| Ruth Dix Whigham
Born June 3, 1892 in Postoak, Alabama (Bullock County) Married Ralph Fleming Whigham 06/15/1914 Died April 28, 1977. Buried, Hurtsboro AL They had two sons: Ralph Fleming Whigham Jr.
Her older sister, Nelle, was born a little over two and a half years earlier when the family lived in Brewton AL (Escambia Co.). Her father was a school teacher in Brewton so we can only assume that he was still teaching when their young family moved back to the vicinity of his birth and early childhood near Union Springs. The Rand McNally Atlas shows that in 1895, Postoak had a post office but no railroad service. It's now a dead town located at the intersection of Bullock County roads 8 and 11 in southwestern Bullock County. 32°0'3"N 85°49'12"W, about 10 miles southwest of Union Springs. Nelle and Ruth soon had a little brother, Francis Albert Dix (Uncle Buddy). Buddy was born on October 22, 1894, in Fitzpatrick AL, (Bullock Co.).
The next date we have in the family's peregrinations, is in May of 1897, when Albert Sidney Dix is mentioned in minutes of Butler GA Church Conference meetings. Ruth's younger sister, Issalee,
was born on March 24, 1898, in Butler GA (Location inferred from surrounding
dates)
Ruth was born June 3, 1892. 7 years and 4 months later would be October, 1899. The long sleeve dress, some leaves on the trees and some on the ground, would seem to bear this out. Alexander Franklin and Nellie Dix lived at 514 Jefferson Street then according to the Montgomery City Directory. If this is correct, the houses in the background would be at the intersection of Jefferson St. and N. Bainbridge St. The next move was when Ruth was eight years old. We have a letter to Nelle and Ruth from their aunt Dollie, dated August 25, 1900 to their and address in Knoxville Georgia, where their father was pastor of the Knoxville Church and Benevolence Church. The following year, the family gets another baby boy -- Will Allie, named for ASD's two brothers who had died in their prime. "Billy", as Ruth called him, was born in either Perry GA or Knoxville GA based on dates from surrounding events. In October, 1901 ASD and family are living in Perry GA, (Houston Co.) where the Rev. Dix is pastor of the Perry Baptist Church, & Houston Factory Church. They remain there through the fall of 1903, when they moved to Forsyth GA, where ASD was pastor of the Forsyth Baptist Church.
Ruth, age 11 years, (front row center) with her fan in this 1903 family poatrait.
We don't know for sure, but this image bears a strong resemblance to Ruth with her signature fashion statement, the large bow in her hair. We don't know at all who the man is (AFD?), the location or exact date. My guess is about 14 years old so around 1906. Macon GA perhaps?
When Ruth was 12 years old the family was still in Forsyth GA, where Dorothy was born on March 20, 1904. Three years later, Nelle Graduated from Bessie Tift College in Forsyth GA on May 28, 1907. It was also in 1907 when Ruth, at age 15, enrolled at Bessie Tift College Academy, in Forsyth. The next month, the Dixes moved to Macon GA, where ASD had accepted a position as manager of the Georgia Industrial Home. In July of the same year, Granny Dix's mother, Mary Jeniluska (Jenie) Holipeter Nicoles died. In the years 1907-1910, Ruth Dix was enrolled at Wesleyan College, Macon GA. In Ruth's junior year, her baby sister, Eleanor was born (March 13, 1909). In November, 1910, ASD was accepted as pastor at Roberta Baptist Church (near Knoxville). Tragedy strikes the next month when, two days after Christmas, ASD died. Below is Ruth's transcript from Wesleyan College
and letter written by Ruth in 1970, to the The Wesleyan Alumnae that explains
why she could not complete her studies there:
Because the family was living in housing provided by the Georgia Industrial
School, the family had to leave to make room for ASD's successor there.
Granny Dix found herself widowed with six children still living at home.
ASD's younger brother, Lell,
The wooden columns have been replaced with wrought iron and the house
number has been
Highland Park School where Ruth Dix taught in 1913. Later renamed Highland Avenue School, where her grandson, Russell Dix Whigham attended first through fourth grades during the years 1950-1954. Russell's second grade teacher, Miss Katie Hayden, was a teacher at the same time Ruth was there. During the early '50's, the trolley tracks where Ruth must have ridden, were still in the median. Ruth married Ralph Fleming Whigham on June 15, 1914 at 12 Marshall Street,
Montgomery AL. The wedding was performed by her grandfather
Rev. Alexander Franklin Dix. Ralph and Ruth made their home in Rutherford.
The following is a transcript of Ralph Whigham's oral history, as he recalled
meeting his future wife:
Ruth in September, 1945, with her first grandchild, Russell Dix Whigham.
Ruth's teen years were at Bessie Tift College,
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