Compiled in the year 1950 (and following) by the late James Bassett Gwin II and in 1999 and following by his nephew John McDonald Gwin. James said he obtained some of the information from Memorial Record of Alabama. I'd love to document all of this, but I cannot; therefore, I present it in good faith, and if you have documentation to add to or correct any of it, please contact me. Thanks!
Also, there are some interesting notes located at the bottom of this page; you might wish to check them out before you leave--thanks again.

New info, June 15, 2000:  For some time, I'd been hearing about a Vardaman genealogist named J. H. "Jack" Vardaman of Alpharetta, Georgia, who "knows more about the Vardaman family than anyone else" but was not "on line".   I even wrote a snailmail letter to him but never mailed it, thinking he was probably too busy to send me anything, and besides, someone else had already sent me an online version of much of his work.  To make a long story short, Jack and I are second cousins, and we've been in contact by telephone and snailmail several times now.    He'd been trying unsuccessfully to make contact with the Gwin side of his family for some time.  He is a son of Jesse H. Vardaman, who was a son of Marshall E. and Clara "Odie" Vardaman, my paternal grandmother's brother and sister-in-law.  Much of the material below will be updated sometime soon based on his contributions. 

Three Vardaman brothers came to America in the early part of the 18th century. Peter Vardaman settled in Virginia; William Vardaman in New York, and James Vardaman in South Carolina in the fork of the Broad and Ennoree Rivers known as Dutch Fork in what was then the Newberry District of SC. (The area is now in Union County, in the Sumter National Forest about two miles northwest of the community of Blair, SC, and about 35 mi. nw of Columbia.). This was a colony of Germans, and it is believed the Vardamans were either from Germany or the Netherlands.

1.1--Peter Vardaman
1.2--William Vardaman
1.3--James Vardaman (b.; d.); at least one child

2.--Thomas Vardaman, b. ca. 1777 in Dutch Fork, SC; 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; d. 1857; four known children of many

3.1--Edwy Liles Vardaman, b. 2 Feb 1804 in GA; d. 25 Jul 1879; bd. with wife at Smyrna, Coosa Co., AL; m. 6 Jan 1824 to Lucinda K. Mauk (b.; d. Mar 1862 ; d/o Mathias Jackson Mauk, Jr., and Frances Lea); 13 children

4.1--Mielda Vardaman, b. 16 Sep 1826; d. Jan 1884; buried in Fayetteville, TN; m. I. T. Kilpatrick (b. in Fayetteville, TN; d.); many children

5._--Bose Kilpatrick

4.2--Minerva Vardaman, b. 18 Mar 1828; d. 1842, about age 14--smothered while playing in the cottonseed; no children

4.3--Cynthia M. Vardaman, b.3 July 1829; d. 24 Dec 1905, buried at Rock Springs; m. Kenny Hannon (b.; d.--killed in the Civil War); unk. children

4.4--Frances Cemyra Vardaman, b. 11 Jan 1831; d. 13 Jun 1910, buried at Brownsville; m. George House (b.; d.); 3 children

5.1--Bud House
5.2--Willie House; m. Jessie Carter
6.1--Otis House, b. ; d. ; bd. ; m. Ms. Gaston; _children;
7.__--James House, b. ; d. ; bd. ; m. ; _children;
6.2--Frank House, b. ; d. ; bd. ; m. Louverne Allen; _children;
6.3--Fred (Robert?) House, b. ; d. ; bd. ; m. Alma Mitchell; _children;
7.1?--Benny House, b. ; d. ; bd. ; m. ; _children;
7.2?--Fred House, b. ; d. ; bd. ; m. ; _children;
7.3?--Nan House, b. ; d. ; bd. ; m. ; _children;
6.4--Sarah House, b. ; d. ; bd. ; m. ; _children;
5.3--Mary Jane House; m. M. Robinson

4.5--Mary Bruce Vardaman, b. 18 Apr 1832; d. 2 May 1901, buried at Brownsville; m. Edward M. Adair (b.; d.); 5 children
5.1--Ben Adair, b.; d.; m.(b.; d.); children
5.2--Alford Adair, b.; d.; m.(b.; d.); children
5.3--Jim Adair, b.; d.; m.(b.; d.); children
5.4--Fanny Adair; , b.; d.; m. Mr. Hardaman (b.; d.); children
5.5--John Adair, b.; d.; m.(b.; d.); children

4.6--Nancy Ann Vardaman, b. 18 Jul 1833; d. 17 Oct 1844, age 11; no children

4.7--John Forsythe Vardaman, b.; d.; m. Julia Ann Flynn (b.; d.); 4 children , 12 grandchildren

