Granny Lessons: May 29, 2011

Sunday, May 29, 2011

English Family History

I am updating you all on the information I now have on the English Family. I will start with Jesse E. English, my great, great grandfather.

Anderson English WWII with his wife.

Jesse English and Lula Anderson English were my Great Great Grandparents and my Grandmother Luverne's Grand Parents.
Jesse was born in Pike County, Alabama in 1879. Jesse was the third child born to Rev. Eli English and Martha E. Yarbrough. His older siblings were James Edward born in 1873 and Mary E. Enlgish born in 1876.
The census for Pike County, Al. in 1880 listed Eli English head of household born 1848 in Ga., his wife Martha E. Yarbrough born around 1850, in Ga. Also included in the household were the three children previously mentioned and Eli's mother in law Mary A. Yarbrough, 60 yrs old, a widow born in Ga. 60 years old in 1880 would mean thay Mrs. Yarbrough would have been born around 1820 in Ga. That is as far as I have gone with Eli, Martha, and Mary Yarbrough. I am thinking that there is a good possibility that they moved to Pike Co. from the Columbus, Ga. area. That will be my next area to search for them.
Pike County records also reveal a marriage license to Eli English and Martha E. Yarbrough in 1872. I am going to Pike County Courthouse for that record and will post it for you. I am hoping that document will have both of their parents names and the county in Ga. where they were born.
Back to Jesse and Lula Anderson English. Joe Watford, who is the Great Grandson of Jesse and Lula gave me a copy of the death certificate for Jesse and Lula Anderson English. Lula's death came first. She died Nov. 2, 1919, from complications in child birth. She was 40 years old at the time. She died under the care of Dr. R. L. Miller Graceville, Florida.

The children of Jesse and Lula were as follows:

Allie B. English born April 8, 1902 in Florida, died Feb. 27, 1955 buried in Holmes Co. Fl.
Effie Mae English, born around 1904 in Fl., died unknown.
Alma Viola, born May 8, 1907, died Dec. 7, 1998 in Fl.
Ruby D. English, born around 1910 in Fl., died unknown.
Anderson English born Oct. 19, 1912 in Fl. and died July 19, 1973 in Fl.
Rosa Lee English born March 1, 1915 in Fl. and died Sept. 27, 2002, in Andalusia, Alabama.

After Lula's death Jesse moved in with his oldest daughter, Allie B. and her husband, Henry Sims. Jesse still had two small children, Anderson 7, and Rosa Lee 4, at the time of Lula's death. Evidently the story goes that Jesse remarried but sent his new wife back home when he found out she was mistreating his children and eventually moved in with Allie B. and Henry and their 3 children, Luvern born 1920, Eddie Lee born in 1922 and Mary Louise born in 1926. Jesse worked with lumber. Logging, and pulping wood.
Jesse died in August of 1926. Jesse's death certificate from Houston Co. Alabama stated he died August 13, 1926 from injuries due to auto accident, and listed perforated wound, broken ribs, shock and hemmorage as contributing factors. Evidently Jesse had finished a day of work and was walking home when he was struck by a car on a bridge on the Rehobeth Highway. Joe Watford has done some research on this but found nothing in library achives of the Dothan Eagle around this time. I will see if I can find some more information about this.
After Jesse's death Allie B. and Henry raised Anderson 14 years old, and Rosa Lee 9 years old, along with their children 6 children.

Jesse and Lula Anderson English

Left to Right: Allie B., Jesse, Effie Mae, Lula, Alma Viola, Ruby D. and Anderson on Lula's lap.

This house was in the Eleanor Community off of Hwy. 2 west of Graceville, Fl. Jesse, Lula and Allie B. are buried in Bethal Baptist Churh cemetary near their home.