The March Begins

     More Sesquicentennial history goodness, this time from Georgia Public Broadcasting and the Atlanta History Center.  Each week, for 37 weeks, there will be a short video detailing Sherman's march across Georgia.

     I had a great many ancestors' in Sherman's path, in both Georgia and in his return path through South Carolina.  Some families, such as those living in Emanuel County, Georgia, and Lexington County, South Carolina, were directly in Sherman's path.  This video series is of great interest to me and I hope to learn many new things.

     Right now, you can watch Week One (Apr 21-27) and Week Two (Apr 28-May 4), or view a list of all videos.

Civil War Cannons - How It All Worked

     At a recent visit to Andersonville NHS, where the notorious Civil War Prison once stood, I was able to observe an artillery presentation.  They explained how cannons were used in the Civil War.  I put it all together in a video and, if you are at all interested in this time period, I think you will enjoy watching.  And watch all the way through the end to see the cannon fired.

Squad No. 10

     Throughout the Sesquicentennial of the Civil War, I've been researching my soldier ancestors.  There are a few men in my family tree who were of the right age to fight, but for whom I have not found any record of service.   One of those men is David Jefferson Witt, born 1833 in Abbeville, South Carolina.

     In 1864, David would have been a 31 year old farmer with a wife and three sons.  Given his age, if he didn't volunteer, he would have been conscripted unless he could afford to buy a substitute.  Considering that in the 1860 census he was listed as an "overseer," I doubt that he could afford to do so.  David never reported a physical or mental disability on any census record, so I just don't think he avoided joining the war.  Considering this, I occasionally search for evidence of his service.

     Today, I ran a search for David in the newspapers of Chronicling America.  I came up with an interesting, but confusing result from 1865:

...

...

     I'm pretty sure that the David J Witt mentioned is my guy.  But what is Squad No. 10 of the Supporting Forces?  Is this a local militia?  I'm going to have to put in some time and research what David was up to.

150 Years Ago Today: The Death of Wiley Powell

     150 years ago today, Wiley Powell died from disease while fighting in the Civil War.  He had already done a stint in the Georgia militia 26 years prior and was 42 years old when he enlisted again. This time he was serving as a replacement for another man.  He almost certainly received payment for his service, and I have to assume that the family needed that money.

     Almost as soon as Wiley joined the regiment, he went into the hospital.  He suffered from rheumatism and tuberculosis and was in and out of hospitals throughout his service.  He was admitted to Lynchburg Hospital No 3, where he stayed for a number of months before he died on 24 Jan 1864.

     Wiley was buried at the Old City Cemetery in Lynchburg, Virginia.  There is a cenotaph for him in Elbert County, Georgia at the Rock Branch Cemetery where many of his family are buried.

150 Years After Chickamauga

     Two days later my calves are still killing me, but it was worth it.  My mom and I spent Thursday and Friday trekking across the fields and hills of the Chickamauga Battlefield during their 150th Anniversary event.  What an experience!

     We'd visited Chickamauga last spring, but didn't give ourselves enough time and didn't really get a good grasp of what occurred there.  This time, we spent a full two days exploring the park and I now have a much better understanding of the battle and what my ancestors would have experience.

     We started day one by watching the short video presentation at the visitor's center.  It provided a quick overview of the battle that helped get our day started.  We then went on a double decker tour bus ride, which helped us get our bearings on where the Confederate and Union forces were and how the battle proceeded.

     Armed with a better understanding of the battle, we then went in search of the monuments that honored our ancestors.   Chickamauga is covered with over 700 monuments and plaques.  To help visitors find specific ones, there is a map in the visitor's center.  We spent about an hour driving the park and visiting markers, though we weren't able to find all of them.

     Next, we took advantage of the ranger lead programs being offered during the anniversary event.  Every two hours, park visitors would meet at a designated point (detailed on a map) and then set out with park rangers for a talk on a certain aspect of the battle.  I'd say that between 300 and 500 people attended each talk.  We were split up between three or four rangers who each spoke on the same topic, but from a different perspective.

     I have to say that after the first talk I was a little intimidated.  It was very... military.  Lots of "Stewart moved to the right" and "Rosecrans ordered Harker left."  Um - who?  But after a while it became easier to keep up, especially once we had attended a few talks (which built on each other).  What also helped were the battle maps I had printed out from CivilWar.org.  I'd left them in the car the first day, but made sure to bring them the second day.  That way, when one of the rangers mentioned a general, I could consult my map.

     During each talk, the rangers would walk us for what seemed like miles!  But that was part of the experience.  During one talk, we walked the same path that Longstreet's Corps did - the same path my my ancestors walked during the battle.  I can't imagine doing all of that walking, and then having to march up numerous hills and then fight for your life.  Walking the battlefield, combined with the information provided by the rangers, was an experience that really helped me connect with my ancestors.

     Another part of the 150th Anniversary event, was the National Park Service's emphasis on social media.  Each ranger lead talk was recorded and photographed.  Some of the content immediately went on Facebook and YouTube, while more has been added over the last few days.  I've found a few photos of myself on the Chickamauga Facebook page.

     If you have the chance to attend a similar event, I highly recommend you take advantage of the opportunity.

I Know Where My Ancestors Where 150 Years Ago Today. Do You?

     150 years ago today five of my ancestors were brought together on a battlefield in Pennsylvania.  There, they fought on the Confederate side of one of the most famous battles of the Civil War: Gettysburg.  Were your ancestors there as well?  If you don't know, I'll share how I traced my ancestors to the battlefield.

