Llewellyn Judson Carden was the treasurer of Shelby County, Alabama, with residence at Columbiana. His name was sufficient identification as to his Welsh origin. Grandfather Carden was the original emigrant. Coming to the United States when a young man, and securing employment with a circus, he entered the State which was to be his home, and which now contains his ashes. He married in Lawrence County, Polly Lyon, and later settled in Shelby.
His son, Harvey Carden, the father of L. J., was born in Lawrence County. As L. J. grew to manhood he developed a deeply religious temperament, and early entered the ministry of the Missionary Baptist church. He was a man of much power in the pulpit, and his singularly correct life endeared him to all. He married, in St. Clair County, Eliza Dean, who was the daughter of Jacob Dean, a Tennesseean. Her parents afterward lived in Lawrence County and then in St. Clair county. They were the parents of nine children, seven of whom survive. Jacob Dean died in 1865 at the age of seventy years, his wife in 1894 at the age of eighty-seven years. The father of L. J. died in 1899 at the age of seventy-eight years.
Llewellyn J. Carden was born March 1, 1842, and received his education in the common schools of Shelby County. He was a well-informed man. His life was spent almost entirely on the farm which he owned, six miles from Columbiana. He was a Democrat prior to the time of the reform movement when he joined the Populists. In 1900 he was honored by the Populists with the nomination for treasurer of the county, and in the ensuing election was successful. His conduct of the office was entirely non-partisan, and he had the confidence of all parties. He was a deacon and active worker in the Baptist church and gives his influence to every good cause. On the 23d of December 1864, he was joined in marriage to Maria Wilson Pitts daughter of Silas Pitts and Nancy (Ellison) Pitts. Her father was a native of South Carolina, her mother of Tennessee, both being among the pioneers of Shelby County. He died in 1869, she in 1883. To the marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Carden were born:
Salina Carden
Addie Carden
John Bruton Carden(b. April 1870, in Shelby Co., Alabama d. 26 Apr 1949, in Tarrant Co., Texas0 married Barbara Northcutt
Jacob Carden
James Carden
Edward Carden
Lois Carden
Cora Carden
Horace Carden
All were living in 1904. Llewellyn Judson Carden died Jan 29, 1910, and he is buried in Four Mile Cemetery, Shelby County, Alabama along with his wife Maria who died July 24, 1908, and several other members of his family.
SOURCES
Notable Men of Alabama: Personal and Genealogical, Volume 1 edited by Joel Campbell DuBose
Find A Grave.com Memorial# 63744297# 75000659# 75000574# 75000545
