To the author's knowledge, little research has been done on the Wilkes County, Georgia branch of the Eidson family. In 1995, Wanda Carroll Eidson published her three volume work on the Eidson family but unfortunately there is very little information found in her work pertaining to our Wilkes County relatives. She does however, provide a basis for which we can begin our study into our Eidson family in America. According to Wanda, we are most likely related to the Eidson family that was among the early settlers of America who she traced to Paisley England.
Another researcher who also happened to have the first name of Wanda was Wanda Cunningham whose research on our Georgia Eidson family was published in a newsletter by the Carroll County (GA) Historical Society [1]. She connected the work of Wanda Carroll Eidson to our Georgia Eidson ancestors.
The author has used the research of both of these women as a basis for deductions about our Eidson family. Please note that this research is incomplete and there are so many intermarriages of the Eidsons, Hammocks, Combs, Pinkstons, Staples, Talbots, Colleys and Jacksons that it is extremely hard to pinpoint the exact relationships between individuals. In some cases, the intermarriages began in Virginia and they continued to intermarry once they arrived in Georgia. Keep in mind that we are discussing frontier settlers and the pool of men/women from whom they chose to marry was fairly small. These families lived close to one another along the Little River just south and east of the town of Washington, Georgia.
EDWARD EIDSON
Edward Eidson is the progenitor of the Eidson family in the USA. He lived in the Northern Neck region of Virginia as early as 1708. He is said to have died in 1732 and his widow Penelope remarried two more times. If this is correct, our lineage would be from "Edward the Immigrant" line (Edward, Boyce, Shelton, John, Eliza) per Wanda Carroll Eidson.
Now, using the research of Wanda Cunningham, we can make connections from Wanda Carroll Eidson's research (The following information is extracted from Wanda Cunningham's research):
So, we have two sons of Boyce Eidson and Edith, Shelton Eidson and John Eidson, who both settled very close to one another in Georgia: Shelton settled in Oglethorpe County and John settled in Wilkes County. John died in 1816; Shelton can be found on the 1820 census living in Oglethorpe County but he moved to Morgan County where he later died.
SHELTON EIDSON son of Boyce
Again, the author has done little research on this part of the Eidson clan; However, was probably a Revolutionary War soldier. (See more at bottom of this page). One of his sons appears to have been named for his grandfather Boyce. This grandson Boyce/Bois/Boice Eidson moved to DeKalb County Georgia where he was one of the early settlers of the Dunwoody/Doraville area (coincidentally very near where the author resides). He and many of his descendants are buried in the family cemetery [2] on Winters Chapel Road. He may have owned quite a bit of land extending from the cemetery all the way over to Chamblee Dunwoody Road. There is a road off of Chamblee Dunwoody named Eidson Place and there is an older house at the corner (built early 20th century) that was supposedly built by a descendant of Boyce Eidson. This Boyce/Bois may have had a son also named Bois that died during the War of 1812. Note that Boyce seems to be a common name among the Eidsons - there were several Boyce Eidsons back in the 1800s and they all appear to have roots to the same Eidson family from Virginia. For more on the Dunwoody Eidsons, visit this page: https://dunwoodypreservationtrust.org/other-historic-sites/
Eidson homeplace near Dunwoody, GA
(Dunwoody Preservation Trust website)
First brick house built in Dunwoody - Built by Calvin Eidson
a descendant of Boyce/Bois Eidson an early settler of Dunwoody
5171 Chamblee Dunwoody Road
(Dunwoody Preservation Trust website)
First brick house built in Dunwoody as it stands today. A 2nd story has been added and the surrounding lands now include a subdivision called EIDSON HALL. This home is less than a mile from what is known as the heart of Dunwoody intersection (Mount Vernon and Chamblee Dunwoody Roads) and about 2 miles from the Eidson family cemetery on Winters Chapel Road.
(Google maps)
It is unlikely that the author's father knew about his Eidson ancestors when he listed this home for sale on Eidson Road in the Doraville/Dunwoody area of North Atlanta in 1973. This home and street are farther east of the Eidson Hall subdivision mentioned above and only a short distance from the Eidson Cemetery on Winters Chapel Road. This is less than a mile from where the author has made his home for the past 30 years.
