Sixth Generation

194. Sidney HOLDERNESS Sr.^112,158 was born on 17 April 1864 in Georgia.^36,158 He died on 18 July 1939 at the age of 75.³⁶ He was buried in Carrollton City Cemetery, Carroll County, Georgia.

Living with Sidney, Ada and the children, in 1900 was Sidney's mother Sarah and a servant Sallie Camp and her daughter Eva. Sallie & Eva were Black; Sallie born Sep 1876; Eva born Dec 1891.
Sidney and Ada had been married eight years.

The Daily Constitution, Atlanta, GA, 26 Oct 1903.
Sidney Holderness a Candidate
Carrollton, Ga., October 25 - (Special) - Colonel Sidney Holderness of Carrollton, is a candidate for solicitor general of the Coweta Circuit, when the present term expires. Mr. Holderness has long been recognized as one of the ablest young lawyers of this section and has achieved eminent success in that profession. He is now solicitor of the city court of Carrollton.

The 1920 Census show little has changed within the nuclear family. Sidney was 55, Ada 49, Claire 22 and Sidney Jr 20. Young Sidney was still in school; his father was a lawyer in general practice. The family lived at 48 Dixie Street in Carrollton, Carroll Co, GA.

1930 Census, Carroll Co GA, Military District 714, p.6b, household 128
Sidney Holderness age 65, b. GA; Ada, age 60, Claire age 32. He was still practicing law.

The University of West Georgia, Irvine Sullivan Ingram Library, holds family papers of Sidney Holderness Sr. and Jr. Much of the collection consists of their property records. Here is a further description:

Prominent attorney and city court solicitor, Colonel Sidney Holderness Sr. (1864-1939) came to Carrollton from Whitesburg to practice law in the late 1800s. In 1896, Holderness married Ada Clare Long (1871-1940) daughter of famed Carroll County statesman, Benjamin McFarland Long (1827-1903). In the early 1900s, Holderness had a building designed and built for his law office by the Atlanta architectural firm, Morris and Butt. Pioneering female attorney and author, Betty Reynolds Cobb served as a secretary to Holderness during this time period and the position allowed her to secretly study law as she prepared to take the bar exam. The building, located at what is currently 201 Newnan Street, was owned by the Holderness family until the 1970s when Sidney Holderness III sold it to Reuben M. Word. Around the time he established his law offices on Newnan Street, Sidney Sr. commissioned the Morris and Butt architectural firm to design his family's home at 48 Dixie Street (currently 301 Dixie Street). Sidney Holderness Sr. and Ada Clare Long had three children together: Ben Scott Holderness (1895-1896), Clare Holderness (1897-1943), and Sidney Holderness Jr. (1899-1974). Clare Holderness married Brooks Oliver Pittman and the two lived in the home on Dixie Street after Sidney and Ada passed away. After Clare's death in 1943, Brooks Pittman married Margaret Sprout Long (first cousin to Clare and Sidney Jr.) and had two daughters, one of whom lives in the home on Dixie Street as of 2014.

In addition to his status as a prominent figure in turn of the century Carrollton, Sidney Holderness Sr. also owned and operated the farm of his father, William T. Holderness, in Douglas County. Sidney Sr. operated the farm with his son, Sidney Jr., who was also a prominent Carrollton attorney. The Holderness farm was often referred to as the "Rabbit Farm" by family members, a name that derives from the rabbit hunting enjoyed by the family on the property. Before his death in 1939, Sidney Sr. persuaded his son to abandon the practice of law and to take on the complete management, control and operation of the family farm. After much persuasion, Sidney Jr. became a full-time farmer with the agreement that his father would equip the farm with the sufficient stock, tools, and implements to operate the farm and would leave it to him as his own after his death. However, Sidney Sr. failed to leave any written record of this father-son agreement and, at the time of his death, left a will appointing the First National Bank of Atlanta as executor and trustee of his estate. In 1940, Sidney Jr. and his sister Clare petitioned against First National Bank and by 1945 were granted the full land and mineral rights to all properties owned by their father. Petitioning on behalf of Sidney Jr. and Clare during this process was Alexander Stephens Mitchell, brother of Gone with the Wind author Margaret Mitchell. Sidney Holderness III provided supplementary information regarding the properties owned by his family members in a phone interview with the Graduate Research Assistant, Brian Crews, conducted in April 2014.

