The Golladay families in Virginia fought for the Confederacy. However, at the start of the Civil War, there is no evidence that any Golladay families in Virginia owned slaves. Only one Golladay shows having a slave in the 1860 slave schedule in Augusta County. This was Jonathan Golladay, who had a 50 year old black male and a 22 year old black female employee. Since Jonathan was not shown as the owner, it is likely he paid the slave's owner for the work.

David Golladay in Augusta County owned slaves in the early 1800's. However, family records indicate that David and his son Frederick were part of the effort to free the slaves and return them to Africa to settle in Liberia. Years later, Frederick daughter's Mary and Martha could still recall the memorable day when David's former slaves departed for the trip back to Africa. This was after David's death. The U.S. census in 1810 and 1820 shows that David had slaves.  David made a will in the autumn of 1823, just before his death. David was a wealthy man at this time, but his will does not list these slaves. This will seems to verify the story that David's slaves were freed.

LIFE ON THE GOLLADAY PLANTATION
 IN MISSISSIPPI BEFORE THE CIVIL WAR
 

George and Martha Golladay's ten year old daughter Medora died early in 1858. Because of their grief, George and Martha took their family on a trip to Tennessee in the summer after Medora died. While they were gone, their relatives wrote several letters to them concerning the happenings back at their plantation in Grenada. These letters give some information about the blacks working on the plantation.