Today's column will feature a third and different family of Kirklands who came to Covington County circa 1900. First, there is a need to make a correction in the John Warren Kirkland family covered last week. His daughter, Clara (Kirkland) and her husband, Wilburn King, had a son who was not listed-Leo F., b. 1919, d. 1989, m. Elizabeth Matthews.

Johnathan or John Kirkland and his wife, Ellender "Ellen," lived in Edgefield, South Carolina, when he died in 1837. He was the son of Benjamin and Alice Kirkland of that state. Ellender was born in 1769.

Only two of the children of John and Ellender have been identified by local researchers. These are Warren, b. 1802, d. 1866, m. (1) before 1828 Aliff/Alice ? (2) before 1866 Caroline ?.; and Johnathan "John" Jr., b. 1889. These Kirkland ancestors lived and died in South Carolina.

Research has revealed that several families along with the Kirklands, Starnes, Hutto, Able, Poole, and Blackwell, seemed to gather in the Giddy Swamp in Aiken, South Carolina, between 1870 and 1880. Most of them came from the Orangeburg and Lexington areas. Soon after 1880, many members of these families made an exodus south to Covington and Crenshaw Counties. A good number of them settled in the Carolina Township and were farmers and sharecroppers.

One of the ancestors, Warren Kirkland, reared a fairly large family of nine children. He and his first wife, Alice, had the following children: Marina, b. 1823, m. William Courtney; Eleanor, b. ca 1828, m. Lemuel Gunter; Eldridge S., b. 1830; George W., b. ca 1832, m. (1) Harriett Starnes (2) Elizabeth Altman/Aughtman; Alsey "Alice," b. 1833, d. 1904, m. Zimri "Jimmy" Gunter; Martha Ann, b. 1837, m. Alexander Kennedy; Asa M., b. ca 1839, d. before 1866, m. Hannah ?; and Mary Ann, b. ca 1843, d. 1919, m. J. Rufus Altman. Warren and his second wife, Caroline, had one son, John B. Kirkland.

The oldest daughter, Marina, and her husband, William Courtney, reared the following children: Louisana, b. 1846; Llewellan, b. 1848; Van Buren, b. 1852; Ailey, b. 1854; Warren, b. 1856; Brooker, b. 1858, and infant, b.&d. 1860.

The second daughter, Ellender (Eleanor), and her husband, Lemuel Gunter, son of Abel and Mary (Cooper) Gunter, settled their family in the Carolina community. They reared the following children: William Levi, b. 1849, d. 1925, m. Frances "Frank" Elizabeth Ward; Isabella, b. ca 1850; Wesley N., b. ca 1852; Edward L., b. ca 1853; Marina Sedonia, b. 1854, d. 1915, m. John Busbee; Mary A., b. ca 1855; Emeline, b. ca 1860; Kreps, m. (1) ? (2) Lilla Mae Warren plus others; Luther, b. ca 1862, m. Eliza "Duck" Fulmer, daughter of Adam and Elizabeth (Holsenback) Fulmer.

George W. and his first wife, Harriett Starnes, daughter of Paul and Winnie (Altman) Starnes, had the following children: Henry Wesley, b. 1853, d. 1929; Henrietta, b. 1855; Louisa, b. 1857; Mary Ann, b. 1858; Maunselle W., b. 1839, d. 1918, m. Laura Cooper; Manuel, b. 1861, m. (1) ? (2) Mamie Corley; Winnie Lavinia, b. 1864, d. 1927, m. Jackson Cooper; Jerome, b. 1868, m. (1) ? Allen (2) Emma Richardson; Anna, b. 1869; Marcella, b. 1872; and Nola, b. 18756. George W. and his second wife, Elizabeth Aughtman, had one daughter, Mary Ellen, b. 1880.

Alsey, and her husband, Zimri Gunter, son of Abel and Mary (Cooper) Gunter, reared the following children: Andrew Jackson, b. 1856, d. 1860; Nancy I., b. 1858, d. 1921, m. James Aaron Hutto; Martha Allie, b. 1861, m. John Ervin Blackwell; Anderson "Sumpter" Alonzo, b. 1865, d. 1918 m. Addie Lee Gunter; Elender May "Ellen," b. 1867, d. 1918, m. Augustus Colwell Hutto; John, b. 1868; Saphronia, b. 1869, m. Mark Nehemiah Posey; Eliza Ann, b. 1872, m. Martin Posey; Wade Hampton, b. 1876, d. 1925, m. Glatha Hutto; Georgiana, b. 1879, d. 1918; and Annah "Annie," b. 1882.

Martha Ann and her husband, Alexander Kennedy, reared the following three children: Preston B., b. 1855; Milledge B., b. 1858; Mary Jane, b. 1859, m. S.P. Seigler; and William Edward "Edd," b. 1862, d. 1946, m. Deborah Ruth Senterfit. Alexander served in the Confederate Army and died of typhoid fever during the war.

The youngest daughter, Mary Ann, and her husband, J. Rufus Aughtman, had the following children: Julia, b. 1860; Willie, b. 1866; Hattie, b. 1868; Addie C., b. 1870, d. 1953; Cora, b. 1873; Nola, b. ca 1875; Minnie L., b. 1877; and Mary E., b. 1880. J. Rufus was a Confederate veteran who served in the 20th Regiment, South Carolina. He enlisted on April 8, 1862.

Asa M. and his wife, Hannah, had the following four children: Allen J., b. 1852; Henry C., b. 1854; John E., b. 1856; and Keziah, b. 1859. Asa died before 1866 in Orangeburg County, South Carolina.

Also, there was a Kirkland family who resided in the Hopewell community who have not yet been related to the above family. Ezra Levi Kirkland (1885-1977) and his wife Lola Amazone (Fuqua) (1887-1968), reared the following children: Ester Befay, b. 1907, m. Arthur Brooks; Ossie Mae, b. 1909, m. Floyd C. Heaton; Pauline, b. 1910, d. 2003, m. (1) Earl Hampton Stokes (2) Shorty Waters; Katreen "Datie," b. 1913, m. Autrey Lee Garrett; Robbie, b. 1915, d. 1937, single; Bessie Lee, b. 1917, d. 1970, m. (1) John Chesley Thomasson (2) George Palmer; Wilma C., b. 1920, d. 1954, m. George Palmer; Ezra Levi Jr., b. 1925, m. Bernice Williams; and Ollie, b. 1930, m. Henry Pebble Carlton. Most of this family moved later to locations in the Florida Panhandle.

As is true of most of the pioneer families in this county, there are many descendants who reside in the area at the present. One of the descendants who moved from the area as a young lad with his family is Albert C. "Buddy" Blackwell. Buddy currently resides in Las Vegas, Nevada, and is an avid genealogical researcher who appreciates his Covington County heritage. His records were the primary source for today's writing.

Anyone who might have corrections or any additions to the above data is requested to contact Curtis Thomasson at 21361 Rabren Road, Andalusia, AL 36420 or Email: chthom@alaweb.com.