On Sunday, April 5, the descendants of Jim Tom Mayberry and his wife, Eulalia Elizabeth (Sasser), held their annual family reunion at the Shaw Recreation facility in Andalusia. For this reunion, an effort was made to include descendants of Eulalia Elizabeth’s Sasser siblings. Descendants of three of the siblings, John Streatman Sasser, Mary Lula (Sasser) Butler, and Cynthia Beulah (Sasser) Thomasson, represented them at the reunion.

Following the enjoyable fellowship and visiting, Jesse Sirmon, husband of Liz (Mayberry) Sirmon, one of the family historians, gave a welcome and voiced the invocation. Afterwards, the covered-dish dinner of the family’s favorites was enjoyed by those present.

After the meal, an update on the Mayberry family history was given by Tim Hilburn, one of the family genealogists. He invited Curtis Thomasson to share additional genealogy on the Sasser and Burnett families. On display was a large portrait of Eulalia Sasser Mayberry along with other photos and copies of family records.

The earliest known ancestor in the Mayberry family is James Mayberry who was born and died in England. It is believed that he lived near Sulgrave Manor in Northhamptonshire. He was married to Mary H. Washington who was also a native of England. Mary was a cousin to George Washington, the first U.S. President.

One son has been identified for this couple, Charles Washington Mayberry, who was born in England and migrated to the United States circa 1805. He was married circa 1783 to Mary Jane Hilliard. They reared at least the following three sons: Joel, b. ca 1784, moved to Tennessee; Thomas, b. ca 1787, settled in Gallatin County, IL; and James Washington, b. ca 1792, d. 1872, m. (1) Julianne “Ann” Boyd (1808-1851) (2) 1863 Columbus, GA, Susan Murphy (1829 Jones County, GA-1902 Opelika, Lee County, AL).

The third son, James Washington Mayberry, served in the Illinois Militia in 1828 and rose to the rank of Lieutenant and then Captain. In 1830, he was in Gallatin County, Illinois, where he probably resided at Old Shawneetown. For the next two years or so, he lived in Kentucky before migrating to the McMinnville, Tennessee, area where he lived until 1839. By 1840, he had moved his family to Cave Springs in Murray County, Georgia. By 1850, he had moved to Chambers County, Alabama, where his first wife died in 1851.

In 1863, James was married to Susan Murphy who was a native of Jones County, Georgia. They were married in Columbus and in the middle of the War Between the States. Their first child was born in 1864 in Opelika, which at that time was in Russell County. When the 1866 Alabama Census was written, this family was residing in Russell County. In 1872, James became ill, so his son, Charles Washington Mayberry, took him to his house in Chambers County. This son also got his father’s estate. James died on March 18, 1872, and was buried at Waverly in Chambers County.

James and his first wife, Julianne Boyd, daughter of John and Anna Marie (Hurt) Boyd, had 10 children. In some records, their names were shortened to Mabry, but the correct spelling appears to be Mayberry. The children included the following: Mabry, b. ca 1824; Charles Washington, b. 1827, d. 1910, m. 1849 Lucy J. Cooper (1832-1912); James T., b. 1830; Thomas Salisbury; Robert, b. 1836, d. 1872; Eliza, b. 1839, m. 1865 William S. Hutchings; William Green, b. 1841; Mary A., b. 1843; Andrew, b. 1825; and Catherine, b. 1848.

James and his second wife, Susan Murphy, daughter of Felix and Nancy Murphy, reared two children of their own, James Monroe, b. 1864, d. 1948, m. 1903 Willie Oscar Brown (1886-1980); and Nancy Henrietta, b. 1868, d. 1939, m. 1893 John T. Martin.

Their oldest son, James Monroe, and his wife, Willie Oscar Brown (1886-1980), daughter of James Thomas LaFayette and Nancy Ellen “Nannie” (Monk) Brown, reared the following children: Jenny, b. 1904, d. 1998, m. 1923 Charlie Bruce Thomas (1887-1956); George Washington, b. 1905, d. 1997; Griff, b. 1907; Living ?; James Roy, b. 1911; Carrie, b. 1913, d. 1956; Joseph Preston, b. 1915, d. 1976; Living ?; Thomas Heflin, b. 1925, d. 1945; Living ?; and Living ?.

