John James Cabaniss

The entire CABANISS family in the United States sprang from one French Protestant immigrant, Henry (often spelled Henri) Cabanis, who, having left France for religious reasons, took refuge first in England and then in Virginia, arriving at Manakin Town in the summer of 1700 with his wife, Marie, and one child, Henry. [Originally published 1960, Historical Southern Families, Volume V, by John Bennett Boddie - Page 1, "Cabaniss of Virginia, Alabama, and Mississippi" by Allen Cabaniss, Professor of History, The University of Mississippi.] For additional information I reference you to The Times-Dispatch, Genealogical Column, Richmond, Virginia, dated Sunday, April 13, 1913, Page 45 ..." Many queries have come to us late concerning the Cabaniss family, and in this paper we publish all that we have been able to collect from a pamphlet by George G. Smith, of Atlanta, Ga. In the list of officers of LaFayette's contingent, which came to America during the Revolution, are two lieutenants, who bear the name DeCabaniss. This merely shows that the name is French, and gives a slight indication of the social standing of the family...." Henri Cabanis was born in France on December 13, 1655, son of Pierre and Anne Marie (Soultiere) Cabanis. Henri sailed on the ship Mary and Ann of London, leaving Gravesend, England on April 10, 1700. George Haws, commander, arrived in James River, Virginia, July 23, 1700. Henry Cabanis, wife and one child are listed on the passenger list. They settled in Manakin Town on the south side of the James river about 20 miles west of the present Richmond in what became Powhatan County. Henri died in Virginia on August 8, 1720. I descend through Mary Ann "Molly" (Cabaniss) Seale, daughter of John James Cabaniss, thought to be the son of William Cabaniss (about 1780-1845), thought to be the son of Charles Cabaniss (about 1738-1816), thought to be the son of Mathew Cabaniss (about 1712-1790), thought to be the son of Henri Cabanis (1655-1720). Many of these early settlers are thought to be buried in the Cabaniss Cemetery located in Lochleven, Lunenburg County, Virginia.

John James Cabaniss, my great-grandfather, born 1827 in Georgia, married in Meriwether County Georgia on April 29, 1851 to Mary Elizabeth Frances Reams, born about April 1828 in Georgia. Her parents were Azariah Reams, born in Virginia, and Elizabeth Bledsoe, born in South Carolina. [Azariah was the son of Joshua Reames, a Private of the North Carolina Line as indicated in his Revolutionary War Pension S.39037. Joshua Reames, sometimes spelled Reams, died in South Carolina on December 3, 1830. Elizabeth, wife of Azariah Reams, was the daughter of Bartlett Bledsoe, born about 1755 in Ireland, and served as a South Carolina Revolutionary War Soldier in Captain William Butler, Militia.] John James Cabaniss, Private, Co. "I" 64th Regiment, Georgia Volunteer Infantry, entered the Confederate Army in Muscogee County Georgia as a substitute for S.M. Farear on March 24, 1863.  Who are the "documented proof" parents of John James Cabaniss? [As reported in 2023 to me by Susan M. (Cabaniss) Bradford of Duke, Oklahoma, daughter of Joseph Lonnie "Joe" Cabaniss, Jr., through all of her research she strongly think, and I must agree, that the parents of John James Cabaniss were William Cabaniss and Lucy Key. They are thought to be the parents of William B. Cabaniss, Henry Key Cabaniss, Mary E. (Cabaniss) Breedlove, John James Cabaniss, and Tandy Robert Cabaniss.] As noted in the will of William B. Cabaniss, dated May 6, 1848, in Lumpkin, Stewart County, Georgia, one of the three wittnesses were John J. Cabaniss. The heirs in this will were Amanda M. Cabaniss (born about 1827 in Georgia), wife, and Georgia Virginia Cabaniss, daughter. What "proven" relationship were William B. Cabaniss and John J. Cabaniss? (Amanda M. Cabaniss married Franklin Cowan on January 5, 1851 in Stewart County Georgia. Weekly Columbus Enquirer, dated Tuesday, April 15, 1851, "Stewart County Georgia - Whereas, Franklin Cowan applies for letters of Administration, cum testamento annexo, on the estate of William B. Cabaniss, late of said county, deceased ... this 21st day of March, 1851.") In the 1850 Meriwether County Georgia census John J. Cabaniss was living in household with Samuel A. and Mary E. Breedlove. (Samuel A. Breedlove married Mary E. Cabaniss - I believe to be the sister to John J. Cabaniss - on June 2, 1846 in Walton County Georgia. Mrs. Mary Breedlove, born about 1826 in Georgia, died in Orleans Parish Louisiana on September 21, 1872. Their daughter was Georgia Ada Breedlove Ward, 1850-1928, wife of William David Ward.)  John J. and Elizabeth Cabaniss had a total of eight children, five sons and three daughters. However, by August 12, 1904 there were only one son living, Rev. Tandy Jackson Cabaniss, and three daughters living, Mary Ann "Molly" Seale, my grandmother, wife of John Ford Seale, Sara Ann "Sally" Keith, wife of Charles P. Keith, and Martha Catherine "Mattie" Merrell, wife of William S. Merrell. John J. Cabaniss died in Shelby County Alabama about 1899 (According to the Shelby County Alabama Soldiers or Sailors Applications for the "Relief of Needy Confederate Soldiers," dated from February 24, 1893 through May 23, 1898 the address of J.J. Cabaniss was Columbiana Post Office, served as a Private in Company "I" of 64th Regiment of Georgia Volunteers. On his application dated March 4, 1897 he stated that he was "70 years of age" and was released in 1864 in Lake City, Florida because he was "wounded in the left leg from which he now suffers." The June 9, 1900 Shelby County Alabama census records indicated his wife, Elizabeth Cabaniss, age 72 years, living with William S. and Mattie Merrell and their family.

