Descendents of Andrew Stinson
Andrew Stinson
b. ca. 1792, South Carolina
m. 1811, Elizabeth
Mayne Stringfellow
d. 1860, Monroe County,
Alabama
Little information is known about Andrew Stinson prior to his migration
to Butler County, Alabama. It has been said that he once lived
in Aiken, South Carolina. This community is located near the
current Georgia state line east of Augusta, Ga. It has also
been suggest that he may have come to America through the port of
Savannah, Ga. According to other researchers, there are several
references made to 1825 landmarks that did bear the Stinson name in
Aiken County, Ga.
Andrew married Elizabeth Stringfellow in Chester District, South Carolina in 1811. Esq. Simmons, JP, was judge who married them. Andrew volunteered for military service in Chester District on October 1, 1814. During his service in the War of 1812, he was assigned to Captain Chestnut’s Company of the South Carolina Militia. Records indicate that he was discharged from the militia on March 15, 1815.
The exact year in which this family came to Butler County is unknown. It appears that Andrew applied for land grants which were approved
about 1847. The first recorded date of their presence in March
4, 1848 when he was granted 40.06 acres of Cahaba land.
In 1850, census records lists Andrew Stinson as being 58 years
old. He was listed as a farmer with real estate valued at $300. His household included his wife, Elizabeth, and five children: Mary,
Celia, George, John and Elizabeth.
By 1860, Andrew was apparently in very bad health. On April
13, 1860, his wife Elizabeth filed a motion with the Butler County
courts to have him declared mentally incompetent. It was also
signed by his sons, Reuben and Joseph H. Stinson. The petition
asked that his son Joseph be appointed as his legal guardian and manager
of his affairs.
The census of 1860 showed Andrew and his daughter Elizabeth living
in the household of W. Kirkpatrick. Kirkpatrick was listed as
a 70 year old farmer born in North Carolina. He is believed
to be William P. Kirkpatrick whose name is found in the Cahaba land
grants. Others listed in the Kirkpatrick household include:
C. J. Kirkpatrick (30, female, AL), W. T. Brewer (7, male, AL), M.
Cooper (45, female, NC, seamstress), and E. J. Brook (5, female, AL). C. J. Kirkpatrick and M. Cooper are believed to be the daughters of
W. Kirkpatrick. Elizabeth, Andrew’s wife has not been located on the
1860 census.
Elizabeth Stringfellow Stinson was born in 1791 in South
Carolina. Nearly twenty years after her husband’s death, in
September 1871, at the age of 80, Elizabeth filed applications to
receive a pension awarded to the widow’s of soldiers of the War of
1812. She was awarded a pension in the amount of $8 on July
5, 1872.
Information on the pension applications state that Andrew
died in 1857 in Butler County, however this is in contradiction of
the 1860 census. It is possible that he died in 1867 but not
exact date of death has been determined. Witnesses for Elizabeth
on the pension applications were James Parks, C. M. Beasley and E.
J. Beasley. Each of them signed affidavits regarding knowledge
of Andrew’s military service.
Because no legal documents or church
records from South Carolina attest to the marriage of Andrew Stinson
and Elizabeth Stringfellow, statements were required from family members
with knowledge of their marriage. Signing testaments were her
brother, Alexander R. Stringfellow (age 64 in 1871) and Mary E. Sims
(age 76 in 1871). Ms. Sims is thought to be a sister.
A. F. Posey,
Clerk for the Criminal Courts of Butler County, AL, state that in
1871 Elizabeth Stinson was “so mentally and physically imbecile, or
to make her execution of the declaration on mere matter of form; in
fact, her mind is almost entirely gone, and the case is made out more
from the assistance of others than of her own recollection.”
In June 1872, Alexander Stringfellow filed an affidavit in Elizabeth’s
behalf. He stated that Elizabeth was “over 80 years old and
totally mentally imbecile and bed-ridden." This statement was sworn
to before acting Justice of the Peace, James M. Nettles, Calhoun County,
MS, where he was residing when the statement was made.
Another statement made by Mary E. Sims was sworn to before the same
courts in MS. where she was a resident. Confirmation of relation
to Elizabeth or Alexander hasn’t been proven, but it is believed she
was a sister, possibly Mary Elizabeth Stringfellow who married Edward
Sims.
Children for Andrew and Elizabeth Stinson include:
Reuben R. Stinson
(James) Leander Stinson
Joseph H. Stinson
Mary Jane Stinson
Rebecca Stinson
Celia Stinson
George Andrew Stinson
John W. Stinson
Elizabeth Stinson
Leander Stinson
b. ca. 1824, South Carolina
m. ca. 1845, Nancy Burkett
d. February 11, 1865, Union Prison, Elmira, New York
Leander Stinson was known as Lee. Most of his military records
list him as L. Stinson, but a few show the name Leander. For
many years his full name was believed to be George Leander. This was based on the fact his grandson and great-grandson was named
George Leander Stinson. However, after more than 36 years of
research, it is now believed that his name was actually James Leander. Neither name has been confirmed.
