Category: D – F

Biography: Psychologist. Born– April 30, 1933, New York. Parents– David and Dorothy (Schwartz) Dinoff. Married– Sondra Miselson, June 27, 1953. Children– Three. Education– Indiana University, B.A., 1955; University of Alabama, M.S., 1957; University of Tennessee, Ph.D., 1960. Held various assistant teaching and training positions in Knoxville and Bristol, Tennessee, and at Birmingham, Alabama, 1955-1961; research psychologist for…

Biography: Baptist clergyman. Born– April 24, 1865, Chambers County. Parents– Andrew Jackson and Marie Antoinette (Bailey) Dawson. Married– Margaret Samuel Lewis, October 30, 1890. Children– Two. Education– Howard College, A.B., 1886;  Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, (graduated 1889); studied at Columbian University (became George Washington University in 1904), the University of Alabama, and the University of Berlin, Germany. Ordained in Baptist ministry,…

Attorney, seven-term U.S. Congressman. Born– December 20, 1913, Vina. Parents– George W. and Lenora (Massey) Elliott. Married– Jane Hamilton, June 3, 1940, Children– Four. Education– Graduated from Vina High School, 1930 (valedictorian of his class); University of Alabama, A.B., 1933. Graduated from UA Law School in 1936; admitted to the Alabama Bar, 1936.Practiced law in…

Educator, writer, U.S. Steel employee. Born– April 18, 1902, Leeds.  Parents– James Barnett and Ida Lee (Vann) Elliott. Married– Laura Emily Bozeman, February 25, 1928. Children– Three. Education– Birmingham-Southern, B.S., 1926; University of Alabama, M.A., 1929; George Peabody College, 1937. Taught in Jefferson County Public Schools, 1926-1929; Boyles Grammar School in Tarrant, 1929-1937; Birmingham schools,…

Biography: Teacher, writer, clerical worker. Born– October 20, 1862, Huntsville. Parents– Zebulon Pike (an early mayor of Huntsville) and Williametta (Eason) Davis. Education– Private tutors. Taught in public schools in Alabama, Florida, Mississippi, Tennessee, and Arkansas, 1893-1900; worked as a stenographer and newspaper writer; held various government positions, including deputy clerk for U.S. District Court, Northern District…

Biography: Professor of public administration; consultant. Born– October 3, 1919, Milton, Wisconsin. Parents– John Norton and Nellie (Furrow) Daland. Married (1) Dorothy Shaw, June 6, 1942; children–two. Married (2) Edwina Nary, November 20, 1979.  Education– Milton College, B.A., 1942; University of Wisconsin, M.A., 1947; Ph.D. 1952. U.S. Army service, 1942-45. Taught at the University of…

Biography:  Engineer; professor of engineering; university dean. Born– June 28, 1876, Washington, D.C. Parents George Jacob and Nora Ninette Jones Davis.  Married– Ardelia Barbara Meyer, June 28, 1905.  Children– Two. Education– Attended George Washington University; Cornell University, B.C.E., 1902. Taught engineering at  the University of Wisconsin, 1902-1912; University of Alabama, 1912-1946; dean of the College of Engineering,…

Biography: Civil Rights activist. Born–August 6, 1903, Birmingham. Parents– Sterling and Josephine (Rice) Foster. Married– Clifford Judkins Durr, March 5, 1926. Children– Five. Attended Wellesley College, 1921-23. Member of the Southern Conference for Human Welfare (1938) and the National Committee to Abolish the Poll Tax; active in Henry Wallace Campaign for the presidency. Ran for…

Biography: School administrator, museum director, writer. Born– January 1, 1918, Danville, Va. Parents– Thomas C. and Ethel (Loving) Delaney. Married– Lois Jean Fitzsimmons, July 20, 1960. Education– Spring Hill College, B.S., 1941; University of Alabama, M.A., 1952. Served as dean of the University Military School, 1941-1956; founder and superintendent of Julius T. Wright School for…

Biography: Lawyer, banker. Born– June 10, 1885, LaFayette. Parents– Nimrod Davis and Carrie (Vernon) Denson. Married– Clara Ellen Forbes Owens, December 10, 1940. Education– Alabama Polytechnic Institute, B.S., 1905; M.S., 1906; University of Alabama, LL.B, 1908. Military service–U.S. Army captain, WWI. Practiced law in LaFayette, 1908; in Opelika until 1940; president of Farmers National Bank. Member…

