Seeking Hardigree, Cox, Burnett descendants, Atlanta area

This week I'm continuing the search for the family of Sarah Hardigree Cox, needed for the update of a Hardigree family history book. The information was submitted by Elaine Neal of Watkinsville who is seeking the descendants of Jonathan Hardigree.

Recapping some of the information from last week so you can follow the thread, Jonathan was born about 1775 in Maryland, moved through North Carolina, and made his way to Georgia by 1800. He and his family lived in Oglethorpe, Clarke, and Heard counties and many of their descendants remained in the Atlanta area.

Jonathan had two wives, the first being Patsey Cameron and the second being Mary "Polly" Giles, who he married in 1814 following Patsey's death. Sarah Hardigree, born in 1804, somewhere in Georgia, was the daughter of Jonathan and his first wife, Patsey Cameron. Sarah married Edwin Cox on 9 Sept. 1824 and lived in Oconee County. Edwin also was active in the Masons in Madison, which is in Morgan County.

Elaine states that from a Bible record furnished to Ira Cullen Phillips in 1938 by Mrs. R. A. Burnett of Atlanta, she has Sarah and Edwin Cox's family. Their children are:

1) John Thomas Cox, born 12 June 1825, married Sallie Houghton in 1847;

2) Richard Adam Cox, born Dec 1826;

3) William Boulding Cox, born Nov 5, 1828;

4) Hiram James Adolphus Brushrod Washington Cox, born Oct. 1830;

5) Edwin Jonathan Cox, born Oct. 5, 1832;

6) Martha Ann Rebecca Cox, born Oct. 5, 1834 (Martha married William Sims in Clarke Co. GA. They are buried in Sims Cemetery in Oconee County);

7) Robert B. Cox, born 1838;

8) Martin Van Buren Cox, born July 28, 1840;

9) Charlotte Ann Virginia Boulding Cox, born June 2, 1841 (more about Charlotte follows); and

10) Nathan F. Cox, born Aug 22, 1843 after his father's death.

Elaine gives the following information on Charlotte Cox, Sarah's daughter. She writes:

"Sarah apparently lived with her daughter Charlotte. Charlotte married first John P. Hunter on Dec. 27, 1858. After he died, she married Benjamin F. Curtis, a carpenter. Charlotte, Benjamin, and their children lived in Fulton County in 1870. Ruth Curtis, one of Charlotte and Benjamin's daughters, married Richard A. Burnett, who became a prominent businessman and civic leader in Atlanta."

(JK's note: I found the marriage record of Emma R. Curtis to Richard A. Burnett in Fulton County on June 2, 1896, marriage book I, page 378.)

Elaine continues, "In Historic Oakland Cemetery, the following family members are buried: Sarah Hardigree Cox, buried 1892; her daughter Charlotte Cox Curtis, buried 1922; her husband Benjamin F. Curtis, buried 1905; and Sarah Cox's son Nathan F. Cox, buried 1887. The (cemetery) plot includes Sarah Hardigree Cox's granddaughter, Ruth Curtis Burnett's family, including Ruth Curtis Burnett, buried 1967; Richard A. Burnett, her husband, buried 1935; Spencer Burnett, infant, buried 1911; Angnes M. Burnett, a daughter, buried 1905; Ira D. Burnett, buried 1905; and William Cox Burnett, buried 1976.

"Where are the descendants of Ruth and Richard A. Burnett? Richard A. Burnett's obituary in the Atlanta Constitution in Sept. 1935 mentioned two sons, Richard Curtis Burnett and William Cox Burnett (buried in Oakland in 1976) and three grandchildren, Joyce and Brower Bernard, Thomas, Jr., and Beverly Burnett. Are they still in the Atlanta area?

"We would love to know the descendants of all the children of Sarah and Edwin Cox to include them in the revised Hardigree family history."

Once again, I am grateful to Elaine for sending her family information. Those with information on these families may contact her at nealec@erols.com. If you are related, you just might find your name in their updated Hardigree family history book.

Next week's column may prove interesting to researchers of Gresham and Herrin(g) families. The way it came about was just pure-dee weird.

Several months ago, I ran a letter written to one of my Boyd relatives, informing her of her husband's death during the Civil War. The writer of the letter was a M.G. Herrin, who appeared to have put his heart and soul into it. Any man who, in the throes of war, surrounded by fighting, disease and death, would take the time to clip a lock of his deceased friend's hair, put it into an envelope and send it to his widow, along with a four-page letter describing his last days on earth, has more compassion than any man I've ever known in my lifetime.

Clarke Rodgers, who also lives in the Atlanta area, and I had been corresponding on our Boyd families of Meriwether County, and it was a total surprise when Clarke mentioned he was also related to a Moses Gresham Herrin of Coweta County. Would you believe it was the same "M.G. Herrin" who wrote that heart-rending letter to Melinda Boyd? I sent Clarke a copy of the letter, for, although it was not "about" Mr. Herrin, it told mountains about his character and was in his own handwriting. Clarke sent me some of the information he has garnered on Moses Herrin and said he is having a heck of a time finding Moses' parents. I thought you might find his story interesting and I will give it to you next week. Strange how these connections come about, isn't it?

Do you have ancestors who lived on the south side of Atlanta? Send their stories to The Citizen, Drawer 1719, Fayetteville, GA 30214; E-mail jkilgore@thecitizennews.com or jodiek444@aol.com.

Until next week, happy hunting!

(Judy regrets that time does not permit her to do personal research for others. She will willingly share research information on her own family lines, including collateral and allied lines.)