Teachers in Russell County, New Garden District, 1878-1883

Chancery Court Case 1886-17 was a case against John G. Hurt, then Treasurer of Russell County. The case had to do with funds received and paid out to teachers in the county. The case contains a detailed listing of teachers in each school district and the amount paid to each. Here is the list for New Garden District, along with which years each teacher received payments. There were approximately 1,600 students in this district each year.

New Garden District		1878	1879	1880	1881	1882	1883
	Artrip, Jas. H.					x
	Ball, Beverly F.			x	x
	Ball, Jas. F.		x	x
	Ball, Virginia F. (Miss)				x	x	x
	Boyd, E. A.				x	x	x
	Cate, Susan (colored)				x	x
	Clark, C. W.					x
	Clark, Floyd						x
	Clark, Mary F. (Miss)					x
	Clark, Montraville			x	x	x
	Clark, William F.					x	x
	Combs, Simeon F.	x			x
	Counts, S [L?]. B.					x	x
	Ferrell, Samuel R.	x
	Fletcher, Silas H.	x	x	x	x
	Gillespie, Wm L.	x	x	x	x	x
	Griffith, John F.			x	x	x	x
	Horne, A. F. (Prof.)				x	x
	Hurt, James C.					x	x
	Hutton, Alson		x	x
	Jackson, C. W.				x	x	x
	Jackson, M. P.	x
	Johnson, Charles W.					x
	Kindrick, E. A.				x
	Kendrick, Joseph B. (Rev.)		x	x	x	x	x
	Kindrick, John Thad			x	x	x	x
	Kindrick, Tobias J.					x	x
	Lee, Robert R.	x	x	x	x	x	x
	Mason, H. B. (Rev.)		x	x
	Musick, Elexious K.	x
	Musick, Granville G.	x				x	x
	Musick, Joseph K	x	x	x	x	x	x
	Musick, Kernan			x	x	x
	Musick, Major A.	x				x	x
	Musick, Ransom					x
	Perkins, Marshal	x		x	x
	Shoemaker, A. D.			x	x	x	x
	Smith, Floyd				x	x
	Starnes, Martha J. [Josie] (Miss)				x	x	x
	Starns, Mary E.					x	x
	Thompson, Major			x	x	x	x
	Thompson, Sparell H.				x	x	x
	Trent, Fannie (Mrs.)				x
	Trent, William (Colored)					x	x
	Whitt, Angie (Miss)			x	x
	Wysor, Beverly J.	x	x	x	x	x
	Wysor, John W.	x

The listing for the other districts will appear in future posts.

The World War II Letters of Billy J. Campbell, Letter 2

[Letter from Ethel Campbell to her son, Billy. Circa April 5, 1945.]

Susie is looking for you to come.

Thursday

Dear Billy:

Here the week is all most gone and I haven't written you. I have been so busy. The children go to school one hour earlier so I dont have time to write morning before they leave. Anderson has been here the last two days for dinner, he has been plowing, and I cant do very much when I have dinner to get. Dad is here to-day turning out the cattle. He and the children when to the show last night - "Wing and a Prayer".

I hear Marvin is at home. Dad said he passed him the other day and hollered to him, but he had never to to talk to him.

We are looking for you home in a few days. Hope we get a letter to-day telling us when you can come.

Guess I better stop now I am trying to paint the bedroom down stairs to day.

Lots of love,
Mother

Ham said to tell you not to forget Friday the 13th. He is 6 yr. old.

Promise to Pay: Checks, IOUs, and Receipts from Southwest Virginia, 1859-1885

A Boston Boy Fights for the Confederacy

Luther Hart Clapp was born in Easthampton, Massachusetts on Christmas Eve, 1839. His father, Luther Clapp, was at various times a traveling agent, livery worker, agent for a textile mill, and thread dealer.

According to his grand daughter Naoma Dickenson, who wrote an essay about Luther Hart Clapp in 1925, Luther had an older sister who would visit Virginia and return with "wonderful stories." He had heard speakers exhorting the Union cause, but had doubts. He thought long and hard about the issues. Eventually Luther's convictions grew, and, in 1861, he headed south to Dixie.

His grand daughter writes:

"He had not gone far beyond the border when he was spotted and arrested for a Northern spy and roughly handled, but before long made his escape, only to be rearrested for the same offense. Then he again escaped, only to be arrested the third time and ordered court-martialed. A skirmish released him upon this occasion By this time he was getting farther into the South, where his identity as a Northerner became more and more acute, and for the first year he did nothing but scout around and try to make the boys in gray understand he was one of them. He found this a tedious task, for he was constantly being arrested as a spy, but again and again Providence intervened. Finally, the time came when he was accepted into the ranks of our army and allowed the privilege of helping to defend the cause he believed to be right."

