One of the Leading Planters in the County
James Kirk, brother of Jesse Kirk, was one of the leading planters in the county. He owned a fine plantation east of Payne’s Creek, part of which was formerly owned by James Edwards. James Kirk, married Miss Terah Sugg, daughter of Thomas and Terah (Spenser) Sugg.
The children of James and Terah (Spenser) Sugg were: 1. William L., who married a daughter of Judge Gibson and moved to Sherman, Texas; 2. Frank, fell at the Battle of Shiloh. He married a Miss Drake, who, after her husband’s death married Rufus J. Nance; 3. James T. married Miss Louise Cleere of Lawrence County; 4. Eliza, married Pearson; 5. Sallie married Mullins; 6. Carrie, married A. J. Drake.
Among the grand-children of James Kirk might be mentioned Hon. James Kirk, one of Tuscumbia’s most prominent lawyer’s who went to Tuscumbia from Russellville in 1879, and first read law in the office of Hon. J. Burns Moore; and Hon. Walter Kirk, a former lawyer of Bridgeport, Alabama, but now of Texas. James Kirk is a son of James T. and Louise (Cleere) Kirk; Walter Kirk is a son of Frank and (Drake) Kirk.
Source: Source: James, R. L. Distinguished Men, Women and Families of Franklin County, Alabama. Russellville, Ala., Private Publication, 1928. 111 p.