Ancestors of Mary Henrietta Godfrey

Generation No. 1

        1.  Mary Henrietta Godfrey  She was the daughter of 2. Jesse R. Godfrey and 3. Mary F. "Polly" Holcombe.  She married (1) Berry Hamilton Heaton.

Notes for Mary Henrietta Godfrey:

Middle name, Henrietta, from Ruby Simpson.

Generation No. 2

        2.  Jesse R. Godfrey, born August 1833 in Spartanburg County, South Carolina; died Bet. 1901 - 1910.  He was the son of 4. William Godfrey II and 5. Elizabeth Leaman.  He married 3. Mary F. "Polly" Holcombe.

        3.  Mary F. "Polly" Holcombe, born September 1827 in Durban Crek; Laurens County, South Carolina; died Bet. 1900 - 1910.  She was the daughter of 6. Nathaniel Holcombe and 7. Rebecca Carter.

Notes for Jesse R. Godfrey:

Memories of Ruby Simpson

        When Polly died she {?} slept with Jesse and Jesse talked all night about how they were going to miss her. Jesse said "Well, she's gone" and talked about how she [Polly] loved him [Jesse], and he her.

        Jesse Godfrey and his brother were both in the Civil War. One lost his right leg and the other lost his left leg. Since they didn't live to far apart when one of them bought a pair of shoes they would give the other brother the other shoe

In Civil War   discharged by surgeons certificate

        Excert from Certificate of Disability for Discharge

        He was born in Laurens Dist. in the state of South Carolina is 46 years of age, 5 feet 8 inches high. Fair complexion. Blue eyes  Auburn hair and by occupation when enlisted a Farmer

1897 Confederate Soldier List    Leg Amputate

From the Godfrey Connection by Melanie Godfrey Edwards

        Evidently, Jesse's father must have come upon hard times, and Jesse was farmed out to Greenberry Bridwell's family.  He was living with this family in the 1850 census.  He must have met Mary while walking through the lower point of Laurens County called Durbin's Creek on his way to visit his father, William, in spartanburg County, which was only a few miles away.

        Jesse enlisted in the Civil War at Adam's Run on Decemver 28, 1861.  He was in Company E  Infantry Regiment, Holcombe Legion, South Carolina Volunteers.  He was wounded and captured at South Mountain on October 2, 1862.  His right leg was amputated at U S A Hospital in Frederick, Maryland while he was under the classification of a parolled prisoner.

        Rev. Robert Ivey of Gaffney,  S C revealed to me that his ancestor, William Godfrey, Jr., Jesse's brother, lost the opposite leg in the war.  Sunce they wore the same size shoes, they would buy one pair, and Jesse took the left shoe while William took the right.

        Jesse and his wife, Mary, wee alive after 1900.  I do not know hwere they died or where their graves are.  They may be in the old Holcombe family burial ground or at Cedar Grove Bapitst Church in unmarked graves

Someone told me that Jesse was not buried with his prostetic leg and that it stayed under the house of one of his children for many years.

From Ruby Simpson

Right after the Civil War had ended Jesse Godfrey was sitting on his front porch [he was discharged early due to the loss of his leg] and 2 Yankees came by on their way back home.  He said, "aren't you glad this war is over".  And they said, "sorry about your leg, but mighty glad that we beat you".

More About Jesse R. Godfrey:

Additional  Fact: Lost leg in the war

Appearance: Fair Complexion, Blue Eyes, Auburn  Hair

Baptism: August 28, 1858, Clear Springs Baptist Church; Simpsonville, South Carolina

Census: 1900 Spartanburg

Confederate Roll: On 1897, 1901  Laurens Confederate Soldiers List

Military service: Civil War; SC  5th St. Troops  Co.  I

Occupation: Farmer

Notes for Mary F. "Polly" Holcombe:

Memories of Ruby Simpson

               Ruby's dad (Andrew Warren Heaton) would go every weekend when he was little and go and spend the weekend with Jesse and Polly Holcombe Godfrey. When he walkin in the yard Polly would be there waving her apron; saying "Here comes my baby, Here comes my baby."

More About Mary F. "Polly" Holcombe:

Baptism: October 23, 1858, Clear Springs Baptist Church; Simpsonville, South Carolina

Children of Jesse Godfrey and Mary Holcombe are:

        1                 i.               Mary Henrietta Godfrey, married Berry Hamilton Heaton.

                          ii.               William Jackson Godfrey

                         iii.               James Godfrey

                         iv.               John Benjamin Godfrey

                          v.               Andrew Godfrey

                         vi.               Carrie Godfrey

                        vii.               Sarah Godfrey

Generation No. 3

        4.  William Godfrey II, born Abt. 1793 in Laurens  County, South Carolina; died October 14, 1873 in Laurens  County, South Carolina.  He was the son of 8. Jesse Godfrey and 9. Martha ?.  He married 5. Elizabeth Leaman 1819 in Laurens County, South Carolina.

        5.  Elizabeth Leaman, born 1800; died Abt. 1852 in Spartanburg County, South Carolina.  She was the daughter of 10. Samuel Leaman.

More About William Godfrey II:

Baptism: October 04, 1842, Cedar Grove Baptist Church, Laurens County, South Carolina

Burial: October 1873, Cedar Grove Baptist Church, Laurens County, South Carolina

Residence: Lived near Van Patton Shoals

Tombstone: On File

More About Elizabeth Leaman:

Burial: Cedar Grove Baptist Church, Laurens County, South Carolina

Tombstone: On File

Children of William Godfrey and Elizabeth Leaman are:

        2                 i.               Jesse R. Godfrey, born August 1833 in Spartanburg County, South Carolina; died Bet. 1901 - 1910; married Mary F. "Polly" Holcombe.

