52 Ancestor's Challenge - Elizabeth Miles born 1834 in Georgia - Week 3 - "Tough Woman"

I've been working on and off with this blog for over a year now, but still trying to get used to it all.  I'm learning new tricks every week!  This week, we are starting to use footnotes.  Hopefully I'm using them correctly.  If not....Sorry!!

Anyway...on to week # 3's challenge!  This week, the suggested theme is to write about a "tough woman."  Looking through my tree, I can find so many women that would fit the bill.  It was hard to decide on one.   With all that our ancestors had to endure, living without the modern day conveniences we have today...I'm sure I couldn't do it!

This week I've choose to write about my 3rd great grandmother, Elizabeth Miles, who was widowed during the Civil War with seven young children to take care of.

Elizabeth was the first born daughter of Robert P. Miles and Palmira Jackson.  She was born around Harris County, Georgia on October 5, 1834.  Looking at tax and census records, we know her family lived in Georgia until at least 1843. They then moved to Tallapoosa County, Alabama.¹²


Familysearch.org, John H.M. Vines and Elizabeth Miles Marriage, 2-13-1849, Alabama County Marriages, 1809-1950, Tallapoosa County, Page 419, Image 355 of 547, File No.1302444(005205830)

On February 13, 1849, Elizabeth married John H.M. Vines in Tallapoosa County, Alabama.³  I wrote about John H.M. Vines in a previous post last year.  The couple had 7 children that I know of:

• Mary Ann Melvina Vines
• Nancy Elizabeth Vines (my direct ancestor)
• Lucinda Jane Vines
• Susan Margarett Vines
• Robert Javis Vines
• Matilda Estella Vines
• George Washington Vines

Bible record found in the the possessions of Mamie Estelle Locke Holcomb, Elizabeth's granddaughter.

The family resided in Tallapoosa County until the start of the Civil War.  In May of 1862, John joined Company D, of the 34th Alabama Infantry as a private.  One of my most treasured possessions is a letter he wrote home to his family.  The letter was dated July 11th, 1862.  Just 10 days later, John died of sickness somewhere near Saltillo, Mississippi.

In the letter he tells Elizabeth if she wants to move back to her father's house, she can.  Next we see Elizabeth's father listed in the Alabama State Census for the year 1866 in Fayette County, Alabama.⁴  The household has an extra 8 people living in the house, the same ages as Elizabeth and her 7 children.  Because this census does not list individual names, we can't be positive.  However, I'm pretty sure it's them, since on the 1870 Federal Census, Elizabeth and her 8 children are listed living next door to R.P. Miles, her father.  The family is still in Fayette County, Alabama, and are listed as living in Township 17.⁵

Sometime before 1874, Elizabeth moved with her children and her sister Lucinda Miles Beckett, and Lucinda's family, to Arkansas.  This is according to probate papers I have copies of.⁶ Arkansas is the last place we can locate Elizabeth.  In 1880, she is found living in Totten, Lonoke County.⁷

On June 27th, 1892, we see she filed an Application for Pension for her husband John. This was signed in the county of White, in Arkansas.  The pension not only lists the death date of her husband, John, but it also states that she suffers from "Nervous Prostration."  Elizabeth would have been 57 years old. 



Application For Pension by Elizabeth Miles Vines, June 27, 1892.  Ordered and received from Arkansas Confederate Penion Records, Arkansas History Commission, 1 Capitol Mall, 2B-215, Little Rock, AR 72201. http://www.ark-ives.com/documenting/confed_pensions/detail/default.aspx?sec=ConfPension&id=4077.

I'm not sure what happened to her after this.  I do know she was probably living with her daughter Nancy Elizabeth Vines Locke when she signed the pension application.  But by 1898, Nancy Elizabeth and her family moved to Texas.  Elizabeth's other children: Mary Ann Melvina Vines Beckett, Robert Javis Vines, and Matilda Estella Vines Cockrell also made their way to Texas by 1900.  It's unknown if Elizabeth went with them or stayed in Arkansas with her other 3 children.


If you have any questions about anything in this post, please leave me a comment.  Thanks for reading!!

---

1 Ancestry.com, 1840 United States Federal Census, R. Miles, Hueys District, Harris, Georgia, Roll:43, Page:243, Image:499, Family History Library Film:0007044.

