Fred Wheeler McGrew

Notes:

Fred married later in life because he lived at home with his divorced mother and sisters who had children but no husbands. He helped take care of everyone. Wheeler and his family always lived within walking distance of his mother. He and his wife farmed and raised chickens. Even on that meager income, they put money aside to ensure a college education for their daughters. Wheeler had Alzheimer's disease, and was in a nursing home for the last six years of his life. His wife Pauline visited him faithfully every day.

Fred married Stella Pauline Watts on 3 Jan 1932 in Hattiesburg, Forrest County, Mississippi. Stella was born on 22 Feb 1910 in Seminary, Covington County, Mississippi; died on 12 Mar 1998 in Covington County, Mississippi; was buried on 15 Mar 1998 in Mount Horeb Cemetery, Seminary, Covington County, Mississippi. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

1. Living
2. Living

Notes:

When he registered for the draft during the first World War, he was farming for S. B. Hathorn in Franklin Parish, Louisiana, and his nearest relative was his wife, Mrs. Anna Jane McGrew of Seminary, Mississippi. He was described as short and slender, with brown eyes and dark hair, and missing his right eye.

At the time of the 1930 Federal census, he was listed as a boarder, age 57 and widowed, in the home of E. L. and Ida COUTLER in East Carroll Parish, Louisiana. His occupation was shown as "farmer."

(Research):

Census Listings:

1910 Census
Mississippi, Covington County, Twp 7, Beat 1
Enumerated 25 Apr 1910
SD 6 ED 2 Sheet 6B
106-107
McGrew, W H Head M W 37 M 18 Miss Miss Miss Farm Operator
McGrew, Anna Wf F W 41 M 18 Miss Miss Miss
McGrew, Willie Dtr F W 17 S Miss Miss Miss
McGrew, Bennie Son M W 14 S Miss Miss Miss
McGrew, Ida Dtr F W 14 S Miss Miss Miss
McGrew, Leo Dtr F W 11 S Miss Miss Miss
McGrew, Linnie Dtr F W 10 S Miss Miss Miss
McGrew, Wheeler Son m W 7 S Miss Miss Miss
McGrew, Myrtle Dtr F W 2 S Miss Miss Miss

Wood married Annie Jane Lott in 1891. Annie (daughter of William Alexander Lott and Martha Edmondson) was born on 4 Nov 1869 in Covington County, Mississippi; died on 3 May 1948 in Seminary, Covington County, Mississippi; was buried in Seminary Cemetery, Seminary, Covington County, Mississippi. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Married:
Wynema McGrew notes that their marriage was arranged by her parents, worried their daughter would remain a spinster. Wood and Annie were third cousins. The marriage was stormy, even though it lasted more than 30 years and produced seven children. They ultimately divorced around 1926.

Notes:

Wynema McGrew notes that Leonard was not easy to get along with, and had been asked by neighbors to move. He was rumored to have killed men, outside of combat, during the Civil War. Bruce Aultman, an attorney living in the Victory community in Lamar County suggested that Leonard was a Jayhawk (Union sympathizer) during the Civil War. He did serve in the Confederate Army, however, enlisting in Capt. H R McLaurin's Company (Co F, 27th Regiment, Mississippi Infantry) on 26 Aug 1861, the same day R. L. McGrew enlisted. He was discharged in Rome, Georgia on 11 Apr 1863 due to wounds to his hip and knee while at Shelbyville, Tennessee. He later served in Company E, 3rd Battalion, Mississippi Reserve Calvary from which he was paroled on May 16, 1865. He was a freemason and baptist for most of his life, but converted to Catholicism late in life, due to his many transgressions and the influence of his eldest daughter, Susanna, who had converted when she married, and Leonard was buried in the Catholic portion of the Williamsburg Cemetery. The cemetery name, per Find A Grave, was the Saint James Catholic Cemetery in Bassfield, Mississippi.

His FindAGrave memorial page, crated by Fred Rose, has a photo of him in uniform and with a bayonet.

http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=38991981



(Research):

Census Listings:

1880 Census
Mississippi, Covington County, SD No 1
Enumerated 11 Jun 1880
Page 9 SD 2 ED 123
73-73
Magrou, Leonard W M 38 Planter Miss ---- Miss
Magrou, Jane W F 31 Wf Keeping home Miss Miss Miss
Magrou, Susanna W F 12 Dtr At Home Miss Miss Miss
Magrou, Elizabeth W F 10 Dtr At Home Miss Miss Miss
Magrou, Luella W F 8 Dtr Miss Miss Miss
Magrou, Wood W M 7 Son Miss Miss Miss
Magrou, Mary W F 5 Dtr Miss Miss Miss
Magrou, Laura W F 3 Dtr Miss Miss Miss
Magrou, Fannie W F 1 Dtr Miss Miss Miss

