Fayette County, Alabama
~ Lawrence Family of
Pearidge
~
1. ALEXANDER LAWRENCE b. c1802,
GA, m. (1) Nancy --?--
(reportedly Nancy MORRIS),
b. c1814, GA, d. c1861, Fayette Co., AL, bur? Lawrence (now
Randolph) Family Cemetery, Fayette Co., AL, m. (2) ca 1861, in Fayette
Co., AL, Mrs. Lettie BYNUM,
b. May 1834, AL,
last known to be residing in Lee Co.,
MS, in January 1920 [census, p. 53]. Alexander died 1866,
Fayette
Co.,
AL, bur?
Lawrence Family Cemetery.
Children
of Alexander Lawrence and Nancy --?--:
2.
|
i.
|
WILLIAM
A.
LAWRENCE b.
c1828. |
|
ii
|
(SON)
LAWRENCE b. (1830/1835), AL,
d. apparently before 1850, Fayette Co., AL. |
3.
|
iii
|
MARTHA
ANN
LAWRENCE b. 1834. |
4.
|
iv
|
JESSE
LAWRENCE b. c1837. |
5.
|
v
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SUSAN
LAWRENCE
b. c1838. |
|
vi
|
RICHARD
LAWRENCE b. c1841,
Fayette Co., AL, d. (after 1860). |
6.
|
vii
|
ALEXANDER
LAWRENCE (Jr.)
b.
c1843. |
7.
|
viii
|
MARY
L. LAWRENCE b.
c1846. |
Children
of Alexander Lawrence and Lettie --?--: |
|
ix
|
BENJAMIN
LAWRENCE b. c1862, Fayette Co., AL, last known to be residing in Lee Co.,
MS, in June 1880 [census].
|
|
x
|
GEORGIA
ANN LAWRENCE b. 11 Dec 1866, MS, m. (1) c1879, in Lee Co., MS, Rufus E. SANDLIN, b. 1858,
MS, d. 26 Jul 1923, Clearwater Co., ID, m. (2) -----
LOVELAND. Georgia died 13 Sep 1959, Humboldt Co., CA. |
It is not yet known when Alexander LAWRENCE moved to Fayette
County. He possibly could have arrived before the county was
even formed, although he does not appear by name in the records
there until
1837. In November of that year, he received a federal land patent
for 80 acres in Section 6, Township 16 South, Range 10 West. He
later was recorded on the 1840 U.S. census of Fayette County with a
wife and
five
children.
By 1850, the family had drifted a short distance north. That
year's census lists
Alexander as a farmer in Township 15 [p. 59]. In June 1858, he
received a
patent for 120 acres of federal land in Sec. 9, Twp. 15S, Range
10W. This property was located about two miles northwest of
present-day Pearidge (Pea Ridge).
The 1860 census of Fayette County shows Alex LAWRENCE with real property
valued at $1,200 and personal property worth $1,875 [p. 404]. His
occupation was now listed as "Botanic Doctor" (herbalist). His
wife Nancy is believed to have died soon thereafter, and he quickly
remarried.
Military records suggest that the LAWRENCE family supported
the North during the Civil War. At least three of Alexander's
sons (William, Jesse and Alexander Jr.) and two sons-in-law (Henry and
Wade TREAD(A)WAY) served in the 1st Alabama Cavalry, U.S.A., from 1862
to 1863. Fayette County at this time was a dangerous place for
so-called "Tories" (Yankee sympathizers), so the family left Alabama
and made their way north. They spent the remainder of the war
safely ensconced in the southern tip of Illinois. Alexander
LAWRENCE Jr. was residing in Mound City, Pulaski Co., IL, when he
enlisted in the 144th Illinois Infantry, Co. F, U.S.A., in September
1864.
Most of the family had returned to Fayette County before
the elder Alexander's death in 1866. He and his first wife are
presumed to be buried in the Old Lawrence Cemetery on or near the
family
homestead.
ALEXANDER
LAWRENCE ESTATE
State of Alabama / Fayette County }
Probate court of said county to the Hon. the Probate Court of said
county ~ The Petition of H.G.
