George Marshall is the "Father" of the Marshall family. He was born into slavery to a slave girl known by the name of Ann and his father is said to be the slave master by the name of Bill Marshall. Because young George was the slavemaster son, it reported that he received better treatment than that of his mother and other slaves. George eventually met and married Nellie Lee the daughter of another slave named Fannie Lee. George and Nellie moved to Flat Creek, Alabama and lived there for a short time before moving back to Burnt Corn. The first house was just on the out skirts of Burnt Corn not far from the Old Robinson Store just across from the Gristmill. The white people of Burnt Corn thought that was too close to them and forced them to move. They then moved into a house farther up and off the road in another house that they made home. The house is still standing as it looks today.

George and Nellie had 11 children as follow:
Irene
Carlie
Johnnie
Roberta
Rosie Lee
Annie Coleman
James "Jimmy"
Nellie
George W, Jr.
Margaret "Maggie"
Pauline
The George Marshall family can be traced no further than 1814 to Virginia which they referred to as "Ole Virginny,” George Marshall is considered the "Father" of the Marshall family. George Marshall who was born circa 1857 in the final days of slavery in Flat Creek , Alabama, a community in North Monroe County to a slave girl named Ann and her slave master by the name of Bill Marshall. His father, Bill Marshall, was a plantation owner; his mother Ann, was a slave girl on Marshall’s plantation. George often remarked that he was the only one of the slave children who had shoes because his father was his "Master." Because George was the slave master’s son he received better treatment than that of his mother and other slaves. George marries Nellie Lee the daughter of another slave named Fannie Lee in 1884.

Little is known about George mother, Ann except that she worked on the plantation of Bill Marshall and is the mother of George Marshall. Apparently, Bill Marshall a white slave owner who would have forced sex with Ann who lived in a little shack in the back on his plantation. Ann didn't care for Bill Marshall and apparently he didn't care her much for her either except for forced sex. However, it is said that Bill Marshall cared for his offspring George, and treated him better than other slaves and his mother. He gave George preferential jobs at the "big house" and ensured that he had shoes. George Marshall would become a house boy and carriage driver for his father Bill. He ensured George had plenty to eat and George would bring desserts and other tasty foods (that were served in the Master's home) to his mother Ann who had to remain in the slave quarters where the food was meager and plain.

Ann later married a man by the name of Abe Marshall and they had two children: William Henry and Lizzie. Abe Marshall, his step father was a slave on white Bill Marshall’s plantation. George, however was raised by his aunt Roberta, who married Baylor Johnson. It is not clear what happen to George’s brother Williams Henry and his sister Lizzie.

CLICK BACK ON BROWER OR CLICK HERE TO BACK TO MAIN PAGE