Confessional Lutheran
Well-known member
- Joined
- Sep 11, 2017
- Messages
- 867
- Age
- 51
- Location
- Northern Virginia
- Gender
- Male
- Religious Affiliation
- Lutheran
- Political Affiliation
- Moderate
- Marital Status
- Divorced
- Acceptance of the Trinity & Nicene Creed
- Yes
It's Hallowe'en, so I suppose a quick family story regarding one of my deceased ancestors wouldn't be out of line, here.
I am Andrew, son of Robert Gooding and son of Carol McDonald. Carol is the daughter of Boyd McDonald and Phyllis Cornett. Boyd McDonald was the son of Melva McDonald and Bertha Baird. Melva was the son of Newton McDonald and Pharaba Cecil. Newton was the son of James McDonald and Malinda Lawson.
James was the son of James McDonald I, the Revolutionary scout from Cumberland County, North Carolina who was awarded land in Eastern Tennessee for his service in the Carolina militia and Sarah Cox, a daughter of a Quaker from Delaware. Uncle Jimmy, as the Revolutionary scout's son was called, ran a saloon in the town of Huntsville, Tennessee when rumors of war began to spread in the hills. Like everybody else in that area, Uncle Jimmy didn't agree with slavery and he was contemptuous of the talking heads in Nashville who were chattering away about " Northern efforts to stamp out the Southern way of life." In fact, when Tennessee opted out of the Union, Scott County declared its own independence from Tennessee and set itself up as the Independent State of Scott, loyal to the Union.
Uncle Jimmy was passionate in his loyalty to the Union, so he joined the Company G, Second Tennessee Volunteer Infantry ( Union) where he attained the rank of corporal. His temper really wasn't the best and he did threaten a superior officer and so he deserted, much to his own shame. He returned, with the rank of private and participated in a skirmish near Rogersville, Tennessee, where he and his regiment got captured by the Confederates. He saw how wretched the conditions of the Confederates were and goaded them by saying he'd like to help them, but he was in a bit of a bind at the moment and he'd " see them later." Then he started singing a little ditty that further antagonized his captors.
" Abe Lincoln is a fine old man,
Jefferson Davis is a fool.
Abe comes in riding a fine, white horse,
Davis is riding a mule.
So, we'll pass around the grog, boys, all around the room,
For we're the boys who make no noise,
Although we're far from home."
Uncle Jimmy and his regiment would be imprisoned at Belle Isle, in Richmond, Virginia. James McDonald II died there in 1863, of filth and malnourishment, four months after he was captured. He had already had his family and his widow proved strong willed in getting her husband's pension from the government. His son, Newton, ran an inn and his grandson, Melva, became a teacher and state representative for awhile in Knoxville. When Melva and his kids ( Melva was a Presbyterian, as were his children) moved up to DC for awhile, one of his middle children, Boyd, worked and met Phyllis, daughter of Henderson Cornett and Elodie Pecot. Needless to say, when Melva went back to Tennessee, Boyd stayed in the DC area, married Phyllis and to them was born my aunt and my mother. There's my offering for All Hallow's Eve.
I am Andrew, son of Robert Gooding and son of Carol McDonald. Carol is the daughter of Boyd McDonald and Phyllis Cornett. Boyd McDonald was the son of Melva McDonald and Bertha Baird. Melva was the son of Newton McDonald and Pharaba Cecil. Newton was the son of James McDonald and Malinda Lawson.
James was the son of James McDonald I, the Revolutionary scout from Cumberland County, North Carolina who was awarded land in Eastern Tennessee for his service in the Carolina militia and Sarah Cox, a daughter of a Quaker from Delaware. Uncle Jimmy, as the Revolutionary scout's son was called, ran a saloon in the town of Huntsville, Tennessee when rumors of war began to spread in the hills. Like everybody else in that area, Uncle Jimmy didn't agree with slavery and he was contemptuous of the talking heads in Nashville who were chattering away about " Northern efforts to stamp out the Southern way of life." In fact, when Tennessee opted out of the Union, Scott County declared its own independence from Tennessee and set itself up as the Independent State of Scott, loyal to the Union.
Uncle Jimmy was passionate in his loyalty to the Union, so he joined the Company G, Second Tennessee Volunteer Infantry ( Union) where he attained the rank of corporal. His temper really wasn't the best and he did threaten a superior officer and so he deserted, much to his own shame. He returned, with the rank of private and participated in a skirmish near Rogersville, Tennessee, where he and his regiment got captured by the Confederates. He saw how wretched the conditions of the Confederates were and goaded them by saying he'd like to help them, but he was in a bit of a bind at the moment and he'd " see them later." Then he started singing a little ditty that further antagonized his captors.
" Abe Lincoln is a fine old man,
Jefferson Davis is a fool.
Abe comes in riding a fine, white horse,
Davis is riding a mule.
So, we'll pass around the grog, boys, all around the room,
For we're the boys who make no noise,
Although we're far from home."
Uncle Jimmy and his regiment would be imprisoned at Belle Isle, in Richmond, Virginia. James McDonald II died there in 1863, of filth and malnourishment, four months after he was captured. He had already had his family and his widow proved strong willed in getting her husband's pension from the government. His son, Newton, ran an inn and his grandson, Melva, became a teacher and state representative for awhile in Knoxville. When Melva and his kids ( Melva was a Presbyterian, as were his children) moved up to DC for awhile, one of his middle children, Boyd, worked and met Phyllis, daughter of Henderson Cornett and Elodie Pecot. Needless to say, when Melva went back to Tennessee, Boyd stayed in the DC area, married Phyllis and to them was born my aunt and my mother. There's my offering for All Hallow's Eve.
