CHRONOLOGICAL ANNOTATED LISTING OF RECORDED MARRIAGES OF
SOUTHERNS IN NORTH CAROLINA TO 1868
Key:
b=Bondsman
w= Witness
#= N.C. Archives Marriage Bond Number
[Research notes in brackets]
All STOKES COUNTY unless otherwise noted.
8/1794. Ford Southern and Catirene Zimimon
b- Reuben Southern; w-; #
[Ford, son of William and Magdalen. Catirene Zimimon=Catherine Zimmerman; brother Reuben as bondsman. Catherine was the daughter of John Zimmerman of Culpeper VA. She may have been Ford's second wife, as Ford had his own household in the 1790 census with one female, and no children]
2/16/1802. Juda Sothern and John Burch
b-John Southern; w-T. Armstrong; # 090-01-040
[Judith, daughter of William and Magdalen, with brother John as bondsman. The couple moved to Indiana before 1820]
2/21/1807. Buckner Southerd (Southern) and Sally King
b-Ellorsor Young; w-Ja. Campbell # ROCKINGHAM COUNTY
[This Buckner "Southerd" is apparently Buckner Southern, who appears in the 1820 Rockingham County U.S. Census. It is likely he is the Buckner Southern who was one of the sons of a William Southern who lived in Mecklenburg County, VA in the last two decades of the 18th century. The relation of the Mecklenburg William and his family to the N.C. Southerns is not clear. William may have been the William Southern born in 1734 to William and Mary Saunders Southern in Middlesex County VA, or another William born there about 1748 to Edward and Mary Southern. See Southern Families of Christ Church, Middlesex. Buckner's move to be near the N.C. Southerns may suggest a continued association between the two families, or it could be coincidental. William of Mecklenburg and two other of his sons, Robert and Jesse, migrated to southwest VA and northeast TN in the early 19th cenury.2/27/1807. Anny Sothern and John Brown
b-Reuben Southern; w-Tho. T. Armstrong;# 090-01-037
[Anny is possibly a daughter of bondsman Reuben]
1/27/1809. Joshua Southern and Mary Carter
b-Reuben Southern; w-; #
[Reuben's eldest son and the daughter of Landon Carter of Virginia]
3/16/1815. Daniel Southern and Patsey Mitchell
b- Stephen Southern; w- Robert Williams, CC; #
[Reuben's son Daniel and Daniel's brother Stephen as bondsman.]
9/12/1815. William Southern and Fanny Banks
b-Ford Southern; w-; #
[Ford's son William, who lived next to Ford on Blackie's Branch]
2/10/1816. Nancy Sothern and Richard Hill
b-Bery Sisk; w-; # 090-01-143
[This Nancy most likely a daughter of Reuben. Ford's daughter Nancy married John Mitchell in 1825 (see below). In the 1810 census Reuben had two daughters in the 10-15 range, and two in the 16-25 range. Or she may have been the daughter of William Southern II, whose census for 1810 shows one daughter in the 10-15 range, and marriageable in 1816]
1/2/1817. Ford Southern and Nancy Glenn
b-; w-T. Armstrong; #
[Ford's second or third wife, following the the death of Catherine Zimmerman, m. 1794 above]
3/11/1822. Overton Southern and Nancy Heath
b-Henry L. King; w-John Hanner #046-03-415 GUILFORD COUNTY
[Overton is believed to have been a son of Ford and Catherine Zimmerman Southern, though he is not known in any other NC record. This couple appears in the 1840 and 1850 census in Lawrence, Indiana, with 11 children born between 1828 and 1849. The children's birthplaces indicate the family left NC about 1831 and were briefly in KY before settling in Indiana by 1834. The census shows Overton born in NC about 1803, and Nancy born in NC about 1805. Overton's best fit in the 1810 and 1820 censuses is as a son in Ford's household who is otherwise unaccounted for. No other NC household in 1820 shows a young man his age]