Georgia Death Certificate #16500.
Sidney Holderness died 18 July 1939 at the Piedmont Sanitarium in Atlanta, Fulton Co, GA, where he had been for five months. His residence was 48 Dixie Street, Carrollton, Carroll Co, GA. He died of prostate cance metastisized to the spinal cord. He was born 17 Apr 1864 in LaGrange, GA. He was married; his wife's name Ada Long, age 68. He was an Attorney-at-Law. His father was William Thomas Holderness, born Chipley, Florida; his mother Sarah Scott, born Meriwether County (?GA). The informant was Clare H. Pittman of Carrollton (his daughter). Buried on July 19th, City Cemetery, Carrollton.

Sidney HOLDERNESS Sr. and Ada Clare LONG were married on 18 May 1892 in Walker County, Alabama.¹⁵⁸ Ada Clare LONG was born on 9 January 1871 in Georgia.^36,228 She died on 14 October 1940 at the age of 69.³⁶

1880 Census. Walker Co, AL, Twp 14, Village of Jasper, Hh 6
B. M. Long, age 52., Merchant, b. GA, parents b. TN
C. A., Wife, age 46, b. GA as were her parents.
H. W., son, age 25, lawyer, b. GA. J. W., son, age 16, at school. Ida, daughter, age 13. Lou, daughter, age 11. Ada, daughter, age 10. Rafe, son, age 8. Jessee, son, age 6, first child born in AL, Edgar, son, age 4.
The names of eleven servants follow.

The Daily Constitution, Atlanta, GA, 14 Dec 1902, Carrollton, GA news:
"Hon. Ben M. Long, a pioneer of this county, being the first white child born in Carroll county, but who located in Jasper County, Alabama, several years ago, where he wields a wide influence as a capitalist and stateman, spent several days the past week here visiting his daughters, Mesdames C. H. Stewart and Sidney Holderness, and his son, Hon. Whitt Long.

The Daily Constitution, Atlanta, GA, 21 Dec 1902, Carrollton, GA, news:
"At the elegant home of Mr. and Mrs. Sidney Holderness, of Dixie Street, on the 12th instant, they complimented Mr. Holderness' aded mother, Mrs. W. T. Holderness with a birthday party. An elegant dinner was served in her honor and many of the aged matrons of the city attended."

