This manuscript is a recount of the Civil War era and life of James Knox Gibson, provided by Nancy Somervell Nash Necaise, who received it from her cousin Rosemary, of Dallas, Texas. The document was found among family possessions from an old home place in Stanton, Tennessee of Rosemary’s grandparents, Henry Morton & Mary Gibson Nash. This Henry Morton Nash was raised by his uncle (also named Henry Morton Nash) and was brought to Stanton by this same uncle from Spring Hill, AR. The composition has been transcribed here by Debbie Sterbinsky on September 14, 2007, exactly as it was written by James Knox Gibson. Surnames have been typed in bold face and underlined to assist those researching family information.
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“This is a rambling narrative and whoever reads will have to make allowances as it has been written in snatches”.
I, James Knox Gibson, was born in the City of Nashville, Tennessee, on July 27th, 1845, son of Robert and Rose Anna Gibson. Went first to school to Miss Jane Hunter. Later to the Hume School, corner of Spruce and Broad Streets. My Mother died in 1856 in Nashville. My Father died in 1864 at my half-sister’s home in Louisiana. I had only one full brother, Andrew Jackson Gibson. Had five half-brothers, William, Nathan, Joseph, Robert and Thomas, and one half sister, Martha J., who always seemed like a full sister.
A short time after my mother’s death I went to boarding school in Edgefield, across the river from Nashville, for a year or two. Prof. Nathaniel Cross was the teacher. He was a very highly educated man, had some scholars about grown. While attending that school I generally on Friday afternoon or Saturday morning would go to my Aunt Mary Crocketts in Nashville and stay until Sunday afternoon – would walk the 2 or 2 ½ miles both ways. In the Spring of 1860 my Uncle Nathan Adams came to Nashville and persuaded my father to let me come and live with him and his wife, Mrs. Grace Adams in their home near Stanton, Tennessee. Went to New York in the summer. In the fall of 1860 I went to school in LaGrange, Tennessee to Mr. Perryman. Jo Ware, who also lived with Mr. & Mrs. Adams, went to the same school. We had a military instructor, a German or Prussian. I was made First Lieutenant of the Company.
In the Spring of 1861, the school in a body attended a speaking in LaGrange. The Country was excited over the prospects of War, which shortly started. Our company also went to a meeting of the militia in Memphis, and marched up and down Main Street. We were very proud and were cheered on the March. Later our company marched from LaGrange to Stanton and on to Brownsville. For some reason, which I now forget, I did not go to Brownsville with the company. And as the country was so stirred up over the firing on Fort Sumpter, I did not go back to school. That ended my school days and I have always been handicapped by lack of an education. My Uncle, Nathan Adams, wanted me to
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go to Canada to school after the war started in earnest, but my Aunt Grace objected and I did not go, and as before stated, to my disadvantage in life.
After the Yankees captured Memphis on June 6th, 1862, they would scatter through West Tennessee. I remember that a few Confederate soldiers would make raids through West Tennessee, ostensibly to get recruits, but as a general thing they were not desirable “visitors” and would do about as much damage as the Yankees. I’ll never forget seeing the great number of bales of cotton that were burned on the farm of Mr. Adams. The authorities, Confederate, did not want the Yankees to get the cotton. Some few farmers, supposed to be loyal to the South, hid their cotton in the woods, swamps etc. and would carry it to Memphis, if they passed the Confederate soldiers. If caught with cotton, it was burned by the Confederates. Those that did get to sell it in Memphis got high prices for it, some got one dollar per pound and over. They would buy goods etc but salt was the main thing wanted. Lots of farmers dug up their smoke house floors and would put the dirt in vessels with water in them and boil it and would get some salt that would do for stock, cooking, etc.