     I started by making a list of all male ancestors in my family tree who were between the ages of 14 and 60 in the early 1860s.  I then searched for Civil War Service Records for those men, using the indexes available on Ancestry.com and images on Fold3.  Once I found their records, I made a list of my Civil War soldier ancestors with their enlistment date, regiments, and discharge date, as listed on their Civil War Service Records.

     Next, I researched the regiments and units that each soldier served in, to find out which battles they fought in.  This can be difficult, as each regiment has been researched to a different extent.  Some regiments were large and part of even larger armies, others were small and participated in smaller battles.  Regiments were often reorganized, becoming part of a larger army (ex Army of Northern Virginia).  Here, Google was my friend and will be yours as well.  There are lots of small websites out there, dedicated to particular regiments or units.  I also found good information on Wikipedia, in some cases.  For those doing Georgia research, the website, Georgia Confederate Units, will be very helpful to understand the organization of regiments.  But don't neglect books either!  Check out the collections at nearby libraries and archives to see if there is anything available.

     As you can see in the service record shown here, my Great-Great-Great Grandfather, Nathan W Hyler, enlisted with Company C of the 15th Regiment South Carolina Infantry on 7 April 1862.  This record shows that he was "Present" with his unit during the months of July and August of 1863.

     The dates on this record are key; I know when he joined the war (so I don't need to look earlier than this date) and I know that Nathan was with his regiment in July of 1863.  From researching his regiment, I know that at that time they were fighting at Gettysburg!

     Using the information I uncovered about my ancestor's military units, I came up with the following list of ancestors who fought there:

• From my Paternal line
• William Anderson Craft of Elbert County, GA, with the 15th Reg GA Infantry, Co F
• Wiley Powell of Elbert County, GA, with the 38th Reg GA Infantry, Co F
• From my Maternal line
• William Washington Sprouse of Abbeville County, SC, with the 1st Reg SC Cav, Co A
• detached to Hampton's Brigade
• Franklin Edwin Leaphart of Lexington County, SC, with the 15th Reg SC Inf, Co C
• Nathan Washington Hyler of Lexington County, SC, with the 15th Reg SC Inf, Co C

     I then visited CivilWar.org to look at battlefield maps from Gettysburg.  I was able to find each of my ancestors' units on the maps.  This image shows a portion of "The Wheatfield Fight."  You can see where the 15th Georgia and the 15th South Carolina fought in this battle.  That's three of my ancestors fighting very close together.  Hopefully one day I'll visit Gettysburg and will be able to walk where my ancestors fought.  Hopefully you found some helpful tips here and will be able to walk where your ancestors fought too.

Connecting With Civil War Ancestors Through Battle Maps

     Last week was the 150th anniversary of the Battle of Chancellorsville, a Civil War Battle fought in Virginia.  I know, from reviewing service records and researching regiment information, that my ancestors, Nathan Hyler and Frank Leaphart, fought at Chancellorsville with South Carolina's 15th Infantry Regiment, Company C.

     So I know that they were there, but what does that really mean?  Many of the battles fought in the Civil War were very large, involving troops from all over the country.  Where were my ancestors?  I'm a visual person, so when my google searching brought me to CivilWar.org's battle maps, I was able to really connect with and better understand what role my ancestors played in the battle.

     Take for example, this map of the Battle of Chancellorsville.  It's only a small piece of this map, which shows geographical features, modern day roads and historic troop movements.  I can see the 15th at the back of Kershaw's Brigade, moving parallel to VA State Highway 3.  If I were to visit Chancellorsville National Battlefield Park, I would be able to locate the exact location where my ancestors fought.

     Different battles have different maps. Some are contemporary to the time period, some have different levels of details, some represent specific times during the battle, or some have special features such as 360° views.  But all of the ones I've viewed have had maps like the one above, which I find the most helpful.  The maps can be found by browsing and searching from the maps page, or from the specific battlefield page.  If you've signed up for a free account, you can download copies of the maps in PDF form.  I recommend doing this, because you can't zoom on the website.

     From now on, when I visit a Civil War Battlefield where my ancestors fought, I plan to take a copy of one of these maps with me.  Finding that personal connection to history is what genealogy is all about to me, and these maps bring me one step closer to my ancestors.

Civil War Profile: Nathan W Hyler

     The following is a profile of one of my Civil War ancestors. What was their life like before, during and after the war? Where did their sympathies lie? How did they feel about the war?

_____

Before
     In 1860, my Great-Great-Great Grandfather, Nathan Washington Hyler, was living Dutch Fork, Lexington County, South Carolina.  He had married Elizabeth Meetze some five years prior and they had two sons: Rufus Barnett and Henry D.  In the 1860 Census, the family's surname was enumerated as "Hoyler."

     Nathan was a farmer, like his father before him.  According to the 1860 Agricultural Census, he had 90 acres of land valued at $1,000.  He had one horse and five pigs, valued at $100; he produced wheat, corn, cotton, peas, beans, potatoes and hay.  Nathan is enumerated directly before his father, Gabriel, whose farm was three times larger.  Gabriel had more livestock and grew more crops.  He was also a slave owner, as shown in the 1860 Slave Census, while Nathan did not appear to have owned slaves.  Gabriel owned five slaves: a female, aged 70; males aged 67, 48, 35 and 35.

During
       On 7 Apr 1862, Nathan enlisted as a private in Company C of South Carolina's 15th Infantry Regiment, shortly before that regiment was transferred into the Army of Northern Virginia.  Nathan was 26 years old and was joining the war almost a year after it had begun.  I imagine that he initially delayed joining because he had a family to support (which now included my Great-Great Grandfather, John Willis).  Once it became evident that the war wasn't going to be a quick skirmish, he probably joined due to a feeling of patriotic duty, societal pressure or for the money. 
  
