Josiah Stovall was born in 1749 in Henrico County or Lunenburg Co., Virginia. When he was a child, his family moved to Granville County, North Carolina. He married Mary Hicks in 1768 in Virginia. She was born on November 20, 1751 in Hanover Co., Virginia.

Josiah is listed in documents as being a Private in the Revolutionary War under the command of Colonel Richard Henderson’s Regiment in Captain James Yancey’s Company of Foot on the date of October 3, 1771. Josiah’s brothers; William, John Jr. and Drury are also in this unit.

A Farmer by trade, he moved his family to Lincoln County (was Wilkes County), Georgia in 1785 upon receipt of land as payment for military service during the American Revolution (see Miss. Rev. Soldiers, page 289-294 or Miss. Gen. Exchange, Vol. 6, page 3-5) Josiah and Mary had at least 17 children with three mentioned in his last will and testament; Polly, Drury and Charles. Later in an estate settlement in 1804, the following heirs were named; Polly (widow), Charles, David, Ralph, Josiah, William, Polly (daughter), Lewis, John, Elisha Holmes (for his wife Sally Stovall Holmes) and Charles Kennon (for his late wife Lucy Stovall Kennon) .
. His death is recorded in the Lincoln Co. GA., Book A, page 15. After Josiah’s death on November 20, 1798, his will, recorded on November 17 and probated on December 14, 1798 in Lincoln Co., Georgia, bequeath tools, Plantation, livestock, land and slaves to wife and children.

His wife, Mary moved to the area known as Spring Ridge Community near Mississippi Springs in Hinds County, Mississippi. She died there, December 12, 1845 and is buried in the Old Friendship / Stovall / Smylie Cemetery. Seven of the children moved to Alabama and Mississippi around 1811. (I have visited her grave.)

A letter written in 1845 and mailed to William T. Rattiff in Raymond, MS describes the obituary of Mary. The sum of the letter is the following; Mary died at the age of 96 on Friday, December 12th, 1845 at the home of her daughter, Mrs. Tatum near Jackson, MS. The widow of Josiah Stovall of Georgia for nearly 50 years and a devout member of the Baptist Church for 78 years. She raised 17 children, 10 sons and 7 daughters, of whom 6 sons and 3 daughters died before she did.