 1880 Fayette, Alabama)
A. Jane B. 1867 TN
B. Manerva L. February 1870 AL
C. James Hugh b Dec. 1872 AL
D. Sina L. 1874 AL
E. William L. b 1876 AL
F. Zachariah “Zack” C. b. April 1880 AL
G. Robert L. b. June 1883 AL
H. Della b September 1885 Louisville Miss
I. Riley T. b June 1888 Louisville, Miss
J. Samuel C. b Sept 1892 Louisville, Miss
Household:
Name Marital Status Gender Age Birthplace Occupation
Thomas MORRAS
M Male 40 SC Farming
Sarah C. MORRAS
M Female 29 AL Keeping House
Jane B. MORRAS
S Female 13 TN Keeping House
Manerva L. MORRAS
S Female 10 AL
James H. MORRAS
S Male 7 AL
Sina L. MORRAS
S Female 5 AL
William L. MORRAS
S Male 2 AL
Zachariah MORRAS
S Male 2M AL
Alexander WORHAY
S Male 25 AL
________________________________________
Source Information:
Census Place Township 15, Fayette, Alabama
Family History Library Film 1254013
Page Number 462C
8. Permelia Morris age 34 is with Thomas Morris in Miss. in 1870-she may be a cousin or sister in law
9. John Morris Household:
Name Relation Marital Status Gender Race Age Birthplace Occupation Father's Birthplace Mother's Birthplace
John MORRIS
Self M Male W 46 SC Farming SC SC
Mary C. MORRIS
Wife M Female W 31 GA Keeping House SC GA
Elias MORRIS
Son S Male W 18 AL Farmer SC GA
William MORRIS
Son S Male W 8 AL SC GA
John MORRIS
Son S Male W 5 AL SC GA
Thomas MORRIS
Other S Male W 1M AL SC GA
________________________________________
Source Information:
Census Place Township 15, Fayette, Alabama
Family History Library Film 1254013
NA Film Number T9-0013
Page Number 462C
poss. James H. Morris fought in B 28 Alabama Infantry. Private Private Confederate out of Jefferson Co
Oak Grove Presbyterian Church Cemetary. Also called the Bailey or Sellers Cemetary. Located on the south side of Oxmoor Road in Edgewood (Homewood) between I65 and Green Springs Hwy, adjacent to the motel parking lot.
1870 Jefferson Co these were all initials but I filled them in for you.
Allison Sellers abt 1822 North Carolina White Male
Margaret Sellers abt 1836 South Carolina White Female
James H Sellers abt 1854 South Carolina White Male
Frances L Sellers abt 1856 Alabama White Female
Sarah L Sellers abt 1862 Alabama White Female
Alice C P A Sellers abt 1864 Alabama White Female
William H Sellers abt 1866 Alabama White Male
George W Sellers abt 1868 Alabama White Male
Mary J Sellers abt 1869 Alabama White Female
1880 Household:
Allison SELLERS Self M Male W 45 SC Farmer SC SC
Margaret SELLERS Wife M Female W 40 SC Keeping House SC SC
James SELLERS Son S Male W 26 SC Farmer SC SC
Fannie SELLERS Dau S Female W 24 SC At Home SC SC
Sarah SELLERS Dau Female W 19 AL At Home SC SC
Alice SELLERS Dau Female W 17 AL At Home SC SC
William SELLERS Son Male W 16 AL SC SC
George SELLERS Son Male W 14 AL SC SC
Mary SELLERS Dau S Female W 12 AL SC SC
Allen SELLERS twin Son S Male W 10 AL SC SC (b. 15 March 1870)
Henry SELLERS twin Son S Male W 10 AL SC SC
Ellen SELLERS Dau S Female W 6 AL SC SC
Emanuel SELLERS Father Male W 85 NC Superanuiated NC NC
Source Information:
Census Place Jefferson, Alabama
Family History Library Film 1254017
NA Film Number T9-0017
Page Number 535C
I am looking for the parents of my GGGrandmother, Mary Jane Morris. She was born in 1823 in Fayette Co. KY., married in Fayette co. in 1842 and died in St. Louis in 1904.
She married Warren Outten who was born in 1819 in Lexington KY. They moved to St. Louis Mo. Warren Bell Outten and Mary Jane Morris Outten were the parents of Warren Bell Outten.
My dad said that she had a snuff box that had belonged to George Washington.
She married Warren Outten who was born in 1819 in Lexington KY. They moved to St. Louis Mo. Warren Bell Outten and Mary Jane Morris Outten were the parents of Warren Bell Outten.