Biography of Ada's father:
LONG, BENJAMIN McFARLAND,
merchant, was born November 5, 1827, at Carrollton, Ga., and died June 17, 1903, at Cordova; son of John and Nancy Davis (Long) Long, who lived at Marshall's Ferry, Grainger County, Tenn., until 1826, when they moved to Carrollton, Ga., the former a native of Marshall's Ferry, Tenn., who served in the Georgia legislature, 1868-1869, and was clerk of the superior court at Carrollton, Ga., for forty years; grandson of Robert and Isabel (Leeper) Long, who lived at Marshall's Ferry, Tenn., and of James and Jane (Walker) Long, of Carter's Valley, Hawkins County, Tenn. The Long family came from Belfast, Ireland, and settled in Rockbridge County, Va., in 1750. Mr. Long was the first white child born in Carroll County, Ga., and was reared and educated at Carrollton. He was one of the first volunteers in the Mexican War, and served throughout that war under the command of Robert E. Lee. He became a merchant in partnership with his father at Carrollton, 1849-1856, and continued in the mercantile business for the remainder of his life. He moved to Alabama before the War of Secession, and settled near Cordova, Walker County. At the beginning of the war, he raised the first company from that county, was elected captain, and entered the C. S. Army as captain of Co. G, Col. Looney's regiment, Hindman's division. He conducted his business in Jasper for a long while after the war was ended, then moved to Cordova, and founded that town. He was a leader in the coal development of Walker Cunty, and was directly responsible for the location of Indian head mills at Cordova. He was a member of the constitutional convention in 1865; served in the Georgia legislature, 1872-1874, and in the Alabama legislature, 1880-1882; was presidential elector from the sixth Alabama district in 1884; was a candidate for governor of Alabama on the Republican ticket, 1890; and was the candidate of that party for congress in 1894. He was opposed to secession, was originally a Whig, then became a Know-Nothing, and after the War of Secession was affiliated with the Republican party. He was a Methodist, and a Royal Arch Mason. Married : October 17, 1854. near Carrollton, Ga., to Amanda Caroline, daughter of Henry Pope and Melissa Caroline (Hinton) Wootten, who lived at Wllkes County, Ga., prior to their residence in Carroll County, Ga. Children: 1. Henry Whitfield, merchant at Cordova, 1884-1899, and at Carrollton, Ga., after that time, m. at Carrollton, Ga., Lula Mandeville; 2. John Benjamin, m. Missouri Musgrove, Jasper; 3. Carrie Gertrude, m. (1) Newton Carnak, (2) Roy Garner, Lawrenceburg, Tenn.; 4. Thomas Leeper (q. v.); 5. Robert Wootten, Jasper; 6. Ida Jane, m. Dr. J. M. Miller, Cordova; 7. Effie Lou, m. Horace Stewart, Carrollton, Ga.; 8. Ada Clare, m. Sidney Holderness, Carrollton, Ga.; 9. Pope McFarland, m. Bertie Ellis, Cordova; 10. Jesse Orville, m. Nona Bell Sprott, Jasper; 11. Edgar Wootten, m. Catherine Phifer, Cordova, Last residence: Cordova.
Source: History of Alabama and Dictionary of Alabama Biography, By Thomas McAdory Owen, Marie Bankhead Owen, Published by The S. J. Clarke publishing company, 1921; Submitted by Barb Ziegenmeyer

Sidney HOLDERNESS Sr. and Ada Clare LONG had the following children:

263

Ben Scott HOLDERNESS was born on 17 February 1895.³⁶ He died on 24 May 1896 at the age of 1.³⁶

264

ii.

Clare HOLDERNESS³⁶ was born on 23 July 1897 in Georgia.^36,158 She died on 21 January 1943 at the age of 45.³⁶

Clare's grave marker reveals that her married name was Pittman. She married Brooks Oliver Pittman; after her death he married Margaret Sprout Long, Clare's first cousin and they had two daughters.

The Daily Constitution, Atlanta, GA, 21 Oct 1906, Carrolton News:
"The friends of little Miss Claire Holderness will be sorry to learn she is quite ill at the home her parents, Colonel and Mrs. Sidney Holderness, on Dixie Street."

To: [email protected]
Subject: Sidney Holderness
Date: Thu, 14 Feb 2008
From: [email protected]
Hi, I saw your web site with info on the Holderness family. I knew Mrs. Holderness the wife of Sidney Holderness, Jr. She was in the DAR with my mother. I also know Dottie Pittman who currently lives in the Holderness house on Dixie Street in Carrollton.
Clare Holderness married Brooks Oliver Pittman. He and Clare lived in the Dixie Street House after Ada Long Holderness passed. After Clare Holderness died Brooks Oliver Pitman remarried Margaret Sprout Long. They had 2 daughters one of which lives in the Holderness house on Dixie Street to this day. A picture of the Holderness house can be found at:
<http://dlg.galileo.usg.edu/vang/id:car148>

265

iii.

Sidney HOLDERNESS was born on 11 December 1899 in Georgia.^36,158 He died on 14 February 1974 at the age of 74.³⁶

The Daily Constitution, Atlanta, GA. 24 Aug 1921
TO OGLETHORPE FOUNDERS BOARD
Two additions were made Tuesday to the board of founders of Oglethorpe university. They are Sidney Holderness Jr. of Carrollton, and Samuel M. Weyman, of Atlanta. Mr. Holderness graduated in the 1920 class. Mr. Weyman is at present a member of the sophomore class. Both are sons of men who were early interested in the school.

