Family Biographies
Rev John London
(1839-1923)
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John LONDON was born on 4 Apr 1839 in Murray County, Georgia1 to Henry and Sarah (Poston) London. Henry and Sarah were married in 1834, in Rutherford County, North Carolina and came to Georgia sometime before John’s birth in 1839. It is speculated that when Henry and Sarah migrated into Georgia, they were attracted by the early land lotteries. Families who had lived in the territory for at least one year were permitted to draw for acreages as large as 4OO acres.2
John was the oldest son and third child in the family of 14 children. The census of 1840 finds the family in Murray County, Georgia, district 874. In the census of 1850, the London family has migrated across the state line into Polk County, Tennessee. The census of 1860 finds the family just west of Polk County, in Bradley County, Tennessee. Henry London is on the 1862 Tax List in Bradley County, owning 160 acres. By 1870, Henry and Sarah were living with the younger children in Catoosa County, GA, where they would spend the rest of their lives.
On 24 Sep 1859, John London married Setira E York, the daughter of James and Martha (Goodner) York, in Cleveland, Bradley County, Tennessee. In the census of 1860, John and family are living in Bradley County. The family is shown as:
In January of 1862, John and his brother, Martin Van Buren London, enlisted for three years in the Confederate Army3. They were both in Co. E, 5th (McKensie’s) Tennessee Cavalry4 , and both were made prisoners of war at Cleveland3. No information on the prisoner release date.
John and Setira (Tira) had three children, James H London, born 1860, Mary J London, born 1862 and John T London, born 1864. We believe Setira (York) London died sometime between 1864 and 1866.
On November 18, 1866, John married Setira’s cousin, Charlotte Buena Vista Goodner, daughter of Jacob and Charlotte (Kemp) Goodner, in Bradley County. The ceremony was performed by J. T. Sartin.
In the census of 1870, John and Charlotte are living in Bradley County. They have two children of their own by this time, but Tira’s son James died sometime before the census. The family is shown as:
Living next to the Londons is Charlotte’s older brother, Caswell Goodner, with his family.
John and Charlotte actually had three children, Robert Andrew London, born 1867, (my great-grandfather), Sarah Katherine London, born 1869, and (recently discovered) Luther A Smith, born May 16, 1872. The family has believed that Charlotte (Goodner) London died5 sometime between 1870 and 1874, because John LONDON married Mahala (Mahaly) Adeline EDGEMON on 27 Dec 1874 in Catoosa County, Georgia.
My research has uncovered solid evidence that Charlotte not only did not die in the 1870s, but she remarried as well. It is my belief that John and Charlotte divorced sometime before 1874. Charlotte left with her three children, leaving John with only Setira's son, John T London. In the census of 1880, Charlotte's son Robert is living with his first cousin, Samuel Bean. Charlotte's daughter, Sarah, was living with Charlotte's parents. I have not found either Charlotte or her son Luther in the 1880 census. I speculate that Charlotte gave Luther up for adoption. Charlotte married Henry McDade in Bradley County on July 5, 1877. She is listed in the 1896 Chattanooga directory as his widow. We find no later reference to Charlotte.
Until recently, the family did not know of the existence of Luther A Smith. However, Luther's death certificate (1941) lists his parents as John London and Charlotte Goodner. His obituary lists a brother, R(obert) A London as a survivor. Although Robert knew of his brother, he took this knowledge to his grave.
In 1880, John and Mahaly Edgemon London are living in Marion County, Tennessee, (two counties west of Bradley County). The family is shown as:
John and Mahaly London had seven children: Fanny L London, born 1876, married Andrew J. Ledford Henry H London, born 1877 Samuel Washington London, born 1880 Laverna (Venie) London, born 1884, married Druary Arthur Rhinehart Cora London, born 1885, married Luther Madison Poe Adeline M London, born 1887, married Charles G Acuff Josie E London, born 1890, married Auzie Merrill Liner
In the census of 1900, John and Mahaly were living in James County, Tennessee. James County had been formed in 1871 from portions of Bradley and Hamilton counties. The county went bankrupt and lands were returned to Hamilton County in 1919. The family is shown as:
To a 1900 census question, Mahaly states that 6 of her 7 children are still living. The only one of the seven children that cannot be accounted for after 1880 is Henry H. London.
John London married Zana Rodgers in 1903.
Although listed in every census as a farmer, at some point in his life, John London became a minister. I have not been able to confirm any formal training in the ministry, but can document several instances (listed below) of his being recognized as a minister, and can estimate that he started preaching in about 1888.
1. John London was briefly the Pastor of Apison Baptist Church, in Apison, James County, Tennessee, in 19026. 2. Marriages performed in James County, TN as John London, M.G. (Minister of the Gospel)6
3. Quote from obituary, The Chattanooga Times7: “He was an active Baptist minister for thirty-five years.”
Rev. John London died on December 16, 1923. He was buried in Mt. Vernon Baptist Church cemetery, Catoosa County, Georgia, near his wife, Mahaly.
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OBITUARY December 18, 1923 The Chattanooga Times-Free Press
The Rev. John London The Rev. John London, aged 84, well-known resident of Apison, died at his home Sunday evening at 8:35 o’clock, following a short illness. He is survived by his wife, two sons, R. A. and S. W. London, of this city; four daughters, Mrs. A. J. Ledford, of Shepard: Mrs. D. A. Rhinehart, of Apison; Mrs. C. G. Acuff, of Ringgold, and Mrs. A. M. Liner, of Hixson. The Rev. London spent most of his life in the Apison community. He was a Confederate veteran and a member of the Ringgold Masonic lodge. He was an active Baptist minister for thirty-five years. Funeral services, conducted by the Rev. W. C. Tallent, will be held from the Mount Vernon Baptist Church this morning at 10 o’clock. Services at the grave will be in charge of the Masonic fraternity. Wann’s are in charge of arrangements.
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