The John Nelson family of Tallapoosa County, Ala., who had descendants to settle in Covington County, Ala., was featured in last week’s column. Today’s story will be a continuation of that family’s genealogy. The youngest three sons and their families all migrated to Covington County during the late 1800s.

In the previous column, the families of the following children of John and Sindrilla/Cindrilla (Simmons) Nelson were presented: Emily and William G. Jacks, John Washington and Elizabeth Ann “Eliza” (Wallace) Nelson, Little Berry Ward and Martha Ann Frances (Carter) Nelson, Angeline and Thomas Jefferson Cross, Sindrilla and James Thomas “Tom” Stephens, Lavina Louisa and John Wesley Wallace, and Wiley Andrew and Mary Ann (Hand) Nelson.

From this point, the additional children of John and Sindrilla Nelson will be outlined

The next son, Francis Marion Nelson Sr, was born in 1840 and was married in 1859 to Martha Ann Champion (1842-1928). They began their family in the next year and had two sons before he enlisted in the Confederate Army. He served in Company F, 47th Alabama Infantry Regiment. When he returned from the war, he and Martha had additional children. They were the parents of the following children: John Henry, b. 1860, d. 1904, m. Artelia Arabelle Fields (1863-1911); Francis Marion “Frank” Jr., b. 1862, d. 1941, m. Sarah Elizabeth Stansell (1867-1939); Hannah Angeline, b. 1866, d. 1938, m. James Daniel Pepper (1860-1937); Charles Ebenezer “Ebb,” b. 1870, d. 1950, m. Mary Emma Truitt (1875-1972); Berry Ward, b. 1872, d. 1949, m. Ida V. Watson (1872-1962); Manuel Champion, b. 1875, d. 1946, m. (1) Dottie Conner (1878-1904) (2) Pearl Elsie Murphy (1892-1945); Norman D., b. 1881, d. 1931, m. Anna Louvenia “Lonie” Willis (1881-1967); and Leonard J., b. 1882, d. 1906, m. Odie Elizabeth Anderson (1883-1980).

Another son, Jesse Floyd Nelson, was born in 1842 in Tallapoosa Co., Ala., and became the age to enlist and serve in the Confederate Army. He was assigned to the Tallapoosa County Home Guards Militia with Capt. W.J. Peddy’s Company of Mounted Infantry. However, he was married toward the end of the war in 1864 in Tallapoosa County to Martha Letitia “Lucille” Melear (1845-1900). They made their home in Elmore County, Ala., where Jesse died in 1895 and was buried in the Kent community of that county. They were the parents of the following children: Mary E., b. 1865, d. 1868; Sarah Jane, b. 1869: Jackson F., b. 1873, d. 1898; Amanda E., b. 1876, d. 1898; Simeon, b. 1880-1893; and John David, b. 1884, d. 1958, m. 1910 Nora Mae Neighbors (1892-1943). It sounds so tragic that most of their children died young or did not reach adulthood.

The next son, Baron DeKalb Nelson, was born in 1845 and also served in the Confederate Army. He enlisted late in the war at Stevenson, Ala. and was assigned to Company H, 1st Alabama Cavalry Regiment. In 1868, he was married to his first wife, Margaret L. McGuire (1844-1882). They were the parents of the following three children: John Henry, b. 1868, d. 1935, m. Nancy Elizabeth “Nannie” Carr (1868-1937); Nora Bell, b. 1876, d. 1918, m. Jacob “Jake” Cole; and Martha E. Lizzie,” b. 1879, d. 1956, m. 1896 Webster Kendrick Stansell (1869-1944). Following Margaret’s death in 1882, Baron was married to Sara Elizabeth Carter (1843-1931). The family moved to Covington County where they were enumerated in the Sanford community in 1920 and in Opp in 1830. Baron died that year and was buried in the Bethel Primitive Baptist Church Cemetery in the Babbie community.

The next brother, Alexander Hamilton Nelson Sr., was born in 1848 in Tallapoosa County, Ala., but he had migrated to Covington County before 1886. After settling in the area of Sanford, he became one of the early postmasters of the Sanford Post Office. In 1871, he was married to his first wife, Amanda Louise Yates (1848-1891), and they were the parents of the following children: Jane Percilla, b. 1871, d. 1892; James Clanton, b. 1873, d. 1937, m. 1895 Amanda Melissa “Mandy” Lloyd (1878-1967); Terricia Louise “Pink,” b. 1876, d. 1943, m. 1906 William L. Melvin; Tilden Augustus, b. 1877, d. 1905; Armitha Shelomith, b. 1878, d. 1915, m. Louis Holloway (1883-1920); Mary Elizabeth, b. 1881, d. 1977, m. 1930 James Henry “Jim” Carroll (1879-1938); Colista Idema, b. 1884, d. 1892; and John Berry, b. 1886, d. 1969, m. 1909 Martha Charlotte “Lottie” Bracewell (1884-1975). Following Amanda’s death in 1891, Alexander was married in 1892 to Mary A. Permenter (1841-1920). He died in 1921 in Andalusia and was buried in the Bethel Cemetery in Babbie were so many of his relatives are buried.

The youngest son, Charles Elbert or Ebenezer Nelson, was married first in 1871 to Martha or Margaret E. Gardner (1856-1873). After her death in 1873, Charles was married next to Sarah Ellen Fields (1855-1998). Charlie died in Florala, Ala., and was buried in the North Creek Cemetery. They were the parents of the following children: John William, b. 1880, d. 1953, m. Lena V. Caston (1884-1961); Luther Cylvester “John,” b. 1883, d. 1930, m. (1) 1901 Lossie Lois Helms (1887-1908) (2) 1908 Annie Missouri Jane Chandler (1884-1944); Elisha Ramzo, b. 1885, d. 1971, m. Mattie Lee Thomas (1887-1928); Francis Waller, b. 1887, d. 1948, m. 1910 Margaret “Maggie” Thompson (1890-1978) and Florence Ada, b. 1889, d. 1985, m. Elias Andrew Straughn (1885-1977).

At least three of the above sons and their families migrated to Covington County and contributed to the welfare of their communities. As mentioned above, Alexander Hamilton Nelson served at one time as Postmaster of the Sanford Post Office. The children in these families married into families who were well-established in the county.

The primary source for this Nelson family genealogy was a family tree on Ancestry.com.

Anyone who discovers an error in the above information, or who might have additional data 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.