John Logan was one of the early settlers in Coosa County Alabama when the county was formed in 1832. That county as formed from the Creek Indian Cession and Reverend George Brewers History of Coosa County states that John and Alexander Logan, brothers, lived among the Indians, probably on Hatchett Creek above Rockford, before the county was formed. Rockford is the county seat of Coosa County and is located 65 miles south east of Birmingham, AL. John Logan was born in Tennessee, but at this time, we do not know where his family lived in Tennessee (believed to be Blount, County, Tn) or when they moved to AL (believed to be 1830). From our genealogical research to date, we believe that James E. M. Logan was the father of John and Alexander because John was administrator of his estate at the time of his death in September 1839. James E. M. Logan was sheriff of Coosa County from 1837 to the time of his death, September 1839.
Additional Notes: Learned from research since this was written. James E. M. Logan and his brother Henry moved from Blount County, Tn to Alabama in 1830. James E. M. had 8 children, 4 sons and 4 daughters. Combined with the Henry Logan family they form a large Logan contingent from Coosa County, AL. I have been able to make contact with numerous researchers with family information on these two individuals and their descendants. James E. M. sons were; Samuel (1795), Alexander (1802), John*(1807), and Robert(Abt 1816), the daughters were; Mary (McDonald)(1810), Nancy (Graham)(Abt 1812), Jane (Williamson)(Abt 1815), and Sarah (Abt 1820).
John Logan married Margaret Davidson, July 27, 1841 at Rockford, AL. She was the daughter of Isaac Davidson and was born in SC. To their union was born Caroline Jane, James M., John Robert, Isaac D., George W., Napoleon B. and Henry C. Logan. They lived in Nixburg and he was listed in the 1850 US Census as being a grocer. He is also mentioned in Rev. Brewers History as being one of the early residents of Nixburg, AL. This small town still exists today a few miles southeast of Rockford. He died between March of 1854 and March of 1855, at the age of 48 years. This date of his death was established from court and tax records of Coosa County.
After John Logan’s death, Margaret moved near her father, Isaac Davidson, at Mt Olive, with her young family and reared her sons as farmers. James, John Robert and Isaac Logan served with the Confederacy during the Civil War, probably with the 62nd Alabama Infantry Regiment.
About 1870 Isaac and George Logan came to AR. They did not appear in either the US Census of AR or AL, indicating that they were travelling between AL and AR at the time of that census. Margaret Logan and all the other members of her family appeared in the US Census of AL in 1870. She came to AR between the years of 1871-73 with all the members of her family except her son John Robert, who remained in AL and reared his family there. She and her family settled in Stone County, near the Cleburne County line. Grandmother Margaret Logan was one of those hardy pioneer women that reared her family in a hard situation and in very difficult times in the history of our country. She is buried in the Macedonia Cemetery, north of Drasco, AR, a long, long distance from her native SC.
This is a brief history of our Logan family before they came to AR and became some of the early settlers of this area. We are continuing our genealogical research for the ancestors of John Logan and Margaret Davidson and at this time know that they were born in SC. Hopefully, if we have this reunion next year, we can give you more information and history of this Logan family.
Written for the Logan Family Reunion (about 1970) by Edith Chloe Logan-Yates
Initialized sections added by Tom Martin 1997.
GEORGE AND BETTY LOGAN FAMILY ABOUT 1918
Front row; George and Betty. Brady, Buell and Edith.
Back row; May, Macon, Zora,
Betty Logan and children
Seated: Brady, Macon, Buell, and Rato
Standing; Betty, Carrie McCarty, Zora Chastain, May Logan and Edith Yates.
LOGAN – MCCARTY GET TOGETHER 1902
Front row; Edith Logan, Rato Logan, Troy McCarty, Julius McCarty.
Second row; Zora Logan Chastain and son Aubrey, Betty Logan, George Logan, Carrie McCarty and son Clint.Third row; —, Buell Logan, Baby Joe Chastain, May Logan, Minnie Logan, Brady Logan, Annie Lynch Logan, Bo McCarty and Macon Logan.
Left to right; Rato, May, Buell, Edith – 1918