We had lots of “Experiences” during the years of 1861, 2, 3, 4 and 5. I was around and about home until the fall or winter of 1863. I had lots of things to happen to me. One night I was sleeping in my room alone, that opened on a porch, failed to lock the door and late in the night a lot of Yanks, Kansas Jay Hawkers, came in and told me to “get up” and “dress”. Knowing I had only one door to get out of they did not stay in the room but were close by, I had a fine gold watch in the room. In 1860 Mr. Adams had bought a roll of oil cloth for the wide hall. The roll was in my room so I threw the watch as far as I could in the hole in the roll. The Yanks did not get it. The Yanks stayed at Mr. Adams for breakfast, but in the meantime had been to Mrs. Meuxs, Mr. Somervells, Mr. Wares and perhaps to other places. After they got ready to leave, they told me to “come with them”. That made Mr. and Mrs. Adams sorry. The Yanks made me go with them to a place on
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the railroad near where Tom Murray, a railroad boss lived. When we got here, Esquire Spencer, Capt. Chaney and I think Horace Wood Sr. were there. I, and Mr. & Mrs. Adams, had told the Yankees I had never been in the army so did Esquire Spencer and Capt. Chaney. Then the Yanks told me to “go home and stay there” for a certain number of hours. They were afraid I would get in touch with some Confederates. After I thought the Yanks had crossed Hatchie River, I went to Mrs. Meuxs, Mr. Somervells and Mr. Wares to learn the damage they had done. On my way back home I had to pass through Stanton. I stopped on my pony and was telling Capt. Chaney who had a little store in Stanton, what the Yanks had done the night before, and I happened to look up the Bolivar – Dancyville road and saw a big dust. I “got busy” and ran my pony to an opening in the fence, that was around the Negro quarters, called “Chota”. After I got in the enclosure I let my horse walk just like I did not know the Yankees were coming, but I had not gone far before several of the Yanks Advance Guard came to me and said the “General wants to see you”. Of course I went with them. The General was about in the middle of the Column. When he came he asked me a lot of questions about having been in the army. I told him I had never been a soldier. Then I told him about the Kansas Jayhawkers raid of the night before and that I had been to see what they had done. Finally he asked me what I did. I said, “General I don’t do much of anything.” He was a jovial old Irish-man – “Well,” he said, “I suppose you are a gentleman of elegant leisure and pleasure”. I said “Yes, General, about as nearly so as anyone you ever saw”. He then asked who lived in the Big White House. I told him Mr. Adams. He then said tell Mr. Adams “I’ll take dinner with him in a few days.”
The General’s men got some mules and I went next day to see him. He was at Mr. Taylor’s (George) near Mason. I stayed at Mr. Taylor’s that night and there saw Mrs. Frances Taylor smoking a pipe. It was the first white woman that I had ever seen smoking.
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On my way home the next day I saw a man coming, meeting me, that I thought was a Yankee, with his gun. I was scared, but it turned out to be young Jim Core with his crutches. He had rheumatism and could not walk without them. I cautioned him about carrying them as he did. Some of General Lawlers men carried of 40 of Mr. Somervells mules and when he was on his was back to Bolivar, Miss Rosa Somervell, my sweetheart, stood on the bank in front of Dr. Claxton’s house and talked so nicely that the General ordered his Quarter Master to return part of the mules to Mr. Somervell. “Miss Rose” told him that her father would not have stock to make crop enough to feed his family and hands. She was a young girl, very timid and it was a surprise to all that she talked to the General as she did. By way of parenthesis will say, in after life when she was 45 or 50 years old, she “was not afraid of the World, the flesh or the Devil”.