My dad said that she had a snuff box that had belonged to George Washington.
My name is Beth Washburn. I have been trying without luck to trace my family line. My maternal granfather was Franklin Morris Born to Samuel Morris and Rosetta Seeley in Pennsylvania. I know Samuel was born about 1872 but have not been able to find his parents. It seems Samuel dropped from the sky in 1903 when he and rosetta were married. They had many children including Mary (Hissim), Ida, John or Sam, Charlie and Beatrice as well as Franklin. If this sounds familiar or should you be related in some way I would love to here from you.
The story I have is William Watson Morris b. 1869 married Elizabelle Shaffer b. 1861 and lived in Clearville, Pa. Elizabelle d. 1907 and William d. 1934 or 36? Both are buried in Rockhill Cemetary. They had (6) children:
1. George
2. Jacob Elmer *
3. Samuel
4. Israel
5. Anna Belle
6. Robert
* Jacob Elmer Morris b. April 1,1883 d. May 19, 1951. Married Elmira Smith b. June 10, 1889 d. January 7, 1941. Buried at Rockhill Cemetary. They resided in Manns Choice, Pa. They had (13) Children:
1. Alvah
2. Walter
3. Homer
4. Leonard
5. Melvin and *Merle, twins
7. Elmer
8. Minnie
9. Charles
10. Evelyn
11. Betty
12. Donald (died at birth)
13. Beda
Merle Herbert Morris b. May 10,1918 Married Alice Pauline Morton b. October 23, 1922 d. December 6, 1947. Both are buried at Bethel Church Cemetary. They had (2) children:
1. *Donald Lee Morris
2. William Dale Morris
Donald Lee Morris b. February 11, 1944 (he and his brother where raised by the Millers on rt.26 north) Married Mary Marie Foor b. October 10, 1940. They had (4) children:
1. Donald Lee
2. *Corrie Quin
3. Robert Merle
4. Scott Allen
Corrie Quin Morris b. December 21, 1966 married Christine Dawn Leach b. July 12, 1968. They have (2) children:
1. Cody Tylor
2. Courtney Madison
1. George
2. Jacob Elmer *
3. Samuel
4. Israel
5. Anna Belle
6. Robert
* Jacob Elmer Morris b. April 1,1883 d. May 19, 1951. Married Elmira Smith b. June 10, 1889 d. January 7, 1941. Buried at Rockhill Cemetary. They resided in Manns Choice, Pa. They had (13) Children:
1. Alvah
2. Walter
3. Homer
4. Leonard
5. Melvin and *Merle, twins
7. Elmer
8. Minnie
9. Charles
10. Evelyn
11. Betty
12. Donald (died at birth)
13. Beda
Merle Herbert Morris b. May 10,1918 Married Alice Pauline Morton b. October 23, 1922 d. December 6, 1947. Both are buried at Bethel Church Cemetary. They had (2) children:
1. *Donald Lee Morris
2. William Dale Morris
Donald Lee Morris b. February 11, 1944 (he and his brother where raised by the Millers on rt.26 north) Married Mary Marie Foor b. October 10, 1940. They had (4) children:
1. Donald Lee
2. *Corrie Quin
3. Robert Merle
4. Scott Allen
Corrie Quin Morris b. December 21, 1966 married Christine Dawn Leach b. July 12, 1968. They have (2) children:
1. Cody Tylor
2. Courtney Madison
I was adopted and never knew my birth family. I finally found my birthfather's living half sisters and brothers in 2000. It was the greatest feeling ever. Finally finding out where my dad came from. There is still many questions I have and I am trying to put the puzzle together. Now that my aunts and uncles are older (so am I) I want to finish my search. I am looking for the parents of Columbus Washington Morris, as my relatives don't remember his parents at all. So if any one knows of this Morris family please contact me. They are from Alabama
I am looking for anyone related to a Delbert H Morris who was Married to a Madie M. Childers. They had 6 children Goldie L, Melvin E.,Neva Irene my Grandmother, Virgil E., Gerald, Yvonne. Delberts mother was Sarah A. Morris I don't have her maiden name. Neva had two sons Richard Waddington and Gary Waddington. Most of my Family are deceased so I don't have any info. If anyone has any I would greatly apreciate it. Thanks Valyre
My mother's name is Shirley Ann Morris Quick. Her parents were Arthur William Morris and Naomi Ruth Boynton Morris. I am trying to find out what happened to Arthur, his parents and siblings. He went to the store one day to get bread and never came back. My mother was about 2-3 years old. My mom was born Jan. 26, 1946 in Atlanta, GA. Arthur was the son of Theodore W Morris, Sr and Myrtle Helen Bunn. He was born Dec 19, 1919 in Brooklyn,NY. He and Ruth got married in Coweta Co, GA on April 14, 1945 and were divorced on Sept 1 1947. His last known occupation was in 1947 in Palmetto, Fulton Co, GA as a Sanitation worker. I know that he did remarry and had 2 other daughters. His last know address was in Califonia around 1995, but nothing after that and he had changed his name to Art Morrison. I am just stuck. I would love to be able to give my mom some closure and possibly some other family members. I have posted what photos I do have. Please let me know of anything that you may have or any tips you can give me. Thank you so much.
