Descendants of John Britt and Mary Cox

(Father of Larry Britt, Sr.)

1. JOHN¹ BRITT^1,2 was born 1774. He married MARY COX Abt. 1793 in Robeson County NC, daughter of GILBERT COX and SARAH UNKNOWN. She was born 1774 in Bladen County NC.

Children of JOHN BRITT and MARY COX are:

2. i. LARRY BRYANT² BRITT, SR, b. October 12, 1811, North Carolina; d. 1852, Jackson Gap, Alabama.

ii. SUSANNAH BRITT, b. 1794, Robeson County NC; m. CHARLES IVEY³; b. 1790, Robeson County NC.

3. iii. ALLIS BRITT, b. 1798, Robeson County NC; d. 1868, Robeson County NC.

4. iv. CHRISTIAN BRITT, b. 1802.

v. MARY BRITT, b. 1809, Robeson County NC.

vi. SARAH JANE BRITT, b. 1810, Robeson County NC.

5. vii. ORRAH BRITT, b. 1813, Robeson County NC.

 

2. LARRY BRYANT² BRITT, SR (JOHN¹) was born October 12, 1811 in North Carolina, and died 1852 in Jackson Gap, Alabama. He married ANNA EVERS January 19, 1832 in Blanden County, North Carolina, daughter of WILLIAM EVERS and AMEY LEWIS. She was born October 22, 1813 in North Carolina, and died March 10, 1868 in Tallapoosa Co, Alabama.

More About LARRY BRYANT BRITT, SR:

More About ANNA EVERS:

Children of LARRY BRITT and ANNA EVERS are:

i. INFANT³ BRITT.

More About INFANT BRITT:

Education: on marker no name sex or dates just infant

6. ii. JOHN W. BRITT, DR., b. October 22, 1833, Robeson County NC; d. February 16, 1910, Jackson Gap, Alabama.

7. iii. RICHARD LEWIS BRITT, b. April 19, 1834, Robeson County North Carolina; d. October 29, 1914, TAllapoosa County ALABAMA.

iv. AMIEY BRITT, b. February 04, 1839, Jackson Gap, Alabama; d. March 23, 1916, Jackson Gap, Alabama.

More About AMIEY BRITT:

Education: Aunt Babe

v. WILLIAM BRITT, b. September 23, 1841, jackson Gap, ALABAMA; d. October 16, 1843, jackson Gap, ALABAMA.

More About WILLIAM BRITT:

Education: Britt family cemetery Jackson Gap Alabama

vi. QUEEN ESTHER BRITT, b. February 23, 1847, Jackson Gap, Alabama; d. August 07, 1914, Jackson Gap, ALABAMA.

More About QUEEN ESTHER BRITT:

Education: Aunt Queen

Namesake: spinster

8. vii. SARAH BRITT, b. 1849, Jackson Gap, Alabama; d. 1931, Tallapoosa Co, Alabama.

viii. ANNIE EVERS BRITT, b. August 09, 1851, Jackson Gap, ALABAMA; d. August 30, 1852, Jackson Gap, ALABAMA.

More About ANNIE EVERS BRITT:

Education: Britt family cemetery Jackson Gap Alabama

ix. LARRY BRYANT BRITT, JR., b. August 09, 1852, Jackson Gap, Alabama; d. April 26, 1929, Jackson Gap, Alabama.

More About LARRY BRYANT BRITT, JR.:

Education: buried Britt family cemetery Jackson Gap Al

3. ALLIS² BRITT (JOHN¹) was born 1798 in Robeson County NC, and died 1868 in Robeson County NC. She married FLEETWOOD WALTERS^4,5 1820 in Robeson County NC, son of WILLIAM WALTERS and CELIA DAWSON. He was born 1797 in Robeson County NC, and died 1879 in Robeson County NC.

Children of ALLIS BRITT and FLEETWOOD WALTERS are:

9. i. MARY³ WALTERS, b. 1826, Robeson County NC.

ii. WILLIAM PINKNEY WALTERS, b. 1827, Robeson County NC.

4. CHRISTIAN² BRITT (JOHN¹) was born 1802. She married JOHN W. SMITH⁶ 1825 in Robeson County NC. He was born 1797 in Virginia.

Children of CHRISTIAN BRITT and JOHN SMITH are:

i. REUBEN³ SMITH, b. 1830, Robeson County NC.

ii. ANN E. SMITH, b. 1835, Robeson County NC.

iii. THOMAS R. SMITH, b. 1838, Robeson County NC.

iv. MARTHA SMITH, b. 1839, Robeson County NC.

5. ORRAH² BRITT (JOHN¹) was born 1813 in Robeson County NC. She married CADER IVEY 1829 in Robeson County NC. He was born 1797 in Robeson County NC, and died 1874 in McNairy County TN.

More About CADER IVEY:

Children of ORRAH BRITT and CADER IVEY are:

i. EDWIN³ IVEY, b. 1831, Robeson County NC.

ii. CALAWAY IVEY, b. September 24, 1834, McNairy County TN.

iii. WARREN OLIVER IVEY, b. 1838, McNairy County TN.

iv. JOHN F. IVEY, b. 1840, McNairy County TN.

10. v. LARRY B. IVEY, b. January 03, 1841, McNairy County TN; d. August 05, 1905, Purdy Garvin OK.

vi. MARY J. IVEY, b. 1846, McNairy County TN.

vii. JOAB IVEY, b. 1848, McNairy County TN.

viii. WILLIAM P. IVEY, b. 1850, McNairy County TN.

ix. HARRIET M. IVEY, b. 1854, McNairy County TN.

