Shakin' the Family Tree

This is a death certificate for Sarah "Sallie" Pettit Jones.

I cannot make out the name of the cemetery, shown in the lower right-hand corner of the document.

---

I've thought J A R something Graveyard...

Any thoughts?

This is a photo of my step-grandparents, Paul Pettit, and Audria Maxine Brannon, probably around the time of their marriage in 1937.

I saw it when I was up visiting the folks last weekend, and they let me scan a copy with my little Flip-Pal.



Paul died in 1964, and Audria, in 2007. Both are buried in St. Joe Cemetery, just down the road from the Burris homeplace, in Pope County, AR.

This is a Sepia Saturday post.

With anticipation that's hard to conceal, I imagine.

My parents.

Okay, they won't be dancing. But they'll still be waiting.

For Paul Pettit's bronze star.

And all his other awards.

We got the news by phone on December 20 last week from Senator Mark Pryor's office. We started off with Congressman Vic Snyder's office, but his liaison to Veteran's Affairs didn't want the request or supporting paperwork to get lost in the shuffle of the incoming freshman Congressman that won Vic's seat.

From the day we started with the inquiry until Sen Pryor's office called last Monday was 2 months and 4 days. Not bad for a federal bureaucracy that seems as if it can't find it with both hands lately.

Of course, it is nearly 47 years after he died, but I doubt Paul knew he was eligible for the medal.

I think that it would be fair to say that this was an educational experience for all concerned...

Will post photos when they are available. I understand the Army does these things up right.

And there are many more, I am sure, than the ones I have listed here.






World War II

Burris, George Washington
Son of William Homer and Willie Barbara (Dozier) Burris
22 Feb 1919-4 Feb 1993, buried Woodson Cemetery, Woodson, Pulaski Co., AR

Burris, Homer Earl
Son of William Homer and Willie Barbara (Dozier) Burris
Born 1926

Burris, Neal
Son of Thomas Frank and Winifred (Brashear) Burris
Born 1928

Burris, Richard L
Son of Carroll Monroe and Nancy Alice (Richards) Burris
Born 1907, date of death and burial unknown

Burris, William Remmel
Son of William Carrol Grant and Fannie F (Duvall) Burris
1901-1979, buried St Joe Cemetery, Pope Co., AR

Callaway, Otha M
Son of Herbert R and Bessie Jane (Knight) Callaway
16 Oct 1926- 23 Sep 1978, burial unknown

Callaway, Wallis Mouzon
Son of Robert Wallis and Cora R Callaway
2 Dec 1921-27 Jun 1986, buried Jones Cemetery, Clark Co., AR

Lensing, Edward Eugene
Son of Henry and Ida (Engel) Lensing
1 Sep 1921-1 Dec 2006, buried at Saint Peter and Saint Paul Cemetery, Morrison Bluff, Logan Co., AR

Lensing, Leo A
Son of Caspar and Anna C (Heim) Lensing
20 Nov 1921-6 Nov 1989, burial unknown

Lensing, Thomas Andrew, Sr.
US Navy
Son of Caspar and Anna C (Heim) Lensing
6 Mar 1928-19 Aug 2010, burial deferred

Pettit, Paul
son of George Washington and Berma Frances (Coffman) Pettit
US Army, Bronze Star, Purple Heart
23 Jun 1914-23 Dec 1964, buried St Joe Cemetery, Pope Co., AR

Pettit, Garnett
son of George Washington and Berma Frances (Coffman) Pettit
20 Jan 1920-Mar 1987, burial unknown

Rutherford, Horace H, Jr.
son of Horace H (Sr) and Maybelle (Gillham) Rutherford
Born 1928

Civil War

At the beginning of 1861, the population of Arkansas, like several states of the Upper South, was not keen to secede on average, but it was also opposed to Federal coercion of seceding states. This was shown by the results of state convention referendum in February 1861. The referendum passed, but the majority of the delegates elected were conditional unionist in sympathy, rather than outright secessionist. This changed after the Confederacy attacked Fort Sumter in South Carolina, and Abraham Lincoln called for troops to put down the rebellion. The move toward open war shifted public opinion into the secessionist camp, and Arkansas declared its secession from the Union on May 6, 1861. Despite its relative lack of strategic importance, the state was the scene of numerous small-scale battles during the Civil War. (Source: Wikipedia)

The push-pull of divided loyalties was illustrated within our own family. The families of Robert Ellet Doke and Elizabeth Hamilton (Strickland) Ashmore, and John and Cynthia Ann (Ashmore) Burris both had sons fighting on opposite sides during the Civil War.