My father in law was raised in Jacksonville under the name of Russell Eugene Dowling. He and his twin sister Betty were just babies when adopted. He always knew he was adopted, but not why, until he was 70 years old. He had made a death bed promise to his adoptive mother to never look for his genetic parents. When Russell's two grandchildren began to have some health problems, Russell's wife Hazel, talked him into letting her look for the sake of the grandchildren. So technically he never looked and kept his promise to his adoptive mother. The search didn't take very long, and the benefits to Russell were amazing. At age 70 he met his older half sister Ruth Raffield. She was able to clear up the mystery of his and Betty's past. Ruth's mother had been married to Lacy Jackson Raffield. Her mother died, and Lacy age 33,married Lillie Mae Morris,age 22,on April 3rd. 1924 on Bay County, Florida. The babies, later known as Russell and Betty Dowling were born on March 7, 1925. Lillie Mae must have already been sick when she married Lacy, but maybe didn't know it. But by the time the twins were born she was quite ill with Pulmonary Tuburculosis. It was quite common back then and there was no cure. She got to sit outside and look at them on a blanket, but she couldn't get near them for fear of infecting them. She died June 19th, 1925. Just a little over 3 months afteer their birth. It is heartbreaking to think about a houseful of little children with no one to care for them. Lacy loved them, but he was a fisherman by trade, often out in the family ship fishing for days at a time. He was able to find family to take care of his 3 older girls by his first marriage, but couldn't find anyone to care for new born twins. someone told him of an agency that might help him care for them till he could arrange something. So he bundled up his babies, and took them to the people he hoped would be his answer. Trouble is, he couldn't read, and they got him to unknowingly put his mark on a paper agreeing to allow them to be adopted out. Back then agencies didn't necessarily do what is legal and proper. The Dowling family, had enough money to pay for the adoption to be legalized. Mr. Dowling was himself a court reporter and Lawyer. Lacy went out to sea, convinced that he had done his best for his children. He and his family, continued to try to find help. When he went back for his children they were gone. He never saw them again. But 70 years later, there was finally a happy ending. His siter Ruth was the only one left alive of the 3 elder sisters, but she told him she prayed every day that she would see her brother and sister again before she died. She said her daddy never got over their loss, and felt he had failed them. Since locating Ruth, the family have gotten meet the Raffield and Morris side. Oh, and Russell and Betty found out they were really named Edna Mae and Edward Jackson Raffield. I am now beginning to research that side of the family to put on our [external link] family tree. By the way, I'm Ellie Dowling, wife of Russell Raffield Dowling's son Russell.
HISTORY OF THE MORRIS GIRLS
BY PAUL JONES SUMMERS
1915
Rewritten by Kimmy Dickerson (5th great granddaughter of Henry Morris)
Thursday July 29, 1915
Mr. George Alderson has undertaken the work of erecting a monument in the court house lot at Summersville, Nicholas county, West Virginia, and also headstones at the graves of Peggy and Betsy Morris, who were killed by an Indian and a white man supposed to be Simon Girty, and as I am (P.J.Summers) a great grandson of Henry Morris and have been requested to write a history and how they were killed, I?ll try to write it, as near as possible, as my parents have told it to me.)
The above named girls were daughters of Henry Morris, deceased, who was the first settler on Peter?s Creek. He built his house in the bottom about one forth of a mile above the mouth of Line Creek, now Nicholas county. Just how long Morris had been here before his daughters were killed I am not able to say, but it must have been several years, for there were several settlers in the neighborhood at that time. About the Fall of 1790 or 1791 a man came to Henry Morris? house and told Morris that his name was Allen and that he wanted to stay all winter with him and hunt. He said he had been with the Indians and had learned to be a good hunter. So Morris told him he might stay. There were all kinds of game there at that time, such as bear, deer, elk, and buffalo and small game. So they hunted together that winter and killed quite a lot of bears and deer and other game. Now, Morris had a good bear dog at that time and they had caught several bears with him that winter. Morris had had this dog with him when he was scouting for Indians while in the Kanawha Valley and the dog had learned the scent of an Indian from anything else. When he got the scent of an Indian he would run around Morris with his hair raised as if he were afraid.
