African American Families of Anson County, North Carolina

This is an ongoing research of my Douglas and Clemons ancestry in Anson County North Carolina and I don’t know where it is going to take me. I am betting that some of William’s grandparents especially his grandfathers originated in South Carolina because some information is now showing that both grandfathers were associated with different areas of South Carolina.

I seek information concerning this matter daily. If anyone knows anything or anybody that can aid me in my quest for knowledge of my Anson County ancestors or present day relatives, please contact me via guestbook.

THE UNION OF TWO FAMILIES

The Douglas and Clemons families united when Henry Douglas married Sarah Ann Clemons on March 10 of 1892. This was to be Henry’s second marriage. He was first married to Narcis Boggan. I don’t know anything about their son Salathis. He could have been a child born to Henry and Narcis, a child of Henry and Sarah’s before their marriage or a child of Sarah’s before she met Henry. Sarah gave birth to Ellouise after her and Henry parted. Here are the descendants of Henry Douglas.

Descendants of Henry Douglas

1 Henry Douglas 1867 – 1931
.. +Narcis Boggan
*2nd Wife of Henry Douglas:
.. +Sarah Ann Clemons 1861 – 1946
….. 2 Salathis Douglas 1888 –
….. 2 Joseph Douglas 1894 –
……… +Sallie 1898 –
….. 2 John Frank Douglas 1897 –
……… +Fannie 1897 –
….. 2 Henry C Douglas 1898 –
….. 2 Jay C. Douglas 1904 –
……… +Addie 1905 –
….. 2 Ellouise Douglas 1910 –
….. 2 Willie R. Douglas Thomas 1892 – 1976
……… +Sophie Jane Powell 1900 – 1980
….. *2nd Wife of Willie R. Douglas Thomas:
……… +Carrie Flowers Douglas

This information is still being researched and any help would be greatly appreciated. I don’t know if I will ever find the time to visit the State Archives in South or North Carolina anytime in the near future or not. However I am going to keep updating the families that lived in Anson County and there sons and daughters that made families and their homes in Scotland County NC. It will be posted on the next page as I obtain more information on them.

Although my grandfather was born and raised in the Gulledge township of Anson County. I know very little about any of them. Most of what I know about them was found searching past records and listening to what my aunts, uncles and cousins had to say about them.

I have never heard anyone say how prosperous or successful the 1st, 2nd and 3rd generations of Douglas family members as we now know them, were. Most of them were listed as farmers. However I found one of the 2nd generation members (Arron Douglas) to be a farmer, have a large family and also be able to hire other men (including John Kersey) to work for him full time.

I assume that Henderson (1st generation Douglas) and his family lived in South Carolina sometime before the end of slavery because one of his eldest sons was listed as being born there. Henderson was found living in Anson County NC by 1880. By 1900-1910 multiple 3rd generation family members had followed their uncle to Scotland County NC to live. Their uncle had moved earlier to a part of Richmond County NC which became a part of Scotland County NC. By 1920-1930 other 2nd generation family members including Arron Douglas and a younger brother made their move to Scotland County. Arron was probably following his children and/or seeking better economic opportunities. I even found were Wax Flower(s) IV had moved from Anson to Scotland County. Other 3rd and 4th generation Douglas family members that were related to the Clemons family were found living in some of West Virginia’s coal mining towns. They probably followed their Clemons uncle (James Clemons), cousins and/or neighbors there in search of better economic opportunities.

I have found from what my aunt remembers and my research that most of the 2nd generation Clemons family members were a very profitable group of people. It had to be instilled by their parents, James and/or Sopha. My cousin Vagella Douglas-Smalls has told me that she remembers one of her Douglas uncles saying that either Sarah Clemons-Douglas or her mother Sopha Clemons was smart enough to keep book for some of the business people of Wadesboro at one time.

I found Abraham to be a very successful farmer. Sarah almost single handily raised her children just as good as any married couple could have and was still able to acquire land somewhere in South Carolina before her death. I Also found James Jr. teaching school and renting rooms in the West Virginian coal mining town of Greenstown located in Fayette County.

I have been told by another group of Clemons that James Clemons was originally from a large family that lived in and around the Darlington area of SC and that part of his siblings used a surname other than Clemons. James was almost 30 years Sopha’s senior and was probably older than her father. I am willing to bet anything that James fathered another family somewhere around the Darlington area before he met Sopha. By 1870-1880 James and Sopha’s family were living in Anson County NC. By 1900-1920 2nd and 3rd generation family members were found from Aiken and Darlington counties SC to Fayette and McDowell counties WV.

I have recently heard my mother say that there were many of her Clemons and Douglas relatives presently living in Greensboro NC. I have never met any of the Clemons from Greensboro but I have met quite a few of the Douglas relatives from there. A large group of them attended my grandfather’s funeral back in the late 70’s. To the best of my knowledge I haven’t seen any of them since.

Thanks to those who helped me
Mrs. Virginia Thomas-Autry
Mr. Leroy Autry
Mrs. Vagella Douglas-Smalls
Mrs. Emmie Caison-Douglas
Ms. Deborah Morales
Mrs. Marjorie Kersey-Cole