Mary Golden Azbill (1912-1994) and Ulrich Mack Watlington
(1911-1976) were united in marriage April 14, 1946 after Mack
returned from some hard years of service with the Armed Forces.
Golden was born in Henderson Co., Tenn., where the Azbills had been for two
generations. The emigrants were Allen and Keziah
Azbill who are believed to have come from South Carolina to West
Tennessee. Allen (b. ca. 1790) was born in North Carolina but Keziah
was born in South Carolina ca. 1800. Golden
reported that the family believed Keziah had an Indian mother. Their
youngest son Harvey (Harve) (b. ca. 1842) is reportedly born in
Henderson Co., Tenn. The family is identified in the 1850 Census
(Henderson Co., Tenn., #41-366) as Asbell, Allen (age 60). Harvey
is reported in the 1870 Census as Azbill, Harry (age 27), living near
three other Azbill families, which are his brothers. The parents of
James Henry Azbill then are Harvey (b. 1842) and N. J. (or M.
J.--Mary Jane, b. 1841, pb. Hare Cemetery ca. 1914).
James Henry, often known by the initials, J. H., had a son Eugene
by his first marriage and then later married (ca. 1909) Lula Susan
Scott who gave birth to two sons and seven daughters. About 1930 he
moved his family to Madison Co., Tenn., near Malesus where there was
more opportunity for high school studies.
J. H. Azbill had a good voice and a devout faith which led him
into gospel singing and by 1907 he was leading shaped note singing
classes at the Old Bethel Methodist Church in Henderson Co. He
passed on his love of gospel music and his good voice to his children
also. Both Hubert and Ruble Azbill made sweet music for many church
occasions.
The parents of Lula Susan Scott were Lucian and Florence
Scott of Henderson Co., Tenn.
They were buried at the Old Bethel Cemetery, related to the church
where J. H. led a singing class in Dec. 1907. A photo of
J. H. Azbill with this large class identified by name is still
circulated.
The family of Everett and Mable Azbill Webb
are collecting more details of the Azbill
genealogy.