Echols Notes
This page refers to "Echols Notes" by Rebecca Echols Terry. The following text is derived from scans, kindly provided to me by Terry Echols of https://echolsfamilygenealogy.blogspot.com.
Excerpt from Volume 1:
Chambers County
John W. Echols & Lucy A. Satterwhite - 4 Oct 1838 (1-200)
Samuel M. Echols & Martha Satterwhite - 4 Oct 1838 (1-198)
This is corroborated by The Genealogical Society of East Alabama:
199 SAMUEL M. ECHULS and MARTHA SATTERWHITE, 10-4-1838, by G. W. Carlisle JP.
200 JOHN W. ECHULS and LUCY A. SATTERWHITE, 10-4-1838, by G. W. Carlisle JP.
Excerpt from Volume 2:
Butler CO. AL
Mr. J. W. Echols, age 21 & Miss R. E. Whittle, age 18 - 29 Nov. 1877 by R. S. Hughs, Ordained Minister *Bk 1875-78, pg.586)
Note attatched: Nov. 26, 1877 "Honerable J.S. Powel, Judge of Probate. Dear Sir, you are at liberty to ishew license fore J. W. Echols and my daughter Rut E. Whittle to marey. Yours with respect, A. F. Whitte."
Note that John Washington Echols died in 1865; however, he had a son named "John". In addition, Lucy Anna (Satterwhite) Echols moved to Butler county circa 1876 per her obituary in "The Gospel Messenger". This all aligns well with a senior John Washington Echols, possibly familiar with the area, who had a son named John Washington Echols Jr.
The marriage is also supported by a "Butler. Marraige Record Index 1853-1880 (FamilySearch):
Echols, J.W. & R. E. Whittle [pg.] 586
Going to the reference in the "Butler. Marriage Records 1871-1875, 1875-1878" (FamilySearch), reveals the official certificate as well as a note between the pages. The note reads as specified by the above Echols Note excerpt. The certificate reads as follows:
The State of Alabama, Butler County
TO any Ordained or Licensed Minister of the Gospel, Judge of the Circuit or Probate Courts, or Justice of the Peace for said County–GREETING:
You are hereby Authorized to celebrate the Rites of Matrimony between
Mr. J. W. Echols
and Miss R. E. Whittle
and this shall be your sufficient authority for so doing.
Given under my hand and seal this 26th day of November A. D. 1877 and of American Independence the 101 year.
L. L. Powell L.S.
Judge of the Probate.
The above named parties were married by me at the (unintelligible) of the Bride's Father on the 29 day of Novr A. D. 1877.
R. S. Hughs
Ordained Minister
To further substantiate this marriage, I found an "Alabama. Census Record Indexes 1880" (FamilySearch) entry for "County of Butler, State of Alabama" that reads as follows:
| Name | Age | Relationship to head | Birth place |
|---|---|---|---|
| Echols John | 24 | Alabama | |
| . Ruth | 19 | wife | Alabama |
| . Anna | 2 | daughter | Alabama |
The age here aligns with that of the J. W. Echols married to Ruth Whittle.
Additionally, there is a probable 1880 census entry for Lucy Anna (Satterwhite) Echols in Butler County, Alabama (FamilySearch): Lucy Echols, age 54, head of household, with Mattie, age 27, and Thos., age 20. Identification is supported by location and widow/head status, but Mattie’s age and the name “Thos.” are not clean matches. Despite John and Ruth's page lacking a beat number (pages before them are on beat no. 4 and pages after are on beat no. 3), their pages only have a single page of separation between them (pg. 552 and 554 in the PDF), possibly signaling an extended family unit.
In "Morgan. Probate Indexes 1820–1888 | Decatur. Court Records 1892, 1899–1904" (FamilySearch), under "PROBATE INDEX":
| Last | First | Middle | Book | Page | Court |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ECHOLS | LUCINDA | HEIRS | 45 | 285 | PROBATE |
| ECHOLS | LUCINDA | HEIRS | 45 | 286 | PROBATE |
| ECHOLS | LUCINDA | HEIRS | 45 | 287 | PROBATE |
| ECHOLS | LUCINDA | HEIRS | 45 | 288 | PROBATE |
| ECHOLS | LUCINDA | HEIRS | 45 | 289 | PROBATE |
| ECHOLS | LUCINDA | HEIRS | 45 | 290 | PROBATE |
| ECHOLS | LUCINDA | HEIRS | 45 | 316 | PROBATE |
| ECHOLS | LUCINDA | HEIRS | 45 | 317 | PROBATE |
| ECHOLS | MINORS | 36 | 165 | PROBATE | |
| ECHOLS | MINORS | 41 | 279 | PROBATE | |
| ECHOLS | MINORS | 41 | 291 | PROBATE | |
| ECHOLS | MINORS | 41 | 294 | PROBATE | |
| ECHOLS | MINORS | 41 | 303 | PROBATE | |
| ECHOLS | MINORS | 41 | 309 | PROBATE | |
| ECHOLS | THOMAS | 36 | 141 | PROBATE |
In Book 45, Page 285 (FamilySearch). Automated transcription:
Petition
Thomas J Eechols. Guar VS C F Johasten
The State of Alabama
Morgan County
To the Hon E. M. Russell Judge Probate Court of said County - Your Petitioner Tho J Eechols as the Guardian of William E. Jennettie B. & Emt. M. Echols memor Children of Lecccon da Echols Deceased who was a daughter of James W. Johnson deceased reforesents unto your Honor that his said Wards are doe joint our of one fourth undivided entwert on the following lands lying on the said County of Morgan and known as the Wp of the North Cart fourth of the N Eo 1/4 of Section Eight, the S. E. 1/2 of the No. N. Eo. 1¼ of Section Eight except 2 13/100 acres And Fourteen 13/m acres in the South West Corner of the W./2 of the NW¼ of Section nine all in Township 7 Range 2 West Containing on all seventy three 74 no acres - Petitioner further states and alleges that said missors have no other property than that above disenbed & that the rents & profits of their said one fourth are decided interest in said lands are insufficient for the maintainance and edu ration of his said Wards, he therefore prays your honor to appoint a day for the hearing of this application and that upon the hearing thereof. Your Honor grant and make a dearer authorizing and emhowering petitioner to sell the said interest of said words on the land above described for the purpose of their maintenance and education upon such terms as to your honor may seem profer & for such other & further orders & desires as may be necessary & "I legal" on the premises & in duty bound will ever pray &c Tho J Echols Echols as Guardian for said menors by his atti- Gem. Rice