The Story of the Roswell Mill Workers Deportation

I found the following story on The Roswell Mills Sons of Confederate Veterans page, I would like to see more information on these Women and their families. This is just another example of the Hardships that Shermans March to the Sea inflicted on the Good People of the South.

On July 5, 1864, Federal General Kenner Garrard's cavalry reached Roswell and finding it undefended, occupied the city. General Garrard reported to General William T. Sherman on July 6, 1864 that..."there were fine factories here, I had the building burnt, all were burnt. The cotton factory was working up to the time of its destruction, some 400 women being employed."
Former Associate Dean of Emory University, Webb Garrison writes of the destruction of the Roswell Mills. He says..."incidents of this sort occurred repeatedly throughout the Civil War. Had the usual attitudes prevailed, the destruction of the industrial complex would have ended the matter. That it did not was due to the temperament and inclination of the man (Sherman)."
What General Sherman did next would shock good people in the North and create a mystery that has endured to this day. On July 7, 1864 Sherman reported to his superiors inWashington..." I have ordered General Garrard to arrest for treason all owners and employees, foreign and native (of the Roswell Mills), and send them under guard to Marietta, whence I will send them North."

On July 7, 1864, Sherman wrote to General Garrard:..." I repeat my orders that you arrest all people, male and female, connected with these factories, no matter the clamor, and let them foot it, under guard, to Marietta, Then I will send them by cars to the North."
A northern newspaper correspondent reported on the deportation...." only think of it! Four hundred weeping and terrified Ellens, Susans and Maggies transported in springless and seatless army wagons, away from their loves and brothers of the sunny South, and all for the offense of weaving tent-cloth.

On July 10, 1864, General Thomas reported the arrival of four to five hundred mill hands, mostly women, in Marietta. Other documents indicate that an undertermined number of children accompanied their mothers. Webb Garrison writes of the womens' arrival in Marietta:...." for the military record, that closed the case in which women and children were illegally deported after having been charged with treason." He further writes..."had the Roswell incident not been followed immediately by major military developments, it might have made a lasting impact upon opinion. In this century, few analysts have given it the emphasis it deserves."

In conclusion, Dr. Garrision writes...."The mystery of the Roswell women, whose ultimate fate remains unknown, is one of major importance in its own right. Even more significant is its foreshadowing of things to come."

The mystery of the Roswell women is made up of four to five hundred individual tragedies. Most of these stories are lost to history; however, two of the men involved in the proposed monument are either related to or descended from mill workers. Wayne Bagley of the Roswell Mills Camp of the Sons of Confederate Veterans is related to Adeline Bagley Buice. Adeline was a pregnant seamstress working at the Roswell Mills while her husband was off to war. Deported north with the other women, she went all the way to Chicago. Left to fend for herself as best she could, it would be five years before Adeline and her daughter would return to Roswell on foot. Adeline's soldier husband returned to Roswell. In time, thinking her dead, he remarried. Adeline's grave, in Forsyth County, is maintained with a special marker by the Sons of Confederate Veterans.

Wayne Shelly is a member of the General Nathan B. Forrest Camp of the Sons of Confederate Veterans in Rome, Georgia. His grandmother was a teenage mill worker and her mother and grandmother also worked at the Roswell Mills. All three were charged with treason and deported. The mother died on a train between Chattanooga and Nashville, Tennessee. The grandmother died on a steamship on the Ohio River, after being carried aboard in a rocking chair. Wayne's grandmother married a Confederate veteran in Louisville, Kentucky. The two tried to make a new life in Indiana; however, the deporation had ruined the health of the young mill worker and a doctor advised that she would not live through another Indiana winter. The couple moved south to Cartersville, Georgia.

The War Between the States was without question Roswell's moment on the stage of world history. If Roswell has a history, it is surely in part the mill worker' story.

NOTE: Webb Garrison's quotations are from his book Atlanta and the War. He has written articles for "The Atlanta Journal" on the Roswell women and is a leading expert on the incident.

Salutatory To The South by Louise Nettles

I was born on April 12, 1861, in the Harbor of Charleston, South Carolina, and the Constitution of the Confederate States of America is my Birth Certificate.

The blood lines of the South run through my veins, for I offer freedom that each State should regulate her own affairs, according to its best interest. I am many things and many people.

I Am The South.

I am millions of living souls, and ghosts of thousands who died for me. I am the Farmer-made soldier who did not turn his back during Pickett's Charge. I am the Rebel Yell that was heard across many of my rolling fields, protecting our homeland.

I am Robert E. Lee and Thomas J. "Stonewall" Jackson: I stood at Fort Sumter and fired the shot heard through our young nation. I am Longstreet, Hood and Patrick R. Cleburne. I am General's Johnson, Beaugard and President Jefferson Davis.

I remember how we fought in Gettysburg, Cold Harbor, Vicksburg, and Atlanta. When duty called I answered and stayed until it was over. I left my heroic dead in Chickamauga, in the fields of Shiloh, on the bloody hills of Mannassas and the mountains of Kennesaw.

I Am The South.

I am the Mississippi River, and the cotton fields of Alabama and the piney woods of the Carolinas. I am the coal fields of Virginia and Kentucky, the Florida coast and the Louisiana bayou. I am Richmond, the Capitol of the Confederacy. I am the forest, field, mountain, and rivers. I am the quiet villages and the cities that never sleep.

I am the Heritage that's been forgotten, the dying memory of a way of life that is being still. You see me in the twilight and hear me in Dixie, as the past continues to fade away each year.

Yes, I Am The South, and these are the things I represent.

I was conceived by force, and God willing, I'll spend the rest of my days remembering my birth. May I always possess the integrity and the courage, and the strength to keep my Heritage alive, to remain a Loyal Southerner and stand tall and proud to the rest of the world.

Do not forget who we are, what we are and where we came from.... This is my goal, my hope, my prayer.

(Thanks Rick)

I'm Thankful For---

The big meal is over, the guests are gone, and here we sit enjoying a peaceful evening. I'm thankful for peaceful evenings, they give me time to think, remember, and appreciate what the Good Lord has given me.

You have read my opinions on God, my Family, Friends, and Southern Heritage, some of the results on my genealogy research, and how they all tie together. Some things I am thankful for.

I am thankful for my ancestors and the traits they passed down to be, Leroy Lusk pictured on the left was the Grand Dad of my Granny Cooper, Granny taught me to Love God and the importance of taking care of yourself and Family, she learned these lessons from her elders and I know she sat on his lap and listened to stories and lessons just as I sat on hers to hear these stories again.

A large number of our Family stood up and fought for our homeland during that so called Civil War. Leroy Lusk had five brothers who also served for the Confederacy, one Nathan stood with the officers of the Immortal 600 at Morris Island SC, and Rufus the youngest brother died of pneumonia and typhoid before his 17th birthday. They had four first cousins James L, William, David, and John Lusk who all died on the same day at the Battle of Antietam in Sharpsburg, Md these brothers are still there today buried among the Confederate unknown on the battlefield. William M Jameson my 4th Great Granddad who died at Spotsylvania, and another 4th Great Joseph Massingill who died at Camp Chase Military Prison in Ohio about a month before the end of the war, Matthew Hendricks came home and died in 1944 at the age of 101 after a long constructive life following the war. I could go on and on and bore you to death but I am thankful for the sacrifices these men made and for the lessons they passed down to me. I have said this a number of times "Too many of our Nobel Forefathers stood for the Cause of the Confederacy for it to have been unjust"

I am thankful for my Friends, a lot of you listen to the same stuff from me over and over and know I'm just running it through my head again and trust your opinion or I wouldnt be doing it again. A lot of you have helped me a lot keeping these sites, forums, and blogs running, I have slowed down at times but you have never given up on me and have waited me out till the Good Lord got me up and running again, I could list you all but you know who you are. PoP, Dessie, Dawn, Kathy, Rodney, Kathleen and my best friend my wife Cindy who smiles and nods her head when I start repeating again and again. There are many more who I appreciate and I Love you all. Thank You

I'm thankful for my Family, my wife Cindy who puts up with me, Randy, Tim, and Melissa who help her out and make me laugh in a good way,Yea and you too Elisa, Steve and Scott my Sons who I miss dearly and Zoey who I want to see real soon. I Love all of you and am Thankful the Good Lord let me be a part of your lives.

