In a much earlier column the Solomon Beasley family of Covington County, Ala., was featured.

Since that time additional genealogy and family history has been researched.

Ancestors of this family migrated from New Hanover County, N.C., to Jefferson County, Ga., in 1813. During the early 1820s,

Solomon Beasley moved west to Butler County, Ala., in an area that would later fall in Lowndes County.

By 1844, he had moved south into Covington County where he was elected to serve as a Justice of the Peace for Beat Six.

According to Ancestry.com the immigrant ancestor of this family was one William Beasley who was born in 1630 in Hampton, England, and died in Essex, Va.

He was married to Elizabeth Ripley who was born in 1639 in Lancastershire, England.

Their son, William Beasley was born in 1658 in Lancastershire, England, and died in 1719 in Virginia.

The name of his wife is not known, but they had a son named John Beasley who was born in 1685 in North Carolina.

John was married to Sarah Joanne Jenkins (1685-1755) and died in 1755.

They had a son, Solomon Beasley, who was born in 1707 in Craven County, N.C. and married Rachael Eda Taylor (1717-1789.

Solomon and Rachael had a son, Abraham Beasley, born in 1744, who married Mary Heath (1748-1803).

Abraham and Mary were listed as having died in New Hanover County, N.C.

They had a son named Solomon Beasley who is the one whose lineage is being presented in today’s writing.

Solomon was first married circa 1794 in Hanover County to Nancy Henderson.

They had the following two children: Nathaniel, b. 1796, d. after 1850; and Elijah, b. 1799, d. 1881, m. 1825 Nancy Vilatin Hobbs.

Then Solomon was next married to Cassander Eclin in 1799.

They had the following children: Dorcus, b. 1805, m. Jacob Hobbs; Austin or Orston, b. 1807, d. 1852, m. (1) 1830 Elizabeth Hayes (2) 1840 Celia Moore; Fred, b. 1808; Samuel/Lemuel, b. 1809, d. before 1860; Enoch, b. 1813, d. before 1870; Abraham, b. 1814, d. 1875; Elizabeth, b. 1815; Delana, 1817; and Viola/Wiolia, b. 1818.

Note most of the children had Biblical names, and Solomon was identified in some records as a minister with Initials H.S.B. (Hard Shell Baptist or Primitive Baptist).

Most of these children settled in the Red Level settlement of Covington County, Ala., where they became leaders in the growth of that community.

The sons purchased sizable tracts of land and were prominent farmers.

Abraham acquired land southeast of the current Fairmount Baptist Church in Red Level and donated some land for the cemetery. During the 1850s the Beasley families helped build and grow the church, which is still very active.

By 1870 Elijah and his family had migrated to the Bluff Springs area of Escambia County, Fla.

He and his wife were buried there in the Pleasant Hill Baptist Church Cemetery.

Elijah Beasley was married to Nancy Vilatin Hobbs who was born circa 1801 and died 1872.

They reared the following children: Meredith, b. 1826, d. 1871, m. Irenea Miles; Nancy, b. 1829; Susannah, b. 1833; Wealthy, b. 1837, m. 1853 William H. Bowman; Vilather Violette “Bettie Ann,” b. 1841, m. (1) Isaac J. Hines (2) 1861 Egbert B. Coker; Mary Ann, b. 1842, d. 1914, m. F.M. Miles; and Sarah Ann, b. 1844, m. Martin VanBuren Hare.

The oldest daughter, Dorcus Beasley, was married to Jacob Hobbs circa 1822 in Butler County, Ala.

They had seven children including the following four: Jane, b. ca 1829; Jacob, b. ca 1933; Elizabeth, b. ca 1837; and Rosetta, b. ca 1848.

The next son, Auston/Orston Beasley, was first married in 1830 in Montgomery, Ala., to Elizabeth Hayes May (1811-1839). They were residing in Georgiana, Butler County, Ala., when Elizabeth passed away.

