George Alford

Notes:

Barbara Yancey Dore notes he married third a Dicey, Mrs. Graves, on 30 July 1906 in Sabine County. Dicey was the daughter of Julius C. Alford, and a cousin of his.

(Research):Census Listings:

1860 Census
Louisiana, Sabine Parish, Many
Enumerated 7 July 1860
Page 52
358-358
N.B. Alford 33 M Farmer $200 $1000 La
Ruthie Alford 30 F La
Alexander Alford 7 M La
George Alford 5 M La
Mary Alford 1 F La
Flora Norsis 23 M Farmer Laborur La
C.D. Carroll 34 M Farmer $850 $270 NC

1870 Census
Texas, Sabine County, Hemphill Beat No. 1
Enumerated 28 June 187
Page 5, Stamped 3
36-36
Alford, N.B. 42 M W Farmer $200 $800 La
Alford, Francis A 34 F W Keeping House Miss
Alford, Needham L 9 M W La
Alford, Ruth L 7 F W La
Alford, Samantha 4 F W Tx
Alford, Jesse 1 m W Tx
Ellen Steele 10 F W Orphan Tx
Susan Steele 8 F W Orphan Tx


1880 Federal Census

Household:
Name Relation Marital Status Gender Race Age Birthplace Oc
cupation Father's Birthplace Mother's Birthplace
Needham B. ALFORD Self M Male W 53 LA Farmer GA LA
Francies A. ALFORD Wife M Female W 45 MS Keeps House TN MS
Ellen Z. STEEL SDau S Female W 21 LA Farm Laborer KY TN
Susan N. STEEL SDau S Female W 18 LA Farm Laborer --- ---
Ruth A. STEEL Dau S Female W 16 LA Farm Laborer --- ---
Jessie P. ALFORD Son S Male W 9 TX At School --- ---
Francies H. ALFORD Dau S Female W 8 TX --- ---
Source Information:
Census Place Precinct 1, Sabine, Texas
Family History Library Film 1255325 NA Film Number T9- 1325 Page Number 234B

Needham married Ruth Morris about 1853 in Sabine County, Texas. Ruth (daughter of Shadrach H. Morris and Mary "Polly" Sarah Nelson) was born about 1830 in Louisiana; and died. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

According to "Sabine County Historical Sketches and Genealogical Records" by Edna McDaniel White and Blanche Finley Toole, Needham Judge Alford was a pioneer Methodist Preacher and was preaching the gospel in East Texas as early as 1832, while living in Sabine Parish, Louisiana and was a member of Jackson Lodge at Milam, Texas. He was the son of Jacob and Elizabeth Alford. Kathy Casagranda's 1850 Sabine Parish census is more specific, citing his parents as Jacob Alford and Elizabeth Bryant Alford of Warren County, North Carolina, and notes the family can be traced back to the Alford's of New Kent County, Virginia. He was listed as being elected to the board of the first parish administrators of public schools in 1843.

In the spring of 1832, Needham Alford and Sumner Bacon, a Cumberland Presbyterian, held a 2-day meeting in Sabine County, near the town of Milam; meetings had been forbidden by the Mexican officials and there was other opposition. Just before the meeting began, a person appeared on the grounds declaring he would horsewhip the first preacher who entered the stand. Alford arrived and someone repeated the threat to him. "Well," he said, "I am as able to take a whipping as any man on this ground." He was muscular, strongly built and a stranger to fear who had gone by the name of "Bulldog Preacher" in Louisiana. The antagonist looked for a moment at the brawny arm of Alford stretched out at full length over the buckboard and quietly retired. He was commended to the Texans by letter from the Presiding Elder of the San Augustine District Texas Conference as he travelled through Texas (Rep. TX, Sabine July 5, 1848).

Source:?u??sup?
?/u?http://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=bogeyman&id=I23783?/sup?

Needham married Martha Waddell on 18 Feb 1815 in Franklin County, Mississippi. Martha (daughter of John Waddell and Sarah ???) was born about 1798 in South Carolina; died on 7 Nov 1876 in Limestone County, Texas. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

White and Toole write that he "Rec'd a large Mexican grant of land in 1835, and gave 200 acres upon which Sabinetown was built, but in 1850 he is listed on the Sabine Parish (Many), Louisiana U.S. Census. Served in the War of 1812 from Louisiana." (White and Toole, p 63).

The Sabinetown Cemetery index lists his service as taking place with the Kentucky Pvt 10 Regt LA Militia War of 1812.

Kathy Casagranda notes that he is believed by some to be the son of Gideon Morris. He received 2,915 acres of land from a Mexican Land Grant on June 17, 1835. The Historical Marker in Sabinetown names him among the earliest settlers. (1850 Sabine Parish Census, p 78). Ann McElhaney does not think that he a son of Gideon Morris, as detailed in her notes below.

Ann McElhaney,annmclpc@aol.com, a descendant of Shadrach's son Amon Perry Morris, supplied the following biographical notes about Shadrach and Mary Morris:

Shadrach H Morris says on the census register that he was born in Kentucky. We know he was in Louisiana during the War of 1812.

Bettye Wagstaff has a census note of a census in LA in 1810 that is handwritten which she may have had for many years which lists: Shadrack Morris, 1-male under 5, 1-male 5-10, 1 male 30-40, 2 females under 5, 1 female 10-15, 1 female 20-30 Other information says Bib Creek, waters of the Tangipoha River, now Tangipahoa Parish, LA

84 Washington Parish 1810:
Shadrack Morris: 1 male 10-15, 1 male 80-90; 1 femail 10-15; 1 female 40-50 lived in the area of Sunny Hill and present day Mt. Herman, LA Shadrach H Morris is likely out of the house as he was old enough to fight shortly thereafter in the War of 1812.

