Gourdin Genealogy

Patron:           

William David Tatum (b. l934-) Maternal Line Afro-American

Parents:         

James Tatum (b. l900 – l989)

Virginia M. Thelma Gourdin (b. l909 – l999) Jacksonville, Florida     

Issue: six (6) children (William David)

Grandparents:

Walter Gourdin (b. l860 – l933 - Jacksonville, Fla.)

Felecia Mary Garvin (b. l866 – l938) Florida

Father – William S. Gourdin (b. Charleston, S.C. l8l9)

Mother – Narcissius Selby – (Seminole Native - American)

Issue: nine (9) children – Thelma Gourdin (b.l909 – l999) Florida Mother

Great Grandparents:

William Garvin (b. l82l – l900) married l846

Elizabeth Darley (b. l826 - l9l5) Jacksonville, Florida

Issue: ten (l0) children – Felecia Mary Garvin (b. l866 – l938) Florida

Great, Great Grandparents:

William Garvin (b. l780 – l830) Scotland married l8l6

Felecia Clarke (l792 – l890) St. Augustine, Florida

Issue: four (4) children – William Garvin

Great, Great, Great Grandparent:

George J. F. Clarke (l774 - l836) St. Augustine, Florida

Flora Clarke (b. l77l – l825) St. Augustine, Fla.

Flora Leslie – African parents - ****** (see below)

Issue: eight (8) children – 7 boys – 1 girl – Felecia

Great, Great, Great, Great, Grandparents:

Thomas Clarke (l742 – l780) Worcester, England

Honora Cummings (l746 – l805) b. Ireland

Issue: six (6) children – George J. F. Clarke

Great, Great, Great, Great, Great Grandparents:

Montague Cummings (b. l722 –) Ireland married

Margarita Magden (b.l724 -) Ireland

Issue: one (1) child – Honora Cummings

Great, Great, Great, Great, Great Grandparents:

Richard Clarke (b. Holt l716 –) Worchester, England

Sarah Clarke (b. Holt l714 –) Worchester, England

DNA Sampling to take place to ascertain location of African Tribal Origins of William David Tatum.

****** Leslie, Paton Trading Company established in l0l8 out of Scotland. – Honora Clarke apprenticed George J. F. Clarke, age l2 to serve Leslie Brothers In their home.  Home-contained slaves of Leslie Family, the slaves were given names of their owners.  We do not know if Flora Leslie who gave George J. F. Clarke one girl and seven boys was the product of a Leslie or was purchased by the family.  Apprenticeship in the l8th century meant living in the homes of the business.

Given the birth date of l792 for Felecia Clarke and George J.F. Clarke entering the home at the age of l2 – l786 – the age of l6 begins his relationship with Flora.  Without a proper grasp of the age – l774 – l786 & the Father & Mother of George J. F. Clarke i.e. Thomas & Honora –

Tendency to apply 20th or 2lst Century morality to that time would not be applicable. We must remember that no trains, planes, roads as we know them existed in the l8th Century.  All youth were raised amongst hardships largely unknown to our present generation.

Thomas & Honora Clarke arrived in the New World (Florida) around l765 ie the Treaty of Paris opened Florida to colonists from Britain giving l00 acres of land to new settlers and 50 acres for each child. 

The book in my possession First Families of Florida i.e. Census of l786 shows Honora Clarke as a Widow living with her daughter Margarita.  Margarita married a Spanish man and moved to Spain.  It was in this year that she placed George J. F. Clarke, ie her youngest son with the Leslie, Paton Trading Company.

A Catholic Church in St. Augustine, Florida contains the baptismal certificates of two children of Thomas & Honora Clarke -- dated l775. I am securing the name of the Church affording me the opportunity to visit when I travel to St. Augustine.

Submitted by:  William David Tatum (Facts In This Document Secured Between l970-2006) 6/5/06