5/22/1823. Leaner Southern and James Larimore
b-Lewis Fry; w-Wm. Lyon, Jr.; # 090-02-177
[The father of Leaner (or Leanna) is most likely to be Reuben. James Larimore was a veteran of the Revolution, and Leaners's 1853 application for a survivor's pension, when she was 56, states that she and James were married in 1823 at the home of Reuben Southern. Reuben's 1820 census shows two daughters 16-25 and one 10-15; Leaner, born about 1797, was one of the older daughters. According to his earlier pension application, James Larimore was born in 1759, and he would have been about 38 years older than Leaner. At their marriage in 1823, James was 64 and Leaner 26]
6/18/1823. Reuben Southern and Martha Burton
b-S. Petree; w-Wm H. Lyon; #
[This Reuben is most likely Ford's son. See census notes for Reuben and Martha 1830-1880. However, it is also possible that this is a late marriage of "old" Reuben I. There is an 1828 deed from Reuben "sen." and "Martha his wife" to Peter Hairston]
10/2/1824. Nelly Southern and Obadiah Benton
b-Stephen Southern; w-Matt M. Moore; # 090-01-019
[Nelly possibly Stephen's sister; thus Reuben I's daughter, accounting for one of the three in his 1820 census that would be eligible in this year]
12/20/1825. Nancy Southern and John Mitchel
b-Wm. Flincham; w-Matt M. Gaines; # 090 02 211
[This Nancy is most certainly a daughter of Ford Southern and Catherine Zimmerman (married 1794, above). A court document from 1826 identifies Nancy Mitchell, "late Nancy Sourthern of Stokes County, N.C.," and her husband John Mitchell as "grandchildren and heirs at law of the late John Zimmerman dec'd. of Culpeper Co., Virginia." The Zimmerman family came to Stokes from Culpeper VA. The censuses between 1850 and 1870 indicate Nancy was born between 1805 and 1810]
7/3/1826. Nelly Southern and William Roberts
b-Soloman Pinegar; w-Matt R. Moore; # 090-02-257
[This Nelly's parents not determined; probably Ford's if the Nelly married 1824 was Reuben's]
3/5/1830. Margaret Southern and Thomas Flincham
b-Matthew Burton; w-Matt. R. Moore; # 090-01-091
[Margaret's parents not determined. Again, either an older daughter of Reuben or Ford, though by this year some of their granddaughters are coming of marriageable age]
1/15/1834. James C. Southern and Biddy Joyce
b-Joshua Southern; w-Jno. Hill, CCC
[Joshua's son James; two other of his sons married Joyce women, perhaps sisters]
1/15/1834. Reuben V. Southern and Nancy Joyce
b-Ja(me)s C. Southern; w-Jno. Banner
[Joshua's son in a double wedding with his brother and another Joyce woman, perhaps Biddy's sister]
10/13/1834. William Southern and Martha Moore
b- George W. Pursel; w-J. Holderby CC # 084-01-244 ROCKINGHAM COUNTY
[Not clear who this William is]
10/30/1834. Thomas Southern and Nancy Parker
b- Thomas Johnson; w- J. Holderby CC #084-01-244 ROCKINGHAM COUNTY
[Not clear who this is, unless it might be a first marriage of Thomas S. Southern below; though he could be no more than about 18 this year.]
5/9/1836. Elizabeth Southern and William Cook
b-Michael Kizer; w-M. Breedlove; #090-01-059
[See note for Margaret (m. 1830) above}]
12/11/1836. Thomas S. Southren and Elizabeth Foy
b-Richard H. Foy; w-William Ward
This is surely Thomas Simpson Southern b. about 1816, mostly known as "Simpson," oldest son of William (son of Ford) and Frances Banks Southern (m. 1815, above). This couple appears in the 1850 Rockingham County NC census as Thomas S. and Elizabeth "Southard" with five children. Simpson's younger brother John H. and his wife Rebecca Angel (m. 1846, below) also appear as "Southard" in the same Rockingham census.