 

6. JOHN W.³ BRITT, DR. (LARRY BRYANT², JOHN¹) was born October 22, 1833 in Robeson County NC, and died February 16, 1910 in Jackson Gap, Alabama. He married SALINA UNKNOWN. She was born in Georgia.

More About JOHN W. BRITT, DR.:

Children of JOHN BRITT and SALINA UNKNOWN are:

i. HASTINGS⁴ BRITT.

ii. WINFIELD BRITT.

iii. ALBERT BRITT.

iv. JIM BRITT.

v. TARA BRITT.

vi. SUG BRITT.

11. vii. LAURA ANNIE BRITT, b. 1868, Tallapoosa County, Alabama.

viii. JOHN BRITT, b. 1870, Tallapoosa County, Alabama; d. California.

More About JOHN BRITT:

Education: buried in Oklahoma

7. RICHARD LEWIS³ BRITT (LARRY BRYANT², JOHN¹) was born April 19, 1834 in Robeson County North Carolina, and died October 29, 1914 in TAllapoosa County ALABAMA. He married FRANCIS LANEY SORRELLS December 29, 1867 in Tallapoosa AL. She was born August 1849 in Tallapoosa County ALABAMA, and died November 03, 1921 in tallapoosa County ALABAMA.

Notes for RICHARD LEWIS BRITT:

More About RICHARD LEWIS BRITT:

Notes for FRANCIS LANEY SORRELLS:

More About FRANCIS LANEY SORRELLS:

Children of RICHARD BRITT and FRANCIS SORRELLS are:

i. AURIE⁴ BRITT.

ii. ANNA BRITT, b. 1870, Tallapoosa County, Alabama; m. ICIE ARGO.

12. iii. LAVONIA ROBERTER BRITT, b. 1871, Tallapoosa County, Alabama; d. 1960, Tallapoosa County, Alabama.

13. iv. LARRY BRYANT BRITT III, b. November 1873.

14. v. MEXICANA BRITT, b. August 02, 1874, Tallapoosa County, Alabama; d. March 09, 1928, Tallapoosa County, Alabama.

15. vi. EPSIE CORRINE BRITT, b. December 24, 1876, Tallapoosa County ALABAMA; d. March 10, 1940, Ceadartown, Georgia.

vii. FRANCIS MARION BRITT, b. May 1878; m. OMIE SURLS; b. August 1881.

More About FRANCIS MARION BRITT:

Education: named after Francis Marion the Swamp Fox

viii. SUZANNAH SOPHRONIA BRITT, b. May 1880; m. JIM TRUSSELL.

16. ix. LULLA BELLE BRITT, b. November 1882, Tallapoosa County, Alabama; d. 1942, Tallapoosa County, Alabama.

x. EARLE R BRITT, b. July 1885.

xi. IRIS MAY BRITT, b. July 1889, Tallapoosa County, Alabama; d. 1912, Tallapoosa County, Alabama; m. JESSE WESLEY PARTRIDGE; b. 1884, Tallapoosa County, Alabama; d. 1970, Tallapoosa County, Alabama.

More About IRIS MAY BRITT:

Education: buried in Rock Springs Church Jackson Gap Al

More About JESSE WESLEY PARTRIDGE:

Education: buried in Rock Springs Church Jackson Gap Al

8. SARAH³ BRITT (LARRY BRYANT², JOHN¹)⁷ was born 1849 in Jackson Gap, Alabama, and died 1931 in Tallapoosa Co, Alabama. She married JORDON SORRELLS. He was born 1852, and died August 17, 1968.

More About SARAH BRITT:

More About JORDON SORRELLS:

Children of SARAH BRITT and JORDON SORRELLS are:

17. i. WILLIAM⁴ SORRELLS.

ii. JOE SORRELLS.

iii. JOHN SORRELLS, m. JOHNNY HARRIS.

iv. LARRY SORRELLS.

v. HENRY SORRELLS, m. ROSE JOINER.

vi. ANNIE SORRELLS, m. JOHN JOINER.

9. MARY³ WALTERS (ALLIS² BRITT, JOHN¹) was born 1826 in Robeson County NC. She married THOMAS D. COLLINS 1847 in Robeson County NC. He was born 1828 in Robeson County NC.

Child of MARY WALTERS and THOMAS COLLINS is:

i. FLEETWOOD⁴ COLLINS, b. 1848, Robeson County NC.

10. LARRY B.³ IVEY (ORRAH² BRITT, JOHN¹) was born January 03, 1841 in McNairy County TN, and died August 05, 1905 in Purdy Garvin OK. He married SARAH GARNER. She was born November 1839 in McNairy County TN, and died in Purdy Garvin OK.

Children of LARRY IVEY and SARAH GARNER are:

i. WARREN OLIVER⁴ IVEY, b. August 11, 1868, McNairy County TN; d. December 21, 1945, Paul's Valley Purdy OK; m. SALOME ADA JOHNSON; b. April 15, 1869, Austin Texas, Travis COunty Texas; d. August 23, 1956, Paul's Valley Purdy OK.

ii. MALISSA EMILY IVEY, b. March 27, 1870, McNairy County TN; d. February 07, 1955, Chester Co TN; m. JACOB G CROUSE, 1884; b. January 1845, TN; d. 1917, TN.

iii. LAURA C. IVEY, b. May 27, 1873, McNairy County TN; d. November 26, 1959, Paul's Valley Purdy OK; m. WILLIAM FINIS JOHNSON, October 21, 1907; b. Abt. 1870.

iv. IRA ANNIE IVEY, b. October 12, 1875, McNairy County TN; d. December 13, 1970, Pauls Valley OK; m. HENRY M. JOHNSON; b. 1875.

v. LON IVEY, b. May 16, 1879, McNairy County TN; d. January 25, 1959, Lindsay Garvin OK; m. MAMIE LEE, June 25, 1901, Paul's Valley Garvin OK; b. June 05, 1883, Texas; d. April 10, 1931, Foster Garvin COunty OK.

