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The Brabham family who had descendants to settle in Covington County, Ala., was introduced in last week’s column. The lineage was outlined from the earliest ancestor believed to have sailed from Wales down to Archibald Brabham who migrated to Pike County, Ala., before 1840. The family of his fourth son, George Cornelius Brabham, b. 1833 in South Carolina, will be featured in today’s column.

When in his late 20s, George Cornelius Braham enlisted and rendered service in the Confederate Army in Company B, 53^rd Alabama Partisan Rangers Cavalry. In 1854 in Barbour County, Ala., he had married Sarah Caroline Emerson, daughter of Benjamin Hubbard Emerson (1809-1891) and Narcissa Ball (1812-1880). They were the parents of the following children: John Cornelius, b. 1856, d. 1908, m. Mary Boyd; Mattie Narcissa, b. 1858, d. 1929, m. 1878 William Cicero Dozier (1850-1906); Charles, b. 1860, d. 1910, m. 1886 Clara Estelle Stuckey (1860-1920); James Adam, b. 1860, d. 1916, m. 1885 Martha Ida Swint; Joseph Johnson, b. 1866, d. 1939, m. 1895 Martha “Mattie” Fleeta Harrell (1872-1942); Anna Lee, b. 1867, d. 1938, m. 1887 Phillip Green Barbaree (1853-1929); Sarah A., b. 1869, d. 1934, m. Alonzo Boliva Barr (1860-1943); Mary “Sallie,” b. 1870, d. 1880; Lula Dixie, b. 1872, d. 1932, m. (1) George W. Sims (2) M.M. Tye; Ava, b. 1873, d. 1963, m. Mark Chambers; George Washington, b. 1874, d. 1927, m. 1903 Koka Eloise Sawyer (1884-1959); Augustus “Gus,” b. 1876, d. 1958, m. 1905 Alma Eula (Evan ?) Dykes (1881-1978).

The oldest son, John Cornelius Brabham, was born in 1856 and was married to Mary Lou Boyd (1860-1930). They made their home mostly in Barbour County, Ala. They were the parents of the following children: Carolyn “Carrie” May, b. 1883, d. 1961, m. Sterling Jackson Dismukes Sr. (1874-1955); Mary, b. 1885; Janie, b. 1887; Belle, b. 1888; Eula, b. 1892, d. 1945, m. 1924 Forest Grantham; John Cornelius Jr., b. 1893, d. 1936, m. 1927 Inez ? (1906-1930); and Herbert Milton, b. 1899, d. 1955, m. 1926 Sara C. Carnes (1911-1981).

A later son, Joseph Johnson Brabham, was born in 1866 and appears to have settled later in Coffee County where he engaged in farming. In 1895, he was married to Martha “Mattie” Fleeta Harrell (1872-1943). They were the parents of the following children: Joseph Dick, b. 1895, d. 1919; Jessie O., b. 1897, d. 1998; Willie Maude, b. 1898, d. 1986, m. Norman Archibald McIntosh (1897-1988); C. Fred, b. 1900, d. 1926, m. 1923 Bertf Martin; Robert, b. 1904, m. Nellie Alberta Spears (1914-1966); Roy S., b. 1906, d. 1927; Clem W., b. 1908, d. 1925; Loyd S., b. 1911, d. 1933; and Mattie Van, b. 1913, d. 1982, m. 1943 Len Marvin Hegler (1915-1995). (One wonders why so many of these sons died as young adults.)

Next to the youngest son, George Washington Brabham, was born in 1874 and settled in Coffee County where he engaged in farming. In 1903, he was married to Koko Elaine Sawyer (1884-1959). They were the parents of the following children: Clyde, b. 1904, d. 1984, m. Major Oscar Jones (1904-1980); Maurine, b. 1905, d. 1987, m. Frank Martin; Hobart Colon, b. 1906, d. 1964, m. Maureen Bradshaw Caylor (1915-1992); Charles Daniel, b. 1908, d. 1971, m. Elizabeth Mitchell (1912-1985); Vesalene “Trixie,” b. 1910, d. 2004, m. Jesse Austin Harris (1900-1981); Kate Allice, b. 1913, d. 1992, m. Emmett Arcus Sawyer (1915-2001); Clay Dixon, b. 1915, d. 1993, m. Edna Elizabeth Ellis (1920-2000); and Clarence Ray, b. 1918, d. 1973, m. Virginia Martin.

The youngest son, Augustus “Gus” Brabham, was born in 1876 in Barbour County where he later settled. In 1905, he was married to Alma Eula Dykes (1881-1978). They were the parents of one daughter, Mary Brabham.