Ashmore, Henry W
CSA - Thrall's Battery, Arkansas Light Artillery
son of Andrew Sawyer and Elizabeth (McCarley) Ashmore
Born 1838, date of death and burial unknown

Ashmore, Joshua Bloomer, Jr.
CSA - 27 Mississippi Infantry
Son of Joshua Bloomer (Sr) and Mary (Henderson) Ashmore
25 Jul 1799-10 Oct 1862, burial unknown

Ashmore, Joshua C
CSA - 23rd Tennessee Infantry (Martin's), Cos. A and B
Son of Joshua Bloomer (Jr) and Martha Sarah (Henderson) Ashmore
1836-1877, burial unknown

Ashmore, Robert Doke
CSA - 35th Arkansas Infantry, Co I
Enl 20 Jun 1862 at Dover, AR. AWOL 8 Jan 1863.
Deserted to the enemy 10 Sep 1863. Ht 5' 7", eyes blue, hair lt, complx lt, farmer, age 20, born in AR.
USA - 4th Regiment, Arkansas Cavalry, Co. H
Son of Robert Ellet Doke and Elizabeth Hamilton (Strickland) Ashmore
27 Apr 1843-13 Oct 1921, buried at Old Baptist Cemetery, Center Valley, Pope Co., AR

Ashmore, Samuel Robert
CSA - 35th Regiment, Arkansas Infantry, Co. I
Enl 20 Jun 1862 at Dover, AR. Died 28 Jan 1863. Ht 5' 10", eyes blue, hair lt, complx lt, farmer, age 31, born in TN.
Son of Robert Ellet Doke and Elizabeth Hamilton (Strickland) Ashmore
27 Nov 1831-28 Jan 1863, burial unknown

Ashmore, Stephen Robert
USA - 4th Arkansas Cavalry, Co. H
Son of James Joshua and Ardena Mahala (Matthews) Ashmore
1842-1900, buried Old Baptist Cemetery, Center Valley, Pope Co., AR

Ashmore, William James
CSA - 17th Regiment, Arkansas Infantry (Lemoyne's), Co. E
Son of Joshua Bloomer (Jr) and Martha Sarah (Henderson) Ashmore
Born 1838, date of death and burial unknown

Balding, James Henry
CSA - musician, 15 (Josey's) Arkansas Infantry
Son of Henry and Hanna (Morrell) Balding
11 Jul 1841-21 May 1917, buried at Little Rock National Cemetery, Little Rock, Pulaski Co., AR

Brannon, James L
USA - 1st Arkansas Cavalry Regiment, Co L
Son of John and Nancy (Webb) Brannon
26 Jun 1835-23 Sep 1902, buried at Coffelt Cemetery, Mason Valley, Benton Co., AR

Burris, Franklin Buchanan
CSA - 35th Arkansas Inf, Co. H
Enl 20 Jun 1862 at Dover, AR. Died in hospital on White River, AR 28 Oct 1862.
Ht 5' 5", eyes blue, hair lt, complx fair, farmer, age 21, born in Pope Co, AR.
Son of John and Cynthia Ann (Ashmore) Burris
1840-28 Oct 1862, burial unknown

Burris, John Crockett
CSA - 35th Arkansas Infantry, Co I
Enl 20 Jun 1862 at Dover, AR. Deserted 24 Aug 1863.
Ht 5' 7", eyes gray, hair drk, complx lt, farmer, age 25, born in TN.
Son of John and Cynthia Ann (Ashmore) Burris
4 Apr 1837-10 Jun 1880, buried Ford Cemetery, Appleton, Pope Co., AR

Burris, William James
USA - 3rd Arkansas Cavalry, Co. A
Died of typhoid 1 Aug 1864 at Lewisburg, AR.
Son of John and Cynthia Ann (Ashmore) Burris
1832-1 Aug 1864, buried at Little Rock National Cemetery, Little Rock, Pulaski Co., AR

