Civil War: the Richards family tragedy

The Civil war was the end of the line for one Richards family who lost all their sons and a son-in-law.

Clarissa Richards Williams not only lost five brothers in the American Civil War, she also lost her husband.

When my ancestor Clarissa Richards was born around 1827, she was one of twelve children born to Christopher Richards, Sr. and Nancy Moore. The Civil War was anything but civil, and when it came, Clarissa's husband and at least five of her brothers served their country and gave their lives for it. 

Clarissa's husband died of fever during the war, he was a farmer from Virginia and a father of eight. One of those eight was my great, great grandmother Harriet Isabelle Williams. 

Clarissa or Betty as she was known was the sister of Lewis P. Williams who died in 1862 at the age of 13 in Franklin County, Virginia.

Their brother Asa Richards was 22 when he died in February of the same year.

Their brother Samuel M. Richards enlisted in Co. B of the 42nd Virginia Infantry about May of 1861 and died about November 1862 at the age of 21.  

Samuel M. Richards enl. pvt. Co. B, 42nd Va. Inf. May 25, 1861 Floyd C.H., Floyd Co., Va. To Warm Springs Hosp. by Oct. 31, 1861 and then to Bath Alum Springs by Dec. 31, 1861. Detailed teamster Feb. 21 to Mar. 19, 1862. Present Jul. 17, 1862. Warrenton Hosp. Aug. 31, 1862 and DOD there Sept. 20, 1862. J. Chapla, 42nd Virginia Infantry.    

Robert Richards was born about 1836 and married Sarah Jane Shilling or Stirling in 1858. He had two children in the 1860 census at the age of 25 and enlisted in the 42nd infantry in 1861. he went AWOL in 62 and was court-martialed and sentenced to 4 months hard labor. He was killed in action in 1863 in Chancellorsville and the remainder of his sentence was set aside.

Robert E. Richards enl. pvt. Co. B. 42nd Va. Inf. May 25, 1861 Floyd C.H., Floyd Co., Va. age 25. Furloughed Feb. 14, 1862 40-day re-enlistment leave. Present Mar. 23, 1862. AWOL Aug. 12, 1862 Gordonsville. Present Dec. 28, 1862. Court-martialed Apr. 9, 1863, guilty AWOL, sentenced to four months' hard labor on public roads at Staunton and forfeit four months and seven days pay. The court was lenient "on account of the prior good character of the accused." KIA May 3, 1863 Chancellorsville, Va. Remaining sentence set aside May 29, 1863 for gallantry at Chancellorsville. 5'9 1/2" dark complexion, brown eyes, dark hair. Chapla, 42nd Virginia Infantry.

 Hamilton Richards was 28 when he died at Cedar Run. He enlisted in 1861 right after the birth of his fifth child, Samuel. Hamilton was killed in action in August 1862.

Robert E. Richards enl. pvt. Co. B. 42nd Va. Inf. May 25, 1861 Floyd C.H., Floyd Co., Va. age 25. Furloughed Feb. 14, 1862 40-day re-enlistment leave. Present Mar. 23, 1862. AWOL Aug. 12, 1862 Gordonsville. Present Dec. 28, 1862. Court-martialed Apr. 9, 1863, guilty AWOL, sentenced to four months' hard labor on public roads at Staunton and forfeit four months and seven days pay. The court was lenient "on account of the prior good character of the accused." KIA May 3, 1863 Chancellorsville, Va. Remaining sentence set aside May 29, 1863 for gallantry at Chancellorsville. 5'9 1/2" dark complexion, brown eyes, dark hair. Chapla, 42nd Virginia Infantry. 

Their brother William Richards married in 1860 and enlisted for the war in 1862. He died in 64.

• William Richards enl. pvt. Co. B. 42nd Va. Inf. Mar. 8, 1862 Floyd C.H., Floyd Co., Va. age 22. AWOL Aug. 12, 1862 Gordonsville, Va. Absent through Dec. 31, 1862. DOD by Jan. 16, 1864. Chapla, 42nd Virginia Infantry 122.   

