Person Page - 7

     Benjamin F. Easter was born on 10 May 1834 at Limestone County, Alabama.¹ He was the son of Champion Easter and Martha Jefferson Walker. Benjamin F. Easter died on 14 April 1856 at Limestone County, Alabama, at age 21.¹ He was buried on 18 April 1856 at Champion Easter Cemetery, Limestone County, Alabama.²

     Bessie Easter was born in September 1899. She was the daughter of Lewis I. (Ivy) Easter and Madiah Simmons.
     As of 13 April 1919,her married name was House.

     Booker Burton Easter was born circa 1773 at Georgia. He was the son of James Easter and Sarah Thompson. Booker Burton Easter married Catherine Yurman on 21 May 1809 at Elbert County, Georgia.^1,2

     Burley Payton Easter was born on 17 August 1888 at Gattman, Monroe County, Mississippi.² He married Della F. Whitaker circa 1920 at Monroe County, Mississippi. Burley Payton Easter died on 2 April 1963 at Monroe County, Mississippi, at age 74.³ He was buried on 5 April 1963 at Blair Cemetery, Monroe County, Mississippi.³

     Burma May Easter was born on 5 August 1905 at Monroe County, Mississippi. She was the daughter of William Ira Easter and Leitha May Edge. Burma May Easter died in December 1969 at Memphis, Shelby County, Tennessee, at age 64. She was buried at Quincy, Monroe County, Mississippi.
     As of 21 December 1921,her married name was Mize.

     Burtis Booker Easter was born on 11 December 1891 at Little Rock, Pulaski County, Arkansas. He was the son of L. Booker Easter and Nancy Jane "Nannie" Brown. Burtis Booker Easter died on 1 June 1970 at Fort Gibson, Muskogee County, Oklahoma, at age 78. He was buried at Fort Gibson National Cemetery, Fort Gibson, Muskogee County, Oklahoma, USA; Imported from: US Veteran's Affairs.

     Burton Easter was born on 1 July 1881 at Greenwood Springs, Monroe County, Mississippi.¹ He was the son of Lewis I. (Ivy) Easter and Regina A. D. J. Grubbs. Burton Easter married Fannie Bell Simmons on 11 December 1904 at Monroe County, Mississippi. Burton Easter died on 22 January 1957 at age 75.
     Burton Easter was listed as a member of the Soul's Chapel Church.²

     C.G. Easter was born on 8 April 1885 at Monroe County, Mississippi.¹ He was the son of Andrew Jackson Easter and Mazy Loutitia Jones.¹ C.G. Easter died on 12 May 1887 at Monroe County, Mississippi, at age 2.¹ He was buried on 15 May 1887 at Jones Cemetery, Monroe County, Mississippi.¹

     Caledonia Easter was born circa 1890 at Monroe County, Mississippi. She was the daughter of Louis D. Easter and Z. Verret Easter. Caledonia Easter married A. D. Pickle on 5 March 1911 at Monroe County, Mississippi.¹
     Caledonia Easter was transferred from Soul's Chapel Church to Greenwood Springs Church.² As of 5 March 1911,her married name was Pickle.¹

     Cecil Darris Easter was born on 21 June 1914 at Winfield, Fayette County, Alabama. He was the son of Charles Darris Easter and Alma Louise Gordon. Cecil Darris Easter married Beulah Mae Long. Cecil Darris Easter died on 15 December 1991 at Hazel Green, Alabama, at age 77.