5.1--Marshall Evart Vardaman, b. 27 Sep 1866 (or 1868?); d. Sunday, 20 Feb 1927; m. 2 Oct 1887 to Clara Owens Carlisle (b.; d.); 8 children;

6.1--Myrtle Vardaman, b. ; d. ; m. XX (b. ; d. );children;
6.2--Willie Vardaman, b. ; d. ; m. XX (b. ; d. );children;
6.3--Jesse Vardaman, b. ; d. ; m. XX (b. ; d. );children;
6.4--Louie Vardaman, b. ; d. 18 Apr 1965; m. XX (b. ; d. ); children;
7._--Emily Vardaman, b. ; d. 18 Apr 1965; m. XX (b. ; d. ); children;
6.5--Eugene Vardaman, b. ; d. ; m. XX (b. ; d. );children;
6.6--Maggie Vardaman, b. ; d. ; m. Mr. McCraney (b. ; d. ) settled in Atlanta, GA;children;
6.7--Carlisle Vardaman, b. ; d. ; m. XX (b. ; d. );children;

5.2--John William ("J. W." or "Dubby") Anderson Vardaman, b. 19 Oct 1868; d. 3 May 1911 at Lafayette, Ala., buried at Smyrna; never married, but was engaged to marry Diamond Grimmett when he had his untimely and fatal heart attack; no children

5.3--Maggie May Vardaman, b.Weds., 28 Sep 1870; d. 1952; m. 15 Dec 1885 to Thomas Jefferson Webb (b.; d.); lived in Kelleyton and settled in Alexander City, Ala. no children

5.4--Adrian ("Ada") Bell (Belle?) Vardaman, b. 3 Feb 1877; d. 26 Feb 1954 in New Orleans, LA; m. 22 Feb 1909 to James Bassett Gwin, Sr. (b. 21 Apr 1872; d. 21 Oct 1921 ); 4 children

4.8--Zylpha Thommie Hollaway Vardaman (called Puss), b. 1 Nov 1836; d. 24 May 1922, buried at Brownsville; m. J. M. L. McPhail (b.; d.); no children (but became stepmother to her husband's two sons by his first wife; stepsons: Dodridge McPhail and Mack McPhail--m. Zadie Gamble)

4.9--William Sanford Vardaman, b. 12 Jun 1840; d. 5 May 1862 in Civil War, battle of Williamsburg, Va.; never married; enlisted in Co. A 14th Alabama Infantry--private; no children

4.10--James Mathis Vardaman, b. May 1842; d. 30 Mar 1865 below Petersburg Civil War; enlisted in Co. C 16th Alabama Infantry--private; no children

4.11--Adaline Elizabeth Vardaman, b. 14 Nov 1843; d. 25 Mar 1923, buried at Rock Springs; unmarried; no children

4.12--Annie Lovedia Vardaman, b.25 Oct 1845; d. 31 Aug 1922, buried at Rock Springs; m. B. Frank Luker (b.; d.); 6 children; (I have quite a bit of Uncle James' information from the Luker family of 50 years ago that I plan to post here sometime soon).

5.1--M
5.2--M
5.3--M
5.4--M
5.5--M
5.6--M

3.3--Edilda Vardaman, b. 18__in GA; d.  ; bd. ; m. xx; children;

3.4--Rachel Vardaman, b. 18__ in GA; d.  ; bd. ; m. xx; children;

3.5--Elizabeth "Betty" Vardaman, b. 18 in GA; d.  ; bd. ; m. Mr. Harwell; children;

3.6--Jane Frances Vardaman, b. 22 Mar 1821 in GA; d.  ; bd. ; m. John Howell; children;

3.7--Thomas Jefferson Vardaman, b. 4 Apr. 1823 or 1828, d. 16 July 1864 B. in MOBC (Note: inscribed on this grave marker is CSA, which indicates that TJV served in the Confederate military service.  From the date of death, he was likely killed in action.) m. xx; unk. children;

3.8--Ruth Ann Vardaman, b. 18 in GA; d.  ; bd. ; m. Mr. Steiners; children

3.9--Peter Lafayette Vardaman, b. 1 Feb 1830 in GA; d. 10 Sep 1903; bd. in MOBC;  the following eulogy was published in an unknown newspaper and pasted in my grandmother's album beside her penned caption, "A brother to my Grandfather Vardaman":

