The Letters of Robert Sparks

Robert Sparks was married to Susan Durham, making him a brother-in-law of Elizabeth Durham Pruitt. While not directly related to my father-in-law's ancestors, the events in Robert's life undoubtedly affected all who knew him.

Robert, at age 38, was conscripted into the Confederate Army. He entered service on 28 April, 1863, as a private with Company E, 4th North Carolina Infantry. He deserted in May of the same year. [1]

Robert Sparks, 4th NC Confederate Roll

By April 1864, one year later, Robert was under arrest for having deserting again. [2]

Robert Sparks, CSA, arrested for desertion

In a letter to his wife, Robert Sparks explained that he had been court martialed and sentenced to be shot to death on April 28th as "an example to scare others".

In a letter to his brother, he said that two other men were sentenced to be executed with him, J.F. Owens, son of Rev. John Owens, and Wm. W. Wyatt.  Robert requested that his brother come and bring his body home and gave his brother directions for his burial.

Another letter written by Gideon Spicer informed Susan A. Sparks that he had witnessed the death of her husband that day.

Transcriptions of these letters are online here (along with the information that the letters were printed in the Tazewell (Virginia) Republican newspaper in 1893). [3]   Biographical information about Robert and another copy of the letter transcriptions can be viewed here. [4]

Rev. A.D. Betts was a Confederate Chaplain who kept a diary about his experiences during the Civil War. An entry on page 58 of his diary simply states:

Apr. 28 - See three men, from Wilkes County, shot for desertion

Robert Sparks was survived by his wife, Susan Durham Sparks, and five children. At the time of his death, Robert and Susan were the parents of three daughters, Martha, 16; Sarah, 13; Huldah, 10; and two sons, Bynum, 8; and Thomas, 3. [5 & 6]  There were also, apparently, other children that did not live, as his last letter to his wife also told her to meet him "up yonder where my little babies is gone".

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[1]  Compiled service Record, Robert Sparks, Pvt., Co. E, 4th North Carolina Infantry; Carded Records of Confederate Soldiers, Civil War, Record Group 109; digital images, subscription site, "NARA Roll 141,"  (Fold3.com, accessed 26 Feb 2015).

[2]  Compiled service Record, Robert Sparks, Pvt., Co. E, 4th North Carolina Infantry; Carded Records of Confederate Soldiers, Civil War, Record Group 109; digital images, subscription site, "NARA Roll 141,"  (Fold3.com, accessed 26 Feb 2015).

[3]  The Sad Letters of Robert Sparks (ca. 1824-1864) Written Shortly Before His Death; Russell E. Bidlack, Sparks Family Association; 30 October 2011.

[4]  Tragic Letter Written by Robert Sparks (ca. 1824-1864) Three Days Before His Death; Sparks Family Association, 2 March 2012.

[5]  1860 U.S. census, Wilkes County, North Carolina, population schedule, Lower Division, p. 52, Image 104, dwelling 749, family 749, Robert Sparks household; digital images, www.ancestry.com; citing National Archives and Records Administration microfilm M653_918.

[6]  1870 U.S. census, Wilkes County, North Carolina, population schedule, Trap Hill Township, p. 398B, Image 800, dwelling 146, family 145, Susanah Sparks household, digital images, www.ancestry.com; citing National Archives and Records Administration M593_1165.

King Pruitt and the Bell Mountain Massacre

My father-in-law's great-grandfather, Hampton P. Pruitt, had a brother named Oliver King Pruitt (based upon available census data). They were sons of Joel Pruitt, Jr. and his wife, Elizabeth Durham Pruitt.

In 1850, King was identified as a 9- year old boy. In 1860, Oliver K. was listed as a 16- year old. Taken together, his named is presumed to have been Oliver King Pruitt. He cannot be located in a census after the one taken in 1860.  [1]

The next piece of information recorded about King Pruitt was recorded in a handwritten ledger kept by Levi Absher. Born in 1838, Levi Absher lived in northern Wilkes County and during his lifetime, kept a ledger in which he recorded birth and deaths, apparently family members and neighbors. Within the ledger is this notation: King Pruitt - Shot  [2]

My father-in-law had never heard any stories about King Pruitt until a local researcher named Paul W. Gregory told him about the Bell Mountain Massacre. According to my father-in-law's recollections, Mr. Gregory told him that locals found out that raiders were planning to loot homes and a group of residents assembled to try to defend their properties.  And that the raiders were actually the Home Guard, who should have been defending the neighbors, not attacking them. The group encountered the Home Guard near Bell Mountain in northern Wilkes County. According to my father-in-law, Mr. Gregory told him that King Pruitt was one of the casualties.

Mr. Gregory wrote a book, Early Settlers of Reddies River, published in 1976, in which he discussed what was known as the Bell Mountain Massacre. [3]  He references the difficult conditions that existed in the South near the end of the war, the problems related to the general location of Northwest North Carolina, and the poor regard that many local residents had for the Home Guard.  Regarding the events that occurred on December 2, 1864, Mr. Gregory said that:

"Complete details of what happened are not available; but we do know that when the smoke cleared that at least four of the defending citizens were killed."

