Alexander

Boy Soldier

/ M. J. McKinley / Leave a comment

Hanging by a chain on the wall of my Grandmother McKinley’s home was a picture encased in glass with a black background. The picture was difficult to make out because it was so old. It now hangs in my living room. The picture is actually a tintype of a young boy. It took me quite a while to figure out that it is the memorial picture of William Singleton Erp.

William Singleton was born April 9, 1846 in Pulaski County, Kentucky. His parents were Allen Erp and Sarah (Alexander) Erp. He carried the names of his Grandfathers: William Alexander and Singleton Erp. He moved to Indiana with his parents when he was about a year old.

Grandma said he was known as “Uncle Sing.”

There is a commemorative marker in Spencer Cemetery, Hamilton County, IN leaning against his parents’ grave marker that states: “Wm. S. son of Allen & Sarah Erp belonged to the 40th Ind. Co. E. He lies buried at Nashville Tenn. Age. 15Y 11M & 28D”

So, he was a soldier during the Civil War? What happened to this 15 year-old boy? Grandma said the story was that a group of Southern women entered a train with a basket of cookies for the soldiers, over half the soldiers died, including Wm. S. Erp. Grandma requested that I find his grave in Nashville.

I found a Roll of Honor book in my local library: Roll of Honor: Names of Soldiers Who Died in Defense of the American Union Interred in the National Cemeteries, Vol XXII-XXIII, Washington, Government Printing Office, 1869, p. 76, that listed his death date as April 2, 1862 & that Wm. S. was buried at the National Cemetery at Nashville, TN. I had no idea there was a National Cemetery in Nashville. One day I went to Nashville, stopped by the cemetery and found his grave marker. I couldn’t stay long because a storm was coming up. I had enough time to find the marker and take a picture for Grandma.

wserpheadstonetn

But I wasn’t satisfied there. Was the story really true? Was he poisoned? I found a book in the Clinton Co. IN, library: Muster Roll of Co. E. 40th Regiment Indiana Infantry, by Helen E. Grove, 1990. This gave his rank as Private, Age: 15, Height: 5’4”, Eyes: Brown, Hair: Dark, Complexion: Dark, born in Pulaski Co., KY, occupation: Farmer. He was enrolled Oct. 16, 1861 at Hillsboro, IN. His Residence was Hillsboro, Clinton Co., IN. It states he died in April 1863 (off by 1 year) in a hospital at Nashville, TN of Lung Fever (pneumonia). So I guess the story of poison wasn’t true.

William Singleton spent 6 months in the Union Army. According to the National Park Service information about the 40th Indiana Infantry, the unit was mustered in December 30, 1861. Went to Bardstown, KY until February 1862. Then marched to Bowling Green, KY & on to Nashville, TN from Feb. 10 to March 13, 1862. Then they started for Savannah, TN March 29 & on to the Battle of Shiloh April 6, just after Wm. S. died. Who knows how long he was ill before he died. I expect he got sick during the march to Nashville. I wonder how his parents were notified. And did his Father, Allen, know where Wm. S. was buried when he came through Nashville while he was in the Union Army?

Also in Grandma’s collection of pictures,was this picture of the boy soldier:

wserparmy

The photographer who took the picture was located in Frankfort, IN. So the picture was probably taken soon after he enlisted.

Then I wonder how a boy was allowed to join up. But in doing research on the 40th Indiana, I found through the National Park Service website that some of Wm. S.’s relatives were in the same Regiment. John T. Alexander is listed as a soldier. I don’t have much on him, except he may be Wm. S.’s Great Uncle. Another Great Uncle, Galen Alexander, age 30, died in January 1862 in Louisville, KY after contracting a fever. So illness was an issue for the soldiers. Hard to imagine what the conditions were like. The Regiment lost more soldiers (206) to disease than to wounds (143).

Finally, in a small photo album full of tintypes, many not labeled, I found another copy of the picture that is in the black frame:

wserp

I like this one better than the one of him in uniform. But he looks so young!
Rest in peace “Uncle Sing.”

