Sturkie Family History
Vandy Sturkie

From The Jacksonville (AL) Republican, December 1859

HOMICIDE
"We learn that on Wednesday the 30th that, Samuel Metcalf, living in the western part of this county, was shot by Vandy Sturkie, with a pistol and died in about 15 minutes.  It appears that Sturkie and a Mr. Moore (Hiram Moore), half-brother of Metcalf, had wrestled sometime before, and Mr. Moore had thrown Sturkie, at which he was probably enraged.  Moore and Metcalf were sawing with a cross-cut saw when the shooting took place.  Sturkie merely remarking "look out" and fired, the wad striking Moore and the ball Metcalf below the ear and ranging downwards into his lungs.  Sturkie was taken or went before a magistrate and was released, we understand, on the ground that he did not kill the man he shot at.  He has since left."

At the time of his death, Samuel was a Benton (now Calhoun) Co. Constable.  He died on his farm which was located at Peek's Hill, near Jacksonville, Alabama. Samuel first came to the area between 1830 and 1835.  He served in the Indian War of 1836 in Capt William Arnold's Company, having enlisted that year in Jacksonville, Alabama.Both Samuel and Fannie are buried at the Old Harmony Baptist Church cemetary, off Rainbow Drive, in Rainbow City, Etowah Co, Alabama.1

Though we are not completely sure of Vandy Sturkie's lineage, we know that he is related to our line of Sturkies and felt this item would be of interest. Vandy was one of the ten children of Daniel Sturkie(1786-1851) and his wife Elizabeth (1786-1849). Daniel Sturkie was an indigo planter in Orangeburgh. One theory is that he is the grandson of Ulrich, Jr. (b.1754) and the son of William.2 Vandy's siblings included: Samuel, Isaiah, Noah, Calvin, William, Israel, Wesley, Elizabeth and Caroline.

Vandy V. is on the list of confederate soldiers, 1st Hvy. Arty. (Reg.) Co. I. (LA). He also appears on the Benton County, Alabama Census of 1850: Vandi V., age 14, male, born SC. (in about 1836.)


1Jacksonville Republican, Dec. 1859. 
2Sturkey, Patricia, In Search of Benjamin Sturkey, p. 220.