Shortly after John J. and Elizabeth Cabaniss married in Meriwether County Georgia they moved to Alabama, therefore, all of their children were born in Alabama. On July 18, 1860 they were in Talladega County Alabama, on August 19, 1870 they were in Tallapoosa County Alabama, and on June 28, 1880 they were in Tallapoosa County Alabama. His occupation was a "Tanner". [Alabama State Journal, dated Friday, June 21, 1872, Page 1, "UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT. Testimony in the case of the United States vs. Young and others, continued. ... "John J. Cabaniss (white), sworn for the prosecution - Reside near Youngsville, in Tallapoosa county (where many of his wife's family members lived); a raid was made upon me, by disguised men in March 1871; there was eight of them; that came to my house and woke me up, they called me out, and said they were just from hell; they said some leather was missing and they were in search of it; they said I must trace the leather up; said I must show them the way to Mr. Patterson's house, a tanner; I showed them to Patterson's, and went back home; they came back again, and said that Patterson told them I was a capricious character, and knew where the leather was; they said if I would pay Griffin Young for the leather there would be no more hereafter about it ... Cross-examined. I was not then employed by Griffin Young (Reuben Griffin Young); had been before; Ku-Klux never visited me any more; I am still engaged in tanning for myself; Griffin Young didn't like for me to go to tanning for myself; we have not been friendly ever since that time; we had been friendly before; were not friendly at the time the raid was made on me...." As indicated in the obituary of Mrs. Elizabeth Bush, dated July 10, 1917, "Her father R. Griffin Young, was the founder of the town of Youngville ...." until about sixty years ago when it was named Alexander City.] Two of their eight children died at a very young age, one child was Unknown and the other child was John Cabaniss, born about 1858.

James W. Cabaniss, the oldest child of John J. and Elizabeth Cabaniss, born December 1853, died May 1887 in Shelby County Alabama. He married on December 21, 1876 in Tallapoosa County Alabama to Sarah A. "Sallie" Tillman, daughter of Stephen J. Tillman and Martha Jackson, born November 1853, died June 1886 in Shelby County Alabama. James W. and Sallie Cabaniss are buried in Old Shelby Cemetery in Shelby County Alabama. They had two daughters, (1) Ida Cabaniss, 1877-1944, married in Jefferson County Alabama on April 16, 1912 to Isadore Gordon, 1868-1935, an immigrant from Russia. (2) Lillie Cabaniss, born January 1885, married in Shelby County Alabama on July 15, 1907 to Thomas Joseph Norris, 1874-1926. Their children, all born in Etowah County Alabama, were William, Lamar, and Joseph Norris.