(Atlanta Constitution, Sept. 16, 1973)
JOHN EIDSON son of Boyce
The authors' research has been focused on Shelton's brother John Eidson. He was in Wilkes County, Georgia before 1800 but it is not known exactly when he arrived. His wife's first name was Judith which can be found in various documents. Some researchers claim that her maiden name was Richardson. John was probably born between 1750 and 1760 in Bedford County, Virginia and he died in Wilkes County Georgia in 1816. Judith died in 1818. The estate files of both John and Judith can be found at the Georgia Archives.
John was very likely a Revolutionary War soldier. He may have been the Revolutionary War soldier that was living in Ninety Six District of South Carolina (SC2583). This soldier served as a private under Colonel Robert Anderson. Since both he and his wife died before pensions were offered, we have no record of land or pension applications while in Georgia. If we are to believe the research of others who claim that John was the brother of Shelton (both sons of Boyce and Edith), then it follows that the SC John Eidson is probably the same man - We do have the pension file of Shelton (S32231) who states that he was in SC during the Revolutionary War. In Lucien Lamar Knight's "Georgia's Roster of the Revolution" (page 323), Thomas Eidson is noted in a land lottery record for Revolutionary War soldiers for Wilkes County, Georgia. Most likely this was for his father John - Based on his estimated age, Thomas would have been too young.[3] He may have been acting as agent for his mother, the widow of a Rev War soldier.
As noted, John died in 1816 and we are fortunate to have some of the records from his rather large estate file held at the GA Archives. I have gleaned the following pertinent information from his estate file.
Names listed in the estate documents:
- Thomas Eidson (his son) was the administrator
- Mathew Talbot
- Lucy Cosby
- Thomas Staples (married Elizabeth, John's daughter) in right of his wife
- John Eidson (son)
- Thomas Eidson
- George Marler
- Sarah Eidson (daughter)
- Joseph Eidson (son)
- Laboman(?) Marler
- William Smallwood
- Thomas Combs
- Philip Combs
- Enoch Combs
- David Eidson (son)
- Elizabeth Staples (daughter)
- William Eidson (son)
- Greenberry Pinkston
- James Wingfield
- Anderson Bates
- Herbert Riveire
- Thomas Talbot
- Enoch Combs
In addition to these Eidsons being the author's lineage, many of the individuals listed in the above estate documents also the author's ancestors and cousins, for example:
- Mathew Talbot - Rev. War soldier and Georgia Politician (Governor of Georgia, State Senator, President of the Senate). (1st cousin, 7X removed)
- Thomas Talbot - brother of Mathew. He also was a Revolutionary War soldier who was at the Battle of Kettle Creek. He married Elizabeth Cresswell, daughter of Rev. James Cresswell and Elizabeth Garlington (Elizabeth Garlington was a descendant of the famous Conway and Ball families of the Upper Neck of Virginia. She is related to George Washington's on his mother's side). (1st cousin, 7X removed.)
- Additionally, Thomas was a guardian for at least two of Shadrach Pinkston's children. Shadrach was another Rev. War soldier - he served with George Washington as part of the elite Life Guards unit that protected General Washington. (Shadrach was the author's 5th great grandfather.)
- Greenberry Pinkston - son of Shadrach. He married Anne Eidson who may have been the sister of John. Their daughter, Jane Frances Pinkston, married John Staples the son of Thomas Staples and Elizabeth Eidson (Yes, the same Elizabeth Eidson, daughter of John Eidson listed above). (Greenberry is the author's 4th great-grandfather and his daughter Jane Frances is his 3rd great grandmother.)
- Philip Combs (Jr.) - son of the Revolutionary War soldier by the same name. Likely the author's 4th great-grandfather (Lineage is not proven for the author's ancestor, Daisy Elizabeth Combs).
- Enoch Combs - one of the men who provided bond for the appointment of Thomas Eidson as the guardian for his sister Sarah in 1823. (4th great granduncle.)
- Thomas Combs - possibly the grandson of Philip Combs Sr. the Revolutionary War soldier.
- Lucy Cosby - probably the daughter of either John or Thomas Eidson. She was the wife of David Cosby (unknown type of great-grandaunt.)
