Category: M – O

Biography: Professional baseball center fielder. Born– May 6, 1931, Westfield, Ala. Parents– William Howard Mays and Annie Satterwhite. Married– Margherite Wendell Chapman, 1956. Children–one.  Married Mae Louise Allen, November 27, 1971.  Education– Fairfield High School, graduated 1950.  Served in U.S. Army, 1952-54. Employed by Birmingham Black Barons Baseball Team, 1948-1950; New York Giants Baseball, Trenton,…

Biography: Literary scholar; university professor. Born–Clover, S.C.,  Jan. 13, 1933. Parents– Carter H. and Martha (Williams) Martin.  Married– Jane Douglas, York, S.C., August 25, 1955 (died 1982).  Children– Two. Married Linda Burnett, March 7, 1987. Education– A.B., Presbyterian College, 1955; Vanderbilt University; M.A., 1958; Ph.D., 1967. Employed as professor of English, North Carolina State University,…

Biography: Writer. Born– Aberdeen, Miss., 1892. Parents–John Kenneth and Elizabeth Goodrich Jones Eastburn.  Married– Pitt Lamar Matthews. Children– Two. Employed as a writer, Montgomery Advertiser, 1914; editor, children’s page; society editor: wrote syndicated feature article, (“Child Training,”); staff member, Birmingham News; public information representative, NRA, Social Security Administration. Member– Pen Women, D.A.R., U.D.C. Died December…

Biography: Born– Birmingham, 1934. Married– Opal Johnson. Children– One. Member– Civitan Club, board of trustees of Guntersville Public Library; president of the Alabama Library Trustees. Source: SCRIPSIT. Joint_Publication(s): A Trustee’s Manual for Alabama Public Libraries. S.l.; Friends and Trustees, Alabama Library Association, 1970. Assistant_Editor: The Handbook for Library Trustees. (New York; Bowker?), 1955.

Biography: Lawyer, archivist. Born– December 15, 1866, Jonesboro. Parents– William Marmaduke and Nancy Lucretin (McAdory) Owen. Married– Marie Susan Bankhead, April 12, 1893. Children– Two. Education– University of Alabama, A.B., LL.B., 1887; A.M., 1893; LL.D., 1904; Practiced law in Bessemer, 1887-1894; city solicitor for Bessemer, 1890-1893; assistant solicitor for Jefferson County, 1892; chief clerk, Division…

Biography: Historian; University professor. Born– Stockton, Ala., August 22, 1910. Parents– Malcolm and Carolyn Kolb (Cook) McMillan. Married– Dorothy Dismuckes, April 6, 1939. Children– Two. Education– Southwestern College, 1928-1931; A.B., University of Alabama, 1935; M.A., 1939; Ph.D., 1949, North Carolina. Professor of History, Auburn University, 1948-1978; Research Professor, 1954-1963; head, history and political science departments,…

Biography: Writer; editor. Born– Jasper, Ala., April 2, 1920. Parents– Hilary Herbert and Erline (Moore) Milton. Married–Marietta Barber (died 1950). Married– Patty Sanders, September 26, 1952. Children– Two. Education– Alabama Polytechnic Institute, 1938; Birmingham Southern College, 1939-1940; University of Alabama, A.B., 1948; M.A.,  1949.  U.S. Air Force, 1942-1945.  Taught, University of Alabama, 1948-1951; civilian specialist, Montgomery,…

Biography: Literary scholar; University professor. Born– September 13, 1926, Birmingham, Ala. Parents– Thomas Alfred and Lucille (Sylvester) McFarland. Education– A.B., Harvard University, 1949;  Yale, M.A., 1951; Ph.D.,  1953; Fulbright scholar, University of Tubingen, 1953-1954. Taught at Oberlin College, 1954-1956, University of Virginia, 1956-1958, Western Reserve University, 1958-1967; Graduate Center, City University of New York, 1967-1978; Princeton, 1978–89;…

Biography: Teacher; writer. Born– June 20, 1930, Birmingham, Ala. Parents– Thomas Alfred and Lucile (Sylvester) McFarland. Married– Patricia Connors, July 23, 1960. Children– Two. Education– B.A., 1951, Oberlin College; St. Catherine’s College, Cambridge University, M.A., 1957.  Served in U.S. Navy, 1951-1954. Textbook editor, Houghton Mifflin, 1958-1964; lived in Europe, 1964-1966; taught English, Concord Academy, Concord, Mass., 1966-1995.…

