As announced in last week’s column, today will be a feature of the Jacobs descendants who settled and lived in Covington County. These families have contributed significantly to the development of the area and are a credit to their heritage.

One of the first ancestors bearing the Jacobs name, Primus Jacobs, and his wife, Esther, were discussed in last week’s column. Their oldest son, Peter Jacobs, was also introduced. He was born circa 1740, served in the Revolutionary War and died in 1791 in New Hanover County, N.C. He has been recognized by the Cohaire Indian Tribe as the origin of the Jacobs name in their lineage. The names of at least two of his sons have been identified. Zachariah Jacobs was born in 1753 and died in 1847. He was married to Sally Jacobs who was also from New Hanover County. The second son, Hezekiah Jacobs, was born circa 1760.

This writing will follow the lineage of Zachariah Jacobs down to the present day family members who still reside in Covington County. Only the names of three sons for Zachariah are known: William Curtis, b. 1791, d. 1888, m. ca 1815 Elizabeth Eady/Eddy/Edey; Samuel, b. 1798, m. Nancy ?; and John, b. 1805. Most likely there were other children as well.

The oldest son, William Curtis Jacobs, and his wife, Elizabeth Eady, reared the following children: William Shadrick, b. 1815, d. 1883, m. (1) Elizabeth Chavers (2) Angeline Grant; Meredith “Meredy,” b. 1820, m. James Wilson; William Moran, b. 1825, d. 1886; Samuel, b. 1826; Felix (Philio ?), b. 1831, d. 1886, m. Elizabeth ?; Curtis Ivy, b. 1833, d. after 1880, m. 1851 Dorotha Grant Freeman, a widow with children; Andrew, b. 1839, d. 1897, m. Christine Strickland; and Catherine.

William Curtis’s oldest son, William Shadrick Jacobs, was married twice, and it is assumed that his children are by the first wife, but this is not confirmed. He was married to Elizabeth Chavers first and Angeline Grant second. His children were Mandrake, b. 1863, d. 1888, m. Julia Boan; Elizabeth, b. 1866, m. William Chavis; Levi Garison, b. 1869, m. Sandra Holder; William Ezra, b. 1872, d. 1945, m. 1906 Bessie Belle Hodge; and Henry R.

William Curtis’s son, Curtis Ivy Jacobs, and his wife, Dorotha, had four children after their marriage in 1851: William Anderson, b. 1851; Giles, b. 1854; Vian, b. 1856; and General Harrison, b. 1859, m. Eliza Robinson.

William Shadrick’s son, Mandrake Jacobs, was born in 1863, which was during the War, in North Carolina. In 1866, he was enumerated in Chesterfield County, S.C. He was still there in 1880, but he had moved to Columbia, S.C., by 1936. He and wife, Julia Boan, had at least four children: Harvey Dwight, b. 1890, d. 1978, m. 1917 Alice Viola Fuqua (1893-1970); Walker, m. Alma ?; Angeline; and Spofford, m. Essie ?.

The oldest son, Harvey Dwight Jacobs, was born in Cheraw, Cherokee County, S.C. When he was 16 years of age, which would have been circa 1906, he and his slightly younger brother, Walker, traveled to Covington County, Ala. They brought all their personal belongings in one trunk. They began working in the logging and turpentine operations mostly on Dixon property. They lived in a “shanty” located deep in the woods and survived for the most part on “shanty” bread, which was cooked in open fireplace. On occasions they had molasses and coffee to compliment the bread.

Harvey met and began dating the Fuqua girls who lived in the Salem community and were the daughters of John and Eveline (Wishum) Fuqua. He eventually was married to Alice Viola “Ola” Fuqua when he was 26 years old and she, 24. They moved to LaGrange, Ga., where they worked in a cotton mill. When their first child was born two years later, they returned to Covington County where Harvey worked in the cotton mill in Opp, and Ola became a full-time homemaker.

