I'm a Daughter of the South

Yep, that's me... Alabama born and bred. George Wallace was Governor or husband of the Governor and finally former Governor in all the Alabama history books I studied from in school.

I grew up in segregated grammar schools, and in my first year in junior high, the schools were suddenly not segregated. It seemed to bother the adults, but not so much the kids. We scoped each other out, then got along, then made friends, worked and played together...in the SOUTH...in ALABAMA...and all was good.

I grew up, got a job, made friends, some of whom I confide my deepest secrets to...guess what...they are Black. Does it matter? Not to me, not to them. We just call each other friend.

Am I proud of my heritage? Yes I am. I'm a daughter of the south. Growing up I was told that all my ancestors were poor and never owned slaves. I've proved that wrong since I've been doing genealogy for years. I've found a few slave owners. I've also found the poor dirt farmers that the slave owner's daughters married. The ones that went to war...under THAT flag. The ones that died and left wives and small children behind. The Stars and Bars...THAT flag. The one that is suddenly causing so much controversy. Do I apologize? No. I didn't have anything to do with it. It's history. I had no more to do with it than with Cain killing Abel.

Do I think it symbolizes slavery? I know it does to many. I've done my reading. I believe it symbolizes the Rebel in us all. I've seen a lot of misinformation, some meant to inflame. I'm not going there. I don't believe anything I have to say would change anyone's mind on the notions they already have. I'll just ask that you actually read the Emancipation Proclamation:

Library of Congress. Public Domain.

President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1863, as the nation approached its third year of Civil War. The proclamation declared "that all persons held as slaves" within the rebellious states "are, and henceforward shall be free."

What does THAT FLAG mean to me? That I'm from the South, that I've got ancestors who died for it. I've got a little bit of Rebel in me.

Do I think it should fly over our capitol dome? No, I don't.
Do I think it should fly at Civil War memorials? Yes I do.
Do I feel that citizens of the United States should be able to fly THAT flag if they choose? Yes I do.
Do I think that all Civil War memorials should come down? I think that's ridiculous. The founding fathers owned slaves. Why would you erase history just because you don't like it?

In the news today I'm seeing news reports of defacement of memorials, calls for the Confederate Battle Flag flying high on I-65 to come down (it is on private property and flies over a Confederate Memorial Park), memorials in city parks to come down. It scares me. ISIS is doing the same thing to sites that offend them. Where will it stop?

Yes, we lost the War Between the States. We realize this. The flag remained a symbol of Southern Pride, sort of like our state motto "We Dare Defend Our Rights". Somehow the thought that this country was founded by traitors to the British flag escapes some people. I'm descended from those Rebels too.

The flag has become a symbol of hate groups, and I HATE hate groups. I HATE that that deranged guy in South Carolina was trying to start a race war, and this controversy has given him the attention he was looking for.

Do I think that everyone that owns a coffee cup, bumper sticker, or T-shirt with a Rebel flag is proclaiming they are a hater? No. If you do all I can say is well bless your heart!

I personally don't fly the battle flag. I realize some people find it offensive, and I respect that. I am shocked that now many retailers are no longer selling the Confederate battle flag. How will I decorate my ancestors's graves?

Rowan aka Ryan Tidwell 1819-1873 #52Ancestors #31

Rowan Tidwell, also known as Ryan Tidwell, was the son of Josiah and Louvenia "Louvice" Roden Tidwell. He was born about 1818 in Allgood, Blount County, Alabama.

Rowan married Cynthia Ann Cornelius October 16, 1842 in Blount County.

Rowan Tidwell married Caney Anny Cornelius, Oct 16, 1842, Rowan and Centerson (probably his brother Kesterson) Tidwell, bondsmen, p. 944, Book C, 1838-1844, Blount Co., Ala.
Married by John H Box, JP

Rowan and Cynthia had seven known children:
Louisiana "Sis" born 1844, married Benjamin Jerome Munkus
Phelan born 1847, married Sarah Elizabeth McCullough
Harriett born 1851, married E Holdridge Moncus (brother of the above Benjamin Munkus)
Beverly Cornelius born 1853, married Eva Sarah Locke
Hampton Clinton born 1855, married Palestine Gibson
Rowan B "Ryan" born 1859, married Zimmie Tubb
Brecusie born about 1861, died young

I thought I had found Rowan in the 1850 census. This Rowan is found in the household of Nelson Word, a farmer in Blount County. IHe was listed as a student instead of a farm laborer.

If this is my Rowan, where were Cynthia and the children they had by 1850?

They show up in the state census in 1855 in Blount County:
Rowan Tidwell     Head of Family:
Males < 21= 2;
Males > 21 = 1;
Females < 21 = 2;
Females > 21 = 1

The family is found living in Village Springs in Blount County in 1860:
Rowan Tidwell 40 M W Farmer Value of personal estate 50 AL
Cinciana 41 F AL
Louisia 14 F AL
Fielding 12 M AL
Harriet 10 F AL
Beverly 8 M AL
Hampton 5 M AL
Rowan 7/12 M AL

The Civil War was soon upon them, and Rowan enlisted in Company I, 49th Alabama Infantry.
The 1862 Confederate Census of Blount County says it all:

"Tidwell, Rowan; has a wife and six children; Lousanna, 16 years old; Filding, 14 years old; Hariett, 12 years old; Beverly, 9 years old; Houston, 6 years old; Rowan, 2 years old; has 150 pounds; no corn nor anything else; in Captain Crump's Company; January 17, 1862; Beat No. 14; $75.00"

The documents I have found for Rowan's service:

Paid January 9 1863 for service from July 1 to December 31 1862

Paid November 16 1863 for service from January 1 to August 31 1863

Captured July 9 1863 at Port Hudson, Louisiana (exchanged after three months)

Payment for Clothing...with a signature!!!!

