Confederate Prisoners Of War - A few of our local men who were POW's

I would like to “THANK” Mr. Dan Goodson of Elkton, Virginia who has so generously given of his time to help track down many of our more obscure Prisoner Of War veterans.  Mr. Goodson is an active member of the Col. D. H. Lee Martz  Sons of the Confederate Veterans Camp 10.

Grave-site of one of our many men in Gray.

Confederate Prisoners Of War

Daniel B. Abbott– Enlisted 1 Jun 1861 as a Pvt. In Co. H, 33^rd VA Infantry. Promoted to Corporal in 1863. On the 3  May 1863 he was wounded in action at Chancellorsville.  He became a POW on 12 May 1864 at Spotsylvania and sent to Fort Delaware.  He was released 15 Jun 1865.

Born: ca. 1835

Died: 13 Jan 1871

Burial: Atwood Cemetery near Rileyville, Page Co., VA

Married:

Elizabeth C. _________

Born:

Died:

Children:

1. Thomas W. Abbott [4 Nov 1868 – 28 Jan 1948]

George Washington Aleshire – Enlisted 2 Jun 1861 as a Pvt in Co. K, 10^th Virginia Infantry. Captured 8 Jul 1864 near Harper’s Ferry, sent to Old Capitol Prison and then sent to Elmira on the 25Jul  1865. Paroled 20 Apr 1865 at New Market, VA.

Born: 10 Feb 1837

Died: 10 Jan 1907

Burial: Stanley Church Cemetery, Page Co., Virginia.

Married:

Eliza J. __________

Born: 29 May 1860                                                                                                                                                                                  Died: 14 Jul 1906    

Burial:  Stanley Church Cemetery, Page Co., Virginia.                                                                                                                                                                                                         

 Henry Aleshire – Enlisted 2 Jun 1861 as a Pvt in Co. H, 33^rd Virginia Infantry. Captured 23 Sep 1864 at Strasburg, Virginia – sent to Point Lookout, MD- exchanged 17 Mar 1865.

Born: ca. 1841 Page Co., VA

Died:

Married:

Eliza _______

Born:

Died:

Isaac Aleshire – Enlisted Co. E, 97^th Virginia Militia on 5 Jul 1861 as a Pvt. – captured 21 Dec 1862 – POW 3 Jul 1863 at Chambersburg, PA.

Born: ca. 1829 in Page Co., Virginia

Died: 23 Nov 1916

Burial: St. Luke’s Church Cemetery – Rt. 616 – Stanley area – Page Co., VA

Married:

Susan ________

Born:

Died:

Children:

1.      John W. Aleshire

2.      Nancy R. Aleshire

3.      Sarah Aleshire

4.      Isaac C. Aleshire

5.      James E. Aleshire

Joseph Aleshire – Enlisted 13 May 1863 in Co. H, 33^rd Virginia Infantry. 3 Jul 1863 captured at Chambersburg, PA.  Exchanged and hospitalized rest of war.

Born: ca. 1825

Died:

Burial:

Married:

Clarissa N. ________

Born: ca. 1835

Died:

Children:

1.      John W. Aleshire

2.      Lucy V. Aleshire

3.      James R.F.L. Aleshire

James John Comer – Enlisted 1 Jun 1861 in Co. H, 33^rd Virginia Infantry – wounded at Chancellorsville captured 20 Jul 1864 at Harper’s Ferry WV – sent to Elmira.

Born: 2 May 1847 Shenandoah Co., Virginia

Died: 6 Oct 1930

Burial: Methodist Church Cemetery, Shenandoah, Page Co., Virginia

Married 1^st:

Mary A[nn?] _________

Born:

Died:

Married 2^nd:

Lucy D. ____________

Born: 26 Apr 1880

Died: 2 May 1977

 Reuben Dadisman – Enlisted 1 Jun 1861 in Luray, Page Co., Virginia as a Pvt. in Co D, 7^th Virginia Calvary – captured 7 May 1862 in Harrisonburg, Virginia – sent to Fort Delaware -

Born: ca. 1841

Died:

William Dolane – Co. C, 6^th Virginia Calvary

Born: ca. 1845

Died:

Resident of Page Co., VA.  Captured at Paw Paw, WV on 2 Dec 1863- sent to Antheneum Prison at Wheeling, WV on 5 Dec 1863 and from there to Camp Chase on 7 Dec 1863.

