William Benjamin Calloway, Sr. (1803-1884) Memorial
The following article was found in the Alabama State Archives in a copy of an old newspaper, The Banner, a Chilton County weekly newspaper published in Clanton, AL; Thursday, 14 February 1901, in Letters to the Editor, column 2, page 1 and continued on column 2, page 4. There was no name for the author, but it appears to be written as a memorial.

Weogufka, Ala. 9 Feb 1901: Editor, Banner - Benjamin Calloway, Sr. (Job, John, Edward, John, Peter Callaway) departed this life February 7, 1884. He was born November 10, 1803 in Wilkes County, Georgia, moved to the Territory of Mississippi in 1816 and settled on Line Creek, west of Montgomery, in 1817, then moved to Prattville where he remained until 1819, at which place he was living when Alabama was admitted into the Union. He then moved 26 miles above Wetumpka on the Coosa River, and settled in Autauga County, where he married Mary Ann Milton (Melton) on the 5th day of April, 1825, who still survives him. He moved to Coosa County in 1855, where he remained until his death. He joined the Baptist Church at Chestnut Creek in Autauga County, in 1835, lived a devoted member until his death; he joined the Masonic fraternity in Rockford in 1858. He had born to him twenty children and at the time of his death he had 155 grand and great grandchildren. He was buried with Masonic honors at Weogufka Church, on the 8th of February.

Note: He is buried in Weogufka Baptist Church Cemetery, Coosa Co., AL. His wife called Polly is buried near him. The Church was established in 1848 and is presently known as "Weogufka First Baptist Church".

"He was always a quiet, peaceable citizen, was never prosecuted for any violations of the law. He was perhaps the oldest resident living in the state having resided here sixty-eight years.

"Having made a good record in this life he now sleeps quietly in the grave to the welcome applause, 'well done, good and faithful servant, thou hast been faithful in a few things, enter thou into the joys of thy lord.'"

Note: William Benjamin Callaway was the son of Jobe Callaway, who also died in Coosa County at age 97. Jobe was living in the household of his son, Benjamin, at the time of his death and both are buried at Weogufka Church.

Since this article mentions that his wife still survives him, (she actually died in 1890), it is assumed that this article is a reprint of the original obituary.

This article was contributed to CFA by Joseph E. Bills, Selma, Alabama and originally published in the 1986 CFA Journal.

Children of William Benjamine CALLAWAY , Sr. and Mary Ann "Polly" MELTON are:
+ i. Jonathan M. CALLAWAY was born 16 SEP 1827 in Chestnut Creek, Autauga County, Alabama, and died 24 DEC 1906 in Chilton County, Alabama. He married Rutha "Ruthie" Jarutha EILAND 27 JUL 1848 in Autauga County, Alabama, daughter of John Daniel EILAND and Jane SEGARS.
+ ii. Elizabeth "Lizzy" CALLAWAY was born 2 MAR 1829 in Chestnut Creek, Autauga, Coosa County, Alabama. She married Green JONES 30 DEC 1845 in Chilton County, Alabama.
+ iii. William Benjamin CALLAWAY , Jr. was born 16 APR 1832 in Chestnut Creek, Autauga, Coosa County, Alabama, and died 21 JUL 1897 in Weogufka, Coosa County, Alabama. He married Lucy HOOD 26 MAR 1857 in Coosa County, Alabama, daughter of William C. HOOD and Nancy B..
+ iv. Josiah "Joe" M. CALLAWAY was born 16 FEB 1835 in Chestnut Creek, Autauga, Coosa County, Alabama, and died 3 JAN 1900 in Weogufka, Coosa County, Alabama. He married Sarah Jane COLLIER 15 MAR 1855 in Coosa County, Alabama by J. W. Wilson, J.P., daughter of W.W. COLLIER.
+ v. Celia "Jane" CALLAWAY was born 28 FEB 1837 in Chestnut Creek, Autauga County, Alabama, and died 30 MAR 1924 in Weogufka, Coosa County, Alabama. She married John Harrison BOWDEN 18 DEC 1856 in Coosa County, Alabama by David A. Griffin, J.P., son of John BOWDEN and Melissa Ann RIPPETOE. He was born 1832 in Alabama, and died 1863 in Civil War. She married Thomas Jefferson BAZEMORE , Sr. 28 MAY 1868 in Coosa County, Alabama, son of William Thomas Jefferson BAZEMORE and Oma PALMER.
+ vi. Enoch J. CALLAWAY was born 1 AUG 1838 in Chestnut Creek, Autauga County, Alabama, and died 26 MAR 1864 in Died in Civil War. He married Amanda S. BOWDEN 22 DEC 1859 in Coosa County, Alabama by E.T. Adkins, M.G., daughter of John BOWDEN and Melissa Ann RIPPETOE.
+ vii. George Washington CALLAWAY was born 14 JUN 1843 in Chestnut Creek, Autauga County, Alabama, and died 28 JUN 1928 in Weogufka, Coosa County, Alabama. He married Alice WHITE BEF 1865 in Coosa County, Alabama. He married Amarilla WILSON 7 DEC 1865 in Coosa County, Alabama, daughter of William A. WILSON and Anna HARKINS. She was born 1845 in Coosa County, Alabama, and died BEF 9 JUN 1870 in Coosa County, Alabama. He married Mary Diana "Mollie" JACKSON ABT 1871 in Coosa County, Alabama.
+ viii. Charity Brown CALLAWAY was born 17 APR 1844 in Chestnut Creek, Autauga County, Alabama, and died 30 AUG 1938 in Sylacauga, Talladega County, Alabama. She married William Henry TEEL 27 OCT 1870 in Coosa County, Alabama, son of Calvary "Calvin" TEEL and Sarah "Sally" Louise GRIFFIN.
ix. Jasper CALLAWAY was born 7 OCT 1847 in Mt. Olive, Coosa County, Alabama, and died ABT 1849 in Drowned at age of 2 years, Mt. Olive, Coosa County, Alabama.
+ x. Newton Joseph CALLAWAY was born 7 OCT 1847 in Mt. Olive, Coosa County, Alabama, and died 28 JUN 1921 in Clanton, Chilton County, Alabama. He married Nancy Catherine CALFEE ABT 1869 in Coosa County, Alabama, daughter of Evan Adair CALFEE and Elizabeth W. WOODS. She was born 1846 in Coosa County, Alabama, and died 1888 in Coosa County, Alabama. He married Alice D. WHITE 1890 in Alabama.
xi. Jasper CALLAWAY was born 7 Oct 1847 in Mt. Olive, Coosa County, Alabama and died about 1849 in Mt. Olive, Coosa County, Alabama (from drowning).
+ xii. Sarah "Ardelia" CALLAWAY was born 9 NOV 1849 in Mt. Olive, Coosa County, Alabama. She married Benjamin F. CALFEE, son of Evan Adair CALFEE and Elizabeth W. WOODS.
xiii. Infant Triplets CALLAWAY was born ABT 1851 in Mt. Olive, Coosa County, Alabama.
+ xiv. Beverly "Turpin" CALLAWAY was born 17 AUG 1855 in Weogufka, Coosa County, Alabama, and died 16 JUN 1903 in Weogufka, Coosa County, Alabama. He married Mary E. TAYLOR 1875 in Weogufka, Coosa County, Alabama. She was born 1854 in Weogufka, Coosa County, Alabama, and died UNKNOWN. He married Sydney Caroline "Carrie" ESTES AUG 1885 in Coosa County, Alabama.