One Sunday afternoon I went to preaching in the church that then was just opposite the gate of now Mrs. Nannie Nash. While in church someone said “The Yankees are coming” – that broke up the meeting. Tom Nelson and Nat Kimbrough were there, they got away before the Yankees got to the church. Capt. Chaney and his wife were on horse back and I got with them. We had not gone far on what we called “stingy lane” before we met the Yankees. As we did not stop going towards them, they passed us – paid no attention to me. I surely was glad to be with Capt. and Mrs. Chaney. I can remember some of the preachers from 1860 on. The Presbyterian church was known as Greenleaf, also as Emays. Dr. Bland was the preacher before 1860. During the war Mr.___ was the preacher. After the war, Mr. Philip Thompson was for a year or two. The Elders in that Church were Mr. J.B. Stanton, Dr. Jas. Maclin, D.G. McBride, Nathan Adams and I think Capt. W.B.Maclin and Mr. Kinbrough. After the war the membership was moved to Stanton, that is most of it. The Blands, the Brodnax and John Wilkins Maclin families joined the church at Mason. In 1860 the Methodists worshipped in the old time church in Wesley. It was on the Wesley Circuit, the Circuit was made up of many churches and was consid-
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ered the Banner Circuit of the Memphis Conference. Many first class preachers served the Circuit before the year 1860, as presiding Elders and preachers. Mr. G.W.D. Harris, brother of Gov. Isham G. Harris was one of the Presiding Elders. As preachers the church was served by such talented, highly educated men as Dr. Wm. Harris, Mr. Cullum, Mr. Ashly Wilson (he was a fine preacher, but not highly educated like Dr. Harris). Mr. Arthur Davis also served as preacher. He was a man of very strong mind, but poorly educated. I remember him saying in a sermon that “You can lose your soul over an old Barlow knife as well as over a million dollars”. He also said “some people are like an old blind mule in a potatoe patch.” Old Dr. Baskerville preached sometimes and so did Mr. Parham, as well as some others. After the war of 1861-1865, the new church was built in Stanton on land donated by Mr. Jo B. Somervell, who had always been a Stewart and the “backbone” of the church. When the preachers salary was not paid in full by the members he would pay the deficit out of his own means. That is, he did that until 1865 when he met with reverses by the war and from his confidence in the integrity and honesty of some of his neighbors. Mr. Thos. Orgain, a local preacher, often preached on vacant preaching days. The church after being located at Stanton was served by many different men. Some I remember, viz: Mr. Richard Newsom, Mr. G. M. Barton, Warner Moore, Dr. Boswell, Dr. W. J. Johnson, Mr. Moss were Presiding Elders, Pierce Duckworth, Mr. Garret, Mr. Mobley, Mr. Swift, Mr. Hardin Turner, Mr. J.H. Hardin, Mr. McCorkle, A.C. Smith, Yates Moore, Mr. Howell Taylor, Mr. Jewell and in 1926 by Mr. McCaslin. Go back to the Presbyterian church in Stanton. It was served first by Mr. William Ingram, a soldier in 1861-1865, then by Dr. Gillespie, Mr. H.R. Taylor, Mr. Kellar, Mr. Wardlaw, Mr. Mathis came to the church in 1924 and at this writing is still pastor. Mr. Henry Raymond and Mr. Hutton were among the early pasters in Stanton. The elders after the church was first established in Stanton were Mr. Nathan Adams, Capt. W.B. Maclin, A.J. Gibson and I
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think Mr. Daniel G. McBride and W.C. Pyles. Later they were Wm. Henry and Robt. Maclin, Dr. George G. Ware and still later Gilliam F. Jones, Farris Freeland and Dr. William Ware.
The Baptist Church that I first remember was located near at what now is Mrs. Nannie S. Nashs gate on the old Somerville and Wesley roads. The preachers as I recall them were Bishop Coffey, a fine man, not educated, but told what he knew very well, had great influence and was beloved by everybody. A Mr. Borum, Mr. Greer, Bishop Nolen filled in on vacant Sundays. Mr. George Cole, the Agours family, the Boswells, Mr. Pugh, Mrs. Sally Hawkins (afterwards Mrs. Sally Chaney), Capt. F.W. Chaney and family. Wiley Young and family, Mr. John Cole and family, N.H. Chaney, wife and other were the chief members of the old church. After the new church was built in Stanton, Mrs. __ Price, Mrs. Thos. L. Martin, the Hicks family were among the first to join it. Later, Mr. T.L. Martin, the Bedford family, L.E. Harris, the Flem Williams family, the C.L. Harris family and the LA. McMahen family. The Coles and Capt. Chaney had passed on before the new church was built so had the Boswells and the older Agours – Miss Tiny Agours went from the old to the new church. Mr. L. C. Newman went from the Baptist to the Presbyterian church. The later preachers in Stanton among them Mr. Brown, Harry Martin, Mr. Crockett and Dr. Maney (these did not serve the church in the order named.