     Nathan quickly felt the true impact of war: he was shot in the leg at Sharpsburg (aka Antietam), only five months after joining the army.  Due to his injury, he was placed in the Chimborazo Hospital in Richmond Virginia, then able to spend time at home with his family.  Nathan returned to his regiment in time to fight as part of Kershaw's Brigade at Gettysburg in July of 1863.  The Brigade soon found themselves in Georgia, fighting at Chickamauga, where Nathan was once again wounded.  This time his wounds must have been more severe.  He was initially sent home on wounded furlough, but "overstayed" his leave and, by February of 1864, he was in the hospital in Columbia, South Carolina.  He didn't leave the hospital until April. After leaving the hospital, he was "detached as a guard" to Greenville, South Carolina.  It's likely that he wasn't fit to rejoin the war - did he lose his leg?

 

After
     In 1870, Nathan was again enumerated in Dutch Fork, SC, with his family.  He then owned 50 acres, apparently having lost or sold 40 acres since the 1860 Census.  His land had also dropped dramatically in value and was worth only $175.  The farm was home to one mule, one cow, one "other cattle," and seven pigs.  The farm was producing wheat, corn,  cotton, wool, peas, potatoes, butter, hay, and molasses.   

     It doesn't seem that Nathan had been dramatically impacted after the war, until we see the 1880 Census.  The southern economy had gone through a downturn which apparently hurt the Hyler family.  From the 1880 Agricultural Census, we see that Nathan "rents for shares of products" on 22 acres.  He was no longer a land owner.  Nathan's farm was home to one cow and 11 pigs and he is growing corn, oats and wheat.  With less land, Nathan's farm was much less productive.

     In 1896 an article in The State gives a list of Civil War pension seekers.  Among them is Nathan Hyler.  In order to seek a pension, Nathan would have been indigent or disabled.  He was 61 years old.   Unfortunately, copies of these pension records are not available, so I don't have details on his situation.  

     Nathan died in 1903 and it does not appear that he ever owned land again.
 

Before and After: Using Tax Records For Civil War Analysis

     The Civil War had a major impact on the lives of the people who lived through it. One way to see this impact is through tax records. I recently found tax records at the Georgia Archives from just before and shortly after the Civil War for Tilman Albea, my 4x Great-Grandfather.

     Tilman lived in Lincoln County, Georgia and was a farmer. When the war began he was 55 years old. His sons served in the Civil War, including my 3x Great-Grandfather, Thomas T Albea. His wife, Julia, owned her own property in 1861, for which Tilman is listed as an agent. She is not listed in 1866.

	1861	1866
Polls of Whites	1	1
Polls of Blacks	0	1
Kids age 6-18	4	3
Hired Hands	n/a	5
Acres of Land	112 + 110	110
Value of Land	$800 + $600	$330
Slaves	1	n/a
Money	$400	x
Value of Slaves	$900	n/a
Other Property Value	$298 + $75	$260
Total Property Value	$1098 + $1975	$530

     So, what can we see in these tax records regarding the impact of the Civil War on Tilman Albea and his family?

     First, the family had a lot less land in 1866 than 1861. Before the war they had 222 acres combined. After the war, Tilman was listed with only 110 and the value was a lot less. Julia was no longer listed with her own property. Did they sell the rest? Was it taken? Perhaps they couldn't pay their taxes? Or maybe gave it to one of their children? Regardless, the remaining 110 acres were worth almost half of what the 110 acres were worth in 1861.

     Second, the amount of money held by the family appeared to be zero in 1866 (it was marked with an x), verses $400 in 1861.  It was probably difficult to hold cash after the war, and any cash they might have had would probably have been worthless confederate money. The value other property, likely things such as wagons and farm equipment, had also dropped. Combined with the loss of land, their total property value was only a fraction of what it was before the war.

     Also notable: slaves. In 1861 the family, specifically Julia, owned one slave.  She had inherited this slave from her mother in 1858 (which is also when she got her land). From wills and census records, it's believed that this slave was a 16 year old named Jinney.  Obviously, the family did not have any slaves in 1866. They did, however, have a person living with them that qualified for a black poll tax. This means that there was a black male living with them who was eligible to vote.

     These tax records paint a picture of a family that suffered financially during and after the Civil War.  Further tax records show that the land continued to loose value; minute book records show requests for tax exemptions; newspaper records show the auction of this land by the Sheriff's office.

     This once prosperous family was greatly impacted by the Civil War. Future generations would not own land, but would rent, first as farmers and then as mill workers. It wouldn't be until 100 years later, during the post WWII boom, that my direct Albea family line would own land again.

Civil War Profile: Richard T Smith

     The following is a profile of one of my Civil War ancestors. What was their life like before, during and after the war? Where did their sympathies lie? How did they feel about the war?

_____

Before
    Richard T Smith was my Great-Great-Great Grandfather. He was born in Georgia on 2 Jan 1829, in the area that is present day Cobb, Cherokee, Fulton or Forsyth County, Georgia. According to his death certificate, his parents were George and Mary Smith, though I've yet to find further evidence of them. Some records indicate they were born in Georgia, while others indicate Virginia.

     The earliest record I have for Richard is the 1860 census of Shady Grove Post Office, Milton County, GA [recorded as R L Smith]. He appeared there with his wife, Eliza, and four children. Richard was a farmer, with a personal estate valued at $125 and no property listed. The family did not own any slaves at this time and I don't believe they ever owned any.