     Champion Easter was born on 10 February 1785 at Wilkes County, Georgia.¹ He was the son of James Easter and Sarah Thompson. Champion Easter married Ann Rucker say 1804 at Georgia. Champion Easter married Martha Jefferson Walker, daughter of Fanny Eddins, on 27 August 1822 at Madison County, Alabama.² Champion Easter died on 17 September 1856 at Limestone County, Alabama, at age 71. He was buried circa 20 September 1856 at Easter Family Cemetery, Champion Easter Farm, Limestone County, Alabama.
     Champion Easter served as guardian for William Thompson Easter in 1803, at Elbert County, Georgia.³ Champion Easter participated in the State lottery; Champion Easter is listed as having two draws. According to the qualification procedures for the lotteries this would indicate that he was married at this time. Champion Easter acquired 350 acres of land from William Oliver.⁴ He lived on 22 March 1819 at Madison County, Alabama; Account of Sale of Items of the Benjamin Eddins estate - Champion Easter, along with his brothers Lewis and William, bought items from the sale.⁵ On on 8 November 1830 at Limestone County, Alabama.⁶ He was Grantor on a deed to on 21 September 1838 at Limestone County, Alabama, Champion Easter bought from Sheriff J. Thomas Redus goods and chattels and charter lands of Ipse Harvey for $750.00.⁷ On on 8 June 1841 at Limestone County, Alabama, Champion Easter and wife, Martha J. sold 80 acres of land to Robert Tindall for $300.00.⁸ He was Grantor on a deed to on 1 June 1848 at Limestone County, Alabama, Champion bought 39.92 acres of land SWSW S19 T1S R5W.⁹ "Champion bought the Northeast quarter of the Northeast quarter of Section thirty-two in Township One South of Range five West, in the District of lands subject to sale at Huntsville, Alabama containing forty acres and fifty hunredths of an acre."¹⁰ He left a will on 26 November 1851 at Limestone County, Alabama, The State of Alabama, Limestone County,
I Champion Easter of the State and County aforesaid, being of sound mind and memory and being fully apprised of the necessity of arrang_e_ing my wordly affairs do make and ordain this my last will and Testament, hereby revoking and disannulling all others whatsoever,
I first desire that all my just debts be paid out of my Estate, I then give to my beloved wife Martha J. Easter during her life and at her death to be equ_e_lly divided amongst her children viz Sam_u_l W. Easter, Harriet E. Coffman, Benjam_n_ F. Easter, Richard R. Easter, Milton J. Easter, Francis E. Easter, Louisa W. Easter & Wm. F. Easter, the following property to wit. negro man York his wife Nancy & Nelly her child, negro girl Martha Boy Willis man Littleton, his wife Mary and her youngest four children man Cebe Girl Kissy Boy Gabe Caroline a woman & four children say Emmy Abram Virginia & Ann & Boy Larkin--also the plantation on which I now reside containing about Eight Hundred acres more or less, all my house hold & Kitchen furniture, Eight Horses or mules five milch cows, one wag_g_on & four oxen, Eight plows geers &c. Eight weeding Hoes. Two hundred Barrels corn, five thousand pounds fodder, two hundred doz(?) oats, all the sheep on the plantation, three axes, one carriage, fifty head Hogs five thousand pounds bacon, & three hundred pounds Lard, Theremainder of my negro property I desire valued and equally divided bewteen my above named Children, after deducting the portion of my Estate,
received by James D. Coffman the Husband of Harriet E. Coffman as per his rec_i_pt dated the 19th Feby 1849 for Twenty Nine Hundred & Sixty Seven Dollars & Eighty three cents, also deducting the amount paid Sam_u_l W. Easter as per rec_i_pt dated 19th Febry 1849 for Thirty hundred & forty dollars, I wish my lands on or near Sugar Creek & Limestone Creek, sold (this portion crossed out: and the proceeds Equally divided between my within named Children) I give to _sd_ my beloved children Milton J. Easter, Francis E. Easter and Louisa W. Easter Heirs(?) from(?) Five Hundred Dollars Each and Wm. F. Easter to have one Thousand dollars more than the balance of the within named children for the purpose of educating them. I desire my Executors to take charge of all notes, Bonds accounts & moneys and sell all property not mentioned in this instrument and divide the proceeds, between my within named children, after paying the several amounts as heretofore directed I do hereby constitute and ordain my beloved son Samul W. Easter, James D. Coffman & Mark M. Coffman, Executors of this my last will and Testament in witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand & seal this 26th Nov, One Thousand Eight Hundred and fifty one.
Champion Easter (seal)
In the presen_t_s of us
Peterson Tanner
B.M. Townsend
W.B. Smith

(Champion Easter died 17 September 1856. -MK).¹¹ He witnessed Athens News Courier, Friday October 15, 1999

Easters to gather at restored cemetery
UA archaeological team helped family find lost grave sites

By Charlotte Fulton
News-Courier Reporter

     Descendants of Champion Easter will congregate in Athens this weekend at the family cemetery which has been fully restored since a team from the University of Alabama Archaeological Services used ground radar last year to locate 11 graves there.