Going back to war times from page 6, there was just after the firing on Fort Sumpter by the Confederates, a number of men here that thought it best to fight for Southern Rights under the Stars and Stripes, among them Mr. Jo B. Somervell, who afterwards became a full fledged upholder of the South. The interest of the people was intense in the spring of 1861. The papers were sought for every morning and this section became truly loyal to the Confederacy with few exceptions. Among the volunteers to join the Army were Dr. T. R. Meux, Ass’t Surgeon of the 6th and 9th Tenn Regiment, John Meux, George W. Meux, Jas. S. Meux, Egbert Sheppard, William A. Collier, Wm. Rivers, Dean McConnell, John Baucum, Dr. Frank Pugh, Wm. E. & John Maclin, possibly Nathan Maclin, Robt.
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and William Black, and from near here, John and Emory Sweet, Jas. N. Maclin, D. N. Rives, J.S. Middlebrook, Nat Kimbrough and from Stanton later, Joseph H. Ware, Jas. K. Gibson, Alonza Gilliam, Mayor Wm. J. Somervell, son of Jo B. Somervell joined the Army in Arkansas. Several from and near Dancyville, Tennessee, joined the army at different times – viz: Dr. Jas. S. Rawlins, W.J. Lyle, Fletcher and Arthur Kerr, Col. Henry Douglass, Mr. Robt Tripp, Wm J. Campbell.
After the boys left for the army all interests were in what could be done for their comfort. the ladies knitted socks, visors, girths, made shirts, clothes, spun thread, made cloth, knit wristlets, in fact, did all the could for the “boys”. I remember my sweetheart made me two green and black flannel shirts.
After Memphis fell into the hands of the Yankees, all of West Tennessee was virtually in their hands. Some few Confederates came every now and then, but did more harm than good. Would eat what little the home folks had. This does not apply to Gen’l Forrests’ command that captured Fort Pillow, nor to regular soldiers sent in for recruits. In 1861-1862 I had a pass on the railroad then known as the Memphis and Ohio, now the L. & N. I went to Memphis several times each week. I remember I went there on April 6th and for some reason the train stopped at what is now known as the Murnan Crossing. The Kimbrough girls were there and I told them the Battle of Shiloh was being fought. Their brother Nat was in it.
In June 1862 Memphis “fell”. From that date on many things happened here. Gen’l Hurlburt was marching through here on his way to Brownsville by the Brownsville Ferry Road. There was a bridge across Big Muddy Creek and foolishly and to great injury to this section, Dr. Wm Hewitt and Mr. Jack Nelson burned the Bridge. Hulburts Army had many full blooded imported Germans in it. They could not speak English but were as mean the Devil wanted them to be, also as mean as the U.S. wanted them to be. In many instances they were as mean as the Germans were in Belgium and France in the
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World War. Quite a large number of Negroes went with Hurlburts Army. Hurlburts soldiers ruined Mr. Jo B. Somervell, took feed, stock, poultry, in fact, did everything mean they could, cut heads off geese with their sabers, killed cattle etc. Some Negro told the soldiers where Mrs. Somervell had hid a jug or keg of Brandy in the middle of a flour barrel. Mrs. Somervell thought no one knew where she put it. Before Hurlburt came Mr. Nathan Adams hid six thousand dollars in gold by the side of a rail fence. Some Negro watched him and got it. While Hurlburt’s men were at Mr. Adams’ home, he told a Lieut. about it and told him he would give him part of it if he would make the Negro, suspected, give it up. The Liet. gave the Negro a good beating, got the money and kept it as he in a sort time resigned, went North and opened a store – that was the report. A Col. Hurst a home-made Yankee from McNairy county was very mean. He captured three young men that were staying at Mr. George Wares. He claimed them to be spies but they were not. He had them shot near the Bridge on the Covington road. The bridge was over Little Muddy. Mr. Jo B. Somervell had their coffins made. He had their bodies brought to the old Wesley Church when they were kept one night and they next day he had them buried near the church where they now rest. (Talk about loving the Yankees).