Three members of the Sebastian family, Charles, Lewis and William, were killed, along with Thomas Shumate.  Mr. Gregory further wrote:

Also reported to be killed, but unconfirmed by this writer were King Pruitt, Reubin Owens, W.W. Higgins and Wess Brown. Moses Frank Richardson and Lewis Sebastian, age 17 and son of William Sebastian, Jr. were among those who escaped the massacre."

and

"Another group of local citizens in the nearby community, hearing the shots, moved in and helped drive the attacking force across the mountain into Alleghany County."

Levi Absher's ledger listed several other men, in addition to King Pruitt, who were "Shot". These included Rubin Owens, Thomas Shumate, Lewis Sebastian, Charlie Sebastian, Billie Sebastian, W.W. Higgins, Little Wes. Brown, James Blackburn and Rila Hall.

Levi Absher's ledger does not include dates of death for these men, or in any way suggest that they were killed at the same time. Their names are not listed together, but are scattered throughout the list. However, except for James Blackburn and Rila Hall, the names in the ledger appear to match the names of those killed, or reportedly killed at Bell Mountain.

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What do we know about the events of December 2, 1864?

Mr. Gregory provided background information about the circumstances and conditions that existed in the area, along with a record about what happened that day.

The Wilkes Journal-Patriot published an article in January 2015, the 150th anniversary of the final year of the Civil War, mentioning the Bell Mountain Massacre. You can read that article here.

In a genealogy forum in 2006, a descendant of William Sebastian provided a similar account of events. You can read that account here and an account from another descendent, posted in 2012, here. These links are broken, and I am unable to locate the original postings.

Nanalee Caudill quotes from "History of Alleghany County 1859 through 1976"  The Battle of Caudill's Hill, page 255. You can read that here.

FindAGrave has a memorial for the daughter of Lewis Sebastian, who was one of the men killed that day. This memorial includes an account of those events, found here.

No accounts were contemporary with the events of December 1864. None of the accounts listed here, including Mr. Gregory's, provide any sources or references to newspaper reports, diaries, or any other records created at or near the time that these deaths occurred. We don't know whether or not Mr. Gregory viewed Levi Absher's ledger.

One of the accounts in the genealogy forum references records at the Wilkes County Courthouse. I have not yet located those records.

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And, what do we know about King Pruitt?

We know he was in the household of Joel and Elizabeth Pruitt in 1850 and 1860. We know that he can't be found in any later censuses. We know that the name King Pruitt was written by Levi Absher in his handwritten ledger, along with the word "Shot". Other names within this ledger were also listed as "Shot".

We don't know if King Pruitt was a part of the group that was trying to prevent looting, or if he was in the group of neighbors who heard the shooting and came to help.  More information is needed, but records may never have been created, or may not survive.

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[1]  Information about King Pruitt's father can be found here.

[2]  Levi Absher Ledger; published by the Wilkes Genealogical Society, 16 pages.  This book can be ordered from the Wilkes Genealogical Society for $25.00 plus shipping, or $18.75 for a digital edition.

[3]  Early Settlers of Reddies River; by Paul W. Gregory. Published by the Wilkes Genealogical Society, 1976.  Pages 168-171.  This book can be ordered from the Wilkes Genealogical Society for $8.00 plus shipping, or $6.00 for a digital edition.

Elizabeth Durham Pruitt

Elizabeth Durham, the daughter of John Durham, was born around 1815-1820 in Wilkes County, North Carolina.

Elizabeth Durham  married Joel Pruitt, Jr. on November 9, 1835 in Wilkes County, North Carolina. [1]

Reportedly a photo of Joel Pruitt and Elizabeth Durham Pruitt, seated   [2]  (Click to enlarge)

Elizabeth's father wrote a will in March 1847 (or possibly 1849) naming his children. In his will, he stated that he had "already given unto my four eldest children daughters, namely Elizabeth Pruitt wife of Joel Pruitt, Sally Creed wife of Henry Creed, Charlotte Sparks wife of Joel Sparks and Susan Sparkes wife of Robert Sparks their portion of my world estate."  He also willed to his two younger daughters "twenty-five dollars about the amount given to my elder daughters." [3]   This will was probated in July 1863, and not only confirms the name of Elizabeth's father, but it links her to her brother-in-law, whose story can be found here.

Information about Elizabeth and Joel's family can be found here.

The Civil War years were not kind to Elizabeth, as her father died, likely from old age, prior to July 1863. Her son, Hampton P. Pruitt, died from injuries received serving the Confederacy on December 15, 1863.  Her brother-in-law, Robert Sparks, was executed for desertion in April 1864. Her son, King Pruitt, was apparently killed by the Home Guard in a skirmish in Wilkes County on December 2, 1864.

