Finding Your Folks: James Matthews, Cora L., and Walter Judson Herndon

I'm going to wrap up the Herndon family this week with short stories about the three youngest children of Edward and Nancy Brown Herndon: James, Cora and Walter. Cora and Walter were little more than toddlers when their father died early in 1855 and their mother passed away in December of the same year. James was a young teen. All three had their inheritance put under the watchful eye of a guardian, with Walter Pope taking care of the financial affairs of all three children.

I couldn't find much on Cora at all after her marriage in 1860. She was only about 15 when she married C.J. Hallman (also seen as Halman and Holman) in Meriwether County. One Internet source says his name was Chesley Jay Hallman and he was born 19 Nov. 1835 in Lexington County, S.C. Most who had Cora in their family tree listed the Hallman Family History as their source but no author or repository was given. No one listed children of the couple.

Cora was born about 1845, according to census records, and resided with her parents in 1850 in Meriwether County. When her parents died, Cora was the ward of Walter J. Pope (see Meriwether County Probate Court records, Ordinary Court Minutes books 3 and 4, and Annual Returns, Book E.) She married C.J. Hallman on March 8, 1860, and the marriage is recorded in Book B, page 221. That's about all I have on Cora.

Walter Judson Herndon lived with his sister, Amanda Herndon Brooks Boyd, in 1860 and so, when she and her husband, McDuffie C. Boyd, moved to Polk County, so did Walter. He was born about 1848, probably in Meriwether County, and grew up there in the Upper Ninth District where his family owned land. Like his sister, Walter was the ward of Walter J. Pope who managed his affairs after his father died. Walter Herndon, you remember, was the young boy who received a horse (purchased for $175) from his guardian in 1867, but lost $2,000 because the money was in Confederate States Treasury Notes and was "lost by the downfall of the Confederacy." (See Annual Returns, Book F&G, page 425.)

Walter married Nancy J. Whittle on Dec. 5, 1867, in Meriwether County and, as stated before, moved to Polk County and lived near Cedartown. Children who appear in the 1880 census include Emma Herndon, age 11, Nancy E. Herndon, age 7, Joel C. Herndon, age 5, and Laura Herndon (I think that's what it is), age 3. There was another son, Ed Herndon, who was named as a brother in the obituary of his sister, Emma Herndon (Berry), which appeared in the Cedartown Standard in 1918. The obit states:

"Mrs. Emma Berry passed away Sunday, after a prolonged illness aged 45 years, and funeral services were conducted Monday at Lime Branch by Rev. J.D. Larkins. The deceased was a daughter of Mr. W.J. Herndon of Berrys, and is survived by five children, Misses Rosalie and Inez and little Beatrice and Mary Joe and Master Vernon, who have much sympathy in the loss of a devoted mother, following so closely upon the death about three years ago of their father, Mr. T.J. Berry, and that of two sisters since, Mrs. M. C. Edmondson and Miss Nora Berry. Two brothers also survive, Mr. J.C. Herndon of Berrys and Mr. Ed Herndon of California. The deceased was an excellent Christian lady, a member of the Baptist church." (Cedartown Standard, Thursday, April 4, 1918.)

I found nothing on the other children of Walter Herndon after their appearance in the census in 1880. Nell O'Shields told me that Walter was buried in Cedartown but I don't know which cemetery.

The other young child of Edward and Nancy Brown Herndon, James Matthews Herndon, born 26 Feb. 1841, remained in Meriwether County all his life. My handy 1910 map of Meriwether County shows him (yes, his name is on the map) living in the Upper Ninth District, just south of Alvaton, adjacent to land owned by the McCrarys. In the 1900 census, he is shown with neighbors William Tidwell and Rufus McCrary. James married Lavinia Brandenburg Nov. 12, 1870, in Meriwether County, and they had at least nine children: Olah Anna Herndon (one source has Clara Ann ... it sure looked like "Olah" to me), Lewis Edward Herndon, Robert Alston Herndon, Olin P. Herndon, Mary Eliza Herndon, Virgil K. Herndon, Joel Homer Herndon, Alma Herndon and Louvinia Herndon. James, his wife and his children were involved in numerous land transactions in Meriwether County and their names appear in many probate records.

One of James' descendants has a nice Web site with a photo of James and Lavinia and gives much information about his service with Company D., "Echols Guards," 8th Georgia Volunteer Infantry. The site also has a photo of James and Lavinia's gravestones at Alvaton Baptist Church. James was a certified schoolteacher.

He died April 18, 1916 and Lavinia died Feb. 26, 1919. Two of their sons, Lewis Edward and Robert Alston, also are buried at Alvaton.

I did not see any probate records in Meriwether County for James following his death, but Lavinia's administrator in 1919 was her son, Lewis Edward Herndon. Another son, Virgil K. Herndon, also died in Meriwether and his wife, Mildred McKoon, administered his estate.

Next week we're going to explore four families mentioned in a newspaper article in the Newnan newspaper in 1907 (and picked up by the Pike County paper) as living within a mile of each other and having a total of 46 children between them. These are the Kempsons, the Hutchinsons, the Gables and the Thompsons. Should be interesting.

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.