I thank God for my Parents who gave me life and also thank Him for the blessings and hardships he has helped me through, the hardships teach lessons on life and the blessings reward you for learning them.

God Bless and Thank you all for the inspiration you give me to continue the fight for what is right.

Jimmy

The Confederate Battle Flag

A lot of people look at the Confederate Battle Flag flying and a sense of Pride overcomes them, Memories of being raised in a safe place with the knowledge that our forefathers died under this flag to give us this safe place and sense of pride we carry inside us. Others look at this same flag and anger overtakes them, they see images in their heads of the KKK burning crosses and unjust treatment of people based solely on their skin color, so the assumption comes up that everyone from the South is this way and the North had to step in to right this wrong.

OK we now have my side and your side, now let's meet in the middle and get to the Truth. The men that fought and died in the War for Southern Independence (aka Civil War?-wasn't nothing civil about it) were not fighting for or against slavery, most Southerners did not own slaves, although some did. Slavery did exist in the North also, General Grant owned slaves up until the 13th amendment was passed in 1865, General Robert E. Lee did not own slaves, although his wife did inherit slaves and they were immediately freed. Look back at the KKK marches and pay attention to the flags they are displaying, more Stars and Stripes than The Southern Cross huh. So why is the Confederate Flag the only one being condemned? OK you have the right to believe in what you were taught, and I also have that same right. I believe in my Southern Heritage, I see The Confederate Flag as a reminder of where I came from and appreciate the meaning behind it as I have been taught and seen.

Don't label the whole South on the actions of Hate groups that chose to fly our flag in their cause, their cause is not the Cause of the South, it's a Hate group take them for what they are worth, Southern Heritage has nothing to do with them. And if condemning a flag is what we need to do because of groups like this, Lets throw some of that blame on the Stars and Stripes too. I am proud of our flag and will continue to stand for what is right and I will continue with my opinion on Southern Heritage and the Confederate Flag, Because it is not about Hate, it's all about Pride in who you are and where you come from.

Southern Memories

Memories of growing up in the South brings a feeling of comfort to me. While living in other parts of the country, I have come to realize that there are quite a few things about the South that make it unique. Where else can you find the type of hospitality that you receive in the South? People in the South always make you feel at home, they use terms like yes sir, no sir , yes mam, no mam, and use these type of terms in a polite manner, They talk to you, never Down to you, and will always tell you "Y'all come back now you heah" and mean it when they say it. Southerners are proud and honorable people, They will inform you (if you don't already know) that the War for Southern Independence (aka The Civil War) was fought over States Rights and not Slavery, The Confederate Flag is a symbol of Honor and Pride and not Hate, Our Southern Heritage is important to us and we will discuss it with you as long as the Truth is being told and we will steer you away from the "facts" that the schools are trying to teach our children on how the Confederate States of America was formed and the reason why secession was our only choice.

Cooking a big meal for you is a task made to look easy by most Southerners. Southern Fried Chicken and Gravy, Fried Green Tomatoes, Fried Okra, Pinto Beans & Cornbread, Collard Greens, or even some Poke Salad, and a big ole glass of Sweet Tea is a good start to a wonderful meal you will never forget. And if it happens to be Breakfast you want Grits is a staple you just can't pass up. The way I enjoy Grits is mixed all up in my Eggs, Bacon, Sausage, and you just have to mix in a little Red Eye Gravy or Coffee Gravy and be sure to add the Salt and Pepper. Any Southerner knows that it just ain't right to add sugar into your grits, You don't want to mess up the flavor by mixing in something that just don't belong. A cup of Luzianne Coffee (with chicory) is the perfect "beverage" for this Breakfast meal.

Things to do in the South is an easy thing to figure out. Just do what makes you happy, Simple as sitting back under the Magnolia tree, listening to the whippoorwills, the rain crows (mourning doves) and watching the Kudzu grow and trying to figure out a way you haven't already tried to stop it. Going out for a ride in the mountains for the simple reason that you want to pick some Muscadines cause it's been a while since you had some.or setting up a Coon Hunt, not cause you really want to bring home a Raccoon but because you just want to get together with a few friends and let the dogs run for a while. As I said earlier The South brings me a true feeling of comfort. We believe in God, Family and Friends, Being polite to others whether you know them or not, Working hard to get the things you need or want, and Praying hard that your decisions are the right ones to help your kids grow up and live as they should. Gimme a RC Cola and a Moon Pie, A Shady spot under the Magnolias on a hot humid southern summer day, Give my kids the wisdom to appreciate what The Good Lord has given them, and help them to grow up happy. Gimme a chance to teach them the truth about their heritage and help them be proud of who they are and who they are gonna become. Oh yea and one more thing!

Y'all Come Back Now Ya Heah!!

Back to Work

OK here we go, I'm back after what seems like a long break, I appreciate you who did not give up on me and would like to hear from you when you get a chance.

I am going to get the site and blog updated and get back to work, I have never stopped defending our Confederate Heritage just have been in the background for a little while due to health reasons.

I am using the slogan "Southern Heritage, No Hate, No Apologies" due to accusations from various groups on being a "White Apologist", you have to laugh at that one because all of you know I don't apologize for being right and the Cause of the Confederacy, our Southern Heritage, and my ability to teach and learn about these issues are nothing to be ashamed of.

So here we are back in the battle teaching and learning the reason our ancestors stood to defend what was rightfully theirs long ago and has been passed to us to defend now. We need to continue preserving our Southern Heritage and pass the lessons along taught to us by our elders.

Too many of our Nobel Forefathers stood for the Cause of the Confederacy for it to have been unjust.

Deo Vindice
Jimmy

Treason--I Think Not

"Those People" say that The War For Southern Independence was an act of Treason when we took up arms and fired unprovoked shots against our own people underneath a cowardly banner for the sake of preserving slavery.

First off let me say that a Civil War is an uprising of people within their own Country, The Confederate States of America is a Country formed by the secession of states that had the right to do so as provided under the Constitution. The CSA was invaded by the Union because Lincoln did not want to lose the raw products provided by Southern States, The secession of these states forming the CSA was a money issue and Lincoln did not want to lose power over the South. The firing of unprovoked shots that started the Civil war as they claim began when The Confederate government attempted to negotiate the withdrawal of a small federal garrison that occupied Fort Sumter, South Carolina, on December 26, 1860. Lincoln decided not to withdraw the garrison. Confederate forces attacked Fort Sumter on April 12, 1861. Lincoln issued a call-up of 75,000 troops to put down what he claimed was a "Rebellion" in the South. So if the tables were turned and the CSA was on union territory and refused to leave would this still be treason? This was a war between two countries so we were not fighting against our own people we were defending ourselves against invasion from another country. Treason I think not.

Slavery was not the issue in The War of Northern Aggression (aka Civil War); Lincoln himself stated "The war is being fought for the Union, not slavery". Lincoln even stated in his First Inaugural Speech on 3-14-1861 "I have no purpose, directly or indirectly, to interfere with the institution of slavery in the States where it exists. I believe I have no lawful right to do so, and I have no inclination to do so." Who actually had Slavery on their agenda? The Emancipation Proclamation did no more that take able bodied black men who it claimed to free and enlist them in the union army; this document freed no one it was a ploy to build the union army.