These are the deaths that we know about that touched Elizabeth's life over a few brief years.There may have been other family members who died during the Civil War that simply haven't been identified and linked to Elizabeth Durham Pruitt. She had at least four daughters who would have been old enough to have been married before or during the Civil War, but we don't know who any of their daughters married (yet).  Elizabeth also had several brothers who were probably old enough to serve in the Civil War.

Sadly, Elizabeth's story was undoubtedly similar to many other families, on both sides of the conflict, throughout the Civil War.

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[1]   "North Carolina, County Marriages, 1762-1979" FamilySearch, Joel Prewitt and Elisabeath Durham, 9 Nov 1835. FHL microfilm 546,480

[2]  Copy of photo received from Robyn Pruitt via email. Ownership of the original is unknown. Picture is damaged with large white spots.  The female standing behind them may be a daughter.

[3]  Wilkes, North Carolina, Will Books; Will of John Durham; digital images,  FamilySearch.com;  (accessed 24 Feb 2015)

   

Joel Pruitt, Jr.

Joel Pruitt, Jr. married Elizabeth Durham on November 9, 1835 in Wilkes County, North Carolina. [1]

1835 Marriage Bond for Joel Pruitt and Elizabeth Durham  (Click to enlarge)

The 1840 census identifies only the head of household. Other members of the household were identified only with "tic marks." Joel Pruitt's household included Joel, 20-30 years old; a female, also 20-30 years old; and three children under age five, one male and two females.  The three children should be Augustus, Phebe and Alice, based upon their ages.  [2]

Joel Pruitt, Jr. household in 1840

In the 1850 census, Joel and Elizabeth were both 35 years old.  Their family included Augustus, 14; Phebe, 12; Alice, 11; Hampton, 10; King, 9; Robert, 8; Mary, 7; Sarah 5; and Joel, 2.  [3]

Joel Pruitt, Jr. household in 1850  (Click to enlarge)

By 1860, the household included Joel, 45; Elizabeth, 40; Oliver K., 16; Mary, 14; Sarah, 11; Joel B., 9; Martha, 7; Julia Ann, 6; Charlotte, 3; and John, 1. Joel had aged ten years, Elizabeth aged five years, and the other members of the household seem to have aged seven years in a decade.  [4]

Joel Pruitt, Jr. household in 1860  (Click to enlarge)

In 1870, Joel, 55; Elizabeth, 50; Mary, 23; Martha, 18; Julia, 16; Charlotte, 14; and John, 12, were joined by Solomon, 10; Malinda, 8; and Frances, 4.  [5]

Joel Pruitt, Jr. household in 1870, on two pages  (Click to enlarge)

By 1880, Joel, 65, and wife Elizabeth, 60,  and daughters Martha, 26 (and single), Almeda, 18; and Franky 14; were joined by grandsons, Freland Pruitt, 4, and Esquire Pruitt, 3. This was the first census that identified the relationship of household member to the head of the household.  [6]

Joel Pruit, Jr. household in 1880  (Click to enlarge)

No 1890 census survives.

Joel Pruitt's age in the various censuses seems to be consistent with a birth date of about 1815.

Elizabeth Durham Pruitt's age in 1850 suggested a birth date of about 1815. In the following three census years, her age suggests a birth date of about 1820. If she was indeed born in 1820, she was about 15 years old when she married. Her father, John Durham, married Keziah Ryon in January 1819. Unless he had been married previously, Elizabeth's earliest birth date would have been 1819.

In the absence of other information, children of Joel and Elizabeth Pruitt must be identified from the census data, and can be identified as (probably) the following family of seven sons and nine daughters:

1)  The oldest identified son, Augustus Pruitt, born about 1836, married Matilda Gentry in 1866 and lived next door to his parents, Joel and Elizabeth, during the 1870 census.  By 1880, he and his wife were living in Piney Creek in Ashe County, NC, with five children. In 1900, they were in Horse Creek township in Ashe County with two single adult children and a widowed daughter and two grandchildren.  In 1910, Augustus was the father-in-law in a Kimball household in Merrick County, Nebraska. By 1920, Augustus was living with his son, Hardin, in McDowell County, West Virginia, where he died in 1923.

2) & 3)  No further information has been identified about Phebe Pruitt, born about 1838, or Alice Pruitt, born about 1839. Since Phebe was 12 and Alice was 11 in the 1850 census, they may have been married and no longer living in their parent's household by the 1860 census.

4)  Hampton Pruitt, born about 1840, married Mary Wagoner in 1862, and died while serving as a Confederate soldier, leaving behind one son, Adam Hampton "Hamp" Pruitt.

5)  Oliver King Pruitt, born about 1841, is believed to have been killed by the Home Guard during the Bell Mountain Massacre on December 2, 1864.

