WOMACK, WALLS, FOSHEE, WILLIAMS

The Story of Four Families, related by birth and marriage, who moved from Clay and Tallapoosa Counties in Alabama to Pike County, Arkansas in 1881

 by

Farris Wade Womack

July 2001
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Survival commanded the constant attention of those hardy souls who settled the Alabama wilderness along the Georgia border in the years following statehood in 1819.  Indians occupied the land until the 1830's but even when the threat of being scalped was removed, the land was slow to yield to the hands of the settlers no matter how hard they applied their skills or worked their simple and meager tools.  But survive they did with a dogged determination that seems hard to understand by 21^st century standards. 

The Civil War exacted a heavy price on these Alabama dirt farmers and the harsh and vindictive Reconstruction that followed lasted longer than the War and was, in some respects, more onerous.  Although "moving on" had occurred alongside "moving in", there seems to have been an acceleration in the rate of leaving Clay and Tallapoosa Counties beginning in the 1870's and continuing for several decades.   There were many factors that contributed to this restlessness, not the least of which was the inescapable fact that the land was no longer capable of producing cash crops sufficient to maintain a family.  Many of the descendants of these first Alabama settlers came to believe that there must be better opportunity elsewhere and many set off to find it. 

This is a story of eight families who, together, decided in 1881 that the time had come for them to seek their fortune by moving further west.  Why they chose to move to Pike County, Arkansas remains a mystery but that was their destination as they embarked on the long journey to a place they could only imagine but one they surely believed would be better than the one they were leaving.  They and their descendants have now lived in Pike County more than a century and the contributions they have made to the County and to the State have been significant. 

The principal characters in this westward migration were: 

1. Eli Jasper Foshee and Georgeanna America Womack - Married in 1871- Four children
2. Joel Franklin Womack and Lucinda Walls - Married in 1878 - One child
3. Henry Clay Walls and Susan Carillar Womack - Married in 1878 - Two children
4. James S. Williams and Narcissa Elizabeth Foshee - Married in 1877 - Two children
5. William W. Williams, wife and children are unknown.  He married Mary in 1908 in Arkansas.
6. Alexander Little Foshee
7. Joseph N. Foshee and his wife, Martha - Three children
8. Jeremiah Walls and his wife, Mary Rebecca Bradley- Number of children at the time of the move was probably two.  Jeremiah and his first wife, Elizabeth Hunt, had one child.  He and Mary had three children.

 While this story clearly arises out of the "urge to move on", it is more the story of lifelong relationships enjoyed by several families who, by virtue of marriage or birth and perhaps by accident, chose to spend their lives in close association with each other.  Families' moving together to new places was not uncommon in 19^th century America, especially in the South, but the families in this story had many ties that bound them to each other, as we shall see. 

1. All of the families in the story lived in northern Tallapoosa or southern Clay County; most had been born in one of those counties, and most were descendants of pioneer families who had moved to Alabama from Georgia soon after Alabama was opened for settlement. 

2. Each of the individuals listed under the surnames in the following graphic were probably siblings, often adjacent in order of birth.  William W. Williams and James S. Williams may have been father and son.

3. Joel Franklin Womack married Lucinda Walls and Henry Clay Walls married Susan Carillar Womack on the same day in 1878 although the marriage licenses were obtained in different counties. Eli Jasper Foshee served as bondsman for Joel Womack.  William Riley Foshee, father of Eli, officiated as Justice of the Peace.  After their marriage, the two couples lived with Mrs. Adeline Walls, mother of Henry and Lucinda.

4.  Most were of the same religious persuasion; all were farmers and homemakers with close ties to the land.

5. Most were too young to be actively engaged in the Civil War but all had suffered in its aftermath.

6. Many, perhaps all, had lived within a short distance of each other for most of the years they had been married.  Indeed, most had lived within a few miles of each other all of their lives.  All of them had young children.
   
7. All of them left many roots in Alabama.  The two Walls children left their mother and several brothers and sisters.  Adeline Walls, the mother, continued to live in Clay County for 26 years after the departure of Henry and Lucinda.  At least two sisters, perhaps four, of the Womacks lived the remainder of their lives in Tallapoosa County.