Reaching Russell County by 1861, he enlisted in the first unit recruited in the area, Company C of the 37th Virginia Infantry. He spent early 1862 in the hospital with rheumatism, most likely acute rheumatic fever related to the strep throat virus. Recovering, he rejoined his unit and, in September of 1862, requested a transfer to the 10th Kentucky Cavalry. The transfer was approved, but apparently he never joined the 10th Kentucky. Instead, he joined the 16th Virginia Cavalry, another unit with Russell County men. He was with this unit when it was one of the first Southern regiments to cross into the North during the Gettysburg Campaign. He participated in the cavalry battle on the third day of the Gettysburg battle.

He was still with the unit when it was one of the last regiments to cross back into the South two weeks later. He participated in a skirmish at Jones Cross Roads, Maryland on July 10, 1863. In a letter to the editor of the Abingdon Virginian, Lieutenant Bernard H. Reynolds wrote:

"During the fight at Jones' X Roads, Md., on the 10th of this month, Lieut. H. S. Fickle and privates L. H. Clapp, William Campbell and James M. Dills, of Co. A, and Jack Myers of Co. F, flanked a stone fence, behind which lay 60 men belonging to the 16th Maine infantry, and after about five minutes hard fighting, hand to hand, but not until they had captured about 40 of the Yankees and killed and wounded the balance. Just as they were taking off the prisoners, a Regt. came out of the woods, and they were obliged to let most of the Yankees loose. They brought out six prisoners and only had one man wounded, viz: William Campbell shot through the body, but is getting well. Clapp knocked one Yankee down with his gun, and while he, Clapp, had his knees on his breast, fired five shots, four with his pistol and one with his gun. James Dills shot a Lieut. as also did Clapp. By a Baltimore paper received this morning by a flag of truce, the Yankees reported a loss of 23 killed and wounded, and six prisoners."

In September of 1863 he was paid by the Confederate government for carrying the mail from Staunton, VA to Crab Bottom, in Highland County, Virginia. He again rejoined his unit and on November 12, 1864 he was wounded in a skirmish near Cedarville, VA. This ends his official Compiled Service Record. According to his 1880 Disability Pension Application:

"...on the 12th day of November 1864 he received a wound from the enemy in a battle near Cederville, Va. Said would was inflicted by a pistol ball shot by the enemy, said ball entered the front part of the right shoulder passing through the shoulder and lodging under the right shoulder blade. [He states t]hat the collar bone on the right side was broken and several pieces of bone came from said wound."

His friend and comrade George W. Seacatt helped to carry him off the field of battle.

His disability application was approved and he was awarded $60.

While recuperating at home from his wound, he married Elizabeth Sykes, the daughter of Levi and Catherine Sykes. They immediate had a child, Willie T. In 1870 they were living in Lawrence County, Kentucky, where Luther was working as a "nurseryman." By 1878 he was back in Russell County, working as a druggist, with four additional children.

Eventually Clapp moved to Lee County, where he pursued the same occupation. His wife Elizabeth died in 1894, and he remarried a decade later to Bertha Cox.

Luther Hart Clapp died on April 19, 1919 in Lee County, Virginia.

As an 8-year-old girl, Naoma Dickenson rode in the funeral procession for Luther Hart Clapp. She reported:

"A goodly number of old veterans in the funeral cortege were talking about happenings of the War between the States, as is their custom when together, and from them I heard this expression about my hero, which ran like this: 'There were many plucky soldiers among our boys. One fellow in our regiment was badly shot while bearing the flag, but he held on calling for help. Don't let the flag fall! Don't let it fall boys! It swayed to and fro, but did not fall. He held on with death-like grip until a soldier released it, then he himself went down.'"

She added:

"We found inclosed with his will a little paper, neatly folded, that bore these lines: 'To my children: No land in all the world is half so dear to me as where I found your mother, wooed and won her, and there buil[t] our nest.'"

The Estate Inventory of Henry Campbell, 1865

Henry Campbell was born on Christmas day 1813, in Russell County, the youngest son of Henry Campbell, Sr. Sometime before 1833 he married Cynthia Elliott, the daughter of James Elliott and Obedience Parsley.

