Another family who resided in the Falco/Wing community were the McLelland descendants. Members of this family appear to have come to South Alabama from North Carolina during the 1830s. Some were enumerated in Coffee County in 1850 and made the move to Covington County circa 1860. Some members of the family dropped the "d" from the end of the name, but most kept it in the spelling.

However, there was a William McLellan(d) family enumerated in the Wing community of Covington County in the 1860 census. He was 30 years of age and was a farmer who had the following in his household: wife, Amanda, 27 years of age; Amanda C., 3; and Mary F., 7 months. Although no relationship between these two families has been documented, it is possible that William and Dock were brothers. They were of similar ages and were both born in North Carolina. Additional research will hopefully answer this question.

Doctor "Dock" McLelland was the ancestor of the McLelland descendants featured in today's column. He was born in 1824 in North Carolina, and his father was a native of Scotland who had come to America. After his dad's death, Dock's mother was married to a Mr. Parker who later moved the family to Alabama. Dock and his younger brother where a part of the family when they moved here.

Dock was married to Elizabeth Lambert in 1845, and they reared the following children: Cynthia Virginia, b. 1846; Ethemore, b. 1848, d. 1894, m. 1873 Nancy Slater; Hosea, b. 1849, d. 1909, m. 1869 Frances R. "Fannie" Brooks; John, b. 1851; Ann E., b. 1855; William Barney, b. 1858, d. 1932, m. Laura Stanley; Doctor C. "Dock," b. 1863, m. Florence Franklin; Alfred, b. 1865, d. 1945, m. Saphronia Caroline L. Turner; Alvin Tatum, b. 1869, d. 1946, m. Salonia Frances Franklin; Finetta, b. 1871, m. Tom J. Tart; and Alphesus, b. 1873.

On August 27, 1864, Dock and his oldest son, Ethemore, were enlisted in the Company of Covington County Militia (Second Class). Dock was 40 years of age, and his son was 16. Dock had been discharged from second to first class and had made the rank of sergeant. Their company, commanded by Captain J.T. Brady, was charged with serving in Covington and adjoining Counties during the war.

Dock and his wife, Elizabeth, were two of the nine charter members of the Bethesda Primitive Baptist Church located between Fairfield and Loango. The small church, organized on February 27, 1871, is no longer active, but the building still stands. Many members of this family were buried in the adjacent cemetery.

During the 1880s Ethemore and his family were living in the Pea Ridge community a few miles west of Mobley Creek Church. He and his wife, Nancy, reared the following children: Adelia Ellen "Addie," b. 1868, d. 1954, m. Perry Osborne Wilson; Armitta, b. 1870, d. 1939, m. Joe Robinson; Eugenious, b. 1872, d. 1873; Alfonso, b. 1874, m. Lillie Godwin; Olney "Ollie," b. 1876, m. Sid Hill; Cerropheous, b. 1878, d. 1939, m. Arvie Hodge; Orazzo "Ora," b. 1880; Shellie, b. 1886, d. 1972, m. Elizie Donaldson; Malchorus, b. 1888, d. 1894, single; and Newry, b. 1892, d. 1973 m. Malachi Zora McLelland (first cousin).

Hosea and his wife, Fannie, reared the following children: Mattie Malissa, b. 1869, d. 1909, m. John Franklin Irwin; Emily, b. 1875, m. Nathaniel Snyder; Callie Armenia, b. 1881, d. 1945, m. Daniel Samuel Boone; William Harvey, b. 1885, d. 1971, m. (1) Clara Lee Boone (2) Maggie Viola Boyington; and Albert Gordon, b. 1888, d. 1945, m. Ora Pearl Hall.

William Barney and his wife, Laura, had the following children: Malachi Zora, b. 1879, d. 1964, m. Newry McLelland; Alice Augusta, b. 1882; Daisey, d. in youth; Lucious Hix, b. 1884, d. 1951, m. Clara Faulkner; Barney Clyde, b. 1889, d. 1954, m. Annie Lou Taylor; Thomas Houston, b. 1890, d. 1955, m. Pearl Smith; Claude Albert, b. 1893, d. 1970, single; Cora Bell, b. 1895, d. 1959, m. Burt Chesser; Jessie Verlin, b. 1899, m. Joe Whitehead; Shellie Ilene, b. 1903, m. Dewey Cowen; Henry Pierce "Seabe," b. 1907, d. 1995, m. Mattie Johns.

Alfred and his wife, Saphronia Caroline Louvenia, daughter of George Washington and Mary Elizabeth (Dreding) Turner, had the following children: William Thomas, b. 1886, d. 1971; Alice Logusta, b. 1889; Ezra Oliver, b. 1891, d. 1972, m. 1909 Carlie Lee Clary; Alfred Cecil, b. 1894; Young Eddie, b. 1896, d. 1972; George Dewey, b. 1899; Lillie Mae, b. 1901, d. 1935; and Margaret Estelle, b. 1904.

Afred moved his family to Falco during the early 1900s for him to work in the new sawmill there. He worked in the mill until it closed in the 1920s. His children were all grown by this time, so all of them with the exception of Ezra Oliver moved into Florida.

Ezra had married into the Clary family and they wanted to remain in Falco. He had been promoted in the mill until he was foreman of his planing mill division when it closed. He then operated a small store, located on the corner across from the Falco Bank building. He served the surrounding logging camps by delivering supplies in a "rolling store" style. He also took over a school bus route in 1930 and operated it until 1960. He and his wife became leading citizens of the community, and they both enjoyed the popular sacred harp singing of that day.

Ezra and Carlie Lee, daughter of James Daniel "Jim" and Letitia "Tisha" (Steele) Clary, had the following two children: Wilma, b. 1910, d. 1993, m. Edward Hammond Hamby, son of Jim and Ora Hamby; and Shelton William, b. 1912, m. Ellen Sims. At their deaths, Ezra and Carlie were buried in the Beda Baptist Church Cemetery.

Alvin Tatum is known to have had one son, William S., b. 1891, d. 1956.

There are many descendants of the McLelland family residing today in Covington County. Some of those who provided information for this writing include Catherine (Hamby) Gresham, John Jackson, Sr., David McLellan, and Carolyn (McLelland) Wilson. Appreciation is expressed to them for their efforts to preserve this family's heritage.

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

HISTORICAL MEETING:

The Covington Rifles Camp of the Sons of Confederate Veterans will meet at 7 p.m. on Thursday, October 3, at the Andalusia Public Library. Vaughn Bowers will present a program related to the Battle of Shiloh.

FAMILY REUNION:

Descendants of James Shorter and Malissia Grimes will hold their annual family reunion on Saturday October 5, beginning at 10 a.m. at the New Ebenezer (Curtis) Baptist Church, Highway 141, between Elba and Opp. Covered dish lunch will be served at noon. Contact Joe Meacham at 334-897-2514 for more information.