Marriage Notes for LON IVEY and MAMIE LEE:

At the time they were married Ok was still Indian territory.

 

11. LAURA ANNIE⁴ BRITT (JOHN W.³, LARRY BRYANT², JOHN¹) was born 1868 in Tallapoosa County, Alabama. She married UNKNOWN BLACKWELDER.

Child of LAURA BRITT and UNKNOWN BLACKWELDER is:

i. JIMMY⁵ BLACKWELDER.

Notes for JIMMY BLACKWELDER:

He is the one that showed Wilma, Mildred, Cora, Gene, and Becky around Alexander City and Jackson Gap when they went to Alabama in search of family history.

12. LAVONIA ROBERTER⁴ BRITT (RICHARD LEWIS³, LARRY BRYANT², JOHN¹) was born 1871 in Tallapoosa County, Alabama, and died 1960 in Tallapoosa County, Alabama. She married JESSE WESLEY PARTRIDGE. He was born 1884 in Tallapoosa County, Alabama, and died 1970 in Tallapoosa County, Alabama.

More About LAVONIA ROBERTER BRITT:

More About JESSE WESLEY PARTRIDGE:

Child of LAVONIA BRITT and JESSE PARTRIDGE is:

i. MATILDA⁵ PARTRIDGE, m. UNKNOWN MILLUM.

Notes for MATILDA PARTRIDGE:

She is the one that was so excited when Mother, Mildred, Cora, Gene, and Becky went to Jackson Gap to search for family history. She grabbed Becky's arm and repeated over and over "Oh, you're JP's daughter!" She also verified the fact that when they were little, they used to go "fly through the trees" (see notes on Joe P Surls Sr for explanation)

More About MATILDA PARTRIDGE:

Education: cousin Tilda

13. LARRY BRYANT⁴ BRITT III (RICHARD LEWIS³, LARRY BRYANT², JOHN¹) was born November 1873. He married ELIZABETH AMANDA SURLS 1894 in Tallapoosa County, Alabama. She was born April 1875 in Tallapoosa County, Alabama, and died November 1938 in Tallapoosa County, Alabama.

Notes for ELIZABETH AMANDA SURLS:

More About ELIZABETH AMANDA SURLS:

Children of LARRY BRITT and ELIZABETH SURLS are:

i. WILLIAM BRYANT⁵ BRITT.

ii. JOSEPH MANNING BRITT.

iii. WILLIS LEE BRITT.

iv. REGINA LOUCIE BRITT, m. UNKNOWN JESTER.

v. FANNY REBECCA BRITT, m. UNKNOWN BROWN.

vi. REBECCA BRITT.

vii. BERTHA MAY BRITT, b. March 1895; m. UNKNOWN STALLINGS.

viii. INDIA OLAR BRITT, b. April 1897; m. BENJAMIN L. KERSEY.

ix. RICHARD RUFFIN BRITT, b. March 1899.

x. ELIZABETH ELAINE BRITT, b. June 28, 1901; d. December 1986, Barnesville, Georgia; m. LESTER GERDINE LIFSEY, JR.

Notes for ELIZABETH ELAINE BRITT:

Bessie Lifsey's Rolls

Doodle out a hole in a sifter full of self-rising flour, add 2 heaping tsps sugar, 1 envelope yeast, dissolved in 1 cup warm water, make soft dough with 3 heaping tbsp lard. Put in refrigerator overnight and then knead again. Roll, cut, let rise 1 hour and bake at 350-400 until brown.

More About ELIZABETH ELAINE BRITT:

Education: nicknamed Bessie

14. MEXICANA⁴ BRITT (RICHARD LEWIS³, LARRY BRYANT², JOHN¹) was born August 02, 1874 in Tallapoosa County, Alabama, and died March 09, 1928 in Tallapoosa County, Alabama. She married JAMES THOMAS MCDANIEL. He was born August 22, 1877, and died March 07, 1952.

More About MEXICANA BRITT:

Children of MEXICANA BRITT and JAMES MCDANIEL are:

i. FANNIE MAE⁵ MCDANIEL.

ii. JOHN SIDNEY MCDANIEL.

iii. EVALINE MCDANIEL.

Notes for EVALINE MCDANIEL:

Died as a young girl.

iv. MAGGIE MCDANIEL, m. BILL CLEGG.

v. LEWIS MCDANIEL.

vi. DONA BELL MCDANIEL, b. October 29, 1898; d. March 27, 1966; m. (1) WALTER ANTHONY THAMES, 1918; b. 1896; d. October 06, 1928; m. (2) ROBERT HENRY FRAZURE, SR, 1928; b. July 27, 1910; d. December 15, 1962.

More About DONA BELL MCDANIEL:

Education: buried at Rock Springs Cemetery, Jackson Gap

More About ROBERT HENRY FRAZURE, SR:

Education: buried at Rock Springs Cemetery, Jackson Gap

Namesake: also known as Harry

15. EPSIE CORRINE⁴ BRITT (RICHARD LEWIS³, LARRY BRYANT², JOHN¹) was born December 24, 1876 in Tallapoosa County ALABAMA, and died March 10, 1940 in Ceadartown, Georgia. She married WILLIAM PLEAS SURLS June 14, 1896 in Jackson Gap, ALABAMA. He was born January 25, 1877 in Tallapoosa County ALABAMA, and died April 25, 1945 in Cedartown, Georgia.

