Occupation - Farmer;

Burial - Whiting Swamp, Hanover County, VA;

Church affiliation: Church of Christ.

Married by Rev. Butler.

Burial - Earnest Cem, Calhoun Co., AR;

Marriage: James was 23 and Milly was 19 at time of marriage James was 57 and Milissa was 34 at time of marriage James was 67 and Malsa was 39 at time of marriage Death: James died at the age of 85

My Earnest information was compiled by Me, Nina R. Bubniak, Helen Mauldin, Debbra Szymanski, Frank Ernest, John E. Ernest and mostly Mr. Ellie Handley. THANK YOU ALL!!

Burial - Flatwood Cem, Tuscaloosa, AL;

I believe Robert was the son of William Earnest and Mary (Polly) Beasley, but do not have proof of this yet. I do know he had 4 brothers and 5 sisters. Robert was born in Warren County, GA in 1802. He married Sarah (Sally) Beasley in 1823 in GA. They had 3 children; William Henry, Mary Jackson and Nancy Means. Robert married Susananna Cobb in 1835. They had one child, Elizabeth Jane and an adopted son, Robert Dallas. It was believed that Robert was his father. He carried the mail to Fordyce, AR on horseback, staying overnight and returning the next day. One day he returned home with a baby in his saddlebags and told Little Annie they were going to adopt him. Susananna is referred to as Little Annie because she was such a tiny woman. I have not found an adoption on record, but in his will he says he is his adopted son. Robert was 33 and Annie was 14 when they married. Robert was very much a part of the history and government of Calhoun County, AR. He was a Justice of the Peace, an important office at that time. He performed many of the first marriages in the county and could hold court in his home on minor offenses that did not require a jury. He was a road overseer and was appointed overseer of the building of the first courthouse, for which he was paid $3.75. Robert was County Judge three times. He finished the term of 1856-58 for another man then was elected twice more; 1860-62 and 1866-68. He had a fine horse and buggy that he traveled in to the courthouse. I'm sure he had quite a job as Judge since this was during and right after the Civil War. His son William and son-in-law Jeptha Turner were in the war. William was wounded and Jeptha was captured and sent to a POW camp up north where he died. Robert and Annie took care of William's remaining 5 children until he returned home from the war. In 1860 two of William's children died and Robert buried them on his land and that was the beginning of Earnest Cemetary. William's wife died in 1864 and the other children stayed with Robert and Annie until their fathers return. Robert was a slave holder. In 1860 he had 2 men, 1 woman and a child slave and one slave house. He owned over 600 acres of land during his life. He gave his children and grandchildren land. Robert died in 1888 at the age of 86. Little Annie lived on 20 years after Robert's death. She lived alone and would get lonely. She would ride her mule and carry her shotgun across her saddle and go visiting kinfolks. My mother could remember her visiting them when she was a child. They would hear the mule braying and know she was coming. She was my mother's great-great-grandmother. When Robert was old he had a long white beard and walked with the aid of a walking stick. He looked mean but had a heart of gold. No one ran over him. As the court records show he stood his ground (and won). Except once he had to pay a ten dollar fine for assault and battery. I bet he won the fight too. This mini-history on Robert Earnest was prepared by Betty Earnest Dunn.

William was wounded in the Civil War while fighting for the Confederacy.

Obituary:

Reprinted from The Champion March7, 1923

DEATH OF MRS. G.W. SAVELL OF GRIGSBY

H.C. Russell of the Grigsby community was a Monday visitor to Center and while here favored The Champion ofice with his renewal for his paper for another year. He reported the death on Saturday of Mrs. G.W. Savell, and aged lady of that community. She was 82 years of age and is survived by her husband and several children. The remains were buried at the White Rock cemetary Sunday morning. Mr. Russell said that Mr. Savell was very ill and while his condition was considered serious he had improved some and there was some hopes of recovery.

Will Probate 1740.

Aaron's will dated June 25, 1811.

Military Record: R W S

Occupation: farmer

*Note: Halifax County was formed from a part of Edgecombe County in 1754.

She died on her way to church. Elizabeth was an Old Line Baptist