Burrell B Mcelwain (1803 - 1880)

Born 1 Jan 1803 in Sumter District, SC

Husband of Emily M. Brunson — married about 1829 in Sumter District, South Carolina

Died 10 Jan 1880 at age 77 in Montgomery Co., AL

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Biography

This biography was auto-generated by a GEDCOM import.^[1] It's a rough draft and needs to be edited.

Burial

Burial:

Date: 12 JAN 1880

Place: Cantey Cemetery, Mt. Zion Rd., Montgomery Co., AL

User ID

User ID: 8F7363D224FD482AB57F29F68F99300A7FF0

Note

Note: #N3811

Sources

1. ↑ Mcelwain-57 was created by Stephanie Holladay through the import of Pina_HOLLIDAYHOLLADAY.ged on Apr 18, 2014. This comment and citation can be deleted after the biography has been edited and primary sources are included.

• Source: S85 Text: The Brunsons of South Carolina by Editor and Compiler, Cassie Nicholes Printed by The R. L. Bryan Company, Columbia, S. C. 1973 Page: page 54

Notes

Note N3811

Last Will and Testament

State of Alabama, Montgomery County.....

I, Burrell B. McElvin being of sound and dispersing mind and memory but being weak in body and considering the uncertainty of this mortal life do make and declare this my last will and testament in manner and for the following:

Item 1st: After all my just debts are paid, I will and bequeath to my three single daughters, viz: Emily, Laura and Theresa McElvin all my real and personal property, to have and to hold during their single state or life time for their natural support and benefit.

Item 2: I also will that at my decease that my daughter Emily shall ------upon and take full possession and control over all my estate and effects both real and personal and manage the same just as her own judgement may dictate to the best interest and benefit of those herein before mentioned.

Item 3: Now should my aforesaid daughter Emily either marry or die, in that event, the next eldest daughter Laura should she still be in the single state and living, enter upon and control the said farm and premises as Emily had before done. And in the event of the death or marriage of my daughter Laura then it shall be the duty of my daughter, Theresa, should she be single and living to ----likewise upon the farm and premises and discharge duties as the others have heretofore done. And after the death or

marriage of the last one of my daughters as herein before mentioned then shall my estate both personal and real descend to my heirs in common.

Item 5th (there is no 4th): Be it known that in no case whatever shall my real estate be subject to any debts whether contracted for the furtherance the farm or otherwise.

Item 6th: And I also further provide that as either one of three daughters above mentioned, should marry or all three, they shall receive as they may so marry one feather bed and furniture, together with two cows with or without calves as it may be convenient making them equal with other daughters who have heretofore married - Given under my hand and seal this 22nd day of May, 1875

Witnesses: Signed Burrell B.

McElvin and seal

P.W.Spear, M.D.

A.L.Duncan

W.F. Nesbitt

Burrell owned land in Montgomery Co., AL 1830; 1833; 1837; According to the Land Grants Book Register #304 for State of Alabama. He was living prior to and during the Civil War in Montgomery County, Alabama. Portions of a letter dated July 16, 1987 to Hazel and Joe White from Leon M. White follows:

"Beryl told me about the house her great grandfather and our great grandfather Burrell McElvin bought in town near the top of Montgomery Street hill which overlooked the downtown section, or part of it. It was on Wilkerson Street, and today one side of the property is located on Montgomery Street. She said he bought it during the Civil War and moved his family to town, but kept his farm lands in south Montgomery county between the communities of Pine Level and Ramer. McElvin's town home burned according to what Beryl remembered, but she told me she and her sisters heard many stories told by her grandmother and by her great aunt Theresa about the time when the city was waiting for the Yankee General Wilson and his raiders to come to Montgomery on their way from Selma.