Family and Marriage Links of the four families

This intrepid little band arrived in Pike County, Arkansas in 1881 and settled in the area near the present day town of Kirby.   Elizabeth and Jim Williams settled in Self Creek Township while all the others found places in Antoine Township.  In 1883, William Riley Foshee and his wife, Susanna, moved to Pike County and settled in Antoine Township.  Some credible evidence exist to show that there were other Tallapoosa/Clay families who migrated to Pike County, perhaps at or near the same time but some still later.  Unfortunately, the 1890 Census was destroyed by fire and, as a result, the next official Census that provides a clue to their locations was the 1900 Census.  

At the conclusion of this piece, the reader will find a fascinating story, dated 1949 with author unknown, concerning the James and Elizabeth Williams family with interesting details about the trip from Alabama to Pike County, Arkansas.  Whether or not the other families came as this writer suggests that the Williams family did is unknown.  No matter how the journey came about, it was no doubt arduous and filled with uncertainty.  But more important, it was surely filled with hope for the better life that they hoped to have. 

One can imagine that life was pleasant and filled with much joy.  While these families had each other to rely upon, they also quickly made new friends with the settlers who were moving to the area from all over the eastern states.  The names of Self, McWha, Tolleson, Thrash, Williams, and another branch of Womacks,  perhaps not related, are found throughout the area. 

The 1900 Census for Pike County, Arkansas provided the following information to help locate the residences in relationship to one another.  While the household and family numbers show the order of enumeration for the Census and not street addresses, they do provide a very good estimate of the nearness of one family to another.

      *His first wife was Elizabeth Hunt -married Nov. 1874. They had one son Robert (Bob) Walls. Elizabeth died between 1874 and 1878. He married Mary Rebecca Bradley in Clay County, AL 7 April 1878. They had three children Edna W, Amarett A and John Risner.

And so, after almost 20 years in the piney forests of southwestern Arkansas, these families were still living very near to each other.  Many of their children had grown to adulthood.  Quite a number had families of their own and several lived within close proximity to their parents.  Indeed, two of the sons of Georgeanna and Eli lived on either side of them.  Henry M. Womack, the oldest son of Lucinda and Joel listed his occupation as "Blacksmith", the same as that listed for his father.  They likely attended the same church and sent their younger children to the same schools.    

The 1910 Census for Pike County, Arkansas provided additional introspective information by showing that at least six of these families were still living near each other.

Although the County had grown, these families remained near each other.  A close examination of the Census showed that the children were living nearby.  Henry M. Womack lived next to his father and was in the blacksmith business with him.  Susanna Foshee's daughter, Sarah, was living at home with her.  Georgeanna and Eli Foshee's children lived around them.  

And now the story of this fearless little band of transplanted Alabamians comes to a close, or does it.  Many of their descendants still live in Pike County although many have scattered to all the corners of the globe.  The principals in this saga lived their lives together and when death overtook them, most were laid to rest in Pike County Cemeteries located near each other. 

1. Eli Jasper Foshee died in 1917 and Georgeanna America Womack died after 1910.  They were buried in Pike County.
2. Joel Franklin Womack died in 1928 and Lucinda Walls died in 1961 at the age of 104.  Both were buried in Jones Cemetery in Clark County, just across the Pike County line.
3. Henry Clay Walls died in 1942 and Susan Carillar Womack died in 1918.  They had moved to Oklahoma after 1910.  Both are buried in the Hitchita-Lackey Cemetery in McIntosh County, Oklahoma.
4. James S. Williams  and Narcissa Elizabeth Foshee died after 1949.  Both were buried in Pike County.
5. William W. Williams - death date and burial site are unknown.
6. Alexander Little Foshee- death date and burial site are unknown.
7. Joseph N. Foshee and his wife, Martha - death date and burial site are unknown.
8. Jeremiah Walls and his wife, Mary Rebecca Bradley- Jeremiah died in February 1946 in Wolf Green, AR and was buried in the Antoine Cemetery.

 (The following narrative was provided to me from an Internet source.  The piece is dated 1949 at Nashville, Arkansas but the author is unknown.  The writing and spelling are unedited.)

