COLBERTIANS
By R. L. James
SECTION III OBITUARIES AND CEMETERY RECORDS
To the Readers of the Alabama Historical Quarterly: (The Alabama Historical Quarterly, Vol. 07, No. 03, Fall Issue 1945)
I am releasing another section. No. 3, of my article “Colbertians.” I hope it will be possible for me to add one more section but I am sure there will still be many interesting people whom I cannot include. In addition to those to .whom I expressed thanks in the preface (See No. 2 Vol. 7) I wish to acknowledge my appreciation to Mr. James Carloss of Elkmont; Mrs. J. F. Craig, Jasper; Mrs. William Malone and Mrs. W. D. Brotherton, Cherokee; Mrs. Emma Scruggs and Miss Mattie Guy, Tuscumbia; and there are probably others who deserve to be mentioned in this connection whom I cannot at this moment recall. Mr. Woodruff Delony gave me quite a bit of information. I was at his house on August 6, 1946, which incidentally, was his eighty-sixth birthday, and had a long conversation with him. Since then this venerable citizen of Leighton, has passed away. He was a son of Dr. Edward B, Delony. I hope to write more about the Delony family in some future issue of the Quarterly. Sept 4, 1946 R. L. JAMES
MRS. ALEXANDER MALONE
BIOGRAPHY and GENEALOGY
(July 27, 1804 – September 28, 1884)
Virginia, Colbert County, Alabama
“IN MEMORIAM Mrs. Elizabeth Malone, wife of the late Alexander Malone, died at her home near Cherokee, Ala. Sept. 28, 1884, aged 80 years. She was born in Rockingham County, Va. July 27, 1804. At an early age she moved from her native State to Kentucky, where she lived several years, and from thence came to Tuscumbia, Ala. where she resided a number of years and where she was married to her late husband who died two years since. She then came to the vicinity of Cherokee where she lived up to the time of her death-more than forty-two years.
“While the useful and eventful life of this good noble Christian woman—this mother in Israel—had been spun out beyond her fourscore years, and it might have been expected that at any moment she would be called to reap her rich reward beyond the shining shore, yet, the sorrowful intelligence of her death will moisten many an eye and carry a pang of sorrow to many hearts, for being one of the good women of the earth, none knew her but to praise. A devoted and affectionate wife, a fond loving and indulgent mother and grandmother, a kind neighbor and hearted, true and faithful friend, she endeared to her in the strongest ties, by her beautiful conduct all who enjoyed her acquaintance or the hospitality of her home, where her presence is so severely missed, and where is left a void that none can fill. Her many ennobling characteristics of head and heart shone out resplendent in her daily walks of life, and her many virtues were a fit setting to that Christian character which was so lovely and surrounded by as, a bright halo to the end. She loved her home, she loved her friends and above all, she delighted in the services of that God on whose true and never failing arm she had implicitly leaned for more than sixty-seven years. The sweep of the death angel’s wing had no terror for her. Feeling that it was ‘not all of life to live, nor all of death to die’ she passed peacefully and calmly across the turbid, chill water, and gained the portals of eternal day—the haven of everlasting rest, where the loved ones gone before, and those left behind, emulating her bright example, will meet and strike hands on the banks of sweet deliverance.
W.S.N.”
The obituary of Mrs. Malone is from the North Alabamian for Oct. 10, 1884.
There is a notice of her death in the same publication for Oct. 3, 1874 (1884?), written, I suppose, by A. H. Keller. This account says she died on the 27th of September. It says “She belonged -to a class of noble Christian women who gave character and tone to society in the early days of civilization in the Tennessee Valley.”
Mrs. Malone’s maiden name was Elizabeth Edwards. She married Isaiah Thatcher and they were among the early residents of Tuscumbia. Mr. Thatcher is buried in Oakwood Cemetery at Tuscumbia as well as some of their children. From his gravestone we learn that he died Aug. 25, 1939 aged 53. There were several Thatcher children. One, who died young, had the very unusual name of “Return.” Alexander Malone, the second husband of Elizabeth Edwards, was commonly known as “Sandy Malone.” He had been previously married. He was one of the outstanding farmers of the Cherokee section and of considerable wealth. I am advised that Goodloe Warren Malone who also lived near Cherokee, and who was considered one of the wealthiest men in what is now Colbert, and Mitchell Malone a prominent citizen of Lauderdale county were brothers of Alexander or “Sandy” Malone.
Several children were also born to Alexander and Elizabeth (Edwards) Malone and from them have descended respected and well known citizens.
