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Trinity County Historical and Biographical

ALFRED POPHAM FAMILY

Submitted by Deb and Nick Nichols, February, 2020

(Transcribed from Trinity County Beginnings, F1069)

The name of this ancient English Family is derived from the manor of Popham in Hampshire England, when the property was acquired by marriage during the reign of King John (1199-1216). Several of the Popham families left the ancestral home in England and came to America, settling on the coast of Maine shortly after 1607. They were ship builders. Their ancestors scattered into Kentucky, Illinois, Missouri and Arkansas.

Alfred POPHAM, my great grandfather, was born in Joplin, Missouri, September 30, 1825. He died near Groveton, August 30, 1895, and is buried at Pennington, Texas. His first marriage was to Mary TITSWORTH. To this union three children were born. They were living in Louisiana in 1850. When their third child was three months old when Mary left Alfred and her three children. The children were Mary (1846-1870), who married John H. WALLACE; Travis born 1849, died in early teens and James (Jim) (1850-1921). James married Adaline EAVES in 1871 in Groveton, Texas.

Alfred married Malissa PRUITT, February 12, 1856 in Louisiana. She was born in Texas, February 23, 1836. Her parents were Sarah (EAVES) and Elijah D. PRUITT. Malissa died in 1882 and is buried in Pennington Cemetery.

To this union twelve children born: 1. Coleman (1857–1886) who married Mollie L. SOLMAN in Groveton; 2. Anabelle (1858-1892) married John Thomas ENGLISH; 3. Isabella (1860-1898) married Simpson SMELLEY; 4. Drucilla (Duce) (1861-1906), married Robert (Bob) WEST; 5. George died as a baby; 6. Isadora (Dora) (1865-1957) married John Thomas ENGLISH, a cousin to Arabella’s husband. Same name; 7. Elijah (Lige) (1866-1954) married Sara Jane NORSWORTHY in Groveton; 8. Robert (Bob) (1869-1936) married Ada BROWN in Groveton; 9. Aminda (Minnie) (1872-1928) married Giles BROWN, a brother to Bob’s wife Ada; 10. Frances (Fannie) (1874-1953) married Seahonn DAVIS in Groveton; 11. John (1878-1898) married Isabell BRANNEN in Groveton and 12. Jones (1881-1920) married Ruth Baines SLOANE, a first cousin to President Lyndon Johnson’s mother.

Alfred Popham was a successful farmer. His sons grew into fine men who were farmers, ranchers and cattlemen. His daughters grew into fine respectable women who married ambitious men.

Isadora, the sixth child was my grandmother. She was born February 9, 1865, in Pennington. She died November 25, 1957, in Beaumont, Texas, and is buried in Ivy Cemetery. At the age of 22 she married John Thomas ENGLISH, who was 24 years old. He was born in 1864 and died November 29, 1937, in Beaumont. He is buried in Ivy Cemetery.

Isadora (Dora) and John Thomas (Pompy) lived in Kennard, Texas Houston County. He farmed some, was a Post Master for a while, owned and operated a grocery store. They had six children: Minnie, Walter, Dudley, Dona, Billye and Rea.

Minnie, the oldest, was my mother. She was born August 8, 1889, and died November 4, 1978, in Crockett, Texas. She married Lovelace STEED, February 8, 1908. They lived on a farm in Houston County and raised nine children. Lovelace was very ambitious and worked hard. In 1944 he went into the sawmill business and began to make money. He died a fairly wealthy man August 11, 1974. He and Minnie are buried in the Antioch Cemetery in Houston County. Their nine children were: Cloyce, Mozelle, Margarette, Marcus (deceased), Mack, Ray, Dona Sue, Lacy and Jo Ann.

By Mozelle S. Warren

Trinity County Historical and Biographical

POPHAM FAMILY

(Transcribed from Trinity County Beginnings, F1068)

Alfred POPHAM was born September 33,<sic> 1825, in Joplin, Missouri, Jasper County. His mother was Mary “Polly” DAVIS POPHAM, born Nelson County, Kentucky; his father was William Nell POPHAM, born in Culpepper County, Virginia, 1789. They were married June 13, 1816, in Nelson County, Kentucky.

His father was Humphrey POPHAM. Alfred POPHAM dies in Trinity County, Texas at Pennington, August 31, 1895 of Bights disease and is buried in the Pennington Cemetery.