     Champion Easter owned 800 acres in western Limestone County and operated Easter Ferry across the Elk River from 1830 to approximately 1856. The Easter family cemetery was destroyed by bulldozer work sometime after the property went out of family ownership. It was rediscovered a few years ago by Clifton Poole, who was unaware of his family connection until he quite literally stumbled over the upturned grave marker of his great-great-great grandfather while walking over the 350-acre piece of property he had recently acquired.

     Last fall, two dozen or so Easter descendants from around the country gathered at the gravesite to clear ground and assist as the archaeological team located the graves. For some, it was the first face-to-face meeting, though they had been in correspondence since their “virtual introduction” two years earlier via a web site for Easter family genealogy.

     Gilbert Penley, Champion Easter’s great-great grandson, had little interest in family history until last year’s reunion sparked his imagination. After subsequent visits helped him to regard his Easter forebears as living beings who lived and loved and worked the land, he spent the intervening year making molds of the vault-like grave markers and pouring new ones and, in the process, gaining a new appreciation of family history.

     “I knew nothing whatsoever about Champion Easter,” Penley. “I had heard a cousin talk about him but I was never interested until they found the graveyard and I went out there. I just went out there to cut weeds, but we laid the graves out, made a map of them, pushed the dirt in and then laid the graves out again.”

     Most of the markers had been pushed into a pile, but one child’s tombstone, still in its original position, provided the first clue as to which person was buried in which grave. Penley says he feels confident that he and Poole have accurately identified the placement of the markers.

     Each restored marker consists of a two-inch slab, 30x72, laid directly on top of the burial site; 22-inch-high cornerposts, sides and ends forming a box; and another 30x72 concrete slab on top, with the name and dates inscribed on it.

     Only three graves - those of two adults and one child - remain unidentified, and Easter family researchers are on the way to solving those mysteries as well. The child, they believe, is one of Champion Easter’s two young daughters whose names appear in the 1840 census and are not listed in any later census. The adult graves probably belong to William Fletcher and his wife, whose relatives may have removed the stones to preserve them from further damage. William Fletcher’s stone was relocated, sometime after 1950 to the Poplar Creek Cemetery. The stone marking the grave of his wife, whose maiden name was Pettus, may have been moved to a family plot in Madison County. Penley and one of his newly discovered relatives, Bob Easter, who arrived Thursday from Austin, Texas, to attend the reunion, will try to verify the current location of her marker.

     Bob Easter stresses the importance of reclaiming gravesites and pertinent information before it is gone forever. The Champion Easter project, he points out, proves that “you can do it before they are lost.” He already has another project in mind: restoration of the Hancock-Grigory Cemetery, where the gravestone of Champion Dorcas Easter, Champion Easter’s son, is one in a stack of 11 markers removed from their graves. in 1999.

     Champion Easter was born on 18 March 1882 at Limestone County, Alabama.^3,1 He was the son of Milton James Easter and Susan Elizabeth "Bettie" Adams.² Champion Easter died on 14 November 1888 at Limestone County, Alabama, at age 6.^2,1 He was buried on 17 November 1888 at Poplar Creek Cemetery, Limestone County, Alabama.^2,1

