Malachi Ivey, one of the most progressive citizens and planters of Perote, Bullock county, Ala., was born near Milledgeville, Ga., in 1818. His parents were Barney and Elsie (Davis) Ivey, who were both natives of North Carolina, born respectively in 1795 and 1800, and who were there reared and married, and in 1817 removed to Baldwin county, Ga., later lived in Houston and Troup counties, then came to Alabama and located in Russell county, and finally settled in Macon county, where the father died in 1883, and the mother in 1886, both devout members of the Baptist church. Barney Ivey was one of the most practical farmers of his day. He prided himself on the neatness of his farm, wherever located, and sought every means for increasing its productiveness; he was quiet and unostentatious, but was always sought by his neighbors for counsel and advice, they having a full appreciation of his practical sense. His father was named Robert Ivey and was a native of North Carolina, of Irish descent; his death occurred in Baldwin county, Ga. The maternal grandfather of the gentleman whose name heads this sketch was Malachi Davis, who passed his life in North Carolina.
Malachi Ivey is the eldest in a family of twelve children, comprising five sons and seven daughters, of whom one son died in Kentucky while serving in the Confederate army during the first year of the late war. Malachi received a fair education, but, being the eldest child, his training was mostly had on the farm, under the experienced hand and eye of his father, to which circumstance he owes his own success in life and for which he has always been grateful. At his majority he began business for himself, and in 1844, in Russell county, married Miss Caroline J., daughter of the distinguished bishop, John M. Tyere, whose demise occurred in the county named. Mrs. Ivey was born in Edgefield district, S. C., and in 1847 died, leaving one son, John B., who served all through the recent war in an Alabama company, under the command of Capt. Hardeman. In 1850 Mr. Ivey chose, as his second spouse, Sarah J. Curry, a native of South Carolina, who died in 1853. For his third wife Mr. Ivey married in 1854, Matilda A. Gunn, who was born in Madison county, Ga., and died in 1857. In 1859 Mr. Ivey took his fourth helpmate, Samantha A. Dendey, a native of Madison county, Ga., and to this union have been born four children, viz.: Loane H., wife of J. B. Mobley, of Hamilton, Ga.; Lela B., married to W. G. Graham, of Troy; Emma A., and Mattie, all born on the farm which Mr. Ivey now occupies. After his first marriage Mr. Ivey lived in Russell county a year and then moved to Barbour county, where he remained until 1860, since which time he has been on his splendid farm near Perote, which comprises 960 acres of as fine land as there is in the county and all the result of his own industry and good management. During the late civil war Mr. Ivey was persuaded to remain away from the battle field, as his neighbors were well satisfied that he would prove of greater value at home in the exercise of charity by dispensing aid to the suffering poor and afflicted. Here, indeed, was his element, and numberless unprotected women and children and decrepit men were supplied by him with provisions and clothing. He was earnest in his work and his generosity has never been forgotten by a grateful community. He has twice been called upon by his fellow-citizens to serve as county commissioner, and was once chaplain of the Perote alliance. He has been a sincere and devout member of the Baptist church from his youth and all the members of his family belong to the same religious denomination.