Erasmus Culpepper III1

Male, #9485, (1 Mar 1817 - 3 Aug 1880)

ParentErasmus Culpepper Jr. of Wilcox Co., AL (circa 1780 - 1855)
ParentAnn Arrington (1785 - 23 Sep 1859)
Erasmus Culpepper III|b. 1 Mar 1817\nd. 3 Aug 1880|p9485.htm|Erasmus Culpepper Jr. of Wilcox Co., AL|b. circa 1780\nd. 1855|p9465.htm|Ann Arrington|b. 1785\nd. 23 Sep 1859|p9473.htm|Erasmus Culpepper of Nash Co., NC|b. circa 1742\nd. circa 1782|p9458.htm|Chloe Whitehead|b. circa 1748\nd. before May 1818|p9459.htm|James Arrington|b. say 1755\nd. 1 May 1810|p9772.htm|Ann Willis|b. say 1760\nd. 1827|p9773.htm|

Birth*1 Mar 1817 Erasmus was born at Nash Co., North Carolina, on 1 Mar 1817.2 
 He was the son of Erasmus Culpepper Jr. of Wilcox Co., AL and Ann Arrington. 
(free wh male 0-10) 1820 Census7 Aug 1820 Erasmus was probably a free white male, age under 10, in Erasmus Culpepper Jr. of Wilcox Co., AL's household, on the 1820 Census at Nash Co., North Carolina.3 
(free wh male 05-10) 1830 Census1 Jun 1830 Erasmus was probably a free white male, age 5 and under 10, in Erasmus Culpepper Jr. of Wilcox Co., AL's household, on the 1830 Census at Wilcox Co., Alabama. Enumerated in census but otherwise not identified are 1 M0-5 and 22 slaves..4 
(free wh male 15-20) 1840 Census1 Jun 1840 Erasmus was probably a free white male, age 15 and under 20, in Erasmus Culpepper Jr. of Wilcox Co., AL's household, on the 1840 Census on 1 Jun 1840 at Wilcox Co., Alabama.
(Enumerated in the census but otherwise not identified are 2 F5-10 and 44 slaves.).5 
Marriage*12 Sep 1847 He married Rebecca Jane Southall at Wilcox Co., Alabama, on 12 Sep 1847. 
1850 Census*1 Jun 1850 Erasmus was listed as the head of a family on the 1850 Census on 1 Jun 1850 at Wilcox Co., Alabama.6 
(beneficiary) Probate1 Jul 1856 Erasmus listed to benefit in Erasmus Culpepper Jr. of Wilcox Co., AL's will on 1 Jul 1856. 
Deed*28 Jun 1858 He granted a deed to Ann Arrington on 28 Jun 1858 at Wilcox Co., Alabama.
(Ann Culpepper to Erasmus Culpepper (III)
     This indenture made the 28 day of June AD 1858 between Ann Culpepper of the one part and Erasmus Culpepper son of the said Ann Culpepper of the other part. Witnesseth that the said Ann Culpepper for an in consideration of the natural love & affection which she hath unto the said Erasmus hath given granted aliened released & confirmed & by these Presents doth give grant alien release & confirm unto the said Erasmus Culpepper his heirs & assigns all the following property to wit the Slaves Luke, Oliff, Tempe, Chess, Berry, Alberta, Joseph, Alfred, Harry, Phillis, Virginia, Sigi, Riddick, Jullian & Milberry together with their further increase also all the interest of the said Ann Culpepper in the money undistributed of the Estate of her dec'd husband E. Culpepper and also all her other personal property of whatever nature & description including her household and kitchen furniture To have and to hold the said property & each & every part thereof hereby given granted & conveyed or intended so to be with the increase unto the said Erasmus Culpepper his heirs & assigns forever. But the said Ann Culpepper hereby reserves to herself a life interest in said property or the use & possession thereof during her natural life her intention by this instrument being to vest the property aforesaid in the said Erasmus Culpepper at this time but to postpone his enjoyment thereof until her death then said Ann Culpepper is desirous that her grand daughters Mary Davis & Ann Davis daughters of Nancy Davis dec'd should each have a feather bed & as she has herein given all her property to her son the said Erasmus Culpepper she hereby requests him to give to each of them a good feather bed when he takes possession of the property herein thereby given to him.
     In Witness whereof the said Ann Culpepper has here unto set her hand & seal the day & year herein first above written.
     Signed Sealed and delivered in the presence of W.W, Thornhill, Thos Smith; Ann Culpepper

