The Charles and Annie Laurie (Floyd) Holland family was introduced in a column only a few weeks earlier. Since that time additional family history has been made available that allows an additional review.

One of Charles’s sons, Bobby R. Holland, authored a book on this family, The Charles Edward Holland and Annie Laurie Floyd Holland Family—A Brief History.

His sister, Thelia (Holland) Bryant made her copy available for this writing.

The earliest Holland ancestor to arrive in Covington County was David Holland who was born in 1802 in South Carolina.

He was married to Nancy Holland who was born in 1801 in Kentucky. They were here by 1850 when the federal census for that year was enumerated.

They had their seven children in the home at the time.

The book states that all but the last two children were born in Alabama, and the last two were born in Georgia.

However, it would appear that the reverse is the case.

On Jan. 9, 1850, David acquired 39.94 acres of land in the Leon Township.

Then in 1853, he purchased by military warrant two tracts of 39.94 acres each in the same area.

In 1855, he added 119.84 acres to his holdings and an additional 39.95 in 1856.

In 1854 and 1855, David acquired two tracts of 80.57 acres each in the Red Oak Township.

He also bought 40.08 acres in 1855 in this community.

Therefore, he became a considerable landowner and sizable farmer.

With all the above land acquisition in Covington County, David chose after 1860 to move to Escambia County, Alabama.

He settled there sometime before 1870.

David and Nancy reared the following children: Henry, b. 1833; Sarah Ann, b. 1835; James David, b. 1835, d. 1920, m. (1) Harriet Elizabeth Dockins (1840-1894) (2) Bell Beasley; Mary, b. 1841; Mary Ann, b. 1843; William Hicks, b. 1844; and Susannah, b. 1846.

The second son, James David Holland, was married first to Harriet Elizabeth Dockins, who was according to family lore, full-blood Creek Indian. They began their family in Escambia County, but later chose to move further south to Santa Rosa County.

Only a few years after their marriage, James David enlisted in the Confederate Army and served as a private in Company I, 29th Alabama Infantry Regiment. He was first commissioned to help guard Pensacola, but his company later participated in battles in Georgia. He was taken prisoner and was held there until the end of the war. He then returned home and continued farming and rearing his family.

James David and Harriet Elizabeth reared the following children: William David; James Jackson, b. 1862, d. 1945, m. (1) 1884 Sarah Hassentine Ard (1867-1903) (2) Ida Dixon; John William; Joseph Marion; Mary Ellen; Clarcy Jane, d. as teenager from clothing catching fire; Silas; Harriet Elizabeth; and Lydia Francis, m. Dick Beasley.

The next to oldest son, James Jackson Holland, started out owning land in Santa Rosa and Escambia Counties, Florida.

The then thought he wanted to try farming in South Florida.

He agreed to sell his land to his brother, John William, with the understanding that if he decided to return home, the brother would sell his land back to him.

He did decide to move back, but John William would not sell the land back to him.

He moved his family to Esca-mbia County near the Brott community where he resided until his death.

He was married first to Sarah Hassentine Art, who was believed to be all or part “Red Creek Indian.”

He and Sarah had the following children: Jessie James “Jess;” James Daniel “Dan;” Charles Edward “Charley,” m. 1920 Annie Laurie Floyd; Ola; John Franklin “Frank;” Henry Jackson “Jack;” Grover Cleveland “Cleve;” Dell Lee; and James Corbit.

After Sarah’s death, a young lady, Ida Dixon, was brought in to help care for the young children, so she and James Jackson Holland were married.

They then had the following children: Columbus Joseph; Benjamin Franklin “Ben;” Nora Ethel; Henry Clay; Oliver Cromwell “O.C.;” and Bertha.

The son, Charles Edward Holland, did not get along very well with his father’s new wife, so at the young age of 13 years left home.

He moved in with his father’s sister, Lydia (Holland) and her husband, Dick Beasley, who lived in Santa Rosa County.

At this young age he worked for the Bagdad Lumber Company, which was located south of Milton, where he was assigned to work as a cook.

Some time later he lived with and helped Ive Harrelson with his farming.

Charley enlisted in the U.S. Army in June 1918 where he served until April 1919.

He returned home and worked in Andalusia at the Swift and Company, a meat processing plant where he was the icing foreman.

In July 1920, he was married to Annie Laurie Floyd.

Unfortunately, Charley was exposed to mustard gas when he was in the military serving in France.

This and another illness in 1939 contributed to him having a steep decline in his health circa 1940.

He tried to succeed at sharecropping and renting farmland, but his poor health seriously hindered his work.

He and his family resided in Andalusia, then Straughn, Rawls and the Gantt community.

His last residence, west of Gantt on Point A Road, was known by the family as the home place.

At their deaths, Charley and Annie Laurie were buried in the Mt. Zion Methodist Church Cemetery in the Straughn community.

Charley and Annie Laurie reared the following 11 children: James Edward Sr., b. 1921, d. 2001, m. Evelyn Mae Nielson; Leroy “Brother,” b. 1923, d. 1987, m. (1) Jewel Shivers (2) Margaret Thompson; Carlton Quinton, b. 1926, d. 2010, m. Dorothy Ceil Wells; Charlie Clyde “Chuck,” b. 1929, m. Patricia JoAnn “Pat” May; Jack, b. 1931, d. 1989, m. Hattye Voncile Dugan; Thelia Ann, b. 1934, m. Donald A. Bryant; Bobby Ray, b. 1936, m. Nancy Carolyn Skinner; Curtis, b. 1939, m. Bettye Cleyone Heath; Vertis, b. 1939, m. Charlene Stevens; Robert Reese, b. 1941, m. Barbara Faye Page; and Gene Randall, b. 1948, m. (1) Wanda Tomlinson (2) Voncile Thomas.

A recent column reviewed this family of Charley and Annie Laurie and their 11 children. Some of the challenges of living in the rural South were identified as well as the joys of a close and loving family.

It is most commendable that six of the children hold at least a bachelor’s degree and all have been successful in their career lives.

Annie Laurie (Floyd) Holland was the daughter of John Pruett and Willie Ella (Williams) Floyd.

Her siblings included the following: James Pugh “Jim;” Carl Ophelia, d. as infant; John Owen, d. as infant; Charlie Lee, d. as infant; Robert L. “Bob;” Willie Cortez; Lewis Merry “Simon;” Lois; Jessie; and Gaston, d. as infant.

Additional genealogy on the Holland family is available, especially in the book, The Charles Edward Holland and Annie Laurie Floyd Holland Family—A Brief History, which served as the resource for this writing.

Appreciation is expressed to Bobby R. Holland for his making this research available for others to enjoy.

Anyone who might have a correction to the above or additional information on the Holland family is requested to contact Curtis Thomasson at 20357 Blake Pruitt Road, Andalusia, AL 36420; 334-222-6467; or e-mail: cthomasson@centurytel.net.