The Worrell descendants have resided in the southern area of Covington County for several generations. They mostly made their homes in the communities of Falco, Wing, and Bradley. In some instances the area was known as Hart, which was probably a precinct name.

The earliest Worrell ancestor identified by this writer was Bryant Worrell who was born in 1790 in N.C. Bryant was definitely an adventurous person as he had migrated to Alabama before1800 supposedly with his family. He was residing in Jefferson County by 1800 and then in Butler County by 1812. By 1840 he was found in Coosa County and in Dallas County in 1842. Circa 1847, he moved his family west to Smith, Texas, where he was enumerated in 1850. He died there in 1851.

Bryant Worrell was married to Dorcas Byrd (1793-1839). They had the following children before her death in Alabama in 1839: Wesley J., b. 1811, d. 1877; Kenchen, b. 1813, d. 1865; John Durant, b. 1817, d. 1882; Kinchen Thomas, b. 1825, d. 1902; and Mary Ann, b. 1825, d. 1886, m. ? Lewter. Mary Ann Lewter had a family Bible, which has offered some valuable genealogical information to this family.

The second oldest son, Kenchen Worrell, was born in 1813 in N.C. or Stewart County, Ga. He was married in 1829 in Jones County, Ga., to Elizabeth Everett, daughter of Thomas J. Everett (1782-1840) and Penelope Rogers (1795-1841). Elizabeth was born in 1890 in N.C. and outlived Kenchen by some 40 years. He died in 1865 in Stewart County, Ga., and she, in 1905 in Houston County, Ala.

Kenchen and Elizabeth Worrell reared the following children: Lewis Lafayette, b. 1836, d. 1927; Hezekiah, b. 1840; Mary E., b. 1840; Margaret, b. 1844; Samuel J., b. 1845; William Thomas, b. 1846, d. 1919, m. Dora A. ?; Nancy E., b. 1846; and Cassandra Charlotte, b. 1850, d. 1870.

Their oldest son, Lewis Lafayette Worrell, was born in Stewart County, Ga., and had moved to Covington Co., Ala., before 1880. In May 1862, he enlisted for service in the Confederate Army at Cuthbert, Ga., as a private in Company F, 32nd. Georgia Infantry Regiment. At that time, he listed Clay County, Ga., as his residence. He was discharged in March 1865 at Augusta, Ga. Soon afterwards in 1865, he was married in Henry County, Ala., to Georgia Ann Coxwell, daughter of James (1810-1856) and Nancy (1830-1856) Coxwell.

When the 1880 federal census was enumerated, Lewis and his family were residing in

Covington County in the Hart community, and he was identified as a black smith. In 1900, he was a farmer, and in 1910, he was listed as owning his farm, which was adjacent to his son, John M. Worrell’s, farm. In 1909, Lewis homesteaded 80 acres of land set aside for a railroad in the Falco Township. He continued to reside there and died in 1927.

Lewis Lafayette Worrell and his wife, Georgia Ann, reared the following children: George S. Lafayette, b. 1868, d. 1959, m. Mary Alabama “Bama” Aplin; James Andrew, b. 1873, d. 1930; Marion Thomas, b. 1875, d. 1951, m. Sarah Rebecca Jeffries;; Ailsey, b. 1878; John M., b. ca 1880, d. 1910; Anna, b. 1882, d. 1932, m. ? Elliott; and Hilary W., b. 1891, d. 1947, m. (1) Sarah Julia Wright (2) Maggie ?.

Lewis’s oldest son, George S. Lafayette Worrell, was married to Mary Alabama Aplin (ca 1878- aft. 1959), daughter of James and Elizabeth Aplin. They had the following four children: James Luis, b. 1897, d. 1982, m. Eallie Crosby; Donie Mae “Sweet,” b. 1900, d. 1997, m. (1) William Warren Cravey; John Frank, b. ca 1906, d. ca 1967, m. Bernice Aplin (3) IGO (?); and a fourth child who apparently died in infancy. George died in 1959 in the Opp community.