A MASONIC TRIBUTE--To the W.M., Wardens and Brethen of Hillabee Lodge No. 197, A.F. and A.M.:
We, your committee, submit the following report:
As God has seen fit in His infinite wisdom to call from labor to refreshment our beloved brother, Peter L. Vardaman, we offer the following tribute of respect and love:
Brother Vardaman was born February 1, 1830, was made an E.A. November 12, 1870; F.C. March 1, 1871, in Bradford Lodge No. 138, died September 10, 1903.
Brother Vardaman was a good man and a true Mason. We shall miss him in the lodge and the walks of men.
We offer the following resolutions:
1. In the death of Brother Vardaman the lodge has lost a worthy member, a man who, as a true Mason, had his faith fixed on God, and walked with him.
2. That the community has lost in him a good citizen and neighbor, a man true to his family and friends.
3. That we extend to his family our sympathy and condolence in their great bereavement.
4. That these resolutions be spread on the minutes of the lodge, and that a copy be sent the family of the deceased and to the papers of Coosa county with request for publication.
Respectfully submitted,

J.C. Francis,
J.J. Evans,
J.R. Gilbert,
Committee.

Adopted by lodge Sept. 12 1903. Geo. W. McElhiney, Secy.

Let me quote here a page from Uncle James B. Gwin's notes, as some if it near the end may be useful to you--I don't know. Here's what I have:

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Pages 31A and 32A: Vardaman Family History
Compiled by James B. Gwin

The following is a copy of a letter written to my mother [JOHN GWIN note: Mrs. Adrian Bell Vardaman Gwin, my grandmother] by Leon A. Nolen of 1609 12th Street, Birmingham, Alabama, on September 29, 1944.

"Dear distant cousins;
"As you know, I have been interested in my family line in order to know from whence thay came and what contributions they made in the times in which they lived. We have the Vining line in common.
"About three or four years ago, I visited for a short while with Miss Annie Vardaman and her father, John T. Vardaman in Sylacauga, Alabama. At that time I knew very little of the Vining Family; since, however, I have found records which show our relationship. At that time Mr. John T. Vardaman told me that Mr. John Forsythe Vardaman (JOHN GWIN note: my great-grandfather], father of Mrs. Gwin and Mrs. Webb, along about 1870 or 1880 wrote down in a book--a buckskin or calfskin back, I remember he said--a history of the different family connections. The Vardaman and Vining, etc. Cousin Maggie [JOHN GWIN note: the aforementioned Mrs. Webb] tells me that there was such a book her father had, but she is unable to locate it. If that book could be found, it certainly would throw a lot of light on things that may be now forever lost. I should like very much to see it in reference to the Vining family. If possible it would be found, we are beginning to think more of our lineage now than formerly."

(Note: this book has never turned up and is evidently lost forever--James B. Gwin)

INFORMATION FURNISHED BY LEON A. NOLEN:

VINING:
aThe Vinings settled sometime around 1650 at Weymouth, Massachusetts. Some of the family moved to Johnston Co., NC, sometime around 1750; one of them, Jeptha Vining, was a noted Baptist preacher in SC and Georgia.

JOHN VINING: Born probably about 1720 probably in the state of Mass., died in 1801 in Jefferson Co., GA, date of marriage and name of wife unknown. His will was probated in Jefferson Co. in 1801. He had moved from Johnston Co., NC, in 1788; children mentioned in his will: SARAH: CADAR: WILLIAM: SHADRACH [JOHN GWIN note: this is our line]: JOHN: JESSE: (THOMAS?): ANN: ABBEGILL (sic).

SHADRACH VINING: m. 1778 in Johnston Co., NC, to Phereby Ratcliffe. He moved with his father 1788 from Johnston Co., NC, to what is now Jefferson Co., GA. His will probated Jan. 1806 in Jeffereson Co., GA, naming his wife Phereby and a son John "my estate be equally divided among all my children." (No mention here of how many children.) His widow, Phereby Vining, moved about 1806 or 1807 to what is now Putnam County, GA; she died in 1826 and her surviving 13 children signed a deed selling her land as follows:

Rachel Vining married Joseph Vardaman
Simeon Vining
Reubin Vining
Jefferson Vining
Annie Vining married Thomas Vardaman
Benjamin Vardaman Vining
Shadrach Vining
Ruth Vining married William Vardaman
John Vining
Jehu Vining, died in Bibb Co., Alabama
Samuel Vining
Phereby Vining
Zilpha Vining married 1800 to Joseph Tomme, grandparents of Adolphus Ving Tomme who was grandfather of Leon A. Nolen.

A tradition in the family that two of the Vining girls who married Vardaman boys were twins. This is believed to be Ruth and Rachel who married Joseph and William Vardaman.

A reference states that Joseph Vardaman and Rachel Vining lived in Harries Co., GA.

There is a reference to a Peter Vardaman in 1779 in Henry Co., VA.

