The Elisha Hix I Family
--Excerpt from Forgotten Ancestors copyright 1991 by Kenneth O. Sims
Elisha Hix was, according to a statement made by Farabe Hix to the probate court of Blount County dated October 7,1879, born in about 1787 in the Pendleton District of South Carolina. Research has not provided the names of his parents or any details of his early life.
At age 28, he was drafted into the South Carolina Militia at the Pendleton County Courthouse on February 1, 1815. According to U.S. Military records he served in the War of 1812 under Captain Jeptha Norton and Colonel Aston until March 24, 1815. Statements by Farabe Hix indicate that he served in the campaign against the Creek Indians. However, the Creek War had ended in 1814. Farabe's statements indicate that he was discharged at the end of the war possibly at Fort Hawkins on the Savannah River in the state of Georgia.
On November 12, 1818, at age 31 he married Farabe Gurley, the daughter of John West and Mary (Ferebee?) Gurley of the Pendleton District of South Carolina. Shortly thereafter, he and Farabe moved with her parents to Blount County in the Alabama Territory where they settled land near what would be the Jefferson-Blount county line and near land purchased later which remained in the family for over one hundred years. Elisha died at his home on September 10, 1850. He was buried in what was probably the family cemetery on his father-in-law's land. This cemetery became known in the late 1800's as the Self Graveyard when the land was donated as a cemetery by the Self Family who owned it then, and is today known as the Masseyline Church of God Cemetery. Elisha's tombstone was hand-carved from creek rock by his son Robert Anderson.
Children:
1. Robert Anderson Hix a son, was born in Blount County, in the Alabama Territory in August, 1819, four months before Alabama became a state and Jefferson became a county and only a few months after his parents arrived there from the Pendleton District of South Carolina. He was named for the popular Revolutionary War hero of the Pendleton District, South Carolina - Colonel Robert Anderson. On April 20, 1840, Robert Anderson Hix was married in Jefferson County, Alabama to Nancy Cozby, the daughter of Wiley and Mary ( ) Cozby and the granddaughter of James Sr. and Elizabeth ( ) Cozby.
According to a pension application filed by R.A. Hix on June 1, 1899, he enlisted in the Confederate Army in April, 1862 at Selfville, Blount County, Alabama. He was assigned to Company C, 19th Alabama Regiment and was honorably discharged August, 1864. Compiled service records indicate that he enlisted as a private in Company C. 19th Alabama regiment on February 4, 1962 at Blountsville for three years and that he was enlisted at age 43 on February 6, 1862 in Jefferson County, Alabama by Lieutenant J.C. Reid for three years. According to other pension records, Robert Anderson Hix died in the spring of 1911 in the last part of his 91st year. He is buried in what had been the family cemetery on what had been his grandfather's land, which was then known as the Self graveyard, and which became the Masseyline Church of God Cemetery. His military tombstone has no dates. He had hand-carved other family members tombstones from local flat creek rocks.
2. unknown female (1820/5- ).
3. Mary Sarah Hix, a daughter, was born 1825 and married January 12, 1843 to John Porter.
4. Nathaniel West Hix I a son, was born in 1826 in Blount County, Alabama. He married Ann Elizabeth Williams. He died in 1861.
5. William Hix a probable son, was born between 1825 and 1830).
6. Elisha C. Hix a probable son,was born between 1825 and 1830). According to Compiled Service Records (C.S.A.) he was enlisted April 18, 1862 at Cornith, Alabama by R.H. Hagood for three years. He was reported missing and supposed to be a prisoner of war at the battle of Chickamulga where he was captured on September 20, 1863. He was sent to Camp Douglas on October 2, 1863 from the military prison at Louisville, Ky. He was received at Camp Douglas October 4, 1863. He was transferred on March 14, 1865 after having taken an oath to the U.S. stating that he was "loyal and enlisted under false representations, was captured and desires to take the oath of allegiance to the U.S. and become a loyal citizen." He was in the hospital at Richmond with a rupture on March 21, 1865 and was furloughed for thirty days on March 28, 1865.
7. Nancy E. Hix a daughter, was born ca. 1830 and married May 21, 1854 to John Anderson.
8. Benjamin James Hix a son, was born ca.1831. Compiled service records indicate that he was in Company B 29th Infantry.
9. Elizabeth Jane Hix a daughter, was born April 12, 1833. She married in Jefferson County, Alabama on December 25, 1853 to James Mansfield Hagood. James never returned from the civil war. She married second to William J. Tyler. When the 1870 U.S. Census was taken, Farabe Gurley Hix, Elizabeth's mother, lived with this Tyler family.
10. Daniel Sydney Hix, a son, was born March 6, 1835. He was married in Jefferson County Alabama, July 5, 1859 to Rhoda Elizabeth Hughes the daughter of George and Martha (Anderson) Hughes.
Military records indicate that he was known at various times as Daniel Hix, Sydney Hix, Daniel C. Hix and D.C. Hix.
The muster roll of the Jefferson Warriors (Company C (C.S.A.) shows that he was enlisted at age 26 on August 12, 1861 at Mount Pinson under Captain William F. Hanby. Compiled service records (C.S.A.) indicate that D.C. Hicks was captured May 15, 1864, at Resaca, Georgia; was received at military prison at Louisville May 23, 1864; was transfered to Alton, Illinois on May 23, 1864; was received at military prison at Alton, Illinois on May 25, 1864; and was transferred from military prison to the U.S. Navy June 10, 1864. In one confederate journal D.C. Hix is listed as a traitor. The fact that he joined the U.S. Navy to get out of prison would account for this listing.
According to official membership records of the Latter Day Saints (Morman) Church and census records, showing the birth places and dates of each of the children, this family lived in Blount County in 1860, in Madison County in 1866, in Limestone County in 1868-1873, and in Lauderdale County in 1880. During the period August 8, 1886 to July 8, 1887, Daniel, Rhoda and five of their children joined the Morman Church. Daniel's wife Rhoda and a daughter Pharaby Milinda were both baptized by the Morman Church on August 8, 1886 and were evidently instrumental in the joining of other family members: Daniel on October 17, 1886, daughters Josephine and Manila and son James on April 28, 1887 and son John on July 8, 1887.
Family legend says that this family moved to Utah.
11. Reuben Marion Hix a son, was born ca. 1836. The muster roll of the Jefferson Warriors (Company C (C.S.A.) dated August 17, 1864 shows that Reuben M. Hicks was enlisted at age 24 by Captain William F. Hanby. Compiled service records (C.S.A.) indicate that the Company marched eighty miles to Huntsville where it attached to the 19th Regiment. R.M. Hix is shown sick in quarters October 31, 1861, in the hospital at Huntsville, Alabama on November 11, 1861 and deceased May 24, 1862. A claim was presented June 1, 1863 by Pharaby Hix who was paid burial expenses.
