Robert and Elizabeth (Watt) Espy are my great-great-great-grandparents.
Elizabeth (Watt) Espy
Elizabeth Watt was born Nov. 28, 1808
at Cedar Bluff, Cherokee County
Also, on two sides of the same headstone are two other names: James M. Espy and Caroline M. Espy. They were were two of the children. Keep reading.
Also, on two sides of the same headstone are two other names: James M. Espy and Caroline M. Espy. They were were two of the children. Keep reading.
Below are the children of Robert and Elizabeth Espy. Thomas Franklin Espy was my great-great-grandfather and father of John Jolly Espy, Sr. One of J. J. Espy's siblings was Thomas Espy, grandfather of Bill Espy.
Joseph Samuel Espy (1844 - 1929)*
Below is part of J.J Espy's obituary. In it, you can discover more about Robert Espy.
Below is part of J.J Espy's obituary. In it, you can discover more about Robert Espy.
Mr. Espy, was 58. While still a little boy, he came to Headland with his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Tom Espy, Sr., who had moved from the upper to the lower end of the county. He was a grandson of Robert or Bob Espy, as he was generally known, the founder of the Espy family in this section. Bob Espy emigrated from Tallapoosa to Barbour County between 1851 and 1855, and died in 1858, four years before the outbreak of the Civil War. Bob Espy was the father of eight children, Mrs. Lou Blackwell and Miss Carrie Espy, of Barbour County; W. C. Tom, Sr., Joe, James, Seaborn, and G. S. Espy, a resident of Texas who is the only surviving member of Bob Espy’s family. Of these six sons, uncles of Mr. J. J. Espy, five were called to the Colors during the Civil War period. G. S. Espy, the youngest son, was not of military age at the close of the War. James was killed in action. W. C. Espy was the father of Mr. F. M. Holley of Abbeville; Prof. Joe Espy, who died in 1929, was the father of Carl and Walter Espy. Tom Espy, Sr., was married to Miss Fannie Searcy, whose father, Jim Searcy lived between Lawrenceville and the County Line Church. Miss Searcy was a sister of Charlie, father of Ed Searcy, of Abbeville. Mr. J. J. Espy was the last surviving son of this union, Jim having died in 1925 and Tom in 1933. Two sisters, Mrs. G. E. Jackson and Miss Gray Espy, live at Ashford.
More insight from Larry Smith, Henry County's Historian
Me: And, as far as we know, there's no known picture of Robert Marion Espy or his wife Elizabeth. I remember seeing a special on Abraham Lincoln where it was mentioned that photographs were a new thing towards the end of Lincoln's life. There are some known pics of Abe, of course. Wondering if Robert Marion Espy would have been photographed?? Larry, based on your research, what's the oldest photograph you've seen of a henry county citizen? Just curious. I know more well-known people in the country, certainly presidents and statesmen, would have had portraits painted...... Washington, Adams, Jefferson......so it's possible portraits of ordinary citizens could also have been done.
Larry: There is a Robert Marion Espy* 1833-1920 buried in the Abbeville City Cemetery and he was in the civil war. He married Jane Tyler 1849-1900 who died in Abbeville. James M. Espy 1841-1863 was in the CSA and died in the battle of Atlanta. The oldest photos in Henry were of the old Tin type and I have a few that were taken in the late 1850's. The earliest images were of course of drawings and paintings I have a photo of a painting done of my G-G-G-G Uncle, Mayor General Robert Irwin of Shorterville, who died in 1850 by drowning in the Chattahoochee and is buried on his former 50,000 acre plantation at Shorterville.
* This is Robert Marion Espy, Jr., one of the children.
* This is Robert Marion Espy, Jr., one of the children.
May 19, 1841
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