Herndon Branch

John Frederick Herndon

Norris Bumstead Herndon

Alonzo Franklin Herndon

John “Johnny” Herndon Mercer (November 18, 1909 – June 25, 1976) was an American songwriter and singer. As a songwriter, he is best known as a lyricist, but he also composed music. He was also a popular singer who recorded his own songs as well as those written by others. From the mid-1930s through the mid-1950s, many of the songs Mercer wrote and performed were among the most popular hits of the time including “Moon River”. He wrote the lyrics to more than fifteen hundred songs, including compositions for movies and Broadway shows. He received nineteen Academy Award nominations, and won four. Mercer was also a co-founder of Capitol Records. His grandmother was Ann Maury Herndon, daughter of Brodie S Herndon of Fredericksburg VA.

Fleetwood Herndon (1792/1871- Fredericksburg/Spotsylvania, Virginia) had settled in Lafayette County Arkansas by the early 1820’s and owned much land, he married Martha Bradley cousin of Mary Jane “Polly” Bradley (wife of the first Governor of Arkansas) they were married in 1818 in Louisiana. By 1823 he had become a magistrate in Roane Township, succeeding Tom Dooley, who was elected Sheriff. Later, he would be one of the three officials who would select the site and plat (old) Lewisville to be the seat of the new Lafayette County. In the 1830s, recognizing the advantages of the upland in the Walnut Hill area, he purchased several hundred acres along the Old Shreveport Road between Walnut Hill and Louisiana. He was Postmaster for Walnut Hill in the early 1840s. He was also a veteran of the War of 1812 listed as a Lieutenant in the Louisiana Militia. I believe that John Frederick followed his older brother to this area and moved further south on into Caddo Parish to set up his plantation. The other known siblings of JF and Fleetwood are, William - 1782/1788, Elizabeth – 1784, Polly – 1795, Fanny – 1799, Augustus Gaines – 1801/1868, Richard William – 1803/1854, all born in Virginia.

Note: Richard William Herndon moved to Kentucky where most of his children were born then settled in Springfield, Sangamon, Illinois. This is the same town that William Henry Herndon lived in (our family lore had always said that JF was the brother of this William but I found he was a 3rd cousin) so this is why I think JF knew and talked about his connection to William Henry, his brother lived in the same town and I’m sure they at least knew of each other. I’ve seen documents/memoirs from the time mentioning Richard William’s son Richard Fleetwood Herndon and his family connection to William Henry Herndon.

JF and Lou Patsy’s first child Mary Ann Herndon 1837/1905 married John Raines in 1859 and they had one son David Herndon Raines (b1860) before John died around 1869. David became a successful and prosperous farmer in Pine Island, Louisiana. He later moved to 1419 Peabody Street in Shreveport where he established himself as a person of prominence in the neighborhood as a community builder and a business and cultural promoter. By 1936, David Raines was worth more than a million dollars, most of which came from oil holdings and properties owned. An article in the 1920 Negro Year Book entitled "Louisiana Farmer Purchases $100,000 Worth of Liberty Bonds" refers to David H. Rains (Raines). The article states that "David H. Rains, a wealthy Negro farmer, living near Shreveport, Louisiana, walked into the Liberty Loan Headquarters in that city, purchased $100,000 worth of the Fourth Liberty Loan Bonds and said that if they fell short of the quota, he would make up the deficiency". The article further stated the "Mr. Rains owns several hundred acres of land and has oil wells on his plantation from which he receives royalties." David Raines first marriage was to Gracie Ann ? and they had about 10 children; his second marriage was to Mattie Brown. David is Mary Ann’s only known child. The David Raines Community Center’s in the Shreveport area are named after him.