TREADAWAY the
administrator of the estate of Alexander
LAWRENCE deceased in said county respectfully represents
unto your honor that he filed an application in said court on the 10th
day of March 1866, for Letters of Administration on said estate of
Alexander LAWRENCE deceased, that he set out in said petition the
heirs of said estate / Lettie LAWRENCE
widow of deceased / She resides in Mississippi and has one child / its
name is Benjamin and resides
with
his mother in Mississippi / Said child is the son of Alexander LAWRENCE
deceased / & W.A. LAWRENCE
and Jesse LAWRENCE each of
this county / Martha TREADAWAY
wife of Wade H. TREADAWAY they
reside in Tennessee / Alexander
LAWRENCE Junior he resides in Illinois / and Caroline TREADAWAY daughter of
petitioner and also daughter of Susan
TREADAWAY who was petitioners wife who is deceased and the
daughter of Alexander LAWRENCE she resides with petitioner in
this county / and Mary GILLIARD
[sic] wife of Harvey [?] GILLIARD
[sic] who resides with her husband in Illinois / they and they
alone are the heirs of deceased / petitioner further states that he
also on said 10th of March 1866, filed his bond as said administrator
in the
sum of eighteen hundred dollars said estate being represented in said
petitioners worth about eight or nine hundred dollars with F.M. TREADAWAY and Noah PARIS [sic] his securities /
Therein [?]
that Letters was granted to him on said date and an Order of
Appraisement [was] made on said date that William
M. ENIS and Noah PARIS
and Calvin PANTER were
appraisers / he further represents that said appraisement was made
about 1866, and returned / petitioner is advised that all the papers in
said estate was burned except said appraisal bill, which was returned
after the burning of the Court House, and he ask that he may substitute
said papers lost in order to administer said estate and that such
order decree and proceedings may be made and had in the _____ as will
lawfully substitute said papers and as in duty bound will ever pray etc.
Sworn to and subscribed before me this the 5th day of Sept 1866.
/s/ B.H.
WILLIAMS ~ Judge of Probate }
/s/ Henry
G. TREADAWAY
|
The probate record establishes that Alexander LAWRENCE Sr.
had a
second wife
named Lettie and at least one child (Benjamin) who had moved to
Mississippi by September
1866. Indeed, the 1870 U.S. census finds a widow named Lettie
LAWRENCE living in Lee Co., MS, with a 7-year-old son named
Benjamin [p. 448]. Although this woman also had four older
children and
one younger child named Georgia, the only personal property reported in
the household belonged to young Benjamin. Later census records
prove that the surname of Lettie's older children was actually
BYNUM. The younger child
was not mentioned in the probate record apparently because she had not
yet been born. Based on Georgia's reported date of birth,
Alexander
LAWRENCE Sr. could not have died any earlier than March 1866 — which is
precisely when
his estate was filed for probate.
~
EPILOGUE ~
Mrs. Lettie BYNUM was the apparent widow of Elijah BYNUM of Blount Co.,
AL [1]. She was recorded as Letta PINYON [sic] on the 1860 U.S.
census of Fayette County, just six households away from Alexander's son
Jesse [p. 398]. Enumerated with Lettie were her five children:
Isabella, William Cobb, Eli G., Ara Elizabeth and Calvin (Franklin)
BYNUM. Isabella apparently had married and left the household
before the next census of 1870.
Lettie remained in Lee Co., MS, and married at least two more times —
to Mabry BALDWIN (1811-1890), whom she later divorced, and to Lafayette
LONG (1824-1912). Mrs. Lettie LONG was living with her son, Eli
BYNUM, at
the 1920 U.S. census of Lee Co., MS [p. 53]. Nothing more is
known of her.
SECOND
GENERATION
2. WILLIAM A.
LAWRENCE b.
c1828, AL, m. c1854, in Fayette Co., AL, Elizabeth Jane FROST, b. 21
Nov 1838, AL, (daughter of Edward Ned Frost and Jennie Jenkins). Both were residing
in Fayette Co., AL, in June 1880
[census].
Children
of William Lawrence and Elizabeth Frost:
i
ALEXANDER LAWRENCE b.
c1855, Fayette Co., AL.
ii FRANCIS
A.J. LAWRENCE (m) b. c1857, Fayette Co., AL.
iii EDWARD
LAWRENCE b. c1859, Fayette Co., AL, m. c1878, AL, Martela --?--, b. c1861, AL.
iv MARTHA
LAWRENCE b. c1865, Fayette Co., AL.
