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Bryars, Buford, Edmondson, Ellis, Ficklin, Gentry, Houston, Johnston, McDowell, McGill, Reed, Smith, Woods

Maria Ellis Huston Buford McGill

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Mariah ELLIS

Widow and Relic of

[John C. Huston, William H. Buford and Hiram McGill, Sr.]

My maternal second great grandfather was George Ficklin of Montrose, Baldwin County, Alabama. During my years-long search for his immediate family members, I fortunately noted his brother-in-law was Reverend Jeffrey Ellis, T[homas Jefferson] Ellison, born 1813.1

Rev. Ellis’ first wife was Louise Ann Ficklin, George’s sister. Reverend Ellis officiated at numerous weddings, including for his nieces, Millie to Frank Reed, in 18812; and Mary to Samuel Taylor, the year before he died, in 1889.3

During the search, I encountered members of the Ellis tree, namely, Elbert [Ethelbert] Ellis, Lowrey Ellis, and his wife Maria; as well as Jeffrey’s presumptive aunt, Mariah.

Illustration 1: Alabama County Marriages, 1809-1950

Meriah [Mariah] Ellis, age 17, married John Huston, Esquire [sic], at Baldwin County, Alabama, in 1817.4 James Johnston officiated. John Houston was a very wealthy man, holding many land grants thoughout Florida and Alabama.

1Johnnie Andrews; William David Higgins, Creole Mobile : a compendium of the colonial families of the central Gulf Coast 1702-1813, Prichard [Ala.] : Bienville Historical Society, 1974, page 26, “T.J. Ellison.”

2“Alabama County Marriages, 1809-1950,” database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XTWT-5QQ : 27 September 2017), Frank Reed and Millie Ficklin, 03 Mar 1881; citing Baldwin, Alabama, United States, county courthouses, Alabama; FHL microfilm 1,839,621.

3“Alabama County Marriages, 1809-1950,”, Samuel Taylor and Mary Ficklin, 09 Oct 1889; citing Baldwin, Alabama, United States, county courthouses, Alabama; FHL microfilm 1,839,622.

4“Alabama County Marriages, 1809-1950,” , John Huston and Meriah Ellis, 14 Jul 1817; citing Baldwin, Alabama, United States, county courthouses, Alabama; FHL microfilm 1,839,621.

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Bryars, Buford, Edmondson, Ellis, Ficklin, Gentry, Houston, Johnston, McDowell, McGill, Morris, Reed, Smith, Taylor, Woods

Mariah ELLIS

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Mariah ELLIS

Widow and Relic of
[John C. Houston – William H. Buford and Hiram McGill, Sr.]

Illustration 1: Alabama County Marriages, 1809-1950

Seventeen-year-old Mariah Ellis knew she was a desirable commodity in 19th-century Baldwin County, Alabama.  It didn’t matter that she was a person of color, or that she had no money, beautiful women were rare and cultured women, even rarer.

She was acquainted with my maternal second great grandfather, George Ficklin of Montrose, Baldwin County, Alabama. During my years-long search for his  family members, I  noted his brother-in-law, Rev. Jeffrey Ellis, T[homas Jefferson] Ellison, born 1813.1

Rev. Ellis’ first wife and mother of his children, was Louise Ann Ficklin. Reverend Ellis officiated at numerous weddings, including for his nieces, Millie Ficklin to Frank Reed, in 18812; and Mary Ficklin to Samuel Taylor, the year before he died, in 1889.3

During the search, I encountered members of the Ellis tree. Namely, Elbert [Ethelbert] Ellis, Lowrey Ellis, and his wife Maria; as well as Jeffrey’s presumptive aunt, Mariah.

 Meriah [Mariah] Ellis, age 17, married John Huston, Esquire [sic], at Baldwin County, Alabama, in 1817.4 James Johnston officiated. John Houston was a very wealthy man, holding many land grants throughout Florida and Alabama.