There is a reference to a William Vardaman in Newberry District, SC, who was a Revolutionary soldier.

There is a reference to AMML Vardaman, John Vardaman, Sr., and a John Vardaman, Jr., listed in 1780 in Lin (?) Co., VA.

Jehu Vining had a son Peter Vining, a grandson Peter Vining--his wife's first name was Sarah.

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pp.30A and 30BXX Vardaman Family History Supplement Compiled by Uncle James B. Gwin

The following is taken from a letter written to my mother from a Leon A. Nolen dated October 11, 1944 address 1609 12th St. B'ham, AL

He states that there were three Vardaman brothers who married three Vining sisters. This agrees with other records that we have. However, the names of the Vardaman brothers differ from our records. He states that the brothers were named Thomas, Joseph, and William. Our records show that they were Peter, James, and William. Thomas Vardaman who married Annie Vining was the son of James. However, our record does not show who the original three Vardaman brothers married, and it could be that they married the three sisters before Thomas their son married Annie. This letter states that the three sisters were named Annie, Rachal (sic), and Ruth; another sister to the above was Zilpha Vining who married Joseph Tomme around 1800 in Jefferson Co., GA, a second marriage in 1840 to Anthony Holloway in Troup County, GA. (note that a daughter of Edwy Vardaman, son of Thomas Vardaman, had a daughter named "Zylpha Thommie Hollaway Vardaman, evidently named for this Zilpha Vining.)

Also some names are given which are not found in the other records that I have. Children of Thomas Vardaman and Annie Vining: Edwy L. Vardaman b. in Newberry District, SC, 1804; Jane E. Vardaman, b. 22 Mar 1821; Thomas Jefferson Vardaman, b. 4 Apr 1828; Peter Lafayette Vardaman, b. 11 Feb. 1830; and Ruth. This letter states that evidently there were a number of other children as the recods are missing from the time of their marriage until 1821. He states that Ruth was old enough to join the Crooked Creek Church in Putnam Co., GA, indicating that Ruth was born early in the marriage. This letter states that Annie Vining Vardaman is buried in an unmarked grave near Sylacauga AL, in Mount Olive Cem. A brother of Annie Vining, Jehu, who was born in 1790, is buried in the old Acker Cem. in Bibb Co. (it doesn't say if this is GA or AL.).

The name of a Mr. Greer is given as a descendent of a Rev. Jeptha Vining.

I have the name of a Mrs. Gladys J. Busby, (Mrs. Gearge M. Busby) of Rt. 1 Box 160, Chandler, Arizona, dated 1955, as being a relative of the marriage of Annie Vining and Thomas Vardaman, who has collected some genealogy on this family.
 

The following names are found in Coosa County Cemeteries Records, a copy of which is to be found in the Archives of Auburn University, and are believed to related to the Family of John Forsythe Vardaman. Information taken from cemetery headstones and from Vol. #1 pages 150, 151, and 131:

Allie Eugene Vardaman, Born Jan 28, 1894, died Nov. 9, 1896, Son of JT and AT buried in Macedonia Baptist Cemetery, located in Sewartsville Community, about two miles off US Hwy 231 in northern part of Coosa Co., AL.

Alexander L. Vardaman, b. 10 Nov. 1876, d. 7 Dec. 1876, bd. in Mount Olive Bapt. Cem. (MOBC is located about 3 miles northwest of Hanover on Co. Rd. 49, Coosa Co., AL.)

Euleiah B. Vardaman b. 9 Feb 1878 d. Dec 7, 1876 d. 10 Aug 79 B. in MOB Cem.

J.D. Vardaman b. 1861 c. 1879 B. in MOBCem

Dollas (Dallas?) Vardaman b. 1861, d. 1879 B. in MOBCem

John L. Vardaman b. 26 Aug 1862, d.1 July 1932, B. in MOBCem

Lucy P. Vardaman, b. 22 Jan 1869, d. 24 Dec 1944, B. in MOBCem

Peter L. Vardaman b. 11 Feb 30, d. 9 Sept 1903 B. in MOBCem

Susan M. Vardaman, b. 8 may 1831, d. 24 mar 1913, B. in MOBC

Rufus A. Vardaman, b. 22 Dec 1862, d. 24 Oct 1946, B. in MOBC

T.J. (Thomas Jefferson?) Vardaman, b. 4 Apr. 1823, d. 16 July 1864 B. in MOBC
(Note: inscribed on this grave marker is CSA, which indicates that TJV served in the Confederate military service.)

Nancy B. Vardaman, 27 Feb 1833, d. 19 feb. 1900 B. in MOBC

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