David and Marsha Grady Family Marsha's WHITE ancestors came to Alabama territory between 1810 and 1830, and had settled in what was then Dale County and is now Coffee County, Alabama, by the 1840 Federal Census. They came to Alabama from South Carolina, with a stop in Georgia ca 1825-1835.
Our WHITE FamilyJohn A. WHITE (ca 1798-ca 1870) appeared with his family in the 1850 Federal Census for Coffee County, Alabama, with his wife, Eliza A. MCKINNEY WHITE (22 Oct 1820-Jun 1898), and his children: Russell M. WHITE, age 16; Seaborn Jones WHITE, age 10; Luvinia WHITE, age 5; Matilda WHITE, age 4, and Jahaza WHITE, age 3. John WHITE was born in South Carolina, but probably married Eliza in Georgia, as that is her birthplace, as well as that of the oldest child, Russell.
It is believed that John WHITE was previously married to Emma HART, but no documentation has been found to support that theory. It is also believed that John had several older children from that first marriage - there are several young men with the surname WHITE who are listed near John's household in the 1850 census.
The 1860 Federal Census for Coffee County lists John as a chair maker, along with wife, Eliza Ann, and their children: Seaborn, 19; Luvinia, 16; Matilda, 14; Hosea (should be Jahaza), 13; Cordelia, 10; John Anderson, 7; and John Allen (should be Allen D.), 3.
John A. WHITE is believed to have died between 1860-1870, as he is not included with his family in the 1870 Census. He is believed to be buried in Coffee County, possibly near Elba. After her husband's death, Eliza and her younger children apparently moved in with her son Seaborn and his family.
The 1870 Census for Coffee County lists Seabron WHITE, age 29, with his wife, Lucinda (should be Lousinda) HARRISON WHITE, age 21, and their children, Claira, age 3, and Henry R., age 1. Also in his household is his mother, Eliza White, age 50, and her children, Matilda, 21, Jahaza, 18, Cordelia, 16, Julia A., 14, David A., 13, and Caroline, 10.
By 1880, Eliza is living in the household of her daughter, Jahaza WHITE KITCHEN, and son-in-law, James J. KITCHEN, in Monroe County, Alabama. She June 1898, and is buried a New Hope Cemetery in Jeddo Community, Monroe County, Alabama.
Some time between 1870 and the mid-1890's most of John and Eliza WHITE's children moved from Coffee County, Alabama, to Monroe County, Alabama, along with the HARRISON family.
Known Children of John A. and Eliza A. WHITE:
- Russell M. White, b. abt. 1834, Georgia. (May actually be a child of John A. White's first marriage)
- Seaborn Jones White, b. 8 Oct 1840, Alabama (probably Coffee County); d. 31 Dec 1913, Monroe County, Alabama. Married Lousinda Harrison, daughter of Henry Moses Harrison and Lucinda Kinchen/Kitchen.
- Luvinia White, b. abt. 1844, Alabama (probably Coffee County)
- Matilda White, b. 28 Apr 1847, Alabama (probably Coffee County), d Jun 1900, Alabama; married G. Long. Matilda White Long is buried next to her mother at New Home Cemetery in Jeddo Community, Monroe County, Alabama.
- Jahaza White, b. 17 Apr 1849, Alabama (probably Coffee County), died 12 August 1918 at Bryce Hospital, Tuscaloosa, Alabama. Married James J. Kitchens. Jahaza and James Kitchens are buried at New Home Cemetery.
- Cordelia White, b. about 1850, Alabama (probably Coffee County)
- John Anderson White, b 4 March 1854, Coffee County, Alabama; d. 13 January 1934, Uriah, Monroe County, Alabama. Married (1) Nancy (maiden name unknown), and (2) Nancy Antonette Nall, daughter of Stephen Nall and Mahala Ogden.
- Allen D. White, b. April 1858, Alabama (probably Coffee County). Married Mary Ella Wasden. Allen D. and Mary Ellen White are buried at New Home Cemetery.
- Caroline White, b. about 1860, Alabama (probably Coffee County).Seaborn White enlisted as a Private in Company G, 59th Alabama Infantry Regiment of the Confederate States Army on 12 May 1862 at Troy, Alabama. It appears that he was promoted to Corporal by about 1864. He was wounded 14 December 1864 (it is not clear from his service records how seriously he was wonded) and furloughed for 30 days on 27 December 1864 at Montgomery Springs, Virginia. On 26 February 1865, S.J. White appears on a list of prisoners received by the Provost Marshal General of the Army of the Potomac, listed as "deserted from the enemy." He was sent to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where he took the Oath of Allegiance. Family history has always reported that he walked home from Pennsylvania at the end of the war.
The WHITE and HARRISON families were apparently active members of Primitive Baptist churches during this time, as they were involved in the founding of at least two churches in Monroe County. First, New Hope Primitive Baptist Church was founded in the Jeddo community. New Hope Church no longer exists, but New Hope Cemetery includes several members of the HARRISON and WHITE families.
In 1899, Seaborn and Sindy WHITE were among the founding members of New Home Primitive Baptist Church, along with their son, David G. WHITE, Sindy's sister-in-law, Mattie FAILS HARRISON (wife of Manning D. HARRISON), Seaborn's sister and brother-in-law, James J. and Jahaza KITCHEN. Seaborn donated the land where New Home Church and Cemetery are now located.
Sindy HARRISON WHITE died 5 January 1923, and is buried next to her husband at New Home Cemetery in Monroe County.
