Today’s column featuring the Jay family of Covington County will continue in the same generation as that being covered at the end of last week’s column. At the close of it, the grandchildren of William David Jay, son of William Marion Jay, were presented. Additional families of that generation will be continued in this writing.

Earnest Jay, son of John Henry Jay, and his wife, Viola Morgan, had four children: Francis L, b. 1922; Mary E., b. 1924; Earnest Jr., b. 1926, d. 2002; and John, b. 1929.

Earnest’s sister, Carol May Jay, and her husband, Gillis Crenshaw, had one son, Gillis Jr., b. 1934, d. 2009.

Earnest’s brother, Thomas Everitt Jay, and his wife, Harriet Louise Cause, owned and operated Jay Realty in Andalusia. They had two children, John Robert, b. 1950; and Harriet Elizabeth, b. 1952.

Earnest’s brother, Jack Stinson, and his wife, Bonnie Ellis, had one son, William Henry, b. 1952.

John Avander Jay, son of William David Jay, and his wife, Bessie Lee Greathouse, daughter of William Henry and Mary Elizabeth (Jones) Greathouse, reared the following children: Mary Lela “Fosteen,” b. 1929, m. Leamon Hudson; William R. Tyson “Buddy,” b. 1931; Katherleen, b. 1934; Doris Lee, b. 1939; Shirley Ann, b. 1942; and Linda Dale, b. 1949.

John Avander’s brother, Aaron Harvey Jay, and his wife, Mary Ethel White, daughter of William and Frances (Brown) White, reared the following children: Christine, b. 1931, m.James Vester Thomasson; Donald, b. 1933; Harvey Dewitt, b.&d.1938; Winston Dow, b. 1941, m. Phyllis Ann Hutto; Mary Ann, b. 1945; Ethel Loraine, b. 1946; Roger Allen, b. 1949; and Harvey Leon, b. 1951, d. 1970.

John Avander’s sister, Agnes Faye Jay, and her husband, Louis Bruce Williams, had one son, J.W. “Sonny,” b. 1929, d. 2008.

John Avander’s sister, Ollie Mae Jay, and her husband, Roy W. Blackerby, had the following children: Nathaniel Leroy “Pete,” b. 1929; Eugene Roy, b. 1932; Frances Jeanette, b. 1934; Etta Faye, b. 1937; Betty Sue, b. 1945; Mary Janice, b. 1948; and Randall Dewayne “Randy,” b. 1951.

John Avander’s sister, Lila Elizabeth Jay, was married to Donavon Stroud “Dock” Stephens who was a well-known Baptist preacher in the area. Lila loved family and did much work on compiling even this Jay history. They reared the following children: Martha Merle, b. 1934; Eunice Faye “June,” b. 1936; Larry Donavon, b. 1944; and Brenda Dawn, b. 1953.

John Avander’s sister, Daisy Nadine, and her husband, Joel Tyson Williams, had the following children: Joe Paul, b. 1942; Jerry Eugene, b. 1943; and Ronald David, b. 1945, m. Jeanne Kay Smith.

Mildred Jay, daughter of Thomas Jefferson Jay, and her husband, Raymond Pruitt, son of Samuel Blake Pruitt, owned and operated the Pruitt’s’ Dry Cleaning Service in Andalusia. They reared a daughter, Marie, b. 1924, m. James Byrd Pierce, son of Thomas Jefferson Pierce of Opp.

Thomas Jefferson’s son, Thomas Jefferson Jay, Jr., enjoyed family genealogy. He and his wife, Etta Pearl Dawkins, reared one son, Thomas Jefferson Jay III, b. 1945, m. Jayne Margret Wilkinson. They also had three infants who died at birth.

Thomas Jefferson’s daughter, Ida Mae Jay, and her husband, O’dell Williams, reared one daughter, Barbara Joyce, b. 1944, m. (1) Robert Lee Baugh, Jr. (2) Edward Michael Freeman.

