Person Page - 160

     Elizabeth Arnold married Isaac Callaway Sr., son of Edward Callaway and Elizabeth <...>.¹

     Isaac Callaway was the son of Thomas Callaway and Mary (?) Anderson.

     Joshua Callaway was the son of Thomas Callaway and Mary (?) Anderson.

     Peter Callaway was my direct ancestor and progenitor of this line (earliest known to me.) He immigrated to Northumberland Co., VA, before 1649, having been brought over by William Pressley.^2,3

Peter Callaway moved to Manokin, Somerset Co., MD, between 1661 and 1666. Somerset Co. was just across Chesapeake Bay from Northumberland Co., VA.⁴ Peter was a carpenter.

Marriage banns for Peter Callaway and Elizabeth Johnson were published on 26 Mar 1667 in Somerset Co., MD.^5,6,7 On 28 May 1667, Peter Callaway and Elizabeth Johnson were cited for baring a bastard child. Elizabeth was bound to Thomas Ball and Peter was fined (Somerset Co., MD.)^8,5

Peter Callaway married Elizabeth Johnson on 28 May 1667 in Somerset Co., MD, in lieu of heavy fines.⁹ On 30 Nov 1682 Peter Callaway purchased land in Somerset Co., MD; 288 acres called "New Recovery."¹⁰ On 18 Nov 1685 Peter Callaway purchased land in Somerset Co., MD; 50 acres called "Callaway's Addition."¹¹ On 27 Nov 1688 Peter Callaway purchased land in Somerset Co., MD; 200 acres called "Little Britain."¹² On 20 Feb 1715/16 Peter Callaway purchased land in Somerset Co., MD; 100 acres called "Callaway's Invention."¹³

Peter Callaway died before 1719 in Somerset Co., MD; based on Elizabeth, his wife, registering her cattle mark in 1719. I have not found a source for this.¹⁴

     Elizabeth Johnson was my direct ancestor and progenitor of this line (earliest known to me.) Marriage banns for Elizabeth Johnson and Peter Callaway were published on 26 Mar 1667 in Somerset Co., MD.^1,2,3 On 28 May 1667, Elizabeth Johnson and Peter Callaway were cited for baring a bastard child. Elizabeth was bound to Thomas Ball and Peter was fined (Somerset Co., MD.)^4,1

Elizabeth Johnson married Peter Callaway on 28 May 1667 in Somerset Co., MD, in lieu of heavy fines.⁵

Elizabeth Johnson died in 1739 in Somerset Co., MD.

     John Callaway Sr was my direct ancestor. He was born circa 1684/85 in Somerset Co., MD.² He was the son of Peter Callaway and Elizabeth Johnson.

John Callaway Sr married Mary Gould, daughter of Edward Gould and Frances <...>, on 25 Dec 1709 in Stepney Parish, Somerset Co., MD.^3,4 John was a cooper. On 10 Jul 1718 John Callaway Sr purchased land in Somerset Co., MD; 50 acres called "Callaway's Folly". Recorded 10 Sep 1724.^5,6 On 18 Mar 1746/47 John Callaway Sr purchased land in Somerset Co., MD; 50 acres called "Callaway's Venture."⁷ On 4 Dec 1757 John Callaway Sr purchased land in Somerset Co., MD; 50 acres called "Whitefield."⁷ On 29 Feb 1764 John Callaway Sr purchased land in Somerset Co., MD; 235 acres called "Green Meadow."⁷ On 19 Aug 1768 John Callaway Sr purchased land in Worcester Co., MD; 205 acres called "Chancery."^8,7

John Callaway Sr left a will dated 25 Jan 1770 in Somerset Co., MD. Heirs: Sarah Callaway, Rachel Callaway, Katherine Callaway, Edward Callaway, John Callaway Jr., Isaac Callaway, Ann Callaway and Mary Kinney, (3 sons and 5 daughters). Heir and Executor: Ebenezer Callaway, his son, other heirs are his grandson, Levi Callaway and his granddaughter, Mary Linch, d/o Rachel.⁹

John Callaway Sr died between 25 Jan 1770 and 6 Mar 1770 in Somerset Co., MD.^10,11,12 John Callaway Sr's estate was probated on 6 Mar 1770 in Somerset Co., MD.¹³

     Mary Gould was the daughter of Edward Gould and Frances <...>. Mary Gould was my direct ancestor.

Mary Gould married John Callaway Sr, son of Peter Callaway and Elizabeth Johnson, on 25 Dec 1709 in Stepney Parish, Somerset Co., MD.^2,3

     Arabella Nicholson was born in 1825.¹ She was the daughter of Dr. Malcolm Nicholson.

Arabella Nicholson married Rev. Wiley J. Blewett, son of William Blewett Jr. and Rebecca Thomas, on 6 Feb 1844 in Early Co., GA.^2,3,1

Arabella Nicholson died on 14 Dec 1844 in Decatur Co., GA.^1,4

     Dr. Malcolm Nicholson married an unknown person. Malcolm was a doctor.