Notes for EPSIE CORRINE BRITT:

More About EPSIE CORRINE BRITT:

Notes for WILLIAM PLEAS SURLS:

More About WILLIAM PLEAS SURLS:

Marriage Notes for EPSIE BRITT and WILLIAM SURLS:

Children of EPSIE BRITT and WILLIAM SURLS are:

i. OLIVE EVA⁵ SURLS, b. December 17, 1896, Cedartown, Georgia; d. March 22, 1922, Cedartown, Georgia.

Notes for OLIVE EVA SURLS:

She was engaged to a young man that wrote her long love letters, that were poetical and beautifully written. She was very quiet and shy. Daddy always said that Linda looked and acted very much like her.

More About OLIVE EVA SURLS:

Education: died of a cerebreal hemorrhage

Namesake: have copy of death certificate

ii. RUFFIN LEWIS SURLS, SR., b. October 06, 1899, Ceadartown, Georgia; d. August 25, 1963, Florence, South Carolina; m. MARIE THOMPSON, November 27, 1920; b. March 16, 1901, Cedartown, Georgia⁸; d. December 10, 1993, Florence, South Carolina⁸.

Notes for RUFFIN LEWIS SURLS, SR.:

Obituary Notice from Florence Sc newspaper reads:

 

R. L. Surls SR.

Florence--Funeral services for Ruffin L. Surls Sr, 63, were conducted today in Waters Funeral Home. Burial with Masonic rites was conducted by Hampton Lodge 204.

He died Monday in a local hospital after several months' illness. He was associated with the ACL Railroad for more than 40 years.

Surviving are his widow, Mrs. Ruffin L. Surls Sr. of Florence, formerly Miss Marie Thompson of Cedartown, Ga.; two daughters, Mrs William E. Rush of Columbia, and Mrs Manning Jolly Jr. of Marion; a son, R. Lewis Surls Jr. of Lancaster; three sisters, Miss Mamie Surls, Mrs J.W. Barnett and Mrs. Cora S. Klein, all of Smyrna, Ga.; a brother, Joe P. Surls of East Point. Ga.; and two grandchildren.

 

MASONIC HISTORY OF RUFFIN LEWIS SURLS SR, TAKEN FROM BIBLE OF JOSEPH P SURLS SR

Entered Apprentice June 2, 1922

Fellow Craft July 21, 1922

Master Mason June 18, 1923

25 Year Button August 24, 1957

Caledonia #121, F&AM Cedartown, Georgia

Mark Master February 16, 1946

Past Master February 16, 1946

Most Excellent Master February 26, 1946

Royal Arch February 26, 1946

Andoniram Chapter #41, RAM

Cedartown, Georgia demitted

October 14, 1958-Affiliated with Campbell Chapter 31

Florence, South Carolina November 10, 1958

Illustrius Order of Red Cross

And Knights of Malta September 9, 1957 Florence Commandry #10

Order of the Temple September 30, 1957

Florence Commandry #10

Created a Noble of Omar Temple

Ancient Arabic Order Nobles of Mystic Shrine

In Florence, South Carolina October 7, 1957

Omar Temple is located in Charleston, South Carolina

Visited by Black Camel on August 25, 1963

More About RUFFIN LEWIS SURLS, SR.:

Education: Was a Mason

iii. FRANCIS REBECCA SURLS, b. December 31, 1902, Cedartown, Georgia⁹; d. May 29, 1973, Smyrna, Ga⁹.

Notes for FRANCIS REBECCA SURLS:

She worked for the telephone company as an operator for over 30 years.

She could make exquisite lace tatting and taught Linda and Becky how to do it, but the dummies forgot how.

Crispin Eugene Vessell had a baby gown with some of the tatting sewn on it.

More About FRANCIS REBECCA SURLS:

Education: buried in Greenwood Cemetery, Cedartown GA

iv. MARION WILLIAM BRYANT SURLS, b. March 03, 1904, Columbus, Georgia; d. March 04, 1905, Columbus, Georgia.

v. CORA LEE SURLS, b. February 13, 1905, Jackson Gap, Alabama; d. February 20, 1995, Marietta, Georgia; m. WILLARD ALLEN KLEIN, September 25, 1944.

Notes for CORA LEE SURLS:

Joe's sister. She was born in Jackson Gap, Alabama in the same house that Papa Surls was born in. When she was born, Epsie only had one name picked out for her-Cora, Grandpa Britt asked her if it would be allright to name her for "The greatest man he ever knew- Robert E. Lee", so that is how she was named Cora Lee Surls.

She lived in Columbus till she was about 2 years old. Mama was sick and couldn't take up much time with her. There were some high school boys that took her out for "walks" each day and they taught her how to walk.

She married Willard Allen "Bill" Klein on _______. She met him in Atlanta just after he got out of the army. He was a railroad man and worked for the Santa Fe, Chicago Burlington and Quincy, and Great Northern Railroads. They went to Galesburg, Ill to get married. They lived in Sheridan, Wyoming, Edgemont , South Dakota, Casper, Wyoming, Gillette, Wyoming, Fort Madison, Iowa, Chicago, Illinoise, and Kansas City, Kansas. They lifed in hotels because they didn't stay in one town long enough to get an apartment. Her best friend in Edgemont, Mabel, went for an interview for a job in a hotel, and she was very shy, and Cora answered most of the questions for her, when the man asked when she could start work, Cora answered that Mabel could start the next day. He said, no, when can YOU start work? Cora said she couldn't , she was going to be leaving town. Mabel did not get the job. She did get a job in another hotel in Edgemont as a receptionist, and even though Cora had never done that type work , she trained her for the job. There was a fire in the hotel in Edgemont and although there wasn't much damage donem Cora had to send her clothes out to be cleaned. Uncle Bill called her and told her to be ready to leave the next day, but she couldn't because of the clothes. She had a job at the Elk's club and told him she just couldn't tell the man she was quitting after such a short time, so Bill went and told him for her. When Mama Surls got sick, she came home to help take care of her. She and Bill separated and she stayed in Cedartown. When JW sold his bakery and moved to Smyrna, Georgia, she and Mamie moved there also, to a house on Love Street. After Mamie died, she moved in with JW and Mildred.