2 Ancestry.com, Georgia, Property Tax Digests, 1793-1892, Robert Miles, 1843, Dagnol District, Harris, Georgia, USA, Image 78 of 177.^↩

3 Familysearch.org, John H.M. Vines and Elizabeth Miles Marriage, 2-13-1849, Alabama County Marriages, 1809-1950, Tallapoosa County, Page 419, Image 355-547, File No.1302444(005205830).^↩

4 Ancestry.com, Alabama State Census, 1820-1866, Robert Miles, Fayette County, 1866, Image 51 of 126.^↩

5 Ancestry.com, 1870 United States Federal Census, Elizabeth Vines, Township 17, Fayette, Alabama, Roll: M593_16, Page 457A, Image 438, Family History Library Film: 545515.^↩

6 Fayette County, Alabama, Probate Court Minutes, Volume 2, Pages 285-287, Petition For Letters, The Estate of Robert P. Miles, Dated May 13, 1874.^↩

7 Ancestry.com, 1880 United States Federal Census, Elizabeth  Vines, Totten, Lonoke, Arkansas, Roll: 50, Family History Film: 1254050, Page: 383B, Enumeration District: 188, Image: 0490.<^↩

52 Ancestors Challenge - Week 9 - John H.M. Vines - 34th Alabama Infantry - Civil War

JOHN H.M. VINES

 

Is this the picture of John H.M. Vines??  We will probably never know for sure.  It was found in some of my great grandmother, Mamie's, things.  We believe it might be John H.M. Vines, her grandfather.  We can not be 100% sure of this, but the resemblance to his sister Lucinda, and his daughter Nancy Elizabeth are strong.  It is a small tin-type photo.  Also in her belongings, was a handwritten letter from John to his wife, Elizabeth Miles Vines that he wrote while away during the Civil War.  It was dated July 11, 1862, just 10 days before he died.

John H.M. Vines was born about 1829 in, or around, Abbeville, South Carolina.  He was the youngest son of John "Jabez" Vines and Nancy Mattison.  He had at least 2 sisters and 2 brothers that we know of:

• Mary "Pollie" Ann - born 1822, died 1846
• Benjamin J. "B.J." - born 1824, died 1910
• George Washington - born 1828
• Lucinda Purcilla - born 1832, died 1913

1830 Federal census we find a "Jabish" Vines living in Abbeville District, South Carolina.  There are additional children living in the household, besides the 4 we know they had: 2 older male children and 3 older female children.  So there is a possibility that John could have had additional siblings.

1840, we find the family has moved to Tallapoosa County, Alabama.  In the household are children the ages of John, B.J., George, and Lucinda.  Pollie was married by then to George M. Berry, and also living in Tallapoosa County.

Then, on February 13, 1849, we find the marriage record of John H.M. Vines and Elizabeth Miles.  Elizabeth was the oldest daughter of Robert P. Miles and Palmira Jackson.  She was born October 5, 1834 in Georgia, probably near Meriwether County.  We can see the couple living next to John's father Jabez, in Township 22, Tallapoosa County, Alabama on the 1850 census.

Together, the couple had 7 children:

• Mary Ann Melvina 1850-1897
• Nancy Elizabeth 1851-1920
• Lucinda Jane 1853-1915
• Susan Margarett 1854-????
• Robert Javis 1856-1934
• Matilda Estella 1859-1924
• George Washington 1861-????

1860 Federal census we see John, Elizabeth and their 6 older children living in Western Division (Beat 2), Tallapoosa County, Alabama.  John's occupation is shown as "farmer."  There was also a "Non-Population Schedule" done for the year of 1860.  In it, we can see he owned a farm of 320 acres, 30 improved and 290 unimproved, with a cash value of $700.  On this farm, he had 5 horses, 5 milk cows, 2 working oxen, 2 other cattle, and 16 pigs (or swine as it states).  This livestock had a value of $590.  On this schedule you can see the majority of crops raised in the area were of Indian corn and cotton.  John's farm had 30 bushels of Indian corn and 9 bales of ginned cotton (bales were of 400lbs each).  Comparing John's farm to those of his father and siblings, you see his farm was much lower in value.  Comparing acres you see he had more acres then his siblings, but less of those acres were improved.  He also had less livestock.  His siblings and father lived near each other in Beat No. 13 in Tallapoosa County, but John lived in Beat No. 2.