This war was not due to an act of treason or to preserve a system that enslaved human beings, it was fought because Lincoln refused to allow the South to go in peace. This proud Banner that "those people" claim to be cowardly is a symbol of the sacrifices that our Noble Forefathers stood for to protect our homeland and to preserve the proud heritage of their ancestors, they passed those traits down to us and it is up to us now to stand for the cause they deemed worth fighting for. Our ancestors were not wrong and the lessons being taught to our children at school now have to be challenged with the true facts. Teach your children the truth so they can continue the traits of our Great Southern Heritage. Our Confederate Battle Flag is not a flag of treason or a cowardly symbol of racism. This Confederate Flag and the Cause of the Confederacy are reminders of a Great Nation of people who were brave enough to stand for what is right.

I'm proud to be a descendant of these people and I will continue to teach and learn the truth they so proudly stood for, I will not bow to the PC teachings that is an attempt to erase our Heritage and I will never be ashamed of where I am from or of my ancestors who stood up to give me what I have today.

The Confederate States of America Still Lives

Here is my opinion on recent discussions concerning whether the Confederate States of America still exists.

The Army of Northern Virginia was surrendered at Appomattox, Va. by General Robert E. Lee, Lee only surrendered this army, and the rest of the Confederate forces decision to surrender was left up to their commanders. Lee and the rest of the commanders only had authority over these commands not over the Confederate States Government.

President Jefferson Davis never surrendered, and no articles for surrender of the Government were ever drawn up. Jefferson Davis was not a citizen of the United States at the time nor did he ever accept his citizenship to the U.S. back because doing so would have been surrendering the Confederate Government. Now if the U.S. was fighting a war against non U.S. citizens (The Confederacy) then how could it have been a Civil War as a Civil War is an uprising of people within their own country? The War For Southern Independence began when Lincoln sent troops to block our ports and refused negotiations to surrender a Federal Garrison at Ft. Sumter forcing Confederate Forces to fire on them.

After the surrender Southerners were forced to sign an oath of allegiance to the Union which is an individual act and not one that reflects on the Confederate Government. The South was occupied by Federal troops then and the only way to survive for a lot was to sign the oath. The only people who had the authority to surrender the Confederate Government were the people in power such as the non U.S. citizen Jefferson Davis, so if he wasn't a citizen how could he have been over a Government fighting their own country and if he never regained citizenship, how could he have given up on the Confederacy and why would he make statements such as "The contest is not over, the strife is not ended. It has only entered upon a new and enlarged arena", some sixteen years after the war was over?

The Confederacy is still in existence we have no officials in office as we are an occupied country at this time. Our Armies did surrender but the Government never did, our passions and beliefs in the Cause of The Confederacy are still strong and we will continue to teach the truth as we have learned in spite of the victor's version of history. This contest is not over and we will never bow to the Political Correctness that is fighting hard to erase our Confederate Heritage.

The Confederacy still lives in the hearts and minds of true Southern minded folks, this issue can be debated from now on but end result is "Too many of our Nobel Forefathers stood for the Cause of The Confederacy for it to have been unjust" and as President Jefferson Davis stated "All we ask is to be let alone". The Confederate States of America would be fully staffed and thriving as a nation had Lincoln only allowed us to go in peace, we are now an occupied nation and no matter how you look at it the Confederacy does exist.

Here is one of rhe new designs added to the Southern Heritage Store, click on the picture to view what I have to offer and while there look over the other designs available.

Cause of The War for Southern Independence aka Civil War

A lot of discussion about slavery and the reasons that caused the Civil War have been going around lately, so I thought I would share this article I have posted on Rebel With A Clue.

The Civil War was a war of aggression against the South. The Northern states had the majority of the industrial capabilities and depended on raw products from the South to survive. The Southern states grew tired of high tariffs and over taxation without sharing in the revenue received by the Northern states from Southern products.

The election of Abraham Lincoln in 1860 was the beginning of the secession of seven states in the South. South Carolina, Mississippi, Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, and Texas seceded from the union and formed The Confederate States of America. The Confederate states were able to trade directly with other nations with a much lower Confederate tariff. Rather than fairly compete with the low Confederate tariff by lowering the federal tariff, The Lincoln Republicans and their Northern financial backers chose instead to destroy the Confederacy by force.

One of the first things Jefferson Davis did after assuming office as president of the Confederate States of America was to send a peace delegation to Washington, D.C., in an effort to establish friendly ties with the federal government. The Confederacy offered to pay the South’s share of the national debt and to pay for all federal installations in the Southern states. Lincoln rejected all Confederate peace offers and insisted that federal armies would invade the Southern states if they didn’t renounce their independence and recognize federal authority.

The Confederate government attempted to negotiate the withdrawal of a small federal garrison that occupied Fort Sumter, South Carolina, on December 26, 1860. Lincoln decided not to withdraw the garrison. Confederate forces attacked Fort Sumter on April 12, 1861. Lincoln issued a call-up of 75,000 troops to put down what he claimed was a "Rebellion" in the South. Four more Southern states joined the Confederacy Virginia, Arkansas, Tennessee, and North Carolina. Lincoln sent federal armies into the South. Kentucky and Missouri joined the Confederacy even though their efforts to secede had failed.

Slavery was not the issue for The War of Northern Aggression (aka Civil War), Lincoln himself stated "The war is being fought for the Union, not slavery". He also stated during his First Inaugural Speech on Mar.14th, 1861 "I have no purpose, directly or indirectly, to interfere with the institution of slavery in the States where it exists. I believe I have no lawful right to do so, and I have no inclination to do so."

The Confederacy did not want to go to war. Simply put The War for Southern Independence was fought by The South to preserve their God given right to govern and defend themselves as provided under the Constitution. The North losing the Southern States and allowing them their independence would mean economic disaster for the North. This would never be tolerated and would be stopped by whatever means necessary! The war was not fought to end slavery, The war was fought because Lincoln refused to allow the South to go in peace.

Rebel Southern Heritage Store

I have upgraded The Rebel Southern Heritage Store to a premium shop so we can offer a bigger line of products that promote our Southern Heritage. We now have a much bigger selection of designs on a larger selection of products. I will be giving updates on the store and adding pictures that show some of the new stuff in my posts from time to time. If you have any ideas of things you would like to see please let me know, If there is something you don't like or agree with tell me please, if you like what you see tell people who will be interested, I would appreciate that.

We have to stand up when the media and our Sport Heroes degrade our Southern Heritage and Confederate Flag. One such person made a statement a while back he said "Anyone who flies The Confederate Flag is ignorant", this man was born and raised in the South and this is his opinion, I think we need to express ours so I designed a shirt with my opinion. I have it on many different shirts,sweats,and hoodies, I call it the Ignorant Statement shirt. Other designs like the black t-shirt below are also available.

Just My Opinion

The Confederate Battle Flag is viewed so many different ways by folks, that there is hardly any common ground in any group no matter where you are. I was raised in South Carolina and have seen most sides of this issue, The Klan in my opinion are one of the groups that do us more harm than good, I have seen them run rampant through town with our Great Battle Flag tied across the hoods of their cars inviting the "White Public Only" to their rallies and have always thought why is it right for these people to be able to degrade a race of people under a symbol as great as our Confederate Battle Flag. In my opinion the race they are actually degrading would be the White race because they are choosing to separate them from the rest. The Klan, NAACP, SPLC, Aryans, White Supremacists, etc in my mind are all in one group, they do no more than harm the ones they are claiming to help and make themselves look foolish at the same time.

I met a man in Memphis who is black and had issue with the Confederate Battle Flag, to make a long story short I ended up letting him know that he wasn't wrong for believing what he had been taught, that there is another side to the issue, and that all people with the Battle Flag are not there to wave it in his face in a hateful manner. I understand that hate towards our flag is what he has been taught but I think now he may at least see that some of us do have a strong belief that the Confederate symbols represent Southern Heritage Not Hate. We can't ignore the fact that our symbols cause pain for some folks, we can't ignore the fact that some idiots use our symbols to inflict pain on the ones already hurting, and we surely cant ignore the fact that we have to be compassionate with everyone while speaking to them about our Confederate Heritage or we will come off as those who are inflicting the pain. It is not our purpose to change any ones way of thinking, we simply must teach that there is another side of the story and let them make up their own mind.

