Alleghany Historical-Genealogical Society, Inc.

P.O. BOX 817, Sparta, N.C. 28675

President: Marvie Shelor			
Vice President: Mildred Torney
Secretary-Treasurer: 

Vol. 8, No.4	 	             	  December 1986		BULLETIN NO. 29

FROM THE PRESIDENT:

	My term has come to its end.  Seems like we didn’t get much done  We tried most of the year to come up with a meeting time that would get more of you to attend.  Nothing seems to work, so we are back to our old time.

	We didn’t’ get the Cemetery Census published like I hoped we would.  We need to do something in the next year FOR SURE!

	Seems like I couldn’t get anyone to gather local history for our archives.  Maybe someone would like to help.

	I have enjoyed being your president this year.  I don’t think I did much for you.  I feel somewhat out of place not being a native of Alleghany.  I will look forward to supporting our new officers in 1987.

									Respectfully,
										Marvie Shelor

FROM ALL OF US TO PRESIDENT MARVIE SHELOR:

	Hold on there!  Don’t sound so final! We’re not ready to say good-bye!  Sure we haven’t accomplished a lot this year, but organizations such as this seldom do.  You’ve held us together and that’s the important thing.  Besides, we need you to get the Cemetery Census published.  You can’t leave us now, we NEED you.

FROM THE MUSEUM COMMITTEE:

	Chairman of the Museum Committee, Lou Reid Landreth, reports that the Board of Directors of our Society has approved the name to be used for our museum--HISTORICAL MUSEUM OF ALLEGHANY.  Other names had been mentioned in the Committee but it was the consensus that the emphasis must be on “Historical” but that “Alleghany” also should be in the title.  

	The Board also approved a procedural manual to be used by the museum, superseding all prior forms and record keeping.

	As reported in a prior bulletin, we were missing one member for the Committee.  This has been filled by Betty Black (Mrs. Bob) who will represent Prathers Creek.  

	The following is a Civil War letter submitted by Marvie Shelor who has the original letter.  It was written by I.B. Shelor (known as Dosier) to his wife Elizabeth Southern Shelor who lived in Meadows of Dan, Virginia.  

Dear Wife I cannot refrain from writing you a few lines this evening to inform you how I am and whare.  Do not let the name of Hospital afright you for I am a great deal better than I was when I wrote you before.  The cause of my coming to the Hospital was this, the Commandant of the Post at Camp Jackson ordered that all who were not able for service must be sent to the Hospital.  I came over here on the cars last evening, and to my surprise I found a very clean and in every respect comfortable place.  Although there is a good many sick men here, the room we are staying in is nice and clean.  They don’t even allow men to spit on the floor, but they have spit tones for to spit in.  There is four stays in this room, one is A.J. Cassell’s son, one is from Wythe, the other from Lee County.  They are all so they can go about, none of them has the Fever.  I mentioned this so you will not be thinking I am shut up in a room with it.

	Our fare is as good as I could wish. We have fryed ham, biscuits and coffee for breakfast, boild meat with beans, biscuit and water for dinner, boild meat, biscuits and tea for supper.  Oh My Dear, you cannot imagine how unhappy I felt when the Doctor said I must go to the Hospital.  I knew it would grieve you so much when you heard it, but there was no way to help it for the Doctor give special orders not to let any go to private houses.  So you see there was no other chances for I was not able for Duty.  Oh and I fear I never will be, though I don’t see any chance to get off (I mean a discharge).

	This is Friday morning May 23rd.  Through the kind mercies of God I am still blessed with increasing strength.  I think I shall be as well as I ever am in a few days.--Oh my Dear, you do not know how bad I hated to Leave Camp Jackson the evening I did for I was looking for a letter from you that evening if the letter came Henry was to send it on to me so I expected it here last night but to my sorrow it did not come.  Oh if only I could hear from you this morning how glad I would be, but I cant.  So I will try as Paul said to learn to be contented in what ever situation I am placed.

