Benjamin Joyner, a revolutionary soldier, was wounded at the battle of Kettle Creek in Georgia. He married Elizabeth Norton, daughter of Jonathan Norton and his wife, Mary Chopin of Georgia.

Their son, William Norton Joyner, married Rebecca Anglin the daughter of Henry Anglin.

Andrew Lane Joyner, the son of William Norton and Rebecca Anglin Joyner was born May 10, 1816 according to Jeffersonville Cemetery records and died on November 21, 1854. He is buried in Jeffersonville Cemetery, Jeffersonville, Georgia. His wife was Sarah Elizabeth Gragg, born in December 27, 1823 and died in Bienville Parish, Louisiana in November 7, 1896 and is buried in Ebenezer Cemetery in Bienville Parish, Louisiana. Sarah was the daughter of Israel and Sarah Gragg of Twiggs County, Georgia.

Israel Gregg/Gragg was the son of Henry Gragg and Elizabeth Jones Gragg of Chilton County, Alabama. Henry Gragg was the son of John Gragg of South Carolina.

Sarah Elizabeth Gragg Joyner married as her second husband John J. Bridger/Bridges, was born December 19, 1830. and died August 27, 1888 and is buried next to Sarah Elizabeth in Ebenezer Cemetery in Bienville Parish, Louisiana.  According to Macon County Marriages, Book A & B, they “John J. Bridges/Bridger and Sarah E. Joiner/Joyner married on October 7, 1859, by Martin P. Burch, J.I.C. According to the Land Records of Macon County, Georgia (1857-1863), the Marriage Contract is in Deed 361. 1st Party: John J. Bridges of Dooly County, Georgia married 2nd Party: Sarah E. Joiner/Joyner from Twiggs County, Georgia.

The record reads as follow:

“Whereas, it is desired by both parties that all of the property & effects belonging to Sarah E. Joiner, should continue & remain her property after said marriage, the same as if she was a feme Sole, or single woman with full and ample power to sell & dispose of the same. 820 Acres of land in Twiggs County, Georgia, being the premises on which Sarah E. Joiner/Joyner recently resided, adjoining the lands of Thomas C. Chivers, W. D. Horne & others on the Waters of Alligatoer Creek & the following named Negroes:
Cyrus, Sarah, Julia, Elizabeth, Bartlett, Elizabeth, Martha & Violet

All the corn, fodder, cotton, steak of all kinds, horses, mules & household & kitchen furniture & other personal & perishable property. Plus any property that Sarah E. may inherit from her fathers estate.”

Witness: L.E. Veal
Martin N. Burch, J.I.C.                                                                    Signed: John J. Bridges
Recorded: October 10, 1859                                                            Signed: Sarah E. Joyner
                  Jno. M. Greer, Clerk

The following was written by Ben Joyner about his father and grandfather. His grandfather was Marion Rutledge Joyner and his father was Samuel Joyner. Marion Rutledge Joyner was the son of Andrew Lane Joyner and Sarah Elizabeth Joyner.

“Marion Rutledge Joyner was born in Twiggs County, Georgia around the year 1846 (census reads about 1848…BGP). My records show he was born February 22, 1848 according to his death certificate and died September 4, 1916 in Natchitoches Parish, Ashland, Louisiana. He live 68 years, 6 months and 13 days and his death certificate was signed by his attending physician Dr. Samuel L. Joyner his son.”

Following Sherman’s destructive march through Georgia, he and a number of friends and relatives started west to find a new country to live peaceably in. They made their way across Alabama and Mississippi and half way across Louisiana, finally arriving and settling in Bienville Parish, Louisiana, southwest of what is now Castor, near the stream known as Black. Grandpa, Marion R. was of Irish bloodlines and was near six feet tall and weighed two hundred pounds. He was married to Margaret Louvenia Lucky, the daughter of George W. Lucky and Sarah Clary Tidmore Lucky of Bienville and Lucky. She was of Jewish-Irish extraction. To this couples were born thirteen children. Ben Joyner’s father was Samuel Lawrence Joyner was the eldest son.