She has never read "Gone With The Wind", but she wrote a book report for Virginia that she had to hve to graduate, she passed with a good grade.

She is tall, with dark hair and eyes. She likes to read and crochet. She worked in a dry cleaners, for Gillette, and in Barnett's Bakery.

The family's pet name for her is "CoCo".

More About CORA LEE SURLS:

Education: nicknamed Coco

vi. JOSEPH PLEAS SURLS, SR., b. April 18, 1909, Ceadartown, Georgia¹⁰; d. January 05, 1980, East point Georgia¹⁰; m. (1) BLANCHE COX, January 01, 1930; m. (2) WILMA ELIZABETH LOWENTHAL, April 11, 1937, Centre, ALABAMA; b. October 19, 1914, Chattanooga, Tennessee¹¹; d. February 20, 1987, Atlanta, Ga¹¹.

Notes for JOSEPH PLEAS SURLS, SR.:

He was born in a railroad section house, then lived in the old family house at 115 Broad St., then on the corner of Fletcher St. for years.

When he married Wilma, they lived with Mamaw from April 1939 to September 1939 on Westview Dr in Atlanta, then bought the house at 430 Kimmeridge Dr, East Point, Ga. Now numbered 2918 this remained the Surls residence until 1995.

He was baptised in 1925.

He graduated from Cedartown Highschool in 1928, then did odd jobs, hoboed, operated an ice plant, was a short order cook in a cafe, worked in a grocery store, worked in a dye mill (United States Finishing Company), worked in a filling station, delivered groceries, was in the National Guard for 7 years, went to work for Motor Parts & Supply Co on Octobeer 3, 1933, worked there until 1961 when they were bought out by Perrin Auto Supply, continued in same job until June 1975, retired because of age and health, kept grandson, Gene, at home while Becky worked.

Service Record: serial number 34832892, classification job 1736 heavy tank crewman, served cadre armor instructor on all track laying vehicles and all wheel vehicles and taught concurrent subjects. Contributed to the tank training manuals. Held rank of Sargeant 2 years. Had 7 1/2 years National Guard service, earned rank of Sargeant at end of each 3 years term. Inducted into Army December 1943 and discharged Nov 22, 1945. Training camp was at Ft Knox, Kentucky Armored School. He was in the largest company in history of US Army, designated as "Service Company C", 2nd Regiment Tank Training Battalion averaged 725 enlisted men and 45 officers. There was no immediate commanding officer, it operated as an individual unit, responsible only to Plans and Training. He had 2 promotions in same number of months, from Private to Corporal to Sargeant. He was discharged at Ft Knox, Kentucky.

INFORMATION FROM BECKY VESSELL AS TOLD TO HER BY JOE P SURLS SR

When I was little, Daddy used to tell me stories of when he was little, and Papa and Mama would take them on the train over to Alabama to see their grandparents. He spoke of Grandpa Britt who was tall and quiet, with ice-blue eyes. Daddy said that all the cousins would be running around yelling and cutting up. The women would try to make them behave, but as with most kids, they ignored them. He said Grandpa Britt would sit on the porch and watch them awhile, and then when they finally got out of hand, he would get up, walk down the steps and just LOOK at them. IMMEDIATELY everyone would stop, shut up, and start behaving. Daddy said he never remembered Grandpa Britt striking anyone, that just seeing him stare at you with those ice-blue eyes was enough. I asked him why he had that effect when all the kids knew he wouldn't hurt them? He thought a minute, and said he wasn't really sure, except that you knew you wanted that man to think well of you, and more than anything else, you didn't want him mad at you. He said the girls wore feed sacks with only slits cut in the sides and top for arms and neck, maybe a rope for a belt, and no underwear, and of course, no shoes. He said Uncle Marion would usually take the older boys squirrel hunting for stew for supper, but the middle group of kids would run off in the woods to go "flying". When I asked him what he meant by going "flying", Daddy just laughed and with a sparkle in his eye, he told me about "flying." He said what you did was look for a sapling that was not too big, but not too small. Then, several of the kids would climb up the tree to the top, then another would climb up, then another, and so on until the tree was weighted down at the top and bent over to the ground. The kids on the ground would grab hold of the tree and help hold it down while the foolhardy soul who was to "fly" would grab hold of the tree trunk and hold on with a bear hug. The others would let go and POW! Of course, the tree would flip back and forth before it would finally straighten out and whoever was "flying" looked a lot like Olive Oyle in the cartoons, but it sure was fun!! And Daddy would laught until tears rolled down his cheeks. I, of course, never really believed him, because I could never quite see my Daddy pulling such a stunt, he was always so very careful of our safety, he would certainly never let any of us do anything like that. Then Mother, Mildred, Cora, Gene and I went to Alabama, to Jackson Gap, in search of family history. We went to Rock Springs Church and cemetery, and in an old house behind the cemetery, we met Jessie Milner Vines, Aunt Lula's daughter. She was so excited to see us, she grabbed me by the arm and said over and over, "Oh, you're Joe P's daughter! Oh, you're Joe P's daughter!" Then she grinned and said "I well remember him visiting, and we'd all go "a'flying" in the trees!" Well, it's a good thing I didn't have false teeth, because I'd have dropped them then and there. When we got home and I told Daddy about it, he just laughed and said, "Of course we did! Would I tell you a lie?", and laughed some more.

