about the author
My name is Denise Harden Jarrett. I am the great granddaughter of Jordan and Lydia (Price) Harden and the granddaughter of Walter and Luvenia (Hunter) Harden of Caddo Parish, Louisiana.
My father, Walter Harden, Jr. had been looking for his "father's people" for many years. His father, Walter Harden, died when he was about 5 years old. After that my father and his siblings lost touch with that side of his family. Since he was a truck driver, hauling steel from coast to coast, he had the opportunity to visit where his parents were born (Caddo Parish, Louisiana) regularly and ask around at the truck stops.
He finally met someone (Rose Stephens) who recognized the name of his aunt, Margaret Harden, who married Jim Durden. Although Margaret and Jim were no longer living, some of their grandchildren were still residing in Caddo Parish. Rose took him to meet his long lost family.
I can recall in the mid 1980's when my father came home so excited about finding family members from his fathers side in Louisiana. In 1986, we attended our first Durden Family Reunion in Greenwood, Louisiana. The picnic was held at home of Eugene and Allene (Durden) Fields.
In 1993, I began researching the family history to complete the front page of a baby book. You know, where you enter the names of parents, grandparents and great grandparents. Remembering my dad's story of his quest to find his paternal relatives peaked my interest to document even further and I have been recording the family history since.
I soon discovered the size of the Durden family was immense and to this date with extended families the Durden family tree now has nearly 24,000 individuals starting in Caddo Parish, Louisiana and expanding to many other states and countries.
On this site, I am sharing what I have uncovered during my research. If you find that I am missing information or have incorrect information, please let me know. I want this to be educational and useful to our younger generations as they mature and begin traveling throughout the United States and around the world.
My father, Walter Harden, Jr. had been looking for his "father's people" for many years. His father, Walter Harden, died when he was about 5 years old. After that my father and his siblings lost touch with that side of his family. Since he was a truck driver, hauling steel from coast to coast, he had the opportunity to visit where his parents were born (Caddo Parish, Louisiana) regularly and ask around at the truck stops.
He finally met someone (Rose Stephens) who recognized the name of his aunt, Margaret Harden, who married Jim Durden. Although Margaret and Jim were no longer living, some of their grandchildren were still residing in Caddo Parish. Rose took him to meet his long lost family.
I can recall in the mid 1980's when my father came home so excited about finding family members from his fathers side in Louisiana. In 1986, we attended our first Durden Family Reunion in Greenwood, Louisiana. The picnic was held at home of Eugene and Allene (Durden) Fields.
In 1993, I began researching the family history to complete the front page of a baby book. You know, where you enter the names of parents, grandparents and great grandparents. Remembering my dad's story of his quest to find his paternal relatives peaked my interest to document even further and I have been recording the family history since.
I soon discovered the size of the Durden family was immense and to this date with extended families the Durden family tree now has nearly 24,000 individuals starting in Caddo Parish, Louisiana and expanding to many other states and countries.
On this site, I am sharing what I have uncovered during my research. If you find that I am missing information or have incorrect information, please let me know. I want this to be educational and useful to our younger generations as they mature and begin traveling throughout the United States and around the world.
