Bio of James Willoughby, son of Robert - Oconee, Clarke, Coweta Cos. GA Submitted by: Jim Willoughby James WILLOUGHBY and Sarah CHAPMAN and their decendents James Willoughby was born in February of 1825 in Clark, now Oconee County, Georgia. It is somewhat ironic that a treaty between the Federal Government and Creek Indians was signed at Indian Springs, Georgia during this same month and year. This treaty led to the creation of Coweta County Georgia in 1826. The county was named for the Cowetas, one of the tribes of the Creek Nation. Early settlements in the Coweta County, Georgia were Bullsboro, Senoia, and Calico Corner, later named Grantville. Coweta County, Georgia became the home of several peripheral families that are related to the Willoughby family. Among those are the Meadows, Chapmans, and Mercers. The Meadows Family was one of the first families to settle in Grantville. Today, Interstate 75 goes directly through land owned by MEADOWS family members. A MEADOWS cemetery, called the MEADOWS/BURKES/BANKS CEMETERY is located very near the same highway. Buried here are the decendants of Daniel Meadows, 1 March 1787-28 December, 1875, and Anna Thompson MEADOWS< 6 october, 1782-4July, 1873. Newnan, Georgia, the current County Seat, was established in 1828. During the Civil War, Newnan served as a hospital location for both the North and the South. For that reason, Newnan was not torched and burned during the war. Hulda MERCER was a 6th generation descendant of Christopher MERCER, who was born in England in 1612. She married William CHAPMAN Circa 1817 in Jasper County, Georgia. They later moved to Newnan. Hulda died in Newnan in 1851. They had the following children: i. Sara Ann CHAPMAN ii. John Mercer CHAPMAN iii. William Thomas CHAPMAN iv. Elizabeth CHAPMAN Hulda was related to Silas MERCER and Jesse MERCER, both early leaders and preachers of the Baptist Church. Jesse was the founder of Mercer University in Macon, Georgia, which bears his name. Upon the death of his father, Robert Willoughby in 1834, James moved to Coweta County with Meadows family members. Here he met the the William Thomas Chapman family and their daughter Sarah. James WILLOUGHBY married his first wife, Sarah CHAPMAN in Newnan, Georgia in April, 1850. Based on a conversation I had with my GGreat Step Aunt, Winnie THOMAS,(James granddaughter) in the late 1970s, they had 5 known children: Seaborn, Frank, Mac, William Thomas and Lou Ella.The 1860 Coweta County Census lists the following: James 34 Sarah 33 William 9 John 7 James F 4 Lowella 11 months The family moved to Chambers County Alabama after 1860. Prior to this, Sarahs father and the Chapman family had migrated to Texas. Shortly after the War of the Yankee Agression, James, Sarah and the family decided to move to Texas to join the Chapmans. As they were about to board the train in Opelika, Alabama to make the trip to Texas, William , age 15 or 16, ran away. The rest of the family went to Texas without him. Sarah and the children are thought to have died in Bellville, Austin County, Texas. After the death of his first wife and the children who accompanied him to Texas, James returned to Chambers County and married his second wife Elizabeth A. Tucker. James died October 17 ,1896. He is buried in the Macedonia Primitive Baptist Church Cemetery in Chambers County, Alabama. His grave stone has Willoughby incorrectly spelled Wiloby. Buried beside him is Elizabeth, her stone marked Wife of James Willoughby. Elizabeth was born in 1828 and died May 16, 1910. Elizabeths parents, John and Mary Tucker are buried beside her. Their grave stones read John Tucker, born December 12, 1790, died May 9, 1882, Mary Tucker, born 1792, died September 16, 1875. John Tucker was born in North Carolina and Mary was born in Virginia. John Tucker was a Revolutionary War Soldier. ==================================================================== USGENWEB ARCHIVES NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, data may be used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material. These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or for presentation by other persons or organizations. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material for purposes other than stated above must obtain the written consent of the file contributor. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access. This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by: Jim Willoughby ====================================================================