6)  Nothing more is known about Robert Pruitt, born about 1842, who would have been about 18 years old at the time of the 1860 census. He might have been living elsewhere, or could have died between the census dates.

7)  Mary Pruitt, born about 1843, was living with her parents in 1870 with a stated age of 23, but not in their household by 1880. She may have married or she might have died.

8) Sarah Pruitt, born between 1845 and 1849, was enumerated as a 5- year old in 1860 and as an 11- year old at the time of the 1860 census. She was no longer in her parents household by the 1870 census. (A large gap between the birth of Sarah and the next child, Joel, may indicate that another child was born and died.)

9)  Joel B. Pruitt was born about 1850, married in 1869, and by 1880, he was living with his wife, Sarah Caudill, in Piney Creek in Ashe County, NC, with four children. In 1900, Joel B. and Sarah were in Clifton Township, Ashe County, where Sarah reported that she was the mother of seven children, with six children living.  Joel was still in Clifton Township in 1910, a widower, and he died in 1916 while living in Piney Creek Township in Ashe County.

10)  Martha Pruitt was born about 1852, based upon her ages in the 1860 and 1870 censuses.  She was identified as 26 years old and living with her parents in 1880. Nothing more is known about her.

11) & 12)  Julia Ann Pruitt, born about 1854, and Charlotte Pruitt, born about 1856, were in their parents' household in 1870 as 16- and 14-year olds, respectively. Nothing more is known about either of them.

13)  John Pruitt was born around 1858 and was living with his parents in 1870 as a 12-year old. By 1880, he was living with his older brother, Joel, in Ashe County, NC. Nothing more is known about John after 1880.

14)  Solomon L. Pruitt was born about 1860. He married Phoebe Jane Wagner by 1880, when he was enumerated (under the name Dock Pruitt) with his young wife in her mother's household in Mulberry, NC. In 1910, in Mulberry Township, Phoebe reported that she was the mother of seven children, with six children living. In 1920 and 1930, Solomon and Phoebe remained in Mulberry, NC. Solomon died December 21, 1930.

15)  Identified in 1870 as 8-year old Malinda Pruitt and in 1880 as 18-year old Almeda Pruitt, this appears to be the same person. Nothing more is known about her.

16)  Frances Pruitt was 14 years old when enumerated in her parent's household in 1880. Nothing more is known about her.


Dates of death are not known for Joel Pruitt, Jr. or for his wife, Elizabeth Durham. Burial locations are also unknown.  An online tree at Ancestry.com provides a death year for Joel of 1885, and a death date of February 26, 1887 for Elizabeth. No sources were provided for this information, however.  [7]

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Of the seven sons of Joel and Elizabeth Pruitt, five can be accounted for (Hampton and King, who died during the Civil War, and Augustus, Joel and Solomon). Robert cannot be found after age 18, and John cannot be found after age 22. They may have moved away, they may have died, or they might have begun using a middle name and just can't be recognized.

Of the nine daughters in this family, after they leave the household of their parents, not any of them can be accounted for (at this point).  Along with the possibilities that exist with their brothers (moving away, dying, or using a middle name) the obvious possibility is that marrying and taking their husband's surname makes them nearly impossible to locate in the census.  Marriage records were checked, but are incomplete for this time frame in North Carolina.

UPDATE: Additional information about some of the daughters in this family has been posted here. More is now known about five of the nine daughters!

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[1]  "North Carolina, County Marriages, 1762-1979" FamilySearch, Joel Prewitt and Elisabeath Durham, 9 Nov 1835. FHL microfilm 546,480

[2]  1840 U.S. census, Wilkes County, North Carolina, p. 30 (written), Joel Pruitt; digital images, Ancestry.com; citing National Archives and Records Administration microfilm M704, roll 373.

[3]  1850 U.S. census, Wilkes County, North Carolina, population schedule, p. 310, Image 123, dwelling 906, family 906, Joel Pruett; digital images, Ancestry.com; citing National Archives and Records Administration microfilm M432, roll M432_649.

[4]  1860 U.S. census, Wilkes County, North Carolina, population schedule, Lower Division, p. 1, Image 4, dwelling 12, family 12, Joel Prewett; digital images, Ancestry.com; citing National Archives and Records Administration microfilm M653, roll M653_918.

[5]  1870 U.S. census, Wilkes County, North Carolina, population schedule, Union Township, p. 408, Image 817, dwelling 80, family 80, Joel Pruet; digital images, Ancestry.com; citing National Archives and Records Administration microfilm M593, roll M593-1165.

[6]  1880 U.S. census, Wilkes County, North Carolina, population schedule, Mulberry Township, enumeration district (ED) 208, p. 63.4, dwelling 41, family 44, Joel Pruitt; digital images, Ancestry.com; citing National Archives and Records Administration microfilm T9, roll T9_987.