George Washington Donovan – Co. I, 33^rd Volunteer Infantry, Stonewall Brigade.  Wounded twice – captured at Chancellorsville, Virginia – sent to Fort Delaware. He signed his Oath of Allegiance on 22 Jun 1885[?] which describes him as being  5’10” tall with grey eyes and dark hair.

Born: 1833, son of John O. and Emma Biggerstaff Donovan.

Died: 15 Feb 1905 Rockingham Co., Virginia

Burial: Singers Glen Cemetery, Singers Glenn, Rockingham Co., Virginia.

Marries 1^st :

Lee Ann Swecker

Born:

Died: 1857

Married 2^nd.: 1869

Mary E. Weller

Born:

Died:

Children:

1.      Rev. John D. Donovan [1855 – 1905]

2.      George Donovan [1856 – 1856]

3.      Phillip Harvey Donovan [1861 – 1928

4.      Robert E. Lee Donovan [1863 – 1912]

5.      Nettie Virginia Donovan Swank [1868 – 1943]

6.      Archibald Franklin Donovan [1870 – 1908]

C. F. Finch – enlisted 1 Aug 1862 in Luray.  Pvt. Co D, 7^th Virginia Calvalry – captured 11 Dec 1862 at Darksville - sent to Antheneum Prison at Wheeling, WV, sent to Camp Chase, OH 15 Dec 1862, sent to Cairo, IL 20 Dec 1862. Exchanged 6 Apr 1863 at City Point. Paroled 1 Jun 1865 at Winchester, VA.

Born: 3 May 1837

Died: 25 Jun 1921

Burial: Green Hill Cemetery, Luray, Virginia

Benton S. Fleming – enlisted 7 Mar 1862 in Luray as a Pvt.in Co. K, 10^th Virginia Infantry.  He was wounded on Rappahannock River on 21 Mar 1862.  Again wounded in action and captured at Gettysburg 3 Jul 1863. Sent to Fort McHenry and from there to Ft. Delaware –exchanged Sep 1863. Wounded in action at Mine Run on 27 Nov 1863. Disability discharge 9 Feb 1865.

Born: ca. 1844

Died:

 John Henry Marshall – Pvt. -enlisted 18 Apr 1861 in Co. I 10^th Virginia

Born: 10 Jan 1839 in Virginia, the son of ________ Marshall and _______ Lawson.

Died: 16 Oct 1864  at Elmira Prison, New York

Burial: Space 558

Married:

Julia Baugher

Born:

Died:

 Joseph W. Mauck – 2^nd Lt 10^th VA Infantry – one of the Immortal 600

Born: 18 Feb 1835 Page Co., VA

Death: 2 May 1912

Burial: Cooks Creek Presbyterian Church Cemetery

John Benjamin Monger – Enlisted 17 Jun 1861 at Conrad’s Store as a Pvt. in Co. I, 10^th Virginia Infantry. Promoted to Color Corporal 31 Dec 1863 – captured 12 May 1864 at Spotsylvania – sent to Point Lookout 18 May 1864 and from there to Elmira on 2 Aug 1864. Oath given 27 Jun 1865.

Born: 17 Apr 1842 Rockingham Co., Virginia

Died: 20 Sep 1941 Beallsville, MD

Married:

Eliza Huffman

Born:

Died:

Children:

1.      Cora E. Monger

2.      Ida Monger

Wadsworth H. “Wads” Nash – Pvt. Young’s Harbor Guard at outbreak of war. Transferred to Captain Grady’s Light Artillery Blues on 22 Apr 1861. He was captured 2 Apr 1865 during the fall of Petersburg, Virginia and sent to Point Lookout Prison in MD.  He was released from prison on 21 May 1865.

