19TH CENTURY COWETANS

19TH CENTURY COWETANS

Marcellus Washington and Rufus Washington

Marcellus E. Washington, left, and his son Rufus Robert Edward Washington, right, were among the Coweta County folk of the 1800s. They are the maternal great-great-grandfather and great-grandfather of Tom Storey. The photo is provided by Mr. Storey's wife, Artie. Rufus' son, Robert "Pink" Washington Storey, Lillian Frances married Lemuel HArold Storey in 1934, and Tom Storey is their son. Marcellus, born about 1843 in Georgia, farmed for William Drake just before the Civil War at age 17. His parents, James and Evelyn Washington, and the family lived in Coweta and Meriwether Counties near Haralson and Bear Creek. Marcellus served in the Civil War in Co. "A" 7th Regiment GA. Infantry in the Army of Northern Virginia, C>S>A - known as the Coweta 2nd District Guards. The unit was engaged in the battles of First Manassas. He joined as a private in May 1861, wounded January or February of 1864 and paroled at Farmville, Va. around November 1865. After the Civil War he married Mary Louise "Polly" Kempson Tidwell. Rufus was born to them in 1870 or 1871. Marcellus lost his arm in a gin mill accident in Senoia, Mrs. Storey said. He died about 1923 and is buried beside Polly at Bethel Church Cemetery on Luther Bailey Rd. near Haralson. Rufus married Sarah Elizabeth "Lizzie" Morris in 1888, and they had nine known children including Robert Pinkton "Pink" Washington, Mr. Storey's grandfather. Rufus and Lizzie are also buried at Bethel Church Cemetery.

Newnan Times-Herald

Artie Storey

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CCR 1986.12.09

Photograph