Lewis’s third son, Marion Thomas Worrell, was born in 1875 in Covington County. He was married to Sarah Rebecca “Becky” Jefferies, daughter of John Littleberry and Margaret Jeffries. John L. was the son of Sarah A. Jeffers who was living in Rose Hill in 1850. Marion Thomas and Rebecca made their home in the Falco area on their farm located on Bradley Dam Road.

Marion Thomas and Rebecca Worrell reared the following children. Margie Ella, b. 1905, m. Willie H. Cook (1905-1995); Nora Frances, b. ca 1908, d. ca 1976, m. Will Branum; Ebin Thomas, b. 1910, d. 1986, m. Louise Coxwell; George L., b. 1911, d. 1995, m. Lucinda Cook; Robert E., b. ca 1915, d. ca 1998, m. Mary Jane Mosley; Hattie Luella, b. 1920, m. Wolford Foster Coxwell; Ola Mae, b. 1913, d. 2000, m. Dudley William Crosby; and Lorene, b. ca 1928, m. Garnel(l) Cross McKathan.

Lewis’s fourth son, John M. Worrell, and his wife, Lucy T. Davidson, had at least five children: Unnamed infant, b. ca 1902; Elma, b. ca 1903; Alice, b. ca 1906, m. Joe Spence; Unnamed infant, b.&d. 1908; and Unnamed infant, b.& d. ca 1909.

Lewis’s fifth son, Hilary W. Worrell, was married twice. His first wife was Sarah Julia Wright. His second wife, Maggie ?, appears to be the mother of his three sons: Henry Lee, m. Irene Davidson; J.W., m. Asalee Ellis; and Cecil. This family was residing in Florala in 1920, and Hilary was listed as a railroad laborer and renting his house.

Some descendants in the next generation of Marion Thomas Worrell’s family are listed. His oldest daughter, Margie Ella Worrell and her husband, Willie H. Cook, had two children: Bennie Mae and Stanley. The second daughter, Nora Frances Worrell, and her husband, Will Branum, lived near Greenville, Ala., and reared the following children: Grover; James; Earl; Thurl; Virginia; Carolyn, b. 1908, d. 1969; and Eunice.

Marion Thomas’s oldest son, Ebin Thomas Worrell, and his family resided in the Wing

Community. He and his wife, Louise Coxwell, had a son, Dale, who m. (1) Doris Booker and (2) Lillian McClellan. The next son, George L. Worrell, and his family also resided in the Wing area. He and his wife, Lucinda Cook, reared four children: Thomas, b. 1933, d. ca 1990, m. Patsy Lucas; Jeanette, b. 1934, m. Jerry Laws; Dewain, b. 1940, m. Wayne Bass; and Gene (adopted), b. 1950.

The next son, Robert E. Worrell, and his wife, Mary Jane Mosley, had a son, Robert Wilson. The next daughter, Hattie Luella Worrell, and her family lived in Clearwater, Fla. She and her husband, Wolford Foster Coxwell, reared two daughters: Ina Faye and Donna Gayle. The next daughter, Ola Mae Worrell, and her family resided in Satsuma near Mobile. She and her husband, Dudley William Crosby, reared three daughters: Hilda Ann, m. ? Warren; Sandra, m. ? Hood; and Sue, m. ? Turner. The youngest daughter, Lorene Worrell, and her family resided in the Pleasant Home community. She and her husband, Garnel(l) Cross McKathan, son of James Thomas and Leila Mae (Cross) McKathan, reared four children: Garnel Keith, James David, Marion Ashley, and Rebecca Ann.

The Worrell family has exerted considerable positive influence on Covington County especially in the southern section. Among the descendants is one of the county’s current circuit judges, Ashley McKathan, who is well-known and respected for his public service.

The primary source for this writing was the family records of Dewain (Worrell) Bass.

Appreciation is expressed to her and her daughter, Alane (Bass) Brunson for helping make this information available.

Anyone who might have a correction to the above or additional information on this family or on the Jeffries and Cook families is requested to contact this writer, Curtis Thomasson, at 20357 Blake Pruitt Road, Andalusia, AL 36420.