Born: 31 Aug 1841 Norfolk, VA

Died: 22 Nov 1920 Dayton, Rockingham Co., VA

Burial: Dayton Cemetery, Dayton, Rockingham Co., VA

Married:

Mary F. _______

Born 1848

Died: 1940

Henry Washington Roller – A member of the old Mount Crawford Calvary which was called into service soon after the John Brown raid.  He then entered service as a Pvt. in Co. C, 6^th Virginia Infantry, Garnett’s

Division. He was captured in June 1861 at Beverly, Randolph Co., WV  and when released joined  Co. I, 25^th Virginia Infantry, Co. H, 12^th Virginia Calvary.

Born: 27 Dec 1837 Mount Crawford, Rockingham Co., Virginia, the son of Emmanuel and Elizabeth Hulvey Roller.

Died: 1907 Mount Crawford, Rockingham Co., Virginia – obituary Rockingham Register, Friday 18 Jan 1907

Burial: Mount Crawford Cemetery, Mount Crawford, Rockingham Co., Virginia

Married:

Mary Ann Saufley of Cross Keys, Rockingham Co., Virginia

Born: 1843

Died: 1924

Children:

1.      Arthur [Vernie] E. Roller of Abingdon, Virginia.

2.      Ida Florence Roller [Mrs. Arthur Van Lear] of Meyerhoeffer’s Store, Rockingham Co., Virginia.

3.      Homer D. Roller of North River, Augusta Co., Virginia

 

John H. Simmers – Pvt. Co, G 10^th VA Infantry under Col. S. B. Gibbons and Col. D.H. Lee Martz

Born: 5 Apr 1839

Died: 14 Mar 1925

Burial: Clover Hill United Methodist Church Cemetery, Dayton, Rockingham Co., VA

Obituary – Monday, 16 Mar 1925 – Harrisonburg Daily News

Married:

Elizabeth Fairburn

Born: 1841

Died: 1930

Children:

1.      John W. Simmers

2.      Mrs. Annie Simmers Smith of Springfield, OH

3.      Mrs. Gertrude Simmers Heatwole of  Clover Hill, Rockingham Co., VA

4.      Mrs. Mollie Simmers Smith

5.      Mrs. Minnie Simmers Guyer of  Clover Hill, Rockingham Co., VA

 John L.  Thompson - Co. D, 10^th VA Infantry

Born: 15 Feb 1840

Died: 28 Mar 1905 in Dayton, Rockingham Co., VA – Obituary in Daily News Record for Wednesday, 29 Mar 1905.

Burial in Dayton, Rockingham County, VA

Married:

Sarah Hedrick

Born:

Died:

Children

1.      Solomon Thompson

2.      J.W. Thompson

3.      Jesse Thompson

4.      Cameron Thompson

5.      Charles Thompson

6.      Gary Thompson

7.      Mrs. John Byrd [Daughter]

He also had two brothers: Frank Thompson and Andrew Thompson of Rockingham Co., VA

John L. Thompson was captured at Spotsylvania Courthouse and imprisoned at Fort Delaware.

                                                                                                                                                                                  

Peter William Wheeler – Cpl. Co. D, 10^th Virginia Infantry – 4^th Corporal Bridgewater Grays – wounded in leg on 3 Jul 1863 at Gettsyburg, PA – captured and taken to DeCamp General Hospital at David’s Island, NY – paroled from DeCamp General Hospital 22 Oct 1863.

Born: Sep 1838 Rockingham Co., VA

Died: 7 Jul 1914 Rockingham Co., VA

Burial: Briery Branch Church of the Brethren – Bridgewater, Rockingham Co., VA

Married 1st: 30 Oct 1861

Mary Ann Bryan

Born:

Died: prior to 1868

Married 2^nd: 15 Dec 1868

Catherine Jane Shaver

Born:

Died: 2 Nov 1875 – drown near head of Spring Creek, Rockingham Co., VA

Married 3^rd: 22 Feb 1880

Lydia Margaret Lee

Born: 1861

Died: 1885

Married 4^th: 6 Sep 1885

Miriah Jane Minnick Howdyshell

Born: 1848

Died: 1907

Children:

1.      1. Jacob R. Wheeler

 

Charles Will – Pvt. that was released from Fort Delaware.

