Category: G – I

Biography: Teacher. Born– March 20, 1891, Russellville. Parents– Elijah McCulloch and Callie (Wilson) Harris. Education– George Peabody College, B.S., 1920, M.A., 1923; further study, Columbia University. Teacher, South Highlands Elementary School, Birmingham, for eight years; principal of an elementary school at Okmulgee, Okla., for four years; assistant in research in the elementary curriculum department at…

Biography: Lawyer, businessman. Born– June 23, 1902, Ham, Tex. Parents– Abner Sheppard and Anne (Borden) McGee. Adopted at age three by his aunt, Margaret Rosa (Borden) Ide, Jacksonville, Ala. Education– University of Alabama, B.A., 1923; Harvard University Law School, LL.B., 1926. Married–Sarah Cowan Harris- 1929. Children– One. Married Rissie Miller, April 11, 1957.  Joined Anniston (Ala.) law…

Biography: University dean of women. Born– Ashland, Clay County, August 23, 1927. Parents– James J. and Myrtie M. Cockrell. Married– J.B. Jackson, Jr. Children– Three. Married– Ralph D. Higginbotham, 1974. Education– Samford University, B.A., 1949; Jacksonville State University, M.A. Served as dean of women, Jacksonville State University, 1974-1989.  Member, Alabama Baptist State Board; Board of…

Biography: Historian, teacher, librarian; novelist. Born– July 16, 1937, in Pascagoula, Miss. Parents– Prieur Jay and Vivian (Perez) Higginbotham. Married Alice Louisa Martin, June 27, 1970.  Children–three. Education– University of Mississippi, B.A., 1960; further study at Hunter College of the City University of New York and American University. Served as assistant clerk, Mississippi State House of…

Biography: Writer. Born– September 7, 1919, Denver, Colo. Parents– Clarence A. and Alice H. (Gillman) Fassett. Married– Douglas Lucas Hunt (died 1952). Married– Earl G. Jensen, June 6, 1955. Education– University of Chicago, Ph.D.; Birmingham Southern College, M.A.; Wallace Stegner Creative Writing Program, Stanford University, M.A. Taught English and Journalism at Alabama College, 1952-1953 and at…

Biography: Historian; librarian. Born– May 16, 1903, Darlington, S.C. Parents– William Brunson and Mary Eva (Powers) Hoole. Married– Martha Anne Sanders, August 2, 1931 (died 1960). Children– Two. Married– Addie Shirley Coleman, May 30, 1970. Education– Wofford College, A.B., 1924, A.M., 1931; Duke University, Ph.D., 1934; North Texas State University, B.S. in Library Science, 1943; further…

Biography: Physician; author; medical researcher. Born– March 13, 1870, in Cedartown, Ga. Parents– Charles Hooks and Margaret Ann (Monk) Harris. Married Stella Rainer, April 28, 1897.  Children– two. Education– University of Georgia; University of Virginia, M.D., 1894; New York Polytechnic, University of Chicago, Johns Hopkins, and the University of Vienna. Practiced medicine in Union Springs,…

Biography: Teacher, writer. Born– January 31, 1938,  in Carter’s Quarter, Ga. Parents– George Manley and Alice Lenell (Searcy) Junkins. Education– Oglethorpe University, 1950; Emory University, 1961; Berry College, B.A., 1961; graduate study, Auburn University. Married– Benjamin Turner Gibbons on August 29, 1964. Children– Two. Taught high school, Dalton, Ga. 1961-1963; elementary school, Marietta, Ga., 1963-1964;…

Biography: Retail grocer and real-estate agent.  Born– May 4, 1857, Auburn. Moved to Selma at the age of ten. Parents– Spencer Monroe and Cornelia (Dillard) Grayson. Married– Adele Stokes, June 16, 1882.  Children–2. Married– Julia Marian Wachope, February 12, 1889. Children– 5. Education– Dallas Academy.  Published columns of reminiscences in the Selma Times-Journal. Died November 12,…