Grandpa (Marion Rutledge) owned a large farm just south of Ashland, Louisiana. On each forty-acre tract was a Negro family. These colored tenants worked the land, which was planted to corn and cotton. Because of the great distance the cotton had to be transported for ginning, Grandpa Joyner erected a cotton gin on his property, and became known as “Gin Joyner”. Marion R. Joyner was also elected to the House of Representatives of the State of Louisiana soon after the War Between the States. He served several terms, as a Democratic Representative from 1892 – 1896. He was also owner of a general store in Ashland, Louisiana. He had great wisdom, and his opinion was usually sought on questions, political or otherwise. He believed in doing his best and was extremely energetic. He was of the Primitive Baptist faith, though he was rather slack where church attendance was concerned.

In 1896, Samuel Lawrence Joyner, known as Dr. Sam Joyner, entered Memphis Medical School and graduated in 1900. He came back to his home town to settle, and practiced medicine in Bienville and Natchitoches Parishes for 35 years.

Marion Rutledge Joyner and Margaret Louvenia Lucky were married September 22, 1872. He was born on February 22, 1848 and died September 4, 1916 according to his death certificate with the Louisiana State Board of Health, Registration District 3503, File # 16, Registered # 9459. Margaret Louvenia was born May 30, 1853 and died October 2, 1902; both Marion and Margaret are buried in Ebenezer Cemetery in Bienville Parish, Louisiana. Their children were as follows:

A. George Lawrence Joyner, born November 11, 1874
B. Samuel Lawrence Joyner, born September 18, 1876, married Constance Courtney Hathorne. He died in 1934. His son, Ben Joyner, is the father of Larry Joyner of Arcadia. Larry married Frances Nelson who in 1990 was the present Clerk of Court of Bienville Parish.
C. Herbert Lake Joyner, born November 13, 1878.
D. Tillman Andrew Joyner, born April 12, 1880.
E. Sarah Elizabeth Joyner, born December 18, 1881.
F. John Henry Joyner, born March 10, 1884.
G. Margaret Louvenia Joyner, born January 30, 1886
H. Henry Harris Joyner, born July 26, 1887.
I. Mary Jane Joyner, born October 12, 1889.
J. Curtis Lane Joyner, born June 28, 1891.
K. Harry Vane Joyner, born February 22, 1896.

This information was supplied to you by the following people and documents:

1)  Ben and Larry Joyner, Bienville Parish, Louisiana
2)  Robert M. Leskin, Pottsville, Pennsylvania
     Great Great Grandson of Marion R. Joyner and Great Grandson of Tillman Andrew Joyner
     And Grandson of Lou Venia Joyner Person, Coushatta, Louisiana
3)  Death Certificate of Marion R. Joyner, Louisiana State Board of Health
4)  Ebenezer Cemetery of Bienville Parish, Louisiana
5)  History of Bienville Parish, Volume I, 1984
6)  History of Bienville Parish, Volume II, 1990
7)  Land Records of Macon County, Georgia—1857 – 1863, Deed Book A, Volume 1
8)  Jeffersonville Cemetery Records, Jeffersonville, Georgia
9)  Connie Dickson Bedgood, Coushatta, Louisiana
10) Donna Aynesworth, Austin, Texas

Note: As you can see in the title of this biography, the name “Joyner/Joiner/Jyner” is some of  the
          Last names I have found in the census, articles and records of the spelling in the past.
          Either way, our family history settled on the spelling of “Joyner” till this day.
 
 

BRIDGER, Violet, 1822, GA, LA
"Violet Bridger was born a slave in the year 1822 in Georgia. She was brought to Bienville Parish before 1860 by Sarah Elizabeth Gregg Joyner. (Gregg was her maiden name, Joyner was her first husband - Andrew Lane Joyner.) At the time of the migration to Louisiana, Violet was approximately 38 years old. It is not known if Violet originally belonged to the Gregg family or Joyner family, but she had come into the possession of Sarah Elizabeth Gregg Joyner, who settled in Ashland, Louisiana.
"Andrew Lane Joyner had died, leaving Sarah a widow with four sons. Sarah decided to leave the Joyner plantation in charge of one of her sons, and she left Jeffersonville, GA with her two youngest sons and (supposedly) 21slaves, and her overseer, John J. Bridger. On the way to Louisiana, Violet witnessed the marriage of her widowed mistress to John J. Bridger. As a result of this marriage, Violet took the name Bridger and is listed on a Louisiana Census as Violet Bridger.

