Finding Your Folks: Benjamin Tidwell and Martha Moody

I had a delightful conversation Wednesday with Lurline Dickinson of Union City about her Tidwell ancestors. Lurline is descended from Benjamin Tidwell and Martha Moody through their daughter, Luraney Tidwell who married Daniel G. Gilbert. Benjamin was the son of William Tidwell and Mary Amelia Jones. We had mentioned him a couple of weeks ago and questioned whether he was married once or twice. I think we have our answer.

Benjamin was married only once. He married Martha Moody, daughter of Benjamin Moody and Sybilla Westmoreland, and they had three children — Mary E. Tidwell born in 1839, Benjamin J. Tidwell born in 1844, and Luraney S. Tidwell born in 1856. Even though there are large gaps between the children, there were no more. Martha stated in the 1900 census that she had given birth to only three children and two were still living in 1900. At that time, she was living with her daughter, Luraney. Her first daughter, Mary, died in 1874.

Since this story involved the Westmoreland family, I called on Bob Johnston who lives in California to help me fill in some gaps. He came through in grand style and I thank him profusely for it.

Lurline related several family stories to me and all were told through the memories of her grandmother Luraney Tidwell Gilbert, and her mother, Martha Ethel Gilbert Miller. It was thought that Luraney was the only child of Benjamin and Martha Moody Tidwell but census records tell another story. The 1850 and 1860 censuses show all the children.

Lurline’s mother said that Benjamin died during the Civil War but I could find no record of him in the online Civil War rosters. That doesn’t mean he didn’t serve. It just means I couldn’t find him.

But let’s back up and tell this story properly ... from the beginning.

We know Benjamin’s Tidwell family story and how he came to be in Meriwether county, having told it many times over the past few months.

Martha, on the other hand, needs to have her story told too. She was born in August of 1816, probably in Putnam County, the daughter of Benjamin Moody and Sybilla (Sibie) Westmoreland. Sibie was the daughter of Joseph Westmoreland and Martha Shores and Benjamin is said to be the son of Joel Moody and Ann Beall. Bob’s research shows Benjamin and Sibie were in Pike County in 1830 and 1840 and that Sibie died in 1837. Benjamin died in 1845 in Fayette County.

Martha married Benjamin Tidwell in 1840 but I don’t know where. I looked in Meriwether, Coweta and Fayette but I didn’t look in Pike. They could have been married there. In 1850 and in 1860 they lived in Meriwether County probably on what is now Mt. Carmel Road about where it crosses from Meriwether into Coweta County. Succeeding censuses show the same families as neighbors through the years, particularly the Williams family, and Lurline said Martha stayed there until her death. She never remarried.

Members of Martha’s Westmoreland family were among those who founded County Line Christian Church in extreme southern Fayette County. It is just several hundred feet (if that) from the Spalding County line and not far from where Dolly Harris Road intersects with Ga. Hwy. 16. The other end of Dolly Harris Road is on Sullivan Mill Road in Meriwether. One of Lurline’s stories says that since Martha was one of the oldest members when they started the cemetery, she was given first choice of a spot in the church graveyard. She chose a place close to the church under a tree and there she rests today.

Her oldest child, Mary E. Tidwell, married (1) John F. Byram in Coweta County and (2) William Henry Harrison Hayes. Her Bible record was published in the Coweta County Genealogical Society’s magazine, Vol. 10, No. 3, 1991. There may have been one child from the second marriage. Mary is buried at Liberty Christian Church in Coweta County.

Martha’s only son, Benjamin Jones Tidwell, married Fannie Blackstock in Campbell County and eventually lived in Douglas County. They are found there in 1900 with six of their nine children, including one set of twins, Esker and Oscar. Benjamin is buried at Cold Springs Church in Winston, Douglas County. (Many thanks to Bob for info on both of those Tidwells.)

Luraney Tidwell married Daniel G. Gilbert and remained in Meriwether at least through 1900. They had four children, including Lurline’s mother, Martha Ethel Gilbert, who married Ora Miller. Others were Robert Oscar, Nora E., and William Benjamin Gilbert.

I really enjoyed talking with Lurline and found out that we were both East Point people with many things in common. We tentatively have a date to go stomping through the woods sometime next winter hopefully to find an old cemetery near her Tidwells’ property and the Williams’ property. I’m still convinced my Boyds are buried in an old family cemetery somewhere in that area.

As always, if you can add anything to our story on Benjamin and Martha Moody Tidwell, please speak up and let us know. Corrections are welcome too. I’d love to hear from you.

Although I don’t have time to research for you, I welcome stories about your ancestors who lived in the south metro Atlanta area. Send your stories to me at The Citizen, P.O. Drawer 1719, Fayetteville, Ga. 30214. By e-mail (which I prefer), I can be reached at jkilgore@thecitizen.com or JodieK444@aol.com.

Until next week, happy hunting!