A Bit of Mullins History, Dale, Alabama ==================================================================== USGENWEB NOTICE: All documents placed in the USGenWeb Archives remain the property of the contributors, who retain publication rights in accordance with US Copyright Laws and Regulations. In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, these documents may be used by anyone for their personal research. They may be used by non-commercial entities so long as all notices and submitter information is included. These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit. Any other use, including copying files to other sites, requires permission from the contributors PRIOR to uploading to the other sites. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access. This file was contributed and copyrighted by: Christine Thacker ==================================================================== September 2000 A Bit of History The Mullins Family came from North Carolina, where has not been found yet, but as of July 10, 1995, the search is still on. Whether or not Lewis Mullins (Great Great Grandfather) was the first born could not be remembered, but it is believed that Catherine Gipson (Great Great Grandmother) was the eldest child of the Gipson family, and Lewis was the third son in the Mullins family. On the Mullins side of the house three boys and one girl, Thomas Kinnon; John; Lewis; Mary; (may have been others). On the Gipson side of the house there was four girls and two boys, Catherine; Mary; Genie; Duck; Ben; Sampson.(may have been others). Tom Mullins (Great Great Grandfather's brother) moved near Troy when he came from Georgia, probably as late as 1849, Joel D. Murphree believes. If it was in 1849, he came much later than Louis. It is believed that Tom had four children , Dr John Mullins,and three girls. One of his girls may have married a Murphree, and one married an Adams. It is believed that the first Mullins reunion was held July,4 1865. Lewis Mullins was so happy over the return of his boys after the war,that he called the family together for a celebration on July 4th,1865,again in 1866,and 1867.by 1868 he had passed on -(June 23, 1868) and sadness replaced the joyfulness on this 4th of July. Della remembers a reunion that was held in 1885, or there about , it was held at a little school house in ,or near,the Dean and Judah settlement,about 4 miles south of Ozark. There has been some papers written using different ways that the names are spelled,some spell Louis , LEWIS, the same goes for Catherine's last name you will find it GIPSON and GIBSON, either way you find it , i am Thankfull that the papers were written. Some papers i found were written by Lev DeWitt Mullins, and others by Louis Oben Wells or a son of his, i do not have a sign copy. But i would like to make it known that without their papers a lot of history would be lost. Della remember hearing her mother tell of this incident when the Mullins moved into the community where the Gipson family lived, Louis, 19, saw for the first time Cathrine,15,at church one day. He kept gazing at her and kept it up so long that it became embarrassing, so she moved her seat ; he followed suit and kept up the gazing. About that time, there was an intermission; and the young man promptly introduced himself to the young lady. It seems that he fell in love with her at first sight, but she had to be wooed and won. A little latter she was a guest in his home, fell in love with his sister, Mary, but didn't like him so well at first,but finally,yes finally. So Lewis Mullins, 20, married Cathrine Gipson,16, near Christmas time 1835. To this union 11 children were born. The 10th child Adelia (Adella) aka Della was the Great Grandmother of Christine Grimes Thacker. Della married William Augustus Grimes . Lewis Mullins is buried on the old farm land. Some would like to have him moved to Daleville to be with Cathrine, the children also. I think Great Uncle Lunsford may be the only one who may know how to get to the graves,and he's not in the best of health. A tombstone with the following inscription marks his grave; "LUAS MULLINS BORN APRIL 27,1815, DIED JUNE 23,1868, 'HIS HAPPY SOUL HAS WINGED ITS WAY TO ONE PURE BRIGHT ETERNAL DAY" "(age 53 years, 1 month and 26 days). The grave was enclosed by a hart pine picket fence belted together with pegs (no nails).there was a fire (when i don't know) a while back I'm guessing,the fire burned up to the picket and stopped . Some of the pickets was blacked but not burnt. This comes from the little privately-published book by L.D. Mullins, Sr. He says, "I received the following information from E.B. Loyless (in reference to the Mullins family history) who did some researchwork before he died a few years ago. He was the husband of Cona Reynolds, my sister Molly's daughter. My great grandfather was Lewis Mullins. His brothers Thomas K. and John and their sister Mary came to Baldwin County, GA from New Bern, N. C. Thomas K. Mullins married in Greene County, Georgia and moved to Troy, Alabama. John Mullins married in Greene COunty and settled there. Lewis Mullins probably married in Randolph County, N.C. , but his first home after he married was in Monroe County, Goergia. He was drafted there a few months after his marriage and served in the Indian War. He received land in Dale County, Alabama for this service. The above Mullins probably were born in the late 1700s in North Carolina." He goes on to give the following genealogy: Lewis Mullins, b. 27 April, 1815 - d. 23 June 1868 m. Catherine Gibson b. 26 Feb 1819 - d. 10 July 1888. Lewis was buried on his old homeplace near Ozark, Alabama. Catherine was buried in Daleville, AL. She was the daughter of William Gibson, b. 12 May 1787 and Elizabeth Snellgrove, b. 25 Oct 1790. They married near Christmas time in 1835. Children: Mary Elizabeth, b. 13 Jan 1837 m. George Washington Reynolds Sampson Q. b. 2 Jan 1839 m. 1. Anamelia Jane Lee, 2. Rebecca Sephronia Lee John L. b. 19 Jan 1841 m. 1. Theodosia Lee 2. Florence Owens Emily J. 13 Aug 1843 m. 1. Gordon Hallford, 2. J. A. Reynolds Catherine b. 18 Jan 1846 m. Thomas A. Byrd Bennie (f)and Eugene d. very young in childhood William H. 22 Mar 1852 m. Mollie Hammack Henrietta J. 22 Mar 1855 m. Thomas B. Wells G. Hazy 25 Mar 1858 m. Mary (Molly) Pittman Adella (Della) 20 Apr 1862 m. W.A. (Gus) Grimes (MY Line CGT) Octavia (Tavie) 18 Mar 1866 m. Birt Byrd End of info from the book. From "The Southern Star:" "He was Baptist. He was a Farmer. Whether he spelled his name L-o-u-i-s or L-e-w-i-s is not known except that he volunteered under the name 'Lewis Mullins,' or that is the way it was given by the Government.... After the return of Sampson Quinn Mullins and John L. Mullins from the Civil War, in 1866, the first reunion of the family was held on July 4th, of that year. Again July 4th, 1867, and before another reunion was held the father passed away, June 23, 1868, at the age of 53 years, 1 month and 26 days. His death and burial is remembered by John Sampson Reynolds, grandson, Southern Pines, N.C. In 1908 the ten living children, with their families assembled at Waterford, Ala., July 4th the first big reunion of these ten large families, this fact is remembered by Tannie Mullins Windham, St. Andrews, Fla., vividly recalled to memory because she had recently married and was present with her husband, Aaron Windham."