Thomas Jefferson’s daughter, Marjorie Jay, and her husband, James LaRue Driggers, son of John and Pearl (Corbitt) Driggers, lived in Andalusia and later moved to Colorado. They had two children: Joseph LaMar, b. 1948, m. Marsha Gail Johnson; and Pamela, b. 1951, m. (1) Mike Lizenby (2) William Robertson Waters, Jr. (3) Michael Williamson.

Thomas Jefferson’s daughter, Gloria Swanson Jay, and her husband, Windom Wilson Palmer, lived in Andalusia and later in Freeport, Texas. They reared the following children: Douglas Wayne, b. 1943, m. Mary Elizabeth King; Walter Max, b. 1945, m. Sherri Baker; Gloria Dianne, b. 1946, m. Gearl Henderson; and Roger Phillip, b. 1953, m. Margie Gorman.

Thomas Jefferson’s son, Max Pearl Jay, and his wife, Mary Blanche Soles, daughter of Henry and Mary (Corbitt) Soles, resided in Andalusia where he worked with the Coca Cola Plant. They reared three daughters: Rebekah Jane, b. 1951, m. (1) Joe Barton (2) Charles Hopkins; Melissa Ann, b. 1958, m. Eugene Crum Foshee, Jr.; and Mary Elizabeth, b. 1959, m. (1) Larry Tubbs (2) Steven Alan Thomas.

The descendants of Elizabeth (Jay) Stokes and her husband, Absalom L. Stokes, in the same generation as those above include the grandchildren of Burrell Jackson Stokes and his first wife, Cornelia Georgia Hare. Their oldest son, Wright Absalom “Ab” Stokes and his wife, Minnie Rabren, daughter of Henry and Martha (Fuqua) Rabren, reared the following children: Sadie, b. 1911, d. 2004, m. Marvin Garrett; Nina Belle, b. 1914, d. 1996, m. Bert Gorum; Corene, m. Egbert Hicks; Cornelia, m. (1) Melvin Decker (2) Bob Bundenthal (3) ? Hector; Silas, m. Louise Lunsford; and Sanford, m. Atha Pearl Oliver.

The oldest daughter, Mary Delilah, and her husband, James Henry Lafayette “Fate” Rabren, reared the following children in the Adellum community: Thelma Lee, b. 1906, d. 1971, m. Warren C. Girdner,Sr.; Edna, b. 1909, d. 1968, m. Ollie Fletcher; Burrell Joseph “Bill,” b. 1912, m. Lula Irene “Bobbie” Moore; Esther, b. 1915; d. 1941, single; Thomas Edward, b. 1921, d. 1981, m. Ella Mae “Squeek” Wade; and James Heflin, b. 1924, d. 1993, m. Jean King.

The next son, Leland Congdon Stokes, and wife, Callie Alabama Fuqua, daughter of John and Evelyn (Wishum) Fuqua, reared the following children in the Cedar Grove Church of Christ community: Ruby Evelyn, b. 1910, d. 1953, m. James Wesley Thomasson; Clifton Jackson, b. 1911, d. 1994, m. (1) Myrtle Rabren (2) Ruby (Peek) Bryant; Earl Hampton, b. 1914, d. 1937, m. Pauline Kirkland; John D., b. 1916, m. Mildred Thomas; Leland Congdon Jr. “L.C.,” b. 1920, d. 1994, m. Bonice Jones; and Bernice Leola, b. 1924, d. 2009, m. Robert Theron Holley.

Another son, Justice Lamar Stokes, and his wife, Flossie Sweet Huggins, reared the following children in the Cedar Grove Church of Christ community: Lydia Fay, b. 1915, d. 1953, m. Arthur Bray Goodman; Lurlie Rae, b. 1917, d. 2006, m. Duncan Little; Annie Maude, b. 1919, d. 1989, m. Joseph Richard Griggs, Sr.; Brooks, b. 1922, d. 1984, m. Eula C. Sandley; and Sybil Lenelle, b. 1933, m. Joseph Nall.