Alfred first married Mary TITSWORTH in Missouri. He freighted up and down the Mississippi River from Missouri to Louisiana and they lived in Louisiana. They had three children: Mary, Travis, and James. Mary left Alfred when James was three months old.

Alfred married Malissa PREWITT PRUITT, February 12, 1856. Her parents were Sarah H. EAVES and Elijah D. PRUITT. Alfred and Malissa had twelve children; they reared fifteen children, the first 3 being Alfred and Mary (TITSWORTH) POPHAM’s. Those three being:

1. Mary POPHAM was born 1846 in Arkansas, died 1870. She married John Hubert WALLACE, born 1830 in Georgia. Their third child was William Burnett WALLACE, born September 25, 1871, in Trinity County, Texas. He died August 31, 1938, in Groveton. He married Narcisus Ann EASTEPP October 12, 1890. She was born December 25, 1871, died April 26, 1931. They had two sons: William Hubert, who married Willie Dubose and John Alfred WALLACE, who married Josie MacCAMBELL on August 15, 1936.

2. Travis Sevier POPHAM, born in 1849 in Arkansas, died after 1860.

3. James Marion POPHAM was born September 12, 1850, in Louisiana, died July 21, 1921, in Floresville, Texas, and is buried in City Cemetery. He married Lucinda Adaline EAVES, November 15, 1871. She was born August 27, 1854, died June 17, 1940. Issue: George, Burl, Josaha, William, Thomas, Jesse Lee, James Roscoe, Eula Maude, Irwin W. and Jay B. POPHAM.

The twelve children born to Alfred and Malissa POPHAM were:

1. William Coleman, born 1857 in Louisiana, died September 20, 1886 in Pennington. He married Mollie L. SELMAN, January 19, 1866.

2. Malinda Arvella POPHAM, born April 16, 1858, died May 1, 1892. She married John Thomas ENGLISH, January 18, 1883. He was born April 26, 1857, died November 29, 1934. Issue: Melissa, Jesse, Georgia Ann, James Alfred.

3. Martha Isabella POPHAM, born September 1860, died 1898, married Sampson SMELLEY, December 30, 1880, who was born 1858, died 1886. Issue: Alfred, Lennie, Hudson, Gertie, Inez, Vivian, John W., Jr., and Martha SMELLEY married W. Elisha IVIE, July 27, 1887, Issue: Bell, Hugh, Richard, R.L., Danaris Ivie.

4. Malissa Crucilla POPHAM, born April 26, 1861, died March 19, 1906, married James Robert WEST, October 26, 1852 <sic>, born July 1859, died February 26, 1932. Issue: James Howard, Pearl, Coleman, Hubbard Wayne, Kathryn and Johnny.

5. George POPHAM died in infancy.

6. Sarah Isadora POPHAM born February 9, 1865, died November 29, 1957, married John Thomas ENGLISH, born 1864, died November 19, 1937. Issue: Minnie, Walter, Dudley, Dona Etta, Willie and Reba.

7. Elijah Edward POPHAM married Sara Jane NORSWEATHER, October 17, 1889, born September 21, 1866, died February 27, 1954. She was born December 10, 1869, died February 15, 1946. Issue: Buelah, Kee, William C., Lula Belle.

8. Robert Harrison POPHAM, born May 11, 1869, died August 18, 1936, married Ada BROWN, no issue.

9. Aminda Elvira POPHAM, Born February 18, 1872, died March 28, 1928, married Giles BROWN, January 5, 1896, born November 4, 1870, died October 10, 1918, Nogalus Prairie, Texas. Issue: Eva, Roy, Jones Hoyt, Cloyce Emet, Glenn Earl and Chester Robert.

10. Frances Arenia POPHAM, born April 25, 1874, died August 29, 1953, married Wiley Seabron DAVIS, August 30 1894, born May 11, 1869, died November 25, 1953; no issue

11. John Franklin POPHAM, born September 14, 1878, died September 21, 1898, married Isabell BRANNEN, July 5, 1896, born November 19, 1879, died July 21, 1957. Issue: Alfred J and Homer POPHAM.

12. Poindexter Jones POPHAM (J.P.), born August 12, 1881, died June 16, 1920, of a mad dog bite, married Ruth Baines SLOANE, born January 26, 1889, died February 12, 1974, married November 19, 1907. Issue: Lois June Vessels, Evelyn Bridgewater, Jonie Lee Parker and Hollie McGOWAN.

The last eleven children were all born in Pennington, Texas.

By Mollie Popham McGowan