     John Higdon was my direct ancestor. He was born on 16 Feb 1809 in Laurens Co., GA.^2,3,4,5,6 He was the son of Burrell Higdon and Nancy Roberts.

John Higdon married first Rebecca Matilda Overstreet, daughter of Daniel Overstreet Jr. and Martha Albritton, before 1831.^7,8,9

John Higdon was a successful drawer in the 1832 Georgia Land Lottery. He was living in Emanuel Co., GA. He drew land in Cherokee Co. (15th District, 4th Section; now Floyd Co.)¹⁰ John Higdon was awarded land, as follows: 500 acres in Emanuel Co., GA, on 3 Jul 1837; 100 acres on the Hughs Prong Canoochee River.^11,12 John was a postmaster on 13 Sep 1837 in Emanuel Co., GA.¹³ He was enumerated as Head of Household in the census of 1840 in Laurens Co., GA.¹⁴

The family moved to Decatur Co., GA, in 1848. John was a member of a Missionary Baptist Church in Emanuel Co., but since there was no Missionary Baptist Church in his Decatur Co. area, he joined the Piedmont Primitive Baptist Church in 1852 or 1853.^15,16

John Higdon was on the 1850 taxlist in Decatur Co., GA.¹⁷

John Higdon was enumerated as Head of Household in the censuses of 1850 in Decatur Co., GA, with others in the household: Rebecca Matilda Overstreet, James Jackson Higdon, Mary Jane Higdon and Robert Higdon (his wife, 2 sons, and 1 daughter),¹⁸ and of 1860 in Decatur Co., GA, with others in the household: Rebecca Matilda Overstreet, James Jackson Higdon and Robert Higdon (his wife and 2 sons.)⁸

John Higdon served from Decatur Co., GA, in the Georgia Militia.¹⁹

John Higdon was living in Decatur Co., GA, in 1864, when the 1864 Georgia militia census took place. He was 54 years and 11 months old and born in Georgia. He had a shot gun, and a horse with saddle and bridle. He was also the enrolling officer.^20,19,18 He served on a Grand Jury which reported on the conditions in the county. This was in Apr 1864 in Decatur Co., GA.²¹ On 14 Jul 1868 he swore that he did not engage in the Rebellion, but held the office of Justice of the Peace and Justice of the Inferior Court. On 10 Jan 1870, he received a certificate that he had been “relieved from disability as provided for by Section 3 of the 14th Amendment of the Constitution”.²² In 1868 John Higdon (listed as Higden) served as a delegate to the Georgia Convention that drafted the new constitution. In order for any Confederate state to be readmitted to the Union, it had to nullify the Confederate debt, which this convention did. The Piedmont Primitive Baptist Church thought his participation in this was not proper and for this, he was excommunicated from the church. His obituary also mentions his church affiliations, although not this excommunication.^23,15,2 John was in the Georgia House of Representatives from 1868 to 1870. He resigned ca 5 Oct 1870.^24,25

He was enumerated as Head of Household in the census of 1870 in Decatur Co., GA, with others in the household: Rebecca Matilda Overstreet (his wife.)²⁶

John Higdon was widowed on 16 Sep 1872.^27,6

John's second marriage was to Catherine Braswell on 19 Dec 1873 in Decatur Co., GA.^28,27

John Higdon left a will dated 23 Nov 1877 in Decatur Co., GA. Heirs: Catherine Higdon, Nancy Ann McNair and Mary Jane Williams, (his wife and 2 daughters). He left 10 acres to "an old colored man" Barry Higdon, and an option for him to rent or buy another property after the death of John Higdon's wife. Heir and Executor: James Jackson Higdon, his son. Mentioned: William Green McNair and Dr. Joel W. Williams, his 2 sons-in-law.²⁹

John Higdon was on the taxlists of 1873,³⁰ and of 1879 in Decatur Co., GA. He had 891 acres in 1873 and 412 in 1879. Some had been passed to his son, James Jackson.³⁰ He was enumerated as Head of Household in the census of 1880 in Decatur Co., GA, with others in the household: Catherine Braswell (his 2nd wife.)³¹

John Higdon died on 7 Jul 1886 in Calvary, Decatur Co., GA, at age 77.^32,3,5,33 He was buried in Higdon Cemetery, Calvary, Grady Co., GA.^34,35,27,6 John Higdon's estate was probated on 2 Aug 1886 in Decatur Co., GA.³⁶

A summary of John's census records:

Head of Household	Household Member	Age	Year	State	County
Higdon, John		30-40	1840	GA	Laurens Co.
Higdon, John		40	1850	GA	Decatur Co.
Higdon, John		53	1860	GA	Decatur Co.
Higdon, John		61	1870	GA	Decatur Co.
Higdon, John		70	1880	GA	Decatur Co.