Christopher Richards, Junior was born in 1836 and died in Harrisonburg, Virginia, at the age of 26 in April of 62.  He married Hannah Gearhart in 56 and had 3 children before he died.

Christopher Richards, Jr. enl. pvt. Co. B, 42nd Va. Inf. May 25, 1861 Floyd C.H., Floyd Co., Va. age 25. To Variety Spgs. Hosp. by Dec. 31, 1861. Present Feb. 28, 1862. Hosp. by Apr. 1, 1862. D. Apr. 14, 1862, Harrisonburg, Va. typhoid fever. J. Chapla, 42nd Virginia Infantry 122.  

Not one of those Richards boys survived...

After the deaths of all her brothers and her husband, it really is not surprising that Betty Richards Williams would not want to lose her son is it?

After Betty's husband and five of her brothers died during the Civil War, Clarissa hid one of her boys in a cave, to keep him from being drafted or caught and hanged by the "Home Guard." Sometimes Isabelle would go with her to take him food. They would walk down a stream bed, so they couldn't be tracked. After the war, Clarissa went with her daughter and son-in-law, who was a minister, to Bluefield, West Virginia. She owned a large amount of land in Franklin County, bought with her husband's gambling winnings (but we have not yet located the land records). In 1910 at age 85, she was living with her son Noah H. "Hank" Williams in Montgomery County, Virginia. *

* This is taken from the book of John Marchel Reed and Anne Cora Nichols Reed by Nancy Mae Little Randers-Pehrson and Glenn Randers-Pherson

source:
http://www.hodges-hodge-society.org/db/getperson.php?personID=I466&tree=37

Have you read Daily Historian? #genealogy

Hey have you seen my daily newsletter? If youre into genealogy you might like it. If youre a genealogy blogger you might be in it. Its called DAILY HISTORIAN and its located at  https://paper.li/f-1389198681. Check it out and feel free to subscribe to get it delivered right to your box.

1910 census of E. H. Nichols #censusSaturday

1910 Census, Franklin Co., Va., Maggodee Dist., E.D. 42. sheet 6a, Apr. 26, 1910, 104/104

Ezekiel Nickals head mw66 m1 43 Va-Va-Va Eng farmer home farm nn OFF
Elizabeth Nickals wife fw54 m1 43 10/10 Va-Va-Va Eng none
Ezekiel B. Nickals son mw15s Va-Va-Va farmer home farm nnn

http://www.hodges-hodge-society.org/db/getperson.php?personID=I561&tree=37   

James H. Williams 1818- 1862 #Military Monday

Name: James H Williams
Birth Date: abt 1818
Death Date: 1 Jun 1862
Death Place: Franklin County, Virginia
Death Age: 44
Gender: Male
Mother Name: Malinda Smith
FHL Film Number: 2056982

Source Information:
Ancestry.com. Virginia, Deaths and Burials Index, 1853-1917 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011.
Original data:

"Virginia Deaths and Burials, 1853–1912." Index. FamilySearch, Salt Lake City, Utah, 2010. Index entries derived from digital copies of original and compiled records.

1900 census of E.H. Nichols #censusSaturday

1900 Census, Franklin Co., Va., Maggodee Mag. Dist., E.D. 31, sheet 9a, June 25, 1900, 149/149

Ezekiel Nichols head wm Mar 1849 51 m31 Va-Va-Va farmer nny OFF
Harriet I. Nichols wife wf Jul 1852 47 m31 10/10 Va-Va-Va nny
Lucy E. Nichols dtr wf Nov 188217s Va-Va-Va yyy
Virgie C. Nichols dtr wf Jun 1885 15s Va-Va-Va at school yyy
Milwaukee Nichols dtr wf May 1888 12s Va-Va-Va at school yyy
Augusta D. Ncihols dtr wf Apr 1891 9s Va-Va-Va at school
Ezekiel B. Nichols son wm Dec 1893 6s Va-Va-Va at school
Josiah Saunders boarder bm Feb 1864 36s Va-Va-Va day laborer nny    

http://www.hodges-hodge-society.org/db/getperson.php?personID=I561&tree=37     

Bloodlines of Bacon: FANNING

Family Fun time again! Here is the next issue of Bloodlines of Bacon..