Henry T. Cabaniss, born about 1855, died April 7, 1893 in Shelby County Alabama or March 20, 1893 in Shelby County Alabama. He married about October 11, 1879 in Tallapoosa County Alabama to Mary Elizabeth "Molly" Tillman, a sister to Sallie Cabaniss and Emma Kifer Swift. The obituary, The Alexander City Outlook (Alexander City, Alabama), dated April 28, 1893, "Died on the 20th of March, of pneumonia, at his home near Columbiana, Shelby county, Mr. Henry Cabaniss, who was once a citize of this place. His many friends will be grieved to learn of this sad death. He leaves a wife and seven children, also an aged father and mother, several brothers and sisters to mourn his death. We deeply sympathize with the bereaved family." The obituary, The Peoples Advocate, Thursday, April 13, 1893, "Mr. H.T. Cabaniss, died at his residence four miles from Columbiana last Friday eve of Pneumonia. He was an honest upright citizen a kind husband and father. He was in the prime of life, and appeared to have many years of usefulness before him. He was only sick a few days. He leaves a wife and four children and a host of friends to mourn his loss."  Their first born child, (1) Espie U. Cabaniss, a daughter, born November 17, 1880 in Tallapoosa County Alabama, died August 23, 1883 in Shelby County Alabama, buried in Old Shelby Iron Works Cemetery in Shelby County Alabama. (2) Maggie Eugenia Cabaniss, 1882-1966, married in Shelby County Alabama on April 17, 1904 to Allen Jackson Wade, 1880-1962. They are buried in Brighton Cemetery in Jefferson County Alabama. Their children were John Henry Wade, Edith Elizabeth (Wade) Selman, Paul Luther Wade, Robert Allen Wade, and Isla Mae (Wade) McKinley. (3) Marshall Henry Cabaniss, 1887-1917, is buried in Brighton Cemetery in Jefferson County Alabama. (4) John Tillman Cabaniss, 1889-1973, is buried in Hope Mausoleum in New Orleans Parish Louisiana. His wife was Wealthy Helmke. (5) Luther T. Cabaniss, 1892-1948. He and his wife, Bessie, lived in Milledgeville, Georgia.

After the death of Henry T. Cabaniss, his wife, Mrs. Mary Elizabeth Cabaniss, married on November 25, 1894 in Shelby County Alabama to Roderick Nicholson Morrison, 1858-1928. In 1920 they divorced in Jefferson County Alabama. He was first buried in Oakland Cemetery, however, on February 17, 1938 his body was removed to Elmwood Cemetery in Jefferson County Alabama. They had two children, born in Shelby County Alabama, (1) Mary Lucille Morrison, 1895-1979, married in Bessemer, Jefferson County Alabama on August 19, 1939 to Ernest Eugene Gibbs, 1888-1981. (2) Charles J. Morrison, 1899-1933, is buried in Brighton Cemetery in Jefferson County Alabama. His wife was Ina Mae "Jo" Tolbert, 1900-1994. On December 30, 1880 R.N. Morrison first married in Pike County Alabama to Margaret Elmira Allen, daughter of Daniel Allen and Mary Reaves. Elmira Morrison, 1851-1893, and their first child, Hillard R. Morrison, 1884-1896, are buried in Beaver Creek Cemetery in Shelby County Alabama. The other children of R.N. and Elmira Morrison were Ada Lee (Morrison) Taylor, 1888-1967, John Daniel Morrison, 1889-1965, Annie Olevia (Morrison) Chambers, 1881-1986, and Minnie (Morrison) Adams, 1893-1967.Mary Elizabeth (Tillman) Cabaniss Morrison, born June 17, 1860, died February 12, 1937, is buried in Brighton Cemetery in Jefferson County Alabama.

