Finding Your Folks: Edward Herndon of Elbert and Meriwether counties

We're sort of sliding out of one family into another, going from the Boyds to the Herndons, which connect through McDuffie Boyd and his wife, Amanda Herndon Brooks Boyd. Amanda was the daughter of Edward Herndon and Nancy Brown whose descendants scattered throughout the south metro area and lived in Fayette, Coweta, Spalding, Meriwether, Troup and Campbell (now South Fulton) counties. The early history of this family as it arrived in Virginia appears to be strongly disputed by Herndon researchers and I will leave it to them to settle their differences. We will concern ourselves only with the Herndons in Georgia. Amanda's obituary tells quite a bit of Georgia Herndon history.

From the Newnan Herald & Advertiser, 26 September, 1890:

"Mrs. Amanda L. Boyd died at her home in Haralson County, Ga., September 7th, 1890. Deceased was a daughter of Edward and Nancy Herndon, and was born in Elbert county, Ga., on December 26th, 1834. Her parents moved to Meriwether County in 1835, (or 1836) where she was reared to womanhood. She joined Mt. Zion Baptist Church, Meriwether county, in 1851, and was baptized by Rev. Nathan H. Williams. She was united in marriage to Mr. Matthew Brooks in February 1855. One child was born to them, which lived but a few weeks, and the father died in October, 1856. She was married to Mr. M.C. Boyd on the 7th of December, 1857. Six children was the result of this union, five of whom still survive. She leaves a husband, five brothers and a sister to mourn her loss. She was buried at Pleasant Grove church, Haralson county, after religious services at the grave by Rev. Van Mize, the funeral being attended by a large concourse of sorrowing relatives and friends. To the bereaved husband and children, brothers and sister, we extend our sincere condolence, and would point them to Him who doeth all things well for that comfort they can find in none other than the Lord Jesus Christ."

Another reference which gives us clues to the Herndon history is an article in Georgia Memoirs, written in 1895, on Amanda's brother, Joel Herndon. I'll quote just a short excerpt:

"Joel J. Herndon, one of the early settlers of this section, is the grandson of a Virginian who came more than a century ago to Elbert county, Ga. Here he founded a home, and here in 1793 his son Edward was born. The latter was a soldier in the war of 1812, in lieu of payment for which he drew a piece of land in Meriwether county, Ga.* He married Miss Nancy Brown, like himself born and reared in Elbert county, where, Oct. 19, 1829, their son, Joel J., was also born. In 1834 Mr. Herndon went out to his newly acquired property in Meriwether and built a log cabin, preparatory to removing his family thither, which move was accomplished the next year, and upon the farm which he there cleared and cultivated he reared his family of ten children ... "

Edward Herndon, born 7 Sept. 1792, the father of those ten children, is thought to be the son of Benjamin Herndon (also seen as Benajah) and Susannah Ahart of Virginia who did, indeed, come to Elbert County along with other Herndon family members. Whether Edward was born in Georgia is not known for sure, but several Herndons appear in Elbert in the 1820 census (there is no 1790, 1800 or 1810 census for Georgia) and others appear in earlier records. Benjamin apparently died early in 1805 and his will was probated in Elbert County in April of that year. His wife, Susannah, and brother, Edward, both executors, were the only family members named, although he did mention that he had children.

Elbert County records show references to an Edward Herndon Sr. and an Edward Herndon Jr. I do not believe these are father and son but instead are uncle and nephew, the "Sr." being the brother referred to in Benjamin's will. Edward Herndon Jr., I believe, is the Edward, son of Benjamin, who later went to Meriwether County.

Edward (Jr.) fought in the War of 1812 and, on Aug. 17, 1820 in Elbert County, married Nancy Brown, thought to be the daughter of Benjamin Brown and Nancy Dozier. (Don't quote me on Nancy's parents ... they're sort of iffy.)

*Contrary to the statement above that Edward drew land in Meriwether "in lieu of" payment for his war service, he actually became "eligible" to draw land because of his war service, but the land was not "given" to him. In the 1827 Land Lottery, distributing land in Lee, Muscogee, Troup, Coweta and Carroll counties, Edward was eligible for two draws and was lucky on one of them, drawing Land Lot 105 in the Ninth District of Troup County, consisting of 202.5 acres. In that particular lottery, Edward (Sr.) also was a fortunate drawer, winning Land Lot 102 in the Eighth District of Coweta County. Another Herndon from Elbert County, Michael Herndon (thought to be Edward Sr.'s brother), won Land Lot 185 in the Fourth District of Lee County. Both Edward Herndons lived in Blackwell's District of Elbert County, while Michael lived in Tucker's District.

Edward's land in Troup County later became the eastern part of Meriwether and was southeast of what is now Alvaton. In 1839, he purchased land lot 104, consisting of another 202.5 acres, and in 1840, another 67.5 acres in Land Lot 89, all adjacent to his original lot no. 105. Today, the railroad runs through the western side of lot 89 and Ga. Hwy. 85 runs along the western edge about a half-mile south of Alvaton.
We'll discuss Edward and his family in more detail next week.

Stories and family histories about your ancestors who lived on Atlanta's south side are always welcome. Send them to jkilgore@thecitizen.com or JodieK444@aol.com. Mail to The Citizen, P.O. Drawer 1719, Fayetteville, GA 30214. All letters and e-mails I receive are subject to being used in the column.