A SKETCH OF THE STURGELL GENERATION

Date of writing: Sept. 2, 1929


This is a brief history of the Sturgell generation. It dates
back three generations from James Louis Sturgell who dictates the
writings that are here written. He says his grandfather was born
in North Carolina but moved to Scott County, Viirginia to make his
living. His name was John Sturgell. In his later life he
settled in Kentucky in the county of Floyd, on what is called Mud
Creek. He was one of the first settlers on this creek, and
guessing from the ages of his children and his children's
children it must have been about one hundred and seventy five
years ago; back in the time of our first president, George
Washington.

John had a large and well balanced family consisting of six boys
and six girls. The girls were named as follows: Jane, Susie,
Edie, Nancy, Amie, and Feebie. Feebie married a man by the name
of Jones and they had a son who became a doctor. Dr. Jones was
one of the leading physicians of Johnson County Kentucky. James
Louis tells that many years ago he paid a visit to his aunt
Feebie and spent a night with the family. At that time they
lived near Flat Gap in Johnson County.

All the girls were married and their rlames were as follows after
their marriages: Jane Howell, Susie Carter, Edie Alley, Nancy
Ray, and Amie was wedded to a Justice. Here it may be well to
mention that Susie who was married to a Carter was honored by a
son who became a famous doctor. James Louis says that he was
well acquainted with old doctor Carter and that he was well liked
by all who knew him. He ministered to the needs of the sick
throughout Scott County Virginia and had good success with his
patients.

The boys were six in number: Eli, Louis, John, Joe, William and
Jessie. Jessie was the father of James Louis. We do not know
the occupation the those children but it is supposed that they
made their living by farming. Jessie moved to Kentucky from
Virginia but went on to the Scioti Valley of Ohio because money
was scarce here in Kentucky at that time. It is said that at
that time this part of Kentucky was almost a wilderness. The
cane would grow up along the bank of the Big Sandy River and fall
over in places and the tops would touch in the center of the
rlver.

John Sturgell Jr. who was the son of old John Sturgell with whom
this writing begins; lived on Tom's Creek in Johnson County,
Kentucky. He also had a good sized family namely, John James,
Robert, Loucendie, Artie, Amie, Mary, and perhaps one whose name
was Elisa. Artie was the mother of Mrs. Whitman who lives in
Pikeville, Ky. Amie was the mother of Mollie Friend who now
lives in Prestonsbury, Ky.


Joe Strugell (who was the uncle of James Louis) had two boys who
were preachers. One of the preachers was James Louis who rode a
wide circuit in this country doing preaching. He was a Northern
Methodist. John Henry was also a preacher of the same
denomination and he was also in the legislature at Frankfort. He
was there at the time Williams Gobel was assassinated.

From this point on this writing will be narrowed down to Jessie
Sturgell's family and from that to James Louis' family. The
children that make up the family of Jessie Sturgell were seven in
number and are as follows: James Louis, Armenta, Amie Frances,
Patience Jane, John W., Jessie P., Malenda C., and Andy Jackson.
They were all married and spent the greater part of their lives
here in the Eastern part of Kentucky.

James Louis has been married twice. His first wife was a
Keathley and he had four children by her, two of which died in
their infancy. Those living are Mary and Frances. Mary married
Andy King and Frances was wedded to Pierce Munroe and they both
now live in the State of Ohio. James Louis now has more than
fifty grandchildren in the state of Ohio and some of them are
Catholics. One of his grand children who was the daughter of Mr.
and Mrs. Pierce Munroe was married to a Catholic and they now
have some children who are Catholic going to Catholic schools and
churches. James Louis also has more than fifty grand children in
the state of KentuckY, making more than a hundred in all.

His second wife was a Starnes from the state of Virginia. In
this family there were eleven children Viz. , Sallie, Jane,
Derinda Maude, Samuel Jessie, Joe Matison, James L. Jr. ,
Patience, Elizabeth, George Cleveland, Daniel Lawrance, Lou Emma,
and Willie Johnson who died in his childhood. Sallie Jane also
died a few years ago. The rest are all living here in the
eastern part of Kentucky following trades of various kinds and
they all seem to be very successful. Sallie Jane was the wife of
a farmer and a preacher. They got along well in her lifetime.
Derinda Maude is the wife of a farmer and saw-mill man. Theyare
getting along well with their family and all their neighbors.
Samuel, who is more commonally called Sam, married a May who is a
splendid worker and a good manager in the home. Sam follows the
trade of a farmer and peddler. He has always been a hard and
honest worker it can truly be said. Sam is a man with a well
balanced mind and stands ready to help out his friends.

Joe has been a carpenter for the past few years and has been
engaged in building bridges and homes for the people. He seems
to be successful in this occupation.

All the others are doing well in their various trades. Lou Emma
who is the youngest of the family, still stays with her father.
For over ten years she has successfully operated the old Pigeon
Post office of Pike County. She seems to enjoy the work and it
has proved to be satisfactory with "Uncle Sam". Some five years
ago she was married to Oscar Brewer, a man well thought of in the
community, and they seem to be getting along in a splendid way.



The following gives the date of birth of the brothers and sisters
of James Louis Sturgell.
Name. Born
J. L. Sturgell. July 25, 1844
J. W. Sturgell. Feb. 10, 1846
Patience J. Sturgell. Nov'. 22, 1848
Frances Sturgell. .Mar. 21, 1850
Armenta Sturgell. May 30, 1852
Malenda C. Sturgell May 24, 1854
Jessie P. Sturgell. ..Oct. 28, 1857
Andy J. Strugell. ..April 10, 1860


All this record has been given by James Louis Sturgell as well as
he can remember. He is the oldest of the family and has now
passed his eighty--fifth birthday, but he has good health, looks
well, and has a wonderfully good memory. He is the only man or
woman 1iving who knows the history of his ancestry and we are
certainly grateful to him for passing this record on to us.

This paper has been a request of several of the relatives of the
Sturgells and more may be added to it as more data is gathered.

"Amy Sturgill, daughter of William Sturgill, the youngest son of John
and Amy (Hall) Sturgill, left a notebook in which she had written the
names of the children of John and Amy, which corroborates the list of
James Lewis Sturgill. In other words, Amy and James Lewis were first
cousins and both left us a list of the children of John and Amy which is
the same.


Courtesy of: Efonda S. Doughton, 578 South Lakeview Way,
Farmington, UT 84025


 

     This document is one I found in SLC Utah in the US/CAN Book section. Its
called Old Floyd Co.,KY Families, #976.9, D25o, V. 3, no. 1. I tried to send
it as an attachment and did not realize I couldn't do that. Anyway, I
scanned it as a text document and am sending it this way. I thought there
might be something in it that the Sturgill/Sturgell families haven't found.
     My interest in it was the fact that, Emily Amie Sturgill b.1840 married
(5/20/1858) my Great grandfather Edwin J. Friend and had one child Mary
Mollie Friend b. February 14, 1859. Mollie was married to John Cabell
Breckenridge "JCB" Auxier and lived in Pretonsburg KY.

I hope it can help the Sturgell family.


Janet Blair