Upchurch Lineage
The Upchurch Legacy originated from William Greer a slave owner (white) who migrated from Union County, South Carolina to various parts of Georgia. He married Rebecca Ammons in Greene County, Georgia and later came to Henry County, Georgia as an early settler and a large planter.
Our history as known to date, was established when the strong Isaac Greer b. 1810 met and married the lovely Aggie Goodler b. 1815, both were born and raised during the Pioneer period in South Carolina. They were slaves; Isaac was a farmer and Aggie a cook. To this union were born three children: Creasie, Perry, and John. Creasie, the eldest was born in South Carolina; the other children were not born until the family moved to Georgia.
Along with their slave owner, our ancestors traveled to Georgia during the latter part of the antebellum period, which was approximately the year 1849. This time frame in history was significant because the Creek Indians were battling to keep their land and were being forced out of Georgia by the early settlers. The couple’s second child Perry was born in 1850; and the third child John, was born in 1851. Our lineage stem from the youngest child, John we are his descendents.
After emancipation in 1865 former slaves were able to choose any name they desired. In many cases, they chose the name of their last owner or a previous owner. Sometimes they did not choose a name of any former owner; they simply wanted to distance themselves from slavery all together.
Freedom is having liberty or independence. When black slaves in the South were freed, they were unsure what they were going to do. Their reaction to freedom had a large impact on; the way they earned their living, spent their money, their attitude toward marriage, family life and education.
This reaction was evident in the lives of our Upchurch ancestors. It is apparent that the family chose to distance themselves from their former slave owner. In the 1870 census the entire family’s last name was listed as Greer. A few years later, research show that sometime between the years 1871 and 1872 the entire family changed their surname to Upchurch. In efforts to confirm this theory, upon examining the marriage record of the eldest daughter, Creasie; it lists her maiden name as Upchurch in 1873. During that time, our ancestors were the only set of black Upchurch’s documented in Henry County, Georgia.
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Creasie Greer-Upchurch Wyatt b.1848- d.1923- was the first born of three children; she married (Colored Freeman) Benjamin Wyatt. To this union was born a son named Webb Wyatt. Creasie remained a resident of Henry County, Georgia until her death.
Perry Greer- Upchurch b. 1850 d. 1921- was the second born of three children; he married Josephine Turner in 1874. To this union were born two girls. There were Ida and Ada. Perry and his family remained in Henry County, Georgia until his death.
John Isaac Greer-Upchurch b. 1851 d. 1939- was the third born of three children; he married Harriett Fargason in 1873. John had a stepson named Henderson. To this union was born another son, Clark. John also had two other children (a boy and a girl) they are Julian and Lillian. There mother is unknown at this time. We are descendants of Clark. John remained a resident of Henry County, Georgia until his death.
Henderson Upchurch- at this time, there are no found documents to trace his whereabouts during that era. More research is under way.
Lillian Upchurch- at this time, there are no found documents to trace her whereabouts during that era. More research is under way.
Julian Upchurch -at this time, there are no found documents to trace his whereabouts during that era. More research is under way.
Clark Upchurch: b. 1865 d. unknown- was the only child born to the union of John and Harriett Upchurch. He married Mary Evans in 1888 in Henry County, Georgia. To this union were born nine children (6 girls and 3 boys). They were…Clyde Cleo, Homer, Lillie, Dora, Eva, Louis, Sarah and Marcus. Clark died very early in his marriage. After his death his wife Mary remarried. She married a man named John Phinazee in 1914 in Henry County, Georgia. John later died in 1919; left a widow for the second time after a short four year marriage. Mary migrated to Ohio along with some of here children in the early 1940’s. There are currently no found documents to trace her whereabouts after she left Henry County, Georgia.
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Wise Lineage
The Wise Legacy begins with Henry Wise and Elizabeth "Lizzie" Wheeler born 1836 in the state of Virginia. In the year 1880 in Butts County, Georgia; Lizzie a very strong black woman, found herself a widow with five children (4 boys and 1 girl) at the young age of 44. Her children were: Slaton, Dock, Lizzie, Sim, and Charles. We are descendants of the youngest child, Charles. Although it is not yet clear if Lizzie was ever a former slave during the antebellum period, some of her children were listed as mulattos (a person with mixed ancestry) in various census records.
According to research, almost all historians agree that incidences of favoritism towards mulattos occasionally occurred; however, not all agree on why they occurred. While some racially diverse slaves may have been given special treatment and respect due to their European blood, another reason may have been because most mulatto children were the offspring of their master. This helps explain the paternalistic need to keep mulattos in the same house as their master, or for him to liberate his own children. Slave masters would sometimes do everything short of recognizing legitimacy in order to assist their children.
Although these theories remain to be proven, it is evident that Lizzie’s offspring definitely have European blood. It has been rumored that we are descendants of a President. Well, that remains to be proven also. According to documented facts; Lizzie and her family appeared to be well off and left with a wealth of land in Butts County, Georgia that was passed down several generations.
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Slaton Wise: b. 1859- d. 1942- was the first born of five children; he married Louisa Greer on September 21 1886. To this union were born five children (4 boys and 1 girl). There were: Charlie, Dock, Annie, Grover and Austin. Slaton and his family migrated to neighboring Henry County, Georgia where he remained until his death.
Dock Wise: b. 1861- d. unknown- was the second born of five children; he married a young lady by the name of Patten (maiden name unknown). To this union was born a daughter named Virgia. Dock and his family remained in Butts County, Georgia.
Lizzie Wise Tyler: b.1867- d. unknown- was the third born of five children; she married William H. Tyler. To this union were born seven children (6 boys and 1 girl). Lizzie and her family remained in Butts County, Georgia until her death.
Sim Wise: b. 1869 d. unknown- was the fourth born of five children; at this time, there are no found documents to trace his whereabouts during that era. More research is under way.
Charles Wise: b. 1871 d. 1945- was the fifth born of five children; he married three times...1) Dovie Miller 2) Estelle 3) Lillian. Charles was a minister and traveled abroad. His primary residence was Toccoa, Clark County, Georgia. The marriage to Dovie produces a daughter named Elizabeth (Lizzie). It is said that he also father a daughter named Mattie out of wedlock. He later returned to Butts County, Georgia where he remained until his death.
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