2007 Lucas Family History
compiled by The Rev. Jeremy Lucas
Introduction
Over the past 15 years I have been working in fits and starts on the paternal Lucas line. Each time I have stopped and started I have had to remember where I left off. This document is an effort to record my progress to date and hopefully inform some others research. I will begin with myself and work backwards. I had originally chosen to work on the paternal line because I thought it would be easier following one name, Lucas, rather than each name change in the maternal line. In theory this would have worked, however, for various reasons each generation has changed the spelling of their last name. There are at least 4 changes of Lucas to Lucus and back since 1850. Note that these are not spelling errors but the line follows the people no matter how their name is spelled.
Present Day
I am the Rev Jeremy Lucas presently living in Athens, Alabama. I was born September 10th, 1971 in Birmingham, Alabama. So far as I know I am not related to the Lucas families of Limestone County but further research may determine a link. I was born and raised in Birmingham, Jefferson County, Alabama. I am married to Penelope Ann (Plummer) Lucas, originally from Glencoe, Etowah County, Alabama. Glencoe is near Gadsden.
My parents are George Choya Lucas and Mary Rena ( ) Lucas. Both were raised in the Wylam/ Ensley area of West Birmingham. Rena was also partly raised in Vernon, Lamar County, Alabama where her parents Robert Earl Redus and Helen ( Cribbs ) ( Redus ) had a farm.
George Choya, May 6, 1952 was the youngest of 6 children of William Jackson Lucas April 8th, 1914-January 27th, 1976 and Nancy Ellen Sweeton May 1st, 1918-May 11, 1974. Their other children were:
Mary Ellen (Lucas) Salter, Born May 5th, 1935-Died January 29th, 1980,
Jackie (Lucas) Mason, Born August 25th, 1937-Died September 30th, 1995
Jerry, David Michael, and Dixie.
More will come on this part of the family in the future but I am going to focus mostly on William Jackson "Jack" Lucas and his paternal line of Lucases. I will fill in where I have information on maternal lines. This is also a first draft to get as much down on paper as possible. There are many more stories to tell.
William Jackson "Jack" LucasJack Lucas was a contradiction. Like many southerners he was passionate and compassionate to a fault and was unable to control all of the demons within him. He was born in Jefferson County around Morris in 1914. He had four sisters, Rosetta b. about 1899, Myrtle (Crittenden) Lucas b. about 1901, Flora E "Tincy" (Pitts) Lucas, and Viola maybe twins b. about 1904 and three brothers Earnest b. about 1920 and Billy S. b. about 1926, and Frank. Most of his family moved to Washington State in mid the 1950’s.
Jack worked bi-vocationally as a Oven Heater at U.S. Steel in Fairfield and a correspondence trained Baptist minister. He was very active in the VFW having served in New Guinea and the Southern Philippines in WW II in the 1039 Air Material Squadron . He received the APTO (Asia Pacific Theatre of Operations) Medal, Philippine Liberation Ribbon with a Bronze Star and a Good Conduct Medal. He was Honorably discharged as a Corporal from the Army on October 4, 1945 at Camp Shelby Mississippi. He was State Chaplain on the VFW twice, one from 1961 to 1962, and again from 1974 to 1976.
He was very active in the U.S. Steel workers as a member of Local # _______.
He married again very quickly after his wife Nancy died in 1974, to Naomi (Plunk) Lucas.
He died of a heart attack in 1976 at the age of 61. There is much to be told about the life of Jack Lucas and in the future I will attempt to fill in the blanks.
George Washington Lucus
George Washington Lucus was born in Ragland, St. Clair County November 8th, 1876, his death certificate lists his place of birth as Pell City on November 9th, 1875 He was the son of George Thomas Lucas and his first wife, Elliott (Garrett) Lucas. There is too much information to list here but the Garrett family has been traced back to England. It came to Alabama through Virginia and South Carolina. This is consistent with census records that show Elliott listing her parents as being born in South Carolina. He had one brother William Jordan Lucus b. about 1870 and one sister Mary b. about 1873. In the 1880 Census he is 4 years old living in the Broken Arrow/ Cropwell area of St. Clair County. He died March 22nd 1948 and is buried in the Morris Cemetery in Jefferson County.