About the last of March or the first of April Henry Morris went down to the Kanawha Valley on business and to visit his people. While down there he was telling his friends about the man Allen staying all winter with him, and of what a good hunter he was, and also that he had said he had been with the Indians and had learned to hunt from them. A man was standing by and he asked Morris what kind of looking man Allen was. Morris told him as near as he could and the man said: "From what you say about him, he is Simon Girty." "I reckon not," Morris said. But the man told Morris just what kind of looking man Girty was, and Morris said if the man had been looking right at Allen he could not have described him better. The man also told Morris that he had been acquainted with Girty before he deserted the whites. He said Girty had a scar on one side of his head just about the edge of his hair, and he told which side of the head the scar was on. He told Morris to notice when he went home and see if the scar were there. When Morris returned home it was late in the evening. Just as soon as he looked at the man who had spent the winter with him he saw that he was Girty. He said, "I guess your name is Simon Girty." But Girty denied it, so Morris stepped up to him and pushed his hair up and there was the scar, just as the man had described it, and the side on which he had said it was. Morris said to him: "You are Girty and you need not deny it any longer. I am going to kill you." Girty began to cry and beg for his life; said he was not Girty and that he would leave next morning: But Morris was for killing him anyway, for he had heard how Girty had killed so many women and children, and Morris hated him worse than a rattlesnake. Morris? wife spoke up and said not to kill him, that it might not be Girty and that he said he would leave in the morning. So Morris decided not to kill him, but he sat on the side of his bed all night with his gun in his hand.
The next morning after they had breakfast, while Mrs. Morris was fixing up Girty?s clothes, Morris took his gun and stepped out on the place. The mad spell had worn off him and he didn?t care to be there when Girty left. When Girty started he tried to take Morris? bear dog with him, but the girls called him back two or three times. Girty cursed them and called them bad names, saying he would pay them for it. One of the girls was then twelve and the other fourteen years of age. So Girty left. He had not been gone more than a few minutes until Capt. Geo Fitzwater came in. About thirty minutes later, while Mrs. Morris was telling him of the man who had spent the winter with them being Simon Girty and all that had taken place. Girty returned and stepped up into the door with three big hickory withes in his hand. Fitzwater sprang to his feet with his gun in his hand (people in those days always carried their guns with them where ever they went) and said: "What do you mean by coming here with those withes?" "I brought them to lead that dog away with me," replied Girty. "No," said Fitzwater, "You came here to whip this family to death. Now you get away from here, and quick, for if Morris were here he would kill you: I wouldn?t stop much to do it myself." So Girty went away, mad.
About two or three weeks after Girty left Henry Morris went over to Tommy Smith?s mill, which was Twenty Mile Creek not far from what is now known as the Acil Hughes place. As he was returning in the evening, when he had got about to the head of Line Creek, his dog, Watch, began to run around him with his hair raised, growling as he was in the habit of doing when Indians were close. Morris knew by this that there were Indians near, so he kept a close look out for them all the way down Line Creek, but did not see them. But he knew by the action of his dog that they followed him very closely. It seemed that they were afraid to rush on Morris, for he was very quick with his gun (as Girty knew since he had hunted with him the winter before). Morris had learned to load his rifle as he ran. When he got to the forks of Line Creek he went on down to the mouth of the creek and up Peter?s Creek to his house. The Indian and Girty went across the ridge between Line Creek and Peter?s Creek and came into the bottom above Morris? house. When Morris got home he found there John Young, who, I think, was a brother-in-law of Henry Morris. Morris asked his wife where the girls were. She replied that they were up in the bottom after the calves. At that time they ranged both cows and calves; the calves one way from the farm, the cows the other. When hunting time came they would first bring the calves and then the cows. Morris said: "Indians followed me close from Twenty Mile." "I reckon not, Henry," she replied. "Yes they did, for Watch never lies." Morris asked Young if he had a good load in his gun, and he said he had. "Morris said, ?I?ve got a small load in my gun I had in for a squirrel. I?ll shoot it out and put in a good load and we?ll go after the girls." So he stepped out into the yard abd shot the load from his gun. The smoke had scarcely gone any distance from his gun when they heard the girls begin to scream. Morris called to Young to run and they both struck out. Morris beat Young to the first girl by about one hundred yards, and he hadhis gun loaded when he got there. I think this one was Peggy. He found her tomahawked and scalped and with her back broken, but she was not dead and was able to talk
