Individual Details

[Age based on guardianship records. Lewis McClendon paid Henry Anthony for boarding James M. in 1817 and bought clothes for him in 1818. However, there was also a note that Nelson Powell was appointed guardian 3 Sep 1821 - some of his accounts are still being paid in 1824..]

Minutes of Inferior Court 1801-1812 p.81 15 Mar 1804. Cinthy appointed guardian of James McKinney Holderness, orphan of McKinney Holderness, dec'd. (he was less than 14 in 1804 so born between 1791-1804]. this is very curious because no guardian was appointed for McKinney. I would like to see the original - perhaps it should read James and McKinney Holderness.

"The 3rd or 1820 Land Lottery of George" by Lucas, 1986, revealed that James M. Holdnes (sic), orphan, from Wilkes Co, drew Lot #2, District 12 in Early County.

Nelson Powell, no doubt a kinsman of Cynthia, became Guardian of James 3 Sep 1821.
In 1821, James M. was accused of murdering a Negro, Aaron, property of Isaac McClendon. Does not state outcome. He did spend some time in jail because there are accounts in March and April of 1822 "Cash furnished in prison". There are various legal bills including those for the appeal. His itemized expenses for the guardianship include numerous purchases of liquor both for himself and others.

In the accounts presented by Nelson Powell, guardian for James there is one to William Dearing for miscellaneous store items. This bill dated 15 Jan 1823 includes Ladies shoes, ribbons, a hair trunk, etc. - items that could very well be for a wife. There is also in Dec of 1822 a bill for corn and pork "for the family of James M. Holderness".

THE WILKES COUNTY PAPERS 1773-1833
Robert Scott Davis, Jr. 1979, Reprinted 1983 Southern Historical Press
p.138
John Clark PLF Vs. Stephen Mallory, def 1822
Bond for Wm Mallory to appear in case involving James Holderness having murdered a Negro man named Aaron, property of Isaac McLendon, [s] Wm Mallary & Stephen Mallory before [s] Bolling Anthony JP; Thomas Anderson JP & R. W. Collier JP, 31 May 1821
Warrant for arrest of Stephen Mallory for failure of Wm Mallory to appear in court as a witness. [s] John M. Dooly, Judge 30 May 1822. Papers were served 6 Jun 1822 [s] William Smith, DS

From the McLendon book: James M. Holderness was banned from Wilkes County as his punishment for killing the slave Aaron. The author wrote that it was brought out at the trial how much liquor he consumed and then she made the comment "So he must have been a problem long before the murder." James made have imbibed a great deal as a youth but it appears he was not officially banned from Georgia, and was indeed acquitted.

From: "Keith Giddeon"
To:
Subject: James Holderness' trial
Date: Tue, 7 May 2002
Hi Kay,
I recently took a trip to Wilkes Co and viewed many of the documents related to the trial of James Holderness.
In the various books, I was able to find that he was acquitted of the murder charge. But, the McClendon who owned the murdered slave sued and won a judgement of $750.
I was interested in this case because one of my ancestors, Joseph Powell, was a witness at the murder trial.
These records are in the basement of the courthouse, in the Superior Court's storage room. A GRAND OLD ROOM indeed! I'll be going back to Washington in the coming months, and I'll be sure to record the book and page information for source citations if you wish. I just didn't have time to do it on this trip since I was looking for a family connection.

It isn't known for sure where James Holderness went after his trial but it is known his brother McKinney bought land in Cahawba, Dallas Co, AL soon after the area was opened up. Found the following posts in the newspapers of that area. From the CAHAWBA PRESS & ALABAMA STATE INTELLIGENCER- list of letters unclsimed at the P.O. in Cahawba on 31 Mar 1823: Jas. Holderness From the SELMA COURIER - list of leters unclaimed at the P.O. at Selma on 1 Jan 1828: James M. Holiness.

He was living in Henry Co Georgia in 1830 [1830 Census he is in Henry Co] but they were in Marshall Co AL in 1840 when their daughter Mary Ann married Richard F. Fields. Moved to Noxubee Co MS by 1850 After the move to Mississippi, the family name became "Holdiness". James was living with his daughter, Margaret Jones, in Morehouse Parish, LA, in 1860.

1825. James Holderness bought 133 acres on Towaliga Crk in Henry Co. GA. It was Lot 207, Dist 3. He bought from Jesse Johnson.
14 Feb 1832 James sold the property less 2/3 acres where Pace's Mill stood which James had previously sold to Brazil Pace to his mother-in-law, Margaret Welborn. Margaret sold the property to Zadock Sawyer on 15 Nov 1832 but the deed wasn't recorded until 9 May 1833, after Margaret's death.

1830 Census; Henry Co GA
James M. Holderness: 1m -5 [McKinney]; 1m 15-20 [???]; 1m 30-40 [James]; 2f -5 [Martha and ???]; 1f 5-10 [Mary Ann and ???]; 1f 10-24 [Clarissa]. [There appear to be some extra people in the household or perhaps the ages have been judged wrong - it's not likely there could be a child born before 1822 or so]. Slaves: 2m -10; 2f -10; 1f 10-24 [Would seem to be a female with four children] Total of 13 in the household.

James was a Justice of the Peace in Henry Co, GA in 1833. His in-laws also lived in Henry Co.

1850 Census: Noxubee Co MS. p.235b; Dwelling 660. J. M. Holdness, age 58, Planter [he was more likely 48] bron in GA; Clarissa age 50 b. GA.; Samuel 21, James 19, Ezekiel 18, Thomas 14 and Margaret 12 - Margaret the only child not born in GA. Margaret's birthplace listed as Alabama.
Next on the Census at Dwelling 661 was Martha and her husband Joseph Pucket. Joseph was a Miller, age 30, born in TN. Martha age 10, Elizabeth 7, Adaline 5, and William 7/12. The children all born in Mississippi.
The next household was that of Mary Harbor. Her daughter Martha, age 19, born in AL married McKinney Holderness.

1860 Census, Morehouse Parish, LA, 8th Ward, written p.84, Household 613
Thos. Jones, age 30, Farmer, $12,400 real estate, $4370 Personal estate, born NC, Margaret age 20, b. MS. Wm L. age 8, M. A. age 6 [male], and Thos. B. age 4, all born in Louisiana. Martha Warren age 16, born in GA lived with them. Jas. Holdness, age 60, b. NC is listed [Clarissa is not listed even thought she was said to be alive and living in Oachita Parish in 1862.] Also P. S. Cunningham, age 24, a school teacher born in Illinois.

This is the ancestor of researcher Lawrence Maynard.

Birth	Abt 1803
Marriage	Abt 1822	Clarissa Wilbourn

Spouse	Clarissa Wilbourn (1800 - )
Child	Mary Ann Holdiness (1824 - )
Child	McKinney Holdiness (1826 - 1900)
Child	Martha Holdiness (1828 - )
Child	Samuel Holdiness (1829 - 1878)
Child	James M. Holdiness (1831 - 1862)
Child	Ezekial Holdiness (1832 - )
Child	Thomas Holdiness (1838 - 1905)
Child	Margaret Holdiness (1843 - 1919)

Father	McKinnie Holderness (1769 - 1803)
Mother	Cynthia Powell ( - 1835)
Sibling	McKinney Holderness (1792 - 1850)