Re: Jettons of Walker Co AL

Bob,

First and foremost, a huge thank you.A few years ago you gave me a bit of info that aided me in a deliberate dismantling of a stubborn brick wall on this Alexander side of my family.My research although intermittent, has been unending and now, just back from a venture in Mecklenburg County, where I did attend some of the MecDec celebratory events, I’ve been able to confirm quite a bit and discern other bits.And I must add, the library and history museum in Charlotte have treasure troves of information/documentation.

Besides your post #200, I am also referring to info posted by Ed Neal #213 and (to) Sue Vines #332.

Ezekiel(1) Alexander and Rachel Price had five children:
Susannah
Arminta (Minty)
Keziah
Ezekiel(2) (my GG Grandfather)
John Hampton

These five children (and only these) are referenced 7 times (as children of Ezekiel(1) decd) between 1823 and 1830 in the Mecklenburg Co. NC, Court Minutes.

Yes, Ezekiel(2) did mention a brother James (with daughter, Rachel Kezia) in the letter he wrote (2/3/1848) to kinsmen in Mecklenburg, recorded in the Alexander Notebooks by Dr. Alvah Stafford.This is James S. Jetton, recorded in the 1860 Census (06/21/1860), Walker Co., AL, age 32, born in NC (birth c.1828), wife, Hannah M., daughter Rachel, age 14 (birth c.1846), along with 5 other children.

Ephraim Jetton and Rachel Price were still in Mecklenburg Co. in 1828, as “Ephraim Jetton came into Court and Surrendered his guardianship of Susannah, Minty, Kezia, Ezekiel & Hampton Alexander, Heirs of Ezekiel Alexander, Decd., and Robert D. Alexander was appointed in his Stead who appeared in Court and gave bond with Wm. L. Davidson & Benj. W. Davidson, Securities, in the Sum of $4000.” 1828 February Session (Actual date: Monday, 02/25/1828).

These Davidsons are kinsmen on Rachel’s mother’s side of the family.

Then, 1828 May Session: [Saturday (31st) of May]--court adjourned over to Saturday--
Deed Ephraim Jetton to John Knox, for 105 acres of Land Bearing date the 25th of Jany. 1828, [proved] by James Doherty.

I suspect this was preparatory for the sojourn to Gadsden Co., FL.

Sometime before June 21st, 1828, James, son of Ephraim & Rachel was born in NC (1860 Census).
The following year 1829, Isabella, daughter of Ephraim & Rachel was born in Gadsden Co., FL.On Mar 17, 1930, Joseph Sylvester, son of Ephraim & Rachel was born in Gadsden Co., FL.

In the Jun 1830 Census Ephriam Jetton is in Gadsden Co., FL with 5 males & 5 females in the household, age ranges recorded in this Census match the ages of all the Alexander children, the latter born Jetton children, he and Rachel.

[The following bit of info is that which I thank you for...]
Recorded on 25 Oct 1830 in the Register of Deeds Office, Mecklenburg County Courthouse, Charlotte, North Carolina, Book 22, pg 28:
Robt. Hill Davidson, John M. W. Davidson, and Ephraim Jetton were bound unto Joseph McBride, Justice of County Court of Gadsden County, Territory of Florida. Guardianship bond for Susan, Minty, Keziah, Ezekiel and Hampton Alexander, children of Ezekiel Alexander, deceased, formerly of the State of North Carolina.

Robert H.M. and John M.W. Davidson, along with Ephraim & Rachel & others went to Gadsden Co., FL.These Davidsons are 2nd cousins to Rachel, sons of John “Jacky” Davidson, Jr., son of Maj. John Davidson.These Davidsons remained in FL.

Following this in the court minutes of Mecklenburg Co.:
1830. November Session: [Wednesday (24th) of November]388
Ordered by Court that Robert D. Alexander deliver to Robert H.M. Davidson, a properly Authorized guardian of Minty, Kezia, Ezekiel, Hampton & Susan Alexander, Children of Ezekiel Alexander, Decd., who are now residents of the Territory of Florida, and property which may be in his hands as guardian of the aforesaid Children of this County.