Henry and Cynthia had at least 11 children, three of whom died young. On July 13, 1860, oldest son James Henry Campbell died while digging a well. The 1860 Mortality Schedule of the Census has these remarks by Isaac Vermillion, the census taker:

"James H. Campbell...was engaged in digging a well, when the gap broke in, he was drawn to the top, fainted and fell out of the Bucket to the bottom & was killed."

James H. was 25 years old.

Two months later, on September 8, 1860, Emeline Campbell, twin of Caroline Campbell, died of scarlet fever.

The tragedies continued for the Campbell family. Son Joel J. Campbell enlisted in the 48th Virginia Infantry and, on August 29th, 1862, died of wounds received at the battle of Cedar Run, near Charlottesville, Va.

A year later, on August 31, 1863, Henry Campbell died. The cause of death is not known. He was 49 years old.

Legal wrangling occurred regularly in the 19th century, and Henry Campbell died intestate. Lacking a will, objections arose as to the disposition of some of his goods and lands. A Chancery Court case of 1878 contains the following inventory of Henry Campbell goods.

After being duly sworn we the undersigned appraised the estate of Henry Campbell deceased by order of Court held in Russell County at the November term 1865.

One Cubbard	6.00
One Clock	4.00
4 Chairs	1.25
1 Gun	5.00
3 augers one looking Glass & slate & Trumpet	1.12 1/2
2 Pair Dog Irons 1 Shovel	2.00
3 Coffee Pots	0.50
1 Geography & Map	1.00
1 big Wheel & Real	.37 1/2
3 parts of Wheat Seive	.33 1/3
1 Saddle	5.00
Do & Sheep Skin	10.00
3 Bridals	1.25
2 Chists	0.50
1 Pot & Copper Kettle	.32 1/2
1 Pail & half a Bushel	0.25
1 Wriden whip Ratzor & Strap	0.50
The remainder in the Cubbord	0.50
1 Pot & Kettle	2.00
3 Hoes & 1 Mattock	1.00
1 Saw & drawing Knife & Auger	0.75
1 Beef Hide	1.50
1 Beef Hide in Tan	2.50
1 Ladel Pan & Cup	0.30
6 Scythes	1.50
3 old Steel Tubs	0.50
1 Shovel Plow	0.50
1 Do	0.50
5 Bee Stands	8.00
15 Bee Stands	25.00
1 axe & dollar	1.00
4 Scythes and Cradles	3.50
1 Meat axe and Pot	1.00
1 Pair of geers & Bridal	2.50
1 Do	0.50
1 Shovel & spade & fork	1.25
7 Penter Pates & Dish	0.75
1 half of a crosscut Saw	2.00
1 Two Horse Wagon	75.00
2 Pair of Britchen & lines	7.00
1 half of a Ham	1.50
1 Bay Mare	50.00
1 wheat fan	10.00
6 Sheep	9.00
22 Sheep	33.00
50 bushels of corn @ 40 per Ca bushel	25.00
1 Hog	2.00
1 S Black Cow	12.00
1 Do	12.00
1 Sow & 8 Pigs	8.00
2 yearling Bulls	22.00
3 Calves	9.00
1 Brass Kettle	1.50
3 Pieces of Leather	1.50
1 Side Saddle	12.00
1 Hoe	0.25
1 Leats of Oats	3.50
2 Froes	0.50
1 Pair of Saddle Pockets	4.50
1 Horse Collar	1.25
1 Lock Chain & wag	0.75
1 Cutting Box & Knife	0.25
1 Grubbing Hoe	0.25
13 Bushels of corn at 40 per cent	5.20

Vincent Jessee
Joel Fields

We certify that the foregoing is a true inventory of H Campbell's estate Nov 6th 1866.

Wm Campbell
Wilson Elliott admr of H Campbell deceased

 Compare the above list with a summary of the 1860 Agricultural Census listing for Henry Campbell. On the Agricultural Census, Henry is listed as owning just over 200 acres of land and his farm implements were worth $150. He owned 4 horses, 9 milk cows, 9 head of cattle, 21 sheep, and 22 pigs. he also had 100 bushels of wheat, 15 bushels of rye, 420 bushels of corn and 100 bushels of oats.

He owned 45 pounds of wool, 20 bushels of beans, 100 pounds of butter, 5 tons of hay, 1 bushel of grass seed. Also, 100 pounds of maple sugar and 8 gallons of molasses.