The State of Alabama, Wilcox County
I Zo S Cook Judge of Probate Court for Wilcox County Ala hereby certify that W.W. Thornhill a subscribing witness to the foregoing conveyance or deed of gift Known to me appeared before me this day & being sworn states Ann Culpepper the donor in the deed voluntarily executed the same in his presence and in the presence of the other subscribing witness on the day the same * date that he attested the same in the presence of the donor & of the other witness & that such other witness subscribed his name as witness in his presence. Given under my hand this 29 day of June 1858. Zo S. Cook Judge
Filed Aug 16 1858 Zo S. Cook, Judge
Book N, Page 25, 28 Jun 1858). 
1860 Census*1 Jun 1860 Erasmus was listed as the head of a family on the 1860 Census at Wilcox Co., Alabama.7 
1870 Census*1 Jun 1870 Erasmus was listed as the head of a family on the 1870 Census at Lower Peach Tree, Wilcox Co., Alabama.8 
1880 Census*1 Jun 1880 Erasmus was listed as the head of a family on the 1880 Census at Lower Peach Tree, Wilcox Co., Alabama.9 
Death*3 Aug 1880 He died at Lower Peach Tree, Wilcox Co., Alabama, on 3 Aug 1880.2,10 
Burial*circa 5 Aug 1880 His body was interred circa 5 Aug 1880 at Lower Peach Tree Cemetery, Lower Peach Tree, Wilcox Co., Alabama.2 
Biography* Erasmus Culpepper, III, the only son of Erasmus and Nancy Culpepper, was born in Nash County, NC on March 1, 1817. He came to Alabama with his parents and siblings as a young boy. He married in Wilcox County on Sept. 12, 1787 to Rebecca Jane Southall, a daughter of John Southall. She was born in Warren County, NC on July 1, 1823 and came to Alabama with her family in the 1840's. The Southall family is another large southern family with old connections back to England. It is about this time in the Lower Peach Tree area, that you will find much intermarriage with the Culpepper, Southall, Overton, and Davis families. It is quite a feat to keep it all straight!
     Erasmus and Rebecca Jane were living close to her parents in the 1850 census of Wilcox County, but by 1860, they were not. The size of their estate and holdings in 1860 could indicate that they moved to the Culpepper plantation after his father's death in 1855, and took sole possession after his mother's death in 1859. Pictures of the family throughout the 1870s and 1880s show us a prosperous farming family. Erasmus Culpepper died Aug. 3, 1880 and Rebecca Jane died on March 5, 1905. Both are buried with several of their children in the Lower Peach Tree Cemetery.
     The family was Methodist and it has been determined that the wedding of their daughter, Estelle, on 11-10-1885, may have been one of the first performed in the Lower Peach Tree Methodist Church!
     The Culpepper-Davis house was just west of Lower Peach Tree, Alabama. It is believed to have been built by Erasmus Culpepper III as the family's second residence. His father, Erasmus II migrated first to Clarke County, but by 1850, had settled more permanently in Wilcox County in the Culpepper, AL area. Erasmus died in 1855 and his wife, Nancy, soon after in 1859. Their son, Erasmus, married by this time to Rebecca Jane, had started a family. The Culpepper-Davis house dates back to the Civil War and it was more than likely built by this young Culpepper family.
     Some wonder why the Culpepper family, with their wealth, did not have a more impressive home, possibly in the style of other southern mansions. The Culpeppers were farmers and Methodists so a certain amount of plainness was expected. If the date of its construction is true then the days of southern opulence and grandeur were at an end. The house is of early Alabama folk architecture and typical for its time.
     There were oak trees lining the drive at one time, but only one is left now. East of where the house used to sit is a pond. The outbuildings were torn down over the years, as well as the separate kitchen and a wing off the west side of the house. The house was abandoned in 1935 after the death of Leila Culpepper Davis. It was used for hay storage for many years. Eventually the house and land were sold to Tom and Brownie Williams. The house was sold in 1977 to Jan and Maud Garrick, later dismantled, and some of the lumber was used by the Garricks in their homes and at Lake Waukaway in Mississippi.
     Gerry Garrick shares: "Memories of the old house and our ancestors who lived there are kept alive through some of the boards saved from the old house that we were able to use when we built our home in Birmingham in 1980. We used some of the heart-of-pine wall boards as flooring in our entry hall. We always enjoy telling visitors about the origin of the wood from the old family house in Wilcox County."
     The best picture we have of the CULPEPPER-DAVIS HOUSE was taken in 1965.
(Names referenced above: Erasmus Culpepper III Erasmus Culpepper III).1
The old Culpepper plantation in Wilcox County, Alabama, built prior to the Civil War. Photo circa 1923.