Biography: Missionary. Born– November 24, 1902, Albertville. Parents– Robert Lusk  and Sara Ida Isdell. Education– WMU Training School, Louisville, Ky.; B.A., Howard College; M.A., George Peabody College. Employed as Southern Baptist Missionary, China and Hawaii, 1936-1960; director of library services, Solitude Baptist Church, Albertville. Died July 31, 1999. Source: SCRIPSIT. Publication(s): The Story of Robert…

Biography: Educator; farmer.  Born– March 1, 1835, Lawrence County, Ala. Parents– William and Elizabeth (Carpenter) McGregor. Married– Celia King, December 23, 1858. Children– Seven. Married–Harriet C. Cooper, February 13, 1902. Education– LaGrange College, LaGrange, Ala., graduated 1854. Employed as chair of mathematics, LaGrange College, 1855-1861; Confederate States Army, 1861-1865; cotton farmer 1865-70; taught at LaGrange College,…

Biography: Farmer. Born– July 24, 1888, Calera, Ala. Parents– James M. & Florence (Pratt) McCord. Married– Irene Cleveland, February 17, 1923. Children– Two. Education– A.B., 1910, Howard College. Self-employed farmer; assistant agent, U.S. Department of Agriculture. Honors– award for his contribution to progress in agriculture and agribusiness, honored by the Bibb County Historical Association, 1976. Died November…

Biography: Administrator, farmer. Born– December 11, 1905,  Attala, Ala. Parents–Barney M. and Norah Toney McClendon. Education– graduate of Jacksonville State College; M.S., George Peabody College, graduate study, Columbia University. Studied and taught English at the  University of Berlin and Freiburg University; assistant to the president, Gulf Park College, Gulfport, Miss.; civilian personnel officer, Smyrna Army Air Force Base,…

Biography: Farmer, county commissioner, Confederate soldier. Born– Tuscaloosa, Ala., August 29, 1844. Parents– Thomas and Susan Charlotte (Farley) Maxwell. Married– Eugenia E. Harris, June 5, 1867. Children– six. Education– Auburndale, Mass.; University of Alabama, 1861. Served with the 34th Alabama Regiment, Loachapoka, Ala.; Lumsden’s Battery, Tuscaloosa; discharged, May 4, 1865. Farmer in Tuscaloosa County; served…

Biography: Merchant. Born– Brinson, Ga., October 10, 1920. Parents– Roderick Anthony and Thelma Bessie (Gillis) Metcalf. Married– Helen Josephine Smith, April 6, 1947. Children– Three. Education– Associate of Arts, 1941; B.S., University of Florida, 1946 . Employed by U.S. Army, World War II; officer training, Ft. Benning; Command and General Staff College. Employed with family’s…

Biography: Screenwriter and novelist; author of horror and suspense novels.  Born– June 1, 1950, Enterprise, Ala. Parents– Thomas Eugene and Marian (Mulkey) McDowell. Education– B.A., 1972, Harvard University; Ph.D., Brandeis University, 1978. Taught screenwriting at Tufts and Boston Universities in the 1990’s. Member– National Gay Task Force, Massachusetts Fair Share. Wrote script for Beetlejuice, The…

Biography: Attorney, judge. Born October 1, 1901, McDowell, Ala. Parents– George Roland and Annie Laurie (Harper) McElroy. Married– Edith Ferrell, December 29, 1928. Children– Two. Education– University of Alabama School of Law, 1923-1924; LL.B., 1925,  Birmingham School of Law. Admitted to the Alabama Bar, 1924; established a private practice and served as Assistant City Attorney…

Biography; Author; University professor of literature.  Born– Bessemer, 1951.  Parents–  Wiley and Jimmye Ziegler McDowell.  Education–Tuskegee Institute, B.A., 1972;  Purdue University.  M.A., 1974; Ph. D., 1979. Professor of English at Colby College, 1979-87; at the University of Virginia, 1987-.  Director of the Carter G. Woodson Center for African American and African Studies at UVA, 2008-…

Biography: University professor. Born– June 13, 1928, Nashville, Tenn. Parents– Frank L. and Hariett (Chappell) Owsley. Married– 1952. Children– Two. Education– Vanderbilt University, B.A., 1949; M.A., 1951; University of Alabama, Ph.D., 1955. Taught at George Washington University, 1956; U.S. Naval Academy, 1957-1960; Auburn University, 1960-1995; visiting professor at the University of Nebraska, 1967-1968. Awarded the…

