Eutaw Banks... Their Story as Suggested by the WCB Photo Albums (PDF files on CD-ROM)
Collection
Identifier: MSS-4176
Scope and Contents
Extensively illustrated with photographs, primarily taken by Wilkes Coleman Banks, the book on CD in this collection chronicles the family history and stories of James Oliver Banks II, from his banishment as an infant from his home after the death of his mother and ends with his death in 1941. The epilogue briefly covers the lives of his children.
Dates
- 1852-1941
Creator
- Banks, Wilkes Coleman (Photographer, Person)
Biographical / Historical
James Oliver Banks II, youngest child of James Oliver and Martha Jane Coleman Banks, was born on December 26, 1865. When his mother died of typhoid fever in 1868, his father apparently decided to start again and build a new family. James' older sister and brother, Mary Gray (16) and Willis Alston (11), were sent to boarding schools in the East and James Oliver (2) was sent to Greene County, Alabama, to be raised by his spinster aunt Rhoda Coleman and bachelor uncle Wiley Coleman.
James Oliver attended the prestigious Tutwiler's School for Boys in Green Springs, Alabama, and graduated Phi Beta Kappa from the University of Alabama. He became an astute business man, reputed to be the "meanest man in all of Greene County" and one of the wealthiest. He inherited his uncle's plantation Grassdale in 1892, his aunt's townhouse in Eutaw in 1900, and a nice inheritance from his father, James O. Banks Sr, in 1904.
James Oliver married Julia Coleman in 1888. The couple had nine children: (1) Wilkes Coleman (1889-1963); (2) Wiley Coleman (1890-1893); (3) James Oliver III (1892-1892); (4) Ellen Gray (1893-1976); (5) Willis Alston (1895-1982 ); (6) Hampden Osborne (1897-1966 ); (7) Julia Coleman (1898-1899); (8) John Coleman (1899-1969 ); and (9) Ralph Roundtree (1901-1959 ).
Julia Coleman Banks died on January 19, 1903, at the age of 36. Three years later in 1906, James Oliver married one of Ellen Gray's governesses, Sally Buck. James Oliver Banks II died on April 29, 1941, in Eutaw.
James Oliver attended the prestigious Tutwiler's School for Boys in Green Springs, Alabama, and graduated Phi Beta Kappa from the University of Alabama. He became an astute business man, reputed to be the "meanest man in all of Greene County" and one of the wealthiest. He inherited his uncle's plantation Grassdale in 1892, his aunt's townhouse in Eutaw in 1900, and a nice inheritance from his father, James O. Banks Sr, in 1904.
James Oliver married Julia Coleman in 1888. The couple had nine children: (1) Wilkes Coleman (1889-1963); (2) Wiley Coleman (1890-1893); (3) James Oliver III (1892-1892); (4) Ellen Gray (1893-1976); (5) Willis Alston (1895-1982 ); (6) Hampden Osborne (1897-1966 ); (7) Julia Coleman (1898-1899); (8) John Coleman (1899-1969 ); and (9) Ralph Roundtree (1901-1959 ).
Julia Coleman Banks died on January 19, 1903, at the age of 36. Three years later in 1906, James Oliver married one of Ellen Gray's governesses, Sally Buck. James Oliver Banks II died on April 29, 1941, in Eutaw.
Extent
0.1 Linear Feet (1 compact disk)
Language of Materials
English
Overview
The story of the family of James Oliver Banks II of Eutaw, Alabama, as told in the photographs of his son Wilkes Coleman Banks.
Provenance
gift of Gray Humphries Arnoldy, 2015
General
To provide faster access to our materials, this finding aid was published without formal and final review. Email us at archives@ua.edu if you find mistakes or have suggestions to make this finding aid more useful for your research.
Processed by
Martha Bace, 2016
Source
- Arnoldy, Gray Humphries (Donor, Person)
Creator
- Banks, Wilkes Coleman (Photographer, Person)
- Humphries, Charles Evans (Person)
- Title
- Guide to the Eutaw Banks... Their Story as Suggested by the WCB Photo Albums
- Status
- Completed
- Date
- April
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
- Language of description note
- English
Repository Details
Part of the The University of Alabama Libraries Special Collections Repository