his father: Thomas Graydon
his mother: Sara Camp

 
Sterling Graydon shows up in the probate records of his father, Thomas Graydon, in 1840.   He is said to have married Eliza Jane Lindsey and his brother Drury is supposed to have married a Lindley.   There is too much similarity here and I believe that Sterling probably married a Lindley, since we have a father's name for Drury's wife. There are both Lindsey and Lindley families in Greenville, SC. This may be why so many researchers have had such a hard time tracing it.  It could have been misspelled in the record or simply misread.  Even though I've included her the census of Sterling E. Graydon I don't believe he is the son of Sterling and Eliza.  He would have to be  born in 1825 before they were married by several years.  We have not discovered an earlier marriage for Sterling.   I believe that Sterling E. Graydon was the son John Graydon, son of Thomas Graydon, see the estate 1850. Recently it has come to my attention that a bible record indicates that Sterling Esq. may married Elizabeth J. Madden, daughter of William Madden.  This supported by Wm Madden's will of 1849. 

1808 Nov 11th - William Madden files a claim to a plat of 410 acres on the Saluda River, Laurens Dist.,  surveyed by John Rodgers.   [South Carolina Archives, #S213192] William Madden is the potential father of Eliz. J.

1840, Feb. 20  -  Sterling Gradon, Asberry Terry and John M. Terry become executors to the estate of Thomas Gradon. Money owed to John M. Terry, Wm Terry, Asbury Terry, Sterling Gradon, John Graden, G. Poole, Wm Gradon,  W. G. Vinson, Drey Gradon, Nancy Gradon.  Sold also were three slaves.
                                                [Landers Co., S.C., Judge of Probate, Box 89, pkg. 9,   LDS film #1029341]

1849- Marriages of South Carolina.  
            Sterling E. Graydon    >   Susan Esther Dunwoody    May 25, 1849, married by Rev. J. W. McCall
                   Her parents are said to be Rev. Samuel Dunwoody and Livinia Snead.  Livinia is the thirteenth child of Rev. John Snead and Mary (Gooch) Snead.  Sister of Rev. Tilman Snead.  [Karen Snead]
This marriage is probably for Sterling Graydon Esq.'s nephew, son of John Graydon.

1849 - There is some debate about who the father of Elizabeth who married Sterling Graydon may be.  This Will seems to confirm that a child of William Madden marries a Graden.   Spelling in this transcription is very confusing probably caused by the difficulty in reading the original will, which has been lost according to this document. 

                   Will of Wm. Madden
                                    In the name of God, Amen:
I Wm. Madden of the State of South Caroling Laurens District,  being of Sound and Disposing mind and memory, and knowing That it is appointed unto all men to die: and not Knowing how soon I shall be called, and being desirous to dispose of all sch worldly estate as it hath pleased the Lord to bless me with, do make and ordain this my last will and Testament (revoking all other hithertoo made)
        1st.  I give my Soul to God who gave it to me, and my body to the dust from whence it Sprang to be buried in a decent christian like manner
2nd. After paying all my just debts and funeral expences: I give demise and dispose of my property in the following manner, that is to say:
        I give my beloeved wife, Sarah Madden during her natural lifetime or widowhood, my negro man Solomon, My negro Woman Rose, two bed Steads and furniture: So much of my Stock household and Kitchen furniture, as my Executors bereinafter named may think She needs-also the use of a part of the tract of Land whereon I now live during his her lifetime or widowhood: which ever takes place first the land is to be returned to my son Moses Madden as is hereinafter willed to him, the negro man Solomon, negro woman Rose with Stock, household and kitchen furniture to be immediately sold and equally divided among all my children, Nalsa Madden, Eliza Graden Polleyar Madden, Sofshia Madden, Hulas Madden and Moses Madden, I give to my Malso madden one hundred and Sixty acres of land joining to the said Malso Madden, Whereon he now lives.
       I give to my daughter Sophia Madden my negro boy named Calvin and horses valued to sixty five dollars, one cow A calf, beds, Steads, and all the bed clothes Known as Surd
      I give to my daughter Hulda, my negro girl named Lucy, one horse valued at Sixty five dollars one cow and calf, Beds Steads and all the bed clothing Known as Ness. 
       I give to my Son Moses Madden my negro woman Milvy one Road Waggon and harnefs  on Bay Mare, and Bay mule, One cow and calf And a part of the tract of Land whereon I now live, Supposed to two hundred acres more or less, after taking of what I have willed to my son Nalsa Madden
       I wish and desire the balance of my property not willed as above to be immediately sold after my death, to pay my debts, Viz, The tract of land containing, one hundred and twenty four acres joining lands of Elihu Madden Hampten Finly and Mrs. G. Boyd, one Boy named Joe & all my crop of cotton on hand.
      and lastly I do hereby constitute and appoint My sons Malso Madden & Moses Madden Executors to this my last Will and Testament by me heretofore made
      In testamony Whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and affixed my seal this 13th day of Oct. 1849
      Signed Sealed and published
      and declared as and for the last                                            Wm  Madden (LS)
      will and Testament of the above
     named Wm Madden in the presence of us
 
