Louisiana AHGP

Part of the American History and Genealogy Project

W. H. Gandy

W. H. Gandy is a worthy tiller of the soil of Claiborne Parish, Louisiana, and of the 500 acres of line land which he now owns he has 300 acres under cultivation, nicely improved, with good buildings of all kinds and a good cotton gin. He was born in Greene County, Alabama, July 26, 1828, a son of John and Elizabeth (Holland) Gandy, both of whom were born in North Carolina, their marriage taking place there, and their removal to Alabama dating 1818. They opened up a large farm in Greene County of that State, and there reared their family. Mr. Gandy served as sheriff of his county in North Carolina in his younger days, but aside from this held no other public office, being content to devote his time to tilling the soil. He died about 1877 and his wife in 1843. Of a family of four sons and four daughters born to them, the daughters and two sons only are living.

W. H. Gandy, the immediate subject of this biography, being one of the latter. He grew to manhood in Alabama, had the advantages of the common schools, and after attaining manhood was married there, in 1851, to Miss Edith Thornton, a daughter of Elisha Thornton, a very prominent man of Greene County, in which Mrs. Gandy was born, reared, educated and married. The fall succeeding their marriage they came to Claiborne Parish, Louisiana, where Mr. Gandy opened up a large tract of land, being the owner of a number of slaves. He has been a resident of his present property since 1857. In August, 1862, he joined the Confederate Army, and was detailed to oversee the farms of families in the neighborhood, doing no military duty. He is a warm Democrat, takes an active part in parish politics, and has been a delegate to its conventions a number of times. He and his wife have the following family: John E. (a sketch of whom appears below). G. A., J. A., W. B., W. N., Edith (a school teacher of the parish) and Anna May. All the sons are married.

He and his wife are members of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, and he has attained to the highest rank in the I. O. O. P. He has been an elder in his church since 1858, and has taken an active part in church matters.

Biographical Sketches| Claiborne Parish

Source: Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Northwest Louisiana, Southern Publishing Company, 1890