Has anyone heard of a town called Watoola. I heard it was located outside of Opelika, but it no longer exists. Can anyone tell me where I can possibly find any records from this town.
thanks,
Charlotte Story

Watoola still exists. It is about 10 minutes outside of Opelika on CO RD 51. There are several Churches in the area; but I imagine your best bet would be the Auburn Special Collections Library at Auburn University.

I visited Watoola last month in a searh for family history - my Wilkins family lived there in 1860. You might also check with Russell County, because, until 1930/32, Watoola was in Russell County. There was a land swap between Lee and Russell County at that time in order to acquire parts of Phenix City which were at that time in Lee County. It is located near Marvyn if you look at a map of that area.
I hope this has been some help.

Check the message that I inadvertantly posted to the message that follows yours. I hope I can be of some help to you.

Charlotte,
I have been working on a couple of different Story families that came through Lee Co. Would you please give me some of your Story line to see if it ties in with any of my Storys. Good hunting.
Bill Storey
Storyroots@aol.com

Hi Bill,
My family moved to Lee county from Pike County Georgia. The first ancestor that showed up in Lee county, Alabama was William Story Jr., b.3-8-1809,NC d. 10-9-1886, Lee Co.,Al. He was married to Martha Beckham b.7-22-1811 d.7-16-1889,Lee Co.,Al. They had six children:
Hiram Story
Sarah F. Story
Martha M. Story
William Alva Story
Elizabeth Story
Daniel Brooks Story(my direct line)

At least one brother of William Jr., James, also lived in Lee county. I am just assuming that they lived in Opelika. As far as I can tell alot of family members followed William Jr. like cousins and nephews to Lee county. In the end, many lived and died there. Let me know if you have any info about my family.

Let me ask you one thing. There is a mystery that I hope that you can solve for me. The above mentioned William Alva Story and Daniel Brooks Story both died within one day of each other. That seems odd to me unless there was some kind of epidemic happening at that time. William died 5-16-1906 at 68 years of age. Daniel died 5-17-1906 at 70 years of age.

If you need any more info just let me know.

Charlotte Story

Charlotte,
Thanks for the quick reply. There was a Thomas J Story b 1840 in Marion Co, Ga, who married Sarah Martha Story. They moved to Lee Co by 1900. Thomas doesn't tie in with the Pike Co Storys. Sorry, I don't have any info on your deaths.
Bill Storey

House 543 Syllacauga PO Asa Jordan 1825 GA (son of Benjamin Jordan and Martha Ann Smith ) is living 2 houses away from Dyal Jordan 1830 GA in 1860 Talladega Co AL.
Asa Jordan
Census: 12 OCT 1850 Carroll Co, GA
Note: Lives next door to mother, Martha. 1
Census: 9 JUN 1870 Oxford P.O., Calhoun Co, AL
Sex: M
Birth: 11 Oct 1823 in ,Washington,Georgia,U.S.A. 1 2
Death: 17 Jan 1891 in ,Calhoun,Alabama,U.S.A. 1 2
Burial: Harmony Baptist Church Cemetery,Calhoun, Alabama
Father: Benjamin Jordan b: ABT 1798 in , Edcombe, North Carolina, U.S.A.
Mother: Martha Ann Smith b: 18 Jan 1800 in ,Washington,Georgia


Jordan Surname Marriage Bond Info
Sarah Jordan & Hardy Leverett - April 24, 1842
assured by: Benjamin Williams, pg. 55 Russ. Co. Marriage Bk. 1

Joseph Jordan & Margaret Rhymes (Rimes?) - Jan. 19, 1843
assured by: John T. Riley, pg. 80 Russ. Co. Bk. 1

Warren Jordan & Winnie Wright - Nov. 3, 1849
assured by: J.J. Dunn, pg. 196 ............ . Bk. 1

Massa Jane Jordan & Allen Walters - Jan. 22, 1850
assured by: Joseph Jordan, pg. 399 ............ . Bk. 1

Elizabeth Jordan & Raleigh Barfield - Aug. 19, 1852
assured by: Allen Walters, pg. 576 ............ Bk. 1
(Allen Walters, above)