[7]  Wyatt/ Church Family Tree, Ancestry.com

Mary Wagoner Pruitt

Mary Wagoner (or Waggoner) was born in 1840, the daughter of Adam and Sarah Waggoner. In 1850, ten-year old Polly (a very common nickname for Mary) was in the household of her parents, along with her sisters, Matilda, 16; Betsy, 13; Lucinda, 3; and Margaret, 1. They lived in Ashe County, North Carolina. [1]

In 1860, 20-year old Polly was in the household of her parents, along with her sisters, Lucy, 14; and Peggy, 11.  They lived in Alleghany County, North Carolina, which was formed from Ashe in 1859. The names of their neighbors seem to be very similar in 1850 and 1860, so they likely didn't move, but instead, the name of the county changed. [2]  

Mary married Hampton P. Pruitt on June 1, 1862. Hampton obtained a bond to marry in Wilkes County, North Carolina, on May 31, 1862, and signed the bond by making his mark. They married the following day, on June 1, 1862. [3]  Hampton and Mary were both around 22 years old at the time of their marriage.

1862 Marriage of Hampton Pruitt and Mary Wagoner (Click to enlarge)

Hampton and Mary had one son, Adam Hampton Pruitt, who was called "Hamp". Mary became a widow on December 15, 1863, when her husband died in Northern Virginia while serving the Confederacy. [4]  Mary would have been around 23 years old, with a child who was less than a year old.

Death of Hampton Pruitt in December 1863  (Click to enlarge)

By 1870, Mary Pruitt was again living with her parents and sister, Margaret, this time in Union Township, Wilkes County, North Carolina. Mary's son, Adam Hampton Pruitt, who was six years old, was mis-identified by the enumerator as "Andrew". Relationships were not stated in the 1870 census, but occupations were identified. Mary is listed as a "domestic servant" who cannot read or write.  [5]

Mary Pruitt and son Hamp in the 1870 census  (Click to enlarge)

The 1880 census was the first time that relationships were given between the head of the household and the people living in the household.  In 1880 in Walnut Grove Township, Wilkes County, North Carolina, Mary Pruitt, age 38, and Hampton Pruitt, age 16, were living in the household of John P. Adams and his wife, Lucinda. John's occupation was listed as farmer; however, he was "Unable to work for the previous twelve months of the census year". The 1880 census had a column titled "Maimed, Crippled, Bedridden, or otherwise disabled" and  John P. Adams had a mark in that column, indicating that this description applied to him. The condition that affected John was listed as "Scrofula". Also in the household were John's wife, Lucinda, and their four children, William M. Adams, age 9; Margaret, age 7; Ambrose C., age 5; and Sarah E. Adams, age 4.  Mary Pruitt is listed as "w-Sister", presumably meaning "wife's sister", and is identified as a widow. Hampton Pruitt is 16 years old, listed as a farm laborer.

John Adams was Mary Wagoner Pruitt's brother-in-law, husband of Lucinda Wagoner Adams, one of Mary's younger sisters.  He was suffering from scrofula, which was most likely tuberculosis of the lymph nodes in the neck. [6]

Thus, this household consisted of John, apparently unable to work and possibly bedridden; two women, sisters Lucy and Mary; Hamp; and four children under the age of ten. Hamp was almost certainly doing a man's job in providing for the household by working on the farm at age sixteen. [7]

Mary Pruitt and son Hamp in the 1880 census  (Click to enlarge)

Hamp married in December of 1885, and there is no surviving 1890 census. We have no information about whether Mary remained in her sister's household for a period of time after Hamp's marriage, or if she shared their home from the beginning of her son's marriage.

By 1900, Hamp and his wife, Samantha, were living in Walnut Grove Township with their oldest seven children, plus Hamp's mother Mary Pruitt. Mary's age is given as 63, and lists a birth month and year of July 1846. However, an age of 63 would indicate a birth year of 1837. So this information does not shed any light on her year of birth, although it does provide a probable month (July).  [8]

Mary Pruitt, living with her son Hamp Pruitt, in 1900  (Click to enlarge)

In 1901, Mary applied for a Widow's Pension from the state of North Carolina, based upon the service of her husband, Hampton, thirty-eight years following his death while serving in the Confederate Army.  She supplied information stating that Hampton "received a severe wound in the arm and was carried to Orange Court House and while there in the Horse pittle contracted pneumonia fever and died."  [9]  We have no record about whether Mary actually received a pension or not.

