Baldwin County AlArchives Biographies.....Samuel E. Stokes November 15 1824 - ?
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File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Ann Anderson alabammygrammy@aol.com May 11, 2004, 10:02 pm

Author: Brant & Fuller (1893)
    SAMUEL E. STOKES, the enterprising merchant of Daphns, Ala., was born in
Clarke county, in the same state, November 15, 1824, the son of David F. and
Sarah (Parker) Stokes. The father, David F., was a native of North Carolina, was
reared to farming, and was married in his native state, in his twenty-second
year. Soon after his marriage he came to Alabama and settled in Clarke county,
where he lost his wife in 1845; in 1846 he married Mrs. Flournoy, sister of
Abraham Debous, of Clarke county. David F. Stokes was a thorough farmer, a
representative man and a zealous democrat, and died in 1864. Mrs. Sarah (Parker)
Stokes. was also a native of North Carolina, was married in her eighteenth year,
bore her husband six children, all of whom reached maturity. She united with the
Primitive Baptist church early in life and adhered to its teachings until her
death. Samuel E. Stokes was reared on the Clarke county homestead, and what time
could be spared from his farm duties was devoted to gaining an education at a
school-house six miles away. He went to Mobile in 1845 and effected an
engagement with T. R. Crawford, as a clerk, with whom he remained for eleven
years; he then entered the employ of the M. F. Stetson Co. as clerk, and was
still so engaged when the civil war came on. By this time Mr. Stokes was well
provided with capital and was preparing to engage in business on his own
account, but the call to arms frustrated his design. He at first enlisted in
1861, in a company organized for home protection, but so great became the demand
for strong young men for field duty that he joined company I, Fifteenth Alabama
cavalry, as a private, and served with it in the valley of the Mississippi
throughout the struggle, eluding capture and escaping serious injury, although
he took part in some of the most serious engagements, numberless skirmishes, and
endured many hardships and privations. He received his final parole at
Gainesville, Ala., April 24, 1865, and returned to Mobile to find his wealth
swept away and obstacles insuperable to overcome. After several ineffectual
attempts to gain a business foot-hold in Mobile, he crossed the bay to Daphne,
where he owned some land, which was his only possession not annihilated by the
destroying hand of war, and by pawning his watch and by other management
succeeded in securing a small capital and began his present business. He has now
a fine store-building, and one of the most picturesque homes, as well as several
tenements in the vicinity, Mr. Stokes was united in marriage, in 1854, to Miss
Sarah Stark, daughter of George A. F. Stark, and to this union were born four
children, of whom there survives but one - Mary, the wife of F. M. Gustin, of
New Orleans. Mrs. Stokes passed away during the progress of the war, a
consistent member of the Missionary Baptist church. In 1866, Mr. Stokes took,
for his second wife, Miss Jane T. Stroble, daughter of Rev. Jacob Stroble; this
gentleman established the first Missionary Baptist church in Baldwin county and
his life was devoted to the cause of Christ. Mrs. Jane T. Stokes was reared in
Mobile, was twenty-four years of age when married, and became the mother of six
children, as follows: Louisa, Caroline, Laura, Clara, Bessie and Sallie. In
politics Mr. Stokes is a democrat of the Jacksonian school. Near his house
stands an historic tree, whose gigantic trunk is seven feet in diameter and
whose branches reach fully 100 feet in every direction, and whose limbs are
clothed in long pendants of somber Spanish moss; under this great live oak,
tradition tell us, Gen. Andrew Jackson camped for the night and held his council
of war on his famous march from Mobile to Pensacola to subdue the Spaniards.
Mrs. Stokes and family are members of the Missionary Baptist church.



Additional Comments:
from "Memorial Record of Alabama"

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