1830. November Session: [Saturday (27th) in November]396
Robert H. M. Davidson, Guardian of Minty, Keziah, Ezekiel, Hampton & Susan Alexander, children of Ezekiel Alexander, Decd., who gave bond in $4000 in the Territory of Florida, Gadsden County, which was Ordered to be recorded on the Certificate endorsed thereon [This instrument is not dated].

In the 1840 Census, Ephriam Jetton is found in Walker Co., AL.In his household are:
Males: 10-14 yrs: 2 (Joseph & James Jetton)
15-19 yrs: 1 (John Hampton Alexander)
20-29 yrs: 1 (Ezekiel Alexander)
40-50 yrs: 1 (Ephriam Jetton)
Females:10-15 yrs: 1 (Isabella Jetton)
40-50 yrs: 1 (Rachel Jetton)
Slave Males:10-23 yrs: 3;
Slave Females:10-23 yrs: 1
Thus, the Alexander girls, born to Ezekiel(1) and Rachel, are no longer in the household.

The 1840 Tax List for Walker County, AL, Beat 9, shows Ezekiel(2) Alexander with 1 slave.

The next record we have is the letter written by Ezekiel(2), recorded in the Alexander Notebooks:
-- actual text, nothing changed --[Stafford, Dr. Alvah. 1985. Alexander Notebooks. p. 32.]
“(a)Ezekial was living in Walker County, Ala., Feb. 3 1848.He wrote a family letter from Walker county on that date to a kinsman in Mecklenburg county, N.C.Evidently many of his relatives were living in Alabama.He reported that:his brother Hampton, had daughters Rachel, Elizabeth, Margaret, and Isabella; his brother, James, had a daughter Rachel Kezia; sister Araminta (Minty) married John W. Evans andhad three daughters and a son; sister, Susannah, had children Margaret Kezia, Katherine Ann Harrison and Rachel Susannah; his mother was living; “Cousin John M. was the son of Eli (Eli, Martin); “Cousin Augustus Alex’r, of Miss., and his brother “Cousin Martin Alex’r, a successful physician of La.”; their “mother , brothers and sisters of Tenn., are well”; and he speaks of Brother Absolem Barton and sister Kezia”.(Augustus and Martin may have been sons of Ephraim (son of Amos, Martin) who married Margaret Price.)...”

To elaborate, using deductive reasoning and discernment of records is that brother Hampton did not have four daughters at this time, but two, (1) named Rachel Elizabeth and (2) named Margaret Isabella.John Hampton appears also in the 1860 Census of Walker Co., married to Malinda with 7 children, the eldest Rachel E, age 14, next Margaret I, age 12 and the next too young to have been included in the writing of the 1848 letter.This is further justified in that Ezekiel(2), in his letter of 1848, named all other children by their first and middle names if not by their entire name.

Cousins, Augustus and Martin are actually double first cousins as the children of Ephriam Alexander (brother to Ezekiel(1)) and Margaret Price, sister to Rachel Price-Alexander-Jetton.Ephriam Alexander and wife Margaret were in Hickman, TN and died there.

In 1850 names of every person in the household were recorded for the first time in census history.
Jetton was improperly spelled as J-e-t-u-n:
From the 1850 Census for the 12th District of Walker County, AL,
Enumeration Date: 8 Nov 1850,page 300B, Lines 18-22:
Ephraim Jetun, age 56, male, farmer, value of real estate $500.00, birthplace: NC
Rachel Jetun, age 58, female, birthplace: NC
Joseph Jetun, age 20, male, farming, birthplace: Florida
Isabella Jetun, age 21, female, birthplace: Florida
Ezekiel Alexander, age 28, male, farmer, birthplace: NC

1860 - Page #1, Schedule #2, Slave Inhabitants in Eastern Division in the County of Walker, Sate of Alabama, enumerated by me, on the 1st? day of June 1860.
Column 2 Line 21-23
John H Alexander, 1, ?, M, B, __, x, __, __, 1
Ephriam Jetton, Sr?, 1 40, M, B, __, __, __, __, __
Ezekiel Alexander, 1, 35?(difficult to read), M, B, __, x, __, __, 1