Going back to the second son, Charles Brabham, who was born in 1860 in Clayton, Barbour County, and who died in 1919 in Coffee County. In 1886, he was married to Clara Estelle Stuckey (1860-1920), daughter of James Jefferson Stuckey (1805-1877) and Aley Louisa Johnson (1821-1891). They became the parents of the following children: Dennie Lizelle, b. 1887, d. 1920, m. Tyrie Homer Sawyer (1874-1954); Joseph Robert “Bob,” b. 1888, d. 1937, m. Kathryn Matilda “Kate” Brock (1893-1962); Sally Lou, b. 1889, d. 1967, m. Purvis William Folsom (1882-1946); George Jefferson, b. 1890, d. 1920, m. 1912 Lonia Volnia Cullifer; and Charlie Clifford, b. 1893, d. 1949, m. Ida Crow.

Charles’s youngest son, Charlie Clifford Brabham, was born in 1893 and died in 1949. He married Ida Crow (1893-1995), and they made their home in Coffee County for a number of years; however, they later moved to Florala, Ala., where he managed a dry-cleaning business. They became the parents of two children: Miriam Irene, b. 1921, d. 1971, m. ? Gardner; and Clifford Crow, b. 1926, d. 2009, m. Shera LeVan. Clifford and Shera were the parents of three children: Annette, Charles Arthur, and Cindy Scaborough. Charlie Clifford was living in Valparaiso, Fla., when he died in 1949.

Charles’s son, Joseph Robert “Bob” Brabham, was born in Perote, Bullock County, in 1888 and died in Enterprise in 1937. He married Kathryn Matilda “Kate” Brock (1983-1962), daughter of John Leonard Brock (1869-1943) and Marinda Jane Dean (1874-1954). They became the parents of the following children: Charles Leontz, b. 1915, d. 1993, m. 1941 Molene Platt (1915-2010); Margaret Estelle, b. 1917, d. 2003, m. 1937 Herbert Crosby; Nancy Inez, b. 1920, d. 1948, m. Helmer F. Enter; John Edwin, b. 1922, m. Autense L. Stafford (1929-2017); Robert Clifton, b. 1925, d. 2010, m. Danabel “Dannie” Linton; Joseph Haynes, b. 1927, d. 2013, m. Emily Phyllis Brunson (1935-2013); Lavon, b. 1930, m. Lewe Max Brown (1926-2010); and Clara Jane, b. 1932, d. 2913, m. 1950 Charles Ray Waters (1927-2004).

The third son, Robert Clifton Brabham, was born in 1925 in Coffee County. He is the Brabham descendant who will best be remembered by the citizens of Andalusia and surrounding communities. Cliff rendered military service in the U.S. Army Airborne Infantry during World War II. Afterwards, he completed his bachelor’s degree with math major at Troy State University and later, a master’s in educational administration at Peabody College in Nashville, Tenn. He began his career in education at Summerdale Junior High School in Baldwin County, Ala., where he taught for five years. His next tenure was five years at Stockton High School where he was named “Principal of the Year.” He then became Assistant Principal at Robertsdale High School, and from there he transferred to serve a short time as Principal of Geneva High School. He then became Assistant Principal at Ft. Rucker High School. Around the Fall of 1966, he moved to Andalusia to serve as Principal of Church Street Elementary School. He continued in that role for 22 years before retirement, and enjoyed managing his farm between Glenwood and Goshen. He passed away in 2010 and was buried in the Andalusia Memorial Cemetery.

In 1950, Robert Clifton Brabham was married to Danabel “Dannie” Linton, who also became a teacher. They were awarded their masters degrees at the same time from Peabody College. After they moved to Andalusia, Dannie taught one year in the Opp City Schools. In the fall of 1968, she became one of the four teachers at the new public kindergarten in the Andalusia School System where she taught for several years. She and Cliff enjoyed their careers in education and serving their community. They have a son, Shannon Clifton Brabham, who with his wife, Leigh, who is a pharmacist, reside in Waynesboro, Miss., where he works in the field of forestry. The couple is the parents of three children. Later Cliff and Dannie adopted a two-months old daughter, Sheila Brabham, who married Steve Golden who is now deceased. Sheila and Steve have three children and have made their home in the Goshen community of Pike County.

Mary Jane (Dykes) Weaver’s book, Dykes and Kin of Yesterday and Today, was the major source along with Ancestry.com for today’s story. Mary Jane is a Brabham family descendant.

Anyone finding an error in the above is requested to contact this writer, Curtis Thomasson, at 20357 Blake Pruitt Road, Andalusia, AL 36420; 334-804-1442; or Email: cthomasson@centurytel.net.