Seaborn and Sindy WHITE had eleven children: Claira WHITE; Henry Robert WHITE; David G. WHITE; James Alexander WHITE; Laura E. WHITE PETTY; Freedonia WHITE GARDNER; George W. WHITE; Aaron J. WHITE; Edward J. WHITE; Wallace M. WHITE; and Ella WHITE (died as an infant).
Living in the WHITE household in the 1900 census was a granddaughter, Lillie Nall, born June 1886. Marsha is unsure of the exact relationship of this child to Seaborn and Lousinda WHITE. Based on her date of birth, it is unlikely that she was born to any daughter of Lousinda's. However, it is possible that Seaborn had a brief first marriage that resulted in a daughter who married a NALL and bore this child. Another possibility is that Lillie Nall is the daughter of Nancy NALL, Seaborn's daughter-in-law, born prior to Nancy's marriage to John Anderson WHITE. However, John Anderson WHITE and Nancy NALL married on 4 July 1877, which makes this impossible.
The PETTYs and GARDNERs were neighbors of the WHITEs in Monroe County and were also active members of New Home Church.
Henry Robert WHITE was born 10 May 1870 in Coffee County, Alabama. He was married Lydia Lee ROBERSON, daughter of Alfred Bennett ROBERSON and Mary Alice WRIGHT, on 30 January 1896 in Monroe County by Brother J. W. Jones of Shiloh Primitive Baptist Church. They had five children: Mattie Mae WHITE WHITE (she married a cousin); James N. WHITE (died in infancy and was buried at New Hope Cemetery); Lucy WHITE SOLOMON; and Alfred Robert WHITE.
Henry Robert WHITE (known to many as H.R.) was a charter member of the Excel Masonic Lodge. The Lodge was erected on 13 September 1906. Other charter members were: G.W. SALTER, R.P. CASEY, L.B. COHRON, Eugene PARVIN, Riley KELLY, John C. GRIFFIN, William WILLIAMS, J.E. KELLY, B.L. SELLERS, C.M. ARNOLD, G.W. LEE, A.F. HOWINGTON, C.G. GRIFFIN, J.A. BARNES, G.L. BROWN, John A. TURNER, and Charles L. DAVIDSON. According to H.R. WHITE's tombstone, he was also a member of the Woodmen of the World. These fraternal memberships prevented him from being a recognized member of the Primitive Baptist Church, which does not allow its members to also join secret fraternal organizations.
H.R. WHITE was in poor health for most of the last 10-15 years of his life and was a semi-invalid - mostly heart problems. H.R. WHITE died 1 December 1935 in Excel, Alabama, and is buried at New Home Cemetery. Lyddie ROBERSON WHITE died 29 September 1956 and is buried beside her husband.
Marsha's maternal grandfather, Alfred Robert WHITE, was born 17 October 1914, in Excel, Alabama. He was the youngest child and only living son of H.R. and Lyddie, and quite a handsome young man, and was probably pampered quite a bit as a result. He decided on a career in business and attended Draughon Business College in Montgomery, before being called home to begin working due at the time of his father's first major illness.
Alfred worked for a while at Riley's Store in Dottelle community north of Excel. He was working there when he proposed to Juanita Elizabeth COLEMAN. She remembers that they had planned a picnic on the day of his proposal. Alfred drove by the store to pick up the ring he had bought for her, then they drove to his sister Bobbie Lee WHITE DOVE's so that he could tell her first, then they went on the picnic where he proposed.
Alfred WHITE operated a dry goods store in downtown Excel for a while, and later owned a rolling store that operated in the rural areas around Excel. During World War II, he worked at the Mobile Shipyard, as did many of the married men in the Monroe County area as part of their contribution to the war.
Alfred also had health problems fairly early in life, and gave up his own business due to ill health and financial struggles. In the early 1960's, he worked for Katz Department Store in Monroeville, Alabama. He was killed in a car/train accident in Frisco City on 8 February 1964, before Marsha was born.
Reports:
Photographs:
Photograph of Alfred Robert White
Photograph of Alfred Robert White and Juanita Elizabeth Coleman White
Photograph - Deacons, New Home Primitive Baptist Church, Monroe County, Alabama. Taken around late 1950's or early 1960's.Related Articles and Transcriptions:
Seaborn Jones White, Land Grant, Monroe County, Alabama, 10 June 1892
Inventory of New Hope Cemetery, Jeddo, Monroe County, Alabama
Inventory of New Home Cemetery, Monroe County, Alabama
Minutes of founding of New Home Primitive Baptist Church, 9 Sep 1899Related Famililes:
Marsha's HARRISON Page
Marsha's ROBERSON PageRelated Census Records:
Miscellaneous WHITE Census Records - contains miscellaneous census records for WHITE families transcribed by Marsha; includes Coffee County AL and Monroe County AL
Miscellaneous PETTY Census Records - contains miscellaneous census records for related PETTY families transcribed by Marsha; includes Monroe County AL
Miscellaneous MATHENY Census Records - contains miscellaneous census records for related MATHENY families transcribed by Marsha; includes Monroe County AL
Miscellaneous GARDNER Census Records - contains miscellaneous census records for related GARDNER families transcribed by Marsha; includes Monroe County AL
Miscellaneous KITCHEN Census Records - contains miscellaneous census records for related KITCHEN(S)/KINCHEN families transcribed by Marsha; includes Monroe County AL
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