In the 1860 Census we find John Hampton Alexander two doors from Ephriam Jetton (Author's note:the one household between them happens to be kinsmen on my paternal side of the family.)
From the 1860 Census for the Eastern Division of Walker County, AL, Jasper Post Office, Enumeration Date: 18 Jun 1860, page 23, Lines 16-24:
John H. Alexander, age 36, male, farmer, RE value $2000.00, PE value $2500.00, bp: NC
Malinda (BROACH) Alexander, age 26, female, domestic, birthplace TN
Rachel E. Alexander, age 14, female, birthplace AL
Margaret I. Alexander, age 12, female, birthplace AL
Araminta K. Alexander, age 10, female, birthplace AL
John B. Alexander, age 8, male, birthplace AL
Joseph M. Alexander, age 5, male, birthplace AL
Mary J. Alexander, age 3, female, birthplace AL
Ezekiel P. Alexander, age 1, male, birthplace AL

Lines 37-39:
Ephrame Jetton, age 64, male, farmer, RE value $2000.00, PE value $1500.00, bp: NC
Ezekiel Alexander, age 40, male, birthplace NC
Catherine Black, age 20, female, domestic, AL

This census record puts Rachel's death between 8 Nov 1850 and 18 Jun 1860.Rachel is buried in Friendship Cemetery, AL, Walker Co., Cordova (unmarked).

As the time is coming close to the advent of Ezekiel(2)'s own family...also recorded:
From the 1860 Census for the Eastern Division of Walker County, AL, Jasper Post Office, Enumeration Date: 21 Jun 1860, page 27, Lines 20-30:
William Underwood, age 47, male, farmer, RE value $500.00, PE value $90.00, bp: NC
Mary (Nancy) E. (STRANGE) Underwood, age 37, female, domestic, birthplace SC
Elender (Elenore) E. Underwood, age 17, female, domestic, birthplace SC (Ezekiel(2)’s future bride)
Margaret A. Underwood, age 16, female, domestic, birthplace SC
Mary J. Underwood, age 14, female, birthplace SC
Emily F. Underwood, age 11, female, birthplace SC
Henry L. Underwood, age 8, male, birthplace NC
Eliza C. Underwood, age 5, female, birthplace SC
Lazar (Laura) S. Underwood, age 3, female, birthplace SC
John A. B. Underwood, age 1, male, birthplace SC
Elizabeth Strange, age 72, female, birthplace SC (Mary's mother.She was also with this family in the 1850 York, SC Census)

Sometime within the next year Ezekiel(2) Alexander married “Ellen” Underwood (YES, vast age difference)
Children born of this marriage: (3)
1) Catherine Ann Alexander b.27 Feb 1862, d.19 Dec 1957, buried Mt. Cedrum, AL, Walker Co., Cordova (marked--on a tranquil hill next to her young daughter) m. 1885 George Sanford Tuggle b. 7 Feb 1865, d. 1 Jan 1929 buried Friendship Cemetery AL, Walker Co., Cordova (marked). Six children and many descendants.
2)George Washington Alexander b.10 Oct 1866, d.10 Jul 1912, buried Mt. Carmel Baptist Church, AL, Walker Co., Cordova (marked) m.(1) c.1881 Ida A. ? b.17 Mar 1869, d.9 Dec 1881 (in childbirth), buried Friendship Cemetery AL, Walker Co., Cordova (marked), next to infant daughter of G.W. & I.A. Alexander; m.(2) c.1890 Dora ?, b.22 Jul 1869, d.11 Feb 1901.One daughter, never married.
3)Gilbert Lafayette Alexander b.27 Jun 1869, d.22 Jan 1930, buried Mt. Carmel Baptist Church, AL, Walker Co., Cordova (marked) m. Mary Lou Hallman b.11 Jan 1880, d.8 Apr 1972, buried Mt. Carmel Baptist Church, AL, Walker Co., Cordova (marked). Twelve children and many descendants--of which I am one!

There is a Family Reunion of the Alexander/Hallman/Jetton Families held at the Cordova High School in Walker Co. each year on the 3rd Saturday in June.Come one, come all!

Now specifically to the post #213 by Ed Neal:Who is William?

To Sue Vines, post #332, are you in the Walker Co. area?Haven’t I heard your name? Let’s talk!

Bob -- thank you.

Belinda
Savannah, GA