During
     The only real evidence that I have of Richard's Civil War service comes from the 1910 census. Question #30 asks about civil war service. Richard answered "CA" for Confederate Army.



     I thought that I had found Richard's Pension record, but when I compared them to city directory records (which list his wife) I started to doubt it. Some facts match, but others weren't quite right. With such a common name, it's been very difficult to confirm any muster roll records as well. Richard might be listed in the 1864 Census for Re-Organizing the Georgia Militia. This Richard is a shoemaker, an occupation my Richard is attributed with in a city directory.

     Without records it's difficult to determine Richard's position on the events unfolding around him. He did not own slaves, but he seems to have come from a southern background. Many men signed up with a sense of patriotism toward their new country. But did he enlist or was he conscripted? With four small children at home in 1861, I doubt Richard was running out to enlist. Also, his fifth child, Richard Jr, was born in 1863, which indicates that Richard likely didn't sign up until at least around this time (although I have found that men who were "away; sick at home" at some point in the war tended to find a larger family when they next came home).

After
     In the 1870 census, Richard is still living in Milton County and is still farming. One major change has occurred however: his wife, Eliza, is not listed. It seems that Richard is now a widower, raising six children between the ages of 16 and 2. He's not doing it alone though - Rachel Garman is there as well. She's listed last, after the children, so she's probably some sort of servant, nurse or distant relative. Only weeks after this census was taken, Rachel and Richard were married. My Great-Great Grandmother Louise was a child of this union.


     In 1870, Richard's land is valued at $200 while his personal assets are valued at $900. Richard didn't appear to own land in 1860 and his personal assets were much lower. It looks like Richard might have achieved some success after the war. Perhaps he took advantage of the economic upheaval of the time period? I know that during the war nearby Atlanta was evacuated of all citizens, many who chose not to return. Perhaps he was able to purchase land at a good price using money he made from the service. 


     Hopefully I'll be able to uncover more about Richard T Smith's time during the war soon and discover details on what his Civil War service was like.

The Civil War at the Atlanta History Center

     Timed perfectly for the sesquicentennial, there are two Civil War exhibits now on display at the Atlanta History Center. One is a permanent exhibit called 'Turning Point: The American Civil War,' the other is a temporary exhibit called 'War in Our Backyards: Discovering Atlanta, 1861-1865.'

     'Turning Point' is an exhibit that covers the Civil War from a broad, two sided perspective, starting from before the war and running until the end of Reconstruction. Many of the displays give information through a North vs South perspective. Topics include the daily lives of soldiers, women's roles, emancipation, ammunition, and battle plans. This exhibit gives a great overview of the war in a way that would engage everyone.

     The temporary exhibit, 'War in Our Backyards,' is about the Civil War in Atlanta. I really loved this exhibit because of all of the maps. It's filled with maps, maps and more maps. It's great to explore historic maps, filled with information about Civil War battles and plans, and compare them to today. The best map was an interactive digital one that used Google Maps. You could pull up different types of civil war information and explore then on a contemporary map. Aside from maps, there were also photos and artifacts.

     If you are in the Atlanta area I highly recommend these exhibits. They provide a great perspective on the Civil War, especially for genealogist who have been researching their Civil War ancestors.

Civil War Profile: Elijah A Dorn

     The following is a profile of one of my Civil War ancestors. What was their life like before, during and after the war? Where did their sympathies lie? How did they feel about the war?

_____

Before
     In 1860, Elijah Andrew Dorn was recorded on page 34 of the Saluda Regiment, Edgefield District, South Carolina census. Along with Elijah were his wife, Elizabeth (Ouzts), and children, James W, Frances, Catharine, Sarah A, Preston B, George and Bettie. This census was taken on 2 Jul 1860. Only the day before, on the July 1st, my GGG-Grandmother, Mary Jane "Mamie" Dorn, had been born (Only those born by June 1st were recorded).

     Elijah was a farmer with real estate valued at $2,000 and personal estate valued at $1840. According to the 1860 agricultural census, Elijah had 120 acres of land. He had 3 horses, 5 milk cows, 4 cattle, 9 sheep, and 16 swine. The family reported growing 60 bushels of wheat, 200 bushels of corn, 100 bushels of oats, 6 bales of ginned cotton, 30 pounds of wool, 20 bushels of peas and bean, 11 bushels of irish potatoes, 50 bushels of sweet potatoes, 150 pounds of butter, and 12 gallons of molasses. It seems like the family is cultivating a wide variety of crops and produce. Comparing Elijah's farm to those of others on the same page, he looks to be the owner of a small to average sized amount of land. And who helped Elijah with work around the farm? Three slaves. The Dorn family appears to own two female slaves, age 75 and 14, and has hired a 25 year old male slave from another owner.

     Although Elijah probably did not relished the thought of going to war, he likely would have supported the new Confederate Government. Even though he owned only a few slaves, they were part of ensuring the financial stability of his family. He was still somewhat young and would likely have added slaves to his farm as finances allowed.

During
     War broke out on 12 April 1861. Elijah's wife, Elizabeth, had died only two months prior. Left with eight small children, there would be no way Elijah would go to war... yet. Elijah soon married his second wife, Martha E Prater. She was his next door neighbor in the 1860 census, only 17 years old to his 32. Martha was only 7 years older that her oldest step-child.

     With a new wife to watch the children (including a new baby with Martha), Elijah enlisted in the war in March of 1863. He became a private in South Carolina's 2nd Artillery Regiment, Co K. In August of 1864, he was transfered to SC 2nd Cavalry, Co I (also known as Edgefield Hussars according to the Family Search Wiki).  Documents indicate that he was still with his unit in December of 1865, though they do not say how he left the service - did he stick it out until the war ended a few months later?

