Sikes Family History & Genealogy

This is actually the story before Zechariah Sikes and Loucinda Caroline Pittmann moved from Athens, GA, to Hector, AR in 1898. It's the stories of the Sikes, Pittmann, Jennings, Gathright, and so on backwards to when my GGGgrandfather Zechariah settled in Jackson County, GA.

My ggrandfather Zechariah Sikes who left Athens, GA, was the son of John Thomas Sikes, and Prudence Jennings. He was the eldest son of this union, and so it was confusing to me that he was not selected as the executor of his father's will. But we'll get to that later on. John Thomas was the son of Zechariah Sikes, and Winifred House. We have only recently discovered that this line goes back to a Willoughy Sikes. This was discovered by another researcher, and so I don't have the actual documentation to prove that.

I have recently also discovered that there are others who have posted information of the Pittmann family on here. These are related to my Ggrandmother Loucinda Caroline Pittmann, who grew up in the Nicholson, GA area. Her father Archibald, and brother (whose name escapes me at this time) both were in the Pittmann Brigade that fought Sherman's March to the sea, and perished in doing so.

My GGgrandfather's estate (John Thomas), and his father's estate (Zechariah Sikes...the first) were settled at the same time; because the spinster daughters of Zechariah were allowed to live in the house until they passed, which was about the same time as John Thomas. I was able to ascertain some interesting information on the land that the Sikes owned in the Athens area by visitng there and running into a descendant of my Ggrandpa John Thomas's sister, Rebecca. She drove myself, and my son, Sean, around to the houses of the Sikes that still lived in the area, explaining that those homes had intially belonged to ancestors.

We got there just in time to see land being submerged until holding ponds that were being constructed. This visit occurred sometime in the early 2000's. We also got to see the cemeteries in Athens (Sikes), and the ruins, and cemetery of the Pittman's in Nicholson. Both were surrounded by housing developments, and were said to be protected by the developers.

Now back in current day, when I was growing up and visiting AR (as my father had moved us to WI after WWII) every summer; I was always told that I had the Sikes characteristics, and coloring (large nose, fair hair and skin). But after visiting in GA I came to find out that those characteristics were actually from the Pittmanns (scots-irish) and the Sikes were actually dark haired and eyed.

Not long after I started this research I was contacted by someone during research on the Athens Artillery, which was a branch of the military that contained the historic families of Athens in the War Between the States. I was able to supply him with the names of families who married into the Sikes that might also have been members of that. That enabled him to give me information that certain branches had indeed been members. His work is published online at Athens Artillery (search on that).

There have been many stories regarding these families as you go backwards in time. Most of them are not to be shared with those outside of the family. But if you a connection, and a question I would be glad to share what I know.

jes rountree

This story starts in Athens, GA, in about 1898. My ggrandfather Zechariah Sikes, and his wife Loucinda Caroline Pittmann, plus their adult and younger children moved their family from Athens to Hector, AR beginning about his time. At first Zachary (as he chose to be called upon moving to AR) the men of the family (Draughn Marable, his son in law; Talmadge, Philip Holman, and Tiny Buckner); plus two black couples who were from Loucindas family's plantation, came along to clear the land, and build two houses. His son Claude, who was his eldest didn't come at that time, as he was off with his Uncle James, in Texas, homesteading a claim out there. He didn't come back to GA until about 1902.

In 1899 when the land was cleared and the homes built Zachary, and Loucinda; Draughn Marable, his wife Blanche Ethleen Sikes, and their two children; Talmadge, Mae, Carrie Lou, Philip Holman (my grandfather), and his younger brother, Tiny Buckner all came to live in Hector (well up on the mtn, above the Creek anyway).

Loucinda Caroline died very shortly after they moved there. Then Ggrandfather Zachary had to return to his parents in GA, as his mom passed. Then his youngest son Tiny Buckner (and my grandfathers playmate)passed. Not long after that he had to return to GA again, to deal with his brother James being shot and killed by his son (accidentally), and my GUncle Claude viewing the shooting.

Such a sad series of tragedies to mark the moving to a new place to live. The two black couples who had traveled with them were treating very hostily by the people of Hector, and chose to move to a black settlement not far from there (Blackwell). This happened while Ggrandpa Zachary was back in GA at his mother's funeral. They never did come back to the Sikes homestead.

Seems that Draughn and Blanche Ethleen; Uncle Claude and his wife Polly; and my grandfather Philip Holman (called Grandpa Jake from here on), and his wife Amanda Tennessee Voss all farmed the land up above the creek. At some point there was a fire and I think my Grandpa Jake and Grandma Tennie (as she was called) moved down into one of the other homesteads Ggrandpa had bought in Hector (3 all totaled it's said), and I believe Draughn and Blanche Ethleen followed not long after that. My dad, Philip Ganey; his brothers Ralph, and Zeke; and sister Lucile, were all born by this time.

At this point they moved into the house on Pettittown Loop, that would later become my Uncle Ralph's home. Later on they moved into the house on Walnut Road (where I now have my home), sharing this with my Ggrandfather Zachary, as he needed to be looked after. Not too long after that my Ggrandfather Franklin Pierce Voss also moved in there, and my Grandma Tennie took care of both of them.

It was this event which allowed my Aunt Lucile, the keeper of the family stories to begin to hear stories of home back in Athens, GA, and the story of the Vosses coming from TN to GA. I have taken on the job of trying to pass the stories along, as my Aunt is the only left of my father's siblings, and their spouses.

I am Adron Sikes I was born in 1937 and reared in Choctaw County Alabama. My father was Jackson Monroe Sikes born October 25, 1882 and lived to be over 100 years old. His father and my grandfather was Andrew Jackson Sikes he was born January 2, 1853 and died February 4, 1938. My great grandfather was John W. Sikes born in 1803, the 1870 Choctaw County Census indicates there was Susan age 48, Andrew J. age 16, Caroline E. age 14, Frank W. age 11, Saphronia age 5, Williamson, Isable age 28 (School Teacher), Chay age 8, John Harrick age 19. These people were listed under John W. Sikes, I have not been able to go back any further with this. Those still living that was born to Jackson Monroe Sikes are as follows:
Bessie, John, James, Audrey, Mary, Adron, Milton, Betty. I would appreciate hearing from anyone who has research on this family.