Mossy Creek Winter of 1863

Mossy Creek

"Mossy Creek Tenn Dec 24, 1863: 2nd Brigade 1st Cavalry Division Army of the Cumberland Col Oscar H La Grange commanding the 2nd brigade was attacked by two small brigades of Confederates under Gen Armstrong. After a sharp fight the enemy was repulsed leaving 17 dead on the field. La Grange's brigade suffered to the extent of 2 killed and 9 wounded. 

Mossy Creek Tenn Dec 26- 27, 1863: 1st Brigade 1st Division Cavalry Corps Army of the Ohio Rain prevented more than slight skirmishing at Mossy creek, along which the Federals held a strong position on the 26th. No casualties resulted .Late on the afternoon of the 27th, the Federals attacked and drove the enemy from every position to within a short distance of Talbott's station, when the pursuit was stopped by darkness. 

Mossy Creek Tenn Dec 29, 1863: Cavalry Corps, Army of the Ohio. During the night of the 28th, Brig Gen SD Sturgis, commanding the cavalry, learned that the enemy was advancing on Dandridge, and immediately sent off the greater part of his command to intercept him. About 9 o'clock the next morning, the combined cavalry of Martin Morgan and Armstrong, about 6,000 strong, advanced in line of battle, the main effort being directed against the Federal left, but the attack was repulsed by Campbell's brigade after a hard fight. During the day an artillery fire was kept up by the enemy, with a hope of breaking the line so that a position could be secured on the bank of the stream. The attempt was unsuccessful, and later in the day when the detachments sent out during the night to Dandridge returned, the enemy was routed and driven off Sturgis loss was 17 killed, 87 wounded, and 5 missing ,while that of the enemy was not reported. 

Mossy Creek Tenn Jan 10 and 12, 1864: Detachments of 2nd Brigade Cavalry Division Army of the Ohio, Col Oscar H La Grange, commanding the 2nd brigade, reports under date of Jan 10: 'I have the honor to report that a scouting party from the 2nd brigade today surprised one of the enemy's outposts on the Dandridge road about 6 miles from Mossy creek and killed 4 including 1 leutenant, besides making 7 prisoners without loss.' Again on the 12th, La Grange reports, 'The forage detail from the 2nd brigade to day drove back one of the enemy's outposts for the purpose of foraging behind it. Killed 1 and captured 15 prisoners without loss."

(Source:The Union Army: Cyclopedia of battles, Federal Publishing Company, 1908, p.616)

Mary Ann Emily Good

When Mary Ann Emily Good was born on January 15, 1859, in Greeneville, Tennessee, her father, Hartsell Good, was 27, and her mother, Martha Milburn, was 25. Hartsell was the son of David Good and Hannah Hartsell. Martha was the daughter of the Reverend William Elbert Milburn and Martha Frame.

Mary Ann Emily Good was called Mollie and had two brothers: William David (1855-1911) and Elbert Hartsell (1861-1929).

In 1860, the family lived in District 10 Greeneville, Tennessee. Hartsell's parents had lived next door to Andrew Johnson and his family. After David Good died, Hartsell sold the house Andrew Johnson. They attended the same church. (First Methodist, now Christ's Chapel).

Hartsell Good was a tinner before the Civil War. On 27 Jan 1863, he enlisted in the Tennessee 4TH Reg Tennessee Infantry, Union Army.

Hartsell died on July 14, 1863 and is buried in the National Cemetery in Nashville.

On June 15, 1865, Martha filed for a window's pension and soon after she moved to Rheatown with her two youngest children.

On September 15, 1877 Mollie Good and James Randolph White were married by J R Hughes.

Minnie Hartsell White (1878–1971) married James Granville Keebler

Walter White 1880–188

Martha Elizabeth White 1882–1957 married James Ruble Bailes

Isaac William White 1885–1959 married Susan Wiley Chambers

Lula Morley White 1887–1971married William Earl Thomas

Eva Franke White 1890–1968

James Henry White 1892–1918

Elma White 1896–1896

Elbert Carl White 1896–1915

Losing her son Elbert Carl to pneumonia on January 3, 1915, then James Henry in on October 10, 1918 in Chateau-Thierry, France during World War I was very hard for her. James Henry was buried in France, but after the war, his body was brought back to Rheatown to be buried in the Rheatown Cemetery.