KEVIN BACON to DAKOTA FANNING:

Dakota Fanning is Kevin Bacon's 15th cousin once removed...

Kevin Bacon
   →  Edmund Norwood Bacon
his father →  Helen Atkinson Bacon
his mother →  Lydia Towsend Comly
her mother →  George Tatum Atkinson
her father →  John Atkinson
his father →  Esther Evans
his mother →  Esther Haines
her mother →  John B. Haines
her father →  Richard Haines, Sr.
his father → John Richard Haines
his father →  John Richard Haynes Jr., Governor
his father →  John Haynes, Sr.
his father →  Nicholas Haines
his father →  Thomasine Haines
his mother →  Elizabeth Foxley
her mother →  Sir John Boteler, Kt.
her father →  Margaret Harmon
his daughter →  Elizabeth Leonard
her daughter →  Sir Samuel Lennard, Kt., MP
her son →  Mary Lennard
his daughter →  Margery Bellingham
her daughter →  William Chambers
her son →  William Chambers
his son →  John Chambers
his son → Keziah Chambers
his daughter →  Edward Pankey
her son →  Nancy Jane Covington
his daughter →  John Alva Covington
her son →  Nellie Grace Arrington
his daughter → Richard Adler Arrington, Jr.
her son →  R. Arrington
his son →  H. Fanning
his daughter →  Dakota Fanning
her daughter

http://www.geni.com/people/Dakota-Fanning/6000000008772312839             
http://www.geni.com/people/Kevin-Bacon/6000000009325127022   

Olive Tree Genealogy #BlogOfTheMonth

http://www.olivetreegenealogy.com/
#Must Read

Rachel E. Hundley #TombstoneTuesday

This week I got an email about a photo request I had made on Find-a-grave that my request had been answered by a wonderful Find-a-grave contributor. Tracy C. had found and photographed the tombstone for me of my great aunt Rachel E. Hundley.

Rachel was the sister of my grandfather Rufus Nichols and it is good to have a photo for her memorial. Thanks again Tracy C.

Davie Davis 1912-1999 #MemorialMonday

KING -- Mr. Davie ''Pop'' Davis, 87, of 286 Main Street, died Wednesday, April 21, 1999, at Village Care of King. Mr. Davis was born on April 12, 1912 in Carroll County, Virginia to John and Martha Smith Davis. 
Mr. Davis was preceded in death by his wife, Gracie Mae Hancock Davis, his parents, a brother and four sisters. He was a retired logger and a member of East Side Baptist Church in Mooresville. 

Surviving are three daughters, Rose (Roger) Eaton of Tobaccoville, Mary (Junior) Griffin of Mooresville, and Jane (Manuel) Puckett of Pine Ridge, N.C.; seven sons, Howard (Margaret) Davis of Mt. Airy, Junior Davis of King, Roger Davis and Danny Davis, both of Tobaccoville, Frank (Judy) Davis of Mt. Airy, Roy Davis of Sauratown Mountain, and Billy Davis of King; 20 grandchildren and 12 great grandchildren. 
Graveside services will be conducted Friday, April 23, 1999, at 11:00 a.m. at the East Bend Friends Cemetery by Rev. Jack Causey. The family will receive friends from 7:00 until 9:00 p.m. Thursday evening at Huff Funeral Home in East Bend.        

http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=93494587       

1880 census of Ezekiel H. Nichols #censusSaturday

1880 Census, Franklin Co., Va., Maggodee Dist., E.D. 104, p. 15, June 8, 1880, 130/130

E. Nikolds self mwm30 farmer crwVa-Va-Va
Issabell Nikolds wife mwf28 keeping house crw Va-Va-Va
George H. Nikolds son swm10 at home crw Va-Va-Va
James J. Nikolds son swm8 at home Va-Va-Va
Amanuel H. Nikolds son swm5 at home Va-Va-Va
L. Esta Nikolds dtr swf3 at home Va-Va-Va      

http://www.hodges-hodge-society.org/db/getperson.php?personID=I561&tree=37   

Bloodlines of Bacon: JEFFERSON

Time for another Family Fun Friday Trivia post. Today's Bloodlines of Bacon is about Thomas Jefferson author of the Declaration of Independence and 3rd POTUS...