As a farmer, Leander lived in the Beat 2 area at the time of the 1850
census. He was listed as the head of his household, and was
shown to have real estate but the dollar value is not clear. Included in the household at that time were his wife, Nancy, and two
sons: John and James.
By 1860 Leander was listed as residing in the Starlington Community. He held real estate valued at $1600 and personal property valued at
$1000. At home for the 1860 census were his wife, Nancy, and
several children listed only by initials: J. C. (John Cooper), J.
L. (James Leander), E. D. Iven Devell), M. E. (Mary Elizabeth) and
Joel.
Leander owned quite a bit of property in the Starlington Community. Most of it was acquired through Cahaba Land Grants. Records
show that he was granted 319.775 acres in Butler County through the
Greenville Land Office. Authority for the grant is dated April
24, 1824. Title transfer date is shown as September 1, 1858.
Leander served the Confederacy in Company A, 1st Alabama Artillery. He was captured by Union troops at Fort Morgan, AL. His CSA
records data card indicates that he was on the roll of prisoners of
war at Fort Columbus, N.Y.H. (New York Harbor) before being transferred
to the Union prison camp at Elmira, N. Y. He was received at
Elmira on December 4, 1864. He died at the camp on February
11, 1865, suffering from chronic diarrhea. Leander’s body was
never returned to Alabama. He is buried in Elmira’s Woodlawn
Cemetery beneath a simple white cross inscribed, “2058 Stinson, L.-Private-“A”-1st Infantry-AL.”
Nancy Burkett Stinson was born February 17, 1826. She died May
26, 1886 and is buried in Providence Cemetery, Starlington, Butler
County, AL.
Children of George Leander and Nancy Burkett include:
John Andrew Cooper Stinson
James Leander Stinson
Iven Devell Stinson
Mary Elizabeth Stinson
Joel Stinson
John Andrew Cooper Stinson
b. October 19, 1856, Butler County, Alabama
m. May 13, 1867, Annie Elizabeth Smith
d. August 9, 1910, Butler County, Alabama
John Andrew Cooper Stinson was called Cooper most of the time. He was born near Mt. Pisgah Church in the Starlington Community.
Cooper is listed as a private in Company A, 1st Battalion, Alabama
Infantry, CSA. Enlistment records indicate that he joined the
war in the fall of 1863 at Fort Morgan, AL. He was captured
there, along with his father, Leander, by the Union Army. Transferred
to Elmira, N.Y., he was released from military service on June 11,
1865.
Almost two years after his release, John A. C. Stinson and Annie Elizabeth
Smith were married. Justice of the Peace, A. M. Kellar performed
the wedding ceremony.
On May 28, 1894, Cooper filed for a pension based on his military
service to the Confederacy. The application states that he was
48 years old, farming land valued at less than $400 with less than
$400 annual income, this being that he had contracted a disease during
the war. It doesn’t indicate the name of the disease. Another application was filed on March 17, 1896, showed he was farming
85 acres of land with one mule. A third application was filed
on May 7, 1897 showing 80 acres of poor land which was mortagaged. A fourth attempt to receive a pension was filed April 13, 1898, stating
that he had no assets.
At the time of his death, no pension had been awarded. Elizabeth
continued to file for the right to receive a pension based on his
military service. As of January 22, 1930, no pension had been
approved. No records have been found to indicate otherwise. He was buried at Providence Cemetery.
Annie Elizabeth Smith Stinson was born November 29, 1849 in Barbour
County, AL. According to pension applications she was the daughter
of George Washington Smith. No information has been found to
confirm this and no records have been located regarding her parents
and siblings. She died November 14, 1937 at the home of her
son, George Leander Stinson. Burial was at Providence Cemetery
beside her husband.
Children of John Andrew Cooper and Annie Elizabeth Stinson include:
George Leander Stinson
Sarah Stinson
Katherine E. Stinson
Mary Polly Stinson
Reuben Devell Stinson
Vonie Stinson
Jesse Cooper Stinson
Joseph S. Stinson
William Herman Stinson
Iven Nathaniel Stinson
George Leander Stinson
b. December 15, 1869, Butler County, Alabama
m. Texanna Smith
d. December 10, 1941, Butler County, Alabama
George Leander Stinson was named for his grandfather, Leander, who
died in a Union prison camp. He was a farmer and worked as a
laborer for the L&N Railroad.
G. L. lived all of his life on the property of his ancestors. He married Texanna Smith but not record of their marriage has been
located. All of his children were born in a small one room log
cabin on the original Stinson property.
He died from a stroke and was buried near his parents at Providence
Cemetery.
Texanna Smith Stinson was born August 28, 1873 in Butler County (as
far as we can determine). She was the daughter of Willie Jason
Smith and Mary Frances Anna Gibbons. No records have been located
that can confirm the full name of Texanna. She died May 11,
1936 and is buried beside her husband at Providence Cemetery.
Children of George Leander and Texanna Stinson include:
John Jason Stinson
William Thomas Stinson
Nancy Stinson
George Leander Stinson Jr.