Biography: Historian; university professor. Born– June 25, 1944, Montgomery. Married Linda Crockett, November 27, 1968. Children– Three. Education– University of Montevallo, B.A., 1966; Florida State University, M.A., 1967, Ph.D., 1970. Taught at Troy State University, Dothan/Ft. Rucker Branch after 1970. Published articles in scholarly periodicals and journals.  Died November 2, 1993. Source: Directory of American Scholars, 1982;…

Biography; Novelist; teacher.  Born July 20, 1943, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada (naturalized American citizen, 1962).  Parents– E.C. and Christina M. Crockett.  Married– (1) Daniel S. Gray, November 27, 1968; children–three;  married (2)– Mike Bush, April 4, 1991. Education– Florida State University, B.A., 1964; M.A., 1968.  Junior high school English teacher in Florida, 1964-70; English instructor, Army…

Biography: Educator. Born– June, 1870, near Roanoke. Parents–Jerry and Addie Greer Holtzclaw, former slaves. Married– Mary Ella Patterson. Children–five.  Education–Tuskegee Institute, 1890-1898, while employed as farm worker, office boy, and buggy driver for Booker T. Washington. Alabama Agricultural and Mechanical College, MA, 1908; further study in summer sessions at Harvard College. Publisher of a newspaper…

Biography: Teacher; professor of education.  Born– January 14, 1931, in Houston, Tex. Parents– A. J. and Lucille (Martin) Graves. Married– Eloise Davis, June 10, 1955. Children– three. Education– Baylor University, B.A., 1956; University of Florida, M.Ed., 1960; Florida State University, Ph.D., 1965. Served in U.S. Air Force, 1951-1954. Taught in Tampa Public Schools, 1957-1963; research…

Biography: Secretary. Born– December 1, 1904, in Greensboro, N.C. Parents– Josiah S. and Queenie Marietta Pender.  Married– Hal Gray Grantham, May 19, 1924.  Children–two. Education– Draughon Business College (Montgomery); music courses at Huntingdon College; creative writing courses, Washington, D.C. and Huntsville. Served as volunteer nurse at St. Margaret’s Hospital; stenographer for Boy Scouts and VFW;…

Biography: University professor of political science. Born– October 6, 1942, Toledo, Ohio. Parents– Thomas Holloway and Jewell (Bricker) Holloway. Education– University of Toledo, B.A., 1963; M.A., 1966; Purdue University, Ph.D., 1970. Married– Anne Permaloff, December 28, 1974. Research physicist for Libby-Owens Ford Glass, 1963-1964; taught political science, University of Houston, 1968-1975; Auburn University at Montgomery,…

Biography: Physician; Military officer. Born– October 3, 1854, Mobile. Parents– Josiah and Amelia (Gayle) Gorgas. Married– Marie Cook Doughty, September 15, 1885. Children– One. Education– B.S., University of the South, 1875; Bellevue Medical College, 1879. Appointed surgeon in Army Medical Corps, 1880. Having survived an attack of yellow fever in Texas, he was immune to the…

Biography: Printer; fiction writer. Born– 1904, Warrior Stand, Macon County.  Parents– Rev. George W. Henderson and Ella May Gresham Henderson. Married twice; second wife Blanche.  Children–one (first marriage).  Education– Tuskegee Institute; learned printing trade. Moved to New York and worked as a linotype operator at the New York Daily News. Contributed short stories to the Daily News and to Redbook.…

Biography: Writer. Born– November 13, 1906, in Pittsburgh, Pa. Parents– Ralph Watson and Daisy Henderson (Baker) Hay.  Married– Raymond Peckham Holder, 1937.  Married–Nikolai Lopatnikoff, January 27, 1951. Education– Noble Institute, Anniston,  and Anniston (Ala.) High School; Brenau College, 1926-1928; Columbia University, 1928-1931.  Employed by Charles Scribner and Sons Rare Book Department, 1935-1942.  Published poems in…

Biography: Social worker; civic leader. Born– June 15, 1915, in Hampton, Va. Parents– Elmer R. and Addie (Baines) Shield.  Married–Richard Charles Hassinger, September 6, 1947. Children–two. Education– College of William and Mary, B.S., 1937; University of Chicago, M.S., 1942. Social worker in Norfolk, 1937; worked for WPA in North Carolina, 1938-1940; social worker Columbus Medical…

