The Picture
The pictures of Jim and Sarah (Sally) Stallworth hung on our family room wall along with all of the other family members in our bi-racial family. Jim’s picture was especially intriguing to our visitors as they could not tell whether he belonged to my family or to my African-American husband’s family. Sally was very dark with Negroid features so there was no doubt as to her ancestry but Jim could have been English or Scottish with his straight hair and light eyes. Family oral history was not clear so there was no agreement.
As time went on I became more and more obsessed with the answer to this question. Was he white? Was he the son of a white slaveholder? Since there was no agreement in the family, I became determined to find the answer.
One of the known facts was that Jim had been born into slavery in South Carolina in 1842. Also known was that he had purchased land in 1895 in Alabama–land which remains in the family today. It was while visiting the property in Alabama that I began to identify with this man who had come from the depths of slavery to being a small land owner and the progenitor of eight children and numerous descendants.
Census record showed me where in Alabama the family had lived from 1870 to 1930. Since African Americans were not listed by name prior to 1870. I had to stop that search there. The mystery deepened and the puzzle became more complex. I had the edge pieces of my puzzle but now I had to delve into the more difficult center pieces.
Slave schedules of 1860 showed that there several slave holders in Monroe County that could have been the owner of Jim and possibly of Sally. The land records gave me the next clue. Only one of these owners had held land in Monroe County from 1840 in the same part of the county. As I narrowed the search I went back to the census of 1880 and took another look at the residence of Jim and his neighbors. There was another piece of the puzzle—Jim lived only five houses from the widow of his possible former owner! I had already learned that the former slaves frequently stayed on the same land where they had toiled as slaves.
Have I proven his origins? No, but the picture is getting clearer. My next task is to go back to Monroe County and revisit the courthouse to search for wills and estate inventories to find if the slaveholder left any other pieces to my puzzle. Perhaps there are descendants of the slaveholder in the area who can add more details to the picture. As I walk the land that Jim bought, he may yet lead me to other.
Margie Schwieterman
Family Search Center, Volunteer
I am interested in knowing more about my family. Please contact me Thank you
Kay Stallworth, if you will give me your email I would be happy to contact you.
Hello Margie, my family are decendants of the Stallworths is Monroe County, AL. I’d be happy if you contacted me. I’d love to hear more.
deon.jackson@hotmail.com
I would love to know more about my family history. My grandparents and my father are deceased.
Margie–your efforts are greatly appreciated!
Thank You Margie..Wonderful workshop last Sat
Yes! we have been traveling along the same rout. You should be able to fine out more by checking the Pineville Cemetery Records in Monroe County there is a Sally Stallworth and when a person owned land you can tract the property records. Check the Alabama archives.We could very well be related. I will check father.
Yes! Me-mail address is jtstallworth@msn.com OR jtstall@yahoo.com ThereMaybe a connection here
I am a Stallworth, my parents and grandparents and their parents are from Alabama, Greenville,Owasa, and Evergreen. Just wanted to see about my heritage and decided to know a little but found out a lot. Thanks.
Hello Margie! I actually am researching Sally Stallworth myself. She was my great great grandmother. She is buried in Enid,Oklahoma and as far as I know she came from a farm in Alabama. Her daughter, my great grandmother, was named Lillie V. Stallworth (Spencer), she in turn birthed my grandmother Johnnie. I would love to hear more of the information that you have, and share what I have discovered with you. Please contact me at my email address. Thank You.
Margie, my email is msanikac@hotmail.com.
Hi Margie, I just got back from Alabama. I sawthe grave of my grandfather Mack Harris, but started wondering about his wife Hattie Stallworth and where to begin my search in Beatrice on her. Do you have any info, since Mack was part of Moliere line?
My grand-father name was Jim Bo Stallworth and his second wife was name Sarah. He was a very light complexed man who could have passed for white.
My grand father’s name was Jin Boo Stallworth. His second wife was named Sarah. My grand father could easily pass for white.
I am doing some researching on my grand-father Jim Stallworth. I have been asking some people that may have known him. It is likely that he was not born in slavery. Maybe my great- grand mother was born into slavery. This would be Jim’s mother.
I am Jolene Stallworth, Jim Stallworth’s grand-daughter. This is my father’s father.
y father, Joseph Stallworth(Real name Son Stallworth) is deceased also.Joseph died July 13th 2007. Send me more information. My address is 563 Maple Street, Mobile, Alabama 36603.
Some of my last comment did not appear. My father was Joseph Stallworth which is Jim Stallworth’s Son.
