Individual Details

Said to have died without issue in Holderness book. I found a record of a marriage that I believed at first could be his: James Holderriss (sic) to Francis Harris 10 Mar 1778 in Guilford Co NC. Bondsman: John Seales. After email correspondence with Edward Pratt, I believe this is the marriage of a possible brother of William Holderness who lived in neighboring Rockingham County. Copy of the Marriage Bond reveals the following correct spellings: James Holderness to Francis Harris on 10 Mar 1778. John Scales, Bondsman, Thos. Henderson witness. This James died in Wilkes County, GA abt 1795, leaving a daughter Charlotte Holderness Irion, and a son McKinney Holderness. Francis Harris was his 2nd wife; he was first married to Patience McKinnie.


Caswell Co NC Deed Books 1817-1840 by Katherine Kerr Kendall c1992 10 Nov 1817. Deed Book S, p.136. James Holderness witnessed a deed of John Stamps to George Courts.. This is so far the only mention I've found of a James in Caswell County. He did not receive any land or personal property, when William distributed his belongings by deed.

New discoveries of a James Holderness living in Houston Co GA 1830's and 1840's lead me to believe James, son of William & Sally Holderness, did marry and leave descendants. In 1850, this James was in Leon Co FL, age 52, born in North Carolina (1798). In 1790 there were only three Holderness heads of household in NC.. One was James in Rockingham Co - his son and daughter already grown; he had no younger children. There was a Reuben "Heldness" in Montomgery Co NC in 1790. Then William & Sally were in Caswell. By 1800, James Holderness of Rockingham had been deceased 5 years; Reuben Holderness was still in Montgomery Co but had no males in the household under 10. I have not yet found William Holderness in the 1800 census, but in 1810, the widow Sally had a male between the ages of 10-16 living with her (born between 1794-1800). She also had two older males - no doubt Robert and Thomas. This young boy would appear to be an excellent candidate for James of Florida and there seem to be no others. He seems to have left Caswell Co for Georgia soon after 1820.

From "Marriages & Deaths 1820-1820" - Mr. James Holderness of Pike Co married Miss Elizabeth Bryan of Twiggs Co on 6 Jan 1825. Appeared in the "GA Journal & Messenger" of Macon on 9 Jan 1825.

GENEALOGICAL ABSTRACTS FROM THE GA JOURNAL [MILLEDGEVILLE] NEWSPAPER, 1809-1840
Fred R. & Emilie K. Hartz; Vidalia GA 1990
[Milledgeville, Baldwin Co was the capital of GA 1807-1868.]
VOL 2 1819-1823, p.785
Dec 24 1822 I hereby forewarn all persons from trading for a note of hand, given by me to James Holderness for $450, made payable at the Darien Bank in Milledgeville ...as the consideration for which it was given has failed... Signed: John Evans

TWIGGS CO GA RECORDS; A RECONSTRUCTED HERITAGE:
p.99 Deeds Pertaining to Twiggs Co. From Bibb Co: Executed before the formation of Bibb
DB A, p.26
GA, Twiggs Co 1822 James Holdiness sold Quincey Powell both of Twiggs Co, for "a good cause and just consideration" a certain square or tract of land in Houston Co, Lot 164,4th Dist, 202 ½ acres, and for $1,000. James Holderness. Wit: Jacob Tison, Saml Williams JP Rec. 19 May 1823
DB A, p.136
10 May 1823 Leonard Sims & Mary his wife, sold James Holderness, all of Bibb Co for $2500 tracts or squares of land [each square cont 202 ½ A] Lots 113, 118, 119, 117, and 112 in 7th Dist original Baldwin then Twiggs now Bibb Co. Lot 113 orig granted to Thomas Reeves of Willson's Dist Warren Co. 118 to Wm Johnston of Wilkinson Co. 119 to John Cotter of Scrivin Co. 117 to Robert Hurching of Pinkstons Dist of Hancock Co. 112 to James Woodall of Green Co, Morrisses District. Signed: Leonard Sims, Mary Sims. Wit: Thomas Holderness, John David JIC
Rec 18 May 1824, GA, Bibb Co
Leonard Sims & Mary his wife did acknowledge the deed and Mary signed her dower rights in the presence of Thomas Holderness. Signed: Mary Sims. John Davis JIC
Quite likely Thomas Holderness that witnessed is James' brother.
DB A, p.133
15 May 1823
GA, Baldwin Co James Holderness of Bibb Co sold Zachariah Lamar of Baldwin Co for $5,500. tracts of land in 7th dis orig Baldwin, then Twiggs, now Bibb Co 911 ¼ A. Lots or squares 113, 118, 119, 117, and 112. Each lot containing 202 ½ A embracing the buildings and plantation where Leonard Simms lately resided in Twiggs Co now Bibb. Signed: James Holderness. Wit: Basadell P. Stubbs, Jas. Flemming JP Rec. 17 May 1824


