The subject of today’s column will be another Bailey family, which is different from the one in last week’s column.

The ancestor of this lineage who brought the family to Covington County appears to be Shadrick Bailey.

Shadrick Bailey was born circa 1780 in North Carolina.

He migrated to Covington County, Ala., sometime before 1850 because he and his family were enumerated in the federal census of that year.

At that time the family consisted of the following: Shadrick, 70; Polley or Polly (Meeks), 65; Butler, 12; Andrew, 11; Catharine, 9; and Caroline, 7. It appears he and Polly were rather old to have children this age, so they could be grandchildren.

Polly was born in 1785 in North Carolina also.

Shadrick died in 1859 in Alabama.

In 1854, he had purchased two tracts of land in Covington County–40.12 acres in the Horn Hill Township and 40.15 acres in the Wiggins Township.

Also, a William H. Bailey acquired 120.06 acres in the Wiggins Township in 1854. He may have been a brother to Shadrick.

Only the following information on this family is known to this writer.

After Shadrick’s death in 1859, the family remained in Covington County.

The oldest son, Butler W. Bailey, was married to Ann Caroline Dorsey (1841-1973) and had two children: William Joesire, b. 1866, d. 1930; and Dora Henryetta, b. 1865, d. 1935.

At some point, Butler Baily moved to Colfax, Texas, where he died in 1886.

Shadrick’s youngest daughter, Caroline Bailey, was married to James M. Jordan ((843-1913), son of William Enoch Jordan (1803-1873) and Jamima (Reynolds) (1810-1855). They reared four children in Covington County, and most of them remained here.

They were Henry, b. 1872, d. 1949; Robert, b. 1874, d. 1941; Georgianna, b. 1876, d. 1968; and Joeanna, b. 1876, d. 1937.

After further research, this writer believes that the Shadrick Bailey line is related to that of another Bailey family line settling in Covington County and surrounding areas.

According to Ancestry.com they appear to descend from a common ancestor, Henry Bailey (1666-1707), who was the immigrant from Gillingham, Kent, England to America.

After he arrived in South Carolina, Henry was married to Sarah Collins (1668-1715) who was born in Charleston, S.C. They had a son named Ralph Bailey (1688-1741) who was married to Mary (Fripp) (1690-1750).

Ralph Bailey and his wife, Mary, reared a son named Ralph Bailey II (1728-1768) who was born in Edisto Island, S.C. Ralph II was married to Elizabeth Jenkins (1730-1768).

They had a son named Ralph Bailey III (1752-1798) who was also born in Edisto Island.

He was married first to Elizabeth Seabrook (1756-1778) and second to Mary Splatt (1756-1829). Ralph Bailey III and his wife, Mary had a son named Henry Bailey (1782-1828) who was born in Edisto Island, Charleston, S.C. He was married first to Sarah Calder Baynard (1789-1819) and second to Ann Goodwin Baynard.

Henry and his first wife, Sarah Calder Baynard, had a son named Matthew Coaston (Coston ?) Bailey Sr. (1823-1863). He was born in Marion, S.C. and died in a hospital in Atlanta, Ga. Records show him marrying Elizabeth Henley, daughter of Thomas H. Henley and Susannah (Moody), in 1852. The 1850 federal census lists them together in the household of Alfred Holley. A few years later in 1856, he purchased 40.19 acres of government land in the Union Township, located in the extreme northeast corner of Covington County at that time. In January 1861 Matthew C. was commissioned a Second Lieutenant for Beat #3 Company, 60th Regiment (Covington County), 8th Brigade, 11th Division, of the Alabama Militia. On January 28, 1863, at the age of 45 years, he enlisted at Rose Hill in Covington County to serve as a private in Company B, 18th Alabama Infantry Regiment. He died July 1864 in a hospital in Atlanta, which left Elizabeth a widow with a large number of children to rear.