By 1930, Sidney was no longer living with his parents. I did find this Sidney, born the same year, but his place of birth is different. This would seem to be the Sidney Scott Holderness buried in San Diego - see below.
Long Beach City, Los Angeles Co, CA. Long Beach Twp. Hh 32
Sidney S. Holderness, age 31, married at age 25. Born Oregon, father b. GA, mother b. TX. He was Physical Director for the public schools.
Glenwood, wife, age 37, married at age 31. Born CA, father b. Illinois, mother b. Wisconsin.

Is this Sidney?
City Directory, Tampa, FL, 1932
Holderness, Sidney (Cath. C) associate lawyer, Sparkman & Knight. Home: 4811 Woodmere Rd.

<www.archives.gov> US National Archives & Records Administration
File Unit Title: Electronic Army Serial Number Merged File, ca. 1938-1946
Record Group 64
Sidney Holderness Jr. Serial Number 34444683. Residence Carroll Co, Georgia. Enlisted on 29 Sept 1942 at Ft. McPherson, Atlanta, GA, as a Private. He was born in Georgia in 1899. His civilian occupation was Attorney and he was married.
Enlistment Record on Amazon.com
Sidney had 4 years of college; he was 65 in. tall and weight 129 pounds.

Georgia Supreme Court Reports
FIRST NATIONAL BANK v. HOLDERNESS, 189 Ga. 819 (1940)
13131.
FEBRUARY 14, 1940. REHEARING DENIED MARCH 15, 1940.
Sidney Holderness Jr. filed his petition in equity against the First National Bank of Atlanta as the executor of the estate of his father, Sidney Holderness Sr., against his sister, Mrs. Clare H. Pittman, and himself, and against Mrs. Pittman and himself as the guardians of their mother, Mrs. Ada L. Holderness. It was alleged that the defendants other than the bank were the heirs at law of Sidney Holderness Sr. The suit was filed in Carroll superior court, in which county Sidney Holderness Jr., his mother, and his sister were residents, but the First National Bank of Atlanta was a resident of Fulton County. The plaintiff alleged, that his father died in July, 1939, leaving a will appointing the First National Bank of Atlanta as executor and trustee of his estate; that sometime before the death of his father, the plaintiff, who was a practicing attorney, was persuaded by his father to forsake the practice of law and take up the management, control, and operation of his father's extensive farming interests; that after much persuasion he gave up the practice of law and went to the farm of his father, located in Douglas County, took charge of it, and has been operating it continuously since that time; that he took charge of the farm under an agreement with his father that the father would equip the farm with sufficient stock, tools, and implements to operate the farm, and, "if petitioner would go to his farm and do these things and look after it, that he would give the farm to your petitioner together with the implements, feed, mules, tractor, and other equipment thereon, necessary to operate the farm, and leave it to him as his own in fee simple, at his death, agreeing that whatever was on the farm at the time of his death should be petitioner's in fee simple, and unencumbered." Pursuant to and relying upon this agreement, the plaintiff went to said Douglas County farm and fully carried out his agreement with his father. For some reason unknown to petitioner, his father died without having previously executed a deed.

Georgia Death Index, Ancestry.com.
Sidney Holderness, died 14 Feb 1974, age 74 years, Carroll Co, GA.

Lawrence Maynard sent me birth and death dates from Carroll Co GA Cemeteries
which does not agree with the following listing on FindAGrave. There were unrelated Holderness families in California but it seems odd that there would be one also named Sidney so near the same age. However, this does seem to be the case.
Findagrave.com:
Sidney Scott Holderness
Birth: May 1, 1899 Death: May 13, 1965
Burial: Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery
San Diego, San Diego County
California, USA
Plot: PS-2, 224-A
His spouse was Bernice Buron.