After the burning of Atlanta and Columbia, the Union General Wilson and his men, known as the Raiders, for what they were accused of doing, swung down into Alabama and raided, sacked and burned the city of Selma on the Alabama River, about 45 miles from Montgomery. Selma was a munitions depot for the Confederacy. Wilson and his men were headed for Montgomery, "where this rebellion started", as Wilson was quoted in saying. Reports were that Montgomery was to be sacked and burned. According to Beryl and what she heard from her grandmother, the McElvin girls went up to the "roof-room" of the house which was above the second floor, so they could watch to the west for the Yankee raiders. Wilson came into Montgomery by a different route and they thought themselves lucky, for there was some homes the raiders took over as headquarters. Beryl said McElvin had the first indoor communications system in Montgomery. It was a metal pipe between the walls from the first floor to the little "roof-room", actually a cupola and on both floors. Beryl said the McElvin girls buried the family valuables in the back of the house out where the chickens were kept. This was in 1864, and her grandmother was about 15, our grandmother about 13 and Auntie about 8. The youngest McElvin girl, Mary, had died in 1862 at four years of age. I remember Aunt Mary saying she had heard her mother and Auntie talking about how bad the city smelled from all the cotton being burned at the Commerce

Street wharf in the Alabama River and on the cotton barges sitting out in the river. All this cotton was scheduled to go down to Mobile, and they couldn't get it out of town before Wilson got there so they burned it to keep it out of Union hands. I brought this up with Beryl and she remembered her grandmother telling about it.

I miss talking with Beryl, who is in her 80's today.... Beryl's mind has almost gone, and she cannot

remember anything or carry on a conversation. I am glad I had the opportunity of seeing her and talking with her on a number of occasions. She was the one who told me about the McElvin Cemetery located on the original farm land down near Pine Level. Today it is called the Cantey cemetery, because it is on land now owned by descendants of that family. A couple of years ago I had to introduce myself to

someone who saw my car parked nearby the little cemetery. It turned out to be John Cantey, a descendant of the owner who had bought the land from one of the Goldthwaites in Montgomery. He said he had noticed some of the tombstones with the McElvin names, and was told they were from the

original family who lived there. I told him I was a great grandson of Burell and his wife, Emily. He showed me their graves. I saw others there also: Daughter Ellen's husband Gabriel Gibson's grave; some of the Cannons (Demarius Savannah Cannon, Winnefred Cannon, and New Born North Carolina Cannon). The McElvin 4th offspring, James Hamilton McElvin, whose stone shows a date of death of 21

July 1862 and his brother, Melvin Jeter McElvin, whose death date is Oct 28, 1871; their last child, Mary L. McElvin, who died Oct 24, 1862. I did not locate the grave for Joseph M. McElvin. My records show a date for him as 1862. Auntie should have been buried there, but when died in 1936, the land was no longer in the family. This accounts for her burial at Mt. Lebanon Cemetery located off the Mt. Zion Road, where Missouri Cannon is buried also. Her sister Susannah, is buried next to her. Old Dennis Cannon was from North Carolina and was very aware of it, which accounts for the name New Born North Carolina.

Burrell B. McElvin and Emily M. Brunson met, married and started their family in South Carolina. It is not known when they moved to Montgomery County, Alabama. However, according to land grant registers he purchased farm land in Montgomery County in 1830, 1833 and in 1837. Their first child, Ellen, according to census data, was born in South Carolina in December 1830, and about two months after McElvin purchased his first parcel of land. Their second child, Joseph, according to census records, was born in Alabama in 1832".

In an article from the Montgomery Advertiser Files 3/28/78 From Advertiser Files By Lela I. Legare

One this date:

100 years ago (1878) - Two of our oldest citizens are trying to ascertain names of present White residents of Montgomery County who were adults and residents of the County in 1828. They can only recall to-wit: Britton West, Burrell McIllwain, Elias Hodge, Barton Stone, Dr. P.W, Spear, Hardy Wilkins and Samuel Q. Hale.

Burrell McElvin was married to to Emily M. BRUNSON (daughter of Peter Edheah BRUNSON and Winnifred NETTLES) about 1829 in Sumter District, South Carolina. Emily M. BRUNSON was born on August 1, 1813 in Sumter District, South Carolina. She died on May 30 1864 in Montgomery County, Ala. She was buried on June 1, 1864 in Cantey Cemetery, Mt. Zion Road, Montgomery County, Ala.. Burrell B. MCELVIN and Emily M. BRUNSON had the following children:

8 i. Ellen S. MCELVIN.

9 ii. Joseph M. MCELVIN was born about 1832 in Montgomery County, Ala. 8th Alabama Cavalry [Livingston's] Regiment.

Getting back to the Cantey Cemetery, Burrell is buried there, as well as his wife, Emily M. (Brunson) McElvin, Gabriel Gibson, the husband of their daughter, Ellen Gibson, and the last daughter, Mary L. McElvin. The cemetery is fairly well taken care of, but you have to get permission to get to it.

