THE HISTORY OF JOHN CHANNELL

The name Channell, Channells, Channel, Chanell, Chanel, pronounced like the British Channel or the French perfume, or some variation, appears in America as early as 1740. Having come from England, families are found early in the New England states, the Mid-Atlantic states, Virginia, North Carolina and then in the migration patterns to Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi and points beyond.

Presently there does not seem to be any connection between the early Southern and Northern CHANNELL families. On the other hand, it appears that most of those in Georgia were related but those relationships are undocumented. Some of the CHANNELLS stayed in Georgia but many went west with the opening up of new lands.

John CHANNELL was born in Virginia about 1797. He was probably the son of Thomas CHANNELL who was born before 1775. John married Respah GILBERT in Hancock County, GA on 19 Dec 1820. By 1846 the family was in Tuscaloosa, AL where five of the children were married.

It is not known when Respah Gilbert CHANNELL died but on 23 Aug 1852 John CHANNELL married Nancy Parker WHITE, the daughter of Henry and Polly Parker and granddaughter of Charles and Millie PATE. Nancy had married George WHITE 22 Aug 1849 but the marriage did not last long. Nancy’s sister, Martha PARKER, married John CHANNELL’S son, John Wesley CHANNELL. Thus, father and son married sisters. At the time of their marriage John was over fifty years old and Nancy was just over twenty.

John and Nancy CHANNELL moved to Carrollton, Pickens Co., AL before 1860. They had three children: Isham, born about 1854; Polly, born about 1859; and Millie, born about 1866.

By 1870 John moved back to Tuscaloosa County with Isham and Millie. It is assumed that Nancy and Polly had died by this time.

By 1880 Isham and Millie were living with their half-brother, Thomas Allen CHANNELL, who had moved to Mississippi between 1866 and 1870. It is assumed that John died before 1880.

John CHANNELL and Respah GILBERT had at least five children. John Wesley, James R. and Mary stayed in Tuscaloosa; Thomas Allen and Martha moved to Mississippi. Martha later moved to Arkansas.

James R. CHANNELL was born about 1821 in GA. He married Elizabeth BURROUGHS, the daughter of John Cooper BURROUGHS AND Sarah (Sally) BENNETT 4 Nov 1846. Their children: James C. (Jim) (1847 - ) married Queen Ellen MARCUM; George Washington (8 Sep 1848 - 1 Dec 1914) married Sarah E. MARCUM, John Wesley (25 Aug 1850 - 9 Jun 1932) married Margaret WELLS then married Lucy WELCH, William T. (1853 - ) who married Mary BOOTH, Henry A. (7 Jul 1853 - 22 Feb 1937) married Sarah (Mary) McALLISTER, Mary E. (14 Dec 1854 - 10 Jan 1930) married James B. BURROUGHS, Hardy C. (1855 - 15 May 1932) married Catherine O. "Katie" Booth, Sampson C. (30 Nov 1857 - ) married Mary D. SKELTON, Marion A. (M.A.) (1861 - ) married Sarah J. KELLY, Louis (1863 - ) married Alice Beck then Annie BOOTHE, Aaron I. (A.I.) (1864 - ), Sylvester V. (10 Jan 1868 - 20 Jan 1937) married S.M. "Maggie" JOHNSON.

Mary CHANNELL was born about 1827 in GA. She married Jeffrey BECK 6 March 1846. The time and place of the death of Mary and Jeffrey has not yet been determined. Jeffrey was born about 1807. They had the following children: Francis (About 1855 - ), Joseph (About 1861 - ), Eliza J. (About 1864 - ), Mary E. (About 1866 - ), Margaret I. (About 1868 - ), Sarah (About 1880 - ), Thomas (About 1844 - ), Martha A. (Feb 1851 - ) married Jesse Riley Hodo (Sep 1852 - ), Isham B. (About 1854 - ), Milton (1856 - ).

John Wesley CHANNELL was born about 1830. He married Martha PARKER 12 Nov 1850. Their children: John J. (1854 - ) married Emiline EVANS, Thomas J. (1856 - ) married Mary Ann O'Connor MARLOW, C. Hollice (1858 - ), Sarah E. (1860 - )

Martha Alexander CHANNELL was born about 1832 in GA., died 27 October 1902. She married Harmon Estell GRAHAM 3 Nov 1851. Harmon was the son of Ephraim GRAHAM and Mahala WOODS. He was born about 1831 and died 6 February 1900. Their children: Bennie, Charlie, Frank, Geraldine, married James Richard ENGLAND, Isom, J.L., James Patrick married Janice Diane OATES, Josephine married a McBRIDE, Laura married James Reed REEVES, Letta married Jeremiah SAVAGE, LouRella (5 May 1866 - 27 May 1960) married William Alexander OATES, Martha married B.F. ROSS, Mary Frances married a CARROLL.

Thomas Allen CHANNELL was born about 1833 in GA., died 1886 in Mississippi. He married Mary Elizabeth SUTTON (1837 - 1880), daughter of George SUTTON and Susanna STYER 25 Feb 1852. Their children: Allen David (11 Jan 1852 - ), Martha Suzan (24 Apr 1853 - ), Eliza Jane (25 Apr 1855 - ), Jackson Estol (28 Jan 1858 - ), Rebecca (Becky) Ann (7 Feb 1860 - 8 Mar 1939) married Leonard Z. "Doc" HODO then John M. LINDSEY, William (Will) Pleasant (8 Nov 1861 - ) married Mary Elizabeth JONES, Mary Thomas (Jun 1864 - ) married John Thomas SKELTON, George Wesley (12 Feb 1866 - 23 May 1948) married Melissa Hasseltine BEASLEY then Katie Lee TYLER, Charlie (17 Sep 1867 - ), Sally Bell (15 Apr 1868 - ), Abner Benjamin (10 Sep 1870 - 1965) married Sallie Ann PARKERSON then Maggie H. WEEKS, Lula Malissa (3 Mar 1873 - ) married James William JONES, Samuel A. (Sam) (15 Feb 1875 - 5 Nov 1921) married Frances Elizabeth (Frankie) RANDOLPH, Laura (1 May 1876 - ) married G.R. ELMORE, Clemmie (1878 - ) married Daniel BEASLEY, brother of Melissa BEASLEY, Major (17 Feb 1880 - 8 Aug 1969) married Alma PETERS. After the death of Mary Elizabeth, Thomas Allen married Mrs. Amanda HARDIN (10 Jan 1843 - 7 Feb 1920).

My great grandparents were Thomas Allen CHANNELL and Mary Elizabeth SUTTON. Mary was only 15 when they married and their first four children died in infancy. After serving in the Ala 40th Infantry during the Civil War, Tom moved his family to MS by 1870. Mary died in 1880 and Tom in 1886. They are buried in the Cumberland Presbyterian Church Cemetery in Webster County. Mary’s parents, George and Susan SUTTON, also moved to MS and are buried in Webster Co. Tom’s sister, Martha Channell GRAHAM also moved to MS and then later to AR. My grandfather, Ben, lost his wife, Sallie PARKERSON (1875-1923), to cancer after having four children: Emmitt (1903-1985), Luther (1901-1968), Effie (1899-1985) who married John BOYLES and Ruby (1906-1973) who married Everett SIMPSON . He then married Maggie WEEKS who was his faithful companion until they both died in 1965, he at age 95 and she at age 89, in Weir, MS.