MASONIC HISTORY OF JOSEPH PLEAS SURLS SR, INFO TAKEN FROM HIS BIBLE

Entered Apprentice October 18, 1935

Fellow Craft December 20, 1935

Master Mason February 6, 1936

Caledonia #121 F&AM

Cedartown, Georgia Raised by W P Surls

Mark Master

Paster Master

Most Excellent Master

Royal Arch Mason Thanksgiving Day 1943

Courtesy of East Point Royal Arch Chapter

Located at Hapeville, Georgia

Adoniram Chapter #41 Cedartown, Georgia

Knight of Red Cross March 14, 1946

Knights of Malta March 21, 1946

Knights Templar April 11, 1946

Rome Commandry #8 Rome, Georgia

Created a Noble of Ancient Arabic Order

Nobles of Mystic Shrine in Yaarab Temple

Atlanta, Georgia May 15, 1946

Raised William J Surls to Master Mason January 13, 1962 in

Blue Mountain Lodge #38 Faud A M, Dahlonega, Georgia

Certificate of Good Standing to East Point Lodge #288

With Dues Paid to December 31, 1977 on March 1, 1977 for

Purpose of Transfer of Membership

Dated March 10, 1977 Petition to East Point Lodge #288

F&AM on March 15, 1977 and Affiliated with

East Point Lodge #288 on April 19, 1977

Crispin Surls acted as Senior Deacon at this Affiliation.

SURLS HISTORY TOLD TO BECKY SURLS VESSELL, BY JOE P SURLS, SR, MAY 1978

transcribed from cassette tape

BECKY-Tell me the story of the powder horn,

DADDY- The powder horn or the charger?

Becky- Both,

DADDY- Well, the hunting horn was used by my Great grandfather Zimri Roberts, to hunt and call in the hunting dogs with, to signal from one hunter to another, and to signal from one farm to another in case there was some kind of emergency. They had an agreement as to how many blasts of the hunting horn that would denote a fire, rabid dog, posinous snake, or somebody that was ill or injured, and they could come and help each other. That was the horn that dates back in the early 1800's.

Becky- That's the bone colored one?

Daddy- That's the hunting horn. Now the powder charger, there's two powder chargers. One is made out of pewter that was used in the War of the Revolution by some of Zimri Roberts' ancestors. That was used to charge the muzzle loading rifles that were used to fight the British in the War of The Revolution in 1776, and the other powder charger is cut and sized from a deer antler that was used in a hunting rifle and was also used in a muzzle loading rifle that was used in the War Between the States 1861-1865. Now, who used it in the War Between the States, I don't know whether it was brother George or brother Will, but one of them used it to load his rifle in the War Between the States, and that is called a "powder charger" and it measured the amount of powder that went into the rifle to make the muzzle loading rifle shoot.

Becky- That's the one that looks like a deer antler?

Daddy- Made from a deer antler with a rawhide thong on it.

Becky- Tell me about the Masonic Ring you handmade for your Daddy.

Daddy- Well, the Atlantic Coastline Railroad scraped some locomotives that were obsolete, and on these locomotives that were to be scrapped was a instrument called a dynamo, that was operated by steam and the steam boiler. Inside this dynamo was a piece of Mormel Steel, which is very much like white gold and is very dense like platinum, and it's impervious to acids and the things that corrode ordinary metal. And at that time, which was in the early 1900's, it was a new metal that was being used for practical purposes. It had qualities that were good enough for jewelry and ornamental work. And so, Ruffin made the ring by hand for Daddy and gave it to my Daddy and he kept it and highly prized it for years and years, up until now and I got from Mamie and Mamie had kept it through until after her death and Mildred gave it to me. And I in turn gave it to Cris.

Becky- What about the ring you made your Mother?

Daddy- Well, I made it out of silver coin. When I was a young boy, it was fashionable to make jewelry for people that you liked and loved, so I wanted to make my Mother a ring, so I made her one by beating it out of a silver coin by hand and gave it to her.

Becky- Tell me about the "Pirate Pistol." Where did it come from?

Daddy- Well, I had a friend in Rockmart, Georgia that about 30 years ago that I helped him in his business a little bit. I gave him some advice and told him how to do some things that he didn't know about. And so he came by that pistol from an old lady that liked him and he had done her a favor and disposed of an old automobile for her and she told him he could have that old muzzle loading pistol, horse pistol, or boarding pistol that was used on some Navy ships if he wanted it. He told her he didn't want it, but he'd get it for me. So he bought it from the old lady for fifteen dollars and sold it to me for fifteen dollars. The gun is of a manufacture about 1835 and it has a barrel on it similar to a shotgun and it can shoot a handful of slugs or bolts, nuts, or rocks or whatever you want to pour in it and it has a spreading effect of whatever you want to shoot in it. That's why they used it on a horse so you'd be sure of hitting what you were shooting at. Or as a boarding pistol off of a ship to make sure you could shoot good every time you climbed up on a ship and hit them.

Becky- Tell me about the Grandmother Clock.

Daddy- Well, that clock was smuggled into the state of Alabama about 1824. At that time to raise taxes to operate the various government agencies and so forth and pay salaries and all that sort of thing, they placed heavy taxes on clocks which were begining to be a luxury item. So, the clockmakers up in Connecticut had the New England states in order to sell their merchandise, they resorted to smuggling. And they smuggled clocks in from up in the east in Alabama and some of the southeastern states to avoid paying the heavy tax. This clock was smuggled into Alabama and sold for at that time was twentyfour dollars, chich was a real fortune at that time. Twentyfour dollars was a magnificent sum, and that;s what the clock cost. It was smuggled into the State of Alabama about 1824.