	Susan wrote in her letter of the 8th that Willie had cut his foot.  I have been uneasy about him ever since though you have doubtless wrote to me before this letter reaches you.  Give me all the particulars about it, if you have not I want you to and tell me how he has got.  Write to me how all the children (God Bless their little lives) are getting along.  How Mary Agnes is coming along with her lambs and how John Floyd is coming on with his young calves and how Lee is getting on with his walking.  The Bell is ringing for breakfast I must go.

	I can inform you I have had the pleasure of attending preaching twice since I left home.  The first time was at Wytheville, the first Sunday after I got to Camp.  The profession was Episcopalian.  The preacher was dressed in a long black robe and when he prayed he would repeat a few verses and the members of the church would all respond by repeating a few verses.  They had a great deal of unnecessary formality about it.  Though they had a most beautiful singing and music.  Then they had preaching here yesterday at 4 o’ clock. The preacher was a Missionary. He done right smart.  It was a source of great pleasure to me to attend worship after being in Camp and seeing the Wickedness and confusion and gambling, drinking, cursing and immortality of men and officers generally.  I can assure you it brought home and friends most vividly to my mind.  It made me almost look around involuntarily for you and the children but alas, you was fare, fare away.  

	You have all heard of the Fight near Princeton, Mercer County before this will reach you.  I believe our Company was in the fight but none of them was hurt so far as I can learn.  We killed about 200, two hundred Yankees and lost 9 killed and 17 wounded.  Colonel More was in the fight but never lost a man.  I don’t know whether Bob is with the Company or not.  You can tell Benton Capt. Eliot was killed in the fight.  Tell Pa and Mother I saw John Thompson at Camp Jackson he said Uncle William and Aunt Polly was well as common though they are breaking very fast.  Henry Thompson is here he has been very sick but is getting well.  Cousin William Shelor (Uncle Jacobs son) is here he has had the Fever but is getting nearly well.  There is about two hundred and seventy-five here at this time though a great many of them is convalescing.   The building I stay in has one hundred and twenty rooms in it and as many window’s  I write this because it will amuse the children.

	I cant tell you how long I will stay here. The men that is here and has been here some time says when a man gets in here once, it is a hard matter to get away.  I have been here 2 days and the doctors has not examined me yet, though I believe form what I can learn, if my Captain would interest himself a little I could get Exempt.  I think the chief  Doctors at this place are very intelligent wise men.---

	I understand our Company is coming back to Camp Jackson.  I do not know how long they will  stay there.  If I was able I had rather be with the Company, our Regiment is not organized yet.  Capt Lawson and Capt Poage is candidates for Colonel.  I hope Jeff will get the office.  If he does Time Nowell will be our Captain which would be very expectable to us all for we would have the Capt and Col both of our own choice though it matters not with me for I never expect to be able to render any service as a soldier.

	Major William Shelor is Lieutenant Colonel now, you can tell the relations.  He is very popular in his Regiment.  I have no news of any importance to write you of a Public character.  It is the general talk that the War cant last long or may turminate in our Independence.  There is some talk of France interfering in our behalf though I have no confidence in the report. ---

	I expect the Yankees are making attempts at this time to take Richmond.  If they get it I know not where we will go to.  We have not received our Bounties yet and I know not when we will.  I have spent four Dollars per quire on eight cents per sheet for the smallest sized paper.  You had better send and get you some paper before it gets so high you cant get it for if I could not get a letter from you I could not stand it.  I would run away and try to come home .  If I was hindered from writing for 2 thousand dollars, no not for the world--I feel like I wanted to write you every day, but you know my money would not hold out to do so.  I have wrote 3 letters and sent by mail since I have been from home and one to your father.  I paid the postage on all the letters I have sent, but I shall quit it for fear you cant get them.

	Tell Susan that Henry is at Camp Jackson, he is complaining with the Bounties. Now my Dear you must not neglect writing to me every week if you can.  I kow you have a bad chance, but that is all the pleasure I see. Don’t fail to write because any of you are sick, for when you don’t I think that is the cause, so I rather you would write any how. Tell all the family howdy for me.  I must try to close this letter for want of space.  If you don’t hear from me before you write, direct your letter to this place and if I am gone it will be sent to me. I will take leave of you and the children by praying the Lord may restore me to you all again.