                          ii.               Elizabeth Godfrey, born Abt. 1821 in Laurens  County, South Carolina; married William Hamby June 29, 1840.

                         iii.               Martha Godfrey, born Abt. 1825 in Laurens  County, South Carolina; died in Spartanburg County, South Carolina; married Berrry Baughcome Abt. 1844.

More About Berrry Baughcome:

Military service: In the Civil War

                         iv.               Jane Godfrey, born 1823 in Laurens  County, South Carolina; died Abt. 1870 in Laurens  County, South Carolina; married William Leppard.

                          v.               Malissa Godfrey, born Abt. 1827 in Laurens  County, South Carolina; married unknown Reynolds 1848.

More About Malissa Godfrey:

Baptism: December 05, 1847, Green Pond Baptist Church, Cashville, South Carolina

                         vi.               Mary R. Godfrey, born Abt. 1829 in Laurens  County, South Carolina.

More About Mary R. Godfrey:

Baptism: January 03, 1912, Green Pond Baptist Church, Cashville, South Carolina

                        vii.               William M. Godfrey III, married Minerva Jennings; died January 03, 1912.

More About Minerva Jennings:

Burial: January 1912, Selma Baptist Church, Woodruff, South Carolina

                       viii.               Infant Godfrey, born Abt. 1820 in Laurens  County, South Carolina; died 1840.

More About Infant Godfrey:

Burial: Cedar Grove Baptist Church, Laurens County, South Carolina

        6.  Nathaniel Holcombe  He was the son of 12. Elisha Holcombe and 13. Mary ?.  He married 7. Rebecca Carter.

        7.  Rebecca Carter

Child of Nathaniel Holcombe and Rebecca Carter is:

        3                 i.               Mary F. "Polly" Holcombe, born September 1827 in Durban Crek; Laurens County, South Carolina; died Bet. 1900 - 1910; married Jesse R. Godfrey.

Generation No. 4

        8.  Jesse Godfrey, born Abt. 1761 in South Carolina; died 1851 in Spartanburg County, South Carolina.  He was the son of 16. Ansel Godfrey and 17. Elizabeth ?.  He married 9. Martha ? Abt. 1792.

        9.  Martha ?, born Abt. 1777 in South Carolina; died Abt. 1847 in Spartanburg County, South Carolina.

More About Jesse Godfrey:

Burial: Cedar Grove Baptist Church, Laurens County, South Carolina

Occupation: Ferry Operator

Tombstone: On File

More About Martha ?:

Burial: Cedar Grove Baptist Church, Laurens County, South Carolina

Tombstone: On File

Children of Jesse Godfrey and Martha ? are:

        4                 i.               William Godfrey II, born Abt. 1793 in Laurens  County, South Carolina; died October 14, 1873 in Laurens  County, South Carolina; married Elizabeth Leaman 1819 in Laurens County, South Carolina.

                          ii.               James Godfrey, born Abt. 1800.

                         iii.               Elizabeth Godfrey, born Abt. 1805.

                         iv.               Ansel Godfrey, born Abt. 1810.

                          v.               Samuel Godfrey, born Abt. 1814 in Laurens  County, South Carolina; died 1862 in Laurens  County, South Carolina.

                         vi.               Jesse Godfrey, Jr., born Abt. 1823 in Laurens  County, South Carolina; died October 06, 1909.

        10.  Samuel Leaman

Children of Samuel Leaman are:

        5                 i.               Elizabeth Leaman, born 1800; died Abt. 1852 in Spartanburg County, South Carolina; married William Godfrey II 1819 in Laurens County, South Carolina.

                          ii.               Mary Leaman, married unknown Bryson.

                         iii.               Jane Leaman

        12.  Elisha Holcombe  He married 13. Mary ?.

        13.  Mary ?

More About Elisha Holcombe:

Military service: Revolutionary War in Brandon's Regiment, SC Miltia

Occupation: Blacksmith

Child of Elisha Holcombe and Mary ? is:

        6                 i.               Nathaniel Holcombe, married Rebecca Carter.

Generation No. 5

        16.  Ansel Godfrey, born Abt. 1740; died Abt. 1790.  He married 17. Elizabeth ? Abt. 1759.

        17.  Elizabeth ?, born Abt. 1744; died Abt. 1820 in Laurens  County, South Carolina.

Children of Ansel Godfrey and Elizabeth ? are:

        8                 i.               Jesse Godfrey, born Abt. 1761 in South Carolina; died 1851 in Spartanburg County, South Carolina; married Martha ? Abt. 1792.

                          ii.               Ansel Godfrey, Jr., born Abt. 1760 in Greenville County, South Carolina; married Catherine ?.

                         iii.               Ephraim Godfrey, born Abt. 1763; died Abt. 1853.

More About Ephraim Godfrey:

Burial: Cedar Grove Baptist Church, Laurens County, South Carolina

                         iv.               Thomas Godfrey, born Abt. 1765; died in Georgia; married Elizabeth "Betsy" Drummond 1783 in Laurens County, South Carolina.

                          v.               John Godfrey, born Abt. 1774; married Sarah "Sally" Sullivan.

More About John Godfrey:

Occupation: Carpenter

                         vi.               James Godfrey, born Abt. 1776; died 1809 in Laurens  County, South Carolina; married Nancy George; born Abt. 1778; died Aft. 1829.

                        vii.               William Godfrey, born Abt. 1778; died Abt. 1802 in Laurens  County, South Carolina; married Elizabeth ? Abt. 1797.