FAMILY TIES
Laurens County Connections
Shaquille O’Neal
They are the children of the rich and famous. They are the parents and grandparents of celebrities. Beginning with this column and in future columns, I will tell the stories of some of our county's most famous family connections. In the past I have written of Sugar Ray Robinson and Ty Cobb, Jr., but there are many, many more.
Tall men seemed to run in one branch of the O'Neal family of Laurens County's Burgamy District. Hilton O'Neal, a farmer, was between six feet eight inches and six feet nine inches tall. His son Sirlester stood a imposing six feet five inches above the ground. The O'Neals were a farming family from way back. Hilton's father George was a son of former slaves Freeman O'Neal and Charity Blackshear. The progenitor of the O'Neal family in the county was Jack O'Neal, who was born about the year 1835 and may have been a slave of the family of William O'Neal, who maintained a plantation in northwestern Laurens County.
Lucille O'Neal was born to Sirlester and Odessa Perry O'Neal in the early 1950s. It was time when the O'Neals and many other black families felt uncomfortable in the postwar South. The family moved North in hopes of finding a better life. On March 6, 1972, Lucille gave birth to a son. The little boy didn't remain little very long. He began to grow and grow and grow. Carrying the genetic markers of his mother's paternal ancestors, the young man began to grow to a height of seven feet and one inch tall.
Today you know that young man as Shaquille O'Neal, one of the most celebrated, dominating and talented basketball players in the history of the National Basketball Association. Just think, had his grandparents not moved away, it is possible that this giant of a man would have played on the high school courts of Laurens County and with the right compliment of teammates might have dominated the ranks of Georgia high school basketball for four seasons.
Laurens County Connections
Shaquille O’Neal
Tall men seemed to run in one branch of the O'Neal family of Laurens County's Burgamy District. Hilton O'Neal, a farmer, was between six feet eight inches and six feet nine inches tall. His son Sirlester stood a imposing six feet five inches above the ground. The O'Neals were a farming family from way back. Hilton's father George was a son of former slaves Freeman O'Neal and Charity Blackshear. The progenitor of the O'Neal family in the county was Jack O'Neal, who was born about the year 1835 and may have been a slave of the family of William O'Neal, who maintained a plantation in northwestern Laurens County.
Today you know that young man as Shaquille O'Neal, one of the most celebrated, dominating and talented basketball players in the history of the National Basketball Association. Just think, had his grandparents not moved away, it is possible that this giant of a man would have played on the high school courts of Laurens County and with the right compliment of teammates might have dominated the ranks of Georgia high school basketball for four seasons.
8 comments:
I am a one my great great grandfather was Rowe Oneal my email is confirmtruth@aol.com
I would love to meet you
My name is Michael Williams
I'm on Facebook Mee Lin Youk
It was once said that Shaq's grandmother was a relative of mine with the last name of Chambliss but as i read on, i see it was Chambers instead. Would've been nice to have such a famous cousin.🙂
Are you all related to mr Willie oneal
My 3rd generation grandmother was Lettie O’Neal. She was almost 7’ tall. Owned by William O’Neal. I have a picture of her. She was the wife of Moses Yopp. The plantations ( O’Neal,Yopp,& Troupe)were in close proximity.
Please email me at dyopp0412@gmail.com —-it is said that’s were the men in our family get their big bones & height.
Post a Comment