Alabama Genealogy in Color

Up on a hill, off Route 431, in Barbour County, AL, there is a beautiful church called Sandville Baptist Church.  The grounds of the church and gravesite are immaculately kept.  During my first visit to this location I met the man on the mower, the one who takes care of the final resting place our ancestors.  Ever-busy cousin Lannie Stanford, almost went undetected, as his brother Earl walked me around genealogical heaven. 

Finally I was visiting the folks on the census and death records which I collected.  Here they are in real life.  At one time they walked these grounds and worship in church.  At one time family gathered to say goodbye. 

I hopped from one grave to the next, greeting collateral ancestors.  Then I regained my focus, and asked for the locations of my direct ancestors.  The graves located closest to the woods, or the back of the church were mostly Stanford’s.  When we stood at the feet of Will Stanford (1878-1938), my 2x great grand father, the first thing I said was, Hey Will, how did you get and maintain 158 acres of land?  Maybe I should have asked who his great grand parents were. Duh. 

Then we visited his daughter Lucile Stanford Daniels (1901-1928).  This was a quieter moment.  I imagined my grandmother standing in this spot.  Then I paused, because she would have been too young to walk when she lost her mother.  My question to Lucile was, “why were you in Florida.”  According to the death record, her fatal illness, pellagra, began in Florida.  

The first wife of Will Stanford, Pearl Frazier Stanford, was buried at Searcy Hospital, according to the death certificate.  The parents of Will, Green Stanford and Cherley Craddock were not located.  Cousin Lannie states that they may be in the very old unmarked graves.  These graves are in the front on the wood-side. (Yes her name is Cherley.  I too thought that is was a census error, but her marriage records shows the same name.  Maybe the census taker and county clerk were the same person.)

Two additional direct ancestors buried at Sandville are part of the Craddock family. Currently, there are six burials with the Craddock surname.  They are listed below. Cherley Craddock Stanford’s parents, Wesley and Pollie Craddock are buried in the front and center of the cemetery.  Two of her siblings Ed and John are buried closer to Rt. 431.  Roy and Hattie Craddock were married, but their connection to the others is unknown.

List of Craddocks Buried at Sandville Church 

• Craddock, Wesley
  • Birth: 18?3
  • Death: 1912
  • Inscription: Wesley Craddock, Born-18?3, Died-??R 19, 1912, He was a member of S.D.C. – BSB;
  • Area: Wood-side; Row:
• Craddock, Pollie
  • Birth: 18?0
  • Death: 1914
  • Inscription: Pollie Craddock, Feb 10, 18?0, Aug 14, 1914; 
  • Area: Wood-side; Row:
• Craddock, Ed
  • Birth: 1880
  • Death: 1965;
  • Inscription: Ed Craddock, B-10 10 1880, D  5  25 1965;
  • Area: Wood-side; Row: 1
• Craddock, John
  • Birth: 1865
  • Death: 1949
  • Inscription: John Craddock, May ? 1865, Aug 8 1949
  • Area: Wood-side' Row: 1
• Craddock, Hattie
  • Birth: 1887
  • Death: 1952
  • Inscription: Hattie Craddock, 1887-1952
  • Area: Street-side; Row: 4
• Craddock, Roy
  • Birth: 1897 Death: 1949
  • Inscription: Roy Craddock, 1897-1949
  • Area: Street-side; Row: 4