Another son, Matthew VanBuren Stokes, Sr., and his first wife, Agnes Leona Eiland, lived in the same community and had the following children: Clara Verna, b. 1917, m. William Columbus “Bill” Bass; Carlis James, b. 1921, d. 1922; Burnard, b.&d. 1920; Bonnie, b.&d. 1920; Gordon Lee, b.&d. 1923; and Matthew Vanburen Jr., b. 1927, d. 2008, m. (1) Louise Holley (2) Imogene Davis. M.V. Sr. and his second wife, Alma (Vaughn) Thompson, reared two daughters, Shirley Marie, b. 1936, m. Hill Moore Mock; and Lynda Yvonne, b. 1944, m. (1) Marlon Guy Thomas (2) Junlee Richey (3) George Waddell.

A daughter, Allie Phyllis Stokes, and her husband, Emory E. Rabren, son of Henry and Martha (Fuqua) Rabren, reared the following children in the same community: Justice Guy, b. 1916, d. 1986, m. (1) Mary E. ? (2) Emmett Ray; Eleanore Pauline, b. 1922, d. 1966, m. (1) Albert Clayton Blackwell (2) Wilson Alfred Williams; Rosa Beatrice, b. 1920, d. 1999, m. (1) Odis Bevis Dees (2) James Krammer (3) Willie Green Mullins; Emory E. Jr., b. 1924, d. 1994, m. Ornia Jewel Lee; Tempie Earline, b. 1928, m. Paul Ewashenko; and Dorise Jean, b. 1932, d. 1994, m. William L. McCoy.

Another daughter, Ellie C. Stokes, and her first husband, Lenzy Lamar Pruitt, son of Samuel Blake and Eddie Belle (Wall) Pruitt, reared four children in the Adellum community: Gordon Lee, b. ca 1924, d. 1994, m. (1) Eula C. Sandley (2) Hazel Gardner (3) Frances ?; L.E. Pruitt, b. 1926, d. 1965, m. (1) Mary Bush (2) June Mancil; Margaret Eunivae, b. 1929, m. Reedy Darrell Bozeman, Sr.; and Joy Dean, b. 1933, m. (1) Horace Homer Jackson (2) Al Blackmer (3) Otto Moyer.

Another daughter, Naomi Cornelia Stokes, and her husband, James Wesley Fuqua, son of John and Evelyn (Wishum) Fuqua, reared the following children in the Salem community: Beryl James, b. 1921, d. 1973, m. Mary Evelyn ?; Lillian Cornelia, b. 1923, m. Loyce Vaughn; Elma Evelyn, b. 1925, m. James Barron; John Wesley “J.W.,” m. Jane King; Thomas Roland, b. 1932, d. 1994, m. Kathleen M.?; Jeff Hines, b. 1938, m. (1) Arlene Stinson (2) Madalyn Turman; and Kathryn Neomia, b. 1944, m. William Fay Brown.

The youngest daughter, Eunice Eva Dell Stokes, and her first husband, Virgil Hiram Gilmer, had three children: Euveda, b.&d. 1921; Elwood Hiram, b. 1923, d. 1970, m. Mildred Frances Simpler; and Eleanor Virginia, b. 1926, m. Grady Huggins. Eunice and her second husband, Wayne Geral Hudgins, had an adopted daughter, Shirley, m. Hal Walding.

There are many other Jay descendants in this and later generations that space does not permit covering. Anyone desiring more information may contact this writer.

The source for today’s writing includes the records of Winston Dow Jay and this writer, Curtis Thomasson.

Anyone with any questions or corrections to the above information or who might have additional data on this family is requested to contact Curtis Thomasson by writing to 20357 Blake Pruitt Road, Andalusia, AL 36420; calling 334-222-6467; or e-mailing cthomasson@centurytel.net.