Many thanks, too, to cousins Sherri Foster, DSFoster@kscable.com;  Teresa Harris, tharris@arkansas.net; and most recently, Linda Davis, LINDYLAP@aol.com, for sending additional information on Edwy's siblings and especially Hilda Tomme and her family!

I started with the work I inherited from my uncle, my dad's brother, the late James Bassett Gwin II (1912-1984), which he began compiling in the year 1950.  James said he obtained some of the information from Memorial Record of Alabama.   My hat is off to all these diligent researchers!

22.04--James Vardaman, b. unk.; d. 1797 (proven by estate papers); moved into SC with his parents in 1766; m1. Jack believes this first wife of James may have been Sabra Liles/Lyles for two reasons: (1) her married name is Vardaman, and from census records, she's the only possible person who could've been married to him; and (2) the name Liles is the middle name of Jack's and my gg-grandpa, Edwy Liles Vardaman (who would become Old William's g-grandson); Sabra was the mother of William's first two children and possibly the first three; (m2. Jane Johnson); seven children

23.02--Thomas Vardaman, b. ca.1777 in Dutch Fork, Newberry District, SC; d. 1857; m. in 1801 at about age 24 in Jefferson Co., GA, to Annie Vining (b.; d.; d/o Shadrach Vining and Phereby Ratcliffe); they moved around in GA and SC, finally settling in Coosa Co., AL, in 1836; nine children.

24.01--Edwy Liles Vardaman, m. to Lucinda K. Mauk 13 children

24.02--Hilda J. Vardaman, b. ca. 1808 in GA [listed as Hildah J., age 42, in the 9 Oct 1850 census of Warren Twp., Bradley Co., AR] ; d. unk.; bd. unk.; m. 1 Sep 1831 in Meriwether Co., GA, to  Joel Clinton Tomme (b. ca. 1808 in GA [listed as Joel C., age 42, in the 9 Oct 1850 census of Warren Twp., Bradley Co., AR], s/o Joseph Tomme, Jr., and Zilpha Vining; d. unk.; bd. unk).;  11 known ch.   [Linda Davis Note: JCT was a Missionary Baptist preacher--see History of Arkansas Baptists, page 208, by J.S. Rogers.]

25.01--William Tomme, b. ca. 1833 in GA [listed as William, age 17, in the 9 Oct 1850 census of Warren Twp., Bradley Co., AR] ; d. unk.; bd. unk.; m. unk.; unk. ch.

25.02--James Riley Tomme, b. ca. 1834 in GA [listed as James R., age 16, in the 9 Oct 1850 census of Warren Twp., Bradley Co., AR] ; d. unk.; bd. unk.; m. unk.; unk. ch.

25.03--Thomas Tomme, b. ca. 1835 in GA [listed as Thomas, age 15, in the 9 Oct 1850 census of Warren Twp., Bradley Co., AR] ; d. unk.; bd. unk.; m. unk.; unk. ch.

25.04--David Crockett Tomme, b. ca. 1837 in GA [listed as David C., age 13, in the 9 Oct 1850 census of Warren Twp., Bradley Co., AR] ; d. unk.; bd. unk.; m. unk.; unk. ch.

25.05--Marion Elizabeth Tomme, b. ca. 1839 in GA [listed as Miram, female, age 11, in the 9 Oct 1850 census of Warren Twp., Bradley Co., AR] ; d. unk.; bd. unk.; m. unk.; unk. ch.

25.06--Missouri William Tomme, b. ca. 1840 in GA [listed as William, age 10, female, in the 9 Oct 1850 census of Warren Twp., Bradley Co., AR] ; d. unk.; bd. unk.; m. unk.; unk. ch.

25.07--Joseph A. Tomme, b. ca. 1843 in GA [listed as Joseph, age 7, in the 9 Oct 1850 census of Warren Twp., Bradley Co., AR] ; d. unk.; bd. unk.; m. unk.; unk. ch.

25.08--Sarah Frances Tomme, b. ca. 1845 in GA [listed as Sarah, age 5, in the 9 Oct 1850 census of Warren Twp., Bradley Co., AR] ; d. unk.; bd. unk.; m. unk.; unk. ch.

25.09--Laura Jane Tomme, b. ca. 1846 in GA [listed as Laura, age 4, in the 9 Oct 1850 census of Warren Twp., Bradley Co., AR] ; d. unk.; bd. unk.; m. unk.; unk. ch.

25.10--Jesse Mercer Tomme, b. ca. 1849 in GA [listed as Jesse, male, age 1, in the 9 Oct 1850 census of Warren Twp., Bradley Co., AR] ; d. unk.; bd. unk.; m. unk.; unk. ch.