In 1836, Ethelbert [Elbert] Ellis died leaving his sister, Mrs. Houston as his administratrix.5 His heirs were Susan Ellis, born 1837 and Daniel Ellis, born 1835.6 In 1841, Maria Buford [formerly Maria Houston] was appointed by the Orphans Court as Guardian over the minors.

Daniel and Susan resided in the household of Henry Taylor, in 1850.7 Presumably, their deceased biological mother was Taylor’s sister.  Susan Ann Edmondson born 22 February 1837, died 17 July 1919.  rests at Daphne Baptist Cemetery, Baldwin, Alabama.8

In 1858, Susan Ellis married Larkin Edmondson.9 10 11 12 13 In 1880, Mrs. Edmondson and  son Larken resided doors from  cousin Anthony Ellis, Rev. Jeffrey Ellis’ brother.14 Larkin Ellis Edmondson died in 1899.15

A severe yellow fever epidemic took many lives at Mobile, 1819-1821.  Mrs. Moriah Hewston [Mariah Houston], formerly Mariah Ellis, age 20, three years after her marriage to Houston, on 14 September 1820, wed wealthy William H. Buford.16


Hiram McGill wed Mariah Buford.17

In 1850, Francis J. Ficklin resided with her father, Thomas J. Fickling.19Fifteen-year-old Francis Ficklin(g) resided in the household of Joseph McGill, stepson of Mariah McGill in 1860.18  By November Francis married her neighbor, 19-year-old John W. Gentry. That was in July, 1860. Executed at [Stephen] Dick Bryars, in the presence of Clarasy L. Bryars and family, and Mr[s] Henry Jones.

Mrs. Fanny [Frances] Gentry married 1850’s neighbor [Ben]Henry J. Smith, in the presence of his mother and sister, Mrs. Margaret [Mrs. Smith] John D. McDowell21 22 and Mrs. Susan Wood[s].23 24 John W. Gentry was  divorced with five  sons under the age of five, in the 1866 AlabamaCensus.

May they rest in peace.  Amen.

© 2017-2020  Carolyn E. Hood Kourdache

FamilySearch.org, although FREE,  is now a registered-only access site.  You must login in order to view  connected citations here.

1Johnnie Andrews; William David Higgins, Creole Mobile : a compendium of the colonial families of the central Gulf Coast 1702-1813, Prichard [Ala.] : Bienville Historical Society, 1974, page 26, “T.J. Ellison.”

2“Alabama County Marriages, 1809-1950,” database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XTWT-5QQ : 27 September 2017), Frank Reed and Millie Ficklin, 03 Mar 1881; citing Baldwin, Alabama, United States, county courthouses, Alabama; FHL microfilm 1,839,621.

3“Alabama County Marriages, 1809-1950,”, Samuel Taylor and Mary Ficklin, 09 Oct 1889; citing Baldwin, Alabama, United States, county courthouses, Alabama; FHL microfilm 1,839,622.

4“Alabama County Marriages, 1809-1950,” , John Huston and Meriah Ellis, 14 Jul 1817; citing Baldwin, Alabama, United States, county courthouses, Alabama; FHL microfilm 1,839,621.

5“Alabama Estate Files, 1830-1976,” database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VNTV-H5W : 12 December 2014), Elbert Ellis, 1836; citing Baldwin County courthouse, Alabama; FHL microfilm 2,322,507.

6Ibid.

7“United States Census, 1850,” database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MHP5-HS5 : 12 April 2016), Susan Ellis in household of Henry Taylor, Baldwin county, Baldwin, Alabama, United States; citing family 380, NARA microfilm publication M432 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).

8“Find A Grave Index,” database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QVK9-YP9J : 13 December 2015), Susan Ann Edmondson, 1919; Burial, , Baldwin, Alabama, United States of America, Daphne Baptist Cemetery; citing record ID 36292997, Find a Grave, http://www.findagrave.com.

9“Alabama County Marriages, 1809-1950,” Larkin C Edmonson and Susan A Ellis, 29 Apr 1858; citing Baldwin, Alabama, United States, county courthouses, Alabama; FHL microfilm 1,839,621.

