John A. Herrington was born 1801 in North Carolina. John's father, William, settled his family in Mississippi. The family story, from Cassie Elam, was that "William joined the movement of settlers from SC to the Gold Rush in what is now Okla. William and his party headed west, and were traveling on the Tennessee River. In that year, a great earthquake hit and , so the story goes, the rivers reversed and ran backward for three months. The Herrington party was actually on the Tombigbee River while thinking that they were on the Tennesse River. In December 1811, the river resumed its southward flow. Realizing that they were lost, the party got off the river and apparently decided to settle in the area."
Additional info from Sherry Herrington was "according to the belief of some, William settled on the west side of the Tombigbee River area, upon his arrival, to avoid the Indian troubles on the east side. This was in the area of Fort Mims which was attacked by Indians on August 30, 1813. It was called the Massacre of Fort Mims. On February 26, 1812, William purchased his first piece of land. This land was on the Leaf River approximately one mile west of today's Highway 15."
John A. Herrington was taxed for land he owned in Perry, MS, in 1823. In March 1857, he purchased a 638 acre farm in Harrison Co., MS. In 1858, he added to his land with a Bureau of Land Management land grand of 120 acres. By 1859, he had died. Some of the younger members of his family eventually settled in Pensacola after appearing briefly in Levy Co, Jackson Co. and Santa Rosa County, FL.
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