After
     Elijah survived the war and returned home to his wife and children, still living in the Saluda area of Edgefield County, SC.  Things have changed a bit for the Dorn family. Formerly the owner of 120 acres valued at $2000, Elijah's now has 230 acres, now valued only at $700. He still has much of his livestock,  but the family is producing less in the way of crops - very reduced levels wheat, corn, and oats, cotton, wool and butter, valued at $500. Elijah might still have his land and materials, but it looks like he's having a harder time making a profit from it than he did prior to the war.

     Elijah died in 1903 in Saluda County, South Carolina. He was buried in the Dorn Family Cemetery, his grave marked with a military headstone.

Civil War Profile: William A Craft

     The following is a profile of one of my Civil War ancestors. What was their life like before, during and after the war? Where did their sympathies lie? How did they feel about the war?

_____

Before
     In 1860, William A Craft was 20 years old and living with his parents, Willis and Martha Craft, in the Elbert District of Elbert County, Georgia. He was working as a farmer, likely alongside his father and siblings. His father was also listed as a farmer, with real estate valued at $4500 and a personal estate valued at $16,670. Such a high personal estate value indicates slave ownership.  Willis owned 10 slaves: male: 60, 35, 27, 12, 12, and 9; female: 60, 15, 15, and 9.  These slaves would have cost a lot of money and been important to the family's finances. Likely, this family would have wanted to defend their way of life.

During
     On 4 March 1862 in Elberton, Georgia, William enlisted in the 15th Georgia Regiment, Company F. Having been married in late 1860, William is leaving behind a new wife. Did they know that she was almost two months pregnant with their first child? Clarence Craft would be born in August.

     According to this newspaper article, William was at the Battle of Malvern Hill in Virginia that July. There, he picked up a bible he found. He apparently carried the bible with him throughout the rest of the war.

     From November 1862 to February of 1863, William was recorded as Commissary Sergeant Protem, in charge of distributing equipment. From August to December of 1863 William is listed as absent without leave. By July, William was back with his unit. Finally, William is recorded as a prisoner of war as a member of the Army of Northern Virginia, having been present for the surrender at Appomattox. From there, he would have likely directly returned home.

After
     In 1870, William is back with his family in Elbert County. William is farming, though not on his own land. In addition to his wife and three children, there are two other people living with the family: a young black male, age 11 and a 26 year old female school teacher.  The boy's name is hard to ready, but might be Seaborn or Seabold Gains. This eleven year old boy is working as a farmhand, when only a few years prior he would have been working as a slave. Do his parents live nearby or does he even have any? Is he having to make his own way in the world at such a young age?

     In 1887 William purchased land from his brother, John. However he lost all of his land in 1900, unable to make payments. That year, William applied for a pension for his service during the war.  Apparently William had suffered a stroke and remained partially paralyzed. He was trying to farm, but wasn't achieving enough success to support himself and his wife.  William did receive his pension, which his wife continued to draw until her death in 1938.

Civil War Profile: Thomas T Albea

     The following is a profile of one of my Civil War ancestors. What was their life like before, during and after the war? Where did their sympathies lie? How did they feel about the war?

_____

Before
     Thomas T Albea (1845-1905) was my Great-Great-Great Grandfather. He was the son of Tilman Albea and Julia Ann Glaze and appears to have spent his entire life in Lincoln County, Georgia. [Note: He should not be confused with his cousin, Thomas H Albea, about 5 years his senior, who enlisted in 1862] 

     At age 4 Tomas appeared on the 1850 census of District 52, Lincoln County, GA with his family. His father, Tilman, is a "planter." In the 1850 slave census of the same place, Tilman Albea is shown to own five slaves: males aged 20 and 6; females aged 36, 4 and 1. In his father's will, dated 1843, Tilman was supposed to inherit "a negro boy named Ivey." Is he the older male slave record here?

     When Thomas was 14 he appeared on the 1860 census of Samuels District, Lincoln County, Georgia, again with his parents and siblings. His father is listed as a farmer, on land valued at $1400 with a personal estate of $500. At this time Tilman owned only one slave, a 15 year old black female. In 1858, Julia Albea was willed her choice of slaves from her mother, Mary Glaze. Julia was to pick either Issac or Jinney. Is this one lone slave Jinney? What happened to the five slaves that Tilman owned ten years ago?

During
     Thomas was only 15 when hostilities began on 12 Apr 1861, only about 200 miles from his home. Coming from a family of slave owners, I would assume that Thomas and his family were supportive of, or at least sympathetic toward, the new Confederate States Government. There is no proof that his father, Tilman, fought in the war. He was at home in 1864 for a re-districting census and would be invaluable to a farming family during this time. 


     Thomas' brother, William H Albea, did enlist for the Civil War. In fact, William enlisted on July 14 1861, only four months after the war began.  Thomas was now the oldest son at home, probably wondering how long the war would last. Was he anticipating or dreading a long war that would cause him to join the military?

     Thomas T Albea joined the fight in August of 1863. At the time of his enlistment, Thomas was only 17 years old, about two months from turning 18. It seems that Thomas very much wanted to fight and could not wait until he was of age. He is listed on muster rolls for Co. I, 3rd Georgia Cavalry State Guards in Captain Walton's Company. He "joined for and enrolled" on 4 Aug 1863 in Lincolnton, GA for a period of six months. I found this curious, as all other enlistments I've seen were "for the duration of the war." The website Georgia Cavalry Units, states that this regiment was only organized for a six month period starting in August 1863.