- Edward Waller - he married Judy Staples the daughter of Thomas Staples and Elizabeth Eidson. (3rd great grandaunt.)
- Anderson Bates was paid boarding fees for David Eidson. Anderson married a Jane Combs in 1819. The author has not determined who Jane's parents were - many COMBS men as possibilities.
- William Smallwood may be the father of the Wilkinson Smallwood that married an Emily Combs in 1831. The author has not determined the parents of Emily. We also have a Philip Combs that married a Lucy Smallwood in 1815. This Philip Combs might be the son of John Combs the Rev. War soldier and brother of Enoch, Philip Jr. and Sterling.
- James Wingfield is quite likely related to Mildred Wingfield who married Sterling Combs, the brother of Enoch and Philip, Jr. There is also the name of a Dr. John Wingfield that can be found in numerous records.
- Herbert Reveire - is one of the testators on a document for Elizabeth Eidson daughter of John Eidson and Judith. Herbert's name can be found on numerous tax records and census records - he apparently was a trusted neighbor but might also be related in some tangential way.
- Laboman(?) Marler - may be related to the Thomas Marler that married Mary Ann Combs in 1823.
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Children of John Eidson and Judith (lnu, possibly Richardson)
- James Eidson - no information.
- David C. Eidson - no information.
- William Eidson - no information.
- Joseph Eidson - no information.
- Sarah Eidson - her brother (Thomas) was appointed as her guardian.
- Elizabeth (b. 1790; d. 1824) - married Thomas Staples the son of Stephen Staples and Mary Starke. They had children Judy, John and Eliza. Judy married Edward Waller and they had at least 4 children (see Will of John Eidson Jr. below). John married Jane Frances Pinkston, the daughter of Greenberry Pinkston and Anne Eidson. Anne may have been the sister or daughter of John Eidson (died 1816). Greenberry and Anne had several children - see the author's PINKSTON family research HERE. The author has no information on Eliza other than the fact that she was noted in the estate documents of her uncle John Eidson in 1856 (see below).
- John Jr. - he may have been the John Eidson that married Susannah Gillum(Gilliam) in 1821. When he wrote his Will in 1856 he apparently had no living wife or children. On the 1850 census, he was living in downtown Washington, GA next to Samuel Barnett and Robert Toombs (General Robert Toombs of Civil War fame). His age is listed as 59 and his occupation is listed as "Grocer". [4] He left the bulk of his estate to Eliza Staples and the four daughters of Edward Waller". Edward Waller married Judy Staples. Eliza and Judy Staples were sisters and therefore were his nieces - They were the children of his sister Elizabeth Eidson and her husband Thomas Staples. There may have been a rift in the family because John Jr. made no mention of his nephew John Staples' child (Sarah Elizabeth Staples who married Francis G. Colley) or she may have already been provided for.
News & Planters' Gazette, June 13, 1844(Georgia Historic Newspapers)
1850 census, town of Washington, Georgia; John Eidson, grocer.(Census provided by Ancestry.com)
Will of John Eidson, 1856
- Thomas Eidson - he may have been the Thomas Eidson that married Elizabeth Richardson in 1821. He was a county constable in 1806, 1809 & 1812 (possibly more years). There is a familial relationship between Thomas and the Combs family. When he died about 1830, his estate was administered by Philip Combs and James Sherman and his estate was appraised by James Burdett, Thomas Talbot, John Thurmond, Francis Colley and Samuel Flourney. Among the names found in this record are: Lucy Cosby, Felix Pinkston, Thomas Combs, Thomas R. Eidson, James Burdett, Enoch Combs, Thomas Talbot, Francis Colley, and Woodson Callaway. Lucy Cosby is probably Lucy Eidson who married David Cosby (noted above and again below). Thomas Talbot and Francis Colley were two of the appraisers of his estate. I noted both Thomas and Francis above. Felix Pinkston was likely the son of Greenberry Pinkston and Anne Eidson. There is a marriage record of a Felix Pinkston marrying a Polly Combs in 1827. Felix would therefore be the brother of Jane Frances Pinkston who married John Staples. Thomas Eidson was one of the appraisers of the estate of Shadrack Pinkston in 1795. [5] Shadrack was the Rev. War soldier who was in General George Washington's elite Life Guards unit. Shadrack was the father of Greenberry and grandfather of Felix (noted above).
