Garland Walker Herndon was the sixth child of eleven children born to Houston Herndon and Minnie Bell Herndon. He was born on October 27, 1912 in Chatham County, NC. He attended Chatham County schools, while continuing the family long trade of farming tobacco. As a child he was given the nick name of Biggum because he was tall, however he was only six feet tall.
After school Garland worked as a “jack of all trades”. One of his many occupations was as a mechanic on trucks for Long Meadow Farms, a milk processing plant in Raleigh. He also worked as a baker at Wonder Bread, a tobacco farmer on the land in Apex, and a carpenter building projects in Apex and Raleigh. He also used his many skills to build the family home on Highway 55.

 

Garland grew up with his brothers and sisters in White Oak Baptist Church. He became a Deacon in 1940’s. He served as chairman of the Deacon Board for a number of years. Garland also served on a number of church committee’s including Sunday school as Teacher and Superintendent. As an active member of the New Hope Association and sang in numerous concert conventions, while working on various committees. He enjoyed singing in the choir at White Oak with his baritone voice and was known as a professor of music. Garland was also an active member of Masonic Order of Chapel Hill. He also served on the community advisory council for the Apex schools of Wake County. 

 

He married Bertha Scott of Wake County, on November 28, 1934. Bertha was the daughter of Aaron Scott and Corriner Ross and the granddaughter of Aaron and Dillia Scott. Her maternal grand parents were Jim and Mary Ross. Bertha was born on June 5, 1907. She received her elementary education from Scott’s Grove School in Wake County. In 1929 she graduated from Hillside Highschool, Durham, NC. She attended North Carolina Central University, North Carolina A&T University, and received a Bachelor of Art’s degree from Shaw University. Garland and Bertha’s marriage blessed them with three children: Erseldine b. 1935, Leon Walker b. 1938, and Kathleen b. 1940. In addition to their children, Garland and Bertha were surrogate parents to Jasper, George, and James Wilson, Leroy and Lemon Shepherd, Leotha Harrington and Otis Herndon. They were also surrogate grandparents to Caroline, Aljoson, and Joyce Shepherd. Along with being a great mother and wife, Bertha was a person who recognized the value of education and knowledge; she continued to strive for excellence and instilled the value of education in everyone she touched. She dedicated thirty-eight years to teaching elementary school education in many schools in the Chatham County School System (Clark School, Hinton,
Beckwith, Haywood School in Mouncure, Horton School in Pittsboro and concluded her career at Pittsboro Primary). Besides school and family, Bertha always managed to place God first by committing herself to church activities as well.
 

After thirty-one years of marriage, Garland began to struggle with an illness and passed away on May 3 rd , 1965 at age 52. Bertha grieved the loss of her husband and continued her Christian journey by working at school and church. She filled her life with several ministries which
included Gospel and Senior Choirs, Deaconess, Sunday School Teacher, Pastor’s Aide, and Bible Study. She was actively involved with the New Hope Association and its auxiliaries. Bertha also was affiliated with the Silver Leaf Chapter #140 Order of Eastern Star and the United Order of
Tents #428. Garland’s wife, Bertha Scott Herndon followed him to glory thirty-seven years later on November 1, 2002, at the age of 95. They are buried together in the White Oak Cemetery in Apex, NC.