Biography: Entrepreneur. Born– July 4, 1892, Demopolis. Parents–Tom and Rosa Gaston.  Married– Creola Smith Gaston. Children– One. Education– Study at Tuggle Institute, a private school for African-American students in Birmingham. Served in U.S.Army, WWI.  Laborer at Tennessee Coal, Iron & Steel Co.; in 1923 organized, with L.A. Smith,  a burial society which grew into a Forty-million-dollar business empire…

Biography: Homemaker, writer. Born– October 10, 1914, Huntsville. Parents– Joseph A. and Lubel (Darwin) McCown. Married– Harold Gassman. Children– Two. First woman speaker at convention of 4,000 members of the National Funeral Directors Association.  Died November 25, 1971. Source: Rome, Ga., Public Library. Publication(s): Daddy was an Undertaker. New York; Vantage Press, 1952. Fragments, Torn…

Biography: Methodist clergyman; college president. Born– February 13, 1910, Tuscaloosa. Parents– Waights Gibbs and Mary Elizabeth (Davis) Henry. Married– Minnie Lark Brown, February 16, 1935. Children– Three. Education– Emory University, 1927-1928; Birmingham Southern College, A.B., 1930; Yale University, B.D., 1934. Assistant pastor, Waterbury, Connecticut, 1932-1936; joined North Georgia Conference of Methodist Church, 1936; ordained to…

Biography: Professor, university administrator. Born– March 14, 1917, in Savannah, Ga. Parents– Richard Willis and Virginia Lord (Nesbet) Heard. Education– University of North Carolina, A.B., 1938; Columbia University, M.A., 1948; Ph.D., 1951. Married– Laura Jean Keller on June 17, 1949. Children– Four. Served as editor for the Historical Records Survey of Georgia, WPA, 1938-1939; research…

Biography: Merchant. Born — Jabal Lubnam, Shuweir, Lebanon, December 23, 1891.   Parents– Malham and Mary (Seelaby) Hawie. Naturalized a U.S. citizen August 15, 1916.   Married– Jeannette Shory, Birmingham. Children– Three. Settled in south Mississippi, establishing a mercantile business. Later moved to Mobile. Served in the Alabama National Guard and the “Rainbow Division,” during World War…

Humorist; newspaper editor; lawyer. Born– June 9, 1815, Wilmington, North Carolina.  Parents– Archibald and Charlotte de Berniere Hooper.  Married– Mary Mildred Brantley, 1842.  Children–two. Read law in his brother’s law office in New Bern, Alabama, 1835-1838; admitted to the bar, 1838; practiced law in in Lafayette and Dadeville.  Editor of the East Alabamian, LaFayette; the…

Biography: Literary scholar; university professor, editor. Born– April 23, 1943, in Winston-Salem, N.C. Parents– Fred Colby and Miriam (Tuttle) Hobson. Married–Linda V. Whitney, June 17, 1967.  Children–one. Education– University of North Carolina, B.A., 1965; Duke University, M.A., 1967; UNC, Ph.D., 1972.  Editor / editorial writer for Associated Press, Charlotte; Winston-Salem Journal and Sentinel, 1966-1970. Taught at…

Biography: Writer, teacher, suffrage activist. Born– Montgomery, March 1, 1898. Parents– John Anton and Venetia Hall Haardt. Married– H.L. Mencken, August 27, 1930. Education– Graduate of Margaret Booth Preparatory School, Montgomery, 1916; B.A., Goucher College, 1920. Teacher at Margaret Booth and at Goucher. Active in women’s suffrage crusade in Alabama. Contributed short stories and essays to Century…

Biography; Writer, teacher. Born 1953– Mobile.  Married– Nancy.  Children– one.  Worked for twenty years in New York City as a journalist, speechwriter, and teacher; later staff writer at the Mobile Register.  Publishes reviews and essays in journals and periodicals.  Teaches in the Brief Residency MFA in Writing Program at Spalding University in Louisville, Kentucky.  Winner of the…