1/11/1837. William Southern and Malinda Marshell
b-John Cox; w-M. Breedlove
[Probably the son of Stephen and Rachel. See William and Malinda's 1850 Forsyth County census]
11/12/1838. Landon H. Southern and Mary Ann Carroll
b-Noah Boyles; w-Isaac Golding
[Joshua's eldest son and the daughter of Hardy Carroll. See all census entries for Landon from 1840-1880]
1/18/1842. William C. Southern and Sarah M. Joyce
b-Jas. C. Southern; w-C.H. Nelson
[One of Joshua's four sons and one of three Joyce women, perhaps sisters, they married]
2/13/1843. Lyda Sourthern and Elihu J. York
b-William Calhoun; w-C.H. Nelson; # 090-03-352
[Lyda not identified. This and other 1840s marriages present difficult identification problems]
4/14/1843. Lucy Jane Southern and Jonathan Flin
b-Benjamine H. Ange(l); w-Jno. Hill, CCC; #090-01-090
[Lucy Jane, usually known simply as Jane, was a daughter of William (son of Ford) and Frances "Fanny" Banks Southern, who married in 1815, above]
9/5/1844. Levi Southern and Bethenia Beasly
b-M(artin) Flinchum; w-Jno. Hill, CCC
[The only possible clue to where Levi comes from is the possible connections of the Flinchum family with Reuben II. Perhaps the older son of Reuben II and Dosia in the 1840 census, but Levi is not seen in any other records]
10/19/1844. Eveline Southern and William K. Joyce
b-Reuben V. Southern; w-Jno. Hill CCC; # 090-02-164
[Eveline may be Reuben V.'s sister; thus Joshua's daughter, though other family records do not record a
daughter of that name]
12/19/1845. Martha J. Southern and John Hicks
b-William Hicks; w-C.H. Nelson; # 090-01-139
[Martha J.'s parents not identified]
1/19/1846. Julina Southern and David S. Westmoreland
b-Presly M. Westmoreland; w-Jno Hill, CCC; # 090-03-338
[Daughter of Stephen Southern. Four of Stephen's children married Westmorelands]
5/26/1846. Tabatha Tolitha Suthern and James B. Hill
b-Clayboun Saunde(rs); w-E.W. Hancock;# 084-01-111 ROCKINGHAM COUNTY
[Unusual name. Her family not identified]
6/6/1846. John H. Southern and Rebecca M. Angel
b-Samuel Foy; w-Jno. Hill
[Son of William (son of Ford) and Frances (Banks) Southern. Rebecca was the daughter of Samuel and Agness Freeman Angel]
11/30/1846. George W. Southern and Mina Westmoreland
b-James H. Southern; w-Jno. Hill, CCC
[George is almost certainly Stephen and Rachel's son; bondsman James is George's brother. Stephen's family interacted closely with the Westmoreland family. "Mina" seems to appear as "Jemima" and even "Lemina" in the family's census records]
1/17/1848. Alexander Southern and Elizabeth Tumlin
b-Elisha J. Eudaily; w-J. Hill.; #
[Alexander's parents not determined]
7/1/1849. Eliza Ann Southern and Andrew D. Steel
b-Hudson Williams; w-Jno. Hill, CC; # 090-02-296
[Daughter of William (son of Ford) and Frances (Banks) Southern. The couple was in Kentucky in 1860, but apparently return to N.C. soon after]
5/26/1851. Malery Southern and Theny Jane Bennett
b-; w-Saml. H. Taylor
Married 5/27/1851 by Saml. H. Taylor, J.P.
[Malory (born c. 1824) was the son of Reuben II and his wife Dosia or Dolia, and a grandson of "Old" Reuben I. The couple had three children, but Theny died before the 1860 census. Malory remarried in 1867, to Sarah E. Grogan (see below)]
12/06/1851. Martha Elizabeth Southern and Lewis Hicks, Jr.
b-John L. Glidewel(?); w-Saml. H. Taylor; # 090-01-140
[According to other sources, a daughter of Joshua and Mary (Carter) Southern, the Elizabeth in their 1850 census. Hicks died of illness serving in the Civil War]
1/3/1854. Stephen Southern and Harriet Chaffin
b-Thornton P. Samuel; w-Jno. Hill; # [A son of Reuben I; Stephen's second marriage after the death of his first wife, Rachel.]
7/29/1854. Theny Southern and Tandy Fulk
b-Benjamin B. Zigl(er); w-Saml. H. Taylor; # 090-01-103
Married 7/30/1854 by M.T. Smith, J.P.