Joseph Jordan & Emeline Sims - June 26, 1856
assured by: Allen Walters, pg. 47 .......... Bk. 2
(Emeline's mother, Nancy Sims, consented)

Lucy Jordan & Richard Graves - May 12, 1857
asured by: Henry Benton, pg. 117 ............ ...Bk. 2

Penelope Jordan & John J. Leslie - July 11, 1860
assured by: George J. Leslie, pg. 407........ Bk. 2
(George Leslie was John's father and consented)

Spouse 1: Warren Jordan Spouse 2: Winney Wright Marriage Date: 03 Nov 1849 Marriage Place: Russell Surety/Perf. Name: H. M. Crowder OSPage: 196

Spouse 1: W. B. F. Wright Spouse 2: Julia Williams Marriage Date: 12 Aug 1849 Marriage Place: Russell Surety/Perf. Name: H. H. Cowrey OSPage: 141
Is this William F. Jordan mentioned in the will of Benjamin Jordon in GA

1860 Southern division,Talledega 2 July

.Fayetteville--house 527

Warren Jordan Southern Division, Talladega, AL 48 1811 Georgia Male
Winny Jordan Southern Division, Talladega, AL 28 1831 South Carolina Female
Martin Jordan Southern Division, Talladega, AL 10 1849 Alabama Male
Mary Jordan Southern Division, Talladega, AL 9 1850 Alabama Female
Cynthia Jordan Southern Division, Talladega, AL 8 1851 Alabama Female
Sarah Jordan Southern Division, Talladega, AL 6 1853 Alabama Female
William Jordan Southern Division, Talladega, AL 3 1856 Alabama Male

Probably a brother to Warren. He is only a few houses away. There are lots of Blankenship families all about.
1860
House 543 Syllacauga PO
Asa Jordan Southern Division, Talladega, AL 38 1821 Georgia Male b. 11 Oct 1823 in ,Washington,Georgia ?
Amy (Beckham) Jordan Southern Division, Talladega, AL 36 1823 georgia Female b: 6 Mar 1820 in ,Pike,Georgia d. 24 Jan 1891 in ,Calhoun,Alabama
Parnella Bickham Southern Division, Talladega, AL 34 1825 Female sister to Amy Beckham Jordan
* Name: Nancy Beckham
* Birth: 1815 in Pike Co., Ga.
* MARR: Uriah Fincher b: March 1812 in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina Married: Sept. 4,1835 in Pike Co., Ga.
* Death: 1859 in Russell Co., Al. Death as shown on Russell Co., Al.
1860 Mortality Scedule;
died of Typhoid Fever, occupation-clergyman, 50 yr. old white married male. 21 days ill. 1850 Pike Co. Ga. census,listed as 38 yr. old farmer born NC
* Nancy Fincher found last in 1860 Russell Co., Al. census. PO,Watoola. William,11, & Elizabeth,8, lived w/Nancy,47, next door to Thomas,25, & wife, Malinda,23, w/ son C.L.,3 yrs. old. The census was taken July 19, 1860. Nancy is living next door to son, Thomas Jefferson Fincher. Children William and Elizabeth are living with her.
* Event: Thomas J., Henry J., William R., Elizabeth Number of Children 4

http://awt.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=591012...
Daniel Beckham -father of Nancy-married Sarah Frances Fannie Hawkins
Surname: Beckham
Given Name: Daniel
Birth: 1780 in Edgefield, South Carolina
Death: May 1840
father fought in Revolution- 1790 Edgefield Co SC census lists:
Beckum, Russell 1 4 5 - - (1 free white male 16+ : Ru ss ell)
(4 free white males under 16: Daniel, Abe l, John, ?)
(5 free white females: Elizabeth and ?)

Names are assuming that this is the Russell Beckham that moved to Washington Co, GA. Also in this census were Reuben, Thomas Sr and Demsey ( Dempsey) Beckham, brothers and father of Russell.
1820 U.S. Census - Year: 1820; Census Place: Not Stated, Washington, Georgia; Roll: M33_9; Page: 130; Image: 221.