Mary Ann "Molly" Cabaniss, my grandmother, born March 1860, died May 23, 1918 in Tuscaloosa County Alabama. On September 3, 1882 she married in Shelby County Alabama to John Ford Seale, 1852-1935. His first wife was Margaret "Maggie" Miller, 1848-1879, daughter of Daniel Miller and Martha S. Dalrymple. The children of John and Maggie Seale, all born in Shelby County Alabama were James Willaby Seals, 1875-1928, married Dela Reynolds Martin, 1878-1961, daughter of Wyatt Pink Martin and Sarah E. Crim, and Susan Sophronia "Sudie" Seale, 1877-1960, married in Shelby County Alabama on December 1, 1892 to Lucius Oliver Keith, 1873-1953, son of Jessie Jonas Keith and Louisa Winston Zimmerman. John and Mollie Seale had seven children. Their son, Walter Seale, died at approximately the age of 1 year and 6 months. Their other children, all born in Shelby County Alabama, (1) William Joshuway "Tobe" Seals, 1883-1916, buried in Clarendon, Arkansas. (2) Johnnie Pearl Seale, 1885-1976, first married on January 16, 1904 in Shelby County Alabama to Richard Brashier Elliott, 1871-1914, son of Jefferson Bell Elliott and Elizabeth Eleanor Brashier. Her second marriage in Jefferson County Alabama on November 18, 1917 was to William Joseph "Bill" McCarley, 1877-1962, son of Elias McCarley and Jo Anne Leemon. Bill and Pearl McCarley are buried in Jefferson Memorial Gardens South Cemetery in Jefferson County Alabama. (3) Lula Belle Seale, 1892-1968, first married on December 8, 1911 in Shelby County Alabama to John Edward Carden, 1889-1970, son of Joseph H. "Joe" Carden and Mary Lou Hope. Their children were James Edgar Carden, 1918-1982, Edith Louene (Carden) Vanderslice, 1922-1990, and Clifton J. Carden, 1924-1986. After their divorce, she married on February 7, 1939 in Shelby County Alabama to Eugene "Boss" Massey, 1895-1949, my mother's brother. He was the son of James Massey and Martha Jane Stamps. John Carden and Lula Carden Massey are buried in the Nabors Cemetery in Shelby County Alabama. Boss Massey is buried in Elliottsville Cemetery in Shelby County Alabama. (4) Mary Lou ""Mamie" Seale, 1895-1965, first married Leonard Alexander Fowler, 1888-1942, son of John Monroe Fowler and Katie Katheryn Boyd. After their divorce, she married Charles Alford Fowler, 1892-1965, a brother to her first husband. (5) My father, Charles Audry Seales, 1899-1986, first married in Shelby County Alabama on December 11, 1918 to Mary Rebecca Coker, 1899-1964, daughter of Noah Richard Coker and Lula Anna Collier. That marriage lasted only for a very short period of time. His second marriage on May 14, 1927 in Shelby County Alabama was to Naomi Massey, 1908-1985, daughter of James Massey and Martha Jane Stamps. Their children were Charles Eugene Seales, Paul Leon Seales, 1929-1932, Robert Lee Seales, 1929-1929, Wilburn Audry Seales, Jewel Marie (Seales) Brasher, David Lathon Seales, and Bobby Joe Seales, the writer of this. (6) Pinkie Ozell Seale, 1901-1986, married on February 28, 1920 in Talladega County Alabama to James Luther D. Kelley. Her last marriage, later divorced, was to Charles Henry Hutchins, 1903-1992. Ozell Hutchins is buried in Jefferson Memorial Gardens East Cemetery in Jefferson County Alabama.

Sara Ann "Sallie" Cabaniss, born August 19, 1864, died February 14, 1933 in Jefferson County Alabama, married on October 8, 1882 in Shelby County Alabama to Charles P. Keith, son of Jessie Jonas Keith and Louisa Winston Zimmerman. Visit "Jessie Jonas Keith" for further information.

