James Theodore Warden, Sr, c.1795- GA>Hancock County, MS

The 1820 Hancock County, Mississippi census shows two Warden/Wardeen households next to each other- that of John Wardeen (with 3 males under age 19, 1 male over age 44, and 1 female over age 44) and James Wardeen (with 2 males under age 10, 1 male age 16-25, 1 female under age 10 and 1 female age 16-25).  I speculate that James was the son of John Wardeen.  The two males under age 10 in James' household were probably his sons, William M. and John Jackson Warden.  The female under age 10 remains unidentified. 

James Theodore Warden Sr was born abt. 1795 in Georgia.  He married Martha Chatham probably abt. 1817.  She was born abt. 1800 in Mississippi.  Several family trees on Ancestry have Thomas Chatam and Mariah or Elizabeth (last name unknown) listed as Martha's parents but I haven't yet followed up on them.

In 1830, there were 8 persons in James' household.  They were probably James and his wife, Martha and 7 children under the age of 20- 4 males and 3 females. The 4 males were William, John Jackson, James Theodore Jr, & Jesse; 2 of the females were Elvira and Martha A.  The other female is unidentified.  

On the census of 1840 Hancock County, Mississippi, James and Martha had 7 children in their household (1 male under age 5, 1 male age 10-14, 2 females age 5-9, and 3 females age 10-14).  If all the birth dates/years are approximate in my records, they would account for only 4 of the 7 children- sons Jesse (born abt. 1826) and George Washington (born 1838) and daughters Elvira (born abt 1828) and Martha A. (born abt. 1829).  Their oldest son, William, had married and moved out.  Their son, John Jackson, would have been about 20 years old and son James Theodore Jr would have been about 16 years old so either they had moved out or were incorrectly listed or unaccounted for by the census worker.  If the census is accurate, there are 3 females that are so far unidentified by me.

I have of yet to find census records from 1850 and 1860 for James and Martha. The next record that I have is 1870 Hancock County, Mississippi.  James and Martha were in their 70's and lived alone. 

This is a copy of a document on Ancestry.com, originally posted by Floyd Blanchard, that states the content was typed for ease of reading from the original handwritten letter from Martha (Chatham) Warden to her brother, Thomas Chatham who resided in Montgomery, Texas (click on image to enlarge it). 

The letter mentions sons William, John and James and daughters Elvira and Martha.  It doesn't give any hints about the rest of the children or any additional children.  

I'll post updates if and when they become available.

Children of James Theodore Warden Sr and Martha Chatham Warden:

1.  William M. Warden- born abt. 1818 in Mississippi, died after 1880; married Martha Patsy Spikes abt. 1840. She was born abt. 1820 and died after 1880 and was the daughter of Sampson Spikes Sr and Tempa A. Smith.  Click here for more information about them.

2.  John Jackson Warden- born abt. 1820 in Mississippi, died 4 September 1858 in Texas; married Cynthia Bounds.  She was born abt. 1823 in Georgia and died abt. 1860 in Texas.

3.  James Theodore Warden Jr- born 1824 in Mississippi, died before 1900 in Calcasieu Parish, Louisiana; married Mary Angeline Lee, daughter of Reuben Lee and Nancy Lee.  She was born 12 September 1828 in Marion County, Mississippi and died before 1900 in Calcasieu Parish, Louisiana.

4.  Jesse Warden- born abt. 1826 in Mississippi.  No further information.

5.  Elvira Warden- born 18 May 1828 in Mississippi, died 12 February 1905 in Pearl River County, Mississippi; abt. 1850 married Stephen M. Morrison (Marson, Marison).  He was born 13 February 1832 in Hancock County, Mississippi and died 19 June 1922 in Pearl River County, Mississippi. Both are buried in the Pine Grove Baptist Cemetery in Picayune, Mississippi.

6. Martha A. Warden- born abt. 1829 in Mississippi, date of death unknown; married William Dunhurst.  He was born abt. 1818 in Germany, date of death unknown.

7. George Washington Warden- born 2 January 1838 in Hancock County, Mississippi, died 12 October 1915 in Pearl River County, Mississippi.  Married first Sarah Ann Lee on 29 August 1861 in Hancock County, Mississippi.  She was the daughter of John Riley Lee and Arsenith Seale and was born abt. 1842 and died 1867 in Hancock County.  He married second in 1877 to Nancy Caroline Seal, daughter of Elias Jefferson Seal and Sarah Sallie Entrekin.  She was born in July 1857 and died 23 January 1935 in Perkistan, Stone County, Mississippi.