Born: 26 Sep 1842

Died: 4 Jul 1886 Rockingham Co., VA

Journal of Miss Lottie M. Davis

Miss Lottie M. Davis

May 1933 – June 1933

Page 86

May 1933

  1 May 1933 - Limb open & drilled in bone and kidney treatment Dr. Deyerle & Dr. Miller.

  1 May 1933 – Miss Shacklett nursed me.

  3 May 1933 – Mrs. Liskey died lived at Moses Powell House.

  4 May 1933 – Came home from hospital.

11 May 1933 – Sold Jersey and calf.   [Please note that Miss Lottie would have spent many heart wrenching hours searching her soul while she was in the hospital and also during her recovery at home before reaching the conclusion that this step was absolutely necessary for the well-being of her animals as well as for her own well being.
  
In 1933, most women in the Shenandoah Valley treasured their milk cow as a beloved animal that was a valued part of their family.  A milk cow had to be hand milked twice each day regardless of the weather or whatever other calamities that may have occurred within a family. 

It was quite an accomplishment as well as a matter of pride to find and raise just the right sort of calf and train it to meet a family’s dairy needs: milk, butter, buttermilk, cottage cheese, and yogurt as well as various other sorts of cheese.  These diary products even affected the various types of breads produced in the home. Good biscuits require quality dairy products to make them "mouthwatering."

For any woman to recognize and come to terms with her own physical limitations is difficult during the best of times, but having to face this reality and having the courage to take the necessary steps to deal with reality so soon after serious surgery is to be admired.

In 1922, a milk co-operative was formed to collect raw milk from local farms as it had been discovered that many local families had an excess of milk from their family cow.  This raw milk also included cream.  A Jersey cow was a very special breed of diary cow that produced richer milk with a higher quality of butterfat. Milk was collected in both five and ten gallon tin cans and cream was separated from the milk into smaller two - three gallon cans. After the cans were collected and returned to the milk processing plant, the milk was then pasteurized and distributed to towns which had already imposed an early form of zoning laws restricting cows being maintained within emerging cities. This dairy co-operative eventually became known as Shenandoah’s Pride, but even in 1933, milk was not delivered to the Town of Elkton which had only been formed twenty-five years previously in 1908.]

10 May 1933 – Mrs. Lena Davis goes to Hospital.

11 May 1933 – Mrs. Daniel Powell died seventy-one years old.

  9 May 1933 – Mrs. George Breeden new baby.

14 May 1933 – Rev. Smith first sermon.

  9 May 1933 – Ray hair cut the first time.

     May 1933 – Elmer Leap get new car.

     May 1933 – Harold Morris moves.

     May 1933 – Ashby McVeigh moved.

     May 1933 – Lilly Whitfield mad spell.

23 May 1933 – Mrs. Ruth Plum Eppard new baby.

21 May 1933 – Mrs. Gilbert Plum operated on.

Page 87

May 1933

     May 1933 – Mrs. Ben Orey new baby.

     May 1933 – Mrs. Virgil Cook new baby.

24 May 1933 – Miss Dorothy Lam & Turpin Dean married.

20 May 1933 – Mr. Olin Knootz married to Miss Mauck.

26 May 1933 – New carpet on dining room $10.00.

25 May 1933 – Mrs. George Bruce fifty-six years and Lin Sandridge sixty years old married.

28 May 1933 – Mrs. Whitfield & Lilly stop church.

     May 1933 – Earl new car.