Biography: Baptist minister; educator. Born– August 5, 1906, near Marietta, Ga. Parents– William Thomas and Nora (Eubanks) Guffin. Education– Mercer University, A.B., 1930; B.D., 1935; Th.M. (1936) and Th.D. (1941), Eastern Baptist Theological Seminary. Married– Lorene Parrish on August 30, 1930. Children– Two. Principal, junior high school, Mableton Ga., 1927-1928; in Marietta, 1930-1933. Ordained in…

Biography: Teacher. Born– September 13, 1926,  Alabama City. Parents–John B. and Anne Bert McWhorter Harris. Education– Central State University, Edmund, Okla., B.A., 1947; M.A., Northwestern University, 1949; University of Tulsa, Ed.D., 1961; further study, University of Okalahoma. High school teacher, Burley, Idaho, 1948-1949; teacher of speech and English, Judson College, Marion, 1949-1952; speech teacher, Tulsa,…

Biography: Radio announcer, editor, teacher. Born– May 3, 1919, in St. Augustine, Fla. Parents– Thomas William, Jr., and Grace (Spencer) Helm. Married–Dorothy Lorain Hunter, September 30, 1943.  Education– Birmingham Southern College. Served in US Navy, WWII; received a citation for bravery at Pearl Harbor. Served as radio announcer at WRNL, Richmond (Va.); WDLP, Panama City (Fla.); WSGN,…

Biography: Historian; professor of history. Born– February 22, 1930, in Jacksonville, Fla. Parents– David Edwin and Mildred (Lee) Harrell.  Married– Adelia Frances Roberts, September 7, 1954. Children–five. Education– David Lipscomb College, B.A., 1954; Vanderbilt University, M.A., 1958; Ph. D., 1962.  Taught at East Tennessee State University, 1961-1966; University of Oklahoma, 1966-1967; University of Georgia, 1967-1970;…

Biography: Attorney. Born– August 13, 1904, Lower Peach Tree, Wilcox County.  Parents– Crosland C. and Sally (Morrissette) Hare. Married– Isabelle Corr, January 25, 1930. Children– Two. Education– Auburn University, 1921-1922; U.S. Naval Academy, 1922-1923; University of Alabama, LL.B., 1927. Admitted to the State Bar in Alabama, 1927; practiced law in Birmingham for 57 years. After…

Biography: Musician, educator, poet. Born– March 3, 1905, Mobile. Parents– Dr.  H. Roger Williams and Fannie Brandon Williams.  Married–Joaquin M. Holloway.  Children–one.  Education– Emerson Institute, Mobile; graduate of Talladega College, 1922; Fisk University, B.A., 1926; Oberlin Conservatory of Music, Bachelor of Music with a maor in piano and a minor in voice, 1926.  Further study…

Biography: Rabbi, professor, lecturer, writer.  Born– July 30, 1918, in New York City. Parents– Max and Sadie Leah Schuster Gerber. Married–Sydelle Reba Katzman, January 9, 1943.  Children–three. Education– Yeshiva University, B.A., 1939; City College of New York, M.A., 1940; Boston University, Ph. D., 1950. Ordained as rabbi, 1941. Active duty in the US Army during…

Biography: Local historian; journalist. Born September 15, 1921, Lawrence Co. Parents– John Harvey and Minnie Dale (Burch) Free. Married– H. Clifton Gentry, February 12, 1942. Children– Two. Resident of Hartford, Kentucky; for many years.  Columnist, writer and editor of the Ohio County Times; columnist for the Ohio County Times-News.  Researcher and collector of early countiana.  Died August 1,…

Biography: Educator. Born– May 22, 1923, Gadsden. Parents– Lafayette and Virginia Allen (Gould) Kent. Married– George Goddard, May 15, 1943. Children– Two. Education– Talladega College, A.B., 1942; San Jose State University, M.A., 1973; further study at the University of the Pacific. Taught English in Gadsden, 1942-1943; San Jose, Calif., Unified School District, 1957-1969; coordinator of…

Biography: Historian, genealogist. Born– May 9, 1904, Huntsville. Parents– George Walter and Evalena (Moore) Jones. Married– Bennie William Gandrud, November 29, 1930. Children– One. Education– Study at Peabody Conservatory, 1922-1924. Kathleen Pauline Jones began compiling a genealogy at seventeen. After her marriage, continued compiling and indexing the Alabama marriage, cemetery, court, and other records comprising…