1900 Census
Mississippi, Covington County, Williamsburg
Enumerated 14 Jun 1900
SD 6 ED 11 Sheet 12B
199-199
McGrew, Len Head W M Mar 1840 60 M 34 Miss Miss Miss Farmer
McGrew, Jane Wf W F Dec 1849 50 M 34 14/13 Miss Miss Miss
McGrew, Fannie Dtr W F May 1879 21 S Miss Miss Miss
McGrew, Lenard B Son W M Mar 1881 19 S Miss Miss Miss Farm laborer
McGrew, Lucy Dtr W F Apr 1883 17 S Miss Miss Miss
McGrew, Allice Dtr W F Mar 1885 15 S Miss Miss Miss
McGrew, Molly Dtr W F Mar 1887 13 S Miss Miss Miss
McGrew, Thomas K Son W M Jun 1891 8 S Miss Miss Miss
McGrew, Dimie Dtr W F Aug 1896 3 S Miss Miss Miss

Leonard married Leitha "Lether" Jane Hathorn on 25 Nov 1866 in Covington County, Mississippi. Leitha was born on 22 Dec 1849 in Mississippi; died on 23 Apr 1914 in Covington County, Mississippi; was buried in Mount Horeb Cemetery, Seminary, Covington County, Mississippi. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

The daughter of Wood Hathorn and Susan Thompson.

Notes:

Married:
Wynema McGrew says they Lenard met Leitha and became enamored with her on a trip to Mobile with his mother to sell produce. Her parents objected to the marriage as Leonard was overbearing and older than Leitha.

William married Martha Edmondson. Martha was born before 1853; and died. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Per the book THE SOUTHERN McGREWS GREW and Alley Moody of Natchez, Mississippi, James and his wife, Betsy Lott were married in 1835 in Marion County, MS. They moved to Sabine Co, TX in the mid 1840's with his family, but moved back to Perry Co, MS by 1850. On the 1860 census, Jame's widowed mother, Elizabeth (Blackburn) McGrew, was living with them. He was a Civil War veteran. After the War, they moved to Covington Co, MS and then to Mobile, AL. He was in the produce business. They had 8 children. Betsy died on 22 Nov 1880, and was buried in the Wainwright Lot of the Montgomery cemetery in Mobile. He returned to Covington, MS, to lived with his son Leonard, and died prior to 1891. He is buried in the Old Williamsburg cemetery west of Collins, Covington Co, MS.

His middle name has been shown as both Alexander and as Harrison by different sources. On census records, he was listed simply as James.

James A. McGrew was a resident of Mobile, Alabama, living on Spring Hill Road between Broad and Pine in 1875, as per the 1875 City Directory

(Research):

Census Listings:

1850 Census
Mississippi, Perry County
Enumerated 30 Sept 1850
143-143
James McGrew 40 M Farmer 350 La
Elizabeth McGrew 30 F Miss
Alexander McGrew 14 m Miss
Mary McGrew 12 F Miss
Robert McGrew 10 m Miss
Leonard McGrew 8 M Miss
James McGrew 5 M Miss
Olander McGrew 4 M Texas
Ferdinand McGrew 1 M Texas

1860 Census
Mississippi, Perry County, Southern District
Enumerated 16 Aug 1860
88-81
James McGrew 49 M Farmer 300 1060 La
Elizabeth McGrew 40 F Mi
Robert McGrew 18 M Mi
Lenard McGrew 17 M Mis
James McGrew 14 M Mis
Alander McGrew 12 m Tex
Ferdinand McGrew 12 m Mis
John McGrew 6 M Mis
Elizabeth McGrew 66 F $--- $450 La

1870 Census
Alabama, Mobile County, Mobile, Eighth Ward
Enumerated 29 July 1870
Page 30
204/205
Lewis and Elizabeth Pierce and family
Howel and Mary Turner
---/206
McGree, James 60 M W farmer 600 600 La
McGree, Isabella 49 F W Keeps House Miss
McGree, Andrew 24 m W Carpenter Tx
McGree, John 13 M W At School Miss

James married Elizabeth "Betsy" Lott before 1836 in Marion County, Mississippi. Elizabeth (daughter of Robert Lott and Sarah Tyner) was born about 1820 in Mississippi; died on 22 Nov 1880 in Mobile, Mobile County, Alabama; was buried in Magnolia Cemetery, Mobile, Mobile County, Alabama. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]