Williams Family History

Mrs. Elizabeth (nee Foshes) Williams was born in Tallapoosa County, Alabama.  Her parents were:  father, Riley Foshee of French descent, and Mother, Susanna (nee Sorrall) Foshee of Irish descent: and to this marriage were born thirteen children as follows:  Wiley, John, Martha, Matilda, Mary Susanna, Galista, Eli Jasper, Moses who died in childhood, Joseph, Alexander, Elizabeth, Simeon, Jerry who also died in childhood, and Sarah Ann. 

The father, Riley Foshee, owned and operated a gin, gristmill and thrasher.  The oldest son left for the Civil War when Aunt Lizzie  (Elizabeth Williams) was four years old.  She remembers that this brother gave her a lovely red dress when he left.  Her father, Uncle Riley was a Mason and this fact probably added some security to his relatives from a group of men who were left behind to look after the women and children but which often did more harm than good.  Old family friends at this old home in Alabama were:  Uncle Bryant Duncan, John P. Grimes who was a close neighbor, a Mr. Cogburn and a Mr. Durham. 

The family sold out and bought a farm in Pike County, Alabama when Aunt Lizzie as about l0 or ll years old.  All the children were moved to the new home except John and Martha, Matilda, who were married and settled in their own homes.  The family lived in Pike Co., Alabama for l0 or l2 years.  Aunt Lizzie had grown into a lovely young lady and was married at the age of 20 on October 4, l877 to James Sylvania Williams and they moved to a farm owned by her father. 

In the year l88l, Aunt Lizzie, her husband and their family, together with the three Foshee families:  the Eli, Joe and Zan Foshee families, and the W. W. Williams Family migrated to Arkansas.  .  Home ties in Alabama were broken.  These families began life anew and began the laborious task of building the better land we live in today.  Homes were built from the logs of the forest.  Privations were many and life was difficult. 

Aunt Lizzie had joined the Primitive Baptist Church when she was l8 years old and was baptized by Brother Jake Cleveland.  The church was 20 miles from their home in Tallapoosa County.  Later the church extended an arm of the church to Valley Grove in Pike County and built a church.  The Foshee Family brought their church letters to the new church which as 6 miles from their farm.  The Foshee and Williams families, along with other nearby neighbors, organized a new church at Pine Grove, which was only about 3 miles from their home. 

Aunt Lizzie had two children, Anna and Riley when she moved to Arkansas about December l, l88l.  The family took the train at Talladega, Alabama and arrived at Arkadelphia, Arkansas after a long, tiresome and dirty trip.  They were met by Bill Bullard and Jack Davis from Rock Creek in Pike Co., Arkansas.  She was impressed by the Bullard family and its well kept home.  Everything looked so fresh and clean after the long train trip.  Riley Foshee moved from Alabama to Kirby in l883. 

Her husband, Uncle Jim Williams, looked around in Pike County for a farm to rent.  He found such a place near Dripping Springs about 8 miles from what is now Glenwood on the Langley Road.  It was owned by Marion Fagan.  They lived there on year only.  Altho the family had arrived at Arkadelphia, the household goods that had been shipped had not arrived.  Of course, they were greatly distressed and inconvenienced; but they were resourceful, as they had to be in this new country.  Mrs. Marion Fagan loaned them some bedding until the things arrived.  Uncle Jim had bought a big skillet in Arkadelphia and this was used to cook in until their things did come.  They used a barrel with boards on it for a dining table in the meantime. 

They moved to the Uncle John Paslay farm between Rock Creek and Cross Roads, which is now Kirby and lived there one year.  Then they moved to the Tom Black place about 2 miles from Kirby on the present Glenwood highway.  After a year, they moved to a farm Uncle Jim had bought from Black Jim Alford at the foot of Kirby Mountain, where they lived for l5 years. Here the children, Robert, Willis and Effie  were born. 

