A Conundrum of Connections Part 2

As I stated in my previous post I married William McCardle. His mother's second husband was William Andrew McCardel, Jr. William's grandfather was William Andrew McCardel who married Mollie Gallops. William Andrew's father was Charles Elmer McCardel, a veteran of the Mexican War and Civil War.  Charles McCardel was wounded at the Battle of Chickamauga.  The McCardel family lived in the Pine Knot area of Chattahoochee County, GA. Charles Elmer McCardel married Eliza Jane Parker and they had six children:
1) Charles Lamerle (1854-1932)   m. Laura Ford Mehaffey*
2) Alice Ann (1856-1923)  m. Jesse Pate
3) Martha   (1860-  ?)
4) Jefferson Davis (1862-1947) m.  (1) Frances Gallops (2) Ella Parkman
5) William Andrew (1866-1933) m. Mollie Gallops
6) James Benjamin (1876-1943) m. Nina Robinson

Eliza Jane Parker McCardel

Oct 20, 1836-Sept 26, 1911

Charles Elmer McCardel

Mar 7, 1821-Jan 31, 1881

*My first cousin, Donna Gayle Reese, (the daughter of my mother's brother John Blanchard Reese) married Lem Mehaffey. Lem was the great grandson of John Morgan Mehaffey, Laura Ford Mehaffey's first husband. Charles Lamerle McCardel owned Eelbeck Mill, Lem's grandfather C.R. Mehaffey (Laura's son by her first marriage) took over the Eelbeck Mill at the age of 21.   

The Eelbeck mill (no longer exists), was located in Chattahoochee County on pine Knot Creek. The land where the mill existed and the communities of Eelbeck, Pine Knot and other small communities are now part of the Ft. Benning, GA reservation. The mill was begun in the 1840's by Henry Cook. The McCardel-Mehaffey connection to the Eelbeck Mill began with Charles Lamerle McCardel courting and marrying Laura Ford Mehaffey ( a widow with four chhildren) in Phenix City, AL where he was running a general store. They eventually moved back to the Pine Knot area. They had one child, Elmer. Charles Lamerle purchased the old mill and a small store. In 1917, Charles sold most of his property and sold the mill to his stepson C.R. Mehaffey, who turned Eelbeck meal into a household name in the south. Elmer McCardel (Charles and Laura's only child) was listed in the 1920 census as a truck driver (He probably drove for the Eelbeck Mill company). Elmer died in Hillsborough, FL on October 25, 1925 of Acute parenchymatous nephritis ( in laymen's terms complications of strep infection, causing his kidneys to shut down). 

The back of Eelbeck Mill

Clifford Rhoy Mehaffey

Eelbeck Mill Store

William McCardle's grandfather William Andrew McCardel (Mollie Gallops) had eleven children: 

1) Ruby (1896-1975) m. Thomas J. Anderson
2) Rufus Charles (1897-1964) m. Rosa Watson
3) William Andrew, Jr. (1900-1956) m. 1) Arie Harris 2)Beulah Jones
4) Wiley Julie ( 1902-1954) m. Frances Madeline Mehaffey*
5) Nancy Jane "Nina" (1905-1983) m. Grady Brown
6) Alma (1909-1988) m. Robert Brown
7) Alice (1911-2000) m. William Stringfellow
8) Lily Mae (1913-1971) m. Willard Stringfellow
9) Alva Edward "Bud" (1914-1984) m. Mildred Wright
10) Grace (1917-1993) m. Arthur Freehling
11) Eva (1921-1985) m. Cecil Roy Davis

*Lem Mehaffey's aunt Madeline Mehaffey (daughter of Clifford Rhoy Mehaffey) married Wiley McCardle, my husband's uncle. So, while my cousin's husband and my husband aren't related they share 1st cousins, the children of Madeline and Wiley!

Finding family connections are the very best part of my research! 

Background information on this post came from:
Fort Benning: A Land and It's People
History of Chattahoochee Co., GA,  Norma Kate Rogers, Southern Historical Press, 1976
History of Stewart County, GA, Columbus Office Supply, 1958
U.S. Federal Census Collection
Florida Death Certificate (Charlie E. McCardel)
Pictures courtesy of James McCardel and Donna Mehaffey