Mollie Good White died on April 15, 1926 and is buried in Rheatown Cemetery.

The inscription says, "She was a kind wife, a loving Mother and a friend to all.

Marble Championship

Karl Witkowski [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

 

 

Knoxville Marble Tournament

April 1923

April12: Lonas School

April 14: Claxton

April 15: Meade

April 16: Marble City

April 17: University Ave:

April 18: Peabody

April 19: Rayl

April 21: McMillian

April 22: Griffin

April 23: Pickle

April 24: Hampden- Sydney

April 25: Staub

April 26: West View

April 28: Flenniken

April 29: Bell House

April 30: Fair Garden

May 1: McCallie

May 2: Mountain View

May 3: Beaumont

May 5: Brownlow

May 6: Mynders

May 7: Belle Morris

May 8: Lincoln Park

May 9: Van Guilder

May 10: Lonsdale

May 12: South Knox

May 13: Boyd

May 14: Oakwood

May 15: Moses

May 16: Park City- Lowry

May 17: Knoxville High

After a champion is named at all the schools, a final tournament was played at Caswell Park.

Clarence Stedman won and went on to compete in Atlantic CIty.

Prof. W E F Milburn Seriously, If Not Fatally Injured by A Runaway

A Terrible Runaway Accident

Prof. W E F Milburn Seriously, If Not Fatally Injured by A Runaway

It is with feelings of distress that we are called to chronicle the particulars, as we gather them from Mr. Gaines Harrell, of the terrible accident which befell our friend Prof. W E F Milburn last Tuesday evening, and which, in all probably, cost him his life.

He had been to Rheatown on Tuesday in a buggy, and was returning home about dark and while driving along alone his horse suddenly took fright by some means or another, and becoming uncontrollable dashed away at a fearful rate throwing the rider out and mangling him up in a most frightful manner. His entire jaw, we are informed, was literally crushed into jelly and her was otherwise seriously injured. The buggy was also smashed to pieces.

The horse, however, became detached and ran on at almost lightning speed until he was stopped by some parties in the road. They suspecting some one had been hurt by the runaway went back until they came to the place of the accident, and there they found Mr Milburn in terrible condition.

His body was taken up and conveyed to his home, when the services of Dr Morley were secured and the wounds dressed. The doctor gave the opinion that it was almost impossible for him to recover. He was, however, perfectly conscious, and although from the condition of his mouth and jaw, he could neither speak, eat or drink, still he communicated with his friends through the medium of a pen.

The next paragraph is about a premonition of death attributed to WEF Milburn prior to this accident.

We have not heard of anything for a long time that grieved us more than this sad occurrence, for Prof. Milburn was a most estimable and worthy young gentleman. He is the son of Rev Wm Milburn of the Methodist Church and lived at Milburnton, Greene County. He is a graduate of the University at Athens (Tennessee Wesleyn) and has taught very successfully at New Market, Jacksboro' and other places. Although our information is that his chances for recovery are exceedingly doubtful, we earnestly hope that he may get over it. - (Source: Knoxville Chronicle (Union and American
(Greeneville, Tennessee), 30 Aug 1876, Wed • First Edition • Page 3)

Reading about my Snow family on a snowy night

Snow is falling and I am reading the inventory of my ancestor Nicholas Snow's estate and it reminded me of another estate inventory.  The estate inventory of Henry Byrom.

Henry Byrom came to Virginia in 1703 as an indentured servant .  He was a gunsmith and he was allowed to bring a servant with him (his brother Peter Byrom).  I am not all sure about the status of an indentured servant's servant because this is the only time I have seen this.

Henry did pretty well.  He married Frances Mills on December 10, 1702.  She was the daughter of Robert Mills and Jane Brown.  Henry died in 1717 and his inventory is the subject of this post.  One of the things listed is a brass divider.  I shared the inventory with another researcher and she asked me how Henry Bryom would have used a brass room divider in his small house.

Since my father was an engineer, I knew this was a tool that Henry would have used to measure the distance between two points. This would have been necessary for a gunsmith during this time because this was long before standardized sizes for for gun parts would be used.  Each gun was a single piece of art. 

An antique brass divider is both a beautiful piece of art and a useful too.  I could not find a photo of an antique brass divider, but trust me, they are beautiful.

By Glenn McKechnie - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, Link