Civil War Soldiers - My Mother's Family

Most people my age have about 8 second or third great grandfathers that were the right age and generation to have fought in the Civil War. In the south the number is higher because Confederate soldiers' ages had a wider range than Union soldiers. Most Confederate soldiers were between 18 and 39. Although according to some historians it wasn't uncommon to see men in their 50s, 60s, and a few in their 70s.

[Note:  In this blog, I refer to WV as a geography before it was a state because it's helpful to distinguish it from Virginia.]

Below is a brief description of my maternal 2nd/3rd great grandfathers and whether they participated in the war. If I say they "did not serve," it means I have searched for records but there isn't any indication they were in either army.

1. Thomas "T.R." Houghton. GG-Grandfather - b. 1846, WV: Preacher. ; Did not serve. He was a little young and would have only been 15 in 1861. His older brother Jesse served (Confederate) as did his future father-in-law James F. Cochran (Union).

2. James F. Cochran. GGG-Grandfather- b. 1819, WV. 3rd West Virginia Cavalry. Union Soldier. Enrolled: 10 Mar 1864; Died 19 Sep 1864 - probably from infection of a small pox vac. He entered as a private and was at some point promoted to Corporal during his 6 months of service. His daughter Sarah Jane married TR Houghton 11 years after her father died.  The guardian of his children applied for his pension and thus his file contains a significant amount of information about the family.

3. Shelton Rodney Boise Henderson. GG-Grandfather - b. 1843 VA. 36th Regiment Virginia Infantry, Confederate Army. On June 5, 1864 during the Battle of New Hope or Piedmont, VA - near Staunton, VA, he was wounded in the right foot and his leg had to be amputated just below the knee.  His records include an order for his prosthetic leg. Ten years after the war, he married my gg-grandmother, Elizabeth Alice Hanna and had 9 children. (see photo)

3. Adolph Meminger. GG-Grandfather - b. 1844 Baden Germany. Records indicate he arrived around1865 and missed the war. I have been unable to find any immigration records.

4. William Clark Babcock. b. 1843 Michigan. I have not found any indication that he served but according to my cousin Dan Meminger, other Babcock cousins did.

Till next time, keep the blue side up ... Lynn

What Did the W Stand For?

My great grandmother, Luanna W. Henderson, was born in 1875 in Strange Creek, Nicholas County, West Virginia.  "Lewie" married my great grandfather, Homer Newton Houghton, at the age of 18 and lived her life on a picturesque if remote farm caring for her 12 children. Despite a trail of indicators that her middle initial was W, I've never learned what it stood for.  

Below are six sources that use "W" as a middle initial.  The only other initial used is H - presumably for her maiden name Henderson (e.g. on her tombstone: Lewie H. Houghton).
 
1.) 1880 Census - Luanna W. age 4, this census is very difficult to read (ancestry.com).  Appears to use "W." as a middle initial.  Also appears to have another letter at the end of Luanna.
2. ) West Virginia reindex of the Marriage Register (typed) uses W. as a middle initial. (http://www.wvculture.org/vrr/va_select.aspx)  1893
3.) Daughter Vada Houghton's Tombstone: Vada Daughter of HN and LW Houghton. 1919
4.) Son Murrill Houghton's Tombstone: Murrill son of HN and LW Houghton.  1934
5.) Husband Homer Houghton's WWI Draft Registration: "Lewie W." 1918 (below)
6.) Obituary: Luanna W. Houghton, 1938

  




Family name?  Could the W stand for a family name? My best guess to date is that it's Wilson. Luanna's maternal grandmother was Alcinda Wilson, born in 1823. Also, Luanna has a brother and uncle that use the name Walker as a given name. There are lots of Walker's in the area but  I have not found this family name anywhere in the family tree which only goes back to the 1700s.

I will continue my search.
Till next time, keep the blue side up ... Lynn