							I.B. Shelor

These Civil War letters are a welcome addition to our Bulletin and we will feature more of them from time to time.  

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	Mrs. Pauline Jolly has submitted the following list of people who are seeking genealogy data and have left their names at the Library:

NAME AND ADDRESS					FAMILIES BEING RESEARCHED

Shirley E. Atkinson					Descendants of Solomon and Elizabeth
W. Covina, CA						Scott and daughter Cynthia Jane.  Also
							William Long

Brenda Payne Roberts					Enoch Osborn, Van D. Hash  Osborn.
Madison, NC						Hash/Peak/Phipps

Gladys H. Spurlin					Ancestors of John-Joe Spurlin
Mt. Airy, NC						Family living near Sparta 1830-1880.

Carl Stone						John, Eli, Levi, Andrew Price
Indore, W. Va.						Also Jess and George Caldwell

Mrs. Raymond Ballard					Bryan, Hale, Woodruff, Thompson &
Pleasant Hill, MO					Stone.  Also Ridenhour

Walter G. Osborne					Jacob Osborne and Jonathan Osborn
Bel Air, MD

Paul Collins						Reed-Prather
River, VA

List of oldest people in Alleghany Co. 1880 showing where they and parents were born

	GAP CIVIL
NAME			AGE		B	F	M

Richard Edwards		81		NC	NC	NC
Eady Edwards		80		VA	VA	NC
Nathaniel Moxley	83		NC	NC	NC
Patience Toliver		77		VA	VA	VA
Allen Toliver		76		VA	VA	VA
Sousana Toliver	      w	80		NC	NC	NC
Lucille Hendrix		74		NC	NC	NC
Pricilla Sexton		74		VA	VA	VA
Margaret Toliver		80		NC	NC	VA
Mazie Reeves		76		NC	NC	NC
Samuel Willey		70		NC	NC	NC
Sarah Wagoner		76		NC	NC	NC
Margaret Gambill		75		VA	VA	VA
Ann Moxley		75		NC	NC	NC
Thomas Moxley		70		NC	NC	NC
Betsy Fugett		85		NC	NC	NC
Benjamin Crouse		70		NC	NC	NC
David Crouse		81		NC	NC	NC
Charity Scott		70		NC	NC	NC
Benjamin Phipps		78		NC	NC	NC
Celia Reeves		79		NC	NC	NC
Morgan Hodge		75		VA	VA	VA

	CRANBERRY
David Osborn		72		NC	NC	NC
Elizabeth Stamper	78		NC	NC	NC
Asa Russel		78		NC	NC	NC
Leana Russel	   w	85		NC	NC	NC
Jessee Watkins		78		NC	NC	NC
Mary Watkins         w	76		NC	NC	NC
Washington Long		70		NC	NC	NC
Isaac Holloway		75		NC	NC	NC
Mary Holloway       w	77		NC	NC	NC
Betsy Fuget		75		NC	NC	NC
Joseph Blevins		80		VA	VA	VA
Thomas Moxley		83		NC	NC	NC
Anna Stamper		70		VA	VA	VA
Jessee P Caudill		80		NC	NC	NC
Henderson Creek		76		NC	NC	NC
Elizabeth Jones		80		VA	NC	NC

	PRATHERS CREEK
Thomas Atwood		70		VA	VA	VA
Sally Royal		80		NC	VA	VA
Nancy Sanders		81		NC	VA	VA
Lewis Wiles		84		NC	NC	NC
Catherine Wiles     w	79		VA	VA	VA
Solomon Jones		76		NC	SC	VA
Sarah Jones		70		VA	VA	VA
Charles Thompson	76		NC	NC	NC
David Goodwill		78		NC	PA	VA
David Taylor		81		VA	VA	VA
Sophia Taylor         w	75		NC	NC	NC
Alex Thompson		81		NC	NC	NC
Martha Thompson  w	80		NC	NC	NC
John Collins		74		NC	NC	NC
Thomas Jones		78		VA	VA	NC
Levi Jones		80		VA	SC	VA
Nancy Jones	    w	94		VA	NC	NC
Martin Williams 		74		NC	NC	NC
William Stamper		71		NC	NC	NC
Nancy Pugh		74		NC	NC	NC
John H. Baldwin		74		NC	NC	NC
Hugh Lawson		86		NC	NC	NC
Wyatt Perry		76		NC	NC	NC
Charity Perry	  w	72		NC	NC	NC