Biography: Inventor; radio pioneer. Born– August 26, 1873, Council Bluffs, Iowa. Parents– Henry Swift and Anna Margaret (Robbins) DeForest. Moved to Talladega, Alabama, at the age of six, when his father became president of Talladega College.  Married– Lucille Sheardown, 1906; Nora Staton Blatch, 1908;.  Mary Mayo, 1912; Marie Mosquinti, 1930. Children– Three. Education– Yale University,…

Biography: Botanist; university professor. Born– January 12, 1916, Charleston, Ill. Parents– Leonard Ernest and Jessie Allie (Echard) Davis. Married– Dorothy Dale Richey, June 5, 1940. Children– Two. Education– Eastern Illinois State University, B.Ed., 1938;  Ohio State University, M.S., 1940; Ph.D., 1947.  Served in the U.S. Army during WWII; awarded four battle stars and the Combat…

Biography: Microbiologist; university professor. Born– May 7, 1928, San Diego, Calif. Parents– Richard Earl and Cora Elsie Bolin Davis.  Married– Juanita Loudermilk.  Children–two. Education– University of Georgia, B.S., 1953; Ohio State University, M.S., 1955; Ph.D. 1957. Taught at the University of Georgia, 1957-1958; Auburn University, 1958-1990. Member of several professional organizations including the  American Association for…

 Biography: Teacher, school administrator. Born– December 16, 1869, Centerville (an early variant spelling of present Centreville).  Parents– Damon and Adaline (Woods) Davidson. Married– Lula Julia Davis, February 16, 1899 (died 1908); (2) Elizabeth M. Campbell McClellan, September 4, 1913. Education– high school classes at Selma University, graduated from Payne University, Selma, 1893; B. S., Tuskegee Institute,…

Librarian. Born–February 27, 1880,  Dayton, Marengo County. Parents– William J. and Margaret (Jemison) Prowell. Education– East Lake Atheneum, Hollins College, Howard College, and Columbia University. Employed by the New York Public Library, 1905-1912; head of Reference Service at Birmingham Public Library, 1912-1949. Member of the Alabama Library Association, American Library Association, and Southeastern Library Association,…

Biography: Episcopal priest. Born– September 18, 1942, Warren, Ohio. Parents– Donald James and Virginia Louise (Murberger) DelBene. Married– Eleanor Ann McKenzie, July 6, 1968. Children– Two. Education– Marquette University, B.A., 1963; Mankato State University, M.A., 1969; the University of the South, M.A., 1978. Ordained a priest in the Episcopal Church, December 1979. Taught at Mary Manse…

Biography: Editor, writer. Born– February 23, 1858, Montevallo. Parents– William Phineas and Margaret Elizabeth Warwick (Stevens) Browne. Married– John MacMurphy de Cottes, February 8, 1877. Education– Attended Ursuline Convent in Tuscaloosa; graduated from Saybrook Hall, Montreal, Canada. First woman to work for the Montgomery Advertiser; women’s editor of Advertiser, 1890-1908. Founded the magazine Social World in 1890…

Biography: Historian; professor of history.  Born– September 12, 1887, Clayton. Parents– Alpheus Alexander and Martha Slaughter Dorman. Married–Marguerite Long Thompson. Education– University of Alabama, B.S., 1914, M.A. 1915; University of Chicago; Vanderbilt University, Ph.D., 1935.  Taught history at Huntingdon College and Athens College, but had his teaching career cut short when he lost his ability to…

Biography: Professor  of French language and literature; college administrator;  college president. Born– Aug. 10, 1876, Huntsville. Parents– Granville J. and Alice (Roberts) Dawson. Married — Fletcher Stinson, 1906 (died 1927). Children–one. Married– Avis Marshall, December 25,1930 (died 1938).  Education– Georgetown College, Kentucky, A.B., 1901; Howard College, M.A., 1910; Columbia University, Ph.D., 1921. Principal of Scottsboro Baptist…

Biography: Historian; University professor.  Born February 12, 1884,  Pensacola, Fla. Parents–Mathew L. and Annie Laurie Lane Davis.  Married–Roxana Henderson, 1915. Children–one. Education– Mobile Military Academy; Alabama Polytechnic Institute, B.S. and M.S.; Columbia University, Ph.D., 1913. Professor of history  at the University of Kansas, 1912-1954.  Died April 5, 1960. Sources: Encyclopedia of Southern History;  files at Alabama…

Educator; professor of education. Born-June 8, 1908, Wetumpka. Parents: Daniel Webster and Lula Jane (Boyd) Stephens. Married Edgar Earnest Evans, December 25, 1940. Education– Alabama State College, B.A., 1938; University of Michigan, M.A., 1945, and Ed.D., 1955.  Post doctoral study at Teachers College, Columbia University.  Taught at Marengo County Training School, 1928-30; in Shelby County, Alabama, 1939-46; in Waynesboro,…