© MJM 2016

 

Allen’s “brother & sister,” Emberson & Millie Cox

/ M. J. McKinley / 1 Comment

Continuing from the last post; Allen Erp sent a letter from Murfreesboro, TN in 1863 to Emberson & Millie Cox. He called them “brother & sister” in his letter. The thought is that since Allen & his wife, Sarah, could not read or write, someone wrote the letter for him & he sent it to a family member.

Walter Emberson Cox (1822-1879) was married to Millie Alexander (1834-1921). They lived in Sugar Creek Twp. of Clinton County, Indiana. They are buried in Hills Baptist Church Cemetery. Walter served in the US Army, Company F of 30th Indiana Infantry from October 26, 1864 to August 15, 1865.

Allen Erp was married to Sarah Alexander, so Millie and Sarah were sisters. Sounds simple, doesn’t it?

However, there is some confusion out there about the Alexander families.

From what I have found, the father of both Sarah and Millie was William P. Alexander (1810-1863), his wife was Elizabeth Stogsdill. William P. is buried in Hills Baptist Church Cemetery.

William P.’s father was William Alexander (ca1777-1855), wife was Mary Hargis.

William & Mary had several children, how many is not clear. He is also often listed as Sarah Alexander’s father. I’m not sure what sources people use for this information, but it is the predominant theory. One problem is that the first Census to name all members of the household was the 1850 US Census and by then Sarah is married to Allen Erp and out of her father’s household.

The 1850 US Census for Clinton Co, IN has several Alexanders listed, including a few Williams and another Sarah Alexander of about the same age as my Sarah (she fits as being a wife of one of the Williams). And again, Sarah and Allen are already married by 1850 and show up in the same area of Clinton County as many of the Alexanders.

Also, the US Census record for William P. Alexander in Clinton County, IN, shows him and his wife Elizabeth; a 19 yr old daughter, Mary; 10 yr old daughter Oma A; and another 4 yr old girl named Sarah “Leioel”. So I guess people figure that this Sarah would be William P.’s daughter and it wouldn’t make sense to have another daughter named Sarah. The Census record is very difficult to read. But I did notice that the enumerator only listed 2 names when he was indicating first and last names, otherwise he used first name and an initial. So perhaps Sarah “Leioel” was a neighbor or family member who was visiting the home. I can’t find any similar names in the rest of the local Census region yet. So, still looking.

1850 US Census, Clinton County IN, Sugar Creek Twp.(from Ancestry.com)

1850ClintonCoCensus

  • William P Alexander 40
  • Elizabeth 44
  • Mary 19
  • Oma A 10
  • Sarah “Leioel” 4
  • Allen Erp 22
  • Sarah 21
  • William 5
  • Hannah 2
  • Andrew 2/12
  • Walter E Cox 24
  • Milla (Millie) 15

 

The Erps and Alexanders came from Pulaski Co, KY and moved to Clinton Co, IN.

Anyway, William P. and Elizabeth are listed as Sarah Alexander Erp’s parents in the family Bible record of her marriage, on her Death Certificate and in her obituary. Millie Cox is listed as her sister in the obit. Millie was still alive when Sarah died in 1912, so I doubt this listing was a mistake.

So, Walter Emberson Cox was Brother-in-law to Allen and Sarah, with Millie being Sarah’s sister.

Sarah and Millie had other siblings: Mary (1831-1907) who married Sam Boyer, Sr.; Nancy (ca 1833-1900) who married Nelson Louks; Malinda A. (1837-1848); Naomi America (1840-1857); then the mysterious Sarah “Leioel”.

Not much of a story here except a learning experience researching the family history.

So adding a few generations to the tree: William & Mary (Hargis) Alexander—son William P. & Elizabeth (Stogsdill) Alexander—dau Sarah Alexander & Allen Erp—dau Sarah Alzada Erp & Alva Boone—dau Mary G. Boone & Arza Millikan—dau Margaret P. Millikan & Loran McKinley—son (my father)–me.

© MJMcK 2016