They had the following children before her death: Samuel, b. 1831; Sarah, b.&d. 1832; John Henry Sr, b. 1833, d. 1863 during W.B.T.S.; Martha Ann, b. 1835, d. 1842; Nancy, b. 1836; and James “Jim,” b. 1837, d. 1910.

Auston Beasley was married second in 1840 to Celia Moor (1818-1875), daughter of William and Margaret Moore.

They reared his children with Elizabeth as well as the following of their own: Sarah Elizabeth, b. 1841, d. 1917; Calvin Auston, b. 1842, d. 1911; Jane/Jeanette, b. 1843, d. 1914, m. Dr. Alexander G. Adkinson; Margaret, b. 1846, d. 1918; Sarah Ann, b. 1848, d. 1914; Elijah Jackson, b. 1849, d. 1931, Nancy Jane Mason (1852-1931); Eliza, b. 1850; and Col. Orston/Auston, b. 1851, d. 1937.

Most of these children lived and reared their families in Red Level and were buried there at their deaths in the Fairmount Baptist Church Cemetery.

Another son, Samuel or Lemuel Beasley, was born in 1809 in North Carolina and died before 1860 in Conecuh County, Ala.

His wife’s name was Martha, and she was born in 1807.

They reared the following children: Samuel/Lemuel Jr., b. 1837; William, b. 1839; Edmund, b. 1841; Thomas, b. 1843; and Josephine, b. 1845.

The next son, Enoch Beasley, was born in 1813 in Dublin County, N.C., and died before 1870 in Butler County, Ala.

He was buried in the Elizabeth Primitive Baptist Church in McKenzie.

He was married circa 1836 to Rebecca Phillips (1820-1880), daughter of James S. Phillips. They reared the following children: Malinda, b. 1837; Winna, b. 1838, d. 1934; Darinella ?Linsall, b. 1842; Lucinda, b. 1843; Eldridge, b. 1844, d. 1862 during W.B.T.S.; Abraham VI, b. 1845; Blackstone, b. 1845, d. 1900; James, b. 1847, m. Saphrine ?; Sam, b. 1848; Frances, b. 1852; Nathan A., b. 1855; Mary J., b. 1858; Nancy, b. 1859; Unknown, b. 1839; and Hullery Sr., b. ca 1846.

The next son, Abraham Beasley, was born in 1814 in Jefferson County, Ga., and died in 1875 in Red Level where he was buried in the Fairmount Cemetery. He was married to Happserbeth “Happy” Wood in 1835.

They reared the following children: Henry, b. 1835; Melvin, b. 1837; Megan Linny, b. 1839; William, b. ca 1841; Enoch, b. 1844; Benjamin, b. 1848; and Wiley B., b. ca 1851.

The next daughter, Elizabeth Beasley, was also born in Jefferson County, Ga., in 1815. She was married to Elbert Jones (1789-1863) in 1846 in Covington County, Ala.

They reared the following four children: Minerva B., b. 1849, m. 1870 John Gipson; Russell M., b. 1851, m. 1875 Madora S. Daniels; Naomi H., b. 1854; and Nehemiah.

The above story covers the records this writer has on the children of Solomon and his two wives, Nancy (Henderson) and Cassander (Eclin).

Additional genealogy is available on some of their grandchildren, which will be included in next week’s column.

Anyone who might find an error in the above information or who has additional history on the Beasley family of Covington County is requested to contact this writer, Curtis Thomasson, at 20357 Blake Pruitt Road, Andalusia, AL 36420; 334-804-1442; or Email: cthomasson@centurytel.net.

The sources for this writing include family records compiled by Lenora C. Heise, history shared by Donna (Chism) Fountain and Ancestry.com.

HISTORICAL MEETING:

The Covington Historical Society will be meeting at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, October 27, in the Dixon Memorial Room of the Andalusia Public Library.

Anyone interested in learning and preserving local history is encouraged to visit, and new members are desired.