25.11--Marshall Searcey Tomme

24.03--Edilda Vardaman, m. 14 Dec 1826 to John H. Smith;

24.04--Rachel Vardaman, m. 7 Jan 1827 to Levi Johnson

24.05--Elizabeth "Betty" L. Vardaman, m. 14 May 1839 to Henry Harwell;

24.06--Jane Frances Vardaman, b. 22 Mar 1821 in GA; m. 8 Mar 1838 to John D. Howell;

24.07--Thomas Jefferson Vardaman, b. 4 Apr. 1823 (-28?), d. 16 Jul 1864; bd. in Mt. Olive Bapt. Cem.; m. 22 Nov 1853 to Nancy Ann Benton;

24.08--Ruth Ann Vardaman; m. 22 Oct 1846 to Mr. Steiners? or William P. Styres?;

24.09--Peter Lafayette Vardaman, m. 14 Mar 1854 to Susan Matilda Durham;

23.03--Joseph Vardaman, b. ca. 1781-84 in Newberry District, SC; d. 7 Jun 1855 at Hamilton in Harris Co., GA.; [Jack's note:  I have a copy of his obituary which states that he was in his 71st year.  If this is true, his correct year of birth would have been between June 1783 and June 1784.  If this were to be correct, Joseph would have very definitely been a son of Jane Johnson Vardaman, not Sabra Lyles Vardaman, and probably only a half-brother to William and Thomas.  However, on the 1850 census Joseph is shown as 69 years of age which would place his birth in 1781--the date furnished to me many years ago by another researcher.  His age category on the 1820, 1830, and 1840 censuses is so broad that it could agree with the 1781 date as well as a 1783 or 1784 date.]

23.04--Nancy Vardaman, b. after 1781 in Newberry District, SC; m. Mr. Martin;

23.05--[prob. daughter] Vardaman,

23.06--Rachel Vardaman, b. after 1781 in Newberry District, SC; m. Jacob Soutar;

23.07--(Sally?) Vardaman, data unk.

Hi John,
Saw your posting regarding Hilda J Vardaman. She was the daughter of Thomas Vardaman and Annie Vining.   I think you already know that though. Hilda married JOEL CLINTON TOMME  Sept 1, 1831 in Meriwether CO GA.  Joel C Tomme was a Missionary Baptist preacher. You can find him referenced in HISTORY OF ARKANSAS BAPTISTS (page 208) by J.S. Rogers.

The children of Hilda and Joel were :  William, James Riley, Thomas, David Crockett, Marion Elizabeth, Missouri William, Joseph A, Sarah Frances, Laura Jane, Jesse Mercer, and Marshall Searcey.

The parents of Joel C Tomme were Joseph Tomme Jr and Zilpha Vining.

I show the siblings to be: Edwy Liles, Edilda, Rachel, Elizabeth, Jane Frances, Thomas Jefferson, Ruth Ann, Peter Lafayette.

Hope this helps. You will find that the Tommes, Vinings and Vardamans married each other a lot.

Hi John,
Good to hear from you again as well. I would definitely say that we are related.

Zilpha Vining who married Joseph Tomme JR was a sister to Annie Vining who married Thomas Vardaman.  Zilpha Vining was the mother of Joel C. Tomme. Joel C. Tomme married Hilda J. Vardaman.

I descend from another one of the sons of Joseph Tomme JR and Zilpha Vining..James B Tomme..m. Eliza(beth) Avery (Avera)...... son, Richard Avery Tommie m. Martha Nix......son, William Gabriel Tommie m. Mary Jane Gamble....son, James Alexander Tommie m. Charlcie Ann Browning....son, Walter Lee Tommie m. Natalie Leavitt....son, Willie James Tommie m. Edith Adams...daughter, Linda  (ME)

The known spouses of the siblings of Edwy Liles and Hilda were :
Edwy married Lucinda K Mauk  Jan 6, 1825
Hilda J married Joel C Tomme  ca 1832
Edilda married John H Smith  Dec 14, 1826
Rachel married Levi Johnson  Jan 7, 1827
Elizabeth L  married Henry Harwell  May 14, 1839
Jane Frances married John D Howell  Mar 8, 1838
Thomas J  married Nancy Ann Benton Newman  Nov 22, 1853
Ruth Ann  married  William P Styres  Oct 22, 1846
Peter L  married Susan Matilda Durham  Mar 14, 1854

The parents of SHADRACK VINING were John Vining , b ca 1730 in MA....Sarah Ratcliff

The parents of John Vining were William Vining, b ca 1690 in MA...Ann Nichols, b Oct 18, 1723  Salem, MA

The parents of Ann Nichols were  Thomas Nichols and Joanna Towne. Thomas was b. ca 1669.  Joanna was born ca 1668. Place of birth  is believed to be in MA.

The parents of Joanna Towne were Joseph Towne and Phoebe Perkins.
The parents of Joseph Towne were William Towne and Joana Blessing.
The parents of Joana Blessing were Thomas Blessing and Phoebe Gould

Keep in touch.....This will give you more to work with. If you run across anything, please let me know.