     After this six month period, Thomas re-enlisted on 2 Feb 1864. He was placed in Captain Maxwell's Regular Light Battery. Very quickly, he appears on muster rolls for  Captain Barnwell's Battery, Georgia Light Artillery. According to the website Georgia Artillery Units, "this company was organized on 12 March 1864 and served temporally as Co. C, Maxwell's Battalion, Regular Light Artillery." Records show that he was absent in May and June, sick; present all other months of 1864. There is no record of his service after December 1864.

After
     Thomas married in 1867 in Lincoln County. He, his wife, Sarah Corely, and their infant daughter Hattie appear in the 1870 census of the 79th District of Lincoln County, Georgia. Thomas is a farm laborer with no real estate and personal property worth $150. Is he sharecropping or does he have a more desirable fixed rent crop contract? They are also living with Elizabeth Crawly, who is listed as a domestic servant. I think this is likely Sarah's sister (Corley/Crawly) and that she worked for a wealthy family in the area.

     Looking at Thomas' parents, Tilman and Julia Albea: In the 1870 census, Tilman is mis-transcribed as William. Of course, Tilman is no longer a slave owner. He does still own his own land, which is given as a value of $650 (vs $1400) and personal property of $600 (vs $500). Julia herself is listed as owning land valued at $450 (willed to her by her mother in 1858).  The combined value of the couple's property is similar to what it was before the war.

     Overall, it seems that Tilman and Julia may have come through the civil war unscathed - at least on paper. It's highly possible that even staying at home the family witnessed the fighting.  Their property could have been damaged or stolen by the union, or taken by the confederacy to support the war effort.  But in the end it looks like this family made it through better than many others. Both William and Thomas came home from war, as did other cousins.

     Finally, what happened to the family's slaves? In the 1870 census, there are only 12 black people listed in Georgia named Albea. All of them live in Lincoln or neighboring Wilkes county.  Albea is not a common surname, and there were only three Albea families living in Georgia at the time (a trio of brothers). Those old enough to have been born into slavery were almost certainly owned by them.  There are a number of Jennies of the right age and gender, and a number of Isaacs, but none named Albea or Glaze. It's difficult to know where the slaves mentioned in Mary Glaze's will went.

No Turning Back

Fort Sumter, 2010

     One Hundred and Fifty years ago, artillery fire was exchanged at Fort Sumter, starting the Civil War. A US army Major had taken control of the Charleston, South Carolina fort and refused to leave when the new Confederate government told him to.  On April 12, 1861, the Confederacy attacked, which eventually lead to the surrender of the Fort. The first battle of the Civil War ended with a Confederate victory and no fatalities.

     That I know of, all of my ancestors were living in the South when the war broke out.  Many of those ancestors ended up fighting in the Confederate Army. Two ancestors died in service, as well a many uncles and cousins. I can't really know their personal thoughts on the war, but they did actively take part.

     I will be presenting profiles on many of my Civil War era ancestors in the coming months, highlighting all parts of their lives. Here's a list of my known Civil War soldier ancestors (I assume that there must be more that I have yet to prove):

• William A Craft (1840-1909)
• John F Powell (1846-1920)
• Wiley Powell (1819-1864) killed
• Thomas T Albea (1845-1905)
• Nathan W Hyler (1835-1903)
• Franklin E Leaphart (1834-1865) killed
• Richard T Smith (1829-1920)
• William W Sprouse (1840-1905)
• Elijah A Dorn (1827-1903)

A Witness to History (CoG: There's One in Every Family)

Written for the 100th Edition of the Carnival of Genealogy for the topic, "There's One in Every Family."

     Today, thanks to technology such as radio, television, the internet, cell phones and more, we witness history every day. We instantly know about a new discovery or advancement, a tragic event or one to be celebrated. But in the past the only witnesses to such an event were the people who were actually there. Everyone else would have to wait days, weeks or even months to learn what had happened. Looking back through the family tree, everyone can find someone who was witness to some historical event or movement. In my family tree it's my Great-Great-Great Grandfather, William A Craft, who was in Appomattox, Virginia for surrender of the Confederate Army and the end of the Civil War.

    William joined the Confederate Army in Elbert County, Georgia as a private in the 15th Georgia Infantry Regiment, Company C. He was joined by his brothers, John F and Willis M Craft. According to the National Park Services Civil War Soldier and Sailor System, the 15th was part of the Patomic District and later was part of Benning's Brigade with the Army of Northern Virginia.  This regiment fought in battles such as Chickamauga, Knoxville, Petersburg, Gettysburg and Manassus. According to a short news piece published in the Augusta Chronicle in 1938, William picked up a bible off the battle field at Malvern Hill (Henrico County, VA). The bible has been passed down through the family for generations as a family heirloom (not my line, unfortunately).

     Many families have multiple ancestors who fought in the Civil War, but what stands out about William is how he ended the war. Not only did he make it home after the surrender - but he was at the surrender. Now, I highly doubt that a lowly private was actually anywhere near the big-wig generals or the actual surrender, but he was in Appomattox, Virginia as part of the Army of Northern Virginia. He was among the first to learn of the end of the war. He would have received rations from the union army. He would have received a parole that allowed him to return home to his family. He might have been the first to tell others of the end of the war. William was a witness to history.

Thoughts on 'A Letter Home From War'

      On Monday I posted a letter that my GGG-Grandfather Franklin E Leaphart wrote to his wife during the Civil War. In his letter, he touched on many different topics, all of which provide great insight into his life and the world around him. 

