Progenitors are defined as Poythress men for whom parentage currently is unknown or unproven.

JAMES EDWARD POYTHRESS

James Edward Poythress was born 13 Aug 1803 in Mecklenburg County, VA

PARENTS NAMES NOT KNOWN AT THIS TIME

Sources re birth:

(1) Family Record in Bible format, copied in 1938 by Ben Edward Poythress, Jr. on his 18th birthday using a quill pen and attempting to copy the handwriting from the old then-deteriorating Family Record of James’ family, which old record was then in the possession of Ben’s uncle, Nathan Hamet Poythress, who was a grandson of James Edward Poythress. Color photocopies of the 1938 hand-transcription, and a subsequent typed transcription by Barbara Poythress Neal, are on file at Library of Virginia in Richmond, VA; the Virginia Historical Society in Richmond, VA; Samford University Library’s Special Collections Room in Birmingham, AL; and the Lauderdale County Dept of Archives and History in Meridian, MS. This record is referred to below as “Poythress-Preston Family Record Copied by Ben E. Poythress, Jr.”

(2) The (typed) transcription of this same document was published in the Magazine of Virginia Genealogy, Vol. 33, Issue 2, May 1995, pp. 111-114, referred to below as MVG, May 1995.

(3) __Giles and Joan (Pearce) Gilbert, Sr. and James Edward and Catherine Smith [sic] Preston Poythress, And Descendants, And Related Families:

Bennett, Lavender, McDaniel, Peel, Pinson__ by Betty Lawrence (Meridian, MS: Mount Barton Publishers, 1993), p.114. [Note: Author died Aug. 1993. Her books are published by her husband, Dr. Tom Lawrence; publisher’s address is 4201 Pineview Dr; Meridian, MS 39305; phone (601) 482-2505] This book is referred to below as “Lawrence.”

James Edward Poythress married Catherine S[peed] Preston on 6 Feb 1828 in Brunswick Co, VA.

Sources re marriage:

(1) Poythress-Preston Family Record Copied by Ben E. Poythress, Jr.

(showing her middle name as Speed)

(2) MVG, May 1995

(3) Brunswick Co, VA Marriage Register, 1751-1853, entry of 29 Jan 1828, of which copies are available from Library of VA on their Reel 51:254 (showing Catherine with only a middle initial, which could be “S” or could be “T”)

(4) Lawrence, p.114.

James Edward Poythress moved from Mecklenburg Co, VA, to Sumter Co, AL in approximately January of 1853, with above-mentioned wife and all 8 children, and reportedly with his nephew, James Speed Poythress. Source:

(1) Newspaper article about Mrs. Rebecca Lavender (daughter of James Edward Poythress), “Pioneer Woman of Magic City Near To Century Mark: Celebrates Her Ninety-Fourth Anniversary With All Of Children Present.” (with her photograph), The Birmingham News, Birmingham, AL (Thursday, 17 Nov 1932) [Note: article quotes her re the family’s six week trip in a covered wagon from Virginia to Sumter County, AL when she was 14, but unfortunately does not mention her cousin James Speed Poythress being with the family.]

(2) Lawrence, p.113.

James Edward Poythress died 17 Jan 1863 in Sumterville, Sumter Co, AL His wife Catherine died there in Oct 1884

(1) Poythress-Preston Family Record Copied by Ben E. Poythress, Jr.

James and his wife Catherine are buried in Sumterville Methodist Cemetery, Sumter Co, AL where no marker has been found for them among the overgrowth. Lawrence, p.115.

Note: per the Family Bible Record, her death date is listed only as Oct 1884; the more precise
date is from the Sumter Co, AL Register of Deaths, a transcription of which
is included in Joseph F. Stegall’s book, Sumter County, Alabama: Index to
Wills and Estate Administrations 1834-1884; Register of Deaths 1881-1892;
and Cemetery Records (Bowie, MD: Heritage Books, Inc, 1997)

THEIR 8 CHILDREN who lived to adulthood [no record has been found for any
other children, as of April 2001]:

Joshua Lewis Poythress, b. 10 Nov 1828 in Mecklenburg Co, VA; d. 12 Jun
1854 in Sumter Co, AL.
Marr: 17 Oct 1852 in Mecklenburg Co, VA [that Sunday date &
location are per the above-mentioned Family Bible Record; however they got
their Marriage Bond and License 30 Sep 1852, in the adjacent county, Warren
County, NC, and the Return was made on a Friday, 15 Oct 1852, per copy from
Loose Records at NC Archives] Elizabeth J. Crowder, for whom no birthdate
is available and who d. 1 Jun of 18(59?) [for the last two digits of the
year, the Family Bible Record is difficult to read]. Joshua and Elizabeth
had only one child, a son (named for Joshua’s brother below), William H.
Poythress, Jr., who was b. 30 Nov 1853 in Sumter Co, AL and who died only 8
months later, 21 Jul 1854 in Sumter Co, AL, one month after his father
Joshua had died & after the uncle for whom this child was named had died

Nathan Francis Poythress, b. 18 Oct 1830 in Mecklenburg Co, VA; d. 11 Mar
1862 in CSA Hospital at Charlottesville, VA; bur. in the University of
Virginia Confederate Cemetery, Charlottesville, VA. Never married.