I have no problem with anyone due to where they are from or what race they are, I have good friends from all over and of many different races. I do have a problem with people treating each other badly for no reason or just because they want to. I'm not right all the time but I hope to always be respectful and compassionate of others feelings no matter who they are. We cant live in denial, we have to do the same we are asking anyone else to do, look at the others perspective before addressing the issue and for heavens sake don't talk down to them because when we do we are our own worst enemy.

Stand strong in your beliefs and teachings, you can have a civil debate with most folks. Continue to preserve our Southern Heritage and Confederate Flag with all of the energy you always have but remember your Southern manners because if you don't, you will only lower yourself to their level. Listen to their side as you want them to hear yours and remember they were taught different than you were. After it's all over by the Grace of God hopefully they will at least know the History books aint always right.

Southern Heritage Not Hate

The Cause of the Confederacy and our Southern Heritage has been clouded for many years by hate groups and people who use our Confederate symbols to spread their hate. Some use the slogan Heritage not Hate to gain the trust of the crowd and spread their message, others who are true defenders of Southern Heritage and the honor of our Confederate ancestors are there for just that reason, to teach the truth as we have been taught and not allow the lies that are being taught to our children when it comes to our school systems version of the Confederacy.

I use the statement Southern Heritage not Hate on my site not to apologize for my Heritage, but to show where I am going with it, my goal is to promote our Great Confederate Heritage, to teach and learn the truth behind the Cause of the Confederacy, and do this with respect and pride without the hate aspect thrown in. If we try to preserve our Southern Heritage and ignore the hate issue we always have thrown in our face, in my mind we will never know where we are going much less where we came from. In my opinion we can use Southern Heritage not Hate with no apologies because we are not "those people" who portray our Heritage in a negative manner.

I don't think we need to step back to the time frame or mindset of the era by living in the past but we do need to take the traits passed down to us and use what we have learned to move forward into the future. We can't stand by and allow anyone to degrade or try to erase our Confederate Heritage including the ones flying our Great Battle Flag in dishonor and hate because they do us more harm than good no matter what they say, and we can't allow our Confederate ancestors to be judged on today’s values as they are not living in our time frame. Too many of our Noble Forefathers stood up for the Cause of the Confederacy for it to have been unjust.

Rebel Southern Heritage Store

Deo Vindice
Southern Heritage Not Hate and No Apologies

Just My Opinion

Our recent vacation trip back home to South Carolina went real well; I made a lot of visits to the hometowns and cemeteries where a lot of my Noble Forefathers are at. I caught up with a lot of stories and memories that assure me that the upbringing I have and the Cause that my Forefathers stood up for is just.

We stopped at the welcome center in Memphis and I could not pass up the chance of taking time to visit the three parks Confederate Park, Jefferson Davis Park, and Nathan Bedford Forrest Park. All three were in good shape with a lot of good people sitting around enjoying the day and just a peaceful feeling all around. After leaving Confederate Park I had a man by the name of Reggie approach me just after parking at Jefferson Davis Park begin a discussion about the Battle Flag on my hat and shirt, he began with “How can you wear that flag knowing that it offends a whole group of people from the South” he went on to say that “How can we allow the parks in this city to be named after symbols of the Confederacy when it does nothing but degrade a whole race of Southerners? And how can we celebrate a man like Nathan Bedford Forrest when his only claim to fame was starting the KKK”.

I did have a long civil discussion with Reggie on my viewpoints of our Great Southern Heritage. I explained how our Great Battle Flag was a symbol to most Southerners black and white of the sacrifices our ancestors had made to preserve our way of life and the States Rights we needed to protect to allow us to continue to live in the Godly manner in which they were being raised. I explained to Reggie that history would tell him the truth if he would take the time to go back to study it, the truth of Nathan Bedford Forrest and the fact that he was not a Klansman was in the actual history if he chose to read it. I was cut off at that point with the statement “It’s beside the point if Forrest was a Klansman or not, the fact is we don’t need a man of his stature having a park named after him” This discussion continued for quite a while without ever getting exactly heated, but a lot of points did get made and I feel that this man although I didn’t change his mind but I do feel that he at least took time to look at our side for a change. Cindy took a picture of Reggie and I together with the statement from Reggie “This’ll go over good at the rally huh”, I said to him “You aint been listening, we don’t do rallies” he laughed and gave me directions to other points of interest in Memphis and left me with the warning to “Be careful where you walk in this city with That Flag on your shirt” I thanked him for his discussion and visited Jefferson Davis Park and on to Nathan Bedford Forrest Park.

I met another young black man sitting beside Nathan Bedford Forrest’s statue and grave. He initiated a discussion on the type of man Forrest was, to make a long story short this man told me the “Nathan Bedford Forrest was a man that lived for a cause” and that “to be as good a man that Forrest was you had to have a cause in your life”. I was comfortable in Memphis and had no fear wearing my Rebel With A Clue shirt and hat and will never fear discussing the Cause our Noble Forefathers stood up for.

I also met a man that has a store on hwy 25 in Travelers Rest, SC, Scott has a nice shop with a lot of merchandise and a true belief in his heart of God, Family, and that the Southern way of life is right. Dixie Outpost,Inc is well worth a visit.

I had a real good time going home if only for a little while, I got in touch with my roots and know in my heart that all is not lost, we are going to be OK as long as we don’t back down from our Southern upbringing and continue to fight the lies that “those people” and the PC crowd are spreading.

Southern Heritage - Fighting Terrorism since 1861

In 1861 we were invaded by and forced to fight terrorists from a country we had seceded from and contrary to popular belief the Constitution says we had a right to do so. After standing up for our Families and beliefs a large number of our Forefathers fought for and died under the Confederate Battle Flag in an attempt to defend our homeland. After being forced back into that country we have had to defend our honor against the very ones that forced us back. Now we stand next to the ones making fun of us and proudly defend and die for this country against foreign terrorists, we stand side by side with the ones who again make fun of our Heritage and throw remarks in our face like "You lost the war---Get over it" and they just seem to expect us to back down and accept their version no matter what we were taught. Terrorism we need to fight against foreign or domestic, we have to protect our homeland and families against outside forces that go against what we believe in, but a lot of time terrorism is being forced down our throats by people we are supposed to respect and trust. When someone is teaching our children untrue facts and trying to make their every thought Politically Correct in an attempt to not offend anyone and at the same time please everyone, this is just not realistic. The Truth is not politically correct and teaching our children political correctness is the same as spoon feeding them lies. I feel this terror is one we are not noticing and that really scares me.

I think we need to defend our country as long as we are a part of it, I don’t think we have to bow down to the PC crowd and accept the version of the History they are teaching our children at school, we need to honor our Ancestors and teach the Truth that was passed down to us, too many of our Noble Forefathers stood up for the cause for it to have been unjust. I don't always agree with our politicians and really believe they are a big part of the problem and less likely to be a part of the solution.

The terrorism that is trying to erase our Heritage started in 1861 and that Battle was lost but the War is only over when we give up and allow those politicians, PC'rs, and hate groups to erase our Southern Heritage and History. The cause our Confederate Ancestors stood up for will only seem unjust when we allow “those people” to overtake our thoughts and fall into the lies they are spreading to make the terror thrown onto our people look like it was the right thing to do. We have to stay the course in spite of what they throw at us. A good friend said “The amount of hate toward anyone and anything Confederate is often discouraging. It's like trying to hold back the tide with a bucket, and there are so few of us out there with buckets.” I know the ones of us with buckets will never give up and the terror I expect to see will be in the eyes of “those people” when they see what can be done with a few buckets of truth.