Here's a bit about the 49th Alabama from the Alabama Archives:
This regiment was orgnized at Nashville, in January 1862, and attached to the Kentucky brigade of Gen. Breckinridge. It took part in the battle of Shiloh, where it lost 113 killed and wounded. A few weeks later, the Forty-ninth was sent to Vicksburg, with Breckinridge's brigade, and was engaged in the defense of the place when bombarded in 1862. Aug. 6, the regiment fought at Baton Rouge with a loss of 45 killed and wounded. Joining the army of Gen. Van Dorn, the Forty-ninth was engaged in the assault on Corinth, and suffered very severely there. Ordered to Port Hudson, the regiment passed the winter in that quarter, and was brigaded with the Twenty-seventh and Thirty-fifth Alabama, and two Mississippi regiments under Gen. Buford, who was soon succeeded by Gen. Beall. The Forty-ninth shared the dangers and hardships of the 42 days siege of Port Hudson, losing 55 men killed and wounded, and the reminder captured. Exchanged three months later, the Forty-ninth re-organized at Cahaba, and was attached to the brigade of Gen. Scott of Louisiana, with the Twelth Louisiana, and Twenty-seventh, Thirty-fifth, Fifty-fifth, and Fifty-seventh Alabama regiments. Joining the main army at Dalton, the brigade was assigned to Loring's division, Stewart's corps. Having wintered at Dalton, the Forty-ninth participated in the Dalton-Atlanta campaign, doing much arduous service, but losing inconsiderably. Around Atlanta it was again fully engaged, and suffered severely. It moved with Gen. Hood into Tennessee, and came out of the battles of Franklin, and Nashville with a long list of casualties, and captured men. Transferred to the Carolinas, the Forty-ninth took part in the operations there. Reduced to a skeleton, it was surrendered at Greensboro, N. C.

Rowan survived the Civil War and in 1870 was found in Marion, Perry County, Alabama:

Tidwell Rion 50 M W AL Farm Laborer can't read & write
Sincina F can't make out age Keeping house AL can't read & write
Fielding 22 M Farm Laborer AL can't read & write
Beverly 17 M Farm Laborer AL can't read & write
Hampton 14 M Farm Laborer AL can't read & write
Rowin 10 M AL Attended school within the year can't write
Brecusie 8 M AL Attended school within the year

Rowan was mentioned in the estate file of his father in 1870

Rowan sold property in January 1873:
Perry Co., AL Deed Book "Y", pages 136, 137, 141, & 142:
Tidwell, Rowan & C. - Grantor
Dunkin, Elias - Grantee
Jan., 1873; T20 R8

Unfortunately, Rowan died later that year. In Cynthia's Confederate Widows
Pension Application she states Ryan Tidwell died Nov. 11, 1873 near Jericho, Perry County.

The Southern Argus (Selma, AL)
November 28, 1873
"Died in Perry Co., recently, Mr. Tidwell"

No grave site has been found.

52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks: #1 Albert Cargo of Blount, Alabama

I'm following the blog prompt from No Story Too Small, 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks.

Used by permission of http://www.nostorytoosmall.com/

The challenge: have one blog post each week devoted to a specific ancestor. It could be a story, a biography, a photograph, an outline of a research problem — anything that focuses on one ancestor. 
If you decide to play along, don't forget to use the hashtag #52Ancestors

Albert Cargo was born about 1818 in Blount County, Tennessee. He was the son of Samuel Alexander and Sarah Malcolm Cargo. Albert was the second of eight children.
The Cargo family moved to Blount County, Alabama by the early 1820's. Samuel was appointed Constable in Blount County June 24, 1823.

Albert married Sarah "Sally" Yielding about 1847. By the 1850 census, they had a son, William R "Cobb" Cargo. He was born December 15, 1848. Albert was shown as a farmer.
Other children were Jeremiah Clemons "Clem", born March 2, 1851; Nancy born 1856; and my great-great-grandmother Flora Jane, born October 6, 1859.
The 1860 census shows Albert as a farmer, with personal estate of $100.

Albert took up arms for the cause of the south. He mustered in the 48th Alabama Volunteer Infantry Regiment, Company A, C.S.A. on April 7, 1862. He went to war leaving Sarah to raise four young children. Flora was only two years old.

From http://hardeesguard.wikispaces.com/

In May 1862, the 48th Alabama went to Auburn, Alabama, and in June moved to Virginia with 1,100 men. Albert never made the trip. He died of fever June 10, 1862 in Auburn. Albert's final resting place is unknown, but possibly Pine Hill Cemetery, Auburn, Alabama.