The War
     On 9 February 1863, Franklin E Leaphart was camped at Fredericksburg, Virginia with the rest of Company C of the 15th South Carolina Infantry (he had originally enlisted on 28 December 1861 in Lexington, SC with the 20th Regiment). At the time of the letter, Frank and his regiment were at rest. He does not give any information on previous battles, but given that he had been at war for over a year, he must have seen fighting by this time. I wonder why he doesn't talk about it directly? A quick reference check shows that the 15th fought at the battle of Fredericksburg, which had taken place a few months prior, so Frank should have fought in that battle.

     At the time of the letter, Frank wrote that,

"I cannot tell you anything positive about the war. We have orders for General Lee to be ready at all times. To march to battle at a moments warning."

"We suffer enough without fighting. Tongue cannot express how bad we fair out here but O how thankful I will be to my maker if I am spared to see peace made and get home to you and our dear litle children, there to have rest from my pains and trouble during this unfriendly war."

     Reading this, I feel bad for the conditions that Frank and his fellow soldiers find themselves in. They are miserable and can only look forward to more bad times for years to come. The 15th would fight at Gettysburg, Chicamauga, Spotsylvania, and Petersburg, to name a few battles. Frank himself died on 12 Oct 1864 from wounds and disease in a Virginia hospital. It really makes me sad to know how he died, his last years in misery, and that he could not live to an old age with his family.

Family

Ida Leaphart Hyler

     Frank's wife was Julia Ann "July" Craps / Crapps, the daughter of David Craps. The couple made their home on land purchased from David. In his letter, Frank makes reference to "our little boys," Wade and Pierce. At the time Wade would have been eight and Pierce was only three.  A bit further down in the letter, Frank talks about Julia's "confinement." Julia was then pregnant with her daughter, Ida, who was apparently conceived while Frank had been "sick at home" the previous fall. Frank writes that he hopes to come for his daughter's birth and "will use every exertion to get a furlough to come home about that time." Ida was born on 30 May 1863, a time during which Frank is listed as "present"with his regiment. However, a year later Frank did make it home. On 6 May 1864 he created his will, which was witnessed by three of his neighbors. I'm glad that he came home at least once and met his daughter, since he never made it home from war.  Also, it seems that he truly loved his wife, signing his letter as Julia's "true and affectionate husband until death." Julia died less than a year later (cause unknown to me). I wonder if things would have been different if Frank had come home?

The Economy
     A good amount of Frank's letter is instruction to Julia on running the farm: clearing ground, moving sheep, buying land, etc. It makes me wonder about the way the family ran the home. Is this just a reminder of the general way to run the farm that Julia probably already knew how to do? Or was this needed instruction that Julia didn't previously know? I suspect the former. I can't see that a farmer's wife wouldn't know some of these aspects of farming and animal care. I would also guess that many of these decisions were up to Frank. He was probably the one who set the schedule on when to do what, so Julia might not be used to making such decisions and would appreciate the guidance. All of this shows that Frank is not only fighting a war, but he's also running a farm from hundreds of miles away.
     In his letter, Frank also talks about the price of paper. Part of the letter is missing here, but paper costs $3 - though for one piece or more is unclear. That's pretty expensive for paper! He instructs Julia to tear out pages from a book in order to write back. I wonder how much paper would have cost her - or if it was even available?

Slavery
     The third sentence in Frank's letter gives reference to slavery. Apparently in her last letter, Julia had informed her husband that she had "hired a Negro" to work on the farm. This would have meant that Julia had paid a slave owner for the use of their slave.
     Later in the letter Frank asks about a slave that have been offered for sale by "old... Fort" for $600. The slaveowner's first name is missing here, but looking at census records, I think that the owner is probably A H Fort. Mr Fort is the only indexed Fort in Lexington County and, at 73 years old, would qualify as "old." He owned 34 slaves in the 1860 census. Frank wants Julia to try and purchase the woman for $400. I cannot find any record of Frank & Julia owning slaves in the 1850 or 1860 slave census records, nor in Frank's estate records. I'm not sure if Julia left a will, which might have reflected slave ownership. I do know that Julia's father, David, owned three slaves in 1860 and there are a number of men named Leaphart in Lexington County who owned slaves.
     So, I can't say for certain that Frank & Julia bought the woman - but they were willing to. I know for a fact that my Craft, Albea and Quattlebaum ancestors owned slaves. As many white Americans whose ancestors owned slaves, I find myself conflicted on how to view my ancestors. On one hand, this was the culture of the time and the way my ancestors were raised. On the other hand, there were millions of other whites in the country and around the world that had already come to the realization that slavery was wrong, wrong, wrong. Seeing where my ancestor was bargaining for the price of a human being makes it so much more real and heartbreaking. I can't help thinking about the poor woman that is being offered for sale. She's already been hired out as a worker to their neighbor, and now she might be sold to yet another person. She had no say in any of this. Considering the number of slaves that Fort owned, some of them were probably family. She might never see them again. Maybe some of the many children that Fort owned were her children. I hate that in a letter in which Frank writes so lovingly of his family, he can be so oblivious to the sufferings of others.

Religion

     Frank ends his letter with a prayer:

"July, I want you to take good care of my little boys. Try to raise them right and if I never meet you and them no more on earth, I hope to meet you in heaven. May the Lord be with us in all our troubles and help us with the pleasure of meeting again before long, to stay in peace at home and raise our children and to rest from our troubles in this war."

     I'm not sure what religion Frank followed, though it should have been some form of protestant Christianity. It's possible that they were Lutherans. The book, "Journal of the Rev. Godfrey Dreher, 1819-1851," by a Lutheran reverend lists numerous Leaphart and Craps individuals from the area. Regardless of their exact denomination, it's obvious that Frank is a, at least relatively, religious man. He places his hopes for the future in God's hands and hopes for the best. Again, this prayer makes me sad when I know that Frank will never come home from war.