William M. Warden, c.1818-, Hancock & Marion Counties, MS

William M. Warden, son of James Theodore Warden, Sr and Martha Chatham, was born abt. 1818 in Mississippi.  His name (last name spelled Wardein) is listed on the 1840 Hancock County, Mississippi census.  I speculate that he and his wife, Martha Patsy Spikes, were newlyweds. Martha was born abt. 1820 in Alabama and was the daughter of Sampson Spikes, Sr and Tempa A. Smith. Listed directly above William on the same census page was Jesse Wardein, a male age 20-29 who resided alone and listed above Jesse Wardein was John Wardein, a male age 20-29.  John resided with a female age 15-19 and a female age 10-14.  Jesse Warden and John Warden are brothers to William.

By 1850, William's family was in Marion County, Mississippi.  He and his wife Martha had 4 children- Nancy, James, Martha and John Wesley.  William's brother, John, wife Cynthia and their 3 children were listed in House #46 on the census.  

1850 Marion County, Mississippi, House #45

Supposedly John and Cynthia moved to Texas where John passed away on 4 September 1858. William's family remained in Marion County and by 1860 there were 3 additional children in the household- Mary (Minerva), Harriet and Daniel. Their oldest daughter, Nancy, was then married and had moved out.  

1860 Marion County, Mississippi, Family #317

During the Civil War, William enlisted in Company G, Mississippi 2nd Infantry Regiment as a Private.  I don't have his service record so I don't know if he actually served during the war.

I've been unable to locate the 1870 census for William Warden and his family. The next census record I have is 1880, Marion County.  William and Martha's daughter Harriet remained at home.  The rest of their children listed on the 1860 census had moved out.  However, there were also 2 more children born from William and Martha's union- son, D.J. (David Jefferson) and daughter N.B.  I have no clue to the name behind the N.B. initials.  

1880 Marion County, Mississippi, Red Creek & Wolf River

This is all the information that I have on William and Martha Warden.  I've searched census records beyond 1880 and cemeteries without any success.  As you can see, there are various spellings of Warden- "Wardein", "Wardin", "Wordin" and so forth.  I'll post an update if I receive further information.

Children of William M. Warden and Martha Patsy Spikes:

1.  Nancy Warden- born October 1840 in Mississippi, died August 1929 in Mississippi; married Zinamon Lee on 19 December 1859 in Marion County, Mississippi.  He was born March 1838 and died between 1901-1909.  Zinamon was the son of John Riley Lee and Arsenith Seale.  

2.  James Warden- born abt. 1844 in Mississippi, date of death unknown but it was after the 1910 census.  He married but his wife's name is unknown, was written as married on the 1880 Marion County, Mississippi census but wife not listed.  Had one son included on 1880 census- J.S. Warden. In 1910, he was living with his widowed sister, Nancy Warden Lee. 

3.  Martha Warden- born abt. 1846 in Mississippi, died abt. 1896; married on 25 February 1875 in Hancock County, Mississippi to Hansford Lee, the son of Bryant Lee and Caroline Carter Lee. Hansford was born in July 1855.  He died after the 1900 census, exact date of death unknown.  On the 1910 census of Marion County, he is listed as widowed with 4 sons and 1 daughter in the household.  Also in the household is his widowed daughter-in-law, Francis Lee and her daughter, Elmira.

4.  John Wesley Warden- born 3 March 1849 in Mississippi, died abt. 1895, buried in Slade Cemetery, Lamar County, Mississippi; married Emma Allen.  She was born 27 October 1857 and died 21 October 1904 in Lamar County, Mississippi.  Emma is also buried in the Slade Cemetery.
5.  Harriet Warden- 29 February 1854 in Mississippi, died 9 February 1917, buried in Beall Cemetery, Pearl River County, Mississippi.  On 8 March 1885, Harriet married Samuel Rasberry Lee in Perry County, Mississippi.  Samuel was the son of William J. Lee and Elizabeth Janes Lee.  He was born 27 January 1857 in Mississippi and died 4 April 1910 in Mississippi.  He is also buried in the Beall Cemetery.
6.  Mary Minerva Warden- born abt. 1854 in Mississippi, date of death unknown (it was after the 1930 census, however); married Thomas Riley Woodard, son of Derias Woodard and Eliza Debose.  (Click here for more information).
7.  Daniel J. "Dan" Warden- born June 1858 in Mississippi, died after the 1930 census (date of death unknown); married Susan "Susie" Woodward on 1 January 1881 in Harrison County, Mississippi.  Susie was born March 1863 and died after the 1930 census.  She was the daughter of Isaac Calvin Woodward and Jane Cooper Hawthorn.
8.  N.B. Warden- Female, born abt. 1861.  No further information.
9.  Jefferson David "Dave" Warden- born 9 August 1862 in Mississippi, died 10 February 1948 in Forrest County, Mississippi, laid to rest in Midway Cemetery #2, Lamar County, Mississippi; married Roseann Herrin on 19 October 1882 in Marion County, Mississippi.  Roseann, the daughter of Green Herrin and Cynthia Lott Herrin, was born 20 October 1858 in Mississippi and died 30 June 1945 in Lamar County, Mississippi.  She, too, was buried in the Midway Cemetery #2.