Descended from Williams Cove

Top Ten Things a Hamby Should Know:

#3 - WE DESCEND FROM WILLIAMS COVE

Just southeast of Winchester, TN is a stretch of road called Williams Cove. It is named after our ancestor, Corp. J. Sherrod Williams, Sr, who was deeded the 900 acres by Andrew Jackson after the War of 1812. His father was Welsh, but he moved there from North Carolina with his wife, Polly Looney, daughter of Rev. War veteran Michael Looney. They brought the first 9 of their 18 kids, plus 3 slaves, and raised cattle, swine, horses, grain, and sugar cane.

He is buried in a most unique above-ground grave, with a lengthy epitaph on the headstone that reads, "Sacred to the memory of Sherrod Williams - He was born April 20, 1776 and died September 12, 1831, age 55 years, 4 months, 3 weeks and 1 day. 'Blessed are the dead who died in the Lord from Henceforth, says the Spirit, that they may rest from their labors, and their works do follow them.'" His grave, along with Polly's with the unique finger pointing upward, can be found in a garden graveyard toward the end of Williams Cove Road, behind a white house in the great bend of the road on the left, and it is worth the trip to see.

Williams was my 3rd great grandfather, an ancestor of Granny Louie Williams Hamby. Her ancestral line did not migrate far from Winchester to Bridgeport, Alabama, where she met Grandpa C.P. Hamby when he, a widower, was preaching a revival.

Hamby Ancestors That Served Our Country

Top Ten Things a Hamby Should Know:
#2 - SEVERAL DIRECT ANCESTORS SERVED OUR COUNTRY IN WARTIME

This Memorial Day, let's commemorate those that served our country faithfully but threaten to be lost in family memory. My research has uncovered these direct ancestors who survived war to have children in our lineage. This doesn't count all the cousins and descendants of these who undoubtedly served:

George W. Hamby - Father of Rev. C.P. Hamby, Sr, 47th AL Infantry & 1st AL Artillery CSA, prisoner of war captured in Battle of Mobile and imprisoned on Ship Island, buried Evergreen Cemetery Tuscaloosa.

James B. Arendale - My 2nd great grandfather, maternal grandfather of Granny Louie Hamby, 1st Lt. Co G, 3rd Confederate Cavalry, CSA, buried Mt. Carmel Bridgeport, AL.

Daniel Price - My 3rd g-grandfather (his daughter married James B. Arendale), E. TN Vol Infantry, War of 1812, buried Mt. Carmel Bridgeport, AL.


Anjer Price - My 5th g-grandfather (his granddaughter Ann MacFarlane married Daniel Price, buried at Mt. Carmel with him and probably cousins), Revolutionary War sergeant in Virginia Regiments and wounded in thigh in skirmish while on scouting party to Norfolk, worked as wagon master and marched in Seige of Savannah, burial unknown.


Robert McFarlane, my 5th g-grandfather, Revolutionary War private in Virginia, other grandfather of Ann MacFarlane listed above and buried at Mt. Carmel in Bridgeport, burial unknown.

J. Sherrod Williams - My 3rd g-grandfather, great grandfather of Grannie Louie Hamby, Corporal in W TN Vol, War of 1812, buried in Williams Cove near Winchester, TN.

Michael Looney - My 4th g-grandfather, father-in-law of Sherrod Williams listed above and his wife Polly Looney Williams, Revolutionary War private, rec'd 640 acres in bounty land grant, a descendant cousin of ours became governor of GA during Civil War, buried Looney Cemetery Hawkins, TN.

Absalem Looney - My 5th g-grandfather, father of Michael Looney, migrated from Ireland, soldier in Revolutionary War militia, discovered Abb's Valley in VA and furnished supplies, died Dunkards Springs, VA but burial unkown.


Gilbert Clark - My 5th great grandfather and ancestor of Laura Clark Hamby, Captain of Militia in Revolutionary War in North Carolina. Was also Justice of the Peace, planter, and Presbyterian immigrant escaping persecution from Jura Island, Scotland to Cape Fear.

Joel Blackwell Arendale, father of James B. listed above and wife of Elizabeth Dare, was not of age to fight but is found in the "Confederate Citizens File" in support of the CSA war effort through goods and services, buried in Doran's Cove cemetery near Russell Cave.

From the Family of Virginia Dare

Top Ten Things an Alabama Hamby Should Know:

#1 - WE ARE DESCENDED FROM THE FAMILY OF VIRGINIA DARE

Virginia Dare was the first white child born on our continent, born in 1587 in Virginia (in an area now in North Carolina). What became of her and the "lost colony" that disappeared by 1590 remains a mystery. John Smith of the Jamestown settlement conducted a search and concluded they had deceased. Her name is prominently in American myth and folklore. We can not be descended from her directly, since she died with the colony. But the family story was passed down (and passed down on other branches of the family tree) that we descend from her Dare relatives, who presumably migrated here.

Granny Louie Hamby's maternal grandfather was James B. Arendale, who fought in the confederate cavalry and is buried at Mt. Carmel near Bridgeport. His mother, Elizabeth Dare (my 3rd great grandmother) is buried with husband Joel B. Arendale in the graveyard by the school our Granny taught in, across from the entrance of Russell Cave. She is our connection with Virginia Dare.