John G. Harthcock

submitted by Kim Harthcock

John Godfrey Harthcock
(1812 – 1884)
John Godfrey Harthcock was born on February 1, 1812 in South Carolina. He was the oldest son of Catherine Zeigler and Thomas Harthcock. His family migrated from South Carolina through Georgia and Alabama to finally settle in Yazoo County, Mississippi in the early 1830s.
In September of 1835, John Godfrey purchased 119.68 acres of land in Holmes County. The following year he married Naomi P. Tolar on January 19, 1836 in either Holmes or Yazoo County, Mississippi. Naomi was born on May 25, 1819 in Mississippi; she was the daughter of Patsy Killebrew and Needham Tolar.
John Godfrey and Naomi had seven children who were all born in Holmes County, MS.: 1) Thomas Godfrey, known as “Glid”, was born December 10, 1836; he married Jane A. Wigley on August 14, 1859; she was the daughter of Lethe Sorrels and David Wigley. Thomas Godfrey and Jane had 6 children. He died on January 12, 1909 and is buried in the Methodist Church Cemetery in Ebenezer, Holmes County, MS.
 2) Martha A. C. was born December 8, 1838 and died August 2, 1855.
 3) John Louis was born July 30, 1842. He married Izora Henrietta Forbus on December 18, 1867 in Holmes County, MS; she was the daughter of Anne Peaster and Billy Forbus; John Louis and Izora Henrietta had 5 children; John Louis and his family moved to New Hope Community, Texas where he died on July 29, 1900.
 4) Sarah Jane was born October 7, 1844; she married Joseph Monroe Wigley in 1859; he was the son of Sarah Brown and Joseph Wigley. Sarah Jane and Joseph Monroe had 14 children. Sarah Jane died on January 2, 1930 in Holmes County, MS; she is buried in the Methodist Church Cemetery, Coxburg, Holmes County, MS.
 5) William Edward was born December 25, 1847; he married Elmira Mary Roberts on October 2, 1867 in Holmes County, MS; she was his first cousin and the daughter of Mary M. Harthcock [John Godfrey’s sister] and William Roberts. William Edward and Elmira Mary had 9 children; the family moved from Mississippi to Oklahoma where William Edward died on February 2, 1927. He is buried in Rosedale Cemetery, Rosedale, Oklahoma.
6) Dinorbus Pennington was born March 18, 1851; he married Martha “Matt” Ann Talley in 1873 in Holmes County, MS; they had 5 children. Dinorbus Pennington died on March 12, 1884 and is buried in Locus Grove Cemetery, Zeiglerville, Yazoo County, MS. 7) Joseph “Joel” Edward was born September 10, 1854 and died August 28, 1855.
After Naomi’s death in 1855, John Godfrey married a 2nd time to Mary Ann Brunson who was a neighbor of John Godfrey and Naomi. Mary Ann was born April 19, 1822 in Lincoln County, Georgia; she was the daughter of Mary “Polly” Haynes and Matthew Brunson. John Godfrey and Mary Ann had 3 children who were all born in Holmes County, MS.
 1) James Matthew born on October 19, 1856; he married Katherine “Kitty” Sue Forbus on November 16, 1881; she was the daughter of Harriet Susan Jones and Billie Forbus. James Matthew and Kitty had 9 children. James Matthew died June 17, 1939 and is buried in Locus Grove Cemetery, Zeiglerville, Yazoo County, MS.
 2) Elizabeth Ann was born January 31, 1859 and died July 5, 1860.
3) Julia Ann was born November 25, 1861; she married General Price Davis in 1881 in Holmes County, MS; he was the son of Martha Carrod and Jeffery Davis; Julia Ann and G. Price Davis had 2 children. Julia Ann died August 23, 1884 in Holmes County, MS.
John Godfrey Harthcock was a veteran of the War Between the States. He served in Company C [Quitman Rifles], 15th Mississippi Infantry Regiment, Confederate States Army which mustered in Richland, Holmes County, MS on April 20, 1861. Company C surrendered on April 26, 1865. John Godfrey was also a member of the Free Masons; he is listed as a member of Lodge 248 based in the Eulogy Beat of Holmes County.
John Godfrey is listed on the United States Federal Census for 1840 – 1880, as well as the Mississippi State Census for 1841 and 1845. He is also listed on the 1860 Slave Schedule as the owner of 8 slaves.
John Godfrey Harthcock died on December 5, 1884 in Holmes County, MS. He is buried in Locus Grove Cemetery, Zeiglerville, Yazoo County, Mississippi. Many of his family members and descendents rest near him.