     May 1933 – Mr Tom Monger hurt at mill.
June 1933
  1 Jun 1933 - Miss Ruby Hammer married.
  2 Jun 1933 - School closed.
  2 Jun 1933 - Mr. Dave Shifflett died fifty-nine years old.
  4 Jun 1933 - Mrs. Shifflett F.
  6 Jun 1933 - Mrs. Baugher's brother's funeral age eighty years old.
Page 88
June 1933
 9 Jun 1933 - New floor in kitchen.
10 Jun 1933 - Mabel get P.
 9 Jun 1933 - Mr. Frank Kyger dies at dinner table seventy-four years old.
 9 Jun 1933 - Fire at Harrisonburg.
10 Jun 1933 - Police Logan died age sixty-two years.
11 Jun 1933 - Willie Cave baby died eighteen months old.
12 Jun 1933 - Robert Hammer new baby.
     Jun 1933 - Earl build to home.
17 Jun 1933 - Mr/ Parr married.
22 Jun 1933 - Play given by Ladies Auxiliary made $22.00.
21 Jun 1933 - Mrs. Green Armentrout died seventy-eight years old.
20 Jun 1933 - Miss Louise Macomb operated on.
 3 Jun 1933 - Robert Lough operated on.
 4 Jun 1933 - Hubert Lee Cover operated on.
24 Jun 1933 - Miss Lambert married.

The Sport Of Kings

Note the spur on the rooster's leg

 

Cockfighting is an ancient blood sport which is similar to bear-baiting, dog fighting and bullfighting.   Blood sports have deep roots in many parts of the world including northwestern Europe and the British Isles.  In England, beginning in the 1500s, the status of cockfighting grew thanks to the patronage of Henry VIII and James I.  America’s early colonial settlers had a working knowledge of blood sports which they brought with them when they sailed for the “New World.”

This sport, which is now illegal] in most of the states in the United States because serious injury or death occurs to the animals involved, quickly spread throughout North and South America as well as the Caribbean.  Though illegal, cockfighting is still practiced in more remote or mountainous areas of  the South.

While illegal, cockfighting still continues in some parts of the South.  Motorists driving through our more mountainous areas still see game fowl being raised in plain sight of the highway. Usually the very colorful roosters are tethered to their own small A-frame coop or horizontal barrel.  Due to the bird’s very aggressive nature, they are tethered so that they cannot reach each other.  Breeders make the distinction between raising the birds which is legal and fighting them, which is illegal.

Game cocks are specifically bred, with breeders keeping genetic records to improve bloodlines. Cocks are smaller than roosters of most domestic food breeds. Their brilliant plumage is inherited from their jungle fowl ancestors.

Japanese Rooster with beautiful plumage

 Bred and trained for aggressiveness and naturally equipped with dangerous spurs, fighting cocks often have metal knives or gaffs attached to their legs in preparation of a fight. The birds attack by flying into each other, slashing or gouging until one is killed or unable to continue. A majority of the losers die as a result of injuries sustained in a fight.

Pits may be elaborate arenas, modified barns, or even portable set-ups. The actual fighting pit is above-ground and enclosed to contain the combatants.  It is usually surrounded by bleacher-style seats.  Once the birds are placed in the arena to fight, they are said to have been ‘‘pitted.’’ The most common type of cockfight  is the derby, where several birds are entered and fight in pairs until one triumphs over all the others. The bouts are closely organized, with competing cocks weighed and carefully matched. If a bout drags on inconclusively, the weakening birds may be rotated to a secondary pit while a fresh pair are started in the main cockpit. 

Owners pay to enter their birds in a derby, with the winner typically taking the entire pot. Gambling is pervasive among owners and spectators, often for sizable amounts.

---

[1] A bear was chained to a post in the ring.  It was able to move about the post, but could not escape. Dogs would then be set upon the bear. Spectators would bet on whether the dogs or the bear would survive the ensuing  vicious fight.  Some of the bears were unfortunate enough to have long and bloody careers, becoming stars in their own right. “Sackerson” was one such animal and was immortalized in Shakespeare's "Merry Wives of Windsor."

[2] In Louisiana, New Mexico and Oklahoma, cockfighting is a billion dollar-a-year industry.

[3] Photo: Wanny from nl [GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html) or CC-BY-SA-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/)], from Wikimedia Commons.

