Since today is the 150th anniversary of the start of the War Between the States, I am publishing a quick post about those in the Wilson-Gray family who served in the military during this dark time in American history. As you may recall, this civil war began on Friday, April 12, 1861 when Confederate artillery opened fire on Fort Sumter, just off the coast of Charleston, South Carolina. Although many of our ancestors lived in South Carolina during Revolutionary War days, most moved west in the following decades.
There are no Union soldiers in our direct line that I’m aware of. We have several who served the Confederacy, none of whom were slave owners as far as I know.
Wilsons — Joel Fowler Wilson was the patriarch. He was 31 and the father of seven when the war broke out. Three more children were born between 1862-1865 making it unlikely that the Reverend served in the military at this time. However, his eldest sons Dixon L., Isom A. and Joel L. were old enough to have possibly served. More research needed.
Albert Pierce Mitchell and his brothers Whitman, George, and Ben served in the 30th Mississippi Infantry, Company D (Dixie Heroes). He was injured severely in the jaw during the Battle of Murfreesboro, Tennessee. His older brother Whitman came to his aid and was killed. Pierce was sent to a confederate hospital in Marietta, Georgia. On 24 November 1863 he was captured at the Battle of Lookout Mountain near Chattanooga, Tennessee and was imprisoned in Rock Island Barracks, Illinois. He was exchanged on 28 March 1865 and sent to Camp Lee near Richmond, Virginia. He returned to Attala County. (Read more about his brothers’ military service in an earlier post. [Albert Pierce Mitchell’s daughter, Leona Mitchell Wilson, is the mother of L.A., Roy, Frank, and Willie Wilson]
Grays — Annabelle Gray Wilson’s father, Lott Dulin Gray, and most of his siblings were born during or after the war but their father, Coleman C. Gray, might be the C.C. Gray listed in the National Park Service’s Civil War Soldiers and Sailors System among the soldiers in Perrin’s Battalion – Company H, also known as the Chicksaw Rangers, and/or the 8th Mississippi Calvary – Company E, also from Chickasaw County. Coleman might have had a brother, Lott (Lod) D. Gray, that also served. Much more research is needed.
Thompsons — Annabelle Gray Wilson’s maternal grandfather, John F. “Jack” Thompson, lost a leg in battle. His wooden prosthesis, shaped like a fork without the middle tine, is still in the family’s possession. I believe he was a member of the 31st Mississippi Infantry. Again, more research is needed.
Kelly Johnson (MR.)
April 17, 2011 at 10:59 pm
Looking about Harvey Wilson who is my relative from revolutionary war. My history shows this part of the family lived/borned in Darlington District, South Carolina and died in Acton(hood county), Texas. Our records shows he was a LT. in Civil war(south) enlisted in Company H 21st South Carolina infantry(1861) More detailed info can be found from History of Texas found at the West Tx Museum, Texas Tech College, Lubbock,tx pgs 588-589, date unknown. i noticed that some of your relative(tuberc. woman) caddo, tx which is within 100 miles of Acton, Tx where harvey died in Hill City, Hood County. Acton is where David Crockett 2nd wife Elizabeth Patton Crockett is buried. I do not know if this helps but seems ironic both in So. Carolina and settled in area near What is now Granbury, Tx.
Doug Mitchell
April 18, 2011 at 10:55 am
Did Albert Washington Mitchell (son of Nimrod, Jr) have a son Charles Robert Mitchell (my greatgrandfather) born 1840? Henry County, Georgia?
grannyhall
April 18, 2011 at 2:08 pm
I have a Robert Mitchell but his birth year is listed at 1848, as he is listed in the 1860 census as being 12. Are you certain of the birth year? My guess is if 1840 is correct and he was the son of Albert Washington Mitchell, he would have fought in the Civil War with his brothers. (see the post referencing the information in the book “Oh for Dixie…”.
grannyhall
April 18, 2011 at 2:13 pm
Perhaps he was a cousin to Joel Fowler Wilson? It was his wife, Ellender, that died of tuberculosis in Joshua, TX, while visiting her adult children. Joel’s father was Riley Wilson; perhaps Harvey was the son of one of this brothers.
