The Paulk family which settled into Covington County was featured in last week’s column. Since there was considerable genealogy available on this family, the story will continue today. Epaphroditus Paulk is the ancestor who settled in Dale County, Ala. and had descendants who moved to Covington. The families of the first four of Epaphroditus’s children, Elizabeth Ellen, John Jackson, Nancy J. and James W. Paulk, were presented in the previous column, so the others will be outlined in today’s narrative.

The fifth child was a son named Elijah “Eli” Nunn Paulk who was born in 1850 in Dale County. In 1874 he was married to Louisa Jane Wiggins (1860-1932), daughter of Thomas Wiggins and Louisa Jane Cobb. Eli was a farmer, and the family with two young children lived in the Davis Shop community in 1880. By 1900 they had moved into the Andalusia area. In 1910 they were in the Sanford community and had moved to Loango by 1920. Eli died in 1922 and was buried in the Bethel Primitive Baptist Church Cemetery in Babbie. In 1930 his widow was residing in the Hart Precinct before she died in 1932 and was buried beside her husband.

Eli and Louisa Paulk reared the following 12 children: Alice Letitia, b. 1876, d. 1926, m. 1897 William Edward Stanley (1877-1958); Sarah Jane, b. 1979, d. 1928, m. 1897 James Harper “Jim” Atkins (1871-1959); Joseph Thomas, b. 1881, d. 1943, m. 1894 Ella Elizabeth Hudson (1881-1966); Louisa “Lulie” Elizabeth, b. 1883, d. 1974, m. William George Atkins (1878-1916); Millie Lauretta, b. 1885, d. 1969, m. 1900 Duncan “Dunk” Augusta Barton (1879-1968); Callie Donia, b. 1887, d. 1922, m. 1906 Reuben Thomas Barton (1889-1940); Jesse Floyd, b. 1889, d. 1890; Isaac Elie, b. 1891, d. 1948, m. Ola Mae Brownlee (1894-1955); Dozier Lee, b. 1893, d. 1950, m. 1894 Annie Pearl Harrelson (1894-1975); Nancy Isabel, b. 1896, d. 1959, m. 1912 Charlie Bradford Brownlee (1889-1959); Dottie A., b. 1899, d. 1900; and Infant Son, b.&d. 1902.

The sixth child was Joseph Paulk who was born in 1852 in Dale County. Joseph was also a farmer and had migrated to Union, La., by 1880. Two years earlier in 1878 he had married Frances “Fanny” Lone Tubb. They were still residing in Union in 1900, but they had moved to Cass, Tex. by 1910 where they settled until Joseph’s death in 1922.

Joseph and Fanny Paulk reared the following 10 children: Nancy Elizabeth “Bettie,” b. 1879, d. 1918, m. 1898 William A. Fuller; Minnie Ethel, b. 1881, d. 1958, m. 1900 George Lattie Bowlin (1875-1953); Ellie A., b. 1883, d. 1955, m. Oscar Lee Hooper; Jesse Robert, b. 1886, d. 1957, m. Addison Lee Patterson (1885-1960); Mary Ollie, b. 1888, d. 1945, m. 1912 J.E. Davis; Clara Viola, b. 1890, d. 1909, single; Willie Belle, b. 1892, d. 1973, m.? Pessel; Joseph Frank, b. 1894, m. Eula ?; James Wharton, b. 1896, d. 1972, m. 1916 J. Ruth Rhodes (1899-1963); and Johnny, d. young.

The seventh child was Edward Elonzo Paulk who was born in 1854 in Dale County where he remained throughout his lifetime. He was married first circa 1875 to Elizabeth Garner (1856-1914). They resided in the Dale County where they were in 1900 in the Barnes Crossroads. They had the following children before Elizabeth’s death: Julian J., b. 1876, d. 1925, m. 1896 Mary Elizabeth “Betty” Breley (1877-1974); Twin: Julius, b. 1876, d. 1927, m. 1896 Ada Ann Simmons (1872-1959); Aaron McColston, b. 1878, d. 1930, m. 1898 Martha “Mattie” Susan Dixon (1880-1958); Margret Marsilla, b. 1881, d. 1952, m. 1895 Marion Andrew Creel (1872-1953); Charlie Lafayette, b. 1883, d. 1974, m. Vera Corinna Tillman (1883-1965); Enoch, b. 1886, d. 1973, m. 1903 Annie B. Pelham (1889-1959); Mamie Pearl, b. 1890, d. 1944, m. 1904 John Samuel Stubbs (1877-1957); and Epaphroditus D., b. 1892, d. 1935, m. 1909 Elire Olive Sammons (1893-1974).

