My Genealogy Hound

William H. Vandiver, a planter of Galla Rock Township, was born in Mississippi, May 20, 1842. His parents, Elijah and Malinda (Cox) Vandiver, were born and married in South Carolina, the former’s birth occurring December 12, 1812, and the latter’s about 1816. His father followed farming, negro speculation, and stock-dealing, as a means of livelihood, and in order to better his fortunes, moved his family to Mississippi, where he lived until 1885, when he died. The death of his wife occurred in 1867. Both were respected members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and he was an honored Mason, having been connected with that order for some forty years or more, and was quite an active politician of his day. Our subject served in the Confederate Army, in defense of the Southern cause, enlisting in Blythes’ Ninth Mississippi Infantry Regiment. He was actively engaged for nearly one year, and at its expiration was transferred to Maj. Saunders’ cavalry. He served as an escort to Jefferson Davis, while enroute to Georgia, and was in many of the noted battles and skirmishes, particularly in the battle of Thompson Station, where 2,300 soldiers surrendered. While in service, he was wounded five times, and was paroled in 1865, and returned to Mississippi and resumed his farm duties, continuing there till 1868, when he moved to Memphis, Tenn., and started a mercantile store, which he carried on till 1872, when he again changed his location, this time settling on a farm in Yell County, where he and wife conjointly own 120 and sixty-nine acres of very valuable and well-improved land. In 1877 he was married to Mrs. Madora Bryson, who was born in Pope County, in 1852, and is the eldest daughter of George Parish. To this marriage was born a son, William. Mr. and Mrs. Vandiver belong to the Methodist Episcopal Church, and he is a Knight of Pythias, affiliating with Easley Lodge No. 17. Mrs. Vandiver has a daughter by her former marriage, Miss Minnie Bell Bryson, born December 24, 1872.