Deo Vindice

Just My Opinion

We are once again or should I say still in the middle of yet another battle defending our Noble Forefathers and or justifying the reasons of the War for Southern Independence aka Civil War. We are again debating amongst ourselves if secession is legal or if it is now a proper time to secede and the question of were our Forefathers right to do it when they did. All of this is so frustrating and it’s easier to walk away and avoid the fight rather than stand up and hear the usual lies once again.

I myself made the statement in my forum “Never argue with an idiot” I still believe this but there is more to the statement than it seems. Never back down when our Southern Heritage and Confederate Forefathers are being disgraced. Stand up as you always have and defend them with facts in the Polite Southern manner you were blessed with. Answer “those people” in a normal voice when they shout lies toward you at the top of their lungs and give them a few more facts to think about. Never lower yourself to their level because believe it or not people actually take in what is being said in a normal polite voice more so than statements that are being shouted. “The louder you talk the less I hear” After you have given all of your facts to discredit the lies being spread usually the person has silenced themselves and disappeared. If they are still shouting their lies at this point is when you realize you are talking with an idiot and it is time to move on. You have given answers to the contrary against all of their lies and they are still shouting. Your words were actually heard by people around and they are now wondering why they were listening to this idiot that is yelling. Your time will now be better used talking with someone else about our Southern Heritage than wasting your time on the one screaming.

Stand up for yourself and our Confederate Forefathers. The uneducated outbursts we all have heard are coming from people who need educated and we can’t force them to get that History lesson that will prove them wrong. Give them the opportunity to hear the Truth but if it is gong to be a screaming match “Never argue with an idiot”. Use your time and talents where they will be seen and heard. Don’t let the idiots bring us down to their level and make us look like something we are not. Too many of our Nobel Forefathers stood up for the cause of the Confederacy for it to have been wrong, Make them proud of us today by standing up for them and defend them with the honest and polite Confederate minded traits they passed down to you. As a good friend pointed out to me “Stand proud and be heard. Our ancestors are still watching”

Look back at some of these blogs, forums, or feedback posts to press and TV, and you will see there are actually more people on the side of the Truth as we were taught than there are idiots trying to disgrace our Southern Heritage. We are blessed to have a larger number of people standing up for our Confederate Forefathers than we realize. I feel blessed to be included with all of you and Thank you all for your efforts.

Just My Opinion

Those People keep throwing Racism and Slavery in our faces when we dare to display a Confederate Battle Flag in honor our forefathers and Southern Heritage. We display the Battle Flag or any of the other Confederate Flags with pride and teach our children the Truth as we have been taught regardless of what the “Good Ole Government Schools” choose to teach, and then we are suddenly labeled Racist.

The biggest problem we have here is “those people” are judging our Confederate ancestors on today's values. Slavery was a common practice in their time and they should be judged on how they treated each other and their slaves, for the ones that actually owned slaves, instead of condemning them as if they were living in today’s time. I also believe that God is the only one that should be judging anyone.

In my family the majority never owned slaves, the majority were just poor dirt farmers in the foothills of upstate South Carolina. The few that did own slaves from what I have learned took good care of them, a lot of these slaves took the family name and were buried in the family cemetery when they passed. These slaves did work hard as did most people in that time, when the War broke out a lot of these men chose to go fight for the Confederacy. Black, White, Hispanic, Indian, or whatever race, the Confederacy was made up of all, without being forced these people came together to fight for their rights and way of life against the outsiders who were denying them the right to secede from a Government they could not agree with.

Slavery was not an issue to the South, it seems to me it was made an issue by Lincoln when he realized that the South could actually win the War for Southern Independence. Lincoln and Grant were more interested in keeping slavery than anyone in the entire South.

If our Southern ancestors are going to be judged they should be judged on the time frame in which they lived. Our ancestors are getting a bad rap when they are judged on present day values. I do not agree with slavery or racism and from what I have learned I am proud of the way my family treated each other and also the way the few slaves were brought in and given a chance to raise their families in a situation where they didn't have to wonder where their next meal was coming from. These men did have to work hard for ends to meet, and that situation is not limited to only one race, all of us have had to struggle and over the years we seem to make it easier for the next generation no matter what color we are.

Most of us could not survive if we were put back into that time frame. The ones condemning the actions of our noble forefathers whether true or not on present day values, I know would have a whole new outlook on life if they were faced with the hardships of that time. Don’t get me wrong I do not agree with Racism, Hate, or Slavery, and I also do not agree on condemning someone for how they handled life 150 years ago against today’s standards. The ones who did choose to take advantage of and mistreat others have already been judged by The Good Lord and that is not up to us.

Deo Vindice

William Cooper and Elizabeth Lawrence

I have my Cooper family traced back to Warwickshire, England. My 9th Great Grandparents were a cord winder at St Georges, Southwark in London England named William Cooper, he was born about 1675 in Warwickshire, and Elizabeth Lawrence who was born about 1679 also in Warwickshire, England.

Their son Marcome Cooper was born in Warwickshire, England around 1699. Marcome married a lady from Warwickshire named Sarah. Marcome and Sarah Cooper had at least 2 sons. One of these sons was my 7th Great Grandfather David D Cooper.

David D Cooper and Elizabeth “Mary” Wilder

David was born in Warwickshire, England around 1725. In 1747 he was in North Carolina and married Elizabeth Wilder. Elizabeth was born in 1726 at Edgecombe, Nash County, North Carolina, she was also known as Mary.
In 1751 David bought 100 acres of land in Edgecombe, North Carolina from a Joe Wilder evidentially a relative of Mary’s but I am not sure how at this time. David sold this acreage for a profit of 23 pounds in 1755 and moved with Mary and the first three of their ten children to Thickitty in the Spartanburg District of South Carolina, where David worked as a mineral prospector.
David and Mary Cooper lived the remainder of their years in this area. David died on March 17th 1792 and was buried in Thickitty. Elizabeth “Mary” Cooper died sometime after 1805 in Gaffney, Cherokee County, South Carolina. The town and county names are different but knowing this area and how area names did change I am almost positive Mary and David are still together.

Sion Cooper and Mary Brantley

My 6th Great Grandfather Sion Cooper was born in Thickitty, Spartanburg District, South Carolina in 1760 to David and Mary Cooper. Sion married a girl from Virginia named Mary Brantley. They were around 18 years old when they married and were living in the Pendleton District of South Carolina by the time their first child Ansel Cooper was born on June 16th 1779. Sion and Mary Coopers second son Alexander Cooper is my 5th Great Grandfather he was born in 1781.
Sion and Mary Cooper farmed for a living, they raised ten children on 132 acres of land where they made a home near the waters of Cane Creek in the Pendleton District of South Carolina. Sion passed away on March 6th 1831 and Mary died February 8th 1852.

On August 21st 1854 Judge W.J. Parsons of O.P.D., Pickens District, South Carolina ordered that the 132 acres of land owned by Sion and Mary Cooper to be sold by the Sheriff of Pickens District in January, and proceeds divided among Rahab Fields, Warren Cooper, Davis Cooper, Nancy Cooper, Hannah Cooper, Matilda Cooper, Elizabeth Starky, and Robert F. Morgan, Legal heirs of Sion Cooper. Some of the names mentioned as legal heirs are actually Grandchildren of Sion due to the deaths of some of his children. Some of the children were sons Ansel, Alexander, and Vincent Cooper and daughters Delilah Ferguson and Sally Cooper.

Warren Cooper and Nancy Young

My 4th Great Grandparents Warren and Nancy Cooper were both born in 1821. Warren is the son of Alexander Cooper and was one of the Grandchildren named along with his brother David/Davis in Sion Coopers will.