He died in 1862 in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. During the 1850 US Census of Montgomery County, he was shown living with his parents at the age of 18. A special census taken in 1855 shows a Joseph McElvin over 21 years and under 30 years boarding in the city. Civil War records indicate that he enlisted at the age of 29 years in 1861 as a volunteer in an Alabama regiment, and was killed in

action.

8th Alabama Cavalry [Livingston's] Regiment

The 8th Alabama Cavalry was organized at Gadsden during the spring of 1864 by increasing the strength of Livingston's Cavalry Battalion. In the summer, it reported to and was brigaded under Gen'l Gideon Pillow at Blue Mountain, strength about 250 men. It operated in the vicinity of the Army of Tennessee while it lay at Dalton, and it was with Gen'l Pillow for about eight months. Transferred to Gen'l James H. Clanton's Brigade in the Dept. of Alabama, Mississippi, and East Louisiana, the 8th fought under that officer at Ten Islands, with some losses. It was soon after sent to west Florida where it made head against Union Gen'l Frederick Steele's column at Bluff Spring, losing a number. By February of 1865, the

regiment had grown to about 600 men, but after skirmishing in Alabama and resisting Union Gen'l James H. Wilson's Corps, on 4 May 1865, there were but afew to surrender at Gainesville. Field and staff officers: Col. Henry J. Livingston (Autauga); Lt. Col. Thomas L. Faulkner (Autauga); Major Sidney A. Moses (Russell); and Adjutant Charles E. Stewart (Dallas; transferred to line).

10 iii. Winnefred E. MCELVIN.

11 iv. James Hamilton MCELVIN was born on Apr 21 1839 in Montgomery County, Ala. He served in the military in 1861/62 in Alabama 8th Cavalry. He died on Jul 21 1862 in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania.

12 v. Emily MCELVIN.

13 vi. Melvin Jeter MCELVIN was born on Jan 9 1846 in Montgomery County, Ala. He served in the military between 1861 and 1865 in Alabama 8th Cavalry. He died on Oct 28 1871 in Montgomery County, Ala. He was buried on Oct 30 1871 in Cantey Cemetery, Mt. Zion Road, Montgomery County, Ala..

14 vii. Frances Elizabeth MCELVIN.

15 viii. Laura Ann MCELVIN.

16 ix. Theresa Lula MCELVIN was born in May 1851 in Montgomery County, Ala. She died on Sep 7 1936 in Montgomery, Alabama. (from the Montgomery Advertiser). The Obituary of Miss Theresa McElvin from the Archives Reference Library, Montgomery Sept 8, 1936.

Miss Theresa McElvin, 80, a native of Montgomery County, died at the residence, 408 Columbus Street Monday after a brief illness. Surviving are one sister, Mrs. J. M. Owen, city, and a number of nieces,

among them being Mrs. John Siler and Mrs. Mary Greenwood both of this city and Mrs. Frank G. White, Pensacola, Fla. Funeral will be held from the Highland Avenue Church of Christ today at 3 pm. with Rev. Roy Vaughan officiating. The body will be sent through the country to Mt. Lebanon Cemetery, near Ramer, for burial. Diffly's Funeral Home in charge.

(a second notice published Sept 9, 1936)

Miss Theresa McElvin Funeral for Miss Theresa McElvin, was held from the Highland Avenue Church of Christ Tuesday at 3 p.m. with the Rev. J. Roy Vaughan officiating. The body was sent through the country to Mt. Lebanon Cemetery for burial. Pallbearers were Andrew J. Redmond, Edward Bourne,

J.R. Morgan, C. R. Dunn, John L. Fitzpatrick, and E. L. Cullum. Note: This xerox copy is from one of the

papers Leon White located in the Archives Reference Library. They had a policy of "Jacketing" old Montgomery County names; mostly copies of Wills and death notices and other things pertaining to some of the old settlers. When Mrs. Marie Bankhead Own (the aunt of the famous Tallullah Bankhead) was one of the first directors, she started this system. It was discontinued years ago when a new, young director took command.

17 x. Mary L. MCELVIN was born on Feb 27 1858 in Montgomery County, Ala. She died on Oct 24 1862 in Montgomery County, Ala. She was buried on Oct 25 2862 in Cantey Cemetery, Mt. Zion Road, Montgomery County, Ala.