MyChoctawFamily.Com

A Choktaw friend from church recommended this site as I am looking for any information about my husband's great, great grandmother. I have located records from Smith Co., Mississippi with her name listed as Sarah Lucindy. She married James Sylvester Walley (1860?)

The family story says that she was abandoned in the woods by her tribe and was found and raised by a family in town. How can I find out about her heritage?

This is a bit of the information I found to prove that she did exist.

James Sylvester Walley (b 1845) was the son of Gideon Walley (b 1805) and Mary Gardner (b 1805). James Sylvester Walley married Sarah Lucindy ?? in 1866. I'm trying to research James and Sarah's son, Joseph "Joe" Walley (b 1888). Does anyone know who Joseph "Joe" Walley married and their children's names?

I hope this helps

Sarah Nixon Smith

» Top level» Family» Family History Biographies

Author: Elizabeth Waldorf

Publishing date: 03.11.2005 21:39

Sarah was born in 1834? probably in SW Georgia. She and her older brother William Nixon (b. 1827), according to family legend were orphan Native Americans. Because SE Alabama and SW Georgia were controlled by Creeks, I assume that they were members of that tribe.

In Barbour Co., AL on January 28, 1847, she married Andrew Jackson Smith (b. 1827; the son of Reddick and Mary Clarke Smith).

Figure 1 Sarah Nixon Smith holding a grandson about 18 .

In 1851 they moved with Reddick and Mary and their family and Jackson's brother James and his family to Jasper Co, MS. They settled near Montrose.

Both the censuses of 1860 and 1870 report that although Jackson could read and write, Sarah could not.

Sarah and Jackson had the following children:

1) Sarah A. Lucinda (b. 1848 in Barbour Co., AL) (1866 md. James Sylvester Walley; Civil War veteran.)

2) Rebecca A. "Becky" (b. 1850 in AL) (md. Andrew Jackson Knotts (his second wife)).

3) Robert R. (b. 1852) (md. Alice McCarty).

4) Dicy Wiggins (a girl) (b. 1854) (md. Steve Rich).

5) Samantha "Manse" (b. 1856) (md. Perry Harper).

6) George Washington (b. 1858) (1880 md. Susan Sumrall (b. 1864)).

7) Andrew Thomas "Tanner" (b. 1860, d. 1932) (1880 md. Margaret Bates b. 1856?).

Carey E. (b. 1862) (Betty md. George Sumrall; Is this her?)

9) Emily Rosanne "Millie" (b. 1864) (1880 md. Elisha E. Sumrall (b. 1859)).

10) Aura Ophelia "Oph" (b. 1866) (md. Calvin Nixon, her first cousin).

11) William Greenberry "Bud" (b. 1869) (md. (1) Florence Cornelia Fore (b. 14 Feb 1870; d. 24 July 1899); (2) Florence Cornelia McCord (b. Sept. 9, 1879)).

12) Mary Iva "Pet" (b. 1871) (md. Henry Judson Knotts (son of Jack Knotts above and his first wife)).

13) Cynthia D. "Sis" (b. 1875) (md. Singleton "Sink" Anderson (son of T. W. Anderson)).

14) John Calvin (b. 1878) (md. Anna McCarty).

The family grew a little tobacco. According to her grandson, Shuford Nixon, she smoked a clay pipe every night before going to bed.

Family legend suggests that Sarah died of pneumonia. She is buried at Palestine Cemetery, but has no marker.

Sources:

Daniel, H. H. 1979. History of Jasper Co., MS

Federal census of 1860 and 1870.

The late Flora Hailey of Montrose, MS.

Barbara Knotts of Ellisville, MS.

Palestine Cemetery Tombstones.

Parker, Bob Henry. 1949. Family Tree, a student report on the Smith family for genetics class.

Strickland, Jean & Patricia Edwards. Who Married Whom, Jasper Co., MS