Macon Co Newspapers reveal that James Holderness either seldom picked up his mail or someone one was trying hard to find him. Given the subsequent trail of lawsuits, it is likely he chose to ignore his mail. He left a trail of unclaimed letters as follow:
At Ft. Hawkins, Bibb Co on Apr 1823
Macon on 1 Oct 1824
Forsyth, Monroe Co on 1 Jul 1826
Macon on 1 Apr 1827
Macon on 1 Oct 1828
Zebulon, Pike Co on 31st Mar 1828; letter for James "Holiness"
Zebulon, Pike Co on 1 Jan 1829
Macon on 1 Apr 1829
Macon on 1 Apr 1830
Zebulon on 1 Jul 1830
Macon on 1 Jan 1831

MACON GA NEWSPAPER CLIPPINGS [MESSENGER]
VOL I
p.13 Mon Aug 25, 1823: Solomon Groce will attend to the individual business of James H. Holderness during his absence from this State. George H. Bryan will conduct the business of Holderness & Bryan. Macon, 25 Aug 1823.
p.130 26 Dec 1826 Sheriff's Sale. GA, Monroe Co on 1st Tues Feb next in Forsyth, Monroe Co: Lot #48/13 dist ...levied on the property of James Holderness and Solomon Groce, to satisfy executions or fi fas in favor of Martha B. Dawson & Charles Bullock adms of William W. Dawson, dec'd. John Redding. D. Sheriff

Other GA JOURNAL notices:
30 Nov 1824 "Will be sold on the 1st Tuesday in January next, at the courthouse in the
town of Knowville, Crawford County... the following property, to wit: ..part of lot No. 160, in the 7th district of originally Houston now Crawford County...taken as the property of Kinchen Curl, to satisfy a fi fa in favor of James Holderness... property pointed out by John P. Booth ...Signed E. M. Amos, D. Sheriff."
25 Feb 1828 "Will be sold at the court-house in the town of Clinton, Jones County, on the first Tuesday in April next... the following property, to wit:...911 1/2 acres of land, known by lots No 73,72, 58, 50, and half of 86, all in the 7th district of Jones County on the waters of Swift Creek on which there are three valuable saw mills, levied on as the property of Solomon Groce, to satisfy sundry fi fas in favor of William Moore, John Murphey, and Roger McCarthy, and three executions in favor of the adm'rs. of William Dawson deceased, against James Holderness and said Solomon Groce. ........ signed Charles R. Eaton, D. Sheriff

From THE MACON TELEGRAPH on 16 Oct 1827. There was a Sheriff's sale in Muscogee County GA for a Negro boy Isaac, property of Kinchen Curl; fi fa of James Holderness, surviving copartner of Holderness & Dawson.
27 Oct 1828 At Zebulon, Pike Co. On the first Tuesday in December next, Will be sold between the usual hours of sale, the following property, to wit:
202 1/2 acres of Land, more or less, known by lot No. 141 in the 9th district of originally Monroe now Pike county - levied upon as the property of James Holderness, to satisfy a Fi.Fa. in favor of Robert Belcher vs. said Holderness, and George Bryan security on appeal - pointed out by the plaintiff's attorney.

MACON GA NEWSPAPER CLIPPINGS [MESSENGER]
VOL 1
p.270 Sat May 2, 1829 Sheriff's Sale Bibb Co 1st Tues Jun next:
5 knives, etc. levied on the property of J. J. Kaigler to satisfy executions or fi fas in favor of Anson Kimberly [this property includes notes on A.M. Danforth, C. Sawyers, S.A. Dean, Wm. F. Phillips, Wm Champion, John O. Moore, John H. Milburn, and James Holderness]

1830 Census: Houston Co GA. James Holderness with 1m -5 [William T.], 1m 15-20 [???], 1m 30-40 [James]; 2f -5 [Harriet & Sarah]; 1f 20-30 [Elizabeth] Slaves: 2 f =5, 1f 20-30. Total persons - 11.

MACON GA NEWSPAPER CLIPPINGS [MESSENGER]
VOL 2
p.139 Thus, Feb 13, 1834
GA Bibb Co: James Holderness apply to me for letters of admin on the estate of William W. Dawson, dec'd. These are, therefore, to cite and admonish all and singular, the kindred and creditors of said deceased, to be and appear at my office within the time prescribed by law, to show cause, if any the have, why said letters shall not be granted. Signed: Isaac H. Smith, C.C.O.