Mary Pruitt's Widow's Application for Pension  (Click to enlarge)

A handwritten list, presumably copied from Bible pages, provides a date of death for Mary Pruitt. This listing says that Mary died on April 10, 1904. [10]  My father-in-law remembers being told that Mary was buried at Walnut Grove Baptist Church, just past Hamp and Samantha's graves, but there is no marker for Mary in the cemetery.  There are a couple of cinder blocks that were placed on unnamed graves in the 1950's - perhaps one of these graves is where Mary was laid to rest. The following photograph shows the joint marker for Hamp and Samantha (in the lower left corner) and cinder blocks with the grass scraped away for visibility. [11]

Possible location of Mary Wagoner Pruitt's grave  (Click to enlarge)

As an interesting side note, the 1880 household that included Hamp and his mother, Mary, also included Hamp's Aunt Lucy and first cousin, Ambrose Adams.  Hamp married Samantha Blevins in 1885. Following Hamp's death in 1916, Hamp's widow, Samantha, eventually married Ambrose Adams in 1931. Samantha and Ambrose lived with "Aunt Lucy" - likely on the same property where Hamp lived and worked as a teenager, possibly even in the same house.


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(Please be aware that names were spelled various ways in the past. You will see Wagoner/Waggoner, Pruitt/Prewitt/Pruit/Pruitte, and Adams/Adamss in old documents. Spelling of surnames didn't become consistent until after Social Security was established in 1935.)

[1]  1850 U.S. census, Ashe County, North Carolina, population schedule, p. 252, Image 30, dwelling 204, family 204, Adam Waggoner; digital images, Ancestry.com; citing National Archives and Records Administration microfilm M432, roll M432-620.

[2]  1860 U.S. census, Alleghany County, North Carolina, population schedule, p. 200, Image 400, dwelling 384, family 300, Adam Waggoner; digital images, Ancestry.com; citing National Archives and Records Administration microfilm M653, roll M653_886.

[3]  Ancestry.com, North Carolina Marriage Bonds, 1741-1868 (digital image by subscription), Bond # 168664.

[4]  Compiled service record, Hampton Pruitt, Pvt., Co. G, 30 North Carolina Infantry; Carded Records of Confederate Soldiers, Civil War; Record Group 109; digital images, "NARA Roll 0360".

[5]  1870 U.S. census, Wilkes County, North Carolina, population schedule, Union Township, p. 409, Image 818, dwelling 85, family 85, Adam Wagoner; digital images, Ancestry.com; citing National Archives and Records Administration microfilm M593, roll M593_1165.

[6]  http://genealogy-quest.com/glossary-terms/diseases/medical-terminology-beginning-letter-s/

[7]  1880 U.S. census, Wilkes County, North Carolina, population schedule, Walnut Grove Township, enumeration district (ED) 207, p. 59.3, dwelling 170, family 170, John P. Adamss household; digital images, Ancestry.com; citing National Archives and Records Administration microfilm T9, roll T9_987.

[8]  1900 U.S. census, Wilkes County, North Carolina, population schedule, Walnut Grove, enumeration district (ED) 161, p. 12B, dwelling 233; digital images, Ancestry.com; citing National Archives and Records Administration microfilm T623, roll T623_1224.

[9]  North Carolina, "Civil War Confederate Pensions," Hampton Pruitt; digital images, State Archives and State Library of NC, 1901 Confederate Pension Applications,"North Carolina Digital Collections".

[10]  This list includes the birth years for all the children of Adam Hampton Pruitt and his wife, Samantha Blevins Pruitt, and includes the 1886 birth and death dates of a daughter that is not recorded anywhere else. Included in this list are birth dates for Adam Hampton Pruitt and Samantha Blevins, and death dates for Mary Pruitt.

[11]  Photograph taken by Debbie Hendren Pruitt at Walnut Grove Baptist Church, 4650 Cabin Creek Road, Hays, NC.

Hampton P. Pruitt, CSA

Hampton P. Pruitt was born around 1840, the son of Joel Pruitt and Elizabeth Durham Pruitt. [1]

Hampton married Mary Wagoner on June 1, 1862. [2] They had one son, Adam Hampton Pruitt. [3]

Hampton was conscripted into the Confederate Army, entering into service on September 27, 1862. He was a Private with Company G, 30th North Carolina Infantry. [4]  A few months after entering the military, Hampton was in the hospital at Camp Winder in Richmond, Virginia, with "debilitas" from mid-November to mid-December of 1862. (The current definition of "debilitas" is debility, infirmity, or weakness. We don't know precisely what the term meant in the 1860's.) [5]

Hampton Pruitt, 30th NC, Co. G, CSA  (Click to enlarge)

Hampton was listed as having deserted June 10, 1863, on a Company Muster Roll for May and June 1863 (but dated August 12, 1863). [6]

Hamption Pruitt deserted June 10, 1863  (Click to enlarge)

No record survives which indicates when Hampton returned to his unit, but he obviously did return, since he died on December 15, 1863, while a soldier in the Confederate Army. [7]

Hampton Pruitt died December 15, 1863  (Click to enlarge)

Hampton's death is included in a Register of Deaths from Grove Hospital Records, Winchester, Virginia, in December 1863:

Name: Hampton Pruitt
Rank:  PR
Reg't:  30 N Ca    Co. G
Complaint:  Febris cert cun
Date of Admittance in Hospital:  Dec 12
Date of Death:  Dec 15
Remarks:  None

Febris is Latin for fever, but I don't know what the other words (or abbreviations) stand for. [8] While Hampton's military service records do not indicate the cause of his death, the hospital records from Grove Hospital state that he died from fever. [9]  The other words (or abbreviations) may indicate the cause of the fever.