"Who did this?" Morris asked. " A red man killed me and the man that stayed at our house last winter killed Betsey," answered Peggy. Morris asked her which way the Indian went. She told him and he started after the Indian but Peggy begged him not to leave her. Morris picked her up two or three times and laid her down again and started after the Indian, but she called him back and begged him not to leave her. Finally Morris said, "Let me go and kill the nasty old Indian." So she said that he might go. He ran the way Peggy said the Indian had gone and finally saw him. He was getting sight on him and was just about to pull the trigger when the Indian jumped over the bank of the vreek behind some laurel. Morris said if he had been a few seconds earlier he would have gotten him. He went back to the girl and he and Young looked and found the other girl. She was dead when found. She was scalped and stabbed four times with a big butcher knife. The knife had gone entirely through her body three times making seven places. This is the one murdered by Girty. The girl that Morris got to first had outrun the Indian for fifty or sixty rods and would have gotten away, but she was tripped by a grapevine or her dress caught a snag and threw her down. Morris and Young carried the two girls to the house which was distant seventy-five or one hundred rods. I can show the very spot where Peggy was found. About dark one of the murderers howled like a wolf on the south side of the creek and the other on the north side. The howling kept going up the creek and getting nearer the same pint until they got up to about where John R, Neil now lives. Then it all ceased. The girl that was alive when found died at about the middle of that night. The next day the neighbors gathered up and burried the two girls in the same grave, not far from Morris? house. Today there is a large dogwood standing at the head of the grave. The land is now owned by Mr. Harrison Heil. Their grave is in the bottom about two hundred yards south of the turnpike road. They were killed up in the bottom on the farm on which W. H. Summers now lives. The day after the girls were burried Morris and his family and all the settlers went into the fort that they had built on the farm where A, P, Keenan now lives; a few years ago it was known as the Randolph mansion farm. A day or so later all of them joined this was the second or third time Morris? had to leave Peter?s creek on account of the Indians. The militia of Greenbrier was then raised. It was two weeks or more before they were ready to start on the trail of the Indian and Girty. There were about one hundred men in the company. Morris went along and they trailed them up Peter?s creek to the mouth of Jerry?s fork where Walter Rader now lives and up Jerry?s fork over on to Robinson fork of Twenty Mile. There they found a spot where it seemed from the signs Girty and the Indian had camped a week or more. They had killed a buffalo and had made a perfect path from their camp out the divide between Twenty Mile and Line creek to the mill path where they had been watching for Morris. The militia trailed Girty and the Indian from their camp on Robinson?s fork of Twenty Mile through to Elk River, which they had crossed a place afterward known as little goose island, Because the trail was so old the men had to travel very slowly. Morris was an expert on trailing Indians; wherever he saw a rock turned over or a weed tramped down he would call to the men and say "This is the way they went."So they trailed the murderers through to the Little Kanawha river and down its course to a Little Indian village called Bulltown. There they found an Indian squaw, seventy or eighty years old, who could talk some English. She told Morris and the malitia that Simon Girty had come and got one of their warriers and had then gone and killed the girls. She said it was awfully bad and that the Indians had all gone across the Ohio river, leaving her there to die. The men did not believe her. They scouted about in the woods two or three days and found several small squads of Indians. However, they were on the lookout and were always running. Morris got a shot at one as he ran and wounded him. They tracked him some distance by the blood but never got him. So they had to give up the hunt and go back home. Morris and the settlers brought their families back to Peter?s creek shortly after that. They were never again molested by the Indians. About ten years after these happenings an Indian came up the Kanawha river on his way to Lewisburg on some business. He stopped at a place where there was a logrolling, quite a number of the neighbors having gathered in for it. As was usual they had whiskey, and the men gave some of it to the old Indian. He finally got pretty full and began telling his war tales. He told about a killing "an old pale face up the river here." That man was Kelly who was killed at the mouth of the creek now called after him Kelley?s creek. He also told how he and Simon Girty had killed the two Morris girls up the river. He said one of them ran so fast she would have got away if she had not been tripped by a grapevine and thrown down. He mocked them, showing how they threw up their hands and dodged when he went to scalp them. He showed with his hands how they did, and said that those of the Morris girls were the only red scalps he had ever got. (The Morris girls had deep red hair.)