"It is quite probable she had a sister named Martha Bridger.

"Violet remained with Sarah and John Bridger all her life, and by all accounts was a well loved member of the family. She is buried next to Sarah in an enclosed iron fence in Haththorn Cemetery in Ashland, Louisiana."

Contributed by: Susan S. Buckley, spice3@juno.com
 

According to an act of the General Assembly of Georgia passed Dec. 8, 1810 the public buildings and courthouse for the newly formed Twiggs County was " to be erected at or near Joiner's Spring above Savage's Creek, on Lot No. 73, in the 25th district, late Wilkinson, now Twiggs county."

Page 245, Issue 113-114
Twiggs County insolvant list, 1815

Mr. William Joiner collector of tax for Twiggs County, you are to collect the following persons tax viz. Thomas Taylor, Joshua Todd, Henry Faulkner, John Lewis, Tabetha Robertson, Wendon Driggers, David Ward, and the ballance of the names in this list we exonorate you from (illedgible) for Miles Gathright, John Hays, Jesse Brown, Needham Parker, Henry Wall (Ware ??), John Harden, Deveport Lawson, Richard Smith, James Ware, Robens Andrews, Robert Commins, Theophilus Pugh, Hugh Horton, Ashley Wood, James Vickers, Joel Denson, Robert Glenn, John Cooper, Mark Faulk, John Chapman. November term 1815
 

The first Superior Court of this county was held in November, 1811, at Marion. Presiding Judge, the Hon. PETER EARLY.
FIRST GRAND JURORS
Francis Powell. N. Bugby, A. Wood, Wm. Ford. John Welkinson (Wilkinson), Thos. C. Heidleburge, B. Joiner, S. Barbaree
Wm. Herrishill, T. Pearce, Wm. Carr, Wm. Grimes, Robins Andrews, Wm. Cloud, John Matthews, John Young, Arthur Fort, Jr.
John Hawthorn, Ashley Wood, S. Dick, John Evans

 TWIGGS COUNTY, GEORGIA TAX DIGEST FOR 1818

Captain Hodges District
Joyner, Ben

 Captain Jefferson's District
Joyner, Benager

Captain Wiley Belcher's
Joyner, Ebenezer   Exr., Caleb McKinney

February 20, 1830
Macon Telegraph
Married - In Twiggs County on 11th inst. by James Soloman, Esq. Mr. Lawrence Joyner, to Miss Mary Glover.

Cherokee Land Lottery 1832. Fortuntate Drawers - Twiggs County
Will's District - Lawrence Joyner

Macon County Marriages 1859
Bridges, John J.
Sarah E. Joiner
10/7/1859
Martin N. Burch J.I..C.

1872 Georgia General Assembly
Full Title: An act to incorporate the Griswoldville & Jeffersonville Railroad Company, and for other purposes.
Section 1. Be it enacted, That James Hammock, James Myrick, T. J. Joyner, Elias Jones, John H. Jones, H. S. Wimberly, Archibald McAllum, D. G. Hughes, John Chapman and James Coombs, of the county of Twiggs;

1880 Mortality Schedule
Joyner, Mat , Twiggs, Georgia  1880  abt 1843  Georgia  White  Female  37
 Mary Angeline Joyner age 37 died in November, 1879 of Pneumonia. this was Tilman Israel Joyner/Joiners wife. She left behind 6 children, 3 sons and 3 daughters.

Tilman I. Joyner was a commissioned surveyor on January 8, 1887,

June 5, 1887
The Macon Telegraph
Twiggs County News. Mr. Tillman (Israel) J. Joiner died Monday at his home near Jeffersonville. He has been sick since June 4th. A remarkable fact connected with this death is that when Mr. Joiner married his present wife he was a widower with six children, and his wife was a widow with the same number of children. He leaves on child by his present wife, leaving Mrs. Joiner a widow with thirteen children.

Twiggs County Board of County Commissioners created 1875
1898
James W. Jones
W. A. Joyner
I. N. Maxwell
George W. Waters
E. F. Pettis
 

Copyright 2008  Robert M. Leskin, Great Great Grandson of Marion R. Joyner