The Alderman's

Before I begin this post, I must credit almost all of this information to a fantastic book called "Alderman's In America." The Alderman Foundation has completed volumes of research, helping me fill our family's history on this branch. Other information came from The Pioneers of Wiregrass Georgia series.

Reference Charts 60 and 8

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And now, we begin our journey from England ...

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The ship Dorset sailed from Gravesend, England on September 3, 1635 and settled in Windsor, Connecticut. On board was 19 year old John Case (b: 1616, d: 21 Feb 1704) who spent his first years in America on Long Island as a farmer. In 1656 he settled in Connecticut where he married Sarah Spencer (b: 1636, d: 3 Nov 1691) in 1657. The second of ten children born to John and Sarah was Mary Case (b: 22 Jun 1660, d: 22 Aug 1725).

On her 19th birthday in 1679, Mary Case wed 39 year old William Alderman, Sr. (b: 1640, d: 1 Aug 1697). Shortly thereafter, they started their family and over the next 17 years, had six children, all in Simsbury, Connecticut:

1. Mary (b: 22 Sep 1680)
2. Thomas (b: 9 Jun 1683, d: 15 Aug 1715, m: 27 Apr 1702 - Mary Seagrave)
3. John (b: 1684, d: 25 Feb 1758, m: 28 Oct 1719 - Sarah Case)
4. William (b: 20 Oct 1686, d: 1717, m: 28 Mar 1716 - Rebecca Osborn)
5. Sarah (b: 1691, m: 5 Jan 1709 - Thomas Moses)
6. Joseph (b: 30 Jun 1697, m: 30 Jun 1720 - Mindwell Case)

Just a month after his last child was born, William Alderman, Sr. died in Farmington, Connecticut on August 1, 1697. His wife Mary later married Sergeant James Hillyer.

At age 19, Thomas Alderman (60.8), the second child of William and Mary, married Mary Seagrave (60.9) in Long Island. The two settled in Cohansey, New Jersey where Thomas was instrumental in establishing the Fairfield Presbyterian Church on May 19, 1708. Thomas and Mary were parents to five children:

1. Infant (b: 1704, d: 31 Mar, 1704)
2. Mary (b: ~1705)
3. Thomas (b: ~1707)
4. William (b: ~1709, d: 1759)
5. Daniel (b: 1711, d: Oct 1785, m: 1740 - Abigail Harris)

His will, dated August 13, 1715 indicates that Thomas had an estate of considerable value at the time. He owned property in both Cohansey and Simsbury and almost 60 pounds worth of household items, including a horse and cart, furniture, lumber, meat cattle and sheep. Thomas died at age 32.

Daniel Alderman (60.4), the fifth child of Thomas and Mary, married Abigail Harris (60.5) (b: 26 Mar 1720, d: 1785) in 1740. Seven children were born to Daniel and Abigail:

1. John (b: 1742, d: Aug 1822, m: 1770 - Mary Cashwell)
2. Rachel (b: 1744, m: - Charles Bland)
3. Mary (b: 1746, m: - Elijah Bowen)
4. Daniel (b: 11 Mar 1748, d: 8 Aug 1824, m: 4 Aug 1772 - Sarah Newton)
5. David (b: 1749, d: 23 Oct 1831, m: 1773 - Jemima Hall)
6. Hannah (b: 1751, m: - James Bland)
7. Abigail (b: 1753, m: - William James)

Note: this is where it starts to get sticky ... both John and David are in our direct line. I will continue with David's line first and address John later in the post.

The family moved to the south in 1755, making a new home in Duplin County, North Carolina. "They selected a small tract of land on the west side of Doctor's Creek nad made their home in the forest." Daniel and Abigail were members of the old Rockfish Presbyterian Church. Daniel was a cabinet maker by trade. He was a quiet man attending strictly to his own affairs. Abigail is said to be descended from European royalty, tracing back to Kings of Norway, Sweden, Scotland, France and England.

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David Alderman (60.2), the fifth child of Daniel and Abigail, married Jemima Hall (60.3) (b:1753, d: 1815) in 1773. Together they had 14 children:

1. Daniel (b: 25 Mar 1774, d: 25 Jan 1857, m: - four times)
2. Nancy Ann (b: 17 Nov 1775, d: 4 Jun 1867, m: - John Carlton)
3. Thomas (b: 8 Aug 1777, d: 1840, m: - Susan Newton)
4. Mary (b: 29 Aug 1779, m: - Timothy Murphy)
5. Elizabeth (b: 20 Apr 1781, m: - ? Newton)
6. Phoebe (b: 11 Apr 1783, d: 1810, m: - John Mathis)
7. Lucretia (b: 19 Mar 1785, m: - Joshua Herrin)
8. Rachel (b: 12 Jan 1787, m: - ? Sloan)
9. Samuel (b: 13 Mar 1789, m: - Sarah Chesnutt)
10. Rebecca (b: 25 Feb 1793, m: - Elisha Alderman)
11. Susannah (b: 14 Mar 1795, m: - William Bland)
12. William (b: 12 Jan 1798, d: Nov 1864, m: 18 May 1820 - Sarah Edmondson)
13. Timothy (b: 19 Feb 1801, d: 28 Feb 1881, m: 22 Sep 1822 - Sarah Williams)
14. James (b: 19 Feb 1801, m: - Roxanna Holloway)

"David was lean and tall and somewhat negative in manner, honorable in all respects, but not demonstrative. He loved his people, his home and his farm life. He did not unite with any church until advanced in years. In 1815 he moved with some of his children to Bulloch County, Ga; there he joined a Baptist church. He died in 1831; he and his wife, Jemima, were buried in the Brannen cemetery near Statesboro, Georgia." David Alderman was a Revolutionary Soldier.