Ben Morris, a brother of Henry Morris, was there and he wanted to kill the Indian at once, but the other men intergered and would not permit it. Finally the old Indian got so drunk he got down and past knoowing anything. When the men had finished their day?s work they returned to their homes, but the Indian stayed there until the next morning when the woman of the house gave him his breakfast and he started on his way to Lewisburg. Not long after he left the house the folkd there heard the report of a gun up the river. But they gave it no thought as it was a common thing in those days to hear the soujnds of shooting. There was a mail routefrom Lewisburg to the Kanawha valley by which mail was brought through onve a week, or every two weeks at most. The mail carrier was due and came through a day or two after the Indian left. It was something new to see an Indian passing through at that time, as peace with the Indians had been made so long, and they began to inquire of the mail carrier whether or not he had seen the old Indian. He replied that he haed not met him. Then they began to suspect that Ben Morris had killed him and they began looking for him.About a quarter of a mile from where he stayed all night they found him in a pawpaw bottom in a little path shot through the heart by a large-bore gun. He was lying there swelled up as large as a barrel. They examined the buller hole and decided that he had been shot with Ben Morris? big hunting gun, They dug hole, rolled him into it and covered him up. It is not known when or where Simon Girty died. Henry Morri8s died in 1826 and was burried beside his two daughter. Henry Morris? wife died in Kanawha county somewhere about Blue creek while visiting daughter and was buried there. I did not mention the kind of coffine the girls days they did not have any planks, so the neighbors just hewed out broad pucneonds, laid one in the grave on which they put the bodies of the two girls side by side.
BY PAUL JONES SUMMERS
1915
Rewritten by Kimmy Dickerson (5th great granddaughter of Henry Morris)
Thursday July 29, 1915
Mr. George Alderson has undertaken the work of erecting a monument in the court house lot at Summersville, Nicholas county, West Virginia, and also headstones at the graves of Peggy and Betsy Morris, who were killed by an Indian and a white man supposed to be Simon Girty, and as I am (P.J.Summers) a great grandson of Henry Morris and have been requested to write a history and how they were killed, I?ll try to write it, as near as possible, as my parents have told it to me.)
The above named girls were daughters of Henry Morris, deceased, who was the first settler on Peter?s Creek. He built his house in the bottom about one forth of a mile above the mouth of Line Creek, now Nicholas county. Just how long Morris had been here before his daughters were killed I am not able to say, but it must have been several years, for there were several settlers in the neighborhood at that time. About the Fall of 1790 or 1791 a man came to Henry Morris? house and told Morris that his name was Allen and that he wanted to stay all winter with him and hunt. He said he had been with the Indians and had learned to be a good hunter. So Morris told him he might stay. There were all kinds of game there at that time, such as bear, deer, elk, and buffalo and small game. So they hunted together that winter and killed quite a lot of bears and deer and other game. Now, Morris had a good bear dog at that time and they had caught several bears with him that winter. Morris had had this dog with him when he was scouting for Indians while in the Kanawha Valley and the dog had learned the scent of an Indian from anything else. When he got the scent of an Indian he would run around Morris with his hair raised as if he were afraid.
About the last of March or the first of April Henry Morris went down to the Kanawha Valley on business and to visit his people. While down there he was telling his friends about the man Allen staying all winter with him, and of what a good hunter he was, and also that he had said he had been with the Indians and had learned to hunt from them. A man was standing by and he asked Morris what kind of looking man Allen was. Morris told him as near as he could and the man said: "From what you say about him, he is Simon Girty." "I reckon not," Morris said. But the man told Morris just what kind of looking man Girty was, and Morris said if the man had been looking right at Allen he could not have described him better. The man also told Morris that he had been acquainted with Girty before he deserted the whites. He said Girty had a scar on one side of his head just about the edge of his hair, and he told which side of the head the scar was on. He told Morris to notice when he went home and see if the scar were there. When Morris returned home it was late in the evening. Just as soon as he looked at the man who had spent the winter with him he saw that he was Girty. He said, "I guess your name is Simon Girty." But Girty denied it, so Morris stepped up to him and pushed his hair up and there was the scar, just as the man had described it, and the side on which he had said it was. Morris said to him: "You are Girty and you need not deny it any longer. I am going to kill you." Girty began to cry and beg for his life; said he was not Girty and that he would leave next morning: But Morris was for killing him anyway, for he had heard how Girty had killed so many women and children, and Morris hated him worse than a rattlesnake. Morris? wife spoke up and said not to kill him, that it might not be Girty and that he said he would leave in the morning. So Morris decided not to kill him, but he sat on the side of his bed all night with his gun in his hand.
