McDade

Early Settlers

The McDADE Family of Walker County, Alabama

SAMUEL McDADE, Patriarch of the McDade family in Walker County, Alabama, was born on June 1, 1800, in SC, probably in the Greenville District; and died on January 24, 1860 in Walker County, Alabama.

SAMUEL McDADE served a term as Sheriff in Walker Co., Alabama in 1839 and was the United States Census Taker of Walker County in 1840.

SAMUEL McDADE's His parents are uncertain; but since he was on the 1830 US Census in Spartanburg District, SC, along with JOHN McDADE (JR.) and NIELL/NEAL McDADE, who was alledged to be sons of JOHN McDADE, SR. and ANN FRYATT, it is suggested that SAMUEL might also be a son, abeit younger than the other two. In turn, JOHN McDADE, SR. was alleged to be a son of WILLIAM McDADE and MARY BRIDGEMAN.

In 1830, SAMUEL McDADE was a widower with two small children, a boy and a girl under five years old. His first wife is unknown. Earlier in 1826, SAMUEL had sold his plantation, including livestock and furniture. JOHN McDADE (JR.) was a witness to the deed. He moved after the 1830 census and came to Lawrence County, Alabama, where on December 26, 1833, he married SUSANNAH HENDON, "SUSAN", a daughter of JOHNSON HENDON and SARAH SCOGGIN. He entered land in that county on 11 March 1836 in Township 8, South, Range 6 West, Section 12, the NW 1/4 of CW 1/4. Shortly after, he came to Walker Co., AL, with his wife's parents and siblings.

SAMUEL McDADE and SUSAN HENDON were the parents of three children, providing him a total of five surviving children.

The Heritage Book of Walker County, Alabama, page 36, under "Education", states that SAMUEL was an early Walker County, Alabama, school teacher, who educated his own children.

SAMUEL McDADE and his second wife, SUSAN HENDON McDADE, and some of their children were buried in the McDade Cemetery, near Carbon Hill, Walker County, Alabama.

His Two children by his first unidentified wife were:

A. Unidentified Daughter, born 1825-1830, born Spartanburg District, SC, still with the family on the 1840 census, and probably married in Walker Co., AL.

B. JAMES DECATUR McDADE, born March 18, 1828, Spartanburg District, SC; died May 24, 1934, Walker County, Alabama. JAMES was on the 1850 U.S. Census in neighboring Fayette County, Alabama, living in the household of his stepmother's niece, ELIZABETH HENDON and her husband, JAMES STUDDARD. By 1860, he had married ELIZABETH H., born 1825-1829, and moved back to Walker County. They were the parents of at least ten children who were:

1. MARY ANN FRANCES McDADE, born December 29, 1851, Fayette Co., AL; died May 25, 1928, Jasper, Walker County, Alabama. She married December 17, 1869, Walker County, to WILLIAM RALEIGH BLACKWELL, SR., born December 20, 1845; died August 4, 1916, a son of DAVIDSON BLACKWELL and SOPHIA HENRY. They were the parents of eleven children.

2. SARAH J. McDADE, born April 3, 1856, Fayette or Walker County; died February 6, 1944, Fayette County.

3. SAMUEL McDADE, born about 1859.

4. SUSAN McDADE, b. abt. 1862.

5. JAMES McDADE, born January 27, 1864; died August 27, 1871, Walker County.

6. WILLIAM LaFAYETTE McDADE, born April 1865; died 1961, Bineta, Oklahoma. He married February 26, 1887, Fayette County, to MARY E. JOHNSON, who was born September 14, 1866, Fayette County; died May 6, 1931, a daughter of JAMES WALLACE JOHNSON and SARAH FRANCES CASTLEBERRY. The couple were later separated. She was buried in the Pleasant Grove Cemetery in Fayette County, along with some of their children. They were the parents of eight children.

a. IDA A. McDADE, born January 8, 1888, Fayette Co., AL; died July 19, 1918, near Marktreek, Arkansas. She married an unidentified MORRIS.

b. JAMES HARRISON McDADE, born February 2, 1889, Fayette Co., AL; died August 30, 1967, Fayette Co., AL.

c. ADA I. McDADE, born January 8, 1894?, Fayette Co., AL; died ____ She married on December 2, 1909, PRICE M. JOHNSON.

d. SUSAN ARIE McDADE, born August 17, 1894?, Fayette County, AL; died August 4, 1909.

e. LONNIE V. McDADE, born December 18, 1895; died August 4, 1979, Fayette Co., AL. He married CINDY E. ALDRIDGE, born 1903; died February 6, 1993, a daughter of JOSEPH FRANKLIN ALDRIDGE and SARAH E. "INDIA" SHAW. They were buried in the Pleasant Grove Baptist Church Cemetery, Fayette Co., AL. Some of there children were:

1) GERALDINE McDADE

2) CHESLEY McDADE

3) OLDUS McDADE

3) STANLEY McDADE

f. SAMUEL ELZO McDADE, born August 1897, Fayette Co., AL died 1972, Fayette Co., AL

g. ARTHUR S. McDADE, born July 19, 1899; died August 27, 1923, Fayette Co., AL.

h. FLOYD I. McDADE, born July 4, 1904, Fayette Co., AL; died April 25, 1968, Fayette or Walker Co., AL.