     Champion A. "Coo" Easter was born circa 1812 at Georgia. He was the son of Lewis Easter and Elizabeth Neal. Champion A. "Coo" Easter married Margaret Neeland on 25 November 1841 at Monroe County, Mississippi.¹ Champion A. "Coo" Easter died circa 1896 at Monroe County, Mississippi. He was buried circa 1896 at Monroe County, Mississippi.
     Champion A. "Coo" Easter appeared on the census of 1850 at Household # 538-560, Greenwood Springs, Monroe County, Mississippi; Census data shows Champion, age 31; Margaret Neeland Easter, age 28; Elizabeth Easter, age 8; Andrew J. Easter, age 6; Jane Allen, age 30 living in household. He appeared on the census of 1870 at Smithville Post Office, Monroe County, Mississippi.² He and Margaret Neeland appeared on the census of 8 June 1880 at Sup Dist 1, Enumeration District 126, Quincy Township, Monroe County, Mississippi.³ Mrs. Miriam Baker Apperson, a compiler of Easter genealogy, wrote the following sketch of the life of Champion Easter: "My mother, Sallie Serena Easter Baker, has often recounted to me interesting stories of her childhood days spent on her father's farm in Quincy, Mississippi. None have interested me more than her impressions of my great-grandfather, Champion Easter. My mother was 21 years old when great-grandfather Champion Easter died at the age of 84 after a long and useful life as a cotton farmer in Quincy Mississippi. My mother's earliest recollections of him were very vivid, as his farm adjoined her father's "Champ's" large cotton farm. The long row of Negro farmhouses stood between the two farms and were a great temptation to her to stop and spend the day with some of the young Negros. These Negro houses remained standing until I, myself, was quite a large girl. One of Great-Grandfather Champ's daughters, named Mary Easter, remained on the plantation unmarried during her entire life. She added much to the gayiety of the farm for youngsters like my mother. Her beauty, her precise ways, and her affection for her nieces and nephews is still told today. Aunt Mary was not the only reason my mother liked to go to her Grandfather Champ's house. Aunt Elizabeth Easter Wise lived there too, along with her two children. Having become a widow early in her married life, Aunt Elizabeth Wise made Great-Grandfather Champ's home her home for the rest of her life. Many were the frolics between these two children and my mother. Great-Grandfather Champ Easter, my mother relates, was kind and generous to all. Her most vivid stories center around the wandering Pack-Peddlers, who manages to make Great-Grandfather Champ's home by night. It was generally know far and wide that there was plenty to eat at the Champion Easter home. Great was the delight of my mother at the close of the day to watch these travel worn peddlers unload their heavy leather shoulder cases and reveal . . . fantastic pieces of cotton and linen tablecloths, bedspreads, pillow cases, and other works of domestic art."⁴

     Champion Booker Easter was born on 4 September 1848 at Cherokee County, Texas, USA.¹ He was the son of Azmond Rucker Easter and Margaret C. Tindall.¹ Champion Booker Easter died on 25 April 1863 at Texas, USA, at age 14.¹

     Champion Dorcas Easter was born on 25 January 1811 at Athens, Limestone County, Alabama.¹ He was the son of Champion Easter and Ann Rucker. Champion Dorcas Easter died on 20 December 1846 at Athens, Limestone County, Alabama, at age 35.¹ He was buried on 23 December 1846 at Athens, Limestone County, Alabama.
     On on 15 April 1830 Champion D. Easter bought 145 acres for $551.00, located on the west side of Elk River, from Willoughby Pugh (dec'd, State of Missouri) estate.² On 29 April 1839 Limestone County, Alabama Champion Dorcas Easter, along with John J. Simpson, received from his brother, Asmond Rucker Easter, one thirteen year old negro boy named Peter as settlement for a debt.³ On on 27 December 1844 Champion Easter and wife, JoAnna, sold to Edward W. Grigsby, 166 acres for $100.00.⁴ On on 1 June 1848 at Huntsville, Morgan County, Alabama,, Champion Dorcas Easter bought land. Purchased the SW1/4 of the SW1/4 of Sec 19 in TWP 1 of Range 5 West in the District of lands subject to sale at Huntsville, Alabama.⁵ On on 1 June 1848 at Huntsville, Morgan County, Alabama,, Champion Dorcas Easter bought land. Champion Dorcas purchased the NW1/4 of the NW 1/4 of Section 30, TWP 1, Range 5 West in theDistrict of lands for sale at Huntsville, Alabama containing 39 acres and 85/100 of an acre.⁵