     J. Sa. Coleman
     Hampton Finly
     B. F. Madden
 
     Recorded in Will Book A. Page 103
     Original Will not in Files of Probate Judge.
     W. D. Watts   O. B. D.
     Proven and Recorded dates not available            
                                    [South Carolina Will Transcripts  (Microcopy no9)  S108093,  So. Caro. Archives.]

1850 - US Census, South Carolina,
        [Newberry Co.], page 25040
            S. E. Graydon                       25          m       farmer        SC  (probably the son of John Graydon)
            Suzanna                                20           f            "
            John                                       3/12     m           "

        [Laurens 267]
             Sterling Graydon Esqr          51       m       farmer 3000/-                         SC    b 1799
              Eliza J. (Lindsey*)               38        f              "                                                 b 1812
              John L.                                 17        m            "
              Sarah J.                                 15        f              "
              Thomas A.                            12        m            "
              Beaufort Q.                           10        m            "
              May W.                                   9        f             "
              Hosea H.                                 7        m            "
              Eliza J. C.                                5        f              "
              Tabitha Lindsey                     30        f                                                         SC   (Eliz. J.'s probable sister)

[Laurens co.,  p. 277] This should be the widow of Wm. Maddin, the alternate father of Elizz, who died in 1849. The listed children fit his Will.
     Sarah Madin                          63  f                                      1800
     Sophia     "                             26 f
     Hulda      "                             25 f
     Moses     "                             22 m                 farmer

Laurens Co.
   Mabra Madden                        43  m                 farmer           2500
   Elizabeth    "                            28  f                
   Malissa        "                             7  f    
   James  A.    "                              5 m
   Lidna   L.    "                              4  f
   Thomas      "                               2  m     
next door
   Elihu Madden                            45  m               farmer           11000
   Emily        "                               31   f
   Elizabeth Clearne                      25   f
   Isabella Madden                         60  f
   Alberneth Simpson                    19  m               farmer
   Samuel H. Simpson                   15  m                   "
   Carnelia A. Johnson                   11  f
   Margaret   "                                   7 f           

1850 US Census, Greenville, Laurens Co., South Carolina Slave Schedule, page 90.  This schedule gives unfortunately gives no names.

1850 Newberry Co., South Carolina Slave Schedule, page 40. or 547

Aug. 12, 1850-  S. E. Graydon files for letter of administration for his father, John Graydon Esq. 's estate.  John Terry listed heres was the husband John Graydon's sister.    John Terry seems to be the possessor of knowledge about how the estate needs to be handled and helps Sterling with the details.  John Terry advanced money to pay creditors for expenses until the estate was settled, which afterwards Sterling Graydon repays.  John McDowell Terry owed $67.55 but also a witness to number of documents for payment to debtors.  I assume him to be an uncle to Sterling.  They had previously been very involved in the distribution of the Estate of Thomas Graydon in Feb., 1840.