There they built a log house and cleared land, which was planted tor the first year’s crop.  A vegetable garden was made and underbrush cleared away from around the new log house, with Aunt Lizzie working by Uncle Jim’s side.  An orchard was planted.  Aunt Lizzie had a hobby of budding and grafting fruit trees, which helped greatly in getting a very fine orchard started.  Uncle Jim was a great hunter and had good hunting dogs.  He made palings from Oak trees and used them to build a high picket fence around an enclosure to keep his dogs in. 

Aunt Lizzie planted 4 May peach trees in the yard around the house.  They had a variety of fruit trees and their peaches ripened from early May until late September.  Here their lives were full and they were very happy.  Here she spent the happiest, busiest years of her life.  She also had the sadness of losing a little ll year old girl, Alice, during this time.  Uncle Jim had lots of fun hunting for deer, fox, coon, opossum and squirrel, all of which were in abundance nearby. 

The Jim Williams family got the wanderlust in l898 and moved to Hitchita, Oklahoma, where they rented land and farmed two years.  The family had measles while they lived in Oklahoma and were all very sick.  They had lots of sickness and were unhappy in Oklahoma and returned to Pike County, Arkansas in the fall of l900 and to Kirby.  Uncle Jim as told by B. T. Clement of a good farm on Self Creek near Daisy which was owned by Peter  Forrester and which was for sale.  Uncle Jim bought this place of about 300 acres for $700.00.  They were required to buy all household furniture and farming equipment along with 7 head of hogs, 300 bushels of corn, 30 bushels of wheat, 20 gallons of sorghum syrup and a horse.  In exchange, they gave a team of fine mules and a wagon; and were in debt to Mr. Forrester $400.00 on the place.  But the first year, they made a fine crop of corn, ll bales of cotton and other things.  They marketed the cotton at Nashville and received ten cents per pound for it.  He was paid in silver money, which was in very common use at that time, and Uncle Jim brought it home in a meal sack from Nashville. 

They were able to pay the notes for $400.00 in two years.  They also bought a large herd of cattle.  They improved the place and worked hard; built fences; cleared land; and Aunt Lizzie gave the dirty house and yard a thorough cleaning.  She was very fastidious about her person and home and took great pride in the yard and grounds around her home.  Again, her hobby of   budding and grafting came in handy in getting another family orchard started.  Tom Tedder, Lincoln Cook, Richard Thomas, Jim White, Tom Herndon, Anderson Ashley and Greenberry Gordon were their neighbors.  A gristmill was nearby. 

The religious life of the family was not overlooked.  The family came to Kirby to their Primitive Baptist Church of which Bro. Dave Thrash was Pastor.  The church was very active and thriving.  Bro. Jim Williams organized the church at Kirby in l884.  He died at Bingen at an advanced age and is buried there.  Dr. W. S. Watson at Kirby did their medical practice for many years.  The family did its marketing and trading at Nashville, making the trip in three or four days in wagons. 

The hunting and fishing were very good near their farm on Self Creek, which ran thru their farm.  The Little Missouri River was about 9 miles away.  The family had its wheat ground at the flourmill at old Star of the West.  There is little left of that old town today but golden memories that linger like a loved one’s farewell, little but the row of rocks, now hoary with age, across the stream, and crumbled stone, Moss-fringed and aged by the relentless years.  And as if this were not enough, the site itself is soon to be submerged with the water of the reservoir of a gigantic dam. 

The children went to school at the Howerton School and at Daisy.  The boys had lots of fun with visitors in catching rabbits and put blindfolds and paper shoes on them.  They played  “Peggie” and enjoyed swimming in the creek, as well as riding on the “flying Jennys”. 

The farming and cattle raising was a good combination on the Self Creek place.  The family had lived well and prospered.  A change in the community life took place about l9l0 when a log railroad was built to the locality by the Caddo River Lumber Co. from Rosboro, Ark, about l5 miles away.  This brought many log hands into the community and Aunt Lizzie and Uncle Jim had their farm house remodeled and added to until they were able to board and room   many of the better class of men whose work brought them to the area.  Her clean, neat home and wonderful cooking made her home very popular among these men.  Among them, there was one man, Mr. T. W. Rosborough, who managed the lumber company, Mr. Rosborough called her “Aunt Lizzie” and never missed a chance to drop in for one of her sumptuous meals.  Later he had her visit in his home at Glenwood and was very proud to have her.  He liked especially the old-fashioned teacakes, which she always kept baked for visitors.  He reciprocated on her visit to his home and had his Negro cook make some for her and bring them in to her on a platter. 