Year: 1830; Census Place: Not Stated, Pike, Georgia; Roll: 20; Page: 113. (indexed as BACKHAM) There are eleven people living in the household. 1 male under 5, 1 male 5-9, Russell, Daniel, 1 female under 5, Catherine, 1 female 10-14, Susan, Nancy, 1 female 20-29 and Fanny.
Married: 10 Jan 1808 in Baldwin Co., Georgia 1
Children
Russell Beckham b: 29 Aug 1814 in Washingto Co., Georgia
Nancy Beckham b: 1815 in Georgia
Susan Beckham b: 1820 in Washington Co., Georgia
Catherine Beckham b: 1828 in Georgia

Marriages in Pike Co GA
Beckham, Rebecca Story, Wiley 01 Jul 1830 Georgia
Pike County
Beckham, Absolum B. Gilbert, Susan 08 Feb 1833 Georgia
Pike County
Beckham, Henrietta Porter, Archiabald A. 18 Jan 1834 Georgia
Pike County
Beckham, Nancy Fincher, Uriah 04 Sep 1835 Georgia
Pike County
Beckham, Martha Story, William 27 Sep 1835 Georgia
Pike County
Beckham, Russell Causkie, Adelphia 07 Sep 1837 Georgia
Pike County
Beckham, Solomon Culpepper, Mendalia E. 07 Dec 1837 Georgia
Pike County
Beckham, Susan Carriker, Pinkney 10 Jul 1839 Georgia
Pike County
Beckham, Mary Davis, Thomas 05 Mar 1840 Georgia
Pike County
Beckham, Catherine Pilkinton, John 19 Nov 1846 Georgia
Pike County
Beckham, Frances Simmons, James H. 14 Oct 1847 Georgia
Pike County
Beckham, Albert G. Mccrary, Mary 07 Apr 1825 Georgia
Baldwin County

Daniel Beckham Sr b. 1780 NC d. 1840 in GA married Sarah Frances(Fanny) HAWKINS b: 1790 in GA 10 Jan 1808 Baldwin Cty.,Ga
CHILDREN:
Russell Beckham b: 29 Aug 1814 in Washington Cty., Ga (named after grandfather)
Nancy Beckham b: 1815 in Georgia d. 1864 - Russell, AL, USA
Susan Beckham b: 1820 in GA d. 1879 - GA, USA m. Carriker, Pinkney 10 Jul 1839
Amy Beckham b:1823 in GA d. 1891 - Calhoun, AL, USA
Parnella Beckham b: 1825 in GA
Catherine Beckham b: 1828 in Georgia
Daniel Beckham

1860 not far from Warren
House 545 Syllacaiga PO (Dyal Jordan is not indexed)
Dyal Jordan Southern Division, Talladega, AL 30 1830 Georgia Male
Olive Jordan Southern Division, Talladega, AL 27 1833 Georgia Female
Susan Jordan Southern Division, Talladega, AL 5 1855 Alabama Female
Eleander Jordan Southern Division, Talladega, AL 3 1857 Alabama Female
John Jordan Southern Division, Talladega, AL 1 1859 Alabama male
William H. Jordan Southern Division, Talladega, AL 2 m. 1860 Alabama male
Eleander Lolly Southern Division, Talladega, AL 74 1786 Georgia Female

1860 John Wright´s widow (brother in law was Warren Jordan)
John Wright´s wife Nunety/Unity Parrish, as widow or perhaps he is in Civil War? She is living with her father.
1860 Mt. Olive- near Rockford
names are indexed wrongly and I have corrected the wrong spelling-

Lancaster Parrish Subdivision 2, Coosa, AL 53 1806 South Carolina Male
Jane M Parrish Subdivision 2, Coosa, AL 57 1802 South Carolina Female
Unity P Wright Subdivision 2, Coosa, AL 41 1818 South Carolina Female
John H Wright Subdivision 2, Coosa, AL 10 1849 Alabama Male
Matilda J Wright Subdivision 2, Coosa, AL 7 1852 Alabama Female