Then, in 1861 came the Civil War.  Its hard to read the index cards on Fold3.com, however, you find John H.M. Vines age 30 enlisting as a Private in Company D of the 34th Alabama Infantry.  His brother George Washington Vines also enlisted and served in the same company.  In the book Soldiers of the Southern Cross, The Confederate Soldiers of Tallapoosa County, Alabama, by William Gregory Wilson, "the 34th Alabama Regiment was organized at Loachapoka in Macon County, Alabama on April 15, 1862."  The company was brought together at Loachapoka, but was ordered, in June, to report to Tupelo, Mississippi.  According to Mr. Wilson's book, not only was there a lot of sickness and disease within the troops, water was scarce in Tupelo too.  The men had to "dig deep wells in search of potable water."  Because of the lack of water, and the heat of summer, Mr. Wilson believes some camps moved east of Tupelo.  We see this move shown in a letter from John H.M. Vines to his wife Elizabeth (except his camp moved north about 8 miles, not east).

Itawamba Cty, Saltillo Miss

July 11th 1862

 

Dear Wife I seat my self this morning to reply to your kind letter that I received yesterday and was proud to hear from you and that you was all well.  Beffy I must say to you that I haven't seen a well day since I have been hear with the exception of one week though I have been up all the time except four days and I was very bad of(f) then.  I could not walk a step with out help it was mumps that got me so lo.  I am doing tollerable well now but not able to do duty.  Beffy a soldiers life is a hard life you need not dout it.  Some of the doctors says it is my liver that is wat is the mater with me now and some of them says it is plurisy.  Ever since I have got up from the mumps I have had a sever misery in my left side and a sever cough which hurts me very much but I am a great deal better than I have been.  Beffy George holds up fine he is as lively as you pleas and has been all the time.  Beffy we have moved from Tupelo up to Saltillo about eight miles.  Walking up here worsted me mighty.  You must still direct your letters to Tupelo a while longer we will still keep marching toward Tenesee I recon some thinks we will go to Tenesee.  Beffy as you want to go to your Paps you are at liberty to go when ever you want to go.  Beffy I am more than to gratify you in any respect that you wish so I want you to go when ever you get ready.  God bless your sweet soul.  I wish I could be with you but it is out of my power at this time.  Beffy I wrote to you in a letter that I sent by Elias Berry what & how I wanted you to manage when you left for your Paps.  Beffy you no it is my wish for you to go.  Beffy you wrote for me to try to do better.  I have quit swaring entirely and have been ever since I have been here.  I will close with you and reply to Melly.  I remain your affectionate husband until death.  J.H.M. Vines

 

My dear daughter I am proud that you can write to your Pa.  Melly I want you to be good girl bless your sweet little soul and all of the rest of my children.  I wish I could be with you all.  Melly kiss Til and Budy for me.  I want to see you all so bad.  Melly when you all go to your grand Paps be sweet children.  I hope I will be with you all before long.  Melly write to me you and your ma as soon as you get this.  Farewell your loving Pa whose love shal never fail.

J.H.M. Vines

 



Such a sweet letter, and he must have been really ill.  On a widow's pension filed by Elizabeth in 1892, she put down as his date of death, July 21st, 1862.  Only 10 days later.  Whether he was still in Saltillo, MS, I'm not sure.  Towards the end of July, the 34th Alabama went by "rail roundabout through Mobile to Chattanooga in preparation for a Confederate offensive into central Kentucky."  This is according to Mr. Wilson's book.  It is certain that John did not have to see, or fight, in any battle in the war.  The 34th didn't see their first battle until December 31, 1862 at the Battle of Murfreesboro.

Where John would have died, and is buried, is a mystery.  If he could have made the journey to Tennessee, I've been told he may have died at Tyner's Station, Tennessee or camp Recovery.  However, since the 34th didn't move until late July, its quite possible he died prior to the journey, or could have been too sick to make the journey.  No, I believe he probably didn't make the trip and died somewhere near Saltillo, or Tupelo, Mississippi.  There is an unknown Confederate soldier buried in a plot next to Elizabeth's parents in Fayette County, Alabama, where Elizabeth was wanting to move per the letter from John shown above.  I'm not sure they would have brought the body back to the family.  Seems like there wouldn't have been the time or money for that.  He was probably buried with the many other men who died of disease in the area of Tupelo at that time.