Joseph Henry Herndon was born on March 19, 1840 in Gilliam. Before his death, on November 25, 1924, he gave a monetary donation of $12,000 to the Caddo Parish School Board. The amount was given in order that a school would be built for Negroes in the northern area of the parish. Mr. C. E. Byrd was Superintendent at that time. Mr. Herndon’s contribution and his strong belief in the educational process benefited the lives of many children both black and white. Also, sharing this belief was his nephew, David Tyson. It was the visionary Mr. Tyson who was later instrumental in carrying forth the wishes of Joseph H. Herndon’s Estate of which Mr. E. B. Herndon (a distant cousin of JF’s) was the Executor in 1926. On July 2, 1953, the site of 80 acres was purchased for the school from C. W. Lane Corporation for the amount of $28,000.00. The property is located on the Gamm Road in Belcher, Louisiana. Construction began on February 2, 1955 and was completed before the projected date of September 1956. Mr. Roscoe H. White was Superintendent of the Caddo Parish Schools when Herndon High School opened in 1956. One of Dave Tyson’s daughters was part of the first graduating class. Note: The amount of Mr. Herndon’s donation in 1924 of $12,000 grew to $125,000 in 1955 due to inflation, accumulated and compound interest. Mr. Herndon’s wealth can be attributed to an inheritance from his parents. Joseph H. Herndon was able to continue his parent’s legacies of wealth. The first bank in Vivian, Louisiana was the recipient of his financial support and deposits. Even though he was a man of wealth, for most of his life he lived humbly in a small community between Vivian and Gilliam, Pine Island. His home was a simple frame house, he wore patches on his pants and his kitchen floor was clay dirt. Before his death, he built a brick home in Texarkana and resided there until his death in 1924. He is buried in Rodessa, Louisiana at the Tyson Family Cemetery, Sugar Hill. Herndon High, which is now Herndon Middle Magnet, was named after him. Joseph married Annie Taylor and had no known children except for an adopted daughter Polly Payne.

Jacob “Jake” Herndon 1843-abt 1875 married Mary Hamlin (1850) and had 4 children, Louella 1866/1899 married Robert “Sambo” Tyson, Alfred 1868 – married Mary Baisle and re-located to Gatesville Oklahoma, Joseph 1872/1938 married Henrietta ?, and Harriet 1873. Jacob had died by the time of JF’s Will and the heirs were given land.

James Herndon 1848/1934 married Minnie Hammett and they had 12 known children. James worked with JF and his brothers in the family business. Not much else is known on James.

Edward Herndon 1850/1895 married Mary Ellen Hawthorn; they are found living next door to JF & Lou Patsy in the 1880 census. I haven’t found any children or info on him other than that he was named in the Will and received land.

Martha Herndon 1851/1928 married Marshall Payne (1853-1900) and they had 4 known children, Scott Payne 1876/1897, Leonard Payne 1879/1882, John Edward Payne 1885/1960 married Lillie Bessie Henderson, Luvenia Payne 1887-1967 married Edgar Davis.

Katie Herndon 1856/1897 married Sam Sewell and had one daughter Patsy Sewell (1889/1959), she also had one other known child named Johnny Jones. I believe Katie died in the late 1890’s and Sam re-married Lucinda Jackson in 1898. They lived in Caddo Parish and also in Miller Arkansas. Patsy Sewell married Dennis Dan Durden and they are the grandparents OJ Simpson.

Fannie Herndon 1857/1893 was born in Gilliam where the old depot once stood, she’s the last born to JF & Lou Patsy. Fannie married Richard Tyson (1844/1907) who was the brother of Louella Herndon’s husband Robert “Sambo” Tyson. Richard & Robert were the sons of Noah Tyson Sr and his slave Louise “Lula” Dunn. Fannie and Richard had 8 children, Mary Ann Tyson 1877/1890, Ellen Tyson 1879/1924 married Lee “Bud” Christian (and also had one child each with Butler Leggins and Coleman Christian), Mattie Tyson 1881/1954 married Cliston Caldwell, Elizabeth “Lizzie” Tyson 1887/1925 married Walter Gipson 1885/? (and had a child with George Collins), Joseph Tyson 1888/1962 married Mollie Boyd, David Tyson 1890/1980 married Willie Lee Hayes/Carter 1902, James Tyson 1892/1930 married Minnie Myles, Richard Tyson Jr. died at 17 yrs old.