Martha Catherine "Mattie" Cabaniss, born June 30, 1867, died March 26, 1933 in Talladega County Alabama, married on December 22, 1889 in Shelby County Alabama to William S. Merrell, son of William Merrell and Priscilla Williams. His grandparents were Amos Merrell, Sr. and Frances Coats, "Pioneer founders of the MERRELL family", and are buried in Spring Creek Baptist Church Cemetery in Shelby County Alabama. Mattie, as she was called, is buried in Mignon Cemetery in Talladega County Alabama. Their children, all born in Shelby County Alabama, (1) Elizabeth "Lizzie" P. Merrell, born August 1891 in Shelby County Alabama. She apparently died young, no further information available after the April 22, 1910 Shelby County Alabama census. (2) Noyel J. Merrell was born May 25, 1894. He married Ivey L. Hamilton, 1899-1921. (3) Reuben Elmer Merrell, 1899-1975, a Baptist Minister. He and his wife, Beulah Mae McKinney, 1904-1986, are buried in Ephesus Baptist Church Cemetery in Douglas County Georgia. (4) Isabell Merrell, 1901-1993, married in Shelby County Alabama on February 27, 1923 to Thomas Leroy Etress, 1900-1980. They are buried in Evergreen Cemetery in Talladega County Alabama. (5) Monroe Merrell, born about 1904. He apparently died young, no further information available after the April 22, 1910 Shelby County Alabama census. (6) Johnie Merrell, 1908-1926, is buried in Mignon Cemetery in Talladega County Alabama.

Tandy Jackson Cabaniss, born April 5, 1869, died February 20, 1938 in Talladega County Alabama. He was a Baptist Minister and performed many marriages in Shelby County Alabama. On May 13, 1894 he married in Shelby County Alabama to Mary Emma Crenshaw, 1879-1935, daughter of Joseph Madison Crenshaw and Sarah J. Salser. Tandy J. and Mary Emma Cabaniss are buried in Mignon Cemetery in Talladega County Alabama. They had a total of fifteen children, however, three children died in infancy, (1) Alma Cabaniss, (2) Chandler Cabaniss, and (3) Georgia Ruth Cabaniss.

Their remaining twelve children grew to adulthood, married, and had families. Their children were (1) Mertie Mae Cabaniss, 1895-1979, first married Andrew W. Wells, 1891-1915, son of Abner Ralph Wells and Mary Manerva Phillips. Her second marriage was to Arthur Clement Horton, 1897-1964. (2) Henry Clay Cabaniss, 1896-1979. His first marriage in Shelby County Alabama on April 21, 1919 was to Maggie Pearl Miles, 1900-1940, daughter of Thomas Lee Miles and Mary Florence Booth. His second marriage was to Eula Othella Pope. (3) William Penn Cabaniss, 1898-1960, never married, and is buried in Evergreen Cemetery in Talladega County Alabama. (4) Edna Earl Cabaniss, 1901-1981, married in Talladega County Alabama on December 7, 1919 to John Frank Abernathy, 1895-1956. (5) Margie Zemma Cabaniss, 1903-1994, married John Lafayette Chandler, 1892-1976. They had no children. (6) Thomas Jefferson Cabaniss, 1905-1988, married Leah Rachel Richards, 1902-1992. (7) Maggie Olene Cabaniss, 1906-2003. She first married Edward Parsons, 1889-1928. Her last marriage was to William Curtis Wright, 1913-1992. (8) Olive Hazel Cabaniss, 1910-1982, married Charles Howard Cardwell, 1903-1976. (9) Annie Inez Cabaniss, 1911-2001, married in Shelby County Alabama on July 5, 1937 to Thomas Phillip Thornton, 1909-1990. (10) Homer Jackson Cabaniss, 1916-1999. At the time Homer was about six months old his family moved from Shelby County Alabama to Sylacauga, Talladega County Alabama and lived near Avondale Mills. (11) Bonnie Jean Cabaniss, 1918-2004. Her last marriage, later divorced, was to Oscar Malone Beane, 1919-1994. (12) Florence Cabaniss, 1923-1997, married Gordon Leslie Lindamood, 1912-1979. Florence Lindamood is buried in Evergreen Cemetery in Talladega County Alabama.

I would appreciate any additional information that anyone could provide me to further expand my knowledge of the CABANISS families that once lived in Shelby County Alabama. Please e-mail me at bjseales@bellsouth.net.