Family

Rebecca Jane Southall (1 Jul 1823 - 5 Mar 1905)
Marriage*12 Sep 1847 He married Rebecca Jane Southall at Wilcox Co., Alabama, on 12 Sep 1847. 
Children

Charts Descendants of Benjamin Culpepper of Edgecombe Co., NC (Six generations)
Last Edited 19 Dec 2005

Citations

  1. E-mail from Jan Selleck, e-mail address, 2711 Needles Street, Euless, TX 76040, Phone: 817-283-8439 to Lew Griffin, 2000-2004.
  2. "Lower Peach Tree Cemetery", Deep South Genealogical Quarterly, Vol. 34, No. 4, November 1997.
    Lower Peach Tree Cemetery, Lower Peachtree, Wilcox Co., AL
    + Erasmus Culpepper, 1 Mar 1817 - 3 Aug 1880 (Born in Nash Co., NC and died at Lower Peach Tree, Wilcox Co., AL).
  3. 1820 Federal Census, United States.
    Page 266 (419), Genealogy.com Image 8, Unknown Township, Nash Co., NC
    Alexander Culpepper, 2 M16-26, 2 slaves
    Benjamin Culpepper, 1 M0-10, 1 M16-26, 1 F16-26, 1 slave
    Bershaba Culpepper, 1 M0-10, 1 M10-16, 1 F0-10, 1 F16-26, 1 F45+, 0 slaves
    Erasmus Culpepper, 1 M0-10, 1 M26-45, 4 F0-10, 2 F10-16, 1 F16-26, 1 F26-45, 12 slaves
    Lemuel Culpepper, 1 M16-26, 1 F0-10, 1 F16-26, 1 slave.
  4. 1830 Federal Census, United States.
    Page 182, Ancestry.com images 47-48, Unknown township, Wilcox Co., AL
    Erasmus Culpepper (Jr), 1 M0-5, 1 M5-10, 1 M30-40, 2 F5-10, 2 F10-15, 1 F40-50, 22 slaves.
  5. 1840 Federal Census, United States.
    Page 319, Ancestry.com images 27-28, Unknown township, Wilcox Co., AL
    Benjamin Culpepper, 1M0-5, 1M5-10, 2M15-20, 1M30-40, 1F0-5, 1F5-10, 1F30-40, 0 slaves
    Erasmus Culpepper, 1M15-20, 1M40-50, 2F5-10, 1F50-60, 44 slaves.
  6. 1850 Federal Census, United States.
    Page 376B, Lines 23-25, Wilcox Co., AL
    Erasmus Culpepper (III), 32, M, NC, Farmer
    Rebecca Culpepper, 27, F, NC
    Ernest Culpepper, 1, M, AL.
  7. 1860 Federal Census, United States.
    Page 70/Line 40 & Page 71/Lines 1-6, Prairie Bluff P.O., Western Division, Wilcox Co., AL
    Erasmus Culpepper (III), 42, M, Farmer, PE=$12,912, RE=$35,583, NC
    Rebecca Culpepper, 36, F, NC
    Ernest Culpepper, 10, M, AL
    Alonzo Culpepper, 9, M, AL
    John E. Culpepper, 6, M, AL
    Roseline Culpepper, 4, F, AL
    Martha A. Culpepper, 2, F, AL.
  8. 1870 Federal Census, United States.
    Page 24, Lines 13-20, Lower Peach Tree, Wilcox Co., AL
    Erasmus Culpepper (III), 53, M, W, NC
    Rebecca Culpepper, 46, F, W, NC
    John E. Culpepper, 17, M, W, AL
    Roseline Culpepper, 13, F, W, AL
    Martha A. Culpepper, 11, F, W, AL
    Octavia Culpepper, 9, F, W, AL
    Estelle Culpepper, 7, F, W, AL
    Lela Culpepper, 4, F, W, AL.
  9. 1880 Federal Census, United States.
    Page 382D, Lower Peach Tree, Wilcox Co., AL
    Erasmus Culpepper, Self, M, M, W, 63, Farmer, NC/NC/NC
    Rebecca Culpepper, Wife, F, M, W, 57, Keeping House, NC/NC/NC
    Ernest Culpepper, Son, M, S, W, 30, Farmer, AL/NC/NC
    Alonzo Culpepper, Son, M, S, W, 28, Farmer, AL/NC/NC
    Rosaline Culpepper, Dau, F, S, W, 23, N/A, AL/NC/NC
    Mattie Culpepper, Dau, F, S, W, 21, N/A, AL/NC/NC
    Octavia Culpepper, Dau, F, S, W, 19, Attending School, AL/NC/NC
    Estelle Culpepper, Dau, F, S, W, 17, Attending School, AL/NC/NC
    Leila Culpepper, Dau, F, S, W, 14, N/A, AL/NC/NC
    Ashbell Powers, Other, M, S, W, 7, Orphan, AL/AL/AL.
  10. William T. & Patricia Martin, compiler, The Gadsden Times, 1867-1885 (4 volumes), Miami, Florida: W.T. Martin, 1996-2003, Repository: LDS Family History Library - Salt Lake City, Call No. US/CAN 976.167 B38m v1-v4.
    E. Culpepper, "Died recently near Camden (Wilcox Co.), Alabama". Published 20 Aug 1880, Vol. 3, page 674.