Warren Cooper married Nancy Young in Pickens District, South Carolina in 1845, together they raised 8 children of their own and one adopted son named Franklin Simmons in present day Easley, South Carolina. They lived and farmed next to Warrens brother David A. Cooper who was married to Elizabeth Hunnicutt.

David and Elizabeth had six children of their own when David was killed on August 20th 1862 during a battle near Columbia South Carolina in the Civil war. David was a Private in Company F, 22nd Regiment of the South Carolina Infantry Rifles when he died. He was brought home and buried at Porters Chapel United Methodist Church Cemetery in Pickens County. Elizabeth received a class 3 Confederate widows pension for his service starting in 1901.

After David’s death his brother Warren volunteered for service as a private in Company I, in the 3rd Regiment of the South Carolina Reserves from1862 to 1863, and after that he again volunteered and served this time in Company B of the 1st South Carolina State Troops from 1863 through 1864.
In 1901 at the age of 80 Warrens wife Nancy did go into Easley and apply for a widows pension for his service to the Confederacy, this class 4 application was approved with no questions asked.

William Milton Jameson and Dorcas P Couch

William Milton Jameson married my 4th Great Grandmother Dorcas P Couch around 1844. Dorcas Couch was born in Pendleton District, South Carolina on October 5th 1825 to John Couch Sr. and Mary Ann Prather (Mary Ann Prather is a First Cousin to General Andrew Pickens). William and Dorcas raised six children together, four sons and two daughters. After Williams death at Spotsylvania, Virginia during the Civil War Dorcas did remarry, she married James M Robinson and was living with him and her son William C. Jameson in Easley, South Carolina during the 1880 census. Dorcas died on October 2nd 1904 and was buried in the Jameson Family Cemetery in Pickens County, South Carolina.

William Chastain and Margaret Ann Jameson

William and Dorcas daughter Margaret Ann Jameson was born in Pickens District, South Carolina in 1852. Margaret married William Chastain the Great Grandson of John Chastain Sr. (the first minister of the Oolenoy Baptist Church). William and Margaret moved to Eastatoe District in Transylvania County, North Carolina and had three daughters. William died sometime after 1880 and Margaret in 1887 leaving their three minor daughters behind. Records are scarce on exactly where the children lived but they were shown on county records in Pickens County, South Carolina at the time of Margarets death.

William Davis Cooper and Mittie N. Chastain

The youngest of these three girls Mittie N. Chastain was born in Transylvania County, North Carolina on October 22nd 1876 just a short time before her mothers death. Mittie is my Great Great Grandmother; she married William Davis Cooper around 1900 in Pickens County, South Carolina. William was born in Pickens County on October 8th 1877 to Stephen Elbert Cooper and Florence Stansell.
William and Mittie raised 5 children in Pickens County, most likely in the town of Easley. Their son William Oscar Cooper is my Great Grandfather. This brings us back to Granny and Papa Cooper.

William Davis Cooper died on June 8th 1951 and Mittie Chastain Cooper lived until October 12th 1954. They are both buried at Mountain View Cemetery in Pickens County, South Carolina.

History Of Pickens County, South Carolina

The Cherokee Indians lived in this region long before the American Revolution. It was the Cherokee's choice to side with Great Britain during the war for independence, which led to the loss of their land in what is now the northwest corner of South Carolina.

In 1789 Pendleton County was created from the lands which were lost by the Cherokees, at the time this also included the old Ninety-Six District. From 1791 to 1795 Washington District was carved out of the old Ninety-Six District, this included the Pendleton County area. The Washington District was an area composed of present day Greenville, Anderson, Pickens and Oconee counties.

In 1798 Washington District was divided into Greenville and Pendleton Districts, and in 1826 Pendleton District was divided into Pickens and Anderson Districts.

A final change was made to the area when the old district system was dismantled in 1868. Anderson District became Anderson County, and Pickens District was divided into Pickens County and Oconee County, giving us present day Greenville, Pickens, Anderson, and Oconee Counties.

Oconee County, located in the northwest corner of South Carolina on the edge of the Blue Ridge Mountains, takes its name from a Cherokee word meaning "land beside the water." Several Revolutionary War heroes moved to present day Oconee County after the war, including Andrew Pickens 1739-1817, Robert Anderson 1741-1813, and Benjamin Cleveland 1738-1806.

Anderson County and its county seat, Anderson, SC was named for Revolutionary War General Robert Anderson.








Pickens County, the town of Pickens and Pickensville, SC were named for Revolutionary war hero General Andrew Pickens.

William Henry Pickens (my 8th Great Grandfather) was born in Ireland in 1669. He married Margaret Pike in Ireland around 1692. Margaret was born there around 1672. They migrated to America bringing along with them their 8 children who were born in Ireland they landing in Pennsylvania in 1719. At Least 2 of their sons moved to South Carolina after a brief stop in Virginia, One being my 7th Great Grandfather Robert Pike Pickens and the other his Brother Andrew Pickens the Father of General Andrew Pickens the one Pickens County was named for. General Andrew Pickens was a lifelong friend of General Robert Anderson they lived near each other and fought in the Revolutionary war together. General Andrew Pickens Granddaughter Mary Martha Barksdale Pickens married Robert Anderson III the Grandson and namesake of General Robert Anderson. So by marriage these families are staying together while keeping these counties together also.

Another famous name to share with you is John Caldwell Calhoun Vice President of the United States to President John Quincy Adams in 1825-1829, and Vice President to President Andrew Jackson in 1829-1832. He was born in Abbeville District, South Carolina in 1782 and is buried in St. Philip's Churchyard in Charlestown, SC. His Brother in Law John and General Andrew Pickens wife Rebecca are Brother and Sister. Oh yea and did I mention that his mansion Fort Hill still stands on the campus of Clemson University, That is in you guessed it Pickens County, South Carolina.

Jameson Family

William Jameson Sr. (my 6th Great Grandfather) was born on Dec 17 1737 in Ireland. In about 1750 William immigrated from Northern Ireland to America. William arrived in present-day Spartanburg County, South Carolina around 1760 near what is now the city of Landrum, South Carolina and settled along what came to be called Jameson's Mill Creek at the headwaters of Pacolet and Tyger rivers. William married Margaret Westmoreland sometime before 1763, (She was born on Apr 11 1743) and raised five daughters and one son with her. Around the late 1780s to 1790 they moved to Pendleton District in present day Pickens County and settled just north of Easley, South Carolina.

William Jameson Sr. owned and operated a Brandy Mill and was also a Farmer, Tanner, and Brick maker. He served in the military as a Private in the Spartan Regiment under Colonel Benjamin Roebuck during the Revolutionary War. He died on Dec 23 1818 in Pickens County, South Carolina and was buried in Freeman-Jameson-Westmoreland Cemetery, the grave is actually located on privately owned land near Cross Roads Baptist Church in Pickens County, SC. Margaret died on Jun 22 1823 in Pickens County, SC. She was also buried in the Freeman-Jameson-Westmoreland Family Cemetery with her husband William.

Their only son was my 5th Great Grandfather William Jameson Jr. he was born on Oct 12 1786 around the time they moved to the Pendleton District of South Carolina. William married Rebecca Fowler daughter of Joshua and Elizabeth Fowler. Rebecca was born in 1787 in Pendleton District, SC. In 1820 The Jameson Family Cemetery was established by William Jameson Jr. after the death of his parents, The Jameson Family Cemetery is still in use today it is located about 2 miles North of Easley, South Carolina.

William and Rebecca were the parents of eleven children who did a lot to shape the history of this area of the South and sacrificed a lot for the sake of the Confederacy. They had nine sons of which seven fought for the Confederacy in the Civil War. Three of these sons died in the war. Their oldest daughter Frances had both a son and a son in law killed in action during the Civil War. Their second oldest Madison Jameson the father of six daughters and four sons lost two sons and a son in law in battle and had one son James Madison Jameson who was not old enough for military service at the beginning of the Civil War but served in the cavalry during the last year of the war, James did make it home. Wilkerson “Wilkie” Jameson their third oldest died before the war started and sad to say three of his sons were lost in the war also.

