Early members of the White family resided primarily in the area surrounding Adellum, Salem and Hopewell. Therefore, for several generations they intermarried with other families of the same general area—Brown, Jay, Parrish and Mancill.

The earliest White ancestor identified and made available to this writer was Willis White who was born in 1820 in Escambia County. He died in Covington County and was buried in the Hopewell Cemetery, located a few miles south of Andalusia next to Hopewell Baptist Church on Brooklyn Road. Willis was married to Martha Grice who was born circa 1825.

Willis and Martha White reared the following children: Matilda, b. 1843; James Andrew, b. 1844, d. 1917, m. Mary “Pollie” Mancill (1849-1910); Martha A., b. 1847; Elizabeth A., b. 1851; Elizabeth, 1853; John, b. 1856; Evander B., b. 1858; Elmira Lucinda; and Nancy Josephine.

In this writing, the lineage of the oldest son, James Andrew White, will be traced.

James Andrew was married in 1865 to Mary “Polly” Mancill, daughter of John and Drusilla Mancill. He was born in Conecuh County, and she, in Escambia County. They apparently were married at the end of the War Between the States in 1865. James Andrew rendered service as a private in Company I, 5th Alabama Infantry of the Confederate Army.

In 1866, the couple began their family of the following 10 children: John W, b. 1866, d. 1917; James W., b. 1868, m. Lydia J. Coon; Alice E., b. 1870, d. 1935; Ida D., b. 1872, d. 1954, m. W.H. Teal (1863-1938); William Lazarus, b. 1874, d. 1975; Mary Emma “Molly” Elmira, b. 1877, d. 1972; Margaret Elizabeth “Betty,” b. 1880, d. 1967; Henry E., b. 1882, d. 1964; Rubin F., b. 1884, d. 1951; and Beulah Josephine, b. 1892, d. 1975. Most, if not all, of the children were born in Escambia County, but most of them lived and died in Covington County.

The oldest son, John W. White, was married to Ida Virginia Watson who was born in 1868. They appear to have lived in Covington County where they reared the following four children: Martha, 1887; Bessie V., b. 1889; Marshall L., b. 1891; and Henry, b. 1896.

The oldest daughter, Alice E. White, was married in 1887 in Escambia County to Willis Jackson Brown (1864-1941), son of William and Sara (Adams) Brown. They had the following two children: Maud R., b. 1893, d. 1908; and Infant, b.&d. 1910. The children and parents were buried in the Salem Cemetery southwest of Andalusia.

The second son, William Lazarus White, was married in 1893 in Andalusia to Frances Elizabeth Brown (1875-1961), daughter of Thomas and Caroline (Rabren) Brown. They were buried in the Salem Cemetery where so many of their relatives are buried. They reared the following children: Minnie Ophelia, b. 1895, d. 1969, m. Millard F. Parrish (1887-1955); Lillie Mae, b. 1897, d. 1960, m. Willie Lee Johnson (1892-1985; Ada, b. 1899, d. 1989, m. Ezekiel Joseph Thomas (1898-1970); Aggie, b. 1900, d. 1993, m. Burie Guard Parrish (1896-1950; Omer L., b. 1902, d. 1925, m. Alta Mae Dozier (1909-1983); Dennis Clayton, b. 1904, d. 1994, m. Alene DeShazo (1909-2005); Son, b. 1908; and Mary Ethel, b. 1910, d. 1982, m. Aaron “Aron” Harvey Jay (1907-1989).

The next daughter, Mary Emma “Molly” Elmira White, was married to John Berry Brown (1862-1930). At some point, Molly operated a boarding house on Dunson Street in Andalusia. She and John had the following children: Gertrude, E.E., O.F., L.H., John E., R.W., R.N., and J.B. At their deaths, Molly and John were buried in the Salem Baptist Church Cemetery.

The next daughter, Margaret Elizabeth “Betty” White, was married to Samuel A. Tart (1871-1947) in 1901 in Andalusia. They reared the following nine children: Claude Ray, b. 1903; Edgar Ned, b. 1903; Riley D., b. 1904, d. 1950; Flora May, b. 1907; Dewey, b. 1913; Samuel Benson, b. 1914, d. 1930; Frank, b. 1916; Earsey, b. 1918, m. William Morrison (1914-1989); and Clancy, b. 1920. Betty and Samuel as well as several members of their family were buried in the Salem Cemetery.

The next son, Henry E. White, was married in 1902 to Asia Mancill (1880-1954). They reared the following four children: Morris A., b. 1904; Alver, b. 1907; Donna May, b. 1914; and Gaston L., b. 1917. They were buried in the Salem Cemetery.

The next son, Rubin F. White, was married to Lula D. ? (1885-1957). They had one son, Maurice C. White, b. 1915, d. 1943. All three were buried in the Douglas Chapel Methodist Cemetery.

The next daughter, Beulah Josephine White, was married first in 1910 in Covington County to Leonard Lindsey (1889-1932). She was later married in 1934 in Covington County to John T. Rabren (1883-1966). Beulah and her first husband, Leonard Lindsey, had the following children: Inez, b. 1911; Rosa M., b. 1913; Marvin, b. 1915; Gladys, b. 1916; Annie M., b. 1924; and Juanita Atkison, b. 1930. Beulah and Leonard were buried in the Five Runs Cemetery, located on Lindsey Bridge Road.

The above covers the information available to this writer on this family line through this particular generation. More genealogy has been submitted on the next couple of generations, so that will be covered in next week’s column.

The source for this writing was the family records of Winston Dowe Jay of Headland. Winston is a retired Methodist minister who continues to serve small churches in the area. In addition, he has done extensive genealogical research on his various family lines and graciously shared his records for today’s writing. Winston is the son of Aron and Mary Ethel (White) Jay.

Anyone who might find any error in the above or who has additional information on this family is requested to contact Curtis Thomasson at 20357 Blake Pruitt Road, Andalusia, AL 36420; 334-222-6467; or email: HYPERLINK “mailto:cthomasson@centurytel.net”cthomasson@centurytel.net.

Cut line for photo: James Andrew White (1844-1917) and wife, Mary “Pollie” (Mancill) (1849-1910)