SOURCE: Kay Nielsen, Titusville, New Jersey (Family Group Records)

SOURCE: Jack F. Shotts of Lexington, KY; family group charts dated 4 Jan. 1996.

CENSUS: 1850 Marion Co., AL census, house 136.

CENSUS: 1870 Marion Co., AL census (Pikeville, house 167/167).

RES: Winston [488] Stidham settled in Bexar, Marion Co., Alabama. He acquired the following tracts of Chickasaw Indian land ceded to the US Government by treaty, being part of Township 10, Range 15 West:
Section 9, 160 acres, 6 Oct 1840
Section 16, 160 acres, 16 May 1844
Section 17, 160 acres, 12 Dec 1836

POLITICS: He was a member of the Alabama Secession Convention at Montgomery, Alabama, January 1861. Member of the Alabama Legislature beginning in January 1867.- ref. Judge James Edgar Shotts, Sr., letter to OEJS, 26 Mar 1973.

CEMETERY-DEATH-BURIAL: Dorothy S. and William S. Stalcup, "Cemetery Inscriptions of Marion County, Alabama," Vol. II, 1980.

From Thomas McAdory Owen, LL.D. "History of Alabama and Dictionary of Alabama Biography." The S. J. Clarke Publishing Co., Chicago, 1921, Vol. IV, page 1616.
STEDHAM, WINSTON, delegate Secession Convention, 1861, farmer and surveyor, was born November 10, 1810, at Winchester, Franklin County, Tenn., and died September 29, 1895, at Bexar; son of Isaac and Mary (Hallmark) Stedham of Franklin County, Tenn., after whose death the latter and her children removed to Blount County; grandson of Benjamin Stedham and wife, both of whom migrated from England and settled in Tennessee. He attended school but three months, his education being acquired by study at home. When nineteen years of age he joined a surveying party and went to Marion County and in 1829-30 helped to survey the original land lines west of Games' Trace. In 1832 he located on a farm and engaged in agricultural pursuits the remainder of his life. He was a justice of the peace in Marion County for twenty years; senior delegate from his county, with Lang Allen, to the secession convention, 1861; senior member Alabama legislature, with John Hollis Bankhead, 1866; a Douglass Democrat and voted against Alabama leaving the Union; a Methodist, and a Mason. Married: (1) in 1831, near Bexar, to Mary Ann Markham who lived at Barnesville; (2) in 1838, at Shotville, to Miss Stone, daughter of John Stone who was born in Virginia in 1785, and died in 1896, being among the early settlers of Marion County. Children: by first wife, 1. Serena, m. ? Clayton; 2. Nancy Elvira, m. Hayes;
3. Carter W.; by second wife, 4. Sopronia Jane, m. William Shotts; 5. Lucinda Emmaline, m. J. M. Shotts; 6. Mary Evaline, m. Lindsey; 7. Mahala Caroline, m. Asbury Ballard; 8. Elvira Elizabeth, m. William Lindsey; 9. Telitha, m. John Duke; 10. Kansada; 11. John Haben; 12. Dillmus LaFayette. Last residence: Bexar.

1971 marker erected in Shottsville Cemetery, Marion Co., Alabama by Judge James Edgar Shotts of Jasper, Alabama: "Winston Dilmus Stidham, born Nov 10, 1810 in Georgia, oldest son of four to Isaac and Mary Hallmark Stidham. Other - Wesley 1812, Union 1816, Haben 1818. Father died 1820. Mother married Henry Miller, Parents of James 1824, Elizabeth (Clark) 1826, William 1828, & John 1830. At 16 Winston joined a US Surveyors party for employment. After first wife's death, moved to Alabama with their children. Bought 320 acres of Chickasaw Indian Land near present site of Bexar from the US Land Office, Pontotoc, Miss. and became a farmer. In 1840 purchased 320 acres more. Step-father and brothers also purchased nearby tracts of Indian Land. December 1860 elected to represent Marion County at Alabama Seccession Convention, Montgomery. January 1861. Twelve or more nephews, equally divided as Federal and Confederate Soldiers in Civil War. Assisted in caring for soldiers families during the war. 1866 was elected to Reconstruction Legislature of Alabama 1867. Traveled to Montgomery by boat on the Tombigbee and Alabama Rivers. Organized and life member Masonic Lodge No. 230 at Bexar, Alabama." (ref. Dorothy S. and William S. Stalcup, "Cemetery Inscriptions of Marion County, Alabama," Vol. II, 1980. Photo sent by Ama Lou Thomas of Coatopa, Alabama.)

OBITUARY: "Mr. Winston Stidham, who lived 9 miles west of this place, died last Friday, the 13th inst., aged 83 years old. His wife had preceded hin to the grave, but he leaves 7 children and quite a number of grandchildren. The mortal remains of Mr. Stidham was buried on Saturday, the 14th inst., with Masonic honors by Bexar Lodge, of which he was a member. Mr. Stidham was a member of the Secession Convention of Alabama and voted against the Secession ordinance. He also represented Marion County in the Legislature directly after the war." (The Hamilton News-Press<, Hamilton, Alabama, Sep 19, 1895)

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PHOTOGRAPH

• Married: 1831

1. Serena Ann [1036] STIDHAM b: Mar 1831 in Marion County,Alabama
2. Carter W. [1037] STIDHAM b: 1834 in ,,Georgia
3. Nancy Elizabeth [1038] STIDHAM b: 1835 in ,,Alabama

• Married: 1838

1. Saphronia Jane [1039] STIDHAM b: 8 May 1839 in ,,Alabama
2. Lucinda Emmaline [1040] STIDHAM b: 18 May 1840 in Bexar,Marion Co.,Alabama
3. Mary Evaline [1041] STIDHAM b: Sep 1842 in ,,Alabama
4. Mahala Caroline [1042] STIDHAM b: 6 Nov 1843 in ,,Alabama
5. Elvira Elizabeth [1043] STIDHAM b: 18 Aug 1846 in ,Marion Co.,Alabama
6. Talitha Ann "Lile" [1044] STIDHAM b: 12 Oct 1849 in Marion, Alabama, USA
7. Canzada [1045] STIDHAM b: 1850
8. Tempa A. [1046] STIDHAM b: 1852 in ,,Alabama
9. John Haben [1047] STIDHAM b: 9 Apr 1852 in ,,Alabama
10. Dilmus Lafayette T. [1048] STIDHAM b: 10 Dec 1854 in ,Marion Co.,Alabama