Minnie Hawkins to Margaret Cynthia Elliott Martin, 1887

Bristol, Tenn.
August 24, 1887

Miss M. C. Martin,

Dear cousin it is with pleasure I seat myself to answer your letter which I received some time ago this leaves all well hoping when these few lines come to hand they may find you all enjoying the same. You said you was coming over this fall. I will be pleased to see you come to stay a month some of your Russell folks was over last week. I was truly glad to see them from old russell again. When you come over this fall I will try and go home with you and stay awhile. Laura said to tell you to write to her she is spending the day here. She is going to move to bristol this week. She said to tell you she enjoys married life splendid. When you come over be sure and come and see me. You wanted me to come and go to preaching it would afford me much pleasure to come and spend the pleasant Sabbath evening. There is preaching and Sunday School every Sunday but I seldom care to go. I dont enjoy the summer enough to go. I went and spent the day with Laura Sunday and eat so many nice peaches and apples and enjoyed my self splendid. Marna said to tell all handy she would be pleased to see you all again. Max and the children went to bristol and spent the day and went to preaching. So as news is scarce I will close for this time write soon and often.

I remain your cousin
Minnie Hawkins

A favorite thou will always be
forget thee I can never
friends may forget to think of thee
but I'll forget thee never. M. H.

The Candler Brothers go to Texas, and to War

Archer Jessee Candler was born on October 9th, 1844. His younger brother William J. was born on May 26th, 1846. They were the second and third sons (behind John H.) of George and Dicy Candler, a well-to-do farmer of Russell County, Virginia. In 1860 Archer was working as a boot and shoe maker, while William was farming with his father. Soon after the census was taken in the late spring and early summer of 1860, Archer and William picked up roots and moved to Collin County, Texas. They were not the first, or the last, Russell County men to move to Collin County. In his obituary, written 50 years later, it was reported that he "[made] the trip overland with a herd of sheep."

In the fall of 1861 Archer enlisted as a private in the 9th Texas Infantry, captained by Joseph J. Dickson. He was soon promoted to Sergeant. He spent early 1862 in the hospital. He returned to his unit and participated in battles at Corinth, Murfreesboro, Chickamauga, Altoona, Perryville, Ky., and Nashville, Tennessee. In a post war memoir, he reported being wounded at the battle of Corinth, Tennessee, in October, 1862. However, his wartime record records the wounding as occurring several months earlier, on May 28th, 1862.

James W. Howard, a fellow soldier in the 9th recorded this incident involving Archer:

"At Marietta, Ga., I was on picket duty and we had been run into the breastworks. This was on July 4th. The weather was warm and as we had "double-quicked" through a cornfield and I was very hot and was about to smother in the ditches and had climbed upon the embankment for some fresh air, when Arch Candler said: "Jim. you had better get down from there; they will kill you," and I said: "I had as well be killed as smothered to death." Just then a bullet hit me under the eye, and I tumbled over. The litter bearers started to carry me off the field, when one of them was shot and fell. I told them if they would help me up maybe I could walk. They did so and I found I could run."

Archer and the 9th Texas were at Meridian, Mississippi when the War ended and he made his way back home, walking and riding on steamboats.

In his post war reminiscences he recalls:

"I had many narrow escapes incident [in the] war, and remember many things which happened to my comrades, but there is not space to set them down here. I want to thank the noble women of the South for their many kindnesses, and hope they have not forgotten me."

After the war he engaged in the freight business and lived until 1912, when he was killed by a train while looking after his sheep. [More about the death of Archer J. Candler in an upcoming post.]

Archer was twice married, the first to Nancy Elizabeth Honaker on January 7th, 1869, the second time to Mattie H. Ball on March 25th, 1894.

Younger brother William J. married Rhoda Day on Christmas Eve, 1861. On July 30th, 1862 he enlisted as a private in the Fifth Texas Partisan Rangers under Captain John K. Bumpass.

William's Compiled Service Record has no details of his war time career, but his comrade Tom Howard detailed his death at the second battle of Cabin Creek, Oklahoma which occurred on September 19th, 1864:

"Comrade Candler was killed at Cabin Creek, Okla. Bill Candler was not a talker, but when he was called on, or when volunteers were called for, he stepped to the front without a word and was ready for duty. He was the only man killed in the Cabin Creek fight. He was wounded in the bowels and we put him on a litter and started to carry him off the field. We had gone but a short distance when he said he was dying and was soon gone. We dug his grave as best we could with our big knives, and as his blanket was bloody, I wrapped him in my own. He was buried near where he fell. Such was the fate of many a good man. May the good Spirits keep watch over his lonely resting place."