1870 in Flint Hill, Coosa
J. Lancaster Parrish 66
Jane M. 70
Unity P. 53
M. J. 17


Our Warren Jordan says he was born in GA about 1811/12- 22

1870 Scapatoy, Rockford, Coosa

Warren Jordan Socapatoy, Coosa, AL abt 1822 Georgia White Male
Winney Jordan Socapatoy, Coosa, AL abt 1823 South Carolina White Female
W T (William)Jordan Socapatoy, Coosa, AL abt 1857 Alabama White Male
M J Jordan Socapatoy, Coosa, AL abt 1861 Alabama White Female
S M (Sarah Mae)Jordan Socapatoy, Coosa, AL abt 1855 Alabama White Female
1880 Unity Wright is still living with her father.
Household:

Name Relation Marital Status Gender Race Age Birthplace Occupation Father's Birthplace Mother's Birthplace
Lancaster Parrish Self W Male W 75 SC Farmer NC VA
Unity P. WRIGHT Dau W Female W 63 SC Keeping House NC VA
Matilda CAGLEL (Unity´s dau Mathilda Jane Wright) Niece W Female W 27 AL Laborer GA SC
Isaac L. CAGLEL Nephew S Male W 4 AL AL AL
Nancy L. CAGLEL Niece S Female W 10M AL AL AL

Source Information:
Census Place Rockford, Coosa, Alabama
Family History Library Film 1254009
NA Film Number T9-0009
Page Number 240D

Household: next door-child of Unity and John Wright

Name Relation Marital Status Gender Race Age Birthplace Occupation Father's Birthplace Mother's Birthplace
John H. WRIGHT Self M Male W 31 AL Farmer GA SC
Emiline Wright Wife M Female W 32 AL Keeping House AL AL
John M. WRIGHT Son S Male W 7 AL AL AL
Unity C. WRIGHT Dau S Female W 3 AL AL AL
Marietta Wright Dau S Female W 1 AL AL AL

Source Information:
Census Place Rockford, Coosa, Alabama
Family History Library Film 1254009
NA Film Number T9-0009
Page Number 240D

Lancaster Parrish died in 1881 Coosa Co., AL, according to LDS. His father was Isaac Theodore Parrish b. abt 1774 NC and mother was Elizabeth- so I think this could be them back in GA and still alive-
Household:
Name Relation Marital Status Gender Race Age Birthplace Occupation Father's Birthplace Mother's Birthplace
Elizebeth PARISH
Self W Female W 78 NC Keeping House NC NC
Isaac PARISH
Husband M Male W 91 NC Laborer NC NC

Source Information:
Census Place Cross Keys, De Kalb, Georgia
Family History Library Film 1254143

NA Film Number T9-0143
Page Number 328C

1860 Southern division,Talledega 2 July
.Fayetteville--house 527
Warren Jordan Southern Division, Talladega, AL 48 1811 Georgia Male
Winny Jordan Southern Division, Talladega, AL 28 1831 South Carolina Female
Martin Jordan Southern Division, Talladega, AL 10 1849 Alabama Male
Mary Jordan Southern Division, Talladega, AL 9 1850 Alabama Female
Cynthia Jordan Southern Division, Talladega, AL 8 1851 Alabama Female
Sarah Jordan Southern Division, Talladega, AL 6 1853 Alabama Female
William Jordan Southern Division, Talladega, AL 3 1856 Alabama Male

Probably a brother to Warren. He is only a few houses away.
1860
House 543 but Syllacauga PO
Asa JORDAN Southern Division, Talladega, AL 38 1821 Georgia Male b. 11 Oct 1823 in ,Washington,Georgia ?
Amy (Beckham) Jordan Southern Division, Talladega, AL 36 1823 georgia Female b: 6 Mar 1820 in ,Pike,Georgia d. 24 Jan 1891 in ,Calhoun,Alabama
Parnella Bickham Southern Division, Talladega, AL 34 1825 (Female sister to Amy Beckham Jordan)