He was married to Polly Victoria (Hyde) Lucas b June 14th 1885. (Per her father’s William A.Hyde’s pension papers) Other sources put her birth as January 14, 1883. Records of their marriage have not been located. In 1900 George W. And Victoria are living in Ragland, St. Clair County as borders in the home of John and Lula Books. He is 20yrs old and she is 15. They have a 1 year old Rosetta. In the 1910 census they are living in Precinct 50 of Jefferson County but their ages are different. He is listed as 35 and she as 28. But Rosetta is 11. They have three more children Myrtle 9yrs, and Flora E. and Viola both 6 probably twins.
George W. was a coal miner by trade. A WWI draft registration card from September 12, 1918 shows him living in Morris, Jefferson County and working at the H.P. Thornton Coal mine there. He lived and worked in the area of Beltona Mountain near Warrior, Alabama until his death. His Tombstone in the Morris Cemetery lists him as a member of U.M. W. Local 5779. And reads "Out of sorrow God speaks to us best." He is buried with Polly V.
Directions to Morris Cemetery [LOCATION: The cemetery is located in Morris, Alabama between Trotter's Way (parallel to Old Highway 31 and Stouts Road. Directions to Morris Cemetery via Interstate 65. Turn on Exit 275 towards Morris. Turn right onto Mary Buckelew PKWY and go .2 miles to US 31 N. Turn left onto US 31 N and travel 1.1 miles to Morris Majestic Road (In April 2007 location of only traffic light in Morris). Turn right onto Morris Majestic Road, go to the second 4-way stop sign and take a left onto 1st Avenue. Go .2 miles to stop sign. Bear left at the sign onto Stouts Road and travel .5 miles to Morris Cemetery front entrance.]
George W. Has a number of half brothers and sisters from the second marriage of his father George Thomas Lucas. George married Mollie (Mesimore) Lucas January 17, 1890 and they had a number of children including Samuel, Oscar, Leona, Felix and Lizzie. Mary and William J. Are living with them in 1900 but George W. who would have been 14 is not listed. Mollie Mesamore shows up in the 1870 Census living in St. Clair County at Cropwell she was 1 year old. More follow-up on the Mesimore connection.
The 1920 Census shows George W. in the 12th Precinct living next door to his half brother Oscar Lucus. Oscar is 29 at the time, has a wife Mary who is 26, Phil 8yrs old, Ella Mae 6yrs old and Talmage 9 months. George Lucus is 45 at the time is living with "Vick" his wife 40yrs, Rosa their daughter 19yrs, Tincy 17yrs, Felix? 15yrs? and Jack 12yrs old.
George Thomas Lucas
There are various dates of birth for George T. Lucas. He is shown as the oldest son of Andrew Jackson and Elizabeth Lucus in the 1860 Census, he is nine years old. Other places he is listed as being born in 1842. He has 3 sisters Mary E, 7yrs old, EA 6yrs old, EJ 5yrs old. He also has three brothers, Wm J. 4yrs, Araminte 2yrs and Jas H. 7 months. They are living in Chipola, Henry County, Alabama. In the 1870 Census the family has moved to St. Clair County living near Broken Arrow. George and Eliot are living with Eliot’s mother Nancy Garrett, with her younger siblings Salie, Martha and James M. He is 19 yrs old at the time and farming. Just down the road is his mother Elisabeth with his brothers and sisters. Mary 16, Eliza 14, William J. 12, James H. 8yrs and another daughter who’s name begins with El... maybe Elvira age 6.
Very little is known about George Thomas. He lists his occupation as a brick mason a few times but no death records or cemetery plots can be found. He was married twice, first to Elliott (Garrett )Lucas July 15th, 1870. Elizabeth Lucas gave consent for this marriage in St. Clair County. They had three children. William J., Mary and George Washington. Some time between 1880-1890 Elliott must have died. He remarries Mollie Mesimore January 17, 1890 and they have the children listed above as siblings of George W. In the 1900 Census they are living in Jefferson county Beat 16. In 1910 George T. is living in Morris as a widower with 5 children from his second marriage. Presumably he died sometime between 1910 and 1920. I have been unable to locate any death certificate for George T.