Biography: Professor of accounting, university dean. Born– August 15, 1910, in Yadkinville, N.C. Parents– Samuel W. and Ila Jane (Hoots) Garner. Education– Duke University, A.B., 1932; A.M., 1934; University of Texas, Ph.D., 1940.  Married– Ruth Bailey, August 25, 1935. Children– Three. Professor of accounting, University of Alabama, 1939-1971;  dean, College of Commerce, University of Alabama, 1954-1971.…

Biography: Historian; University Professor, writer. Born– July 4, 1930, in Long Branch, Monmouth Country, N.J. Parents– John Daniel and Waltrude (Hendrickson) Lazarus. Married–Anne Elizabeth Anthony, 1952; children–three.  Married– Martha Austin Reid, 1966; married– Gayle Carlson Pannell, 1967; children–one; married– Stephanie Pasneker, 1971. Education– Florida State University, B.A., 1952; University of Florida, M.A., 1953; National University…

Biography: Mayor; administrator; soldier. Born– March 5, 1896, Montgomery. Parents– William A. and Mary (Winn) Gayle. Married– Katharine Anderson, September 20, 1918. Children– One. Education– Study at U.S. Naval Academy, 1914-1915; University of Alabama, 1915-1916. Served in the U.S. Navy in  World War I; worked nine years as general manager of Anderson Coal Company; was…

Biography: Attorney, judge. Born– August 8, 1863, Lee County. Parents– Rinaldo M. and Martha Ann (Bullard) Greene. Married– Margaret Jordan Morrow, May 6, 1896. Children– Three. Education– Emory College, A.B., 1884; University of Alabama, LL.B., 1886. Practiced law in Birmingham after 1886; served in Alabama State Legislature during 1896-98; associate judge, Criminal Court of Jefferson…

Biography: Physician. Born–May 26, 1889, in Pueblo, Colo. Parents; John R. and  Catherine L. Garber. Married– Bessie Evans.  Children– Two. Education– High school, Demopolis; Spring Hill College; Jefferson Medical College, M.D.; interned Johns Hopkins Hospital. Professor of Obstetrics, Medical College of Alabama, 1914-1956; chairman, Department of Obstetrics, Jefferson Hillman Hospital. Member and president (1933-1934) Alabama Medical Association;…

Biography: Writer. Born– May 21, 1889, in Somerville, Tenn.; grew up in Corinth, MS  Parents– Paul Tudor and Annie (Smith) Jones. Married– Rice Gaither, April 25, 1912.   Education–   Mississippi State College for Women, B.A., 1909. Taught briefly in Corinth and lived in Mobile and Fairhope after her marriage; moved to New York City in 1929…

Biography: Journalist; poet; playwright. Born– April 21, 1920, in Nashville, Tenn. ; moved to Birmingham at an early age. Parents– Andrew Louis, Jr., and Mildred (Ezell) Glaze. Education– Harvard College, B.A., 1942; Stanford University, 1946. U.S. Army Air Force, WWII. Married– Dorothy Elliot. Children– Two. Married– Adrianna Keathley, August 12, 1962. Served in U.S. Army…

Biography: Poet. Born– November 8, 1904, Glenwood, Crenshaw County. Parents– Albert Holloway and Jeffie Gertrude (Faulkner) Henderson. Married–(1)  Geraldine Downs, May 16, 1928;  (2)  Mary Middleton Smith, November 2, 1946. Education– Troy State Teachers College; University of Alabama. Published poems in such publications as the American Mercury and the New York Times. Employed as clerk at…

Biography: Businessman; Publisher; civic leader.  Born– July 13, 1916, Flat Rock. Parents– Emory Lawrence and Josie E. (Atkins) Higginbotham. Married– Dorothy Burnham, February 20, 1937. Children– Three. Married– Miriam Cockrell Jackson, 1974. Education– Graduate of Anniston Business College, 1934. Employee of Anniston Star, 1928-1944; Strong Printing Co., 1944-1945; owner-operator, Higginbotham-Sawyer Printing Co.; member of corporation…