The next morning after they had breakfast, while Mrs. Morris was fixing up Girty?s clothes, Morris took his gun and stepped out on the place. The mad spell had worn off him and he didn?t care to be there when Girty left. When Girty started he tried to take Morris? bear dog with him, but the girls called him back two or three times. Girty cursed them and called them bad names, saying he would pay them for it. One of the girls was then twelve and the other fourteen years of age. So Girty left. He had not been gone more than a few minutes until Capt. Geo Fitzwater came in. About thirty minutes later, while Mrs. Morris was telling him of the man who had spent the winter with them being Simon Girty and all that had taken place. Girty returned and stepped up into the door with three big hickory withes in his hand. Fitzwater sprang to his feet with his gun in his hand (people in those days always carried their guns with them where ever they went) and said: "What do you mean by coming here with those withes?" "I brought them to lead that dog away with me," replied Girty. "No," said Fitzwater, "You came here to whip this family to death. Now you get away from here, and quick, for if Morris were here he would kill you: I wouldn?t stop much to do it myself." So Girty went away, mad.
About two or three weeks after Girty left Henry Morris went over to Tommy Smith?s mill, which was Twenty Mile Creek not far from what is now known as the Acil Hughes place. As he was returning in the evening, when he had got about to the head of Line Creek, his dog, Watch, began to run around him with his hair raised, growling as he was in the habit of doing when Indians were close. Morris knew by this that there were Indians near, so he kept a close look out for them all the way down Line Creek, but did not see them. But he knew by the action of his dog that they followed him very closely. It seemed that they were afraid to rush on Morris, for he was very quick with his gun (as Girty knew since he had hunted with him the winter before). Morris had learned to load his rifle as he ran. When he got to the forks of Line Creek he went on down to the mouth of the creek and up Peter?s Creek to his house. The Indian and Girty went across the ridge between Line Creek and Peter?s Creek and came into the bottom above Morris? house. When Morris got home he found there John Young, who, I think, was a brother-in-law of Henry Morris. Morris asked his wife where the girls were. She replied that they were up in the bottom after the calves. At that time they ranged both cows and calves; the calves one way from the farm, the cows the other. When hunting time came they would first bring the calves and then the cows. Morris said: "Indians followed me close from Twenty Mile." "I reckon not, Henry," she replied. "Yes they did, for Watch never lies." Morris asked Young if he had a good load in his gun, and he said he had. "Morris said, ?I?ve got a small load in my gun I had in for a squirrel. I?ll shoot it out and put in a good load and we?ll go after the girls." So he stepped out into the yard abd shot the load from his gun. The smoke had scarcely gone any distance from his gun when they heard the girls begin to scream. Morris called to Young to run and they both struck out. Morris beat Young to the first girl by about one hundred yards, and he hadhis gun loaded when he got there. I think this one was Peggy. He found her tomahawked and scalped and with her back broken, but she was not dead and was able to talk
"Who did this?" Morris asked. " A red man killed me and the man that stayed at our house last winter killed Betsey," answered Peggy. Morris asked her which way the Indian went. She told him and he started after the Indian but Peggy begged him not to leave her. Morris picked her up two or three times and laid her down again and started after the Indian, but she called him back and begged him not to leave her. Finally Morris said, "Let me go and kill the nasty old Indian." So she said that he might go. He ran the way Peggy said the Indian had gone and finally saw him. He was getting sight on him and was just about to pull the trigger when the Indian jumped over the bank of the vreek behind some laurel. Morris said if he had been a few seconds earlier he would have gotten him. He went back to the girl and he and Young looked and found the other girl. She was dead when found. She was scalped and stabbed four times with a big butcher knife. The knife had gone entirely through her body three times making seven places. This is the one murdered by Girty. The girl that Morris got to first had outrun the Indian for fifty or sixty rods and would have gotten away, but she was tripped by a grapevine or her dress caught a snag and threw her down. Morris and Young carried the two girls to the house which was distant seventy-five or one hundred rods. I can show the very spot where Peggy was found. About dark one of the murderers howled like a wolf on the south side of the creek and the other on the north side. The howling kept going up the creek and getting nearer the same pint until they got up to about where John R, Neil now lives. Then it all ceased. The girl that was alive when found died at about the middle of that night. The next day the neighbors gathered up and burried the two girls in the same grave, not far from Morris? house. Today there is a large dogwood standing at the head of the grave. The land is now owned by Mr. Harrison Heil. Their grave is