In 1901, Hampton's widow, Mary, applied for a Widow's Pension. Her pension application stated that her husband received a "severe wound in the arm and was carried to Orange Court House and while there in the Horse pittle contracted pneumonia fever and died".  [10]

Mary Pruitt's Widow's Application for Pension  (Click to enlarge)

Mary's pension application contains the only surviving information about Hampton being wounded.
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Hampton Pruitt was conscripted and assigned to Company G nearly a year after the 30th NC Infantry was formed.

His regiment fought at the battle of Fredericksburg. [11]  Hampton may have been hospitalized with debilitas at this time. [12]  The 30th NC Infantry fought at the battle of Chancellorsville. Hampton was likely involved in this battle.  There are no records about him that would suggest otherwise.

The 30th NC Infantry fought at Gettysburg, but since Hampton deserted on June 10, 1863, he may have missed this battle. [13]  He might have headed home  from Virginia to check on his family, rather than going to Pennsylvania. [14]  On the other hand, he might have been temporarily separated from his unit and returned in time to participate in the battle at Gettysburg. We don't know when Hampton returned to his unit (but we know he did return, because he died while a soldier with the Confederacy).

Following the battle at Gettysburg, the Army of North Virginia (the Confederates) and the Army of the Potomac (the Union) established lines with Virginia's Rappahannock River between them. The two armies skirmished in September and October, followed by the Mine Run Campaign between November 26 and December 2, 1863 in Orange County, Virginia. [15]

The battle at Mine Run was inconclusive, hampered by heavy rain that was followed by sub-zero temperatures. The Union forces withdrew, and both sides prepared to camp for the winter. [16] Hampton may have been injured in the battle at Mine Run, or he may have been injured in a skirmish following the Mine Run battle. Hampton was admitted to Grove Hospital ten days after the Mine Run battle ended, and died three days later of fever. [16]  His widow, Mary, indicated on her pension application that he sustained a serious injury in his arm and was carried to Orange Courthouse, where he died. [17]  He may have been moved to Grove Hospital where he subsequently died, or a field hospital in Orange County might have been using Grove Hospital forms. We just don't have enough information to be certain about when Hampton was injured.

His widow, Mary, reported on her application for a widow's pension, that Hampton was wounded in the Richmond battle. [18]  However, Richmond is some distance from Orange Court House, which she also mentioned.  Her Pension Application was filed in 1901, thirty-eight years after Hampton's death. Mary probably had little knowledge of the geography of Virginia, and may have been mistaken about (or mis-remembered) the name of the battle. She apparently had knowledge about the events leading to Hampton's death, although we don't know who provided this information to her. It seems likely that she would remember the name "Orange Court House" as the place that her husband died. [19]


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[1]  1850 U.S. census, Wilkes County, North Carolina, population schedule, p. 310, Image 123, dwelling 906, family 906, Joel Pruett household; digital images, Ancestry.com; citing National Archives and Records Administration microfilm M432, roll M432_649.

[2]  North Carolina Marriage Bonds, 1741-1868, Ancestry.com;  Prewitt-Wagoner bond, 1862, Bond # 168664

[3]  1880 U.S. census, Wilkes County, North Carolina, population schedule, Walnut Grove Township, enumeration district (ED) 207, p. 59.3, dwelling 170, family 170, Hampton Pruitt; digital images, Ancestry.com; citing National Archives and Records Administration microfilm T9, roll T9_987.

[4]  Compiled service record, Hampton Pruitt, Pvt., Co. G, 30 North Carolina Infantry; Carded Records of Confederate Soldiers, Civil War; Record Group 109; digital images, "NARA Roll 0360," (Fold3.com : accessed 2 Jan 2015).

[5]  Ibid.

[6]  Ibid.

[7]  Ibid.

[8]  www.antiquusmorbus.com/Latin/Latin.htm; Latin/English Glossary of Causes of Death and other Archaic Medical Terms

[9]  Winchester-Frederick County Historical Society Journal, Volume VII, 1993; The Register of Deaths From the Grove Hospital Records, August 3, 1863, to September 20, 1863, transcribed by Fred Broening; Register of Deaths at Hospital 2 Corps. A. N. VA., entry for December 1863 for Hampton Pruitt.  The Journal editor provided the following comment:

"This register is among the holdings of the Archives of the Handley Library. Nothing more exists, and no one seems to know anything about the Grove Hospital - where it was located, how long it operated, how many patients survived, what kind of staff it had. It is, however a striking reminder that more combatants died in hospitals than on the battlefield during the Civil War."

