McCauley, Lanier, Hankins, Hopkins & Taylor Families

John William "Will" McCAULEY ¹⁵²³

   Another name for Will was Thomas Jefferson "Jeff" LANIER.

  More Information:

• Alt. Birth: 1 March 1880 in Franklin, Heard County, Georgia. ¹⁵²³

• Name Variations: Will was born Thomas Jefferson Lanier. He was probably born in either Randolph County or Chambers County, Alabama. His parents were living in Chambers County in 1870 and in Randolph County in 1880. He changed his name to John William McCauley about 1902.

[This may cause some confusion as Jeff's brother, John William Lanier, also went by Will.] ⁴³⁴

• 1880 United States Federal Census, Joseph Lanier household, Rock Mills, Randolph County, Alabama: Jeff was living with his parents. He was listed as Thomas J. Lanier, son, age 5, born in Alabama. ¹⁵²⁶

• 1900 United States Federal Census, Joseph Lanier household, Muldon, Monroe County, Mississippi: Jeff was listed with his parents as Thomas J. Lanier, son, farm laborer, age 25, born Mar 1875 in Alabama. He was not actually living with his parents at this time. He was married and living in a nearby house with his wife and child although they have not be located in this census. ¹⁵²⁴

• Residence: 1904, Daniel Boone, Hopkins County, Kentucky. ¹⁵²⁷ According to items in the Earlington Bee, Will was living in Daniel Boone which is a small community in Hopkins County about 10 miles south of Earlington.

Earlington Bee - 7 Jul 1904
Mr. Will McCulley [sic], of Daniel Boone, visited the family of Mr. Lee Hankins Monday. 7 Jul 1904

Earlington Bee - 8 Sep 1904
Will McCaully [sic], of Daniel Boone, is visiting his best girl this week. [This was a few weeks before Will & Verda were married.]

• 1910 United States Federal Census, J. W. McCauley household, College Street, Greenville, Muhlenberg County, Kentucky: Will, Verda and daughters, Gladys, Vernon and Vashti were living at the corner of College and Depot Streets. He was listed as loader in a mine, age 31, married once for 6 years, born in Georgia, both parents born in Georgia. ¹⁵²⁸

• Physical Description: In his WW I draft registration, Will was described as medium height with slender build, gray eyes and light hair.

View WWI Draft Registration. ¹⁵²⁹

• 1920 United States Federal Census, John W. McCauley household, Muhlenberg County, Kentucky: WIll, Verda and their six children (Gladys, Vernon, Vashti, Joe, Liz and Lois) were living in District #3-Court House. Will was listed as a coal miner, age 39, born in Georgia. ¹⁵³⁰

• 1930 United States Federal Census, J. W. McCauley household, Kennedy Brasher Road, Greenville, Muhlenberg County, Kentucky: Will, Verda and seven of their children (Joe, Liz, Lois, John, Katie, David and Jimmie) were living in Magisterial District #3. Will was listed as a farmer, age 50, born in Georgia, married at age 24. ¹⁵³¹

• Occupation: Will worked in coal mines and farmed in Kentucky and may have worked in cotton mills in Georgia as a young boy. He also worked in a factory in Evansville, Indiana for a short time during WWII. ⁴³⁴

• Photo: John William McCauley.

• Obituary: Published in the Greenville Leader News in July 1959 in Greenville, Muhlenberg County, Kentucky. ¹⁵³² John McCauley, 79, Dies Early Monday;
John W. McCauley, Sr., 79, died at 4:15 a.m. Monday in Rest Haven Convalescent Home, Owensboro, following an illness of five years. He was a native of Georgie [sic] but had lived in this county since 1908. He was a retired farmer and member of the Pleasant Hill Methodist Church.

Surviving are his wife, Mrs. Pearl McCauley; seven daughters, three sons, ; 31 grandchildren and 27 great-grandchildren.

Funeral services were held on Tuesday at 3 p.m. in the Pleasant Hill Methodist Church conducted by the Rev. H. T. Sharp, pastor of Bennett Memorial Methodist Church, Henderson, assisted by Rev. A. B. Gross and Rev. Lee Ward. Burial was in the church cemetery.

The body was take to Parker-Washburne-Pannell Funeral Home.

• Grave Marker: John W. & Verda J. McCauley, Pleasant Hill Cemetery, Greenville, Muhlenberg County, Kentucky. ¹⁵³³

Jeff married Theodocia SMITH on 13 January 1897 in Branchville, Saint Clair County, Alabama ¹⁵¹⁹.^,1520

Will next married Verda Waller "Verdie Jane" HANKINS, daughter of Thomas Leander "Lee" HANKINS and Samantha Angeline PETTY, on 27 September 1904 in Earlington, Hopkins County, Kentucky.¹⁵²¹ (Verda Waller "Verdie Jane" HANKINS was born on 1 December 1884 in Hopkins County, Kentucky,^1484,1534 died on 16 May 1942 in Greenville, Muhlenberg County, Kentucky ¹⁵³⁴ and was buried on 17 May 1942 in Pleasant Hill Cemetery, Greenville, Muhlenberg County, Kentucky ^1525,1534.)

• Marriage Bond: 26 September 1904, J. W. McCauley and Verdie Hankins, Hopkins County, Kentucky ¹⁵³⁵ Principal: J. W. McCauley, Surety: T. L. Hankins. Both parties were living in Earlington.

View Marriage Bond, License and Certificate

• Wedding Ceremony: 27 September 1904, Earlington, Hopkins County, Kentucky. Will and Verdie were married at the home of her parents, Lee and Samantha Hankins. Witnesses were W. T. Hodges & Samuel Wyatt. [Wyatt was the husband of Lee Hankins' 1st cousin, Dicie Vernon Goodloe. Any relationship to Hodges is unknown.] The ceremony was performed by Elder Jas. H. Dame. ¹⁵²¹

• Wedding Announcement: Earlington Bee, 29 September 1904, Earlington, Hopkins County, Kentucky. ¹⁵³⁶ Married: Mr. William McCauley of Daniel Boone, and Miss Verdia Hankins, of this city, were united in marriage at the residence of the bride's parents Tuesday evening at 7:30 o'clock Rev. James Dame, of Manitou officiating. The groom is an industrious miner and the bride is the daughter of Rev. Lee Hankins, of this city, and an estimable young lady. Their many friends extend congratulations.

• Residence: 1904 - abt 1908, Hopkins County, Kentucky. ¹⁵³⁷ Will & Verda lived in Hopkins County from the time of their marriage until about 1908.

• Residence: 1908, Greenville, Muhlenberg County, Kentucky. ⁴³⁴ Will & Verda moved to Greenville about 1908 and remained there for the rest of their lives. They lived in a house on the corner of Depot and College Streets in town and then moved to a farm outside of town sometime after 1910. Their first house on the farm burned to the ground in the early 1920's and they lived in an old store building until they could build the house pictured here.

• Photo: Will and Verda, ca. 1941.

• Photo: Will and Verda, ca. 1941.

• Photo: Verda and Will, ca. 1942.

• Children: Will & Verda had 11 children; 4 sons and 7 daughters. Their youngest son died before his 1st birthday but the others lived to adulthood and raised families of their own. ⁴³⁴

  Marriage Notes:

Click here for more photos of Will & Verda and their family.

Will next married Pearl FITZHUGH on 10 April 1943 in Drakesboro, Muhlenberg County, Kentucky.¹⁵²² (Pearl FITZHUGH was born ca. 1887 in Muhlenberg County, Kentucky and died on 8 September 1961 in Muhlenberg County, Kentucky ¹⁵³⁸.)