Washington Family Annual Reunion
Cook Memorial Baptist Church
Family Living Center
3rd Saturday in September each year
Redland-Sarepta Road
Washington, Pontotoc County, MS
(near the Chickasaw county line)
Our Washington family research project began some fifty-six years ago when the wife of Winfred W. Washington, Pauline Moore Washington (grand-daughter of Civil War general Stokley Roberts) was told a story by our George Washington's grandsons Benjamin and Andrew (Andre) Washington. The story was about our George Washington b. 1821, who was supposed to be born in Virginia, a cousin to President Washington, and had lived down the street from his home.
Ever since Pauline heard the story, she has made it a lifelong hobby to try and solve our Washington mystery. In 2004, it was discovered that George's first wife Jincy was a Halford. Her father was John C. Halford born bet. 1787-1795 in SC. Halford was found on the 1840 Russell Co. AL census living next door to our George Washington, and Halford was again found in 1850 Wetumpka, Coosa Co. AL federal census living next door to George Washington's new in-laws, the McEwens. George's first wife Jincey (Jane) Halford had died in childbirth along with their third child Catharine; but two sons were issued of that marriage: Francis Marion and John C. Georg remarried to Mary Ann Mcwn in Jan. 1845 at Muscogee Co., GA. George then received land patent at discounted rate in 1858 at Elmore Co. Alabama (formerly part of Coosa Co.)
Between 1859-1860, George and second wife Mary McEwen, her parents, the Washington children (of both marriages) all moved to Calhoun County Mississippi; except for son Francis Marion Washington, who stayed behind and married Louisa R. Archer in 1858 Coosa County. Louisa was daughter of John Samuel Archer and Rosa E. Berry of Shelby County AL; formerly of Coosa County.
When the Civil War broke out, Francis M. Washington joined the 18th Alabama Infantry Company I. He fought in the Battle of Shiloh, but died in-camp at Corinth Mississippi; just 1 month, ten days later. The only other Washington in that company was Isaiah Washington, son of Lewis Martin, grandson of Bushrod, unknown if Isaiah and Francis M. were related. Francis' brother John C. Washington joined up with 31st Mississippi Infantry Company D, otherwise known as the Dixie Rebels. John was taken prisoner. Also in the Dixie Rebels was Sgt. Francis Marion McEwen, uncle of the boys and brother to Mary, George's wife.
When George died in Calhoun County MS in 1869, the family moved to Washington, Pontotoc Co. MS. Unknown if there was any relation to the John Washington who was living in Washington, Pontotoc Co. MS in the 1850s before the family arrived, but Georg's first father-in-law John C. Halford had already located to Calhoun County MS prior to the George Washington family showing up as Halford's wife, Catharine Brown Halford was buried in Methodist Campground Cemetery in 1854.
Six years after Francis Marion Washington died, his widow Louisa married William Blackerby of Shelby County Alabama, six years her junior, and William raised Francis and Louisa's children Sarah J. and Mary F. E. as his own. Sarah Jane then married Levi Blackerby and relocated to Texas. The other sister Mary F. E. married the brother of her step-father, Joseph W. Blackerby and stayed in Shelby County, Alabama.
More family histoy in "Related Files" below.....
This website is dedicated to the memory of Peggy Washington Hall of the Floyd County Georgia Washingtons. Peggy was a fellow Washington researcher who helped me along my genealogical journey. Even though we never knew if we were related, I felt a common bond with her and wish to dedicate this site to her-she will be missed very much.
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