1860 not far from Warren Jordan
House 545 Syllacaiga PO (Dyal Jordan is not indexed)
Dyal JORDAN Southern Division, Talladega, AL 30 1830 Georgia Male
Olive Jordan Southern Division, Talladega, AL 27 1833 Georgia Female
Susan Jordan Southern Division, Talladega, AL 5 1855 Alabama Female
Eleander Jordan Southern Division, Talladega, AL 3 1857 Alabama Female
John Jordan Southern Division, Talladega, AL 1 1859 Alabama male
William H. Jordan Southern Division, Talladega, AL 2 m. 1860 Alabama male
Eleander Lolly Southern Division, Talladega, AL 74 1786 Georgia Female

There is an 1853 map which showa road going straight east west between the 2 POs of Sylacauga and Fayetteville.

A few pages away is James Chandler at Chandler Springs- you mention that a Sarah Chandler could be a maiden name of one of the relatives. Russell Co is where I know that Warren Jordan married. It is not far from Talladega.

Fayetteville

Fayetteville-here in 1814 Tennessee Troops joined Andrew Jackson's force which won the Creek Indian War. After Indian removal in 1836 these veterans brought their families here, named this community for their old home in Tennessee. Fayetteville Academy was built in 1850. On March 27, 1814 General (7th president of the US Andrew Jackson was born in Waxhaw, South Carolina, in 1767). Andrew Jackson's Tennessee militia, aided by the 39th U. S. Infantry Regiment and the Cherokee and Creek allies at the Battle of Horseshoe Bend on the Tallapoosa River. This area became part of AL in 1819.

Benjamin Jordon
Death: 28 DEC 1848 in Carroll Co., GA
Note:
Last Will & Testament of Benjamin Jordon

Know all men by these presents that we William F. Jordon and Asa Jordon and John Dean are held and firmly bound unto their hands the Justices of the Superior Court sitting as a court of ordinary their sucessors in office and assigns in the (word unknown) and full sum of $400.00 for the payment of which sum to the said court of Judge and their successors in office ________ _______ _______ _______ executors and administrator in the whole and for the shole sum paid by and _____ ____ ____ ____ and _____ by these _____presents sealed with our seals and dated April 1849 the conditions of this whole obligation is _____ _____ ____ ____ bond William F. Jordon Administrator in this estate of Benjamin Jordon of late of said county deeed which )))) )))) )))) into the hands _____ _____ ____ _____ ____ _____ said William F. Jordan
Married: 12 JAN 1819 in Washington County, GA
Children
known children
Keziah Jordon b: 1830 in Haralson Co., GA
Asa Jordon b: 11 OCT 1823 in Washington Co., GA
? JORDON b: OCT 1825
Benjamin Franklin Jordon b: 17 AUG 1826 in Washington Co., GA
Thomas J Jordon b: BET. 1830 - 1835 in Washington Co., GA
James Jordon b: BET. 1830 - 1840
Sarah Jordon b: 1833 in Calhoun County, AL
Jacob W Jordon b: 1836
Mary Jordon b: 1837
Martha W. JORDON b: 11 MAY 1840
Susan Ann Jordon b: 16 MAY 1842
Ransom Jordon b: 1849

My husband, Ben Story is also of the Daniel Brooks line. His grandfather is Uriah Lee and his father is Geoffrey Lee. I have Alva's middle name as Silas. The census records show an S as his middle initial. I have been working on this line for several years. I did not know exactly when William Jr. came to Russell/Lee Co. I have always been told that James was the first to come to Russell/Lee Co. I also do not know where he is buried. Most of the family is buried at Homewell Methodist Church Cemetery out from Opelika. There are some "lost graves" where writing has disappeared or grass has grown over. Ben and I live in Mobile. I would love to work with you some on this line. Linda Story

The 1860 census of Russell Co. AL Post Office--Watoola shows FA (Francis Americus, son of James), Ellen (third wife of James), William, DB (Daniel Brooks), and James W. (I thought this was the son of James but the ages don't match.) The 1870 shows William Daniel and Wiley back in pike Co. GA When did William come back to AL? The 1880 census of Lee co. AL shows Daniel, James and George.

Linda Story lwstory@bellsouth.net