Elisha Kindred Flournoy was the first of his heritage to settle in Covington County. He was born in 1838 in Georgia as the son of Jonathan C. and Elizabeth Flournoy, natives of Virginia and North Carolina respectively. This family descended from Jacob Fleurnois, a French Huguenot from Geneva, Switzerland, who came to Virginia in 1700. The family's ancestry has been traced as far back as the 1300s in France, Switzerland and Italy.

Elisha was the grandson of James Flournoy II, a native of Virginia, and Margaret "Peggy" Cundiff Flournoy and the great grandson of James Flournoy I.

At some point Jonathan moved the family to Russell County, Alabama and later to Pike County. Elisha grew to maturity in Russell County as the family was enumerated there in the 1850 census. In 1860, he was in Pike County where he was married to Martha Charlotte Haygood, daughter of Rev. Appleton Haygood and his second wife, Mary Ramsey Lovelace.

On February 7, 1863, Elisha enlisted in the Confederate Army at Brundidge. He was assigned to Company H, 46th Ala. Inf. Reg't. He was soon sent to Vicksburg because he wrote a letter from there dated March 21, 1863, to his wife who was living in Pike County. In addition to describing the horrors of the war, Elisha wrote of his love and concern for Martha. He encouraged her to take care of her health and to eat well enough. He expressed how he would give his last cent to be able to see her once more in life. He asked her to look forward to a better day when there would be no more such separations.

Also in the family's memorabilia is a second letter written in June 1864 from Georgia. In it he discussed the same concerns as before. Fortunately, he survived the war and returned home to his beloved wife, Martha Charlotte.

Shortly after he returned, Elisha and Martha moved to the Burnout Community in the northeastern area of Covington County. They homesteaded a tract of 80 acres there and another tract southeast of Rose Hill. The family fared well, and it is known that the oldest daughter was sent to a girls' school in Eufaula. After a time she chose to return home and marry the love of her life.

Elisha and Martha reared the following children: Katie Clyde, b. 1868, d. 1899, m. Richard Henry Wyatt, Jr.; Mattie, b. 1872, d. 1954, m. Jasper Penwood Blocker; Ida Bell, b. 1873, d. 1891, m. ? Railey; Atticus Kindred, b. 1875, d. 1958, m. Augusta Eliza Taylor; Charlie Haygood, b. 1877, d. 1928, m. (1) Mollie Ellison (2) Hazel Adele Moak; James Emory, b. ca 1880, m. (1) Lena E. Chesser (2) Bessie ?; John William, b. 1882, m. Elizabeth Caton; and Lillie Mae, b. 1885, d. ca 1957, m. J. Hance Radford.

Unfortunately, Katie died at a young age leaving five young children. She and Richard Henry Wyatt, Jr., son of Richard Henry Sr. and Louise Anne Varner and a native of Rose Hill, reared the following children: Martin Richard, b. 1891, d. 1971, m. Lillian Meadows; Lorena "Rena," b. 1892, d. 1973, m. Milton Eiland; Laura Estell, b. 1893, d. 1972, m. Eugene Elmer Hammett; Roy Flournoy, b. 1893, d. 1918 in WW I; Mary Clyde, b. 1897, d. 1947, m. Joseph Benjamin Kelley of Pike County. After Katie's death, Richard H. was married to Loretta Walton Baker who helped rear the children and bore him eight more children.

Katie and Richard's grandchildren include the following: Children of Richard Martin and Lillian: Katie Foye, b. 1917, m. Thomas Jefferson Carter; Roy Martin, b. 1919, d. 1920; Calvin Cecil, b. 1921, m. Verta Mae Tillman; Richard Leslie, b. 1925, d. 1983, m. Kathrine Genelle Worley; and Jerald Lynn, b. 1929, m. Cubye Nell Farris.

Children of Lorena and Milton Eiland: Elmer Martin, b. 1912, m. Grace Phillips; J.C. "Jay," b. 1914, d. 1990s, m. Mrs. Dorothy Statkiewicz Vance; Maray Ruth, b. 1916, d. 1990, m. Clarence Mixon Bane; Evelyn, b. 1919, m. Wilson B. Shields; James Richard, b. 1921, d. 2001, m. Ovie Hudson; Ferrin Wyatt, b. 1924, m. Verna Veil Stinson; Curtis Milton, b. 1926, m. Peggy Joyce Wilkinson; Martha Gertrude, b. 1929, m. Clarence B. Graham; and Athan Daniel, b. 1932, m. Bobbie Nell Moore.

Children of Laura Estelle and Eugene Elmer Hammett: Ira Richard, b. 1911, m. Trudie Mae Langford; Susan Clyde, b. 1912, m. Thaddeus Ephrim Straughn; Marvin Eugene, b. 1914, m. Myra Mozelle Merrill; Luna Miree, b. 1916, d. 1964, m. (1) Claude Harrelson (2) Walter Richards Post (3) William E. "Slim" Moore; and Tommie Wyatt, b.&d. 1921.