The foregoing is rambling. I am sorry I can’t recall many things that happened. In the winter of 1863 I went to Canton, Miss., and joined Company F, 1st Confederate Bat’l. Commanded by Col Forney. Tony Barthell was my Captain, Henry Furguson and Prewitt were Lieutenants. The Bat’l was in Adams Brigade, Lorings Division, Polks Corps. I got to Canton a few days before Christmas. I rode a Bay horse bought from Alonza Gilliam. I had Bob Black, Negro, as my body servant but he did not stay long with me. He rode my extra horst home. I first reported to Gen’l John Adams at his Headquarters and as I was young and not strong the Gen’l had me detailed to serve with Major Thos. P. Adams in the commissary Dept. I had lots to do. I remember going one day up a gulch in the mountains to buy cattle to feed the soldiers, the farmers did not want to sell. I told them
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they had better sell as we were bound to have the cattle. After awhile I got them to sell and I with several of my drivers started to where I thought the Camp was. We had not gone beyond the range of the cattle before they broke and went up the mountains like deer, so I had to go back and tell the farmer to keep their cattle and to give me the money back, which they did. The cattle were as wild as deer and we could not round them up. I often had to leave our Command on business and would have to follow marks on the trees made by the pioneer corp. The mark for Lorings Division was three chops.
In going to places some Division would use one road and another Division would use some nearby road. When I left home I had a nice heavy overcoat that Gen’l Adams liked. He had a new English Gray overcoat and proposed a swap, which we did. I remember once I had gotten away behind our Division and had to work my way on horseback through the Infantry. My new coat had slanting pockets on the sides. I somehow put my left hand in a pocket and one soldier said: “Look at that boy – has only one arm, make way boys, let him pass”. And I tell you that hand stayed in my pocket and my arm hung loosely until I passed through a Division or Brigade. If the soldiers had caught on I’d have had to walk. I was many times offered a gun for my horse. I had many things to do in the army but as a general thing I did not suffer for clothes or anything. Had an easier time than most of the soldiers. I am sorry I did not keep a diary. Can’t recall many places I went through. Our Corps went to Georgia from Mississippi, joined Gen’l Jo Johnston at ReSacca, Georgia. Our army fought daily and retreated to or near Atlanta. While the army was in front of Atlanta, I remember a man went to the Commissary and got whiskey for the boys. He got drunk and fell and hurt his head badly. When he got to camp he said some fellow hit him on the head. The army was greatly indignant – almost rebelled when Gen’l Hood superseded Gen’l Johnston. After July 27th Gen’l Hood retreated and the Army was like a mob, hardly a dozen men of a given Company were together. Of course the soldiers got together the day following the retreat. Gen’l Sherman then began his march to the sea, through Georgia and South Carolina and he burned as he went. The Germans in the World War followed his tactics. Gen’l Hood then went South and the battle
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of Franklin was fought, which was one of the bloodiest of the war. Thirteen Generals killed or wounded. On the retreat we crossed Tennessee River Christmas Day. On the South Side of the river I saw Major Lem Thomas – surely was glad to see him. He had just come from West Tennessee and told me the news from home and about folks. I let Mr. Cross have my Bible at Augusta and we separated but I got it back. He was at the Reunion in Memphis and wrote about it.
After the Tennessee Campaign our Army went to N.C. and Gen’l Jo Johnston fought the Battle of Bentonville. After it he said, if the army of Tenn. was demoralized he wanted to see one that really was, meaning the army fought as well as he wanted it to. The morale of the army was established after Gen’l Johnston took command. After that the Army went to Raleigh, N.C. and then I, with others, saw Gen’l Johnston walking back and forth in front of his headquarters. The soldiers knew something was wrong. Gen’l Johnston had learned of the surrender of Gen’l Lee on April 9th.
From Raleigh, I started to the trans-Mississippi Dept. with Capt. Strong but a little later we learned of Gen’l Johnston’s surrendering on April 26th at Greensboro, N.C. Then we turned our course. I got in with a Mr. Jim McGhee and we head for home. Spent one night with a kinsman of Mr. McGhee in some city, then we went to Macon, Georgia where we were paroled, but before that I went to Augusta, Georgia and went a few miles in S.C. to where Mrs. Jo Crafton’s father-in-law lived. Mrs. Crafton was there, she was first Miss Carrie Ware. I slept in the deepest feather bed I ever slept in. While we were going from Raleigh, some though Jeff Davis was with us, as our number was about the same as the one he was with. At Macon the Federal Gen’l Wilson made the Hotels etc. take Confederate money, breakfast for two of us cost seven hundred dollars. On our way through Georgia we stopped for rest, One day and tied our horses out. McGhee had two. Someone stole one of his. We hunted for it but never found it. Coming on I passed through Holly Springs and LaGrange. At La Grange there was a Federal
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Post but I rode through the town but had not gone very far before several Yanks came running after me, having my parole they, let me come on. The next day I spent part in Somerville and that night stayed at Dr. Harveys, where I surely was fed high. The next day I came home. A Mr. McLean was in Mrs. Adams room and she said to him just as I entered: “Jo is at home and when Jimmie comes I’ll be happy.” She was glad to see me. My health was bad, had chronic diarrhea, had to take big doses of laudanum before going anywhere. But I soon went to see my sweethearts folks, the Somervells, Wares etc. I was a long time getting so I could leave home without taking medicine.
