A search for the burial site in Covington County of a Confederate veteran led to this feature on the Batson family.

Although this name is practically nonexistent in the county today, there was a large family who resided here after the end of the War Between the States.

Prior to moving to Covington County, several Batson families resided in Coosa County in 1850 and later in Jefferson County in 1860.

Their ancestors had lived previously in Virginia and then South Carolina.

The earliest one identified is William Batt (Batson) who was born in 1760 in Virginia and died in 1824 in Chesterfield, S.C.

He was married to Lucy (Outlaw) (1765-1835), and they had a son, William Batson, born in 1799 in Culpepper, Va., who moved to Jefferson County.

William Batson was married to Pheobe Mahon (1805-1880), and they reared a large family. Various records indicate they may have had the following 14 children: Nathan, b. 1822, d. 1870; Rebecca, b. 1822, d. 1915; John R., b. 1823, d. 1901; George Washington, b. 1827, d. 1904, m. Mary E. Sewell; William H., b. 1828, d. 1920, m. Mary Kelly; Phoebe Pluby, b. 1830, d. 1865, m. William Vessel; Charles, b. 1833, d. 1925; Zilphia, b. 1835, d. 1919, m. Charles Gilliland; Mary, b. 1835, d. 1864; Elizabeth, b. 1836, d. 1910, m. Nicholas Jordan; Arena “Irena,” b. 1836, d. 1900, m. H.G. Harden; Zilpher, b. 1838; Benjamin Franklin, b. 1840, d. 1862; and David, b. 1845, d. 1910.

There is some question as to whether Charles, Mary and Zilpher were indeed the children of William and Pheobe.

The older children of William and Pheobe were born in Milledgeville, Ga., before the family moved to Autauga County before 1850.

Several of the sons served in the Confederate Army – Nathan possibly with a Mississippi Company, George W. and David in the 28th Ala., and William in the home guards.

As the children were beginning to settle into their own homes, several of them moved into Florida, and their descendants have an annual family reunion there.

David Batson enlisted for service first in 1863 in Jefferson County, and he then reenlisted in 1864 at Dalton, Ga.

He was assigned to Company G, 28th Ala. Infantry Regiment.

He served with his unit at Corinth, Munfordville, Murfreesboro, Chickamauga, Lookout Mountain, Missionary Ridge, the Dalton-Atlanta Campaign and Ezra Chapel.

While on picket duty on Aug. 10, 1864, near Atlanta, he was shot in the left arm.

He later contracted gangrene, which caused his arm to be amputated just below the shoulder.

He was in the Floyd House and Okmulgee Hospital in Macon, Ga. on Oct. 3, 1864.

He was retired from service on Dec. 20, 1864, and he began his long trip home.

His brother, George W., continued serving in the same unit.

At least three of the sons purchased government land in Covington County where they settled.

In 1895, David homesteaded 160.24 acres in the Horn Hill community. In 1897, William J. homesteaded 120.18 acres in the New Hope community.

In 1910, George W. homesteaded 40.92 acres of designated railroad land in the Horn Hill area.

David Batson was the descendant to bring his family to Covington County during the late 1860s after he was released from service in the Confederate Army.

He was born in 1845 in Coosa County and lived until 1910.

At his death, he was buried in the Enon Cemetery in the southeast area of Covington County. His grave has been located, and it has a nice headstone with appropriate dates.

It is hoped that in the future a marker designating his Confederate service will be placed at the site.

It is believed that his wife is buried next to him, but there is no headstone.

It is also understood that several other family members are buried there without any headstones.

David was married 1861 to Serena or Arrena “Reaney” Frazier, daughter of John and Elizabeth (Gay) Frazier. Serena was born in 1846 in Georgia and died in 1916 in Covington County.

David supported his family by farming and working as a schoolteacher.

It is believed that at one time he was a member of the local board of education.

They mostly resided in the Green Bay community where David was appointed registrar for Covington County in1903.