	PINEY CREEK
Darkes McMillan		76		NC	NC	NC
William Pugh		77		NC	NC	NC
David Sturgill		70		NC	NC	NC
Joseph Caldwell		73		NC	NC	NC
Mary Sawyers		82		NC	NC	NC
Susan Cox		72		NC	NC	NC
Wesley Dixon		70		NC	NC	NC
Andrew Osborn		76		VA	VA	VA
Nancy Daniels		81		NC	NC	NC
Caleb Osborn		76		NC	NC	NC
William Sells		71		NC	NC	NC
Sarah Faw		72		NC	NC	NC
Alisha Crouse		72		NC	NC	NC
James M Gregory		73		NC	NC	NC
Jane Gregory	  w	72		NC	NC	NC

	TOWN OF JEFFERSON	ASHE Co.
Joseph Hudler		73		NC	NC	NC
Maria Bartlett		76		NC	NC	NC
James P Waugh		70		TN	PA	VA
Sarah Johnsey		74		NC	NC	NC
Jessee Grier		73		NC	NC	NC
Elizabeth Duke		70		NC	NC	NC
William Hodgeson	80		England
Caleb Campbell        	80		NC	NC	NC
Elizabeth Campbell    w	70		NC	NC	NC
Mary Ray		80		NC	VA	NC
William Trivett		70		NC	NC	NC
Thomas Henshaw		85		NC	NC	NC
Francis Hurley		89		NC	NC	NC
Elizabeth Blevins		75		NC	NC	NC
Mary Mullins		76		NC	NC	NC
Caroline Laws		76		NC	NC	NC
Elizabeth Hanks		99		NC	NC	NC
Mary Robinson		80		VA	VA	VA
Lucy Ray		70		NC	NC	NC
Loftly ? Wyatt		80		NC	NC	NC
Mary Wyatt		80		NC	NC	NC
James W Hardin		78		NC	NC	NC
Mary A Hardin	   w	70		NC	NC	NC
Riley R Ray		80		NC	NC	NC
Cal henna ? Burkett	79		Prussia
John H Vannoy		71		NC	NC	NC
Jonas Burkett		75		NC	NC	NC
Henry Mash		70		NC	NC	NC
Elias Bare		70		NC	NC	NC
William Mash		73		NC	NC	NC

THE NORTH CAROLINA MILITIA OF NORTHWEST NORTH CAROLINA 
1861-1865
THE ALLEGHANY COUNTY ORGANIZATON
By G.W.Cook, Winston-Salem, NC

	My Great Grandfather Joseph Cook (1829-1909) served as a Captain in the North Carolina Militia during the War Between the States.  My family didn’t know anything about this until some years ago, when I discovered his original militia commission.  It was hidden beneath a collection of decades of papers and mementos in a top dresser drawer in his 1853-built home.