Before I came home my sweetheart had gone to Jackson to school I went to closing Exercises in June and heard her read her piece on a Debate, question “Was it better to be a young man’s darling or an old man’s slave”. She was on the young man’s side, which of course pleased me. In the summer of 1866, Mr. & Mrs. Adams, Jo Ware, Mrs. Somervell, her daughters, Rosa, Tempe, Eliza Jo and Nan spent some weeks at Mr. John Boyds in Warren County, N.C. We had a fine time. Joe Ware courted Mollie Boyd. After we came home Rosa S. decided not to go back to the Institute. Of course I saw her very often. One afternoon I went for her on horseback and on the way to Mr. Adams we stopped to see the Meux family and Mrs. Street (afterwards Sale) decided it was not prudent for us to go further alone so she had her brother Jo chaperone us –‘bosh”. I have never forgiven her. Well the summer was over. After spending it in N.C. and later Mrs. Somervell, Rosa and Miss Mollie Boyd went to Baltimore and bought a lot of dresses of goods for dresses and other things suitable for brides-to-be. Then Mrs. Somervell and Rosa came home. Of course we, Rosa and I were together often. Our engagement being approved. Later in October, 1866 Jo Ware and I went to N.C. and he and Mollie Boyd were married. We came home immediately after their marriage. Then on November 22nd, 1866, we, Rosa Somervell and I were married at about 8:30 or 9:00 P.M. Rev. Ashley Wilson was the officiating minister. We had as waiters, Jennie Ware, Ottoway Hoy, Pannie Boyd, Tempe Somervell, Major Wm. J. Somervell, Major Thomas P. Adams, Wm Armistead Collier and
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A.J. Gibson. We had a fine supper – had quite a number of friends present. Mr. and Mrs. Nathan Adams, Mr. & Mrs. Jo Ware, Miss Sally Parham, Gen’l Ben Williamson, Dr. & Mrs. George Ware, Mr. & Mrs. Jo D. Crafton, Walter Parham, Wm Black Jr. and Mr. Wm Black and family, Mrs. Lucy Ashe, Miss Lucy and “Dunky” Ashe, Major Gilliam and family, Mrs. Sally Hawkins (afterwards Chaney). The Pugh family, Wm E. Maclin, John Maclin and Capt. Mosley’s daughters and Miss Sally Parham. We stayed at the Somervell home the first night. Gen’l Ben Williamson stayed there also and to breakfast next A.M. I went before my bride came and like a goose, or something worse, said to her “good morning” which tickled Gen’l Williamson so much he had to laugh and joke me. I was scared the next morning and got up early and left the room. We stayed at the Somervell home until late in the afternoon of the second day, then on the way I caught my bride around the neck and kissed her for the first time and she said “look out you are mashing my hat”. That night Mr. & Mrs. Adams gave us an Infair (a big supper) to which everybody was invited. The next morning I could not or thought I could not fasten my collar button, so I asked my bridge to fasten it for me. She said “who has been fastening it for you?” – I said “the boys”. That afternoon we went back to the Somervells home and the next day being Sunday we stayed there. Mr.& Mrs. Jo Ware and others were there. From that day on we would spend some days at the Somervells and some at the Adams home. Then the 26th of Feb’y, 1867 we moved to “Spring Hill” and the next morning Miss Mollie Collier sent us a nice breakfast. Nannie Somervell and Martha Plummer (colored maid) were with us on the 26th which was Nannie’s birthday. Nothing very particular took place until October 18th 1867, our first born, Nathan Adams Gibson, came. Then as the years passed Joseph Somervell and Thomas L. Gibson came in order named and they were as fine a lot of children as ever fell to the lot of any parents and at this writing continue to be. Nathan married Miss Florence Davidson, Jo married Miss Edna O’Neill, Jas. married Miss Frances Bushyhead, Rosa married Mr. W.A. White, Mary married Mr. H.M. Nash, Thomas married Miss Nell Buzzard. We reared Fan Gibson, who married Rev. H.R. Taylor and Nan after her Mothers death was with us some years. While our children were growing up I worked most of the time in