Elizabeth did indeed move back with her parents.  You can find her and the 7 children in the 1870 Federal census living next door to her parents, Robert and Palmira Miles, in Fayette County, Alabama.  In fact, the 1866 Alabama state census shows Robert Miles household.  In that household is him and his wife, their remaining children living at home, and the added number of Elizabeth and her 7 children.  This particular census is interesting because it asks about the Civil War soldiers who would have been living in the household.  Where it says "died of sickness" we see they marked "2."  One would have been Elizabeth's brother Absalom Jackson Miles who died of sickness near Richmond, Virginia, and the other was probably her husband, John H.M. Vines.

It would have been interesting to hear what stories John's granddaughter, Mamie, would have heard about him.  I assume Mamie's mother, Nancy Elizabeth, must have mentioned her father at some point.  We do know his wife Elizabeth was around when Mamie was a young girl too.  So its safe to assume Elizabeth might have mentioned him to Mamie as well.  I don't think anyone asked Mamie, or even knew about this man or the letter she carried with her.

If you have any questions, or concerns, about any of the information listed above, please leave a comment.  I'd be happy to provide any additional information.  Thanks for reading!!

#52Ancestors Challenge - Week 6 - Herod Gibson - Gibson County, TN to De Soto, Jefferson County, MO

Well, I've had a bit of a dilema on who to write about this week.  Originally, I thought I would alternate each week from my maternal side of the family to my paternal side.  However, I think I'm going to stick to one side for a while.  This way I can just keep researching the same line as I go instead of jumping back and forth.

With that said, we'll continue the 52 Ancestors Challenge that was proposed by Amy Johnson Crow.  Last week, I wrote about William Francis Gibson.  This week, we'll take a look at his father, Herod Gibson.

Herod was born October 10, 1836 in Gibson County, Tennessee.  He was the son of Alexander Gibson and Melinda (unknown).  Both of his parents are believed to be from South Carolina.  It is my guess that they may be from Union, South Carolina, but that is speculation at this point.  We believe his possible siblings were:

• William H. - b.1832 in South Carolina
• Margaret (or Martha) - b. 1834 in Tennessee
• John A. - b. 1839 in Tennessee
• James J. - b. 1841 in Tennessee
• Green B.J. (or Jefferson) - b. 1843 in Tennessee

In 1840, we can find the family of Alexander Gibson living in Gibson County, Tennessee (at this time, I do not know if they are related to Col. John H. Gibson, who the county was named after).  There are 2 boys under the age of 5, one age 5-10, one girl age 5-10, one adult male age 20-30 and one adult female age 20-30. 

The 1850 census has the family living in District 2, Carroll County, Tennesee.  Here we see Alexander and William working as farmers.

By 1858 we know the family moved to Missouri.  There is a marriage record for Herod Gibson and Sarah Jane Patterson.  They were married on August 15, 1858 in Ste. Genevieve County, Missouri.  We aren't sure who Sarah's parents were, however, there is a James Patterson and a Sarah A. Patterson living in Madison County, Missouri (Madison is near Ste. Genevieve).  This James and Sarah A. have a daughter named Sarah J M Patterson, and she is the same age as the Sarah who married Herod.

In 1860, we find Herod and wife Sarah living in the household of Alexander Gibson in Ste. Genevieve Township, Ste. Genevieve County, Missouri.  We also see their first child, William Francis, living with them at the age of six months.

In 1861, we can see Herod enlisted for the Confederacy, as a private in Company C, of the 5th Regimental Infantry, 1st Division, Missouri State Guard.  He enlisted for the term of 3 months and 21 days.  His brother John also enlisted in the State Guard.  On Fold3.com, there is a "Union citizen File" on John A. Gibson.  Apparently, John was "arrested upon the charge of giving aid and comfort to the enemies of the United States, and of other acts of disloyalty."  This was signed by John, Herod, and William (Herod's older brother) on June 25, 1862 in Ste. Genevieve.  Herod and William were acting as security for the sum of $1,000, and John was instructed not to leave the county of Ste. Genevieve.  We can see by the signatures that Herod and John signed with a mark, while William signed his name.  Herod could not read or write.