BACON to JEFFERSON:  

Thomas Jefferson, 3rd President of the United States of America is Kevin Bacon's 10th cousin five times removed.
Kevin Bacon
   →  Ruth Hilda Holmes
his mother →  Dorothy Frances Smith
her mother →  George Campbell Smith
her father →  Francis Shubael Smith
his father → Moses Rogers Smith
his father →  Shubael Smith
his father →  Prudence Smith
his mother →  Samuel Fitz Randolph
her father →  Nathaniel Fitzrandolph
his father → Edward Fitz Fitzrandolph, Jr.
his father →  Edward Fitz Randolph, of Sutton-in-Ashfield
his father →  Christopher Fitz Randolph, II
his father → Christopher Fitz Randolph
his father →  John Fitz Randolph, II
his father →  Isabel Stewart Randolph of Bonkyll
his mother →  Roger Conyers
her brother → Agnes Anne Conyers
his daughter →  Roger Blakiston, II
her son →  George Blakiston ESQ. of Hedley Hall
his son →  Alice Hicks
his daughter →  Eleanor Lilburn
her daughter →  William Lilburne
her son →  Jane Lilburn
his daughter →  Jane Lilburne Randolph
her daughter →  Jane Jefferson
her daughter → Thomas Jefferson
her son

http://www.geni.com/people/Thomas-Jefferson-3rd-President-of-the-United-States-of-America/6000000003849466047             
http://www.geni.com/people/Kevin-Bacon/6000000009325127022       

Selena Gomez #CousinOfTheWeek

American actress and singer Selena Gomez is best known for portraying Alex Russo in the Emmy Award-winning television series Wizards of Waverly Place. She subsequently ventured into feature films and has starred in the television movies Another Cinderella Story, Wizards of Waverly Place: The Movie, andPrincess Protection Program. She made her starring theatrical film debut in Ramona and Beezus.

Born Selena Marie Gomez on July 22, 1992, to Amanda Cornett and Ricardo Gomez in Grand Prairie, Texas. Her mother, commonly known as Mandy, was a former stage actress and inspired her daughter to pursue a career in entertainment.

Selena Marie Gomez is my 12th cousin twice removed.
You
   →  Pop
your father →  Rufus S. Nichols
his father →  James "Jim" Ira Nichols
his father →  Ezekiel H. Nichols
his father →  "John" Ezekiel Nichols
his father →  Rhoda Bond Nichols
his mother →  Sgt. Wright Bond, Revolutionary Soldier
her father →  Page Bond
his father →  William Bond
his father →  William Bond
his father →  Dorothy Bond
his mother →  Sgt. John Harris, Sr.
her father →  Capt. Thomas Harris, Sr.
his brother →  William Harris, Major
his son →  Edward E Harris
his son →  Nathaniel Harris
his son →  Unity L "Monty" (Harris) Callahan
his daughter →  Edward "Red Ned" Callahan
her son →  Zelphia Cornett
his daughter → Samuel Brack Cornett
her son →  Laborn Cornett
his son →  John William Cornett
his son →  Wallace Frederick Cornett
his son → Ernest William Cornett, Sr.
his son →  D. Cornett
his son →  A. Teefey
his daughter →  Selena Marie Gomez
her daughter

http://www.geni.com/people/Selena-Gomez/6000000016373266594   

KinFolk Detective #Blog of the Month

http://kinfolkdetective.com/   

Check out this informative genealogy blog I found. 

#RecommendedReading