1860- US Census, South Carolina, Abbeville Co., p. 83

Sterling E. Graydon                     35     m        merchant                        1000/3000                                AL
Susan E.                                       32     f  ( m. 15 May 1849 Susan Esther Dunwoody)                          SC
 Ellis G.                                          8    m                                                                                                  SC
 Goran G.                                       8    m                                                                                                  SC
 Alfred T.                                       1    m                                                                                                  SC
 Larnina Dunwoody                     72    f                                               1000/25000                                 SC  (probably Susan E.'s mother)
 Catherine E. Smyth                     19    f                                                                                                   SC

South Carolina, Greenville, Dublin  p. 354
John Graden                                30   m           farmer                              0 /100                                    SC
Jane   "                                         24   f          house keeper                                                                    SC
John   "                                         5    m                                                                                                   SC

Graydon, Sterling                 70   m     w      school teacher                    So         CA
     "        , Eliz.  J.                 57   f      w      house keeper                        "            "
     "        , Eliz.                      24   f      w      house work                          "            "
     "        , Martha  A.            18   f       w       "        "                                "            " 

Greenville Co., Abbeville, Roll: 1481  Page: 126
Graden,      S. E                      44   m    w     bookeeper                250  /  150               
     "         ,  S. E.                     41    f      w    keeping house
     "         ,  E(lis?)                  19   m    w     at home
     "         ,  G. V.                    16   m    w
     "         ,  Wm                        8    m    w
     "         ,  Julie                       6    f      w
      "        ,  Susan                     4    f      w

1880 - South Carolina, p. 554 (ancestry.com) sheet A 275    (six people in the household)
             [https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33SQ-GYBK-SZ4?mode=g&cc=1417683]

James Bramlett         m   43   mar.             w   farmer               self            1837          SC       SC     SC 
Sallie Bramlett           f    43     mar.           w   keeping house  wife           1837            SC       SC     SC
Frank Bramlett          m   11    s.               w    at school           son             1869            SC       SC     SC
Talula Bramlett          f     8      s                w                            dau              1872           SC       SC     SC
James Childress         m   29    s               w    farmer             cousin           1851           SC      SC     SC
Sterling Greydon      m  80   widowed   w   at home   father-in-law       1800           SC    Penn     NC
Martha Greydon          f     27   s                w    at home   sister-in-law       1853            SC      SC     SC 

1887 - Laurens Co., Marriage records list several marriages to Graydons

 L320 LYTHGOE, HATTIE             G635 GRAYDON, ELLIS G             87 FEB
 T512 THOMPKINS, LALLA            G635 GRAYDON, ELLIS G             87 MAY
 G635 GRAYDON, DELLA              C436 CHILDRESS, J M               88 DEC
 G635 GRAYDON, STERLING E         D530 DUNWOODY, SUSAN ESTHER       84 MAY
 G635 GRAYDON, WILLIAM N          C455 COLEMAN, LAURA               88 DEC
 M254 McMILLAN, ADA W             G635 GRAYDON, WILLIAM NORWOOD     89 JAN

Lucinda Graydon, who married Harris Thompson, are supposedly both buried at Columbia Baptist Church cem., Princeton, SC off highway 25 in Greenville county. They had a son named Thomas Graydon Thompson (b. 18 NOV 1844 in SC, and died 19 FEB 1929). His wife was Ella Jane Kirby (b. 12 OCT 1852 in SC; died 20 JAN 1927) [records of Anita Monroe 9/04 Genforum, RubatoM@aol.com]

Sources:

Abstacts of Early Records of Laurens Co. S. C. 1785-1820
Ancestry.com census records
Greenville Co. Cem. records, South Carolina Genealogical Society.
Greenville Republican, Greenville. S.C. Mar, 15. 1828 issue
Lynch III, James P. records of E. G. Vinson heirs in a email of 16 Mar 1999; jplynch@crosslink.net
Marriage and Death Notices from Upper SC Newspapers, 1833-1865
Hemphill, J. C. Men of Mark in S. C.,Vol. III, 1908, p198-99
Peery, Elizabeth- records of(heir of James Graydon), 114 Brookside Cr., Greenville, SC 29609 (864) 292-9426, email-PerryDean@aol.com 2 Nov 2000
Sneed, Karen.  records and correspondence 9 April 2008  Karenbs11@yahoo.com
US Census records.South Carolina. 

  Elroy's Family Index || Ancestor Chart #12

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