[Probably "Thena M.," daughter of Reuben (son of Ford) and Martha (Burton) Southern, age 20 this year. Theny's 1860 census with Tandy Fulk gives her name as "Bethena," for which Thena and Theny are nicknames]
12/23/1854. William Southern and Mary Terrell
b-Irvin Teddar; w-Saml H. Taylor, D.C.; #
Married 12/28/1854 by M.T. Smith, J.P.
[This William's parents not determined]
4/8/1856. Thomas S. Southern and Polly Ann Hill
b- William G. Richards?; w- Wm. M. Ellington #084-01-243 ROCKINGHAM COUNTY
[This could be the Thomas S. Southern who married Elizabeth Foy in 1836 above. If this is Thomas Simpson Southern, he would marry again -- his last wife was named Izenie.]
11/19/1856. James H. Southern and Lucinda Moorefield
b-George W. Matthews; w-Saml. H. Taylor; #
Married 11/19/1856 by G.E. Moore, J.P.
[James is most likely a son of Stephen Southern, who appears as an 81 year old man in James' 1870 household in Forsyth County]
1/26/1858. Genette Susan Southern and Howel Hicks
b-John William So(uthern); w-Jas. Rierson, Jr.; # 090-01-139
Married 26 Jan 1858 by L.H. Southern, J.P.
[Daughter of James C. and Biddy (Joyce) Southern]
12/11/1858. William F. Southern and Charlotte Lybass
b-; w- W.W. Ellington #84-01-244 ROCKINGHAM COUNTY
Married 12 Dec. 1858 by William Carter, J.P.
[This William F. is most certainly a son of William Southern and Fanny Banks (m. 1815), and a grandson of Ford Southern. Charlotte was born Charlotte Robertson about 1835, and first married David Lybass in Rockingham County in 1853. David had died or otherwise departed by 1858. Charlotte would soon be widowed again. William F. died before the 1860 census. Charlotte is seen that year alone with an infant son William, shown as John W. in some later censuses. Charlotte, her son, and her mother (or grandmother) Malinda Robertson are living together in the 1870 (Rockingham) and 1880 (Stokes) censuses. Charlotte did not marry again. Her last census was 1900, when she is seen in her son's household in Salem, Forsyth County. Charlotte died tragically in November 1904 when the Salem Reservoir burst, flooding the surrounding neighborhood and destroying the house where she was staying. Her grandson Joe Henry Southern, 14, also died in the tragedy.]
9/11/1860. Nancey Southrin and Henry C. Clark
b-;w-; # 092-01-040 SURRY COUNTY
Married 9/11/1860 by Elisha Banner, J.P.
[Family of this Nancy not identified]
10/31/1860. William W. Southern and Celia M. Boyles
b-K.H. Bray; w-J. Rierson, Jr. D.C.
Married 11/1/1860 by I.E. Gentry, J.P.
[Son of Reuben V. and Nancy (Joyce) Southern]
11/26/1860. Sallie Southern and Andrew Myers
b-A. Hege.; w-C. Flowe.; # 032-02-100 DAVIDSON COUNTY
[Sallie's family not identied]
4/12/1862. Sarah Elizabeth Southern and Alexander M. King, Jr.
b-George W. Southern; w-Joel F. Hill, CC; # 090-02-168
Married 4/13/1862 by John H. Caudle
[Sarah Elizabeth's parents may be Reuben V. and Nancy Joyce Southern. "Sarah E." appears in their 1850 census at age 9, and age 17 in 1860. Bondsman George Southern was son of either Landon or Stephen and would have been a cousin, rather than brother or parent]
11/24/1863. Delenia Southern and Wm. W. Petree
b-Thomas C. Lewis; w-Joel F. Hill, CC; # 090-02-237
[The widow of the murdered Reuben Southern and her second husband]
11/18/1865. Selena Southern and John H. Boyles
b-John H. King; w-Joel F. Hill, CC; # 090-01-031
Married 11/19/1865 by Wm. King, J.P.
