Gomillion descendants lived in county

Published 12:00 am Saturday, March 27, 2010

Today’s column features a review of the Gomillion family of Covington County.

In last week’s writing, Barlett M. Gomillion who brought his family to this county was covered, and his two oldest sons, Francis M. “Bud” and Henry C. Gomillion were introduced.

In today’s column, the grandchildren of Henry C. and his brother John Clinton Gomillion will be outlined.

John H.C. Gomillion was the oldest son of Henry C. Gomillion.

He homesteaded 159.82 acres in 1882 in the Pigeon Creek Township.

John and his wife, Ellen Fields (1853-1899), had the following children: John, b. 1874, probably d. young; Lafayette, b. 1880,  d. ca 1918; Alice Eugene, b. 1882, d. 1950, m. Benjamin Oliver Gorum (1890-1965); Martha Jane, b. 1884, d. 1941; James T., b. 1887, d. 1918, WW I Silver Star Citation, m. Minnie ?; Cummie Inez, b. 1888, d. 1965; Henry C., b. 1892, d. 1963; and Carrie, b. 1896, d. 1991. John H.C. and his wife were buried in the Bushfield Cemetery.

James B. Gomillion was the second son of Henry C. Gomillion.

The initial B is probably for Bartlett as it appears in various records as Bartly and Burnt.

He is also called Jay and Jake in some of the census records.

In 1892, James received a land patent for 80.33 acres in Covington County, and he homesteaded 80.35 acres in the Pigeon Creek Township in 1891.

At his death in 1934, James was buried in the Bushfield Cemetery.

James Gomillion was married to Nellie Vilator Gorum, daughter of Harvey and Joanna (Beasley) Gorum.

They reared the following children: James Hix, b. 1884, d. 1954; Anna J., b. 1886, d. 1948, m. 1912 George Washington Stokes (1888-1962), son of Will Stokes; John Henry Oliver, b. 1889, d. 1924; Lottie, b. 1891, d. 1928; Minnie, b. 1893, d. 1979; Albert James, b. 1896, d. 1927; Lucy Florence, b. 1899, d. 1971; Emmett Jackson, b. 1902, d. 1967; Calman, b. 1905, d. 1910-20; Ethel, b. 1906, d. 1971; Estelle, b. 1911, m. ? Peavy; Huey Ulyss, b. 1912, d. 1993, m. Ruth ?; and Willie, b. 1914.

Franklin M. Gomillion is the third son of Henry C. Gomillion.

He was married to Dalilah Lorraine Thompson, daughter of John and Emma (Singleton) Thompson.

They reared the following children: Elva, b. 1886, d. 1939; Annie, b. 1889, d. 1972; Alice, b. 1892, d. 1968, m. William David Odom; Beulah, b. 1893, d. 1962, m. E. Gray Stringer; Maude, b. 1895; Jesse Darwood, b. 1897, d. 1952; Frank Leon, b. 1899; Susie Mae, b. 1902, d. 1973; and Lee, b. 1906. Many of this family moved to Clarke County, Ala., and a number of them moved later to Texas.

Franklin and Dalilah died in the Town of Jackson in Clarke County and were buried there.

Catherine Elizabeth Gomillion was the oldest daughter of Henry C. Gomillion.

She was married in 1892 to Smith Warner Baldwin (1872-1962), son of John (MD) and Margaret (McPherson) Baldwin. Catherine and Smith W. Baldwin reared the following children: John Augusta, b. 1894, d. 1964, m. Effie T.; Mable E., b. 1895; Wilbur S., b. 1897; Mittie Chloe, b. 1899, d. 1969, m. ? Armstrong; and Pinkie Mae, b. 1902, d. 1966, m. Jack Armstrong.

Henry C.’s next daughter, Laura Alice Gomillion, was married to James Jackson Cleghorn.

They reared the following children: Mary Jane, b. 1890, d. 1974, m. ? Waller; Idella, b. 1894, d. 1956, m. ? Blalock; John Earl, b. 1897, d. 1974, m. Jessie Lowery; Beulah, b. 1900; Alice, b. 1904; Murl, b. 1906; Andie Lee, b. 1908, and three infants who died according to census data.

The next daughter, Ella Gomillion, was married to John P. Mosley.

They had the following children: Emma, b. 1903; Hillary, b. 1906; and three infants who died young according to census data.

Henry C.’s next son, Franklin M. Gomillion, was married to Dalilah Lorraine Thompson, daughter of John and Emma (Singleton) Thompson.

At some point, Franklin and Dalilah settled in the Jackson area of Clarke County.

They reared the following children: Elva, b. 1886, d. 1939, m. Hicks Cook Gomillion; Annie, b. 1889, d. 1972; Alice, b. 1892, d. 1968, m. William David Odom; Beulah, b. 1893, d. 1963, m. E. Gray Stringer; Maude, b. 1895; Jesse Darwood, b. 1897, d. 1952; Franklin Leon, b. 1899, was farmer when he registered for WW II; Susie Mae, b. 1902, d. 1973; and Lee, b. 1906.

Some of these children remained in Clarke County and some moved to Texas.

The third son of Bartlett M. Gomillion, who was a brother to the above Francis M. and Henry C., was John Clinton Gomillion. John Clinton enlisted in the Confederate Army along with his brother in March 1962 at Leon.

He served as a private in Company C, 37th Alabama Infantry Regiment.

He was wounded at the Battle of New Hope Church, Georgia, but he recovered and was paroled in June 1865 in Montgomery.

John Clinton returned from the war and was married to Mary Frances Dukes, daughter of Tyrn and Parthenia (Atkinson) Dukes.

They resided in Northern Covington County where John was a farmer.

In 1881, John homesteaded 159.82 acres in the Pigeon Creek Township.

They reared the following children: Ophelia, b. 1866, d. 1941, m. John D. Williams (1868-1953); Frances Emma, b. 1867, d. 1924, m. Robert Kelley; Iona, b. 1868, d. 1941, m. James A. Williams; John T., b. 1873, d. 1944; Agnes, b. 1875; Mary, b. 1876; Dicy, b. 1877; Andrew Bartlett, b. 1878, d. 1936, single; Hicks Cook, b. 1882, d. 1950, m. Elva Gomillion; Millard Warren, b. 1885, d. 1949; Elder Herbert, b. 1886, d. 1968; Sarah, b. 1886, d. 1948; and Lucy Alabama, b. 1889, d. 1968.

John Clinton Gomillion reared his children in the Pigeon Creek and surrounding area.

Most of them were married there and began their families there.

Some of them began to move to other areas, but most remained settled in the general vicinity.

Since genealogical data is available on the next generation or so of this family, a third column on them will follow.

Again, appreciation is expressed to Pamala Celeste Nolan for her research on this family and sharing her records for this writing.

Anyone who might have any corrections to the above or additional data on the Gomillion family is requested to contact Curtis Thomasson at 20357 Blake Pruitt Road, Andalusia, AL 36420; 334-222-6467; or E-mail: cthomasson@centurytel.net.

HISTORICAL

MEETING:

The Covington Rifles Camp of the Sons of Confederate Veterans will be meeting at 6 p.m. on Thursday, April 1, in the Dixon Memorial Room of the Andalusia Public Library.

QUERY:

A memorial service was held last Saturday for a Confederate Veteran, John Jack Garrett, buried in the Jordan or Jordan-Kelley Cemetery, located off Brooklyn and Padgett Roads.

Anyone who might have history or information on the families, especially the Fuquas, who are buried there, is requested to contact Curtis Thomasson at the above addresses.