Becky- Well, who bought it?

Daddy- I don't know who bought it. I imagine Zimri Robert's family, some member of that family bought it, but my Grandmother told me the story of it, that's what she told me.

Becky- Who was it that was the Indian Fighter?

Daddy- Well, the applications for pensions from the people that fought in the Indian Wars were Zimri Roberts and C N Freeman and they applied for pensions. Now, the others, I don't know who they were. But you do have the applications for their pensions.

Becky- C N Freeman fought in the Indian Wars?

Daddy- Yes.

Becky- Now tell me about when you were little and going to Alabama on the train to see your Grandfather Britt.

Daddy- What do you mean?

Becky- When you "played in the trees."

Daddy- Oh well, we went to Alabama to visit my Grandaddy Britt when he was sick. We rode on a pass on the Central of Georgia Railroad. We didn't go direct, because we had passes that carried us to Montgomery and then to Alexander City, and Dadeville and to Jackson Gap. One of the trains we rode on was the Cherokee Limited, a luxury passenger train operated by the Central of Georgia. In order to get on the train when we left, Jackson Gap was a flag stop and my Daddy, being a railroad man, he flagged the train at Jackson Gap and we got on the train there. When the train came around the curve, it was late in the evening and it had an enormous steam locomotive with high driving wheels, and the engineer say my Daddy flag him. When he put on the brakes, and the sparks from the brakes on the wheels was like and electric grinding wheel, throwing off big showers of sparks and it was like a Fourth of July fireworks exhibit. It scared me. I hid behind my Mama. We got on the train and came back home. On the Cherokee Limited partway.

Becky- Now tell me about your visit.

Daddy- Well it was out in the woods. They had everything that was necessary to operate a farm of about 180 acres. They had a smokehouse that had meat in it and they had "hills", where they had potatoes stored against the weather, that was built like an Indian tepee, built out of dried cornstalks and that was covered up with thick layers of earth and even though it rained on it, it wouldn't go through the cornstalks. It was perfect insulation and it kept the potatoes. They had pumpkins and cashaws and watermelon and various things kept in sand right on up to Christmas. They had a cottonseed house. They had turkeys, ducks, guineas, and a big old white mule that was very old and he was sick with old age and they gave him to me. I petted him while I was there and I owned a mule for that time. A big old white mule. They played some strange games of all kinds. They made their own bows and arrows and tipped them with rocks. They'd shoot at the chickens and different things like that. They'd throw corn cobbs at chickens and hit them and make the chickens flop around. The one I think you're talking about is the trees, being a stranger and a city boy, they wanted to play a trick on me. So, they took me out and some of the girls talked me into holding to a tree and they got a tree, climbed up and bent it over, and told me to hold onto it and wrap my legs around it. I did and they turned it aloose and the tree whipped me back and forth and they thought that was great fun. I thought it was too, when they got somebody else on it. It wasn't funny when I was on it., cause I didn't know if I was going to land in the next county or in the Tallapoosa River, five miles distant. But it was a big adventure. And then they had mules they were not being used because Grandpa was sick, we had to take the mules to water them, so they'd get a sting of them mules, each boy and girl would get on a mule and ride it to the spring and water them. I was on a mule and he stepped on a yellowjacket. The yellowjacket stung him on the ear, and I had a time getting that mule stopped before he got to the spring. He jolted me up pretty good. Mules are not easy to ride, they have a gait all their own, their back and bodies are built different from a horse. They're not too comfortable to ride on bareback. If one has got a hornet or a yellowjacket in his ear, why, he's hard to control. But we had fun. We dug up sugar cane that they had stored. Blue Ribbon sugar cane, and chewed that. But it was great. My Uncle took me squirrel hunting one morning, right at daybreak and shot squirrels and then on the way home he carried me to some of the neighbors to introduce me to them. He stopped in front of their house and waited a good ways our and hollered "hello". They cane out and this man came out first and my Uncle told him that he wanted him to come down there and see my Daddy's boy. He called him "Shorty." He said come and see "Shorty's" youngest boy. So he came out and he called his wife and they were backwoods people, so he came out and his wife came out behind him and stood about three or four feet behind him, and the two girls came out and stood behind them. The ground was spewed up about three inches in ice on the ground and they were all barefooted. They stood there and talked and then introduced me to all of them. The two girls were about twelve and fifteen years old. They only had one garment and it was made like a pillowcase. It had three holes cut in the top of it. One for the head and one for each arm. You could easily see that was the only garment they had on and they were barefooted. They had haircuts that looked like they had bowls put down over their heads and scissors run around to trim it off. But they were well fed and healthy looking. These people were prominent people, leaders in the community, but that's how they lived. My Greatgrandaddy had bought land from them. These people were names White. The head of the household was named Mally White. He was a well respected man in the neighborhood, people thought a great deal of him. He was friends and his family was friends to our family for generations back, but I've never seen any people like that before. It was quite an adventure to see those people. Especially the way they were dressed, how they talked, and how they acted, but they were great people. Good people.

Becky- Which Uncle was it?

Daddy- My Uncle Marion, Mamma's brother.

Becky- He was the one that lived there?

Daddy-Yes, he lived there with them. It was my Grandfather Britt's place.

Becky- Richard Lewis, right?, your Grandaddy Britt.

Daddy-That's right, Mamma's Daddy.

Becky- Tell me about him.