Andrew Jackson Lucus
Andrew Jackson was born sometime around 1826 probably in Georgia, maybe in Jasper County or possibly Washington County. On a number of census records their son George T. is asked where his parents were born and he lists Georgia for both of them. Later censes records have Elizabeth listing Georgia as her place of birth. The family is listed in 1860 in Chipola, Henry County Alabama with the children listed as siblings to George T. above. Andrew Jackson and Elisabeth lived some time in Tallapoosa County. The 1850 census lists A.J. and Elizabeth in Township 21 living with Elisha ________ and a 2 year old Lucina?. They list their ages as 24 and 25 which would make them the correct age to be 34 and 35 in the 1860 census in Henry County.
Andrew Jackson served in the Civil War between 1862 and 1863 as part of Company D of the 39th Alabama Infantry Regiment made up of men from Barbour, Henry, Pike, Russell and Walker County. He enlisted April 5th 1862 for three years. The 39th traveled to Mississippi, marched to Kentucky then back to Murfreesboro, TN. It fought in the Battle of Chicamunga. It fought to defend Atlanta and Jonesboro and was forced to surrender April 26, 1865. Only 90 officers and men remained from the 39th. It was due to injuries he received in the Civil War that Andrew Jackson Lucus died September 22nd, 1863. 12 pages of original Civil War Documents have been located including muster rolls and pay receipts. One receipt shows him getting $22 for a months pay at Eufaula May 9th 1863. Since Eufaula is just north of Henry County we could assume that he had travelled with the Infantry and been injured. Then returned to a local muster area before he was sent home around September.
Another Lucus named James M. Lucus enlisted the same day as A.J. and was also in Company D of the 39th Infantry. He died August 21, 1863 in Chatta. (Chattanooga) Tenn. It is possible that they were brothers.
The Chipola ConnectionIn the 1860 Census AJ and Elizabeth are found living in Chipola Beat 2, Henry County, Alabama. An initial search of towns in Alabama does not find any with the name of Chipola. The Chipola River is a very substantial river running North/ South from about the Alabama boarder to Apalachicola. There is a town of Chipola in Jackson County, Florida. It is unlikey that there was a mistake abut what state or County this was. It is clear that Chipola was part of Henry County
In a 1837 map of Southeast Alabama and West Florida, The East Branch of the Chipola river finds its way into Alabama in Range 28 probably in Township 1. In 1837 this part of Alabama is Henry County. In 1908 this part of Henry County was split to create Houston County. It would presently be in the area West of Grangeburg, Alabama. What was once known as the East Brance of the Chipola may now be Cowarts Creek. There are several small cemeteries in this area and if AJ dies here in 1863 he may be buried there.
Another option is a place called South Chipola Creek north of Abbeville near Cotton Hill in Henry County. Evidence from the 1860 census shows a number of Lucus families living in the town of Hillardsville. This town no longer exists but it was once North West of Fort Gains and to the North pf Abbeville but not quite as far north as South Chipola Creek. It is another possibility for looking for the Lucas family. More evidence of this connection is that in the 1860 Census Andrew and his family spelled their name Lucas and were the only Lucases in Henry County. All other Lucuses in Hillardsville spelled their name Lucus.
Samuel Lucas??At this point we get onto lots of speculation about the previous generation. From the evidence I have been able to gather from census records two scenarios are most likely. The first is a connection to Samuel Lucas found in the 1830 Census in Henry County with 6 children, he would be between 40 and 50 yrs old. And has a wife between 20-30. Prior to 1850 no children’s names are listed but Samuel has a male child under 5 which would match Andrews age. Since George T says his father was born in Georgia I searched there for Samuel. A Samuel Lucas is found in Washington County Georgia in the 1820 Census he is between 26 and 45 years old. He has 4 male children under 10. 2 Female children under 10, and 1 between 10 and 16. There is one other female in the house between 16-26 which would match the age of his wife in the Henry county 1830 census. This doesn’t exactly match but it is close enough to follow. Another record for Samuel Lucas is the 1827 Land drawing for Washington County. On April 3, 1827, the 24th day of the drawing he draws Sec 3 District 12 Lot 70. Captain Whartens District.
Map 1 from 1849 shows the towns of Columbia and Woodville and also the Chipola River. 