	This commission bore the Great Seal of the State of North Carolina and the signature of the governor, Henry T. Clark.  During the 30 or so years since finding this document.  I had made brief stabs at finding something about the state militia during the Civil War, but had found essentially nothing.  
	Two years ago I again began trying to find information about the Militia.  Most say, “Oh, the Home Guard.”  While some of the activities of the units were similar, the Home Guard and the Militia are not the same.  The Militia was formed starting in 1861, and the Home Guard was formed three years later.  It should be noted that many of the Militia officers who didn’t volunteer for active military service or for the Home Guard served until the end of the war in 1865 in the Militia.
	Finally I inquired once again at the State Archives in Raleigh, and confirmed that there was practically nothing published about the Militia.  At this point I started searching the military records there, starting with the clue from my ancestor’s commission…. “Recorded on page 354.”  After a short bit of confusion, a helper at the archives dragged out a huge book the save of an original census book, and there was an ancestor on page 354 with all the other officers of the Yadkin County Militia! Many will be interested to know that I have obtained a free marble grave marker from the Federal Government based on Joseph Cook’s service with the N.C. Militia!  
	The book is indexed Roster of Militia Officers of North Carolina 1861-1863(Adjutant General’s papers AG-129).  This book records the officers of the Militia for the entire state during the years 1861-1865, with entries made as late as May 1865.  It was “lost” for years, being in the hands of a private family, but luckily was turned in to the archives in the 1920’s.  (Refer to pp. 404/5 North Carolina Research, Genealogy and Local History by Leary and Stirewalt (1980) about using this ledger effectively.)
	Not only is there this book of officers (no records found yet on enlisted troops), but “Letter Books” for the militia as well as for the Home Guard exist.  In these there are copies of the letters written to officers in units responding to inquiries or giving orders to be carried out.
	I have now indexed the militia officers for thirteen Northwest North Carolina counties, and have copied most of the important or interesting letters in the “Letter Books” in an effort not only to show names and organizations, but to show what they did.  It is planned that a limited edition book listing some 1, 400 officers from Alleghany, Alexander, Ashe, Davidson, Davie, Forsyth, Iredell, Rowan, Stokes, Surry, Watauga, Wilkes, and Yadkin Counties will be available in a few months for about $15.  This book also will contain extractors from the letters in an effort to show what these militiamen actually did during the war.
	The following is extracted from the book manuscript listing the officers of Alleghany county as recorded in the Adjutant General’s Militia Book.  This is only the county organization listing.  My book will list all officers of all 13 counties in alphabetical order with details about each entry, as well as a narrative about the forming of the Militia and what work these men performed to support the state during the War Between the States.  

ALLEGHANY COUNTY
96TH REGIMENT 24TH BRIGADE
North Carolina Militia 1861-1865

	COLONEL

MCMILLAN, FIELDS J.		COMMANDING OFFICER

	LIEUTENANT COLONEL

JOINS, JOHN W.			2ND IN COMMAND

	MAJOR

HANKS, HUGH			3RD IN COMMAND

	CAPTAIN

EDWARDS, THOMAS		Area - GAP CIVIL
HIGGINS, ISAAC			Area - CRAB CREEK
HOPPERS, FRANKLIN J.		Area - UNION
ROBERTS, AMBROSE J.		Area - GLADE CREEK
STAMPER, SOLOMON		Area - CRANBURY
WILLIAMS, HENRY J.		Area - PINEY CREEK

	1ST LIEUTENANT

CARSONS, ANDREW B.		Area - GLADE CREEK
EDWARDS, SENTER		Area - GAP CIVIL
HALSEY, WILLIAM B.		Area - PINEY CREEK
HIGGINS, TALLIFARD S.		Area - CRAB CREEK
RICHARDSON, CANADA B.	Area- CRANBURY
WAGONER, JAMES A.		Area - UNION

	2ND LIEUTENANT

BELLINGS, ELI H.			Area - GLAD CREEK
BLACK, DAVID			Area - GAP CIVIL
BLACK, JOHN			Area - PINEY CREEK
CAUDILL, LAMUEL D.		Area - UNION
CHEEK, MEREDITH			Area - CRAB CREEK
GAMBLE, JAMES M.		Area - GAP CIVIL
HIGGINS, PLEASANT C.		Area - CRAB CREEK
JOINES, LOUIE?			Area - UNION
LONG, W.H.				Area - CRANBERRY
NORMAN, MARTIN V.B.		Area - GLADE CREEK
PRUETT, JOHN			Area - CRANBURY
SAMPER, HARRISON		Area - CRANBURY
YOUNG, JOSEPH L.			Area - PINEY CREEK