Matthew Coston Bailey Sr. and wife, Elizabeth, reared the following children: Sarah Ann Matilda, b. 1853, d. 1939, m. Dock Robbins; Emmaline “Emerly” J., b. 1855, d. 1928; Jasper Marion “Bulger, b. 1857, d. 1936, m. (1) Mary Molly “Molcie or Mausley” Sasser (1853-1906) (2) Martha “Mattie” Caroline Harbuck (1879-1966); Georgeann, b. 1858; Mary Elizabeth “Molly,” b. 1859, d. 1940; Susan, b. 1860, d. 1901; and Matthew Coston Jr. “Doc,” b. 1863, d. 1937, m. (1) 1882 Tera Esther Drake (1861-1912) (2) 1916 Carrie Delilah Wilson (1899-1965). (Matthew C. Bailey Sr. may have been buried in the Payne Cemetery, but no longer recognizable, which is located in the Union community near Burnout.

His wife, Elizabeth’s, parents, Thomas H. and Susannah (Moody) Henley, are reported to have been buried there.)

The oldest son, Jasper Marion “Bulger” Bailey, was born in 1857 in the Rose Hill community.

In 1892 he homesteaded 120.17 acres of land in the Union Township where his family lived.

He was married first to Mary Molly “Molcie or Mausley” Sasser (1853-1906), and they reared the following children: Jasper Coleman, b. 1875, d. 1940; Georgianna, b. 1876, d. 1967; Jasper Lowman, b. 1879, d. 1951; Lennie Malissa, b. 1882, d. 1963, m. George Mitchell Wiggins (1879-1958); Beley Roman, b. 1888, d. 1968; Matthew Clanton, b. 1892, d. 1963, m. Donie V. Coon (1902-1979); Emma Emily, b. 1893-1976; Sweetie Esther, b. 1896, d. 1978. Mary Molly died in 1906 and was buried in a cemetery near Florala.

After Mary Molly’s death, Jasper Marion Bailey was married second to Martha “Mattie” Caroline Harbuck.

They reared at least the following three children: Emmett Vestor, b. 1912; William F., b. 1918, d. 1990; and Jasper Dempsey, b. 1921, d. 2007.

There may have been a few other children by either of the two wives.

Jasper Marion’s youngest son, Matthew Clanton Bailey, and his wife, Donie V. (Coon), reared five children: Ocie Mae, b. 1922, d. 1943, single; Austin Veston “A.V.”, d. 1967, m. Catherine Ham; Velma, m. Mercer Ham; Clanton, m. Ada Dillard; and Veston Horace, m. Jeanette Merrill. The oldest son, Austin Veston Bailey, and his wife, Donie, reared six children: Horace Junior; Gayle Weeks; Rebecca McCurley; Cathy, d. at age 13; Peggy Wood; and Austin Jeffery “Jeff.”

The youngest son, Jeff Bailey, is owner and pharmacist at the new Bailey’s Pharmacy in Andalusia.

He also serves on the Covington County Board of Education.

Matthew Coston Bailey’s youngest son, Matthew Coston Bailey Jr., was married twice. His family resided in the Williams Precinct of Covington County and Mt. Ida and Leon in Crenshaw County.

He and his first wife, Tera Esther (Drake), daughter of James Tarlton Drake (1833-1916) and Susannah A. “Suckey” (Butler), had the following children: Hollie Henry, b.1891; Matthew Causton “Doc.,” b. 1893; Tera Esther, b. 1895; Julish, b. 1900; and Pulaski, b. 1902.

He and his second wife, Carrie (Wilson) reared at least the following children: Andrew Jackson, Mary Elizabeth, John W., Susie M. and Nellie N.

This Bailey family continues to render public service in Covington County.

It is hoped that some of these descendants will be able to provide additional history and genealogy to expand on this review.

Sources for today’s writing include Ancestry.com, census records, Wyley D. Ward’s Original Land Sales and Grants in Covington County, Alabama, Alabama Civil War Records, and an interview with Jeff Bailey.

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