After the births of two more children, Harvey decided to try earning a living by farming in rural Covington County. He began as a sharecropper on several farms. One of these was the Powell Place in the Carolina community. He and family were enumerated in the 1930 federal census as residents in Carolina. He bought his first land, which was a sizable tract of 360 acres in that community, in 1936. He then farmed his own land for the next 15 years. Next, he purchased 80 acres of timberland near Carolina School.

It was decided to build a house on the new property and leave the farm. Harvey hired a local carpenter, Robert Hutto, to build the house using lumber primarily cut from the farm. The house still stands on Jacobs Road named in honor of Harvey and Ola Jacobs and six of their children and families who reside there. Harvey was able to deed an acre lot near his house to each of his children. Most of them built their retirement homes next to each other and enjoyed close family relations. Harvey took a job with the county, which he held for about five years. Ola’s health deteriorated until she died of a coronary thrombosis in 1970, and Harvey lived until 1978 at which time he died of internal hemorrhaging. They were buried in the Carolina Baptist Church Cemetery.

Harvey and Ola Jacobs reared the following 10 children, five boys and five girls: John Mandrake, b. 1918, d. 1999, m. Sybil Rodgers; Harvey Donald, b. 1920, d. 1964, m. Carrie Mae Duckett; Evelyn Lucille, b. 1921, d. 2013, m. Tillman Cleveland “T.C.” Bozeman; Walker “Jake,” b. 1923, d. 2011, m. Helen Hawkins; Garland Dwight, b. 1924, d. 1989, m. Ethel Pope; Hazel Julia, b. 1927, m. John William “Billy” Wood; Mary Belle, b. 1930, d. 2005, m. Donald Hutto; Esther Leola, b. 1932, m. Benny Bozeman Barrow; Earl Gene, b. 1935, m. Wilma Dean Henderson; and Tessie Ruth, b. 1936, m. Charles Lawson.

John Mandrake and Sybil Jacobs had four children: Ronald, m. Carol Cagle; Sherry, m. James “Jim” Garner; Timothy “Tim,” m. Darlene Overstreet; and Donna, m. Michael “Mike” Cauley.

Harvey Donald and Carrie Mae Jacobs had two sons: Donald Jr. “Don,” m. but divorced after brief marriage; and Jon, m. Jackie.

Evelyn Lucille (Jacobs) and T.C. Bozeman were the parents of one son, Mark, m. (1) Cindy (2) Erin.

Walker “Jake” and Helen Jacobs reared one son, Wayne Hawkins, m. Paula Jones.

Garland Dwight and Ethel Mae Jacobs were the parents of one son, Larry, m. Bettye Hudson.

Hazel Julia (Jacobs) and William “Billy” Wood had one daughter and one son: Dexter, m. Martha Gibbs; and Lisa, m. Charles “Charlie” Hoke.

Mary Belle (Jacobs) and Donald Hutto reared three children: Michael “Mike,” m. (1) Dorothy White (2) Donna Fuller; Marsha (twin to Mike), m. Donnie Day; and Jane, m. (1) Dexter Rogers (2) Jim Crandall.

Esther Leola (Jacobs) and Benny Bozeman Barrow reared three children: Brenda, m. Michael “Mike” Morris; Benny Jr. “Ben,” m. Jane Dunaway; and David, m. Ann Alred.

Earl Gene and Dean Jacobs reared three children: Gloria, m. Larry Adams; Richard “Ricky,” m. Cathy Cotton; and Vicky, m. Larry Stallings.

Tessie Ruth (Jacobs) and Charles Lawson reared two children: Stephen “Steve,” m. Jennifer Gafford; and Terry, m. Steven Russell.

Many members of the family still reside in Carolina and participate in community activities there as well as in Andalusia.

The source for this writing was family records including those compiled by Cecil F. Jacobs of Portal, Ga. Appreciation is expressed to Esther (Jacobs) Barrow for sharing her records.

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