Dorothy Henrietta (Alexander) Johnson Eldridge (1900 - 1987)

When I was in my 20s, I interviewed Dorothy ("Nana" to me) to find out about her family history (her son, my father, died when I was a baby, so I didn't know him - she and her husband divorced in the late 30s, so didn't know his family either). She gave me detail on her family, as follows:

Her mother's father was Julius Norsworthy. She said he came from England to Atlanta (wrong), and that he had traveled with his family to Jefferson, Texas before the Civil War (from Atlanta), and opened the first bank in Texas. That he had to move and sell their plantation because he taught his slaves. He was a commissary officer for the Confederate army from Texas to Louisiana. She said her mother's mother was "Molly O'Hamil", who had come from Dublin and married Julius in Atlanta. She said that a sister had married Fletcher Bell - a judge, and that the children were judges. Then she said something about a Sally Bell, who had a relationship with Huey Long, governor of Louisiana. Her mother was Cornelia Bell Norsworthy, from Greenville, Texas. She said that Cornelia's siblings were Fred Norsworthy, Emily Norsworthy, Safrona Norsworthy, and Annie Norsworthy. She said that Annie was born in the Civil War, was 1.25 lbs when born, and was placed in cotton in a cigar box and bathed in whiskey and water.

I have been researching this family for years to find some evidence of these stories. I did finally find in the 1870 Census a Julius A. Norsworthy (from Georgia), with Sarah L (from Tennessee), along with Mary H (9), Charlie H (female - 6), Emma E (4), James F (3), and Saphronia (11 mo) living in Jefferson, Texas, with Julius a banker. Hurray!

In 1880, the family appears as "J Norswarthus" in Sulphur Springs, Hopkins, Texas - J (Julius), Sarah, Marry (19), Charlotte (formerly listed as "Charlie" - 16), Emam (Emma - 14), Fred (15), Frony (Saphronia - 10), and Nellie (Cornelia - 8).

Find-a-grave has a grave stone for Sarah L. Norsworthy, showing that she died on 19 Feb 1897. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/30439241#

I have not found any evidence that Julius Norsworthy owned slaves or a plantation. However, in researching further, I have found that Julius's mother was Mary Erasmus Alford. Perhaps the plantation/slave story relates to this line?