Descendants of William Riley Teel and Addie Augusta (Stokes) Teel gathered for their first reunion in recent years on Saturday, October 19, at the Conecuh River Baptist Church, which is located several miles down Padgett Road after leaving Brooklyn Road. Many of these relatives either live or were reared in the community surrounding this church, which is quite historic for the area. A number of their ancestors including William Riley and Addie Augusta Teel were buried in the church cemetery as well as the older Teel Family Cemetery, which is located farther back in the woods. This very old cemetery and the Teel family were featured in an earlier column.

Two descendants, Terri (Hassell) Baker and Karelle (Hassell) Sanders, were the organizers and chairmen for the 2014 Reunion. Most of the activities were held in the church fellowship hall, which accommodated everything quite well. Upon entering, each person attending registered and donned a nametag. Each descendant was requested to complete a family lineage sheet if they had not done so earlier. These will be used to compile a complete descendancy chart for this particular family.

After a period of visiting and sharing news, an invocation was worded by Hilton Godwin, who just happened to be the oldest person present at 74 years of age. The youngest person present, Sarah Elizabeth Hartmann, was only four months old. Doris Teel Taylor of Texas was the descendant who traveled the farthest. Everyone began filling plates from an abundant spread of food, which featured fried chicken, baked ham, numerous casseroles and vegetables along with rich deserts. Afterwards many spilled outside to enjoy the beautiful weather and the kids to engage in games. As activities began to wane everyone was called for the traditional family group picture. Then a number went for a tour of the old Teel Cemetery to visit the graves of their early ancestors.

William Riley “Bill” Teel was born on November 2, 1877, in Covington County as the son of James H. and Nancy (Bass) Teel, residents of the Conecuh River Baptist Church community. In 1910, Bill homesteaded 40.12 acres of land in the Conecuh River Township. His father, James Teel, had acquired around 270 acres in the same general area during the 1850s. He also homesteaded 155.94 acres in 1881. Bill’s father, James Teel, was born in 1792 as the son of John and Anna (Padgett) Teel. Bill’s mother, Nancy Bass, was born as the daughter of Bennett Bridges Bass and Mary Elizabeth (Hogg).

Bill was married in 1903 to Addie Augusta Stokes (1883-1962), daughter of William Sampson Stokes (1854-1903 and Nancy Caroline Clary (1857-1923). Addie Augusta Stokes’s ancestry is traced from William Sampson Stokes to his parents, Wright Absalom Stokes (1816-1878) and Sarah Elizabeth Steele (1818-1878) who were buried in the Nichols Cemetery at Wing, Ala. Wright Absalom is the son of Absalom Lafayette Stokes (ca 1790-1870) and his first wife, Nancy Allene (Adkinson). Absalom Lafayette is believed to be the son of David Stokes and Millen (Blount), but this has not been documented. This Stokes family migrated from Beaufort County, S.C., to Walton County, Fla. and finally to Covington County, Ala.

Bill and Addie Teel reared the following children: Willie Samson, b. 1904, d. 1982, m. 1936 Maggie Mae Padgett (1904-1968); Atrice M., b. 1906, d. 1982, m. Samuel David Hart (1903-1967); Jimmie Lee, b. 1908, d. 1968, m. Mary Louviner Lawson (1923-2010); Charlie Ray, b. 1910, d. 1975, m. 1937 Hattie Mae Padgett (1900-1984); Thomas Henry “Tom,” b. 1913, d. 1988, m. Lucille Adams (1922-2012); Gladys, b. 1915, d. 1998, m. (1) Frank Pete Hassell (1912-1997) (2) Frederick H. Schmidt (1911-2006); Treeva Hazel, b. 1917, d. 2003, m. Thadus Theron Godwin (1918-1970); Edna Clyde, b. 1921, d. 1977, m. 1945 James S. Stearns (1921-2008); and Clinton, b.&d. 1923.

The oldest son, Willie Sampson Teel, was married to Maggie Mae Padgett, daughter of William Reuben and Mattie Padgett. They resided in Andalusia and reared the following children: Dorothy Ann, b. 1942, m. (1) William Wayne Jones (2) Calvin Russell Zaenger; and Doris Jean, b. 1944, m. Julius Michael Taylor (1944-2011). Willie and Maggie were known for Maggie keeping children in her home.

The oldest daughter, Atrice Teel, married Samuel David Hart, and they resided primarily in Andalusia. They reared one son, Bill “Billy” Dale Hart, m. Betty Louise ?.

The son, Jimmie Lee Teel, was married to Mary Lawson, and they lived in Andalusia and most of their children settled in Pensacola, Fla. They reared the following nine children: Gloria Jean, b. 1943, m. Harry M. Lowe Jr.; Jannit Faye, b, 1844, m. Gill Byers; Linda Sue, b. 1946, m. Charles Clark Gable; Jimmie Wayne, b. 1948, d. 2008; Roy Lee, b. 1950, m. Nancy Rhodes; Mary Dale, b. 1952; Shirley Ann, b. 1954, m. (1) Clarence Hardy (2) Clayton McManus; William Franklin, b. 1956; and Paul Edward, b. 1958.

The next son, Charlie Ray Teel, was married in 1937 to Hattie Mae Padgett, another daughter of William Reuben and Mattie Padgett. They reared one daughter, Mary See, b. 1939, m. 1958 Dalton Eugene Barnes.

The next son, Thomas Henry Teel, was married to Lucille Adams and they lived on Albritton Street in Andalusia. They reared the following three sons: James Jerry, b. 1948, m. Pauline Owens; Jeff, b. 1962; and his twin, John, b. 1862, d. 1980s.

The next daughter, Gladys Teel, was married first to Frank Pete Hassell, with whom she had the following four children: Jimmie Joe, b. 1936, d. 1992, m. Joann Smith, daughter of Oscar Clayton and Bernetta Gertrude (Johnson) Smith (Jimmie Joe was married second to Betty Williamson); Jerry Don, b. 1938, d. 1908, m. Anna Lindsey; Carole Jean, b. 1940, d. 2006, m. Donald Sasser; Sharon Kaye, b. 1950, m. William C. “Billy” Little. This family primarily resided in Andalusia.

The daughter, Treeva Hazel Teel, was married to Thadus Thermon Godwin, son of Herbert H. and Laura Josephine Lunsford. They lived primarily in the Conecuh River community and reared the following three children: Rebecca, m. Charles Colvin; Hilton Herbert, b. 1940, m. (1) Willa Dean Carmen (2) Patricia Ann Thompson (3) Sandy Barnett; and Larry, m. Patty ?.

The youngest daughter, Edna Clyde Teel, was married in 1945 to James Sturdivant Stearns. They lived in the Atlanta, Ga., area and reared their only daughter, Edna Marie, b. 1953, m. Jack Leon Lawrence.

The source for this writing was the family records of Terri (Hassell) Bryan, a Teel descendant who is the daughter of Jimmie Joe and Joann (Smith) Hassell. She was one of the chairmen of the family reunion discussed above. Also, this writer, attended the reunion as a guest, and he is a second cousin, once removed of this family’s Teel matriarch, Addie Augusta (Stokes) Teel.

Anyone who might have a correction to any of the above genealogy or who has additional information on this family is requested to contact this writer, Curtis Thomasson, at 20357 Blake Pruitt Road, Andalusia, AL 36420; 334-804-1442; or Email: cthomasson@centurytel.net.

HISTORICAL

MEETING:

The Covington Historical Society will be meeting at 7 p.m. on Thursday, October 30, in the Dixon Memorial Room at the Andalusia Public Library. Anyone interested is invited to attend as well as become a member of the society.