Elzada Stinson
Sampson Stinson
Nellie Louise Stinson
Simon Jackson Stinson
Andrew Phillip Stinson
Chester Franklin Stinson
John Jason Stinson
b. November 1, 1893, Butler County, Alabama
m. June 20, 1920, Lunie Lee Esther Black
d. October 5, 1926, Butler County, Alabama
John Jason was called Johnny. He was engaged to be married when
World War I began. He enlisted in the Army in 1918. Having
already purchased a gold wedding band, he gave the ring to his bride
to be to keep until his return home.
After he returned from he Army, Johnny and Esther Black were married
in the home of her father, W. S. Black. The wedding ceremony
was read by D. L. Harrison, J. P. Witness to the marriage was
J. L. Blackburn.
Johnny worked as a logger after returning home from the military. On October 5, 1926, he was killed in a logging accident near Pine
Apple, AL. He was cutting timber when a tree fell on him. He was buried at Providence Cemetery.
Lunie Lee Esther Black Stinson was born July 23, 1894 in Butler County. She was the daughter of William Shirl Black and Minnie Orpha Morrow. She never remarried after Johnny was killed. She raised her
two sons alone during an age when single parents were rare. She died February 17, 1971, from a stroke, eleven years after her
first one when she fell into an unlit fireplace in Georgiana, AL. She was buried at Providence Cemetery beside her beloved husband.
Johnny and Esther had two sons:
William Forest Stinson
b. April 11, 1921, m. Dorothy Lipham Cowart,
d. November 22, 1971,
pneumonia, Oakwood Cemetery, Georgiana, AL
Charlie Watson Stinson
Charlie Watson Stinson
b. 1923
m. 1940, Lucille Lowe
m. 1947, Alma Lucile Smith
Charlie Watson Stinson was only 3 years old when his father died. He was named after his mother’s brother, Watson Black. One of
his early childhood memories includes the burning of his mother’s
house. He said that his only pair of shoes were lost during
the fire. That is about the only thing he can remember.
He enlisted into the US Army on July 19, 1944 at Fort McClellan, AL. At that time he was described at 5 ft. 5 in., black hair, blue eyes,
ruddy complexion. His occupation was listed as a light truck
driver.
From Alabama, he was transferred to Camp Walters at Mineral Wells,
Texas. He was trained as a guard. From there, he was assigned
to the Transportation Corps. The rank of Technician Fourth Grade
(Tech-4) was obtained on November 15, 1945. At the time he was
assigned to TSU-TC Shops Compl (Beach Det), Naples, Italy.
His
first tour of duty ended while he was stationed in Naples. On
November 30, 1945, he reenlisted as a member of the 373rd Harbor Craft
Company. After returning to the states, Charlie was assigned
to the 6901st ASU Service Detachment, Camp Stoneman, CA.
On January
13, 1947, he was discharged from Camp Stoneman. He received
$136.30 travel pay to return to Georgiana. Shortly thereafter,
he married Alma Lucile Smith.
In April 1950, Charlie, his wife, and
daughter, moved to the West Texas oil fields in order to gain employment. His work relocated the family to numerous places in West Texas and
then to New Mexico in 1961. Mostly, he was a truck driver, hauling
butane or crude oil.
On Memorial Day of 1963, the family relocated again to North Central
Texas. They Charlie and Lucile remained for almost 40 years. They have recently relocated to the Piney Woods of East Texas. He is now retired.
Alma Lucile Smith, called Lucile, was born in 1927 near Brushey Creek,
Butler County, Alabama. She is the daughter of the late Lonnie
Carl Smith and Albia Pearl Hitson.
Charlie and Lucile Smith Stinson have one daughter:
Mildred L. Stinson
Charlie and Lucile Lowe had two daughters:
Betty Jean Stinson
Barbara Ann Stinson
Mildred L. Stinson
b. 1948, Greenville, Butler
County, Alabama
m. 1998, Kenneth Bruce Brown
Although she was born at Stabler Infirmary in Greenville, Mildred
grew up as an “oil field child” in West Texas. Traveling from
place to place was not unusual. She was often uprooted 2-3 times
during a school year. She was in the 6th grade in Pecos, Texas,
before she completed a full school year at one school. The last
3 years of high school were completed in North Central Texas.
Mildred enlisted into the US Army at Kerrville, Texas in 1975 and
was sent to Fort McClellan, AL for basic training. Following
basic, time in specialized training at Fort Jackson, SC, AIT at Fort
Gordon, GA, she was returned to Fort Hood, Texas. There she
was part of the 142nd Signal Battalion, 2nd Armored Division. Division commander at the time was Brig. Gen. George Smith Patton,
son of WWII General George S. Patton.
In 1998, Mildred married Kenneth Bruce Brown at Centerville, Leon
County, Texas. Currently they reside in East Texas where both
are employed with a newspaper.
Kenneth is the son of Kenneth Jordan Brown and Ethel Amelia Gardner. He was born in Pensacola, FL. He has ancestors which link to
Butler County, AL.