Callaway, Francis Marian
CSA - 9th Arkansas Infantry, Co. E
Enlisted at Pine Bluff, Arkansas, 27 Jul 1861; wounded in action at Shiloh, Tennessee, 6 Apr 1862; discharged on surgeon’s certificate of disability, 7 Feb 1863; age 28.
Son of Lawrence and Sarah L (Eaves) Callaway
28 Feb 1834-7 Dec 1906, buried at Springer Cemetery, Springer, Carter Co., OK

Callaway, James Mattison
CSA - 9th Arkansas Infantry, Co. G
Enlisted at Pine Bluff, Arkansas, 27 Jul 1861; wounded in action at Jonesboro, Georgia, 31 Aug 1864, and sent to hospital at Burnsville, Georgia; admitted to hospital at Macon, Georgia, 9 Nov 1864.
Son of John S T and Amy (Stamps) Callaway
1829- Apr 1880, burial unknown

Callaway, James Wiley
CSA - Wiggins' Battery, Arkansas Light Artillery
Son of Abraham Aaron and Tabitha (Wooten) Callaway
5 Jun 1834-5 Jul 1909, buried at Grandview Cemetery, Montrose, Montrose Co., CO

Callaway, John S T, Jr.
CSA - 1st Arkansas Infantry, Co B
Enlisted at Little Rock, Arkansas, 8 May 1861; discharged for disability at Lynchburg, Virginia, 29 May 1861
Son of John S T and Amy (Stamps) Callaway
1802-Aug 1862, burial unknown

Callaway, Jonathan Wilson
CSA - McIntosh's Regiment, Co E
A note from Goodspeed says, "His final surrender was made with the Confederate forces, at Shreveport, at the close of the war, in May, 1865, following which he walked the whole distance back to Arkadelphia."
Son of Jonathan Owsley and Emily (Hemphill) Callaway
27 Jan 1834-1894, buried Oakland Cemetery, Little Rock, Pulaski Co., AR

Callaway, Levi A
CSA - 9th Arkansas Infantry, Co. E
Enlisted at Pine Bluff, Arkansas, 27 Jul 1861; died in Southern Mothers Hospital at Memphis, Tennessee, 26 Oct 1861 of enteritis
Son of Lawrence and Sarah L (Eaves) Callaway
1839-26 Oct 1861, buried at Elmwood Cemetery, Memphis, Shelby Co., TN

Callaway, Nathaniel C
CSA - 23 Arkansas Infantry, Co. H
Enl 6 Mar 1862 at Arkadelphia, AR by A.A.Pennington.
Died of typhoid fever at Memphis, TN 7 May 1862.
Son of John S T and Amy (Stamps) Callaway
10 Aug 1819-7 May 1862, buried at Elmwood Cemetery, Memphis, Shelby Co., TN

Callaway, Peter T
CSA - Clark Co Artillery, (Wiggins Battery) Second Arkansas Light Artillery
Born 1840, date of death and burial unknown
Son of John S T (Jr) and Elizabeth (James) Callaway
As a side note, he was the only heir listed in his father's estate, and note was made in the probate record of 5 Feb 1863 that he was "now in the service of the Confederate States."

Callaway, Samuel Davis
8th Arkansas Infantry Battalion, Co. A
Was a prisoner of War on Johnson's Island OH, documented in a newspaper ad placed by Ben S Duncan, dated 18 Sep 1864.
Son of Jonathan Owsley and Emily (Hemphill) Callaway
10 Dec 1830-1 Jan 1907, buried South Fork Cemetery, Clark Co., AR

Callaway, William H "Big Bill"
CSA - 2nd Regiment, Arkansas Mounted Rifles, Co. F
Son of Jonathan Owsley and Emily (Hemphill) Callaway
Born 1826, death date and burial unknown

Kolb, John Ervin
CSA - 24th, 41st, and 43rd Mississippi Infantry
Son of John Milton and Isabella (Ellis) Kolb
29 Oct 1841-19 Jun 1898, buried at Nimrod Cemetery, Perry Co., AR


Field of "Unknown US Soldiers" at Little Rock National Cemetery

*Details of injuries and deaths of Arkansas Civil War veterans was obtained from this exceptional website.