Miss Lottie M. Davis's Journal

Miss Lottie M. Davis

   March 1933 - April 1933

   Page 82

   March 1933

   1 Mar 1933 - Mable and family moved to Harrisonburg, Virginia.

   3 Mar 1933 - Fred Meadows Store burned.

   4 Mar 1933 - Mr. Bob Morris died sixty years old.

   5 Mar 1933 - President Roosevelt takes seat at White House.

   6 Mar 1933 - Mr. Bob Morris funeral.

   6 Mar 1933 - Reu Smith operated on. 

   4 Mar 1933 - All Banks closed.

   5 Mar 1933 - New flowers at cemetery.

 Page 83

Mar 1933 

10 Mar 1933 - Ruby Shifflett and Walter Breeden married.

12 Mar 1933 - Went to see Mable's new home.

     Mar 1933 - Ruby Coleman new baby.

     Mar 1933 - Edith Hammer new baby.

11 Mar 1933 - The Sale.

11 Mar 1933 - Harold new home $1,100.00.

15 Mar 1933 - Banks reopened.

14 Mar 1933 - Nellie Ware left McGuire.

23 Mar 1933 - Elizabeth Davis & R. Monger married.

22 Mar 1933 - Mrs. Mae Brown Monger died.

19 Mar 1933 - Mr, Rinca died seventy-two years old.

14 Mar 1933 - Mr. William Rinca left home in Ohio.

15 Mar 1933 - Lawrence give Bill his check $100.00.

    Mar 1933 - The Big Flood in Cincinnati & Kentucky.

25 Mar 1933 - Snowed on Saturday.

20 Mar 1933 -[Giuuseppe] Zangara died in electric chair [in Florida]

  6 Mar 1933 - Mayor  C.O. Major  Cormack. Shot in Roosevelt part[?].

27 Mar 1933 - Lewis Workman operated on.

27 Mar 1933 - Owen Walton operated on.

Page 84

  1 Apr 1933 - Jim Riddle married.

29 Mar 1933 - Mable moved.

30 Mar 1933 - Mr. John J. Hause died sixty-six years old Harrison.

31 Mar 1933 - Went to hospital for kidney treatment Dr. Miller & Dr. Deyerly.

     Mar 1933 - Dr. Lewis came back to Elkton, Virginia.

     Mar 1933 - Mr. Lucas filling station oper.

 Page 84

April 1933

  1 Apr 1933 - Jim Riddle married .

  1 Apr 1933 -  Laurence gets  refrigator.

  3 Apr 1933 - Harold starts new fence.

  2 Apr 1933 - Archie Louderback new baby girl    [Joyc[e] Ann.

  4 Apr 1933 - Mrs. Maynard Hammer operated on.

  7 Apr 1933 - Taken Second Treatment at Hospital.

  9 Apr 1933 - Owen Hensley operated on.

  8 Apr 1933  - William Girt operated on.

  9 Apr 1933 - Rabbit Baugher operated on.

     Apr 1933 - Walie Quill operated on.

16 Apr 1933 - Mrs. Everette Fogle new baby.

14 Apr 1933 - Third Treatment.

16 Apr 1933 - Mrs. Maynard Hammer came home.

16 Apr 1933 - Easter Sunday rained.

19 Apr 1933 - Mr. George Lam came home from hospital.

20 Apr 1933 - Mr. Charles D. Harrison died age eighty-two Harrisonburg.

19 Apr 1933 - Mrs. Mary Long Monger new baby.

     Apr 1933 - Ben Offenbacker's sister died.

21 Apr 1933 - Cash in bank.

29 Apr 1933 - Put money in Elkton Bank Sat[urday].

29 Apr 1933 - Nellie Ware married to Derwood Herring on Sat[urday].

14 Apr 1933 - Window in bathroom fixed $8.00. 

15 Apr 1933 - New roof on front porch.

    Apr 1933 - Mr. F.D. Eiler moved.

    Apr 1933 - Wallace Woodard moved to Harrisonburg.

  [To be continued...]