Thomas Alderman (8.10), the third child born to David and Jemima, married Susan Newton (8.11) (b: ~1776).

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John Alderman (59.2), the first child of Daniel and Abigail, married Mary Cashwell (59.3) in 1770. Together they had six children:

1. Mary (b: 1771, m: - Joshua Blanton)

2. Christian (b: 1773, m: - Reuben Rogers)

3. James (b: 1775, m: never married)

4. Elizabeth (b: 1778, m: 1797 - Isaac Newton)

5. John (b: 1780, m: - Nancy Ann Newon)

6. Keziah (b: 1782, m: - Joshua Blanton)

"John was of medium height and stout; he was of a serious mind, shrinking from public notice and filled with an intense religious zeal. From early life he was a faithful member of Wells Chapel Baptist Church; he lived quietly on his farm and was recognized as an outstanding wheel-wright and cabinet-maker. He read a great deal, especially the Bible and religious books. The end of his life came to him suddenly while reading his Bible in his eightieth year. His wife, Mary Cashwell, was a native of Duplin County, North Carolina."

Elizabeth Alderman (8.9), the fourth child of John and Mary, married Isaac Newton (8.8) (b:1770, d: 24 Aug 1825) in 1797.

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The relationship puzzle:

Thomas Alderman (8.10) and Elizabeth Alderman (8.9) are cousins who married Susan Newton (8.11) and Isaac Newton (8.8) who are siblings.

Which means ...

James Newton (8.4) (son of Elizabeth Alderman and Isaac Newton) married his cousin Jemima Alderman (8.5) (daughter of Thomas Alderman and Susan Newton).

Brooks County Cemeteries

Mom, Grandpa and I took an impromptu road trip to Brooks County, Georgia today. Our first destination was the Brooks County Museum and Cultural Center in Quitman. I did a little research and located a book called A Survey of Brooks County Cemeteries that we were able to purchase from the museum. Armed with 355 pages of cemetery details, we headed to Concord Cemetery, which is located about 5 miles north of Quitman on Morven road. There is absolutely no sign (road or cemetery) to alert you of the small grass road that travels back through a short path cut out of a wooded forest of pine trees. Suddenly the forest ends, opening up into a vast open space and the cemetery. Of interest to us was the tombstone of Mary Frances Watson Pedrick (8.7), my great-great-great grandmother.

The Concord Cemetery is small and it is particularly easy to pick out the Pedrick plot. Frances is to the right of the three towers ... I have to do some research to determine how these other Pedrick's fit into our family.

With a couple hours of daylight remaining, we decided to hunt for another cemetery that we found in our new book. The Old Bethel Primitive Baptist Church Cemetery listed Elizabeth Alderman Newton (8.9), my great-great-great-great grandmother! With the help of a very kind local, we were able to find the cemetery off Highway 122 with no trouble at all. Heading west from Barney to Pavo, we traveled through two flashing lights (red) and just before the third flashing light (yellow) is a dirt road called Bethel Church Road and a sign for the church. About a mile down the road is a beautiful old white church and well kept cemetery.

After reviewing about three graves, Mom pointed out a huge rat snake that was sleeping in a sunken grave. This of course made my entire experience a little uncomfortable as I then expected to see snakes in every hidden nook. Still gives me chills.

Anyway, this cemetery includes numerous Alderman's, which I still need to research, but we were specifically on the lookout for Newton's. Behind the church on the left side, there is a huge memorial stone that shows the location of William Newton's (8.8 son) burial. The stone can actually be seen in the picture above, the tall memorial furthest to the left. Check out all of the information on it ... a gold mine.

We were unable to locate a headstone for Elizabeth Alderman Newton, but have a feeling she is near the memorial above. I will call the church to see if they can help me learn the location of her burial.

All and all it was a very successful road trip!

Valdosta Cemetery

On January 1, 2009, I visited the Sunset Hill Cemetery (also known as Valdosta Cemetery) in Valdosta, Georgia. It can be found on Oak Street, not far South from the intersection of Baytree Road. Eula Newton Barfield was my great-great aunt and the sister of Charles Edwin Newton, my great-grandpa. She married Robert Essie Barfield. In front of their tombstones is a bench that states "neath this seat lie five infant Barfields." It is thought that they had quintuplets, but none of my live relatives recall hearing that story before. They are located in section C-204, which is pretty close to the entrance.

Eula Newton Barfield

Robert Essie Barfield

Evergreen Cemetery

Evergreen Cemetery

Fitzgerald, Ben Hill County, Georgia

On November 7, 2008, Mom and I took a road trip and stopped at a cemetery in Fitzgerald, Georgia. Located at this cemetery are my great grandparents, Charles Edwin Newton and Margaret Julia Burney Newton. Buried next to them are my grandmother's (Frances Newton Hall) best friend, Eunice Roberts and her husband, Pete. From the entrance, the tombstones are on the left.


Charles Edwin Newton, Grandma's father

Margaret Julia Burney Newton, Grandma's mother