Acts of the General Assembly of the State of Georgia, passed in Milledgeville at an Annual Session, Nov & Dec 1833. Published 1834.
p.375; House of Representatives
James Holderness, memorial. James Holderness rented to the agents and officers of the Bank of Darien, a banking house, for their branch establishment at Macon, and rented the same for annual rent of $300. The house was burnt down by criminal neglect and carlessness of their cashier. Petitioner sued the Bank of Darien, McIntosh Co, for the recovery of the value of the house. The bank sheltered itself under a clause in its charter and the petitioner was defeated. However, the state has one half if not more of the stocks of said Bank and deem the prayer of the petitioner reasonable.
Resolved: That $1500 with interest from the time of the destruction of the property be appropriated for and to the use of James Holderness, being one half of the value of said house destroyed by fire. The sum to be inserted in the appropriation bill.
11 Dec 1833.


"1831-1834 Land Records of Houston Co GA" by Davine V. Campell & Wm R. Henry, 1993, revealed that James Holderness was a Justice of the Peace in Houston Co. He was witness to a deed in this capacity as early as February of 1831.

5 Mar 1836 Quincey Powell to Bryan Bailey for $100. Tract in 8th District, the NE Corner of Lot 51 adjoining to #46. Supposed to be 30 acres more or less. Signed: Quinncy Powell. Wit: Clement Woodall, James Holderness, both of whom made oath 24 Sep 1836. Recorded 23 Mar 1837, Houston Co GA.

In "Wills & Inferior Court Minutes of Houston Co GA" by Wm R. Henry, 1987, James Holderness witnessed the following Wills: Shadrack Dennard on 1 Dec 1837, Arthur Tull on 19 Jun 1840, Thomas Smith on 13 Nov 1840, and Edward Engram on 15 Aug 1843 [proved this Will on 8 Jan 1844]. He was appointed as appraiser of the following estates: Joseph Wood on 1 Nov 1830, George Tavin on 20 Jan 1834, Fobert Flournoy on 2 Jun 1834, and Bryan Bateman Sr. - appointed by the July, 1845, Term of the Court. These records seem to indicate his residence in Houston Co at least from 1831-1845.

Also in the "1832 Cherokee Land Lottery" by James F. Smith, reprint 1991, James Holderness drew land in the 12th District, 1st Section in Walker County. He was listed as living in Taylor's District of Houston Co GA. And from the "1832 Gold Lottery" by Mary Bondurant Warren. A man with wife or children was allowed two draws which James Holderness had. He was again listed as being from Houston Co - the lots were 40 acres each. He drew one in 3rd District, Section 3, Lot #0906 and one in District 21, Section 2, Lot #0749.

There is another James Holderness in Georgia at this time, but he is known to be a grandson of the earlier James of Rockingham and he departed from Georgia prior to 1840. He was in the 1830 Henry Co GA Census and usually went by James M. Holderness. He received land in an early Land Lottery as an orphan so would have been ineligible for later drawings.

MailList Search Date: Tue, 22 May 2001 From: DELDRIDGE1@aol.
RANDOLPH COUNTY, GEORGIA EARLY DEEDS 1831-1839 (Part 9a)
THOMAS BAGBY of Bibb Co. to QUINNEY POWELL of Randolph Co. Lot #149, 5th
Dist. Wit.: John Bryan, James Holderness. Jan. 11, 1838/Dec. 25, 1838.

From the Houston Co GA mail list: A post from William A. Mills states that he had found an story written by a man born in 1826 and a resident of Perry GA. The article was about "old Houston" and mentions teachers he had, one of whom was James Holderness.

Found at the University of North Carolina Library website: "Digital Library on Amercan Slavery"
http://library.uncg.edu/slavery/
Filed 22 Jun 1840. Granted later the same year
Petition 20684013, to Honorable A.M.D. King, Judge of the Superior Court of Houston Co, GA
The last will & testament of William Britton, deceased, late of South Carolina, bequeathed a slave, Cobon, and her ten children, to Mary Wallace for her own proper use and benefit and after her death to vest in the issue of her body, her children. Wallace fears that she may be deprived of her inheritance by her husband Richard Wallace, and requests that James Holderness be appointed as trustee to secure her rights.
The children of Cobon were not listed in the petition.

In April 1841, the same court appointed George M. Duncan, in place of Holderness as trustee for Mary Wallace. Lawsuits concerning these slaves eventually made their way to the state supreme court. There appears to have possibly been some connection to the wife of Holderness, Elizabeth Bryan - see her notes for more details.


