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.

Civil War Roll Call

This won't be a blog post full of immense detail unless I come back to edit it. For now it will just be a quick reference of my Civil War Ancestors with the units they were in. If the name is highlighted that means a blog post has been written about them or they are at least mentioned. Maybe if I'm having writers block this will be a good place to come back to for writing material. Hopefully every name will eventually be highlighted.

Some of these men fought for the duration, some were imprisoned, some died from disease, some at the hands of bushwhackers, but I don't believe I had any that died from injuries sustained during battle.

• John Middleton Nall (3rd great grandfather) - Co. H 19th Texas Infantry, CSA
• Thomas Franklin Rutherford (3rd great grandfather) - Co. A 34th Mississippi Infantry, CSA
• Asa Franklin Moore (4th great grandfather) - Co. G 34th Georgia Infantry, CSA
• Malcolm 'Mack' Foster (3rd great grandfather) - Co. D Stone's Regiment, 2nd Partisan Rangers, CSA; no service records found, only pension.
• James Martin Bass (3rd great grandfather) - Co. E 1st Regiment Alabama Cavalry; no records found, only pension index.
• Francis Marion Melson (3rd great grandfather) - Co. A 2nd Arkansas Infantry, USA
• Absalom Patton Melson (4th great grandfather) - Co. A 2nd Arkansas Infantry, USA
• John Leander Martin (4th great grandfather) - Co. A 2nd Arkansas Infantry, USA
• William Henry Boyer (5th great grandfather) - Co. F 10th Reg't Arkansas Militia, CSA; Co. L Hill's 7th Reg't Arkansas Cavalry, CSA switched sides Co. A Arkansas 4th Infantry, USA transferred Co. I Arkansas 2nd Infantry, USA
• William Bynum (4th great grandfather) - Co. D 2nd Arkansas Infantry, USA
• Levi Pitts (5th great grandfather) - Co. H 2nd Arkansas Infantry, USA
• James M. Boen (4th great grandfather) - Co. H 26th Arkansas Infantry, CSA
• William Stepp (3rd great grandfather) - Co. A 60th North Carolina Infantry, CSA
• William Gordon Acord (4th great grandfather) - Co. H 10th Arkansas Militia, CSA
• Joseph Josiah Evans (3rd great grandfather) - Co. C 8th Missouri Cavalry, USA
• James Kossier (4th great grandfather) - Co. H 1st Regiment Texas Infantry; no records, only  index card
• Worley Daniel Linville (4th great grandfather) - Co. E Third Alabama Reserves (Lieutenant)

I have two ancestors that were the right age that I can't find any record for involvement in the Civil War:

• Abner Merrell/Merrill (3rd great grandfather) - North Carolina -- One researcher says Abner paid someone to fight on his behalf.
  
  
  
• Killian Rich (3rd great grandfather) - Texas -- Since found one document saying he was a Private Co. Spear's R Corps C.S.A
  
  

I suggest this film by Ken Burns to get a deeper glimpse into the war:

Death And The Civil War or these excerpts from his series The Civil War.

Son, Husband, Father, Soldier, Teacher, Freemason and Justice of The Peace

The prompt set for this week by No Story Too Small is 'wedding'. The first story that came to mind was that of my great grandparents Rufus and Wille Belle Nall and how they were married in a car garage and then as soon as they said their "I dos" they went to slaughter hogs. But I've already written about them here.

I couldn't recall any other wedding stories so I put out a Facebook request to anyone who might suggest an ancestor for me to write about. My Aunt Diane suggested my 3rd great grandfather Francis Marion Melson. And I think he will fit the bill perfectly.

According to his Civil War service records, Francis Marion Melson was born in DeKalb County, AL on 31 July 1838, to Absalom Patton and Ferbia Melitia (Upton) Melson. Absalom Patton Melson was a member of the House of Representatives for the State of Arkansas.


Francis Marion was the oldest child, followed by a sister, Mahala Kathleen, then a brother James W, sister Jemima, brother Andrew Jackson, sister Sarah and the baby of the family, named after his father, Absalom Patton Jr.

According to a family history, compiled by Andrew Melson, the family made their way from near Rome, GA to Mobile, AL in 1852.  They were said to have traveled in a homemade covered wagon and a team of oxen. At Mobile, Absalom sold most all of his possessions and got on a boat to travel to the mouth of the Mississippi River then to the Arkansas River to Morrison Bluff Landing near Clarksville where they unloaded and traveled up into the mountains about 12 miles NW of Clarksville and settled on a tract of land about six miles west of Ozone, AR or one and half miles SW of what is now known as Log Gap Springs.

In their Civil War Service Records, Francis gave his place of birth as DeKalb, AL and his brother James W gave his place of birth as Floyd Co. GA. Looking at Formation maps of the two states during the time of their birth we can see that these counties are VERY close one another. Absalom gives his place of birth as Burke Co, NC.

On 27 Dec 1860, two days after Christmas, Francis Marion Melson married Mary Emmaline Kinnerly. She was the daughter of John P. and Lucinda (Harbour) Kinnerly.

On 20 February 1862, Mary gave birth to their first child, a daughter, Amanda Catherine. Nearly one year later, on 6 February 1863, Francis enlisted on the side of the Union into Co A, 2nd Regm't of the Arkansas Infantry along with his father, Absalom and brother James W, at Warren, Arkansas. They mustered in on December 7th at Ft. Smith. Absalom was discharged due to disability caused by old age 25 Oct 1864. From the Adjutant General's office there is a record dated 1867 where the charge of desertion is removed from Francis' file and replaced with 'absent without leave' from 25 September 1864 - 1 Dec 1864 . He "deserted" from Lewisburg, AR.  I wonder why he left or where he went? One record shows that he "joined from desertion" Dec 1/1864 Johnson Co. On March 3, 1864 it shows he was "reduced from sergeant to the ranks" no further information is given.