David and Serena had 11 children, with 10 of them reaching adulthood.

These included the following: William J., b. 1866, d. 1940, m. (1) Georgia Anna ? (1867-1904) (2) Leona Fannie ?; David Jr., b. 1871, d. 1957, m. 1895 Amanda Jane Livings (1878-1967); Benjamin Franklin “Frank,” b. 1872, d. 1920, m. Susan Cassidy; Abbey, b. 1874, d. 1955; Robert Lee, b. 1875, d. 1964, m. 1898 Elizabeth “Lizzie” Rebecca Turbeville (1881-1963); Thomas Jefferson, b. 1878, m. Adaline ?; James J., b. 1886, m. Lanie ?; George Washington, b. 1888, d. 1963, m Nancy E. Dubose (1884-1980); Asbury “Berry” Price, b. 1889, d. 1962, m. Liddie Lavonia Turbeville; and Alice, b. 1892.

The oldest son, William J. Batson, and his first wife, Georgia Anna, had the following children: Melinda “Linnie,” b. 1891; Luna B., b. 1892; Milton, b. 1895, d. 1963; and Dewey, b. 1900, d. 1964. William and his second wife, Leona Fannie, reared the following three children: Iler, b. 1906; Dempsey, b. 1908; and Winifred, b. 1910.

The second son, David Batson Jr., was married in 1895 to Amanda Jane Livings, daughter of Robert Wesley and Mary Mollie (Catrett) Livings.

In 1930, they were living in Avon, Fla., and had the following children with them at the time: David J., 17; Arthur, 16; and Comer A., 14.

The son, Benjamin Franklin Batson, was a farmer, and he was married to Susannah “Susan” Cassidy.

They had the following children in their home in Green Bay when the 1910 census was enumerated: Emma Mandy, 15; Minnie B., 12; Charlie L., 9.

They also had a grandson, Hardie L. Johnson, living in their home. Ten years earlier in 1900, they had an older son, Jose P., 8, at the time. In 1930, Susannah was a widow living in the McRae precinct.

The son, Robert Lee Batson, was married to Elizabeth “Lizzie” Rebecca Turbeville, daughter of James Monroe and Mary Frances Ameta (Mitchell) Turbeville. In 1910, they had the following children: Pearlie, 10; Mark H., 9; Amie Ruby, 7; John D., 3; and Willie 4 months.

Ten years later, they had two additional children, Rutha and Frances.

The son, Thomas Jefferson Batson, and his wife, Adaline E., resided in the Cardina community in 1920 and had the following children at the time: Fannie L., 15; Wade or William F., 12; Homer H., 9; and Lizzie, 5.

The son, James J. Batson, and his wife, Lanie, lived in the McRae Community and had the following children in 1920: Harvey, 10; Bessie, 9; Carlus, 6; James S. 4.

The son, George Washington Batson, was married to Nancy E. Dubose, daughter of Jeptha James and Elizabeth “Betty” (Butts) Dubose. In 1920, the family resided in Opp and had the following children in their home: Early, 11; Curtis, 10; Myrtis, 8; Posey, 5; Nalia V., 3; Mildred E., 1; and infant Thelma. A couple of years later they had Clara M.

The youngest son, Asbury “Berry” Price Batson, and his wife, Lydia “Liddie” Lavonia, had a son, Walter, 4 months old in 1910.

His parents, David and Serena, were living with them in the George precinct.

Sources for this writing include Ancestry.com, census records, Wyley’s Ward’s Original Land Sales and Grants in Covington County, Alabama, and information provided by Dennis Murphy.

Some of this data is not as complete as desired, but anyone who has a correction or additional information on this family is requested to contact this writer.

He hopes that someone in the family will continue to compile Batson genealogy and make it available to those with interest.

Contact him, Curtis Thomasson, at 30357 Blake Pruitt Road, Andalusia, AL 36420; 334-222-6467; or email: cthomasson@centurytel.net.