The Ocala banner., 1922-05-19
THE EPPEs FAMILY

nl Lie Lille VI W 1IiidLl TIC SOuqucTOT
in England
In the early days of 1900 Francis
Eppes obtained a grant of land and
transportation for himself, his three
sons and 80 servants, in the Virginia
colony and settled near City Point,
Va, on the James river, near the
mouth of the Appomattox This beau
tiful homestead is still in the posses
sion of the Eppes family. I Dating
back three hundred years, it is said
no other tract of land in America has
been so long in unbroken possession
of one family.
Three of Francis Eppes' descend
ants in lineal succession bore the
name of Francis, and each were dis
tinguished by the title of colonel.
Each were members of the house of
burgesses, commissioners and mem
bers of council
Colonel Francis Eppes, H., was
mortally wounded by the Indians in
1878 He was a gallant officer in col
onial wars, and membes, of colonial
council in 1866.
Martha Eppes married John Way
les. Their daughter, widow of Bat
hurst Shelton, became the second wife
of Thomas Jefferson. Their daughter,
Maria Jefferson, married her first
cousin, John Wayles Eppes. He was
Thomas Jeffersons favorite son-in-
law. After her death he married Mar
tina, daughter of Hon. Wyles Jones,
of North Carolina, from whose fami-
ly the naval hero John Paul Jones
took his name.
1T is very interesting to note how
often these lines diverge and come
together in succeeding generations.
Colonel Francis Eppes, ILL.,, mar
ried Anne Isham, and their daughter,
Elizabeth, married Henry Randolph,
prominent in history. Families inter-
marrying were Hairston-Hardyman,
Martin Worsham, Little-Berry, Isham.
Collier, McGehee-TIill and Strongs
Prominent Atlantans, descendants
of the Eppes, are Mrs. Charles Rice,
Miss Mary Rice, Mrs. Betty Hairston
Ingles and Miss Lee Ingles, of Rich
mond, Va, and Atlanta Furnished
by the Bureau of Civic and Military
Achievement, Washington, and edited
by Miss Alice May Messengale, State
Editor d. A. r. (Georgia)
We are interested in the Eppes fam
lilly as our mother was, before mar
riage, Miss Virginia Dandrigde Eppes
of Laurens, S. c.
In 1916 two brothers, William and
Daniel Eppes moved from Nottoway
county, South Carolina Prior to their
leaving Virginia these two brothers
married two sisters-Misses Hardy.
They settled on Duncan Creek in New
berry county on large estate.
I 1t seems that these two young men
were growers of tobacco in Virginia
Early in the century the tobacco busi-
ness was not profitable in Virginia
and these young planters conceived
the idea that they would move into
the cotton belt with their slaves and
grow the fleecy staple.
| Each of these two brothers had two
children--all boys. The sons of Viii
liam Eppes were named, James Mon
roe and John Wales; the sons OF
Daniel Eppes were James Madison
and George. John Wales Eppes, who
lived at Laurens, S. c., married Othello
Boyd and from this union came Vir-
ginia cambridge Eppes who in 1868
was married to Newton Farmer Walk
er, the present Superintendent of this
school, From this union there are liv-
ing three sons and one daughter. The
oldest son is Horace Eppes Walker
who up to last June was the Superin-
tendent of the Tennessee school for
forced him to give UP his work The
second son is Albert Hayne Walker,
the president Of the Florida school
for the deaf and the blind at st. -Au-
gustine. Florida. The third son is
William Laurens Walker, who is Prin-
cipal of the South Carolina school for
the deaf and the blind at Cedar
Springs, S. C. The one daughter is
Mrs. r. NJ. Hitch Of Savannah, Ga.
Mr. Hitch is one of Sayannahs lead
ing lawyers.
We have seen the house that Daniel
after his coming to this state-it is
still standing. Close to this is very