McCullers, James Dewitt

McCULLERS, JAMES DEWITT

Clara Zadie McKay married Lemmie Sylvanis Mason. Her parents were Benjamin Franklin McKay and Camella Eleanor McCullers. Camella was born to Emmitt “Peyton” McCullers. Peyton's parents now take us to James Dewitt McCullers and Elizabeth Lee “Mollie” Dupree. I share DNA with 21 others linking us to James.

James Dewitt McCullers was born 1819 In Laurens County, Georgia. He married Elizabeth Lee “Mollie” Dupree November 22, 1841 in Pulaski County, Georgia. Mollie was born August 15, 1810 in Georgia. Do the math...Mollie was 9 years older than James. He was 22 when they married and she was 31. They had: Mary Elizabeth, Sarah J., James M, Martha Eleanor, Peyton and Emily J. Mollie passed away October 25, 1845 in Dale County, Alabama.

James remarried in 1855. He married Nancy M Spencer July 12, 1855. She was born in 1833. They had 4 children: Benjamin Franklin, Theophelus, Amanda Virginia and Martha Rebecca. Nancy passed away in 1864 the same year Martha Rebecca was born.

James remarried in 1865. He married Delila Brown (1835-1910). Delila is 30 and James is 46. Let's get a good perspective on this. James has a total of 11 children....eight are 16 and younger. That leaves a 1, 4, 5, 7, 10, 12, 14 an 16 year old in the home (the other three are 18, 20 and 22). They were married 25 years before James passed away in 1880. He was 61. She lived another 30 years after he went on.

We see James was a Confederate soldier in Alabama in 1862. He is listed in the Civil War Muster Rolls

He also shows up in a couple of Census. He is in the 1850 Census in Georgia. It lists his Real Estate Value at 320.00

The 1860 Census shows James as a farmer. His Real Estate Value is 435.00 and Person Value 420.00.

When all is said and done what does our story tell a hundred years from now. Is our history through the dates of our birth, death, marriage and children? You can throw in a few census and that is our life. These do tell the story and I'm very thankful we have that but the true story is reading between the lines and see the determination and hard work in our ancestors. Farming is an honorable profession but oh my lots of work. They had so many children which can be a lot of help on a farm but oh what a busy life! Life was hard then without all the many conveniences we rely on. It's not unusual for them to have more than one wife or husband due to these hard times.

Wouldn't you love to know what church they went to....what their disposition was? We can tell from the families that have gone on that they are good people and passed on to their children what we pass on to ours. Work hard, be honest, love God!!

We inherit from our ancestors gifts so often taken for granted. Each of us contains within this inheritance of soul. We are links between the ages, containing past and present expectations, sacred memories and future promise. – Edward Sellner