     Charles "Charlie" J Easter was born on 10 December 1893 at Monroe County, Mississippi. He was the son of Daniel R. Easter and Fannie L Pennington. Charles "Charlie" J Easter died in 1969 at Monroe County, Mississippi. He was buried in 1969 at Old Quincy Cemetery, Quincy, Monroe County, Mississippi.²

     Charles Darris Easter was born on 14 December 1884 at Monroe County, Mississippi.¹ He was the son of David Buckner Easter and Eugenia L. Funderburk. Charles Darris Easter married Alma Louise Gordon, daughter of Wade Hampton Jr. Gordon and Mary Elizabeth Montgomery, on 6 January 1910 at Monroe County, Mississippi. Charles Darris Easter died circa 1952 at Birmingham, Jefferson County, Alabama. He was buried circa 1952 at Birmingham, Jefferson County, Alabama.

     Charles Kirby Sr. Easter was born on 20 August 1916 at Amory, Monroe County, Mississippi. He was the son of Charles Darris Easter and Alma Louise Gordon. Charles Kirby Sr. Easter married Mary Elizabeth Williams on 8 July 1938 at Birmingham, Jefferson County, Alabama. Charles Kirby Sr. Easter died on 6 February 1976 at Detroit, Wayne County, Michigan, at age 59.

     Charlie Abi Easter was born on 6 April 1892 at Chico, Wise County, Texas, USA.¹ He was the son of Sackville Evan "Sag" Easter and Nancy E. Dunaway.¹

     Charlie Wilson Easter married Annie Kate Thompson in 1939 at Quincy, Monroe, Mississippi, USA.² Charlie Wilson Easter died in 1984.¹

     Christopher Columbus Easter was born on 27 July 1892 at Mart, McClennan County, Texas, USA.¹ He was the son of William Champion Easter Jr. and Mary Josephine Cummings.¹ Christopher Columbus Easter died on 4 January 1979 at Mart, McClennan County, Texas, USA, at age 86.¹ He was buried on 6 January 1979 at Mart Cemetery, Mart, McClennan County, Texas, USA.¹

     Clara Easter was born in 1876.¹ She was the daughter of Thomas J. Easter and Mary Amanda Wood.¹
     Clara Easter appeared on the census of 2 June 1880 in the household of Thomas J. Easter and Mary Amanda Wood at Sup Dist 1, Enumeration District 128, Beat # 3, Monroe County, Mississippi.³

     Clarah Easter was born circa 1871. She was the daughter of James Jefferson Easter and Sarah Elizabeth Clay. Clarah Easter married John E. Abney. Clarah Easter married J.J. Morrow on 16 December 1896 at Monroe County, Mississippi.¹ Clarah Easter died.
     Her married name was Abney. As of 16 December 1896,her married name was Morrow.¹

     Clarence Easter was born on 28 June 1887 at Mart, McClennan County, Texas, USA.¹ He was the son of Evan Dorcas Easter and Mary Matilda "Molly" Breland.¹ Clarence Easter died on 28 September 1961 at McClennan County, Texas, USA, at age 74.¹

     Clarence Eugene Easter was born on 22 January 1923. He was the son of Lucullus Goodman Easter and Nancy Dillard Roach. Clarence Eugene Easter died on 25 July 1944 at age 21.

     Clarissa Easter was born circa 1810 at Georgia. She was the daughter of Lewis Easter and Elizabeth Neal. Clarissa Easter died.
     Never married.

     Claybourne Alexander Easter was born in 1915. He was the son of Thomas Texas Jr Easter and Martha Ada Love.