Also found on Fold3.com, we find Herod was drafted into the Union Army on September 22, 1864.  He is shown in Company H of the 18th Missouri Infantry.  They describe him as having a dark complextion, brown hair, brown eyes, and 6 feet 1/2 inch.  He was enlisted in Ironton, Missouri for the term of 1 year.  We also see he filed for pention on July 15, 1890.  According to his obituary, he was in "Sherman's march to the sea.  He served until the close of the war and was honorably discharged from the service."  According to The Civil War Archive, online, the 18th MO Inf. was mustered out July 18, 1865 from Louisville, Kentucky.

Between his time in service with the Confederacy and Union Armies, Herod and Sarah had 2 more children: Ida Ann born December 17, 1863, and Mary Emma born March 20, 1864.  Unfortunately, Ida Ann died on July 5, 1865, just prior to Herod's discharge.  After he returned, the couple had one more child, Sarah Jane born October 9, 1866.  However, just after the birth of their daughter Sarah Jane, Herod's wife Sarah passed away (possibly due to complications of the birth), on October 19, 1866.  Now Herod, just back from war and ready to carry on with his life, was left widowed with 3 small children.

In 1980, in De Soto, Missouri, there was a Gibson family reunion.  There was a wall with different stories posted, the following was one of those posts, by Olive Gibson (Herod's granddaughter):

"Great Grandfather Herod Gibson was in the fields a working and one of the little Gibson children (a girl) was left to watch the baby.  She was sitting before the fireplace, holding the baby, and it tumbled from her lap and rolled into the fireplace and it died."

The infant that died was the youngest, Sarah Jane.  She died November 5, 1867.  She would have been just over one year.  The girl watching her might have been Mary Emma, however, it could have been a Gibson cousin, we just aren't sure.  Mary Emma would have only been 3 years old, so I hesitate to believe she would have been watching her younger sister.

1870, we find Herod, William Francis, and Mary Emma living in Central Township, Jefferson County, Missouri.  They're living next door to William, Herod's brother, and his family.  Both Herod and William are shown working on the railroad.

By 1880, we see Herod and his 2 children living on Lewis Street in De Soto, Jefferson County, Missouri.  This time, Herod's mother, Melinda, is shown living with the family.  Herod is listed as working as a laborer.  Melinda died just nine years later on November 12, 1889.

By 1900 both William Francis and Mary Emma married and had children of their own.  On the 1900 federal census, we see Herod living in the household of William Francis on Cedar, in Valle Township, City of De Soto, Jefferson County, Missouri.  I'm not sure how big the house was, but I'm guessing it would have been busy.  The census shows 14 people living in the house: William Francis, his wife, their 9 children, Herod, Mary Emma (Herod's daughter), and Mary Emma's two daughters.  Mary Emma was widowed by this time.  Her husband, William H. Brown, died in a caboose accident.  Herod was shown working as a day laborer in 1900.

If you recall my previous post on William Francis Gibson, then you know he and his wife died of "consumption" (tuberculosis) in 1904, leaving behind 9 children.  By 1910, we see Herod living on East Main Street in De Soto, Jefferson County, Missouri with his daughter Mary Emma Brown and her two daughters Cleo and Ethel.  He was working as a laborer for the railroad.  The family was still living on the same street (possibly the same house) in 1920, but Herod was not working anymore.  He could have retired, he was 83 years old at this time.

The picture to the right is of Herod.  The 3 women in the photo are unknown to me, but I'm guessing it is Mary Emma and her two daughters.  Mary Emma Gibson Brown died in 1923.  She is buried in the City Cemetery in De Soto, MO.

According to notes that were given to me from other family members, Herod was living with Ethel and Homer Milhouser (Ethel was Herod's granddaughter), at 1906 Missouri Avenue in St. Louis, MO, when he died July 13, 1926.  Cause of death was chronic bronchitus, non-tubercular, brought on by old age.  The note said he was 87 years 9 months and 3 days (but that does not match with the birthdate we have in our family records).  Herod is buried next to his mother, Melinda, in the City Cemetery, De Soto, MO.

Herod did indeed live a very long life.  He outlived his parents, his wife, all four of his children, and 2 grandchildren.