He Made My House His House

My 4th great grandfather on my mother's side was William Bynum. Today I wanted to share with you the answers he supplied to a few questions, when interrogated on behalf of one Noah Ledford, when Noah was applying for reparations from the Southern Claims Commission.

To start, I wanted to inform you of William's service during the Civil War. He fought in Co D of the 2nd Arkansas Infantry (Union). He enlisted  15 March 1864 in Clarksville, AR. He was 46 years old and gave his birth place as McCreary and McNairy TN - there is no McCreary TN - take that for what you will. William's father Eli was enumerated in McNairy TN in 1830 and Lawrence County TN in 1820. So it's safe to say McNairy County is where William was indeed born.

William was described as being 5'11", grey eyes, light hair, fair complexion.



Noah Ledford was a loyalist. In his application file we're told he voted for Lincoln and was threatened to be hung. He was arrested on three occasions and after the last one, in fear for his life, was sworn into the Confederacy. He was able to seek protection and switch sides whenever the Union took over Fort Smith. In the later part of 1863 his house in Franklin County, Arkansas, was burned to the ground by rebels because of his loyalty. During Noah's own deposition when asked who the leading Unionists in his vicinity during the war were and if they were called to testify and why or why not, his answer was:

William Bynum, William Parker, Hinson Harris. William Bynum is called to testify, William Parker is dead; Hinson Harris* cannot be obtained on account of distance to his present residence. 

Below is my transcription of William Bynum's testimony which took place 5 March 1878:

William Bynum being duly sworn answers as follows 

1. What is your name, your age, your residence, and how long has it been such, and your occupation? My name is William Bynum. I am forty nine years old. My residence is Pope County, Arkansas.  Have been residing in Pope County about two years. I am a farmer by occupation.
2. If you are not the claimant, in what manner, if any, are you related to the claimant or interested in the success of the claim? I am neither related to the claimant nor interested in the success of his claim.
3.  Skips ahead to questions 52 - 65

• 52. In whose favor are you here to testify? Mr. Noah Ledford
• 53. How long have you known that person altogether, and what part of that time have you intimately known him? I have known him about 27 years and intimately known him all that time.
• 54. Did you live near him during the war, and how far away? At the beginning of the war I lived in Fort Smith about 40 miles from Mr. Ledfords. But when he could no longer stay at his house he made my house his house. [I love this part]
• 55. Did you meet him often, and how often, during the war? I met him on average once a week during the war. 
• 56. Did you converse with the claimant about the war, its causes, its progress and its results? If so, try to remember the more important occasions on which you so conversed, beginning with the first occasion, and state, with respect to each, when it was, where it was, who were present, what caused the conversation and what the claimant said in substance, if you cannot remember his words. I conversed with the claimant frequently, about the war, its progress, its causes, but don't exactly remember the occasions nor the persons present. Before our country was taken by the Union Army our talk had to be private. The substance of all his conversations was that he desired to see the Union cause prevail. 
• 57. Do you know of anything done by the claimant that showed him to be loyal to the Union cause during the war? If you do, state what he did, when, where, and what was the particular cause or occasion of his doing it? Give the same information about each thing he did that showed him to be loyal. He never took up arms against the Union cause nor served in the Confederate cause in any way except one time he was forced to drive a team about a month. I know he went to the Union Army as soon as he could safely get to them.
• 58. Do you know of anything said or done by the claimant that was against the Union cause? If so, please state, with respect to each thing said or done, what it was, when it was, where it was, and what particular compulsion or influence caused him to say or do it. I do not except the driving of the team above mentioned. And he was compelled to do that to save his life.
• 59. If you have heard of anything said or done by the claimant, either for the Union cause or against it, state from whom you heard it, when you heard it, and what you heard. I never heard of him saying or doing anything against the Union. I never heard of him doing anything for the Union. What he did I know of my own knowledge.
• 60. What was the public reputation of the claimant for loyalty or disloyalty to the United States during the war? If you profess to know his public reputation, explain fully how you know it, whom you heard speak of it, and give the names of other persons who were neighbors during the war that could testify to his public reputation. His public reputation as far as I know was for loyalty to the Union. I know this from William Sewell, George Pillows, Cager Stone and Hinson Harris who were his neighbors who can testify to his reputation if they are living.
• 61.Who were the known and prominent Union people of the neighborhood during the war, and do you know that such persons could testify to the claimant's loyalty? Hinson Harris*, Cager Stone and George Pillows and I know they can if living.
• 62. Were you yourself, an adherent of the Union during the war? If so, did the claimant know you to be such, and how did he know it? I was most assuredly. He knew it by my course and conversation with him. 
• 63. Do you know of any threats, molestation, or injury inflicted upon the claimant, or his family, or his property, on account of his adherence to the Union cause? If so, give all the particulars. I know that one Jacob Bean, a Confederate Captain, threatened to and tried to kill Mr. Ledford, the claimant on account of his adherence to the Union Cause. Also, that his house was burned for the same reason by Confederate troops but don't know who commanded them.
• 64. Did you know of any act done or language used by the claimant that would have prevented him from establishing his loyalty to the Confederacy? If so, what act or what language? I know that he refused to assist the Confederate cause and that when forced to go with them he made his escape to the Union Army. Also that he hid out a good deal of time to keep out of the way of the Confederate Army. 
• 65. Can you state any other facts within your own knowledge in proof of the claimant's loyalty during the war? If so, state all the facts and give all the particulars. I know that he was in favor of the Union cause from the beginning to the end of the war. He voted against successive abuse.

William Bynum
J H Battenfield (Special Commissioner) 

Until next time,
Becky

*I suspect Hinson Harris could have been Henderson Harris.