3. MARTHA ANN
LAWRENCE b.
08 Nov 1834, AL, m. c1855, in Fayette Co., AL, Wade Hampton TREADAWAY, b.
c1836, NC, (son of Daniel Treadaway Jr.
and Elizabeth Stegall) d.
(1873/1880), Fayette Co., AL. Martha died 16 Oct 1924, AL, bur. Studdards Crossroads Cemetery,
Fayette Co., AL.
Children
of Martha Lawrence and Wade Treadaway:
i
|
MANDY
J. TREADAWAY b. c1857, Fayette Co., AL.
|
ii
|
HAMPTON
ALEXANDER TREADWAY b. 10 Apr 1859, Fayette Co., AL, m. c1884, in
Fayette Co., AL, Nancy
Emaline WRIGHT, b. 18 Oct
1864, AL, d. 30 Dec 1938, bur. Studdards Crossroads Cemetery, Fayette
Co.,
AL. Hampton died 09 Apr 1901, Fayette Co., AL, bur. Studdards
Crossroads
Cemetery.
|
iii
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ANDREW
JACKSON TREADAWAY b. Jul 1865, IL, m. 25 Jul 1886, in Fayette
Co., AL, Orpha STUDDARD,
b. Jul 1866, Fayette Co., AL, (daughter of David Studdard and Mary
Biggers).
|
iv
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JAMES
W. TREADAWAY b. c1868, Fayette Co., AL, d. apparently before
1880.
|
v
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S.A.
TREADAWAY (f) b. c1873, Fayette Co., AL.
|
vi
|
MARY
S. TREADAWAY b. Jul 1879, Fayette Co., AL, m. c1890, in AL, John A. WRIGHT, b. Mar
1866, AL.
|
4. JESSE LAWRENCE
b. c1837, AL,
m. c1856, in Fayette Co., AL, Frances
WHITLEY, b. c1833, NC, (daughter of Henry WHITLEY and Nancy
BRIDGES). Both
were residing in Fayette Co.,
AL, in June 1880 [census].
Children
of Jesse Lawrence and Frances Whitley:
i
|
MARTHA
A. LAWRENCE b.
c1858, Fayette Co., AL, m. 08 Jan 1874, in Fayette Co., AL, Newton R. MILLS. |
ii
|
ELIZABETH
JANE LAWRENCE b. 1859,
Fayette Co., AL, m. 29 Apr 1875, in Fayette Co., AL, Alfred PARRIS, b. Mar 1855,
GA (son of Noah Parris and Mary A. --?--).
|
iii
|
MARY
FRANCES LAWRENCE b. Oct 1865, Fayette Co., AL, m? 06 Apr 1884,
in
Fayette Co., AL, William S.
ENIS, b. Mar 1864, AL.
|
iv
|
CYRUS
M. LAWRENCE (m) b. c1868, Fayette Co., AL. |
v
|
ARMINDA
LAWRENCE b. 1869, Fayette Co., AL. |
vi
|
MARINDA
LAWRENCE b. c1875, Fayette Co., AL. |
5. SUSAN LAWRENCE
b. c1838,
Fayette Co., AL, m. c1857, in Fayette Co., AL, Henry G. TREADAWAY, b. 12
May 1835, Union Co., NC, (son of Moses
Treadaway and Mary Ragsdale)
d.
28 Oct 1877, Fayette Co., AL, bur. Morris
Family Cemetery, Fayette Co., AL. Susan died (1860/1866),
Fayette Co., AL.
Child
of Susan Lawrence and Henry Treadaway:
i SARAH CAROLINE
TREADAWAY b. 08 Aug 1857, Fayette Co., AL.
6. ALEXANDER
LAWRENCE (Jr.) b.
22 Nov 1843, Fayette Co., AL, m. c1867, in Fayette Co., AL, Martha Ann EDMONDS, b.
c1842,
GA, last known to be residing in
Fayette Co., AL, in
June 1880 [census]. Alexander died 30 Apr 1894, AL, bur. Old
Miles Cemetery, Marion Co., AL.
Children
of Alexander Lawrence and Martha Edmonds:
|
i
|
RICHARD
LAWRENCE b.
c1868, Fayette Co., AL, m. 03 Sep 1889, in Fayette Co., AL, Darthia A. STUDDARD, b.