Biography; Attorney; writer. Born– May 17, 1870, Tuscaloosa. Parents– William Russell Smith (President of the University of Alabama) and Wilhelmina Maria (Easby) Smith. Married– Lillian L. Strong, June 5, 1894. Education– Georgetown College (Washington) A.B.; A.M., 1892; LL.B.; LL.M., 1894.  Served in the JAG department, U.S.Army, in World War I; reached the rank of colonel. Served…

Biography: Poet; college professor. Born– January 19, 1930, Birmingham. Parents– Robert and Alice (Webb) Fleming. Married– Donald Deagon, June 29, 1951. Children– Two. Education– Birmingham-Southern College, B.A., 1950; University of North Carolina, M.A., 1951; Ph.D., 1954. Taught classics at Furman University, 1954-1956; at Guilford College, 1956-94. Published poems in various periodicals. Member of the Academy…

Biography: Medievalist; translator; college instructor.. Born– January 25, 1929, Birmingham. Parents– Howard and Marjory Leake. Married- Jim Day, 1950. Children– Five. Education– Northwestern University, B.S., 1950; Samford University, M.A., 1970; University of Alabama, Ph.D., 1975. Postgraduate fellow at the University of California at Los Angeles, 1981-82. Taught at Southern Benedictine College, 1975-1979; adjunct professor at…

Biography: Historian, university professor. Born– October 13, 1921, Talladega Springs. Parents– James Grady and Annie Lee Blalock Daniel. Education– Florence State Teachers College, 1940-1941; Abilene Christian College, A.B., 1957; University of Alabama, M.A., 1959. U.S. Army, 1942-45; 1946-54.  Taught history and Spanish, Huntsville High School, 1959-1960; taught history at the University of North Alabama, 1960-83. Member of the…

Biography: Baptist minister, seminary professor of theology, editor. Born– July 29, 1886, Langsdale, Miss. Parents– Charles Wesley and Letita (Gaines) Dobbins. Married– Mae Virginia Riley, December 25, 1909. Children– Three. Education– Mississippi College, B.A., 1908; Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, Th.D., 1914; Columbia University, M.A. Ordained a Baptist minister in 1914. Served as church pastor in Gloster…

Biography: University professor of English. Born– October 14, 1919, Nashville, Tenn. Parents– Gaines Stanley and May (Riley) Dobbins. Married– Mary Denmead Willis, 1947. Children– Two. Education– Mississippi College, B.A., 1941; University of North Carolina, M.A., 1948; Ph.D., 1950. Served in U. S. Army, WWII, 1943-45. Taught at Samford University, serving as head of the Department…

Biography: Teacher, naturalist.  Born–June 13, 1892, Brownville,  Clay County.  Parents -John James and Catherine Evans. Married William Ratchford Dean, 1939. Education– Attended Jacksonville State University, 1915-16; Valparaiso University, 1916-18;  the University of Alabama, B. S., 1924. Taught in Jefferson County schools for thirty-two years. Founded the Alabama Outdoor Nature Camp for high school biology teachers, 1950;…

Biography: Educator; college and university president. Born– January 2, 1878, Wake County, N.C. Parents– George James and Trannia (Yates) Dowell. Married– Camille Early, December 28, 1898. Children– Four. Education– Wake Forest College, A.B., 1896; Teacher’s College of Columbia University, A.M.,  1911. Served as elementary school principal in Shelby County, 1898-1900; high school principal at Columbiana, 1900-1906;…

Literary historian; professor of English. Born February 15, 1904, Centreville. Parents–John Tullis and Eva Lucille (Cooper) Ellison.  Education: Randolph-Macon Women’s College, B.A., 1925; Columbia University, M.A., 1929; University of North Carolina, Ph.D., 1945. Taught at Huntingdon College, Montgomery, 1930-1972. Served as Chairman of the  English Department at Huntingdon, 1959-1972. Member of the South Atlantic Modern…

See: Tucker, Irwin St. John

See: Wood, Clement Richardson

See: Butterworth, William Edmund, III

See: Sizemore, Margaret

Archaeologist, curator. Born– April 23, 1949, in Beaver Falls, Pa. Parents– Joseph Eugene and Ruth (Bintrim) Futato. Education– East Mississippi Junior College, A.A., 1969; University of Alabama, B.A., 1971; M.A., 1973; Additional graduate study. Married– Myrna Paulette Stubbs on May 29, 1971. Children– One. Served as teaching assistant and temporary instructor at the University of…