Bio: John R. Herndon, Caddo Parish La
Source: Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Northwest Louisiana
The Southern Publishing Company, Chicago & Nashville,  1890

Submitted by: Suzanne Shoemaker
sueshoe@hotmail.com




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John R. Herndon, police juror and one of the leading planters and
cattle-dealers in the parish, owes his nativity to Meade County, Ky., his
birth occurring in 1846.  He was reared on a farm, received a good
common-school education, and in 1861, when but sixteen years of age, he
joined Company A., of Col. Pyron's regiment of Texas Cavalry, and operated
in Missouri, Arkansas, Texas and Louisiana.  He fought at Oak Ridge,
Mansfield, Galveston and disbanded at Eagle Pass on the Rio Grand.  After
this he worked for the Government as an agent for collecting property,
etc., for about a year.  He then began tilling the soil, and in 1869 was
married to Miss Ellen Robinson, a native of Alabama, and the daughter of
William Robinson, who died in Texas when his daughter was but a small
child.  Of the nine children born to Mr. and Mrs. Herndon, six are now
living.  Mr. Herndon and family resided in Texas until 1878, and then moved
to Caddo Parish, where he purchased his present property in 1883.  This
farm now consists of 200 acres, 150 acres of this is cleared, and it needs
but a glance over his place to indicate to the beholder the kind of farmer
that he is.  He is largely engaged in buying and selling cattle, and
although he started with nothing, he is now one of the substantial men of
the parish.  since 1888 he has been police juror from Ward 7.  He is a
member of the A. O. U. W. and Select Knights at Shreveport and of the
Masonic fraternity at Keithville.  He is a member of the Missionary Baptist
and his wife a member of the Methodist Church.  He was the second of six
children, five now living, born to William and Mary (Woolfork) Herndon, and
an elder brother, William, who was in the same command with him in the
army, was killed in Southern Texas while serving as a scout in May, 1864.
The parents were born in Virginia in 1825 and 1828, respectively.  They
went to Kentucky with their parents when children, grew up and were
married in that State, and remained there until about 1857, when they
removed to Cherokee County, Tex.  There they made their home until 1870,
and then moved to Caddo Parish, where Mr. Herndon died in 1878.  He was a
well-to-do planter.  He was a member of the Missionary Baptist Church, and
his widow, who is still living, is also a member of that church.  The
paternal grandfather, William Herndon, was born in Virginia, but lived in
Kentucky a great many years.  He followed farming there and subsequently
removed to Missouri, where he died.  He was of Irish descent.  The maternal
grandfather, William Woolfork, was born in Virginia, moved from there to
Kentucky, and thence to Texas where he died.  He was a soldier in the early
wars.