It really is interesting how families cross each other’s paths!
Doug Mitchell
April 19, 2011 at 12:25 pm
I am not sure of his
Doug Mitchell
April 19, 2011 at 12:35 pm
I am not sure of his birth year (Charles Robert). He moved to carroll cty from attalla cty at some point. Died in 1895 while on a hunting trip in sunflower cty and is buried there. What info I have comes via a cousin, however, an1850 census of attalla cty did show a Charles Robert approx 2 years old but was unclear who his father was. Any help would be appreciated.
grannyhall
April 19, 2011 at 1:18 pm
That hit a memory nerve — The 1850 census in Attala county lists a few of the Mitchell brothers as living with someone named George Lott. I went back to see — the brothers were Albert P., Benjamin F., and Charles R. There’s also an older child listed: John A. but I’m not familiar with him. The birth years don’t match the 1860 census when they were reported as living with their parents. I’m inclined to consider that one accurate since their parents were likely reporting the ages.
On the 1850 census, George Lott is shown with the brothers as listed above. But a few pages later on that same census is a Frances Lott listed with Albert Washington Mitchell, his wife Susan and a few other Mitchell kids. My thinking is the boys were working on another farm in the same area. And Frances was helping in the Mitchell household, perhaps canning food.
grannyhall
April 19, 2011 at 1:22 pm
Update on John A. Mitchell – he too was one of their children. Found his headstone on Findagrave. Are you in Mississippi?
Doug Mitchell
April 22, 2011 at 10:26 am
Yes, I live in nw ms. Are you saying in your last post, you think AW Mitchell was the father of Charles Robert? If this helps, CR was married to Permelia Ann Elizabeth Britt. Marriage date not known. They had 3 daughters and 4 sons. My grandfather was Archie Clay. Permelia died on 11-5-1911 and is buried in carroll cty probably in the Blackhawk community area.
grannyhall
April 22, 2011 at 2:20 pm
I found her grave – although the spelling is Permalie. She is buried in the New Hope Church Cemetery in Carroll County. There are quite a few Mitchells buried there, including Archie Clay Mitchell. Where is Carroll County?
I couldn’t find marriage or burial information for Charles Robert Mitchell.
BTW, I don’t live in Mississippi now but I went to State.
Doug Mitchell
April 23, 2011 at 10:10 am
Eastern edge of Carroll cty is approx 45-50 mi due west of Starkville, Ms (Ms State). Attala cty borders SE corner of Carroll cty. I attended my grandfathers funeral @ New Hope Church Cemetery in 1948. I also visited cemetery approx 2 years ago. As stated in previous post, Charles Robert died while on a hunting trip to Sunflower cty in 1895. No info on location of gravesite. Is Albert W. his father?
grannyhall
April 23, 2011 at 1:55 pm
It’s likely that your Charles Robert Mitchell is the son of Albert W. Mitchell. He did have a son by that name. And in rechecking the 1860 census listing I noticed that a Britt family lived very near them, but there wasn’t a match on Charles’ wife. Unless she was a cousin that came to visit.
I just looked a bit more. I think I’ve found her on the 1870 Attala County census, listed as PA A E Britt. Father is J.H. Britt. Mother is Elizabeth Britt. But what I’m still not able to find is a marriage record for her. She was 19 at the time, which fits with the birth date on her tombstone, and means that she and Charles Robert Mitchell were married sometime after 1870.
On the 1880 census her first name is shown as Tamelia. Their oldest child listed is Malcom (sp) who was born about 1873, which narrows their date of marriage to sometime between June 1870 and 1873.
Doug Mitchell
April 23, 2011 at 5:54 pm
Malcolm was born 8-8-1872 died 3-7-1945. Eula Kate (8-11-1875) Archie Clay (7-23-1877) John Britt (12-19-1879) Valentine (2-14-1882) Albert (1-6-1886). Two daughters instead of three as stated in earlier post. I have no info on date of marriage either. Marriage info could be in Carroll cty census records.