10“Alabama County Marriages, 1809-1950,” Larkin C Edmonson and Susan A Ellis, 29 Apr 1858; citing Baldwin, Alabama, United States, county courthouses, Alabama; FHL microfilm 1,839,621.

11“United States Census, 1910,” database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MK3V-NYT : accessed 17 October 2017), Susan A Edmondson in household of Annie Edmondson, Daphne, Baldwin, Alabama, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) ED 8, sheet 2B, family 36, NARA microfilm publication T624 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1982), roll 1; FHL microfilm 1,374,014.

12“Find A Grave Index,” database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QVK9-YP9J : 13 December 2015), Susan Ann Edmondson, 1919;

13“United States Census, 1870,” database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MHK4-RTT : 12 April 2016), Susan Edmonson, Alabama, United States; citing p. 7, family 61, NARA microfilm publication M593 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.); FHL microfilm 545,500.

14“United States Census, 1880,” database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M4N1-DHN : 22 August 2017), Susan Edmundson, Court House, Baldwin, Alabama, United States; citing enumeration district ED 7, sheet 194C, NARA microfilm publication T9 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), roll 0001; FHL microfilm 1,254,001.

15Ibid; “Find A Grave Index,” database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QVK9-YP9F : 13 December 2015), Larkin Ellis Edmonson, 1899; Burial, , Baldwin, Alabama, United States of America, Daphne Baptist Cemetery; citing record ID 36292998, Find a Grave, http://www.findagrave.com.

16“Alabama County Marriages, 1809-1950,” William H Buford and Monah [Mariah] Hewston[Houston], 14 Sep 1820; citing Baldwin, Alabama, United States, county courthouses, Alabama; FHL microfilm 1,839,621.

17“United States Census, 1850,” database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MHP5-H5W : 12 April 2016), Maria L Mcgill in household of Hiram Mcgill, Baldwin county, Baldwin, Alabama, United States; citing family 103, NARA microfilm publication M432 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).

18“United States Census, 1860”, database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MHD4-LK6 : 3 October 2017), Maria L Mc Gill in entry for Joseph Mc Gill, 1860.

19“United States Census, 1850,” database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MHP5-34P : 12 April 2016), Francis J Fickling in household of Thos Fickling, Baldwin county, Baldwin, Alabama, United States; citing family 66, NARA microfilm publication M432 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).

20“Alabama County Marriages, 1809-1950,” John W Gentry and Frances J Ficklin, 24 Nov 1860; citing Baldwin, Alabama, United States, county courthouses, Alabama; FHL microfilm 1,839,621.

21“Alabama State Census, 1866,” database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:V6PL-V6R : 18 July 2017), Margaret Mcdowell, Baldwin, Alabama; citing certificate 12730, p. 30, Department of Archives and History, Montgomery; FHL microfilm 1,533,830.

22“United States Census, 1850,” database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MHP5-354 : 12 April 2016), Margaret Mcdowell in household of John Mcdowell, Baldwin county, Baldwin, Alabama, United States; citing family 150, NARA microfilm publication M432 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).

23“Alabama State Census, 1866,” database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:V6PL-NCN : 18 July 2017), Susan Woods, Baldwin, Alabama; citing certificate 9956, p. 43, Department of Archives and History, Montgomery; FHL microfilm 1,533,830.

24“United States Census, 1910,” database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MK3V-26M : accessed 17 October 2017), Susan Woods in household of Alex Mcdowell, Perdido and Lottie, Baldwin, Alabama, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) ED 4, sheet 9B, family 176, NARA microfilm publication T624 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1982), roll 1; FHL microfilm 1,374,014.

25“Find A Grave Index,” database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QVVJ-QCV2 : 13 December 2015), Susan A. Woods, 1920; Burial, Rabun, Baldwin, Alabama, United States of America, Guys Chapel United Methodist Church Cemetery; citing record ID 21509625, Find a Grave, http://www.findagrave.com.