Offering Holley family history

Dear Editor:

A relative living in the south Alabama area recently sent me

correspondence indicating that she had seen in The Andalusia Star an article concerning the genealogy of the Holley family. While I am not an expert on Holley ancestry, I am a member of group of people who are….the Holley Family Reseach Group. I am also the founder and moderator of a group dedicated to the research of the Creech family tree. I am writing to correct a mistake in your recent article concerning the Holley-Creech connection.

Sally Ann Holley married Frederick B Creech, not J.B. Creech. Frederick Creech (b. 1825 in Leverett, AL in what was then Dale county) was the son of Henry and Lavinia Creech who came to the area from SC sometime after the 1820 census. Frederick was the oldest of 5 children (siblings were Richard, Ann, William, Lewis). Sally and Frederick had 6 children (Margaret, Richard, James F.M., Mary Jane, William F., Elizabeth). "Fed", as he was called, joined the 4th Florida Infantry Batallion at West Bay, FL on January 29, 1863 and saw action at Cold Harbor, VA. After this battle, the 4th and 2nd Florida Batallions were combined into the 11th Florida Infanty Regiment. The 11th served in the Siege of Petersburg and was with Lee during his retreat to Appomattox. On the morning of April 6, 1865, the 11th was on wagon-train guard duty while Lee's army was crossing a little place called Saylers Creek. When the wagons became bogged down because of recent rains, the Union

army saw their chance and struck. The Battle of Saylers Creek was the last major battle of the Army of Northern Virginia. Lee lost thousands of men that day….Frederick was captured by a calvary unit from Connecticut commanded by George A Custer. He was sent to Point Lookout Prison in Maryland (14,000 Confederate soldiers died of disease and starvation there during the 3 years the prison was operational). He took the oath and was release from prison on June 6, 1865. At the time of his release, he was listed as "Sick POW". I have never been able to determine what became of him from there. He is not in the 1870 census with his wife, Sally, and children.

The Creech family came to America in the Virginias around 1623. After 2 generations in VA, my particular branch of that tree has had subsequent generations live and leave descendents in NC, SC, and AL. We had a father and son serve in the Revolutionary War; the father a major with the NC militia and the son with Francis Marion.

Deo Vindice,

Greg Creech

Auburn, AL