[Daughter of Reuben V. and Nancy (Joyce) Southern, and granddaughter of Joshua]
12/12/1865. Nancy Southern and D.S. Westmoreland
b-A.L. Watson; w-I.K. Perryman; # 032-02-151 DAVIDSON COUNTY
Married 12/14/1865 by A.J. Owen, J.P.
[David S. Westmoreland's second marriage to a daughter of Stephen Southern; Julina was the first. Nancy was about 36 at the time of this marriage. By this time Westmoreland was in Thomasville in Davidson County, where he was one of the pioneers in the furniture industry]
12/14/1865. John W. Southern and Martha Eveline Hicks
w-J(ohn) A. Southern; w-Joel F. Hill, CCC
Married 12/14/1886 by J.T. Greene, J.P.
[Son of James C. and Biddy (Joyce) Southern, age 27 this year]
1/15/1866. William P. Southern and Mary E. Turner
b- James O. Hand; w- E.W. Hancock, D.C. #084-01-244 ROCKINGHAM COUNTY
[This is likely William P., age 12 in the 1850 Rockingham County census of Thomas Simpson Southern and Elizabeth Foy Southern].
1/19/1866. Mary E. Southern and John H. King
b- John A. Southern; w-Joel F. Hill, CC; # 090-02-169
Married 21 Jan 1866 by Jas. T. Greene, J.P.
[Daughter of Landon H. and Mary Ann (Carroll) Southern; brother John Alexander as bondsman]
8/1/1866. Susan Southern and G.W. Mounce
b-J.H. Glidwell; w-H. Hill; # 090-02-218
Married 8/2/1866 by Wm. Neal, J.P.
[Probable daughter of William C. and Sarah M. (Joyce) Southern; granddaughter of Joshua]
8/29/1866. James W(m). Southern and Rachael Ellen James
b-M(ichl) W. Kiser; w-Joel F. Hill, CCC
[Most likely the James, son of William C. and Sarah M. (Joyce) Southern, seen at age 15 in their 1860 census (21 this year)]
1/18/1867. Eliza Southern and Wm. Landon Taylor
b-Wm. P. Covington; w-Joel F. Hill, CC; # 090-03-308
[Eliza may be the daughter of Reuben V. and Nancy (Joyce) Southern seen in the 1860 census]
2/7/1867. John A. Southern and Sarah A. Southern
b-F.M. Baker; w-Joel F. Hill, CCC; #090-02-289
Married 2/7/1867 by H.R. Carroll, J.P.
[First cousins; grandchildren of Joshua]
5/23/1867. Malery Southern and Sarah E. Grogan
b-W(m) A. Estes; w-Thomas Smith
Married 5/23/1867 by S.B. Taylor, J.P.
[Malory's second marriage. See 1851 above and 1860-1880 census records for Malory]
10/17/1867. Emma E. Southern and David H. England
b-;w-M.J. Orr, DCCC; # 093-01-004 TRANSYLVANIA COUNTY
[One of the family from the Greenville, S.C. area that moved up into the western N.C. mountains, distantly related to the Stokes County Southerns through Gibson or others originally from Buckingham County, VA.]
5/06/1868. Mary Eveline Southern and Albert Gideon Tuttle
(Additional information on bond) w- Joel F. Hill, CC; # 090-03-318
[Mary Eveline's family not identified]
6/13/1868. Mehaly E. Southern and James D. Lawson
(Additional information on bond) w-Joel F. Hill, CC; # 090-02-179
[Probable daughter of James C. and Biddy (Joyce) Southern (see "Mahala," age 12 in their 1860 census, thus age 20 here); thus a granddaughter of Joshua]
OTHER MARRIAGES CITED FROM OTHER SOURCES
7/20/1850. Martha Jane Southern and John W. Hicks, Jr.
From Stokes County Heritage, Article 539. Hicks was a cousin of Lewis Hicks, Jr., who married Martha Elizabeth Southern 12/6/1851. Martha Jane's dates are given as 1827-1/15/1911; John's as 4/1/1827-1870. This appears to be the same couple shown as married in 1845 in the marriage bonds (090-01-139). It isn't clear who Martha Jane's parents are.