The daughter, Nancy Henrietta, and her husband, John T. Martin, reared the following children: Harold, Lilly, Lloyd, and four other children.

The second child from James and his first wife, Julianne, was Charles Washington Mayberry, who married Lucy J. Cooper. They reared the following children: James Washington, b. 1853; Bird, b. 1854; Joseph Joel T., b. 1856, d. 1935; Jack and unnamed infant were twins, b. 1858; Mary Jane, b. 1860; Harry J. and Charles, twins, b. 1862, Charles d. 1915; Susan, b. 1864, d. 1865; Tomas, b. 1866; Fannie Isabella, b. 1867; William Harris, b. 1868; Henry Upton, b. 1873, d. 1917; and Lucy Myrtle, b. 1877, d. 1951.

The third child, James Thomas Mayberry, was married in 1852 in Macon County to Jane E. Mullins, daughter of Thomas and Nancy (McFarland) Mullins. In 1880, they were living next door to their relative, Adaline (Mullins) West, and her three children. They had a son, Jim Tom Mayberry, who was born in 1852. In 1870, the family was living in Auburn in Lee County, and the name was written as Mabry. Jim Tom was married there in 1877 to Mattie Z. Hunt.

In 1891, James Thomas “Jim Tom” Mayberry, Jr. was married again to Eulalia Elizabeth Sasser, daughter of John Mudson and Jane (Johnson) Sasser. In 1903, Jim Tom moved his family to the Good Hope Church community in Crenshaw County. They built a cabin on the edge of a deep ravine, which became known as Mayberry Gully. They reared five children: John Albert, b. 1892, m. Rachel ?; Nettie Elzie, b. 1897, d. 1976, m. James Maloney Elmore; Thomas Wiley, b. ca 1903, m. Meelie Wells; William Clyde, b. 1907, m. Isabelle Rowell; and Vida, b. 1913, m. (1) Kendrick Campbell (2) Sam McFarland (3) Mann Soloman.

John Albert and Rachel were in Crenshaw County in 1920, but they had moved to Covington County by 1930. Their children were Obie, Mertie, T.J., Jill, Annie, Mildred, Fay and Paul D.

The oldest daughter, Elzie’s husband, James M. Elmore, was the son of William Vernon and Rebecca (Sims) Elmore and the grandson of James Henry and Sara (Knotts) Elmore, natives of Darlington, South Carolina. They migrated to Henry County, Alabama, circa 1855, and later settled circa 1861 near Mayberry Gulley, a location near the Covington-Crenshaw County line where the Mayberry family would eventually locate.

Elzie and James M.’s children included the following: Nettie Inez, b. 1914, m. George Coston Everage; Willie Vaster, b. 1916, d. 1991, m. Cassie Mae Howell; Claudy Varel, b. 1918, d. 1998, m. (1) Zassie Mae Owens (2) Icie Lee Walls; Estie Lee, b. 1921, m. (1) Myron Driver (2) James J. Ennis; James Darel, b. 1923, d. 1979, m. Mattie Kate McCart; Ore Nell, b. 1926, d. 1991, m. O.B. Hilburn; and Joe Herman, b. 1929, d. 2008, m. Betty Joe Watford.

Thomas Wiley Mayberry and his family moved from their home community to Greenville. Thomas W. and Meelie’s children were Anna Dale, James and Joe Bill.

William Clyde Mayberry, and his wife, Isabella (Rowell), resided in Crenshaw County and later moved to Covington County. They reared the following children: Evelyn, m. Aarron Pate; Charles Reginald, m. Mary Lena Greene; Amzie Elizabeth, m. (1) William Barbaree (2) Jessie W. Sirmon; and Dalton Chadick, d. as infant.

The family records of Tim Hilburn, Mayberry descendant and genealogist, were the source for this writing. Tim was the son of Ore Nell (Mayberry) and O.B. Hilburn.

Anyone who has any additional information on this family is requested to contact Curtis Thomasson at 20357 Blake Pruitt Road, Andalusia, AL 36420; 334-222-6467; or E-mail: cthomasson@centurytel.net.