     END ALLEGHNAY COUNTY MILITIA OFFICER LISTING

FRED GLENN WEAVER--IN MEMORY

	One of the County’s oldest citizens, Mr. Fred Glenn Weaver died November 23, 1986.  He was buried November 26th---his 100th Birthday.  He was laid to rest in the family cemetery on the old homeplace beside his wife and near his three children who preceded him in death.  Nearby also are his parents: Andrew Jackson Weaver, born February 20, 1843, died May 2, 1932 and Candas Cordelia Edwards Weaver born May 11, 1859, died August 3, 1939  Among others buried in this cemetery are Fred’s maternal grandparents, Berry F. Edwards and Mahalah Emeline Austin Edwards.  

	Fred married Mallie Crouse on December 23, 1908.  Their Children were Bertie Edwin, born October 16, 1909, died December 27, 1936; Ellen Cordelia born March 11, 1915, died August 6, 1932’ and Fred Johnson born May 31, 1966.

	Fred’s long life was full of colorful experiences, many of which he loved to tell over and over again. In his later years, people of all ages would listen to him “spinnin’ yarns” for hours on end.

	Fred lived alone after Mallie’s death and continued to run his 214-acre farm.  As the years passed, he gradually cut down on the farming.  First, the cattel wnet, then the chickens, then the garden.  When he got to the place that his legs would no longer hold him up, he went to the hisptial in Sparta to live and he remained there for the last four years of his life.  In the will that he made before Mallie died, he specified that the proceeds from all his property be established in a turst fund for the Alleghany Memorial Hospital, with the exception of an additional small trust fun for the maintenance of the family cemetery.

	Aside from the family tradegies Fred lived his life as he described and was proud of that fact.

	Bessie Miller McMillan, Fred’s oldest niece, recalls a few memories about her Uncle Fred to share with us:

	“When I was about 5 years old, my mother, my sister Willie, and I were at Grandpa Weaver’s.  Uncle Fred had announced that he was getting married and was getting ready to pick up his bride for the wedding.  I stood around watching him shave and admiring his new suit.  He turned to me and said ‘I’ll be bringing you a new Aunt.  She is very beautiful and has such black eyes--they shine like diamonds.’ Later when he drove up in the yard with horse and buggy, we were all standing outside waiting for them. And there she was--my new Aunt Mallie Crouse Weaver! Of course the first thing I was looking for was her eyes. She was seventeen years old and a lively person if I ever saw one.  You could hear her laugh all over the place!

	“Another time I remember looking from the back porch toward the New River.  It was very cold and the river was frozen solid. The young folks in the community were skating all up and down as far as I could see.  I knew when uncle Fred and Aunt Mallie came within my view.  She had on a bright red outfit and Uncle Fred had a big red scarf tied around his neck.  

	“Another time, Uncle Fred had been out to the Pacific Northwest to visit his brother and worked on a farm and stayed about two years.  We were all at Grandpa’s to greet his arrival back home.  This must have been about 1912.  He was telling Aunt Mallie to hold up her apron and he began counting twenty--dollar gold pieces into it.  I guess it was twenty or more coins he had brought in his luggage.”  

	Marvie Shelor shares the following with us:

	“About 27 years ago when I was working for the Sturdivant Funeral Home, I had the pleasure of meeting Fred Weaver.  When he found out that I was raised in West Virginia he related a story about his trip to West Virginia.  

	“When he was a young man he walked from his home to Berwind, West Virginia in McDowell County.  Berwind was a coal mining town on the Northwestern Railroad, just a few miles from the line.  He said everything seemed normal as it could be in a coal mine town during the day when he got there.  He went to bed that night and found out that he wasn’t in his peaceful home in Piney Creek.  He didn’t know that the coal mind owners and miners had a war going on.  The miners were trying to organize a union.  The mine owner had hired guns to try and stop them.  So Fred said he didn’t sleep much that night.  He said they had what sounded like a regular shoot-out all night.  I don’t  remember how long he stayed--I would say not much longer than it took to walk back home.”
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