     Clovis Easter was born on 14 April 1927 at Carter, Carter, Oklahoma.¹ He was the son of Grover Cleveland Easter and Jessie B. Thompson. Clovis Easter married an unknown person on 6 January 1954 at Cordell, Oklahoma.¹ He died on 20 May 2004 at Weatherford, Oklahoma, at age 77.¹ Clovis L. Easter, 77, retired Air Force Major, was born on April 14, 1927 to Grover and Jesse B. Thompson Easter near Carter, Oklahoma and passed away peacefully to be with the Lord, after a ong and courageous battle with cancer on May 20, 2004 at his home in Weatherford, Oklahoma. Clovis enlisted in the U.S. Navy in 1943 serving 2 1/2 years as a Signalman Third Class and continued 4 years in the Naval reserves. After his Naval discharge in 1946, Clovis returned home as a senior in high school, graduating from Highway High School in 1947. He later graduated from Sayre Junior College. He joined the military in 1951 to serve his country with in the U.S. Air Force as an officer and piolet for over 20 years. "Luke" as he was called inn the Air Force, was an extremely patriotic citizen and served his ccountry with distinction and honor, seeing action in WW II and Vietnam. While serving in the Air Force, lovis received numerous awards, medals and decorations. His quick thinking and fast actions, along with his "air discipline and ... high degree professional airmanship...reflected great credit upon himself and the United States Air Force," which made him highly respected and a hero in the eyes of his colleagues and family members. On January 6, 1954, Clovis married Ruth Sutton, in Cordell, Oklahoma. To this union were four children, Ruth Ann, Kim, Terri and Luke. After retiring from the Air Force in 1969, Clovis and Ruth made their home in Cordell to raise their children and run an insurance business. In 1980, they moved to Weatherford and continued in the insurance industry until his retirement in 1996. Anyone that knew Clovis also knew him to be a die-hard OU football fan. He kept up with the OU football team, working on stats daily, watching all the games on his big screen, and seeing OU play Florida Championship at the Orange Bowl, beforee his health failed. After his eight-and-one-half hour extensive surgery at USC Medical Center in Los Angles, California, he demanded to be released within a few days to watch an OU football game. Clovis was a loving husband, devoted father and grandpa. He enjoyed golfing, hunting and fishing with his family and friends, having coffee with his buddies at the Point and he especially loved being around his family. He was a member of the Masonic Lodge Western Star Lodge 138 and also Heartland Shrine Club. He was a fine example of a man - good and honorable. He worked hard and loved his family and friends with great devotation. He was a fighter...he fought a valient battle with cancer for over seven years. Clovis is survived by his wife of 50 years, Ruth Easter, daughters, Ruth Ann Easter and husband Mark Albertson, of Cleburne, Texas, Kim Vallier and husband Chad, of Fountaion Valley, California, Terri L. Kauk and husband Kenny of Leedey, Oklahoma, and one son Luke Easter and wife Stacey of Littletown, Pennsylvania. Nine grandchildren, Ryan Rainbolt, Emma Easter-Albertson, Jenae Veal, Brandi Kauk-Green, Heather and Dane Kauk, Cori, Adrienne, and Madi Easter and two step-granddaughters Monique and Alexandra Vallier. He is also survived by his older brother Samuel Wayne Easter and wife Naomi of Harper, Kansas, "baby sister" Etta Mae and husband Delbert Oehme of Bryan, Texas. sister-in-law, Muriel Bloomer Easter of Ft. Worth, Texas and many loving and caring family members and friends. Clovis was preceded in death by his parents, three brothers, Damon, Cleveland and Delbert Easter, and an infant sister Fern Easter. Funeral services were held at 2:00 p.m., Thursday June 3, 2004 at the First Baptist Church in Weatherford, Oklahoma with interment at Lawnview Cemetery, Cordell, Washita County, Oklahoma.²

     Columbia "Clumby" Easter was born circa 1858 at Monroe County, Mississippi. She was the daughter of Elbert Jefferson Easter and Elizabeth Baker Grubbs. Columbia "Clumby" Easter married H. W. Thomas on 26 January 1881. Columbia "Clumby" Easter died.

     Columbus Walter Easter was born on 6 July 1898.¹ He was the son of William Riley Easter and Martha Emaline Edge. Columbus Walter Easter married Ora Ada Moore circa 1920 at Amory, Monroe County, Mississippi, USA.² Columbus Walter Easter died on 1 December 1973 at Aberdeen, Monroe County, Mississippi, USA, at age 75.³ He was buried on 3 December 1973 at Aberdeen Oddfellows Cemetery, Aberdeen, Monroe County, Mississippi, USA.²
     As of after 1910, Columbus Walter Easter was also known as Went by 'Walter'
Known by Grandchildren as "Doc."²