Biography: Teacher; poet.  Born– September 17, 1903, Dallas County, Ala. Married– John H. Meeks. Education– Mississippi State University. Employed as English teacher for thirty-one years. Died May 29, 1986. Source: SCRIPSIT. Publication(s): New Soil. S.l.; Anderson Printery, 1935. Pendrifts. (3 vols. entitled; Lute Songs, Metamorphis, and Lighted Candles). S.l.; Delta Branch, National League of American Pen…

Biography: Entrepreneur; lecturer; magazine editor; founder of a cult of human electricty as a universal cure.  Born– Blount County, Ala., April 1873. Parents– William T. and Araminta  Matilda Adams McConnell. Married–  Marion D. Daniel.  Children–one. Education– Blount College, Blountsville; Southern University, Greensboro. Purchased and edited magazine Alkahest; inaugurated Alkahest Lyceum system for promoting and booking educational entertainment; founded McConnell…

Biography: Attorney; professor of law. Born– Selma, Ala., December 7, 1926. Parents– Daniel John and Mabel (Kirkpatrick) Meador. Married– Janet Caroline Heimann, November 19, 1955; married Alice P. Meador. Children– Four. Education– B.S., Auburn University, 1949; LL.B., University of Alabama, 1951; LL.M., Harvard University, 1954. Employed as a attorney, 1951; Judge Advocate General Corps, Korean…

Biography; Professor of English; college archivist.  Born– June 5, 1917, Norcatur, Kansas.  Parents– James S. and Ruth Diefendorf Bell. Married–Paul E. McLin, October 18, 1940.  Children–four.  Education–  Kansas State Teachers College, B. S. Ed., B.A., 1940; University of Alabama, M. A., 1964; Peabody Institute of Vanderbilt University, Ph. D., 1971.  Taught at many levels;  Taught English at Athens…

Biography: Clergyman; African Methodist denominational leader. Born– Dallas County, Ala., April 25, 1859. Parents– Andrew J. and Maria A. Mixon. Married Elizabeth Jackson, 1898 (died 1901).  One child.  Married Marie W. Mixon.  Education– tutors; Selma University. Licensed to preach, 1876; employed as a clergyman, African Methodist Episcopal Church; pastored nine churches and helped to found…

Biography: Historian; University professor. Born– January 20, 1890, Montgomery. Parents– Lawrence Monroe and Annie Scott (McGehee) Owsley. Married– Harriet Fason Chappell, July 24, 1920. Children– Three. Education– Fifth District Agricultural School in Wetumpka, Ala. Alabama Polytechnic Institute, B.S., 1911; M.A., 1912; University of Chicago, M.A., 1917; Ph.D., 1924. Taught in public schools and API, 1912-1919;…

Biography: Reporter. Born– Cedar Bluff, Ala., March 2, 1905.  Parents– William Milton and Leila (Tatum) Clifton. Married– Dewey Frank Miller, Sr., 1924. Children– Four. Education– Cedar Bluff High School, 1924; University Center, Gadsden. Employed as a reporter, correspondent, feature writer, Gadsden Times; feature writer, The Summerville News, The Fort Payne Times Journal; reporter, feature writer,…

Biography: Writer. Born– April 30, 1859, Summerfield. Parents– Anson Wheeler and Lydia Maria (Cobb) Hawley. Married–Rev. Edgar Young Mullins, June 2, 1886. Children– Two. Education– private tutor;  Judson College.  Husband was the fourth president of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, Louisville, Ky., 1899-1928, and president of the Southern Baptist Convention and the Baptist World Alliance.  Died February…

Biography: Lawyer, journalist, businessman. Born– November 24, 1885, Birmingham. Parents– Joseph Paul and Eula (Anglin) Mudd. Married– Nellie Nabors, November 24, 1908. Children– Two. Education– University of Alabama, B.S., 1906; University of Virginia, LL.B., 1908. Added to Alabama Bar, 1908;  practiced law until 1913; President of Tuscaloosa News, Gadsden Times; and the Rome (Ga.) News…

Biography: Historian; high school teacher; university professor. Born– August 4, 1938, LaGrange, Ga. Parents– Thomas Oliver and Marian (Swindell) Ott. Married– Margaret Franklin, November 25, 1961. Children– Two. Education– Asbury College, B.A., 1961; Appalachian State University, M.A., 1963; University of Tennessee, Ph.D., 1970. Taught at Christ School, Arden, N.C., 1961-1963; Central Florida Academy, 1963-1965; University…