I suspect the answer to Francis' "desertion" and reduction in rank comes from the previously mentioned book, compiled by Andrew Melson. On page 38 it gives the sad story of Francis and Mary's second child, Lucinda Anglin born 6 Jan 1864.

James W. Melson could be called the undertaker. While his brother, Francis Marion Melson was away in the Civil War, he scouted during the night taking care of his family and his brother's family - Mary and two small children. One morning, just before daylight, he went about one mile down on Bear Branch to where Francis had settled before the war when he married. Jim found that his brother's baby, Lucinda, had died during the night. He split out boards and made a box for the baby. He put it on his shoulder, with a pick and a shovel, his rifle in the other arm, and walked about four miles up the head of Bear Branch Canyon and buried the baby the next night himself, out on the mountain in what is now known as Sherman Cemetery.

Lucinda died 6 Feb 1864. I wonder if the right brother was given credit for this story as James W. was enlisted and serving with his father and brother. In his records it actually shows him as "present" for Jan & Feb '64.  I suspect it to have actually been younger brother Andrew Jackson "Jack" Melson that did the scouting and buried the baby, as I have found a few **errors in this book. Jack would've been only 16 at the time of baby Lucinda's death. Between the death of his baby and the lawlessness that plagued Johnson County, I suspect Francis left Lewisburg and went back home to check on his family.

The best information I have been able to find about the roll of the 2nd Regm't Arkansas Infantry is as follows:

 

Organized at Springfield, Mo., and Fort Smith, Ark., October, 1863, to March, 1864. Organization completed at Fort Smith March 13, 1864. Attached to District of the Frontier, Dept. of Missouri, to January, 1864. District of the Frontier, 7th Army Corp., Dept. of Arkansas, January, 1864. 2nd Brigade, District of the Frontier, 7th Army Corps, to March, 1864. 1st Brigade, District of the Frontier, 7th Corps, to May, 1864. 2nd Brigade, 2nd Division, 7th Corps, to December, 1864. 1st Brigade, District of the Frontier, 7th corps, to February, 1865. 1st Brigade, 3rd Division, 7th Corps, to August, 1865.

SERVICE.--Skirmish at Clarksville December 15, 1863. Affair at Jacksonport, Ark., November 21, 1863. At Fort Smith until March, 1864. Steele's Expedition to Camden March 23-May 3. Prairie D'Ann April 9-12. Moscow April 13. Limestone Valley April 17 (Detachment). Jenkins' Ferry, Saline River, April 30. Duty at Little Rock until July and at Lewisburg until September. Ordered to Little Rock September 10, and duty there until October 18. Escort train to Fort Smith October- November. Moved to Clarksville December 31, and duty there and at Fort Smith until August. Mustered out August 8, 1865.

 

 

Francis' family lived in a notorious place for lawlessness during the Civil War. According to the 'Melson Book',  while Francis and most of the men were gone, Mary helped dig the first two graves in the Oark Cemetery and buried two men who had been found shot by bushwhackers in the road above Oark near a spring in 1863.

After returning home from the war, Francis is said to have taught the first term of school that was taught in Low Gap Township, Johnson County. The school house was a little log cabin about 200 yards north of Low Gap Springs.

Children born to Francis M. and Mary E. Melson after the war were:

Sarah Isabell b. 15 Sept 1865
William Robert b. 21 Dec 1867
Clerica Armindo b. 10 Dec 1869
Mary Elizabeth b. 20 July 1871
John Wesley b. 17 Jan 1874 and died 28 Sept 1875
Alabama b. 27 March 1876
Ida Lee b. 2 March 1878
Francis Elmer b. 9 Jan 1880 and died 10 May 1881
Columbus C. "Bud" b. 18 March 1882
Tennessee Easter b. 13 April 1884
Absalom b. 14 Oct 1886 d. 6 August 1887
Benjamin Harrison (my ancestor) b. 10 Sept 1889



 Back row: Columbus Melson, Benjamin Harrison Melson, Easter Tennessee 'Tennie' Melson. Sitting: Francis Marion Melson, Mary Melson holding grandson George Washington Campbell, whose mother, Amanda Catherine had died during childbirth.

Francis Marion also served as the Justice of the Peace in 1870, where he performed the marriage of his younger brother Andrew "Jack" Melson to Jane Heinsley on 22 Jan 1870. In going through the old marriage records I also found where he married Zecharia Cowen and Polina Wagers on 6 March 1870, as well as J T Sykes and Martha Ann Summers on 11 Sept 1870.

Francis Marion Melson was also a Freemason - as you can see from his headstone.

Francis can be found in the Abstracts from Masonic Records from the Grand Lodge of Arkansas, for the years 1873-1879, 1880-1883 & 1884-1886.

There is one more piece of lore I would like to add to the life story of Francis Marion Melson. My grandfather, Leroy Harrison Melson, has always told of a story involving treasure. Family lore says that during the war Francis discovered or somehow came into some gold and by the end of the war he had enough money to buy all of his children their own homestead. I haven't been able to find much else about this story... but in the mean time here's another Civil War hidden treasure story from not far off in Madison County.

**I want to address that I mean no disrespect in pointing out that the "Melson-Book; 1813-1973" has errors. In fact I have the utmost respect and appreciation for those who put these books together. Most were done before all the easily accessible information we have today. A lot of information that was given was done so by word of mouth and were taken from the memory of those most acquainted with the individuals documented. Mistakes happen. Memories fail. Even today with all the information that can be gathered, mistakes happen. So to Andrew Melson, I am extremely grateful.