in the bottom about two hundred yards south of the turnpike road. They were killed up in the bottom on the farm on which W. H. Summers now lives. The day after the girls were burried Morris and his family and all the settlers went into the fort that they had built on the farm where A, P, Keenan now lives; a few years ago it was known as the Randolph mansion farm. A day or so later all of them joined this was the second or third time Morris? had to leave Peter?s creek on account of the Indians. The militia of Greenbrier was then raised. It was two weeks or more before they were ready to start on the trail of the Indian and Girty. There were about one hundred men in the company. Morris went along and they trailed them up Peter?s creek to the mouth of Jerry?s fork where Walter Rader now lives and up Jerry?s fork over on to Robinson fork of Twenty Mile. There they found a spot where it seemed from the signs Girty and the Indian had camped a week or more. They had killed a buffalo and had made a perfect path from their camp out the divide between Twenty Mile and Line creek to the mill path where they had been watching for Morris. The militia trailed Girty and the Indian from their camp on Robinson?s fork of Twenty Mile through to Elk River, which they had crossed a place afterward known as little goose island, Because the trail was so old the men had to travel very slowly. Morris was an expert on trailing Indians; wherever he saw a rock turned over or a weed tramped down he would call to the men and say "This is the way they went."So they trailed the murderers through to the Little Kanawha river and down its course to a Little Indian village called Bulltown. There they found an Indian squaw, seventy or eighty years old, who could talk some English. She told Morris and the malitia that Simon Girty had come and got one of their warriers and had then gone and killed the girls. She said it was awfully bad and that the Indians had all gone across the Ohio river, leaving her there to die. The men did not believe her. They scouted about in the woods two or three days and found several small squads of Indians. However, they were on the lookout and were always running. Morris got a shot at one as he ran and wounded him. They tracked him some distance by the blood but never got him. So they had to give up the hunt and go back home. Morris and the settlers brought their families back to Peter?s creek shortly after that. They were never again molested by the Indians. About ten years after these happenings an Indian came up the Kanawha river on his way to Lewisburg on some business. He stopped at a place where there was a logrolling, quite a number of the neighbors having gathered in for it. As was usual they had whiskey, and the men gave some of it to the old Indian. He finally got pretty full and began telling his war tales. He told about a killing "an old pale face up the river here." That man was Kelly who was killed at the mouth of the creek now called after him Kelley?s creek. He also told how he and Simon Girty had killed the two Morris girls up the river. He said one of them ran so fast she would have got away if she had not been tripped by a grapevine and thrown down. He mocked them, showing how they threw up their hands and dodged when he went to scalp them. He showed with his hands how they did, and said that those of the Morris girls were the only red scalps he had ever got. (The Morris girls had deep red hair.)
Ben Morris, a brother of Henry Morris, was there and he wanted to kill the Indian at once, but the other men intergered and would not permit it. Finally the old Indian got so drunk he got down and past knoowing anything. When the men had finished their day?s work they returned to their homes, but the Indian stayed there until the next morning when the woman of the house gave him his breakfast and he started on his way to Lewisburg. Not long after he left the house the folkd there heard the report of a gun up the river. But they gave it no thought as it was a common thing in those days to hear the soujnds of shooting. There was a mail routefrom Lewisburg to the Kanawha valley by which mail was brought through onve a week, or every two weeks at most. The mail carrier was due and came through a day or two after the Indian left. It was something new to see an Indian passing through at that time, as peace with the Indians had been made so long, and they began to inquire of the mail carrier whether or not he had seen the old Indian. He replied that he haed not met him. Then they began to suspect that Ben Morris had killed him and they began looking for him.About a quarter of a mile from where he stayed all night they found him in a pawpaw bottom in a little path shot through the heart by a large-bore gun. He was lying there swelled up as large as a barrel. They examined the buller hole and decided that he had been shot with Ben Morris? big hunting gun, They dug hole, rolled him into it and covered him up. It is not known when or where Simon Girty died. Henry Morri8s died in 1826 and was burried beside his two daughter. Henry Morris? wife died in Kanawha county somewhere about Blue creek while visiting daughter and was buried there. I did not mention the kind of coffine the girls days they did not have any planks, so the neighbors just hewed out broad pucneonds, laid one in the grave on which they put the bodies of the two girls side by side.
I would like to contact someone with regard to Joseph Duplock