Biography: Zoologist; University professor. Born– December 25, 1931, Lewisburg, Tenn. Parents– Logan McKnight Mount and Frances Hughes Mount. Married– Rena Williams, 1961. Children– Two.  Married 2d Jane Douglass, 1977. Education– Alabama Polytechnic Institute, B.S., M.S.; Ph.D., Florida, 1961. Taught at Alabama College, 1961-1966; Auburn University, 1966-1986. Member– American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists. Awarded Emeritus…

Biography: University professor and administrator. Born– Starkville, Miss., April 17, 1932. Parents– Thomas Henry and Elizabeth (Crumpton) Mosley. Married– Susan Young Mosley, April 7, 1961. Children– One. Education– B.S., Mississippi State University, 1954; M.S., University of Tennessee, 1958; Ph.D., University of Alabama, 1965. Employed as a trainee, Pick Hotel Corporation, 1957-1959; field representative, Charles E.…

Biography: Editor; writer. Born– New York City, September 2, 1878. Parents– Montefiore J. and Rose (Jonas) Moses. Married– Lucille Dorothy Herne, February 1, 1911 (died 1921). Children– One. Married– Leah Agnes Houghtaling, June 19, 1923. Children– One. Education– Montgomery, Ala.; B.S., College of the City of New York, 1899. Employed on editorial staff, Literary Digest, 1900-1902;…

Biography: Methodist clergyman; historian. Born– Montgomery, Ala., January 15, 1899. Parents– Franklin McLemore and Lela (Shackelford) Moseley. Married– Pattie Moore, March 25, 1942. Children– One. Education– Auburn University, 1918-1921; certificate in theology, Southern Methodist University, 1932; A.B., Huntingdon, 1933. Employed as minister, Burnt Corn, LaPlace Circuit, Butler, Auburn, Akron-Havanna, Pepperell-St.Paul, Marion Junction-Orrville, Georgiana, Montgomery, Linden,…

Biography: Teacher, writer. Born– Montevallo, Ala., May 16, 1866. Parents– Colvin Alexander and Eliza Miriam (Hudson). Married– Dr. Robert A. Moseley, March 2, 1892. Education– Florence State Normal College, 1883. Employed as teacher, Sayre Street School, Montgomery, 1883-1892; writer, poetry, Montgomery Advertiser; founded and edited, Birmingham Times; editor, woman’s department of that newspaper, 1895-1899. Died…

Biography: Educator; administrator.  Born– Fredericksburg, Gillespie County,  Tex., June 27, 1904. Parents– John R. and Frances (McKinnon) Morton. Married– June Sweetman, August 1, 1928. Children– Three. Education– B.S., South West Texas State College, 1925; M.A., University of Texas, 1929; Ed.D., Columbia University, 1939; Ohio State University. Employed as a teacher, schools of Texas, 1925-1936; Public…

Biography: Business executive; poet. Born– Leeds, Ala., June 7, 1920. Parents– Hartwell Albert and Eunice (Pledger) Morton. Married– Isabel Gibbons, October 2, 1946. Children– Three. Education– Auburn University. Served with the U.S. Air Force, WWII,1941-1945; awarded the Bronze Star. business executive, Hardy Corporation, 1946; president, Birmingham Mechanical Contractor’s Association.  Member Alabama Writers Conclave, Alabama State Poetry Society,…

Biography: Teacher; adult educator. Born– Selma, Ala., September 27, 1877. Parents– William Calloway and Frances Cornelia (Lide) Cleveland. Married– John Morriss, September 1908. Education– A.B., Judson College, 1895; L.I., (a library science degree), Peabody College, 1908; special study, Universities of Virginia and Wisconsin; B.S., 1932; M.A., 1933, Teachers College, Columbia University. Employed as a teacher, public…

Biography: Born– October 25, 1878l Greensboro. Parents– James Marcellus and Sally (Pearson) Hobson. Education– Newcomb College, New Orleans.  Married– Benjamin Mann Morrison, Hammond, La. Children– Three.  Sister of Rear Admiral Richmond P. Hobson. Died November 29, 1972. Source: Files at Alabama Public Library Service. Publication(s): The Song of a Happy World; Flowers and Nature. S.l.;…

Biography: Writer. Born– Roanoke, Ala., September 28, 1908. Parents– William Harmon and Corrie Reaves McMurray.  Education– Auburn University, 1924-1929; University of Virginia, 1929-1930; Delta State College, 1932. Died January 3, 1966. Source: The Alabama Librarian, January 1952. Publication(s): The Far Bayou. New York; Rinehart, 1951.