[10]  North Carolina Civil War Confederate Pensions, Hampton Pruitt; digital images, State Archives and State Library of NC, "1901 Confederate Pension Applications,"  North Carolina Digital Collections  (http://digital.ncdcr.gov/cdm/home).

[11] National Park Service, Battle Unit Details, Confederate North Carolina Troops, 30th Regiment, North Carolina Infantry (http://www.nps.gov/civilwar/search-battle-units.htm)

[12]  Compiled service record, Hampton Pruitt

[13]  Ibid.

[14] http://www.encyclopediavirginia.org/desertion_confederate_during_the_civil_war

[15]  http://blueandgraytrail.com/event/Army_of_Northern_Virginia

[16]  http://blueandgraytrail.com/event/Mine_Run_Campaign

[17]  Winchester-Frederick County Historical Society Journal, Volume VII, 1993, page 68

[18]  North Carolina Civil War Confederate Pensions, service of Hampton Pruitt

[19]  A "Map of the field of operations in Virginia and Battle of Mine Run, during November 1863" can be viewed at the Library of Congress website (http://www.loc.gov/item/gvhs01.vhs00049/)

Hamp Pruitt's Birthdate

Hampton and Mary Pruitt's son, Adam Hampton Pruitt was born on April 19, in either 1863 or 1864. His death certificate and tombstone list his birth year as 1863. (1)   Census information provided in 1870 and 1880 indicate that Adam "Hamp" was 6 and 16 in those years, suggesting a birth year of 1864. However, the 1940 census was the first to identify who spoke with the enumerator, so we have no idea who provided information for the census in either 1870 or 1880. (2)

My father-in-law has a list of names, birth and death dates, but doesn't know where they were originally recorded. These names and dates were likely recorded from a Bible. An old Bible is now in the possession of one of my husband's cousins, and may be the source of the hand-copied list. (3)

Since the handwritten list appears to identify the family of Hamp and his wife, Samantha, it would seem that his birth year of 1863 should be correct. (4)   And since Mary Wagoner Pruitt was not the head of household in 1870 or 1880, it seems unlikely that she spoke with the enumerator to provide a correct age.

It seems likely, but not certain, that Adam Hampton "Hamp" Pruitt was indeed born April 19, 1863. This is important because of the dates of his father's conscription into the Confederate Army and subsequent death. Hampton entered service on September 27, 1862, and died on December 15, 1863.

Hampton Pruitt Confederate Record (Click to enlarge)

If Hamp was born in April 1863, then Mary was already expecting, about two or three months along, when Hampton left to serve the Confederacy. Hampton was listed as a deserter on June 10, 1863, but returned to his unit later.  If Hampton came home then, he may have seen his only son at that time. His temporary desertion is a matter of record; his return home is only speculation.

Like many other southern soldiers, Hampton may have left his unit to come home and help with the crops, and returned to his unit after his family had been provided for. If Hamp was born in 1864, then Hampton must have come home when he deserted, and left Mary pregnant when he returned to his unit. Hamp was born nine-and-a-half months after Hampton was recorded as a deserter; however, there is no record of the exact date that Hampton returned, only that he was not with his unit beginning June 10, 1863.  The Muster Roll is dated August 12, 1863 - I'm not certain if that means he still had not returned at that date. If this was the case, then Hampton may not have known his wife was expecting prior to his death, as she would have been only about five months along in her pregnancy.

Hampton Pruitt's Muster Roll for May and June, 1863 (Click to enlarge)

In an era when illiteracy was commonplace, Hampton signed their marriage bond by making his mark, and Mary consistently reported on the census that she could not read or write. If Hampton and Mary communicated by letter, someone else had to read it and write it for each of them. It is certainly possible, and even probably, that they were able to send word to each other, but likely not often. Unfortunately, neither of them would have been able to keep a diary or ledger, so their thoughts and feelings are lost to us forever.

Hamp was either born a few months before or a few months after his father's death in Northern Virginia during the Civil War. Hampton may or may not have known that he had a son. Hamp grew up without a father. Mary never remarried. This sad situation has occurred during every war fought by man.


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(1)  Images of Hamp's NC Death Certificate and tombstone can be viewed here.

(2)  In 1870 Hamp was enumerated with his mother in the household of her parents, Adam and Sarah Wagoner. The census taker visited the household on September 27, 1870 (and recorded Adam Hampton as "Andrew") listing him as a six-year-old.  In 1880, Hamp and his mother, Mary, were living with Mary's sister and her family. Hamp, who could not read or write, was a 16-year old farm laborer. The census was taken in June 1880, a couple of months after Hamp's birthday.

(3)  This list includes the birth years for all the children of Adam Hampton Pruitt and his wife, Samantha Blevins Pruitt, and includes the 1886 birth and death dates of a daughter that is not recorded anywhere else. Also included in this list are the birth dates for Adam Hampton Pruitt and Samantha Blevins, and death dates for Mary Pruitt.

(4)  I really need to get a photograph of the family pages from this Bible!