THE CAPE FEAR RIVER - WILMINGTON, NC Near where the Geddie brothers first landed in America
JAMES ALLEN GEDDIE Born in North Carolina on March 31,1835. His great grandparents, James Daniel Geddie and Isabella McPhail Geddie, who married aboard ship, had settled near the Cape Fear district after sailing from Scotland around 1772. His grandparents were "Big John" Geddie and Anna McKeithan. James Alexander Geddie and Mary Margaret McPhail Geddie, with their children which included James Allen, and Mary Margaret's two brothers, Thomas and Archibald McPhail and families, left North Carolina with Texas as their destination on March 22, 1850. In covered wagons and oxcarts, they traveled through Georgia, headed west to Alabama to visit relatives who had relocated there, and stopped a year in Mississippi to make a crop. They arrived in Cherokee County, Texas, and after a short time finally settled in Van Zandt County buying land near Owlet Green. James Alexander and Mary lived out their lives there and are buried in the old Geddie-McPhail cemetery on their homestead. Many Geddies still live in the area. James Allen farmed their Owlet Green land and hunted the countryside with his father and brothers and courted the Van Zandt County girls, one of whom was Rebecca (Becky) Jane White. Becky's parents were James Norton White and Mary Ann Young. James Allen married Becky on November 19, 1857. Their first child, Mary Ellen, was born September 3, 1858. John Alexander followed in 1862. The other children were Rachel Ann, Barcelona Isabella, and James Norton. A son, Dougald, died in infancy. James Allen Geddie and his brothers, John Alexander and Thomas Archibald, fought in the Civil War. In his later years, Grandpa Geddie (James Allen) sat for hours with his grandchildren around him, telling them fascinating tales of his escapades during his Civil War days. One particular story concerned the capture of the Yankee's payroll. Grandpa told the grandchildren the roll of money was beg enough "to choke a mule". He said the payroll was burned to keep it out of Yankee hands. One of his granddaughters interrupted him asking, "Grandpa, if you'd kept that money, would we be rich?" He replied, "Honey, we didn't expect that money to be any good after the war." Another handed down story was the battle of Ft. Moultrie, South Carolina. While his Confederate soldiers were falling all around him and it was apparent the battle was lost, Grandpa Geddie mounted a mule and rode through Yankee lines. Another soldier rode behind him on the same mule. That soldier was shot off the mule. According to the story, Grandpa may have been the only Confederate soldier in that battle that was not killed or captured. Grandpa made his way to another Confederate unit and served out the rest of the war in a noncombat role. These stories sifted down to the great grandchildren, one of whom is this writer's father, James Geddie Davidson, of Scurry County, Texas. He was named for his ancestor James Allen Geddie. James Allen Geddie died on April 30, 1906 and is buried at Colfax cemetery in Van Zandt County, Texas. Becky died May 29, 1924 and is buried beside her husband. (Photo and Biography Courtesy of Pat Davidson James)
Headstone of James Allen and Rebecca White Geddie Colfax Memorial Cemetery
GO TO COLFAX CEMETERY GEDDIE FAMILY PAGE Final Resting Place of Many Texan Geddie's
Born 03 September 1858 in Van Zandt County, Texas and died 25 April 1913 in Scurry, Texas. She was the daughter of James Allen Geddie and Rebecca Jane White. She married William Maxfield Davidson 08 January 1878 in Van Zandt County, Texas.
Family of Nora Frances "Fannie" Geddie "Fannie" Geddie was born 27 September 1891; died 16 November 1929. She was the daughter of William Hiram Geddie and Lula Moseley. She married Elijah Ardis "Artie" Allen 02 October 1904 in Van Zandt County, Texas. L-R: Artie's father, Ned Allen, Eulia Micia Allen, Elijah "Artie" Artis Allen, Fannie holding Ethan Allen Front: twins, Era & Vera Allen.
Oscar and Roxie Camper Geddie Oscar Kenneth Geddie was born 10 August 1888 in Van (Van Zandt County) Texas; died 24 July 1956 in Galveston, Texas. He was the son of William Hiram Geddie and Lula Moseley. He married Roxie Ann Camper 12 January 1910 in Van Zandt County, Texas. She was the daughter of James Summers Camper and Mary Thomas "Molly" Swindall.
Family of Jimmy Miles Geddie Jimmy and Lizzie Oliver Geddie (front) & daughter Mary and son Thomas (back) Jimmy Miles Geddie was born 16 March 1903 in Ben Wheeler, Van Zandt County, Texas and died 08 July 1976 in Colorado City, Mitchell County, Texas. He was the son of William Hiram Geddie and Lula Moseley. He married Lizzie Lee Oliver 28 December 1922 in Van Zandt County, Texas. They were the parents of Mary Lillian Geddie and Thomas Leroy Geddie. (Photos and Biographies Courtesy of Paulette Chaney Flym)
THE SONS AND DAUGHTERS OF GED HAVE TRAVELED FAR
Background:
Tartan of Robert the Bruce, Akin to Geddie and Geddes |
GEDDIE PHOTO ALBUM