Children of Mary Clyde and Joseph B. Kelley: Roscoe Douglas, b. 1921, m. Sara Bell Southerland; and Mildred Matilda, b. 1924, m. Paul Youngblood.

Katie and Richard's great-grandchildren include the following: Children of Katie F. and Thomas Carter: Infant son, b.&d. 1941; Thomas Richard, b. 1943, m. Gloria Joan Dillinger; Sarah Sonya, b. 1946, m. William Hillman Tucker; Infant daughter, b.&d. 1957; and Kyle Wyatt, b. 1958, m. Paula Warrick.

Children of Calvin Cecil and Verta: Patricia Elizabeth, b. 1945, m. Robert Clifton Kennedy; Ronald Douglas, b. 1948, m. Mary Sue Goodson; Deborah Jean, b. 1952, m. John Quincy Tillman; Martha Sue, b. 1954, m. Jerome Wilson Parker; and Anita Faye, b. 1957, m. James Michael Etheridge.

Children of Richard Leslie and Kathrine: Richard Leslie Jr., b. 1953; Terry Allen, b. 1956; and David Martin, b. 1962.

Son of Jerald Lynn and Cubye: Jerald Lynn Jr., b. 1954, m. Mary Randolph Cary.

Children of Elmer M. and Grace: Larry Comer, b. 1941, m. Karen Sue Trombles; Helen Diane, b. 1944, m. Clinton H. Beach; Jennifer Grace, b. 1947, m. Donald Vinson Ray; Carolyn Rose, b. 1948, m. Ronald Guy; and Thomas Milton, b. 1952, m. Rhonda Adams.

Children of J.C. and Dorothy: Deborah Leah, b. 1960; and Russell Jay, b. 1961, m. Elizabeth Ann Gravlee.

Children of Mary Ruth and Clarence M. Bane: Margaret Joye, b. 1936, m. Carroll Robert Brown; Mary Theresa, b. 1938, m. Charles Edward Moore; Janice Marie, b. 1944, m. Thomas Edward Snyder; Evelyn Lorena, b. 1945, m. Perry Eugene Ruff; and Chancey Marcel, b. 1955.

Children of Evelyn and Wilson Bonner Shields: John Milton, b. 1949; Mary Evelyn, b. 1950, m. Richard Earl Wunderlich; Paul Wilson, b. 1951, d. 1956; Rachael Pauline, b. 1953, m. David Martin Paden; and Stephen Anderson, b. 1960.

Children of James Richard and Ovie: Cleatus, b. 1942, d. 1973, m. Christine Fuqua; Barbara Jean, b. 1945, m. Donald Ray Donaldson; Margaret Elaine, b. 1951, m. LaTere Jones; and Nancy Lynn, b. 1959, m. Dwanis Merrill.

Children of Ferrin Wyatt and Verna: Ferrin Wyatt II, b. 1953; Marcus Stinson, b. 1954, m. Connie Sue Gilbert; and Benjamin Samuel, b. 1972.

Children of Curtis M. and Peggy: Carlos Milton, b. 1952, m Edith Yvonne Graddy; Amoret Joyce, b. 1955, m. Joe Price; and Stuart Wilkinson, b. 1957.

Children of Martha G. and Clarence B. Graham: Sherry Ann, b. 1960, m. Edward James Catron; and Rita Lynn, b. 1962.

Children of Athan D. and Bobbie: Cathy Yvonne, b. 1956, m. Bobby Lee Crowder, Jr.; and Alan Douglas, b. 1957, m. Sallie Lucile Alsobrook.

Katie's sister, Lillie Mae, and Hance Radford had four children: Foster, I.D. Irene, and Flournoy. Her brother, Charlie and his second wife, had one daughter, Lovie. Her brother, James Emory, and his second wife had one son, Jimmy. Her brother, Atticus, had at least two children: James Dudley, b. 1901, and a daughter, Myrtys Ceil. Her brother, John W. and Elizabeth "Aunt Bessie" had two children: Q.P, b. 1912; and Martha Elizabeth, b. 1922.

There are many other Flournoy descendants, but the above largely resided some of their time in Covington County. Appreciation is expressed especially to three descendants for sharing their family records: Josephine Hammett Ray, Marcel Bane and Idalyn McGill Stinson, a granddaughter of Atticus Kindred Flournoy. Idalyn credits Bettye Rathbones and her book on the Flournoy family for much of her history. The family has a very proud heritage and would be interested in hearing from anyone doing further research.

Anyone who might have a correction or additions to the above is requested to contact Curtis Thomasson at Route 9, Box 97, Andalusia, AL 36420 or Email: chthom@alaweb.com