Hello,
My grandfather was Roscoe Stallworth of Conecuh County and his father was Charlie Stallworth. From what I understand my great-great grandfather was named Edward. i would be interested in any info that you have on the STallworth’s
Yes! there is a real connection, Their was three Stallworth Brothers that at one time owned over 400 slaves in Monroe and Conecuh County in Ala. They moved to ala from South Carolina one of the Slaves owners wife was name Sally Stallworth. There is a Historic Land Marker in the Evergreen Cemetary Honoring the Stallworth Slave owners Black and White are in The Evergreen and Pineville Cemetary.
You can contact the Historian at The Evergreen City Libary for more Info.
The Stallworth Family Planning Committee is planning a GRAND STALLWORTH Reunion fo all Stallworth of evergreen Conecuh Co. Hopefully 2012. Come join us for the Celibration
Sherry Johnston is the Historian at the Evergreen City Library
Sally Stallworth was the name of Jim Stallworth’swife. Jim was a slave of Park Marker Stallworth who was the son of Nicolas of Evergreen
Jerimiah, let me know about the reunion. We are planning a Jim Stallworth descendants in July of 2012 in Cincinnati.
I am Jim Stallworth’s Grand-daughter. My father was Joseph Stallworth(Jim’s Son). Jim’s father was a white man whom last name was Faulkenberry. Jim’s mother’s name was Maggie Stallworth. My father Joseph who was born Son Stallworth changed his name to Joseph. Jim died in the 1950′s according to my late father. Some of my relatives that are still alive say that the pictures of Jim and Sarah Stallworth look a lot like my grand-father and my step-grandmother. Jim’s first wife,Bama was my grand-mother died when my father was six- months old in 1923.
I live in 563 Maple street,Mobile , Alabama 36603. Please send me some information about this reunion in the mail since I don’t have a valid e-mail address.
My mom is a stallworth mary stallworth. mobile alb.no info
My family are Stallworths and Montgomerys from Monroe County. My Great Great Grandmother was Ella Stallworth Montgomery and she had a daughter named Sarah. We are trying to remember Ella Stallworth’s mother’s Name. Please contact me if you know or have any family history updates. You may want to contact my Mom who grew up in Beatrice and knows quite a bit too. Here contact information is listed below and some helpful links.
Barbara-Jean Wright –barbarastephen@att.net
http://www.coax.net/people/lwf/MONTG_SE.HTM
http://www.angelfire.com/al/silverball/family.html
I know that we are kin to Jerry and Emma, London and Celia.
Paquita, I do not have an answer for you yet but I did find Ella Stallworth as a servant for Jackson and Orphelia Stallworth who were descendants of Mark Marker Stallworth a big slave holder. I have some other resources that I will check when i return from Alabama.
Paquita, as promised, I have secured some more information that I believe is correct for your story. In the 1880 census there is an Ella Stallworth who at this time is divorced at age 19. Her mother is Hethey Stallworth who is widowed. Hethey was born in Virginia. She has daughters Louisa and Nancy and a son Franklin. Ella has a child age one named Hethey. Does this fit your story?
I am very confused. Are the families of Monroe County and Evergreen related?
My mother was Gladys Stallworth. Her father was Charlie Stallworth who was married to Bessmer Grace.
I was searching my family tree and I found out more than i had expected, thank you.
My father name is William B, Stallworth he was born in Nichburg Alabama. Worked at Alabama A&M college for a number of years. His father name was Matthew
Beverly
I recently found out that my great grandmother was a Grace. Her father was Nep Grace from Conecuh County Alabama. Bessemer was the daughter of Richard (Rich) Grace who was one of the younger brothers of Nep Grace. I would like to correspond with you. Please contact me at Texana23@gmail.com. I look forward to hearing from you.
Marilyn
my grandfather name is herman(homer)stallworth HIS FATHER IS JENKINS STALLWORTH, jenkins stallworth father is orange stallworth.mixons,evergreen,conecuh area. jenkins i understand married 3 times.mattie,willie d.stallworth,and laura holmes.i would like to know what line of stallworths am i from……..is it jerry and emma montgomery?thats my guess..thank u for your help.
i am aware there are different sets of stallworths:jerry and emma montgomery,travis stallworth? nicholas stallworth,etc. again to be specific which line of stallworths am
i from?
PAMELA STALLWORTH my mother nadine stallworth passed away last year in augest my father many years ago im very interesed in findihs about all my family if my last name is stallworth we have to related