William Milton Jameson their fifth child and my 4th Great Grandfather was a Private in Company E of the 2nd Regiment South Carolina Infantry Rifles, he was killed in action during battle on May 12 1864 in Spotsylvania, Virginia. His brother Carroll Jameson served with him in the same unit died of “sickness” sometime around 1864 in Dacusville, SC close to his home. Their brother Wesley Jameson was a Private in Company A 65th Regiment of the Georgia Infantry died on Jun 18 1864 from wounds he received during actions leading up to the Battle of Kennasaw Mountain in Georgia which was fought on June 27, 1864.

Joshua Jameson child number seven mustered in to Company G, 22nd Regiment South Carolina Infantry as a Sergeant, he was promoted to Captain before his discharge on October 15, 1862 due to poor health. He was purportedly appointed Colonel at the close of the war and was always known as "Colonel Jameson" after the war. He farmed in Pickens County and was also County Commissioner, and Magistrate in Pickens County, South Carolina. He died on Dec 10 1906 in Anderson County, SC and was buried in Mt. Pisgah Baptist Church Cemetery in Easley, SC. McElroy Jameson the ninth child in this family was a Corporal in Company A 20th Regiment, South Carolina Infantry. McElroy served until the end of the war, he returned home and lived until 1908. He was a Farmer and is buried in the Jameson Family Cemetery.

William Jameson Jr. died on Apr 4 1850 in Pickens County, South Carolina. He was buried in Jameson Family Cemetery in Easley, South Carolina, Rebecca died on Aug 13 1851 and was buried next to her husband.

John Wesley Reid and Mary Roseanne Lusk

My Great Great Grandmother Mary Roseanne Lusk lived with her parents Leroy and Jeanette Lusk on the family farm in Oconee County, South Carolina until she married my Great Great Grandfather John Wesley Reid. John lived on the next farm over from her brother Nathan Ashmore Lusk and wife Martha.

In 1880 John was about 20 years old and was raising his 10 year old younger Brother Archie Thomas “Arch” Reid, Both their parents Joseph and Mary Smith Reid had died after the 1870 Census (Joseph in about 1871, and Mary in about 1875) leaving John to take care of the Farm and his Brother “Arch”. John was shown as a Farmer and Head of Household on the 1880 Keowee, Oconee County Census with the only other occupant of the household being 10 year old brother Arch Reid.

John Wesley Reid was born on January 11th 1859 in Oconee County, South Carolina and married Mary Roseanne Lusk in about 1884, They farmed in and around Salem, South Carolina, and raised 11 children of their own after bringing up Arch.

Archie Thomas “Arch” Reid grew up to be an upstanding member of the community, with the help of learning Family values and the Love of God from John and Mary. Arch married the Reverend Daniel and Bethany Littleton’s daughter Amanda in about 1886 and raised four children with her. They farmed in the area of Salem and later Arch became a state constable and a city policeman in Westminster, South Carolina. Arch and Manda are both buried at West View Cemetery in Walhalla, South Carolina.

I’m thankful that these Family traits and Values were passed down to us through the influences of John and Mary Reid. My Great Grandmother Ellen Reid “Granny Cooper” John and Marys daughter made sure those family values lived on, and I pray that these values never die.

Mary Roseanne Lusk Reid passed away on May 7th 1937 in Salem, South Carolina. She was buried at the Salem Church of God Cemetery in Oconee County, South Carolina. John Wesley Reid died September 29th 1939 and was buried next to his wife Mary.

Henry Lusk

Henry Lusk my 5th Great Grandfather was born in Augusta County, Virginia on February 27th 1751 to James and Eleanor Lusk. He served during the Revolutionary War for the Colonies from 1780 to 1783 under Captains William Strain and Andrew Pickens as a quartermaster, lieutenant and adjutant. He was paid for the loss of a horse in 1780 by Captain Pickens for whom he served 273 days as a horseman and 25 days as a footman. Henry Lusk married Eleanor “Ellen” McKiddy in 1783 and raised 12 children with her. Henry and Ellen migrated to the Pendleton District of South Carolina in 1800 bringing with them their first 8 children including Nathan Lusk (my 4th Great Grandfather) They had bought land in the Abbeville District of South Carolina but ended up settling in the Pendleton District and Oconee County. Henry died at the age of 62 on March 30th 1813 and is buried in the Old Henry Lusk Family Cemetery, in Salem, Oconee County, South Carolina. Ellen lived until February 6th 1845 and is buried with Henry.

Nathan Lusk was born March 20th 1793, in Abbeville District or Anderson County, South Carolina, He married Rosannah Capehart daughter of Jacob Kiser Capehart and Margareta Rogers on February 2nd 1823 in Abbeville District of South Carolina. Rosannah was born in the Pendleton District of SC on January 5th 1800. Nathan and Roseannah lived in Walhalla, Oconee County, SC and raised 11 children there. Nathan was a Hatter and a Farmer by trade. Nathan died on January 28th 1872 a couple months shy of his 79th birthday, He was buried in the Old Henry Lusk Family Cemetery. Rosannah lived another 20 years she passed away at the young age of 92 on June 9th 1892, she is buried next to Nathan in the Old Henry Lusk Family Cemetery in Oconee County, SC

Nathan and Rosannahs son Leroy Worth Lusk (my 3rd Great Grandfather) was born in Oconee County, South Carolina on Tuesday May 10th 1831 at about four in the morning according to his Family Bible. Leroy was a Farmer in and around the Salem, South Carolina area. He married Jeanette A Rogers on February 5th 1856 in Oconee County, SC and had three children before the start of the Civil War. Leroy Worth Lusk mustered into Company F, 1st Regiment South Carolina Calvary as a Corporal and was a 2nd Lieutenant at the end of the War. In the midst of the war on March 9th 1863 my Great Great Grandmother Mary Roseanne Lusk was the first of seven more children to be born to Leroy and Jeanette. They lived and raised their family in Oconee County on the same land where generations of Lusks have lived. Jeanette died on March 16th 1905 and was laid to rest in the Old Henry Lusk Family Cemetery, Leroy died about 4 years later on May 9th 1909 and was also buried in the Family Cemetery.

Lusk Family from Ireland to SC

My 9th Great Grandfather Joseph Lusk was born about 1654 in the Ulster Province of Ireland. He lived there all his life, he died in 1722 and is buried there. His son John Joseph Lusk was born in 1671 in the Ulster Province of Ireland. John and his wife Elizabeth Hayes migrated to America with five sons including Nathan Lusk (my 7th Great Grandfather), they arrived in Lancaster County, Pa. and were living there as early as 1730 which sad to say is the same year John Joseph Lusk died in Pa.

Nathan was born about 1698 in Ireland and married Elizabeth Nevitt who was born in England, they migrated from Pa. to Augusta County, Virginia and raised seven children there. According to history the first Lusk's to settle in Augusta County, Virginia were Nathan and his brother John. The muster rolls of Augusta County, Virginia indicate they were in Captain Wilson's Company during the French and Indian War of 1742. Nathans son James Lusk (My 6th Great Grandfather) also fought in this war. Nathan died in 1748 in Rockbridge, Virginia.

James Lusk was born in 1719 in Augusta County, Virginia. James fought in the French and Indian war of 1742 with his father and later was wounded in battle during the Revolutionary war. James served with Andrew Pickens for whom Pickens and Pickens County, SC were later named (Andrew Pickens was a Revolutionary war General and also a 1st cousin 8 times removed of mine—but that’s a story for later). James married Eleanor Smith about 1740 in the Pendleton District of South Carolina (Which is now Pickens, County). James farmed on land acquired through land grants and raised nine children with Eleanor in the Old Lusk house, one of the oldest structures in what is now Salem, South Carolina in Oconee County. It still stands and members of the Lusk family still live on this land today.

