This Is The Face of Genealogy

My paternal Great Great Grandparents
John Martin Blanton &
Julia Ann McAnear

Civil War Ancestors

April 12, 2011 is the 150th anniversary of the beginning of the Civil War. In recognition of this anniversary, I would like to pay tribute to my ancestors who fought in that war.

JOHN MARTIN BLANTON
My great great grandfather
Company E, 23rd Texas Cavalry, Gould’s Regiment
Born 26 Nov 1827, Alabama
Died 8 Dec 1873, Cass County, Texas
Buried: Unknown

THOMAS L. DAVIS
My great great grandfather
Company I, 31st Louisiana Infantry, Sparrow Cadets
Captured 4 Jul 1863 at Vicksburg, Mississippi
Born 15 Oct 1830, Fayette County, Georgia
Died 21 Jul 1863, Natchez, Adams County, Mississippi
Buried: Natchez, Adams County, Mississippi

JONATHAN J. MILLS
My great great great grandfather
Johnson Cavalry, Rock Creek Guards, Johnson County, Texas
Born 10 May 1803, North Carolina
Died 10 Oct 1878, Johnson County, Texas
Buried: Prairie Springs Cemetery, Johnson County, Texas

MARTIN VAN BUREN MILLS
My great great grandfather
Company C, 21st Texas Infantry, Griffin’s Regiment &
13th Regiment Texas Cavalry
Born 2 Jun 1837, Illinois
Died 8 Nov 1926, Johnson County, Texas
Buried: Prairie Springs Cemetery, Johnson County, Texas

RUFUS K. PRESTIDGE
My great great grandfather
Company K, 37th Texas Cavalry, Terrell’s Regiment
Born 24 Mar 1842, Mississippi
Died 4 Aug 1918, Van Zandt County, Texas
Buried: Prairie Springs Cemetery, Van Zandt County, Texas

WILLIAM H. ROSE
My great great grandfather
Company D & Company I, 6th Missouri Infantry &
Company D, 8th Missouri Infantry
Born 7 Aug 1840, Lawrence County, Ohio
Died 18 Feb 1900, Montague County, Texas
Buried: Smyrna Cemetery, Montague County, Texas

Thomas L. Davis, Civil War Vet

On 21 January 1862, my great grandmother, Nancy Caroline Davis, was born in Union Parish, Louisiana to Thomas L. and Martha Emmaline (Farris) Davis. She was their third child.

Two months later on the 16th March 1862 in Monroe, Louisiana, Thomas L. Davis enlisted as a Private in Company I, 31st Louisiana Infantry.

The 31st Infantry was engaged in several battles.  In December 1862, they fought at Chickasaw Bayou near Vicksburg, Mississippi. Then in May 1863, they were engaged in the battle at Port Gibson, Mississippi.  On the 22 of May 1863, they helped to hold off Union forces at Vicksburg only to be overtaken on the 4th of July 1863.  Several men of the 31st were killed at Vicksburg including Colonel S. H. Griffin, their company commander.  The rest of the men, including Thomas L. Davis, were taken as prisoners of war.

In order to be released, the prisoners were forced to sign an oath stating that they would no longer fight for the Confederacy.  Thomas L. Davis signed the oath on 13 July 1863.  Once the oath was signed the men were free to return to their homes.  It is not known when Thomas Davis began his trip home to Union County, Louisiana; however, he never made it back to his wife and three children.  He died near Natchez, Mississippi on or about 21 July 1863.  In his honor, the following letter was written to his wife and children by their church.

The Baptist Church at Mount Olive [Louisiana]
In Memory of Brother Thomas L. Davis

Bro Davis was born in Fayett County, Ga on the 15th of Oct 1830 Emigrated with his Farther James G Davis to Arkansas in 1840 and to this State & Parish (after the Death of his Farther in 1846) where he lived, the most of his time til he volinteered in the Service of his cuntry on the 16th of March 1862  he made a good and faithful Soldier up to the time of his illness which he bore with christian fortitude he was in Siege at Vicksberg, was surrendered a prisnor of War on the 4th of July 1863 Died on his way home on the 21st day of July 1863 and was buried at or near Natches.  He was married on Jan 12th 1854 to M E Farris the Daughter of Elias Farris, He was united to this church by Experiance & Baptism in Sept 1859 of which his wife was a member he made a consistant and pias member  He was an affectionate husband, a kind farther a good nabour and a worthy citizen (Resolved) that we deepley simpathise with our bereaved, Sister Davis & children and the relations in the Loss of her Husband, We feel that we have lost in the person of Bro Davis a useful member we feel our Loss to be his gain and do not sorrow as those who hav no hope  We feel that we will meet him where Husbands & Wives children friends & christians will part no more Resolved, that the above be spread on the church Book and a copy be sent to the Widow & children of our Brother
Don[e] in conferance on Saturday, before the 2nd Sabbath in Oct 1863

                               H. R. Elkins
                                              Moderator
                               M. M. Harris
                                          Church Clerk

This post was written for Bill West's The American Civil War Genealogy Blog Challenge.  Thanks, Bill, for the inspiration!

