CHAPT. II
CHILDREN
OF
BRYANT & DORCAS WORRELL

!!! CAUTION !!!
Some of the information in this document may be erroneous.

SOURCE: "BRYANT WORRELL" by Rose Denson

NOTE: The majority of this document is copied from the above named document. I have done a little editing.
My connection to the Worrell family is through "Granny Reed", my paternal great grandmother, Martha Jane (Worrell) Reed.
Charles R. Hailey


JOHN DURANT WORRELL

John Durant (1) (Dec. 12, 1817 - Sept. 13, 1888) was born near Shiloh , Sumter Co, SC.
(His birth year is listed as 1812 in notes to Arthur Worrell from Mary Porter on March 8, 1987.)
Married: July 23, 1847
Place: Barbour Co., AL
Spouse: Jane Crews (Aug. 27, 1827 - Jan. 26, 1900) (Photo)

NOTE: The author has some information that John Durant was married twice. This speculation is based on a family legend that John Durant, Jr. ran away at age 12 (about 1871) because of problems with his stepmother. I do not think this is true as the information I have is that the whole family came to Texas in 1871.

John and Jane were married by William P. Miller. Jane was a daughter of Arthur Crews and Mary V. King. Jane came from a fairly well-to-do family in Alabama. They were plantation owners and also owned slaves. Jane and her husband were well-educated for that era.

It is not known what John Durant's occupation was prior to 1844. According to the Minutes of Annual Conferences (5) , Methodist Episcopal Church, South, the Rev. John D. Worrell was admitted to the Alabama Conference (Wilcox Co.) in 1844 and located from the Conference in 1847. He is found again in the Conference in 1859 at Snow Hill, Camden District, of the Alabama Conference through 1860, with a supernumerary relationship. He is again located from the Conference in 1862, and no further reference is made to him in the minutes.

John Durant moved his family to Camp San Saba, McCulloch Co., Texas about 1871. His brother, Kinchen, and sister, Mary Ann, already resided there.

In Camp San Saba he operated a general store and probably also preached.

NOTE: I know that my "Granny Reed" had a very strict Methodist upbringing.
She also often told of sneaking into the store late at night with her sister, Laura, for candy.

Children from this marriage were: William Ervin, Frances, Thomas McDonald, James Sampey, Mary, John Durant,Jr., Laura, Jefferson Hamilton and Martha Jane.

John Durant is buried in the Camp San Saba Cemetery (33)

NOTE:Camp San Saba, once a thriving community, no longer exists and is not easy to find.

The cemetery is currently on private land.)

I have no information at this time where Jane Crews Worrell is buried. There are 57 unmarked graves in the Camp San Saba Cemetery (33) and her grave could be one of those.


KINCHEN THOMAS WORRELL

Kinchen (1) (Sept. 20, 1822 - Mar. 2, 1902) was born in Shiloh, Sumter Co., S.C.

Married: Dec. 24, 1840
Place: Rockford, Coosa Co., AL
Spouse: Eliza Elizabeth Chancellor (Feb. 2, 1821 - Nov. 10, 1900)

Eliza was a daughter of Abram Chancellor and Elizabeth Blackwell. She was born in Autagua Co, AL, and died in Hamilton Co, TX.

Children from this marriage were: Thomas Jefferson, John Brown, Emily J., George DeCale, Benjamin Franklin, Louis Napolitan (Lewis Napolean), Nancy Ellen, Martha A. (twin), William (Buck) Buchanan (twin) and Stephen Wade.

Kinchen and Eliza are buried in Live Oak Cemetery, Hamilton Co., Tx. (Photos)


MARY ANN WORRELL

Mary Ann (3) , was born on 9 Jan 1825 in South Carolina and died on 9 Aug 1886 in Camp San Saba, McCulloch Co., TX.

Married: Jan. 7, 1841(1, 27) ,
Place: Coosa Co., AL
Spouse: Jonathan Lewter (Aug. 5, 1818 - June 21, 1903) Jonathan Lewter, a son of Mathew Luter and Sarah Parnell, on 7 Jan 1841 in Coosa Co., AL(4) was born in Autauga Co., AL and died in Dexter, Cooke Co., TX (27) .

After marrying, Jonathan and Mary Ann, with two young children, moved to Rusk County, Texas in 1845, then to Smith County in 1847, as had other members of the Worrell family. They first settled on eighty acres of land near present day Mason Cemetery northeast of Arp., but sold this land in 1852. They bought a farm near present day New Chapel Hill win 1855.

Jonathan Lewter, pioneer Smith County settler, office holder, and Civil War captain, was a well known and highly respected figure in Smith County's early days. Though limited in education, he was a practical man with good common sense. He ran for Smith County tax assessor in 1850 and won the post. He was subsequently elected to the same office in 1852, 1854 and 1856.

In 1857 Lewter ran for state representative from the seventeenth district against Richard B. Hubbard and George W. Chilton. An observer of the election wrote in later years:

"... two (were to be elected. Chilton and Hubbard inspired a rivalry among their friends, and Lewter apparently moved along in his quiet way being lost sight of in the deal. Chilton and Hubbard were giants in oratory and logic and the powers of debate. they canvassed the county, and were met at every speaking by a large crown of admiring friends. Chilton and Hubbard vied with each other in eloquence, wit and repartee. Jonathan went around with his coat and talked to the boys. When his time came to speak he made a common-place talk without any special reference to his opponents. The election came off, Chilton and Hubbard not very far apart, but Lewter was out "o'sight." Lewter and Hubbard were elected, and Jonathan worked his political rabbit-foot with success."

When the Civil War broke out in 1861, Lewter enlisted in October 1861 as a First Lieutenant in J. M. Douglas' company which became Company F, Thirteenth Texas Volunteers. The regiment reorganized in March 1862 and the company was transferred to the Fifteenth Texas Infantry as Second Company D. Lewter became Captain of the company and served in that position throughout the war. A son and three brothers also served in this company.(28)

After the war, Lewter returned to his Smith County farm. He was again elected Smith County's representative to the Texas Legislature.

The Lewters left Smith County about 1869 and moved to Cooke County, Texas, near Dexter.

In 1883 the Lewters and some relatives moved to Camp San Saba in McCulloch County.

Mary Ann Worrell Lewter died here in 1886 and is probably buried there.

The Lewters were cattlemen in McCulloch County. After anthrax attacked their cattle and almost wiped them out, the family traveled by wagon in 1890 to present day Marietta, Oklahoma.

Jonathan lived with various children until his death June 21, 1903 in Dexter, Texas and was buried there. He died while visiting his daughter and her husband in Dexter.

His grandchildren remembered him as a kind and gentle man and could not imagine him in war. When they would ask him if he killed anyone, he would reply, "How do I know? We were all shooting, and I don't know if the bullets I shot hit anyone." (29)

Children from this marriage were: Dr. Robert Bowlin, Margaret E., Dallas Knox, Martha S., Harriet J., Henry Wise and Mary Elizabeth.

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