The present town of Kirby was first known Cross Roads and the name changed to Kirby sometime in the eighties in honor of the man Kirby, who was postmaster there.  The one store and post office was about 2 miles East from present sight of Kirby.  Mr. Kirby sold out and went to Texas.  The town once had a newspaper, edited by John Alexander.  There was a saddle and harness manufacturing shop; a planer, blacksmith shops and other industries. 

The present town of Kirby has been made quite modern by the building of paved and improved highways and of electric lines over the town and community.  Electric appliances are being installed in town and rural homes.  A nice new brick school building has been erected.  It now has about 400 pupils.  In addition, there is the school gymnasium, teacherage, and another building is now under construction to add to the group. 

On October 8, l9l9 a  tornado struck Kirby and community.  One of the Welch children was killed.  The school and church buildings were damaged.  Store buildings and farmhouses were either damaged or destroyed in the locality. 

Aunt Lizzie lost her eldest son, W. Riley Williams, on April l2, l93l and she lost her husband, James S. Williams, on January 4, l933 at Kirby where they lived after moving from Self Creek Farm in January, l920.  Old residents of the community that Aunt Lizzie remembers well were:  T. W. Rosborough, B. T. Clement, Jim McGinnis, Riley Foshee, Dr. W. S. Watson, Rev. D. M. Thrash, Lum Thrash,  M. E. Tolleson and John McWha.  She was converted and joined the church at l8 years and now at 92 is still attending the Kirby Primitive Baptist Church each 2^nd Saturday and Sunday and 4^th Sunday of each month.  Though her hearing and eyesight are somewhat impaired, her mind is clear and she loves to talk to old friends and neighbors and recall all the things that have happened in years passed, when memory sweeps its lute and recollection rings its silver bells.  She likes to go places and visit.  Her advice is sought by many who are troubled and perplexed.  Her experience gained over her 92 years has amply fitted her for the position of mother advisor of her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren, who have followed her. 

She has two sons, Robert and Willis and two daughters, Anna and Ellie, living.  The sons and one daughter live at Kirby.  The youngest daughter, Ellie Phillips, lives in Mashulaville, Miss.  Anna married Verna Tolleson, who died a short time ago.  Anna has the following children living:  Blanche, Jeff, Theodosia, Carl and Ruby Sue.  Riley Williams, deceased, left only one daughter, Edith.  Robert has one son, Harold.  Robert married Sib Thrash, the daughter of Rev. D. M. Thrash.  Willis married Emma Barton and their children are:  Millard and Jack.  Effie’s are:  Jim, Jr., Wanda, Merle and Effie Jean.  Anna; s daughter, Blanche, married a Johnson and their living children are:  Maude Sue, Elizabeth Ann, Nina and John Charles.  Anna’s son, Jeff has two children:  Catherine and J.W., as well as Dian. 

Aunt Lizzie now makes her home with her son, Robert.  Her church is only l/4^th mile away.  It is named: Pleasant Grove.  She was a charter member of this church and has attended regularly.  Only sickness in the family prevented her from attending.  She is thankful to God for an active, full life and that she has good health and can get around and take care of her rooms. Every day when the weather permits, she helps care for the lovely flowers and lawn.  She has made 6 string rugs this past winter while the weather was bad and she couldn’t get outside to dig in the flowers.  She misses her crochet and embroidery work that she loved and did a great deal of until her eyesight began to fail.  She still spends several hours every day reading her large print Bible.  She said that when she presses her dying pillow, her great desire is to meet her Lord in peace.  She says that her children-in-law are as good to her as her own children and she loves them as much.  They have cared for her in sickness and in health as her own loved children have done. 

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“Let not your heart be troubled:  Ye believe in God, believe also in me.  In my Father’s house are many mansions:  If it were not so, I would have told you.  I go to prepare a place for you.  And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself, that where I am, there ye may be also. 

                                                          THE END 

Nashville, Arkansas

June l5, l949