Copyright © 2011 Debbie Blanton McCoy.
Do not copy the articles or pictures in this blog without the consent of the author.

Tombstone Tuesday

Prairie Springs Cemetery
Van Zandt County, Texas

Henry H. Slaughter
9 Mar 1852
24 Feb 1892
[Son of William A. & Sarah Jane (Wise) Slaughter]

Zilphia Slaughter
16 June 1854
4 Sept 1935
[Daughter of Levi Benjamin & Savannah (Sloan) Faulk]

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Copyright © 2009-2010 Deborah Blanton McCoy

Do not copy the articles or pictures in this blog without the consent of the author.

 

Tombstone Tuesday

Prairie Springs Cemetery
Van Zandt County, Texas

William A. Slaughter
1813 – 1896

Sarah Jane (Wise) Slaughter
1824-1890

Parents of Sarah Frances Slaughter

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Copyright © 2009-2010 Deborah Blanton McCoy

Do not copy the articles or pictures in this blog without the consent of the author.

Tombstone Tuesday

Prairie Springs Cemetery
Van Zandt County, Texas

Udora Josephine Prestidge Harris
1 Dec 1870
30 Mar 1962
Daughter of  Rufus K. &
Sarah F. (Slaughter) Prestidge

Alford N. Harris
28 Oct 1861
8 Oct 1946
Husband of Udora Josephine Prestidge
Married 25 July 1888
Van Zandt County, Texas

Spelling of Udora’s name was taken from her death certificate.

Copyright © 2009-2010 Deborah Blanton McCoy

Do not copy the articles or pictures in this blog without the consent of the author.

 

Tombstone Tuesday

Prairie Springs Cemetery

Van Zandt County, Texas 

Raymond Prestidge

1 June 1911

20 October 1976

Son of Obediah Dee &

Lula Grace (Goolsby) Prestidge

 Sally E. Prestridge

1888 - 1889

 

John M. Prestridge

1890 - 1893

Son & Daughter of William A. &

Susan L. (Wright) Prestridge

Susie L. (Wright) Prestridge
1867 - 1895
1st Wife of William A. Prestridge

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Copyright © 2009-2010 Deborah Blanton McCoy

Do not copy the articles or pictures in this blog without the consent of the author.

Happy 101 Award

Becky Jamison at Grace and Glory has awarded me the Happy 101 Award.  Thank you, Becky!  I appreciate the award and thank you for reading my blog.

I am supposed to list 10 things that make me happy and list 10 blogs to whom I want to pass on this award.

10 Things That Make Me Happy:

My family
My friends
Flowers
Spring
Chocolate
Sunshine
Sunsets
Traveling
Being retired
Doing genealogy and all the wonderful friends I have met because of this great hobby

10 Blogs I would like to nominate for this award:

A Canadian Family

All My Ancestors

Be Not Forgot

Bluebonnet Country Genealogy

Canada Genealogy

Genealogy Traces

Herstoryan

Mississippi Memories

My Tombstone Collection

We Tree

 

Happy New Year

Happy new year to all of my Blanton family cousins and my Geneablogger friends.  I truly appreciate those of you who have read and commented on my blog this year. 

I’m not one to make a bunch of New Year’s Resolutions, but I have a few in mind.  I have only made 31 posts to my blog this year and I will try to do better next year.  I am not a writer like many of the wonderful Geneabloggers.  I started this blog to give out more information about the families I am researching.  I’m not sure where I will go with my blog this year, but I’m hoping to get more of my family information on here.  I have the majority of it on my web site, but it doesn’t hurt to have it in two places.

I’m also hoping to join at least one of the nearby genealogical societies where many of my ancestors lived.  Now that I’m living nearby, it will be possible for me to attend their meetings.  I would also love to go to one of the genealogy conferences, but I’m not sure if I can make that happen this year.

Happy New Year everyone.  Here’s wishing that we all make some wonderful discoveries this year and break down some of those brick walls!

Tombstone Tuesday

Prairie Springs Cemetery
Van Zandt County, Texas

 

Obediah Dee Prestidge
8 Feb 1875
9 July 1932

Lula Grace (Goolsby) Prestidge
10 Jan 1895
15 Aug 1972

Jerry Goolsby
1865 – 1931
Father of Lula Grace Goolsby

 

Copyright © 2009-2010 Deborah Blanton McCoy

Do not copy the articles or pictures in this blog without the consent of the author.