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!