1840 Houston Co GA Census: James Holderness: 1m 10-15 [William T.]; 1m 40-50 [James would have been about 42]; 1f 5-10 [Caroline]; 2f 10-15 [Harriet & Sarah]; 1f 30-40 [Elizabeth was 32]. Slaves: 1m -10, 1m 10-24, 1m 24-36, 1f 24-36. Total persons - 10. Both the 1830-1840 censuses show that Harriet might have been born sooner than her birth year indicates - there's also an extra daughter near her age, probably older since there are several years between William and Harriet.

MACON GA NEWSPAPER CLIPPINGS [MESSENGER]
Vol 3; p.243 Thus May 13, 1841 Grand Jury, Houston Superior Court, Apr Term, 1841
Signed: James Holderness, Clerk
p.281 Same for Oct Term 1841
p.341 Same for Oct Term, 1842

From the MESSENGER, newspaper of Macon, GA 1843-47: Houston Co - List of the Superior Court Grand Jury on 9 Nov 1843, was signed by James Holderness, Clerk. Grand Jury on 16 May 1844, Houston County, also signed by James Holderness, Clerk.
The Southern Banner, printed in Athens GA, dated 28 Mar 1844 lists James Holderness as Clerk of Superior Court for Houston County.

MACON GA NEWSPAPER CLIPPINGS [MESSENGER]
Vol 4, p.100 Thur Jan 25, 1844 List of Sheriffs & Clerks for 1844-5
Houston: William Harrington, James Holderness, William H. Miller
p.129 Jury, May Term 1844 Signed: James Holderness, Clerk
p.170 same for Oct Term 1844
p.194 same for Apr Term 1845
[Then James must have run for a higher office]
p.219 Thur Oct 16, 1845 Senators Elected: James Holderness - 17th District


1850 Census for Leon Co FL lists James, age 52, Farmer, born in NC with wife Elizabeth and 4 young people [William and wife Sarah, Harriet & Caroline].
1850 Slave Schedule, Leon Co FL, Division 8
James Holderness, 10 Slaves: Male, 60, Male 30, Male 30, Male 12, Female 45, Female 40, Female 27, Female 16, Female 13, Female 12. All listed as "B"

But I believe James and Elizabeth also had a daughter Sarah:
Holderness, Sarah
Spouse: Joseph J. Dawkins
Marriage Date: Dec 05, 1849
State: FL
County: Leon
More About: This record can be found in the County Court Records, Film # 0983459 - 0983464.
[There was an extra daughter in the 1840 and 1830 Census.]

1 Sep 1852 Federal Land Patent: Leon Co FL. Issued to James Holderness. 39.95 acres; the NW 1/4 of the NE 1/4 of Section 24, Twp 2, Range 2.
Land was just northeast of Tallahassee.

Leon Co, Florida Court of Probate
at Chambers
To all to whom these presents shall come: Greetings; whereas Elizabeth Holderness, at present of the County and State aforesiad, hath been duly appointed and qualified as administratrix of all and singular the goods and chattels, rights and credits which were of the Estate of James Holderness, late of Leon County, deceased, and hath entered into bond obligatory to the Governor of the State of Florida and his successors in office, in the penalty of thirty thousand Dollars, conditioned as the law directs with John Cason, Nathan Holt and Patrick Smith as her Securities, Now Know Ye that administration of all and singular the goods and chattels, rights and credits which were of the said James Holderness has bee granted, and is by these presents, committed to the said Elizabeth Holderness.
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed my seal of office the 30th day of November A. D. 1852.
D. W. Gwynn.
State of Florida, County of Leon. I do hereby certify that the foregoing is a true record duly made in my office this 30th day of November, 1852.
D. W. Gwynn, Judge of Probate.

Birth	1798	North Carolina
Marriage	6 Jan 1825	Twiggs County, Georgia - Elizabeth Bryan
Death	Bef 30 Nov 1852	Florida

Spouse	Elizabeth Bryan (1808 - 1873)
Child	William Thomas Holderness (1826 - 1893)
Child	Sarah Holderness (1829 - )
Child	Harriet R. Holderness (1832 - 1863)
Child	Caroline Virginia Holderness (1834 - 1908)

Father	WILLIAM HOLDERNESS (1740 - 1806)
Mother	SARAH B. "SALLIE" BROOKES ( - )
Sibling	ROBERT HOLDERNESS (1783 - 1833)
Sibling	Salley Holderness ( - 1812)
Sibling	Thomas Holderness ( - 1833)