1870, Fayette Co., AL, (daughter of David Studdard and Mary Biggers) d.
1936, AL, bur. Pea Ridge Methodist Church Cemetery, Fayette Co.,
AL. Richard
died c1898, Fayette Co., AL. |
|
ii
|
WILLIAM
A. LAWRENCE b. c1873, Fayette Co., AL. |
8.
|
iii
|
HENRY
G. LAWRENCE b. 05 May 1874. |
|
iv
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THOMAS
J. LAWRENCE b. c1879, Fayette
Co., AL. |
|
v
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MARY
A. LAWRENCE b. Aug 1883,
Fayette Co., AL, m. 1901, in Fayette Co., AL, James Harvey STOKER, b.
1883, AL, (son of William Archard Stoker and Trilla Mavean Davis) d.
1948. Mary died 1963. |
7. MARY L. LAWRENCE
b. c1846,
Fayette Co., AL, m. 1860/1866, H.A. GILLION, b.
c1845,
MS, (son of Benjamin Gillion and Mary --?--) d. c1879, Fayette Co., AL,
bur. probably Pea Ridge Methodist
Church Cemetery, Fayette Co., AL. Mary
died 12 Jun 1927, Fayette Co., AL, bur. Pea Ridge Methodist Cemetery.
Children
of Mary Lawrence and H.A. Gillion:
9. i
JOHN
ALEXANDER GILLION b. Oct 1871.
ii
WILLIAM
A. GILLION b. Mar 1874, IL, m. c1898, in AL,
Sophia Emeline --?--, b.
Apr 1860, AL.
10.
iii
HENRY
JAMES GILLION b. Jun 1875.
iv
HATTIE
(HALEY?) E. GILLION (f) b. c1879, IL (AL).
Little is known about the husband of Mary LAWRENCE. Even his name
is shrouded in mystery. Census records consistently show that the
family surname was GILLION, yet it was listed as GILLIARD in the
probate record of Mary's father (see above). His given name also
was spelled variously as Herbert/Harbed (per census records) and
Harvey/Harry (per the aforementioned probate record). He is
supposed to be the identical H.A. GILLION who served in the Civil War
in the 2nd Mississippi Cavalry, C.S.A., and the same H.A. GILLION (age
25,
b. MS) who was recorded on the 1870 U.S. census of Alexander Co., IL
[p. 105]. His wife's name, age and place of birth on the 1870
census are consistent
with those of Mary LAWRENCE. In addition, Alexander County
adjoins Pulaski Co., IL, where Mary's brother Alexander was living in
1864. The couple had no children, even though the probate record
indicates that they had been married at least four years.
Mary returned to Fayette County by 1880. That year's census lists
her as a widow with four children between the ages of 9 and 1 [p.
466]. While this enumeraton appears to place Mr. GILLION's death
at about 1879, tradition says that he died when his son John was 16
years old (1887/1888). He reportedly was shot by a KIMBRELL man
in a hollow on Pearidge. The mortally wounded GILLION died in
front of the family fireplace and was buried
probably in the unmarked grave beside his wife's marker at Pea Ridge
cemetery.
Mary (LAWRENCE) GILLION is said to have been a small-built woman.
She loved to go walking in the woods and always carried a walking
stick with her. She often was accompanied by her grandchildren
and would tell them to find the prettiest rocks they could to decorate
the graves in
the cemetery (Old Lawrence Cemetery).
THIRD GENERATION
8. HENRY G. LAWRENCE
b. 05 May 1874, Fayette Co., AL, m. c1899, in AL, Lula "Lou" ROGERS, born 03
Jan 1880, Fayette Co., AL, (daughter of John W. Rogers and Lucy -----)
d. 19 Dec 1962, bur. Carbon Hill,
Walker Co., AL. Henry died 28 Sep 1961, bur. Oak Grove Cemetery,
Bankston,
Fayette Co., AL.