Biography; College professor of English; writer.  Born 1942, in Greensboro, Alabama.  Married Joan McMillan.  Education; University of Alabama, B.A., 1964; M.A., 1967; University of Michigan, Ph. D.  Taught English at University of Montevallo; Chair of Department of English.  Awarded professor emeritus status upon retirement.  President of Montevallo Arts Council. Executive Secretary of the South Atlantic…

Biography; Author; university professor; military officer.  Born June 12, 1916, Nokomis (Escambia County),  Alabama. Parents– John Lee and Sudie Young.  Married Mozelle Menefee, May 31, 1941.  Children– one.  Education–Tuskegee Institute, B.S., 1941; New York University, M. A., 1948; postgraduate work at the University of Michigan, 1940; Northwestern University, 1941; University of Paris, 1950.  Served in…

Biography: Historian; university professor. Born– May 15, 1904, Learned, Miss. Parents– Samuel George and Bettie Mae (Hendrick) Osborn. Married– Margaret McMillen, May 20, 1936. Children– Two. Education– Mississippi College, A.B., 1927; Indiana University, M.A., 1932; chairman of the Social Services Department at Berry College, 1935-1943; research expert for finance committee of the U.S. Senate, 1937-1938;…

Biography: Publicist, playwright, secretary. Born– January 5, 1939, LaFayette, AL. Parents– Charles B. and Mary (Tucker) Ordway. Education– Hollins College, B.A., 1959; Yale Drama School, 1967-1968; Hunter College (C.U.N.Y.), M.A., 1970. Taught at Mitchell Junior College, 1963-1964; publicist for the New York Film Festival, 1967-1975. After the mid-1960’s, devoted time to play writing and other…

Biography: College professor. Born– December, 1898, Brinson, Ga. Parents– Homer Hodges and Carolina (Jones) Brinson. Married– Winthrop Marshall Munro, January, 1934. Children– One. Education– Andrew Junior College, diploma, 1917; Wesleyan College, B.A., 1919; Columbia University, M.A., 1924; postgraduate study Columbia, 1934; Oxford University, 1966. Taught history, Brinson, and Plant City, Fla. High Schools; Andrew College,…

Biography: Political scientist; university professor. Born– May 6, 1947, Los Angeles. Parents–Albert A. and Cornelia A. Martin. Married–Catherine R. Perricone, June 6, 1975. Education– B.A., Redlands University, 1968; M.A., Claremont Graduate School, 1969; Ph.D., 1973. U.S. Army, Vietnam, 1969-71.  Employed as a Public Administration Analyst, University of California, Los Angeles, 1972-73; taught political science at Auburn University, 1973-1997. Consultant, Alabama…

Biography: Linguist; university professor. Born– August 24, 1907, Talladega, Ala. Parents– William C. and Celeste (Miller) McMillan. Married– Antoinette Brannon, August 29, 1931. Children– One. Education– Davidson College, 1925-1926; B.S., Alabama Polytechnic Institute, 1929; M.A., University of North Carolina, 1930; Ph.D., University of Chicago, 1946; Johns Hopkins, Columbia University. Professor of English linguistics at the University of Alabama,…

Biography: Born– Birmingham, Ala., September 19, 1918. Parents– Henderson Abrams and Willie Bell (Roberts) Hamilton. Married– Josephus Moore, Sr., Selma, Ala., August 19, 1955. Children– Four. Education– A.B., Miles College, 1940; M.A., Atlanta University, 1945. Employed as a teacher, Sumter County, Bibb County; Miles College; teacher, principal, Eureka Elementary School; reporter, Birmingham News, 1964. Honors–…

Biography: Banker; genealogist. Born– Coffee County, Ala., April 2, 1897. Parents– William Thomas and Coral (Fuller) Mixson. Married– Grace Swanson, April 23, 1928. Children– Two. Education– Emory College, 1917-1918; University of Alabama, 1919. Employed, Elba Bank & Trust, 1920-1929; Bank of Thorsby, 1929-1938; Bank of Commerce, Clayton, 1938-1942; Bank of Ozark, 1942-1947; Bank of Dadeville,…