Coats of arms for the "primary" surnames in the Childress/Mathis family tree are shown below.  Most of these designs were retrieved from a website entitled "Coats of Arms, Designs of Wonder," although the Childress, Mathis, Speer and Gooch designs were obtained from other sources.

The reader may be interested in researching the meaning of the various symbols used in the following coats of arm.  For example, the buckles displayed on the Childress coat of arm symbolizes "victorious fidelity in authority" while the color read symbolizes "warrior or martyr; military strength and magnanimity."  Click here to go to a website that explains these various symbols.

The viewer should realize that the legitimate claim to a coat of arm design is available only through the Herald Registry.  These designs are intended for information only and no representation of registration of these designs to the specific families in the Childress/Mathis family tree is implied.  There are two separate Gooch coats of arms shown in the first row.  The final image was commissioned by Evalena Gooch Singleton (b. 1879), noted family genealogist and wife of Dr. Tilden H. Singleton, sometime in the mid 20th century.

First Row:  Alexander, Barron, Childress, Gooch (2 shown)

Second Row:  Houston, Ingram, Jackson, Mathis

Third Row:  McFadden, McMullen, Overton, Speer, Thornton

Click here to go to the Childress/Mathis Family Tree data on Roots Web for notes on the above individuals.

For additions, corrections or comments, please send an e-mail to Patrick Childress