7. JOHN BIAS McDADE, born November 1859 Walker County; died 1919, Walker County. He married ELIZA C. Three of their children were:

a. CRANFORD WILBURN McDADE, born ______; living in Jefferson Co., AL. He married MYRTLE LUCILLE WELCH, (living) a daughter of HENRY WELCH and ELVIA JENKINS of Carbon Hill, AL.

b. JAMES OLIVER McDADE, born September 15, 1894; died July 28, 1920, buried in the McDade Cemetery. This young man was killed by WILLIAM HICKS, who shot him in self defense.

HICKS became a target after shooting and killing a mining deputy, BEN BARNETT, after an argument escalated over the deputy beating and kicking. ARTHUR HUGHES who was on strike with the miners in Carbon Hill, AL. HICKS, a Union supporter was the only person to come to the man's aid.

c. CLARA CASSIE E. McDADE, born March 1898.

8. VIRGIL H. McDADE, born March 28, 1871; d. February 25, 1948, Walker County.

9. ELIZABETH BELLE McDADE, born March 21, 1873; died December 16, 1916, Walker County.

10. ICEDO McDADE, born about 1877, Walker County; died 1960. She married HENRY C. BARTLEY.

The children of SAMUEL McDADE and second wife, SUSANNAH HENDON, were:

C. MARY ANN McDADE was born Feb 10, 1836, Lawrence Co., AL; died November 12 1922, near Carbon Hill, Walker Co., AL. She married JOHN A. W. SHAW about 1859 in Walker Co., AL. He was born February 10, 1834, Lincoln Co., North Carolina. They are buried in the McDade Cemetery.

They were the parents of several children.

MARY ANN McDADE SHAW raised two of her grandaughters and also help rear three of her great grandchildren. She was the most unique of the McDADE's in that she had physic abilities. Before the death of family members she was warned by a dream of a casket rolling through her house. As an elderly widow, she was walking to one of her children's home, taking a path through the woods when she was attached by a man, name unknown, who beat her and left her for dead. When she regained consciousness, she managed to crawl for some distance and told her children what had happened.

Her sons managed to capture the man and tied him to a stump in Carbon Hill, Alabama. There they poured gasoline over him and burned him alive. This story was related to me by my grandmother, MINNIE LEE MUSGROVE STRICKLAND, who's sister, LULA ELIZABETH MUSGROVE had married one of MARY ANN's sons; and their brother, JASPER M. MUSGROVE, had married one of MARY ANN's granddaughters. Minnie's husband, JAMES THOMAS STRICKLAND was related to MARY ANN McDADE via the HENDON family.

D. MARCUS LaFAYETTE McDADE, born 1837, Lawrence or Walker Co., AL. In 1860, he was married and on the census in Fayette Co., AL, as M. L. McDADE, wife was MARY J. ___. No issue at that time. He served in the Confederate army during the Civil War, in Company C of the First Alabama Infantry. He was probably the same MARCUS L. NcDADE (State not identified) who was a Corporeal in the First Alabama Engineering Troops, Company C. I have been unable to locate anything else on him. It is possible he died during that war.

E. GEORGE W. McDADE, was born on December 20, 1838, near Jasper, Walker Co., AL. He died in Blount Co., AL, in April 1908. He was a Walker County Surveyor in 1873, age 33, when he was a witness to his father-in-law's claim before the Southern Claims Commission. He married on December 1861 to SARAH EMILY BLACKWELL, born March 25, 1839, Holly Grove, near Carbon Hill, Walker Co., AL; died September 10, 1907, Jefferson County, AL. She was a daughter of DAVIDSON BLACKWELL and SOPHIA HENRY. His niece, MARY ANN FRANCES McDADE, a daughter of his half brother, married her SARAH EMILY BLACKWELL's brother, WILLIAM RALEIGH BLACKWELL. SARAH EMILY BLACKWELL McDADE was buried in the Walnut Grove Cemetery, Jefferson Co., AL. None of her family appears to have been buried with her. He married secondly to EVELINE E. THOMAS, on 7 Oct 1907, Blount Co., AL, a short time before he died. His burial place is not known at this time but was probably in Blount Co., AL. Some of their children were:

a. JOHN T. McDADE, born about 1863, Walker Co., AL.

b. RUFUS L. McDADE, born about 1864, Walker Co., AL

c. RICHARD R. McDADE, born about 1870, Walker Co., AL

d. MARY M. McDADE, born 1873, Walker Co., AL.

I welcome additions and corrections.

(Mary) Ann Strickland Grainger- Jan 2005

3301 Ohara Road

Huntsville, AL 35801

E-Mail: [email protected]

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