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Stanton and their Mother was the backbone of the family and through her influence our children developed to be first class men and women. Our married life I suppose was as happy as most couples had. My wife was a most remarkable woman, had a fine mind as was altogether worthy of all the respect and admiration of our citizens, which was ever shown her. If she had not married so soon, she was just past 18, and could have cultivated her genius as a writer, she would have attained prominence in the “world of letters”. She wrote her brother Major Somervell a letter from Washington which so impressed him that he let Col Bob Crockett Editor of a Memphis paper read it, the Col said it was as fine a descriptive letter as he ever read. She wrote about her stay in Washington (1866) and what she saw and in later years with the care of a growing family she wrote many beautiful letters to her children and friends. No one had more influence for good than she had. In 1921 Mother’s health grew bad and our children said I should go home and be with her. So in Jan’y of 1922 I resigned my position in the Stanton Bank and went home and did what I could for her relief in attending to outside things. Her health continued poor, then my health became bad and on the 11th of January, 1925 I was taken to the Hospital in Memphis and under went an operation for hemorrhoids. While there I had some kind of dysentery, which “they say” made me very sick. Was so sick all of the children came to see me and they stayed with me all the time they could. I came to Mr. Nashs home on Feby 20th. Dr. Meux and Tom Gibson and my nurse Miss Beatty came with me. I was in bed several weeks. Was discharged by Dr. Meux on May 1st, the nurse left a few days before and Rosa White helped the doctor with bandages etc. But before that on Sunday morning, March 29th, the crushing even of my life came. My good, sweet, longsuffering, watchful, helpful, true wife left me to go to her home in Heaven. Mary had phoned or wired Tom and the other children of Mothers severe illness and Tom and Rosa met in Memphis fortunately Tom phoned from there asking about Mother and when told of her having just left, he at once wired Nate, Jo and Jim. They came on Monday in time for the services. Fan Taylor also cam from Evansville. Mother’s great worth was attested by the great number of persons at the service, which were conducted by Dr.
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Booth Baskerville. His remarks were beautiful and true, and I have been told the mocking birds held concert in the Cemetery, so much so, that the attention of many was called to their singing. She was put away under a Wealth of beautiful, handsome flowers. The officials of Jo and Jim’s company sent 2 or 3 extra fine and handsome tributes, so did their friends. Mr. Jewell the Methodist preacher, assisted Dr. Baskerville in the service. I was not in condition to go to the Cemetery but as long as I live will never forget the pallbearers carrying her remains down the walk at the Nash home and seeing the door close on the hearse. I have been and always will be sorry that she could not have gone from the home of her young married life and the one she lived at all of her married life and loved so much. I don’t suppose anyone ever missed their life’s partner more than I do. We lived together nearly 59 years so it is nothing but natural that I miss her more than words can express. I had to give up my home and when I go there and see her vacant chair it makes me sad beyond description. I am so lonely.
I have been at the Nash home most of the time since Feb’y 20, 1925. Did stay out home two months in the summers of 1925 and 1926. And now I wish to attest my appreciation of the service of Dr. Battle Malone, Dr. McElroy, my Memphis nurses Misses Shaw and Baker. Also particularly to the nice and constant attentions of Dr. George W. Meux both to Mother and me and for which he said he had “no charge” but I in a small way showed how I did appreciate what he did for us. We also appreciated the kindness of our nurses here Misses Beaty and Williams. While in the hospital in Memphis Mrs. H.J. Livingston and Mrs. John W. Farley were as kind as kind could be. They were also good to Mother and their goodness will be appreciated as long as I live. There were others kind to us which did our hearts good to know. We were highly thought of. The boys send extra pretty, large and handsome blankets for the anniversaries of Mother’s death.