Edward E. Paulk was married second in 1914 to Frances “Fannie” Smith Preston (1878-1956). His children with his first wife, Elizabeth, were grown. He and Fannie had two children together: Mary Ellen, b. 1915, d. 1975, m. 1935 J. Woodrow Wilson; and Joseph Preston, b. 1919, d. 2004, m. 1942 Fannie Lou Newman.

The ninth child, Sarah Jane Paulk, was born in 1859 after the family moved to Covington County. Once grown she was first married to Elder Daniel Dozier Williams (1863-1015).

Their youngest of nine children would have been 13 years old when Daniel died. Sarah Jane later married William Harrison Dorsey.

She and Daniel D. Williams had the following children: Rosa L., b. 1882, m. 1898 Benjamin Franklin Parker; Thomas L., b. 1884; Amos Jerome, b. 1886, d. 1958; Lillia, b. 1891, d. 1944, m. Charles Lundy (1887-1964); Hyacinth, b. 1893, d. 1915, m. 911 John Kalone Harrelson (1891-1982); Daisy Anna, b. 1895, d. 1954, m. Willie Grady Harrelson; Pansy D., b. 1897, d. 1975, m. (1) Rufus Harvey Harrelson (1892-1954) (2) Willie Grady Harrelson; Verbena Glory, b. 1899, d. 1979, m. Zema Shepherd Owen.

The tenth child, Alfred A. Paulk, was born in 1861 in Ozark. In 1881 he was married to Velvety Confederacy “Connie” James (1861-1935). When the 1900 and 1920 censuses were recorded, the family lived in Blakely, Early County, Ga. Sometime later they moved to Cass County, Tex., where Alfred died in 1935 in Bloomburg. Alfred and Connie Paulk reared the following eight children: Amanda Francis “Fanny,” b. 1883, d. 1911, m. 1900 Idus Derrell Felder (1876-1941); Annie Gordy, b. 1884, d. 1965, m. Arthur Roberts; Mary Lena, b. 1887, d. 1888; Eula Virginia, b. 1891, d. 1985, m. Idus Derrell Felder (her brother-in-law); Connie Augusta, b. 1893, m. John B. Gordon Duncan (1892-1966); Alphus Caga, b. 1897, d. 1916; James Wilson, b. 1898, d. 1941 in Bexar, Tex.; and Alfred Allen, b. 1899, d. 1970.

Descendants and researchers of the Paulk family have compiled extensive records on the later generations as well.

Anyone interested my contact some of them for additional genealogical data.

Aside from the above family, there was a Henry B. Paulk in Opp, Ala., who established the H.B. Paulk Grocery Company in 1930. The business grew into one of the larger wholesale grocery companies in the Southeast. Henry B. was born in 1895 in Houston County, Ala., as the son of Mr. and Mrs. J.N. Paulk. His father was a prosperous farmer, and sawmill and commissary operator. H.B. moved to Opp in 1923 and became associated with the Britton Grocery Company. A few years later he went into business for himself. He continued with the business until his death in 1970. This writer was not able to relate this Paulk family with the above. It is hoped that someone will share any information that might help determine a relationship.

The primary source for the above were the records of Jeff Lundy who graciously shared them for this story. The reference to Henry B. Paulk of Opp was from Gus and Ruby Bryan’s Covington County History, 1821-1976.

Anyone who discovers an error in the above or who might have additional information on either of the above Paulk families is requested to contact Curtis Thomasson at 20357 Blake Pruitt Road, Andalusia, AL 36420; 334-804-1442; or Email: cthomasson@centurytel.net.

 

HISTORICAL

MEETING:

The Covington Rifles Camp of the Sons of Confederate Veterans will be meeting at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, September 1, in the Dixon Memorial Room of the Andalusia Public Library. Anyone interested in Confederate heritage is encouraged to attend.