We are told that he married Mary Sarah Nelson in Mississippi in 1822.

In 1820 Washington Parish, LA:
W.H. Morris: between the ages of 16-26 has a wife and two sons and a daughter
Wm Wadkins(Watkins)-father of Alfred J L Watkins who marries Mary Drucilla Kemp(parents of Mary Ann Watkins who will marry Amon Morris
Berry Wadkins(Watkins) brother to Alfred

In 1820 on the East Baton Rouge, LA census: Shadrach Morris _ _ _ 2 1 /no females. This would be Shad Sr, then Shad jr either lives with him at this time with one other 26-45 male or Shad jr is somewhere else and two brothers are at home. The following is possible: In the county next to Baton Rouge is Iberville Parish. In Iberville there is a Martin Nelson with a daughter the age of Mary Sarah Nelson. There are no other Nelsons in the area, that possibly this is how they met. Perhaps our information is incorrect and they married in LA or perhaps these Nelsons moved to Mississippi and Shad followed in hot pursuit to marry Sarah Nelson.

In 1830 I believe this is our Shadrach in Washington Parish, LA. The other Morris listed nearby are likely brothers as well as the Shadrach Sr who could be our Shad's father:

Shadrack Morris 1 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
2 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Shad is 30-40; wife is between 20-30

Bradford Kemp 0 0 0 2 2 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0
Kemp is 60-70

William Morris 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0
Will is 20-30

Whittenhall U.Morris 1 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Whitten is 30-39

Thomas Morris 0 1 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Thomas is 20-30


Shadrack Morris Sr. 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0
Shadrack M Sr is between 80-90-which does exactly jive with the info on the 1810 census

I am not certain that this completely demonstrates that Shad is not the son of Gideon Morris of Morristown, Tenn, but it is better evidence than anything else I am aware of us having. Gideon had a son named Shadrach, but we know he did not come south. Furthermore, the Morrisville folks deny there is any evidence that our Shad belongs to Gideon's group. There is some indication that there may be a connection between our Shad and Hamon Morris of Hamblen County, Tenn. Nevertheless if Shad said he was from Kentucky, that is all we have to go on for now. Our Shad could write and his signature is distinct so finding his signature anywhere is helpful.

The Bradford Kemp (1764-1838) listed in this census is most likely the father of Mary Drucilla Kemp who married Alfred J L Watkins.

1840 Natchitoches, LA: Shad and Mary Ann and 9 children. Also close in proximity and in the same Parish: G B(Green Berry) Watkins; A L(Alfred, Mary Ann's father)Watkins. Possible relations also present: Benjamin Morris-perhaps Shadrach's younger brother; John Nelson-perhaps Mary Sarah Nelson's brother.

In 1850 in Sabine County, Texas: William W. Watkins(who is Green Berry Watkins' son); Amon and family including his mother-in-law, Mary Drucilla Kemp Watkins; Shad and Sarah and family.

The 4 Smith girls who are living with Shad and Mary Sarah Morris are the daughters of Sarah's sister, Elizabeth Nelson who married John D. Smith. Both parents died. Shadrach and Sarah became the court-ordered guardians for the girls.

SMITH Sarah 12 F Texas
SMITH Elizabeth 10 F Texas
SMITH Emaline 8 F Texas
SMITH Lydia 6 F Texas

Shadrach married Mary "Polly" Sarah Nelson about 1820. Mary was born about 1807 in South Carolina; died about 1866 in Sabine County, Texas; was buried in Sabinetown, Sabine County, Texas. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

(Research):

Ann McElhaney,annmclpc@aol.com, a descendant of Shadrach's son Amon Perry Morris, supplied the following information:

In case you want to help find Mary Sarah Nelson's parents, in Mississippi the following Nelsons are listed as in Mississippi:
1805 Mississippi Washington Dist: Christian Nelson
1810 Mississippi (territory) census: Ichabod Nelson
Amite County: David Nelson; Christian Nelson; Thomas Nelson
Lawrence Co: Eleazar Nelson; William Nelson
1820 Mississippi census: Lawrence County: William Nelson, Elisea Nelson
Warren County: Peter Nelson
1822, 1823, 1825 Mississippi: Wilkinson County: Hugh Nelson
1823 Mississippi: Claiborne County: William Nelson; James Nelson
?b?rdrbrdrsrdrw30rsp20 1824 Mississippi: Lawrence County: James Nelson?/b?

Notes:

Allen Weeks Methvin notes that "Jacob Alford was probably born in Bute County, North Carolina. After some reorganization of counties, he lived in Franklin County and later moved to Cumberland County, where he was enumerated in 1790. Before 1795 he moved to Montgomery County, Georgia, where tax and land records show he lived until about 1806. By 1807 he was in Louisiana where his twin sons were born. Louisiana land records prove that he had settled on land in what was to become Washington Parish by December 1807. He was given headrights on 641.32 acres in what was to become Sec. 54 with the north boundary on what was to become the state line and the eastern boundary on the Bogue Chitto River. His father willed to him "the land and plantation whereon I now live lying on both sides Tarr River together with six cows and calves, six sows and pigs and one Breading (sic) mare to him and his heirs forever."

Jacob married Elizabeth Bryant about 1785 in North Carolina. Elizabeth was born on 20 Jun 1765; and died. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

John married Sarah ??? before 1798. Sarah was born before 1768; and died. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]