Children
of Henry Lawrence and Lula Rogers:
i
|
EULA
LAWRENCE b. 1900, Fayette Co., AL, m. 13 Jun 1920, in Winston
Co., AL, Martin MITCHELL,
b. 1902. |
ii
|
ELLER
LAWRENCE b. 27 Jan 1907, Fayette Co., AL, m. Joseph "Joe" MEALER, b. 21
Aug 1900, GA, (son of Steven B. Mealer and Emma -----) d. Jul 1987, AL.
|
iii
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LEE
LAWRENCE b. 06 Feb 1908, Fayette Co., AL, m. Bessie SWINDLE, b. 12 Aug
1914, Winston Co., AL, d. 27 Feb 1985, Walker Co., AL, bur. Shanghi
Cemetery, Walker Co., AL. Lee died 02 Jan 1977, Walker Co., AL,
bur. Shanghi Cemetery.
|
iv
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EUGENE
VIRGIL LAWRENCE b. 11 Nov 1912, AL, m. 02 Feb 1932, in Walker
Co., AL, Anna Frankie
WILLIAMS, b. 28 Jan 1917, Walker Co., AL, d. 19 Sep 1981, Walker
Co., AL. Virgil died 26 May 1983, Walker Co., AL.
|
v
|
ARTHUR
"Ott" LAWRENCE b. 02 May 1914, AL, d. May 1979, Walker Co., AL. |
9. JOHN
ALEXANDER GILLION b. Oct 1871, IL, m. c1897, in Fayette Co., AL,
Mary M. "Mollie" FORD,
b. Oct 1877, AL, (daughter of Erastus Ford and Elizabeth --?--) d.
1964, bur. Pea Ridge Methodist Church Cemetery, Fayette Co., AL.
John died 1927, AL, bur. Pea Ridge Methodist Church Cemetery.
Children of John Gillion and Mary Ford:
i
|
IDA
ROSA LEE GILLION b. Feb 1900, Fayette Co., AL, m. Virgil Lonzo
FROST, b. 30 Jan 1899. (son of William Newton Allen Frost and
Susan Elizabeth Madison). |
ii
|
MARTHA
DESAREE GILLION b. 27 Mar 1906, AL, d. 20 Nov 1926, bur. Pea
Ridge Methodist Church Cemetery, Fayette Co., AL (never
married). |
iii
|
MYRTLE
GILLION b. c1909 (01 Jul 1915), AL, m. John KELLUM.
Myrtle died Feb 1981. |
iv
|
HALBURT
CEDEMUS "C.D." GILLION b. 03 Feb 1911, AL, m. Vera McDONALD, b. 29 Sep
1912, d. 1984. C.D. died 1989. (Note: C.D. Gillion and his
wife Vera ran an Auction Sale on Hwy 102 at, what we call, sand
mountain for years.)
|
v
|
DAVID
ERASTUS GILLION b. 24 Jan 1913, AL, m. 03 Jul 1935, in AL, Velva Lee PAINTER,
(daughter of Valentine "Vol" Painter and Ethel Eliza
Frost). David died 07 Dec 1987, bur. Old Panter Cemetery, Fayette
Co., AL. |
vi
|
JOHNNIE
M GILLION b. 21 May 1918, AL, m. Annie SELMAN. |
10. HENRY
JAMES GILLION b. Jun 1875, IL, m. c1897, in AL, Martha Ella PAINTER (PANTER),
b. May
1881, AL, (daughter of Benjamin Franklin Painter and Eliza Norris), d.
c1928, Coal Valley, Walker Co., AL, bur. Patton Hill Cemetery, Walker
Co.,
AL. Henry bur. Pea Ridge Methodist Church Cemetery.
Children of Henry Gillion and Martha Painter:
i
|
BENJAMIN
ODIE GILLION b. 24 Mar 1899, Fayette Co., AL, d. 1983, Fayette
Co., AL. |
ii
|
ORA
L. GILLION b. Sep 1899, Fayette Co., AL, d. 1907, Fayette Co.,
AL, bur. Old
Panter Cemetery, Fayette Co., AL. |
iii
|
HENRY
(OSCAR) GILLION b. c1905, Fayette Co., AL. |
iv
|
MARY
LUCINDA GILLION b. c1916, AL, m. Arlie MYERS. |
Sources:
Family interviews
Bureau of Land Management/General Land Office records (online)
U.S. census records
Social Security Death Index (online)
Fayette County probate records
The Heritage of Fayette County,
Alabama (1999)
History of Fayette County, Alabama
(c1960)
Additional sources:
[1] Don Bynum, e-mail
messages, April 2005
Return to Fayette County Family Records
Return to Fayette
Co., AL
This page last updated 30 Aug
2006.
.