1809 - Thomas Eidson, Constable with James Combs providing bond
(GA Archives)
1812 - Thomas Eidson, Constable with James Combs providing bond
(GA Archives)
Thomas Eidson estate administrators and executors
(GA Archives)
Thomas Eidson estate sale
Washington News, March 16, 1830
Thomas Eidson estate sale
Washington News, March 16, 1830
Thomas Eidson estate sale
Washington News, Jan. 4, 1831
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Thomas R. Eidson
Not to be confused with Thomas Eidson the son of John and Judith, the name Thomas R. Eidson can be found in the Wilkes County records. It is not known which of the Eidsons he descends from - it doesn't appear likely that he is the son of Thomas because he was not listed as an heir in any of the estate records for Thomas; However, with his middle name beginning with an R, he may be named for the family name Richardson if Richardson is actually a family name. He might be the son of John Jr., James, David, William or Joseph all of whom the author has no information about. Thomas R. Eidson was the Clerk of the Inferior Court, Deputy Sheriff and Justice of the Peace of Wilkes. He may have been an attorney. He married Mary Ann Derricott in 1829. He appears to have died about 1841.
He was the Clerk of the Inferior Court of Wilkes in 1828 when a slave was convicted of murdering several members of the Charles Smith family, included slaves.
Thomas R. Eidson, C.I.C.
Washington News, Sept. 9, 1828
Thomas R. Eidson, Candidate for surveyor
Washington News, February 5, 1831
Thomas R. Eidson, Sheriff's sale
Southern Recorder, December 1, 1837
Thomas R. Eidson, Door Keeper, Georgia Convention
Capital of Milledgeville
Georgia Constitutionalist, May 9, 1839
Thomas R. Eidson, J.P.
Macon Georgai Telegraph, December 31, 1839
Thomas R. Eidson, Deputy Sheriff
News & Planters' Gazette, Nov. 5, 1840
Thomas R. Eidson, estate sale
News & Planters' Gazetter, July 1, 1841
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MORE ON THE REVOLUTIONARY WAR
We have Shelton Eidson's pension record that proves he was soldier in the Rev War while living in Virginia. While I have not found any record of our John Eidson's service (if any), there were several Eidsons living in South Carolina that did serve and one was named John. I have not researched these men so I do not know how they are related but it is very possible that they too are descendants of Edward and Penelope.
Also, we have James Eidson's pension application of 1834 (S17939) where he was living in Edgefield District of SC but states that he was born in of Virginia and moved to SC when he was five years old. He states his age between 73-75 years old (born 1757-1761) when he filed for his pension. He states that his service began in 1777 under Gen. (Andrew) Williamson (of the Ninety Six region). James spent time in Georgia "against the Indians". He also served in Captain Butler's company.
In Bobby Gilmer Moss' book [6] he notes a John Eidson who also served in Captain Butler's company so these 2 men are likely related to one another and probably related to Shelton and Thomas as well. More research is needed.
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[1] Winter 1987, Vol. VIII, Number 4, page 122-127
[2] Dunwoody area - The Eidson Family Cemetery is located on Winters Chapel Road near the Peeler Road intersection. There used to be an Eidson family reunion held at this cemetery annually - not sure if they have it anymore. I was there taking pictures recently and noticed is a picnic table and grill that look like they have seen recent use. Cannot imagine any other purpose for a picnic table and grill in a cemetery!
[3] He likely was born well before the 1790-1792 as shown by other researchers. To have been a constable in 1806, he would have been born at least as early as 1781 (age 25). Thomas' uncle Shelton clearly was a soldier - his pension file can be found on FOLD3.
[4] It is interesting to note the disparity of personal wealth between Robert Toombs and most of his neighbors - Toombs' personal wealth is shown to be $60,000 (about 2.5 million dollars today).
[5] Early Records of Georgia, Davidson, v.1, p.107
[6] Roster of South Carolina Patriots in the American Revolution, p.2
This page was created on 2/24/2025