Daddy- Well he was the one fought in the Alabama infantry and he acted as a scout for General Robert E Lee. He wasn't a general or nothing like that. He was a scout. They called them sharpshooters. He did scouting, which was considered to be the same as a spy, and they had a rifle and a little bag like a schoolbook satchel. In that they carried what they called their "possibles." It was called a "possible bag". It had parched corn and whenever they could get it a little piece of dried side meat or other meat and nuts if they could get them. Hickory nuts, peanuts, peanuts or whatever they could get, and parched corn. And they had a belt knife and powder and shot. He went and spied on the enemy and counted them, found out how many there were, where their supplies were, what direction they were going and then reported it back to whoever was in charge of them. But the general consensus was, if you caught an enemy sharpshooter, or scout, he was considered a spy and you shot him right on the spot. Instant death. That's how they ran it and that's what he was. When he was discharged from the army, he was discharged at Appomattox Courthouse in Virginia and he walked home from Appomattox, Virginia and brought one of his buddies along with him who was wounded in the side of the head. He brought him to his house and treated him and he stayed there until he got well. He went on to his house in Mississippi. And you oftentimes, hear people, say about, "oh, he's a brave man, he's got fortitude, he's got guts", and I just wondered if people really know what it is to have determination and fortitude, to be able to do that. That's not unusual with people of that sort, because we have an uncle that WALKED to the Petrified Forrest.

END OF TAPE

More About JOSEPH PLEAS SURLS, SR.:

Burial: Greenwood Cemetery Georgia

Education: buried Greenwood cemetery, Cedartown, Ga

Military service: called Pop by grandchildren

Namesake: Baptised East View Baptist Church, Cedartown

Notes for WILMA ELIZABETH LOWENTHAL:

She had dark brown hair, that turned grey, then white, at an early age. She was medium height and had blue eyes.

Mother's father died when she and Aunt Lillian were young. Rose traveled and remarried a man named Hezekiah_______. He was an alcoholic and after he went through her inheritence he treated her badly. Wilma and Lillian finally took it on themselves to call the police and have him thrown out of the house. Rose was not in good health and after she died Wilma and Lillian went to live with Mammaw and Taddy. Lillian married first and while Wilma was visiting her and Uncle Horace in Cedartown, she met Joe at a basketball game. They were married in Centre, Alabama on April 11, 1939. Mammaw went with them and when they returned to Atlanta they stayed awhile with her. Evidently Mammaw fully intended to stay in the same room as she had with Wilma, but Joe put his foot down and told her, "Now Mrs. Harbin, Wilma and I are married now and I'm going to sleep with her," With that he shut the door and so began 43 years of marriage.

Wilma and Lillian were brought up in the Methodist Church but when she married and they bought the house in East Point, she was baptized in the Baptist Church, First Baptist Church of East Point.

She worked for 5 years for Belk-Gallant, then worked for 27 years at Merritt's Drug Store in East Point.

She loved to travel, liked to read, sew, and crochet. She made most of Linda and Becky's clothes when they were little, and she and Cora made extensive wardrobes for the "Toni" dolls Santa brought them.

She was most happy when the family was gathered together.

More About WILMA ELIZABETH LOWENTHAL:

Burial: Greenwood Cemetery Georgia

Education: February 22, 1987, buried Greenwood cemetery, Cedartown, Ga

Military service: called Nana by grandchildren

Namesake: Baptised 1st Baptist East Point Ga

vii. MILDRED EPSIE SURLS, b. August 09, 1913; d. March 15, 1991; m. JACKSON WARREN BARNETT, September 30, 1934.

More About MILDRED EPSIE SURLS:

Education: Charles and Ray are adopted sons

Notes for JACKSON WARREN BARNETT:

History of Jackson Warren Barnett's nicknames. Adults always called him J.W. (except for Mildred who called him "Monkey"). When Bill Surls was a baby, Mildred and J. W. were staying with us. When J.W. came home from work, he would come in to see Bill and say "Hi Bo!" Bill, being small, knew that the grownups called him J.W. and so he put the two together and called him "Jaybo."

More About JACKSON WARREN BARNETT:

Education: nicknamed JW or Jaybo

16. LULLA BELLE⁴ BRITT (RICHARD LEWIS³, LARRY BRYANT², JOHN¹) was born November 1882 in Tallapoosa County, Alabama, and died 1942 in Tallapoosa County, Alabama. She married (1) HENRY FREDERICK FRAZURE. He was born 1887, and died 1947 in Tallapoosa County, Alabama. She married (2) UNKNOWN MILLNER.

More About LULLA BELLE BRITT:

More About HENRY FREDERICK FRAZURE:

Children of LULLA BRITT and HENRY FRAZURE are:

i. ROBERT HENRY⁵ FRAZURE.

ii. EMILINE FRAZURE.

iii. ANNIE PEARL FRAZURE.

Children of LULLA BRITT and UNKNOWN MILLNER are:

iv. JESSEY⁵ MILLNER.

v. CARRIE MILLNER.

17. WILLIAM⁴ SORRELLS (SARAH³ BRITT, LARRY BRYANT², JOHN¹) He married DONNA SURLS. She was born September 1879.

Children of WILLIAM SORRELLS and DONNA SURLS are:

i. CLEMMIE⁵ SORRELLS, m. UNKNOWN BUSBY.

More About CLEMMIE SORRELLS:

Education: Lived in Norman Park, Georgia

ii. GEORGE SORRELLS, m. ANNIE WHITT HORTON; d. July 26, 1973.

iii. AUDREY SORRELLS, m. UNKNOWN STEVISON.

More About AUDREY SORRELLS:

Education: Lived in Alexander City Alabama

iv. WILLIAM SORRELLS, m. AGNES CARROLL.

More About WILLIAM SORRELLS:

Education: painter and photographer

v. ALMA SORRELLS.

More About ALMA SORRELLS:

Education: never married, lived with Audrey, Alexander cty

vi. WILLIS SORRELLS, m. AGNES UNKNOWN.

 

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