"The Champion family is frequently remembered today as the "fairest" of all the Whites, and the one with whom many Blacks first experienced integration, when long before the formation of official public policy, they were expected to sit down and eat with the family members. Whites did not always remember the Champions quite so favorably, and some individuals recalled Elijah Champion's long hair, and his habit of riding into town on a mule with a gun. His agreement with Edmund Murrell, Sr. in 1863 to take Robert Murrell's place in the Confederate service in Taylor's Regiment, Gil McKay's Co. indicated a willingness to fight which was borne out in legal actions against him and his relatives."
Thank you Evelyn Martin for the above information
~~~~~~
Born Abt 1813-1816
Parents:
Drury "Drew" CHAMPION, Sr
(Bet 1765-1770-1842)
Edith "Edy" YOUNG
(Bet 1755-1775-1857)
Wife:
Delilah Velia Elizabeth (DeFEE) CHAMPION
m 18 Sep 1841 Sabine Co., TX
Children:
Adaline, Louisa, Elijah C, Patsey Mattie,
Ernest James, Betty "Lizzie" J., William Henry.
~~~~~~
United States Census, 1850
for Elijah Champion
Name: Elijah Champion
Residence: San Augustine county, San Augustine, Texas
Household Gender Age
Elijah Champion M 37y
Velia Champion F 25y
Adaline Champion F 9y
Louisa Champion F 7y
Elijah Champion M 4y
Drew F Champion M 26y
~~~~~~
May 2013
"I was told by William Frank Champion Jr. on April 14, 2000. That Elijah G. Champion died from yellow fever, or some kind of flu, because there was a flu-epidemic between 1900-1919 that would come and go away and then return. It was hard to cure the flu back then. Doctor's didn't have the right kind of medicines.
[Elijah G died in 1867]
Also I received on May 6, 2000. From the Historical Society in Harrison County, that in a article in a newspaper, dated on March 9, 1915, a (Personal Mention) that a Elijah Champion, living near Rocky Ford in Harrison, County also known as Champion Community on the Sabine River, is reported dying.
[Was this Elijah T?]
The family story, goes like this. Elijah G. Champion and his twin brother (Elisha) had a deputes about ownership of a bale of cotton in a previous year. Later the brother (Elisha) was starting to pick a peach off his brother's (Elijah G) tree. He was told not to do so. When he did so, he was shot and killed by his twin brother (Elijah G.), The Champion family split over this killing. Supposedly some family members changed their surnames and some members (Brother William Henry Champion, and aunt Sallie Williams, and another aunt Mary "Polly" Rudisill Smith) moved to Sabine Parish, Louisiana to live...see Lee County Deed Books."
Thank you Jeannie/Sandy (#47773332) for the above information

RIP Husband of 2nd great grand aunt
- Yvonne
Added: Oct. 20, 2012