     Every sentence in this letter provides clues into the lives of Frank & Julia Leaphart. This letter touches on both the good and evil in life, but in the end it paints an honest picture of my ancestors. I only wish that I had a letter like this for all of my ancestors!

_____________________________________________

Sources:

1. Franklin E Leaphart, letter to Julia C Leaphart, 9 Feb 1863.

2. "F Leapheart," Confederacy, South Carolina. American Civil War Soldiers [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 1999.

3. "F E Leapheart," Compiled Service Records of Confederate Soldiers Who Served in Organizations from the State of South Carolina. Footnote.com (NARA M267, Record Group 109)
4. "DreherJournal" at Palmeto Genealogy Association.

A Letter Home From War (Amanuensis Monday)

   About a week ago, I was contacted by another researcher on the Leaphart family. She had seen my blog posts about the Leaphart family and wanted to exchange information. Among the documents that I received was a transcription of a letter that my GGG-Grandfather, Frank E Leaphart, sent to his wife Julia (aka July) in 1863, while he was away at war.

   In this letter, Frank talks about the war and his health, gives farming advise to his wife, talks about buying a slave, and ends with a prayer. I'm posting the transcription today, and I'll post my thoughts on it soon.

___________________________

Dear July [Julie],
Having just received a letter from you I will hasten to reply. Your letter was thankfully received. I was extremely glad to hear from you again, it affords me great pleasure to hear that you and our little boys are well and also to hear that you have hired a Negro to help you along with your work. I am not very well at present. I have taken such a severe cold and soar [sore] throat and also that disease which I have in my breast hurts me a great deal worse since I have taken such a severe cold. I have never reported sick, yet some days I am not able to walk 2 miles. We have no duty to do, except inspection and guard duty and not much of that. if we had to drill much or march much I would be compelled to give up and report sick or unfit for duty. I cannot tell you anything positive about the war. We have orders for General Lee to be ready at all times. To march to battle at a moments warning. Therefore, we listen every morning for long role to beat. I am unable to say whether we will have a fight soon or not. There is a great many men getting furloughs now. It seems by that our leading men does not think that we may never have another fight. We suffer enough without fighting. Tongue cannot express how bad we fair out here, but O how thankful I will be to my maker if I am spared to see peace made and get home to you and our dear litle children, there to have rest from my pains and trouble during this unfriendly war. July, you wrote to me that you wanted me to come home. I cannot tell you when I will come home as there is so many here that claim a furlough before me and all these that have been home since they left the coast. I want you to let me know in your next letter, when you expect to be confined and if I am spared I will use every exertion to get a furlough to come home about that time. July, if you have not had the new ground cleaned of yet, you would better have the bushes cut and piled and get some person to help you and have it burned of before the March winds come and have all the land broke up as soon as you can that you have at home and if you are of mind to, you may get a few acres more to tend from your Pa or some other person if you think it will pay. Be shore (sure) and let me know how you like that Negro when you write and let me know whether you have got our sheep or not. When you get them you better keep them up till they bring lambs, drive or take them up to that little field and change them about as much as you can and do not neglect giving them and old Susie salt occasionally. July, I have understood from Doc, since I have been here, that old... Fort offered to sell that Negro witch Daniel Jackson has hired for six hundred dollars. I want you to find out whether he will take four hundred $ yet or not. You can ask him, when you see him in paying. if he will take that I will buy her. I have about three hundred $ coming to me independent of what I owe, which I think I will be able to collect this spring and the balance I can give good insurance for until we can make it. So be shore [sure] and find out and let me know as soon as you can. I would like very much to buy her at that price. Edwin Price has got to flouring [flowering] valentines for the boys here at such a rate that I thought I would send you a copy, so do not let it alarm you at all [Mr. Price was making stationary for the soldiers]. July, if you have received that book which I sent you, use some of it for writing paper, use it out of the last of the book and save the alphabet in the first part of the book. I bought paper ......though, paper is selling for $3.00 a.... here from the sutlers. Must bring my letter to a close as I have nothing more that will interest you at present. July, I want you to take good care of my little boys. Try to raise them right and if I never meet you and them no more on earth, I hope to meet you in heaven. May the Lord be with us in all our troubles and help us with the pleasure of meeting again before long, to stay in peace at home and raise our children and to rest from our troubles in this war. So nothing more, but remain your true and affectionate husband until death.

F E Leaphart

            

Tombstone Tuesday - Patrick Cleburne Confederate Memorial Cemetery

I've never been to this particular cemetery, but I read about it in a Clayton County tourism brochure. The Patrick Cleburne Confederate Memorial Cemetery is located at the intersection of Johnson and McDonough Streets in Jonesboro, Clayton County, GA. The neat thing about this cemetery: It's shaped like the Confederate Flag. It's a little hard to see, but take a look:

(cemetery image from google maps)

Confederate Memorial Day

Today is Confederate Memorial Day in GA, MS, AL, FL & TX. It's a state recognized holiday and certain state offices (such as the GA Archives) will be closed.

It's a day intended to recognize the lives of those who served and died fighting for the Confederacy during the Civil War. One of the main ways that this holiday is celebrated is the displaying of the original Confederate Constitution at the University of Georgia, as well as memorial ceremonies at cemeteries.

I have many ancestors who fought in the Civil War, including: Wiley Powell (died in service), Richard T. Smith, William A. Craft, Nathan W. Hyler, and others.