William Huel Poythress, b. 10 Dec 1832 in Mecklenburg Co, VA; d. 26 Jun
1854 in Sumter Co, AL. Never married.

Catherine Jane Poythress, b. 10 Aug 1838 in Mecklenburg Co, VA [per Family
Bible Record] or possibly 10 Aug 1837 [per gravemarker]; d. 1889 at
Binnsville, Mississippi [per Family Bible Record, where it was apparently
recorded sometime later] or more likely 5 Nov 1888 [per gravemarker]; bur.
Souls Chapel Methodist Cemetery, Geiger, Sumter Co, AL [near Binnsville,
MS].

Marr: (1) on 24 Apr 1856 in Sumter Co, AL, William Gilbert, Jr.
[his second marriage], who was b. 18 Jul 1813 in Jones Co, NC and who d.
Jan 1870 in Sumter Co, AL; bur. Sumterville Methodist Cemetery,
Sumterville, Sumter Co, AL. Catherine & Wm Gilbert had five children, whose
ages ranged from 2 to 12 when Wm Gilbert died.
Six months later, Catherine Jane Poythress Gilbert marr. (2) on 8
Jun 1870 in Sumter Co, AL, Daniel O’Conner McKinley, Jr., who was b. 17 Mar
1843 near Sumterville, in Sumter Co, AL and who d. 17 Apr 1921; bur. Souls
Chapel Methodist Cemetery beside his wife. D.O. McKinley, Jr. helped her
raise the five children; they had no further children together.

Rebecca Barter Jane Poythress [name shown in Family Bible Record only as
Rebecca B. J. Poythress], b. 10 Nov 1840 in Mecklenburg Co, VA [date &
place per Family Bible Record. Death certificate, with info from her son,
shows b. 10 Nov 1838 at Petersburg, VA; gravemarker has same 1838
birthdate]; d. 28 Jan 1936 [from death certif; no death date given in
Family Bible Record] in East Lake section of Birmingham, Jefferson Co, AL;
bur. East Lake Cemetery.
Marr. on 20 Dec 1860 in Sumter Co, AL, John David Lavender, who was
b. 29 Feb 1836 in Greensboro [then in Greene Co; currently Hale Co], AL and
who d. 16 Jun 1899 in Birmingham, Jefferson Co, AL; bur. East Lake
Cemetery. Rebecca and John had six children.

Penelope Frances “Fannie” or “Jodie” Poythress, b. 4 Aug 1843 in
Mecklenburg Co, VA [date & place per Family Bible Record. Death
certificate, with info from her son, shows b. 3 Aug 1841 in Mecklingburg
(sic) Co, VA]; d. 10 Dec 1915 [from death certif; Family Bible Record gives
only Dec 1915] in Meridian, Lauderdale Co, Mississippi; bur. Magnolia
Cemetery, in Meridian, Lauderdale Co, MS.
Marr. on 7 Feb 1867 in Sumter Co, AL, David Lavender Bennett, who
was b. 1838 in Sumter Co, AL and who d. 18 Jul 1917 in Meridian, Lauderdale
Co, MS; bur. Magnolia Cemetery, in Meridian, Lauderdale Co, MS. Fannie and
David had three children.

Algernon Edward Poythress, b. 12 Aug 1844 in Mecklenburg Co, VA; d. 11 Apr
1918 in Meridian, Lauderdale Co, MS; bur. Magnolia Cemetery, Meridian,
Lauderdale Co, MS.
Marr. on 25 Aug 1868 in Sumter Co, AL, Ellen Belle McKinley [sister
of above-mentioned Daniel O’Conner McKinley, Jr.], who was b. 18 Aug 1851
in Sumter Co, AL and who d. 6 Aug 1918 in Meridian, Lauderdale Co, MS; bur.
Magnolia Cemetery, Meridian, Lauderdale Co, MS. A.E. and Ellen had eleven
children, two of whom died as infants.

Virenda Priscilla Poythress, b. 19 Feb 1848 in Mecklenburg Co, VA; d. 26
Aug 1920 [date from death certificate and gravemarker; no death date given
in Family Bible Record] in East Lake section of Birmingham, Jefferson Co,
AL; bur. East Lake Cemetery.
Marr. 20 Jan 1869 in Sumter Co, AL, Robert Neal McKinley [brother
of above-mentioned Daniel O’Conner McKinley, Jr. and Ellen Belle McKinley],
who was b. 3 Nov 1846 in Sumter Co, AL and who d. 30 Dec 1913 in East Lake
section of Birmingham, Jefferson Co, AL; bur. East Lake Cemetery. V.P. and
Robert had six children.