Haralson County GAGenWeb

James W Holcombe was born 28 Nov.1833, the first born of John Kellette Holcombe and Rachel C Morris. He married Louisa Arianna Worthy 7 February 1860. Arianna was the first born of John H Worthy and Mary Margaret Jones. She was born in Upson Co. Georgia 1839. James W was a farmer in Haralson Co near Buchanan Georgia. When civil war broke out between the States he was inducted into Co.H 1st Cay. Georgia Capt. Tumlin’s Co assigned to Col. Morrison’s Regiment. As a volunteer he was paid a $ 50 bonus From his enlistment date of 19th April 1862 until 30th of June 1862....in addition to the $ 50 bounty he was paid $ .40 cents a day, or $ 28.80, for the use of his horse and arms. In the time frame Nov/Dec 1862 he was promoted to 5th Sgt and again $ .40 cents a day for his horse and arms totaling $24.40. He was also shown as Absent....at home sick at this time. Confederate Service Records for James W show that in Feb. 1863 he was listed as Absent . . . detained in Georgia by order of General Wheeler,commanding the 1 Cav.

After the war, James W returned to farming and raising a family. In 1874, while chopping firewood, he cut himself with the axe causing his death.
This left Arianna with 5 children to raise. The following year, 1875, Arianna contracted tuberculosis. To isolate her from the family, a tent was set up in the
woods near the house. The family would bring her food half way, and set it on the ground, she would come out and eat and go back to the tent while the family
retrieved the dishes. This lasted until her death in 1875.

The 5 orphans were distributed among the Worthy and Holcombe families to raise. John Kellette and Rachel taking two, in addition to the Son of the
deceased Reuben and Martha Worthy. When John W Worthy and Emily Hannah Holcombe were married in Dec 1879 they took one of the Orphans, 13 year
old John W Holcombe into their home to care for until he reached maturity and Emily Hannah’s death in 1884

The 5 Children of James and Arianna Holcombe as given to her Daughter ,Adeline Vera (Eugenia) Short on December 20, 1933 in an interview for the book
Holcombe: Nation Builders, by Mary Emma Jane Holcombe/McWilliams

Ruben Kellett: M. Ester Posey 12 Children
Jo Estelle:Henry White, 10 children
John W : Mollie Miler, 10 Children
Mary Emma Jane; Robert S. McWilliams, 8 Children
James D: Mattie Stevenson, 4 Children