British rulers used land grants to persuade colonists to move into new territories, including Upstate South Carolina, and later, the newly formed United States used land grants in payment for service in the Revolutionary War.

In 1765 three land grants from the English monarch King George III were given to James Lusk, "his heirs and successors," together with timber, waters, and with the privilege of "hunting, hawking and fowling," and "all mines and minerals, except reserving to the king all white pine trees and one tenth part of mines of gold and silver," according to the copy of the original grant. Land grant holders also had to promise to clear and maintain three acres for every one hundred acres of land granted by the king, and to pay three shillings sterling or four shillings proclamation money a year for every hundred acres. According to the land grant, if the rent was not paid, or the three acres not kept cleared, the land would revert to the crown.

James Lusk was killed by Indians on September 19th 1786 at Butchers Ford on the Keowee River in the Anderson District of South Carolina. Eleanor died November 5th 1804 in the Abbeville District of South Carolina.

Anderson Anthony Ellenburg Jr

My Granddad Anderson Anthony Ellenburg Jr was born on August 19th 1921 in Pickens County, SC. He married Dorothy Louise Cooper the daughter of William Oscar Cooper and Ellen Reid. They had 2 daughters who still live in the Pickens area (One is my Mom). I always remember Papa Ellenburg as a quiet man, everyone that knew him called him Junior or Paul, I understand the name Junior but as of now the Paul part is still a mystery.

Last time I saw Papa he was sitting in his chair in a mobile home in Greenville, SC not saying anything much, he would take empty cigarette packs and crush them into a ball and toss them on the floor and laugh as his cat batted these empty packs around. Papa seemed to not have a care in the world, the day was passed watching him enjoy the antics of the cat with the cigarette pack while throwing out a little conversation once in a while, all in all it was an enjoyable day. One day in January of 1979 Papa was watching a church program on TV (something he never did) Louise his 2nd wife came in and changed the channel and said “Junior you never watch church on TV” Papa reached over changed it back and said “Aint nothing wrong with a little Preaching”. Papa died the next day and was buried in Central, SC. Granny Dot still lives with my Aunt in Easley, SC

William Oscar Cooper went by Oscar and was known as “Papa Cooper” was born to William Davis Cooper and Mittie N. Chastain in Pickens County on February 15th 1901 he married my Great Grandmother Ellen Reid “Granny Cooper” and raised 4 children with her in Easley, SC. Granny was born in Salem, Oconee County, SC on August 3rd 1904 to John Wesley Reid and Mary Roseanne Lusk. I remember as a young boy sitting on the porch and watching Papa Cooper walk by our house on his way to the Bi-Lo grocery store, it was a treat listening to him talk he always made sense and made you feel like you belonged, he always made his stories interesting. Papa died of a blood clot going to his heart on April 21st 1967 he was buried at Hillcrest Memorial Park and Gardens in Pickens County about 2 months before my 7th birthday and it seems like yesterday he was walking by the house on his way to Bi-Lo, Man I miss him.

Granny continued to live in their house and made sure the family continued to live and enjoy life in a Godly manner. She had a way when the time was right of popping off with a statement that really didn’t make sense to you but either told a story later or taught you a lesson when you least expected it. I remember a statement she made over and over while I was with her and it never made sense to me until after she died (wish now I had asked more questions then). For just about any reason she would come up with "It's a shame those Lusk boys had to go off and fight together" then she would say no more of it. If me and my brother were getting crossways about something "It's a shame those Lusk boys had to go off and fight together". I never knew who the Lusk boys were and she would tear up after the statement so I never asked.Granny died October 19th 1998 and while talking to family members about the Lusk Boys I found out Granny’s Mom was a Lusk. Now after doing some research I have found that her Grand dad, my 3rd Great granddad Leroy Worth Lusk was a 2nd Lieutenant in Company F 1st Regiment of the South Carolina Calvary during the Civil War. His brother Nathan Boone Lusk was a 2nd Lieutenant in Company G 12th Regiment of the South Carolina Infantry, Brother Erastus C Lusk joined 1st Regiment South Carolina Calvary, Company F of Hampton’s Brigade, as a private, and little brother Rufus B Lusk at age 16 joined as a Private in the 12th Regiment of the South Carolina Infantry, Company G and died of Pneumonia and Typhoid Fever in December of 1861.

There were 4 brothers James Leroy, William, David, and John they all were in different Regiments and some for a different state than the others. These 4 brothers were killed at the Battle of Sharpsburg (Antietam) in Maryland. All 4 are listed as buried at the Battlegrounds among Confederate Unknown at Sharpsburg, Maryland. As you have guessed these 4 Brothers were Lusks, these 4 brothers were 1st cousins of the first Lusk Boys I mentioned. So which group was Granny speaking of? Probably both I figure.

Battlefield at Antietam Sept 17th 1862 the day the Lusk brothers died.

On October 21st 1998 Granny was buried next to Papa at Hillcrest Memorial Park and Gardens in Pickens County, South Carolina.

William Benson Ellenburg

William Benson Ellenburg my 4th Great Grandfather and son of Martin was born in the Pendleton District of South Carolina in 1778 and died in Anderson County in April of 1845. He was the father of at least 16 children including my 3rd Great Grand father Eli Ellenburg. Eli was born around 1800 in the Pendleton District, He married Sarah Evatt around 1828 and raised 7 children with her. They Farmed in the Pickens County area of SC and lived here until their deaths sometime after 1870.

One of their sons was John “Anthony” Ellenburg my Great Great Granddad. Anthony was born on February 8th 1841 in Pickens County, SC. He was a Farmer and also fought for the Confederacy during the Civil War. He enlisted on March 5th, 1861 in Moodys Company, 12th Regiment, South Carolina Infantry, Company G as a private and served until he was discharged at Appomattox, Virginia on the 9th day of April 1865. Anthony married Mary Ann Moseley around 1875 and raised 7 children with her. Mary died around 1890 and Anthony married Bertha Cantrell on September 27th 1891 and had 2 sons with her. Anthony applied for a Confederate Pension in 1919, His Confederate Pension application was approved signed and sealed on the 7th of April, 1919 by probate judge J B Newberry in Pickens County, SC. Anthony continued to live and Farm in Pickens County until his death on August 13th, 1920 at the age of 79. He is buried along with his 2nd wife Bertha at Bethel Baptist Church Cemetery in Pickens County, SC.

Anthony and Mary Ellenburgs son Anderson Anthony “AA” Ellenburg (My Great Granddad) was born in 1880 and married Sara Annie Head (Daughter of John Wesley Head and Malinda Ellenburg) around 1904. AA and Annie raised 10 children in Pickens County including my Granddad Anderson Anthony Ellenburg Jr. AA died May 10th 1958 and Annie died November 5th 1971 they are both buried at Greenlawn Memorial Park and Gardens in Easley, SC.

John Wesley Head and Malinda Ellenburg are my 2nd Great Grandparents. John was born in Pickens County, SC on October 17th 1849 to Austin Head from Macon County, NC and Elvira Crow from Pickens County, SC. Malinda was born in Pickens County, SC to John Cannon “Jackie” Ellenburg and Celia “Cely” Butler on October 2nd 1851. John and Malinda married sometime around 1870 and farmed in the Eastatoe Township of Pickens County, SC where they raised 7 children. They remained here the rest of their lives. “Granny” Malinda suffered a Heart Attack and passed away on October 23rd 1932, the closeness of these two was realized when John passed away on December 12th 1932 actually just a little over a month after losing Malinda. His cause of death is listed as Heart Failure, Sounds like a broken heart to me. John and Malinda Head are buried at Bethel Baptist Church Cemetery in Pickens County, SC.