RANDOLPH COUNTY, GA - BIOS Milton Monroe Moore, Sr Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by: Eursley Jane Moore Singletary ejaneybird@aol.com April 2003 Table of Contents page: http://www.usgwarchives.net/ga/randolph.htm Georgia Table of Contents: http://www.usgwarchives.net/ga/gafiles.htm Bio: The Life of Milton Monroe Moore, Sr, A Civil War Veteran, Randolph County, Georgia, USA Copyright 2003 by Eursley Jane Moore Singletary. This copy contributed to the USGenWeb Archives. MILTON MONROE MOORE, SR. 1822-1871 The earliest we find Milton Monroe Moore, Sr., on any census records is August 10, 1850 in Randolph Co, GA, 7th Dist. He was in dwelling #3 and was family #3. He was listed as age 26, born in GA and listed as an overseer for farmer Henry Brown whose real estate value was $800. The record shows that Henry Brown was 28 with a wife, initialed S.A., age 24, white, with a white female infant, initialed S.E. On page 226 of the Randolph County Georgia marriage book, Milton M. Moore and Zelpha Bailey applied for a marriage license on the 4th day of March 1851 and on March 6, 1851, James O. Cumbee signed that Milton M. Moore and Zelpha Bailey were duly joined in matrimony by him. It had been ten years since the Webster Ashburton Treaty had been signed to suppress African slave trade and eight years since TX, settled primarily by salve holding southerners, applied for annexation to the Union. That same year, the electric telegraph began operation. The country was feeling growing pains. The year the Moore's first child was born was the year Harriet Beecher Stowe's novel, Uncle Tom's Cabin, unsympathetic toward slavery, was published. That book is said to have brought the inequities of slavery closest to the forefront of the young and struggling country's conscience. But, life went on in the GA farmlands and the Moore family prospered in the flat-woods land that lay between the Flint River and the Chattahoochee River and about fifty miles south of Columbus, GA. No record has been found to determine the major crops grown on the Moore Plantation, but the crops grown in that general vicinity over a century later is soybeans, peanuts and hay. The land was suitable for grapes and it is likely that the plantation had a vineyard since Milton Monroe Moore, III boasted of a fine vineyard in OK in 1950. No doubt, a family tradition. The 1860 Randolph County census does not give any information on the family but the 1860 salve schedule for Randolph County, GA records a John Strickland as agent for Milton Moore having 5 slaves and one slave house as of Jun 1, 1860, page 254. John Strickland is found on the census on page 694, #827, as a 40- year-old male, no real estate or personal property, born in GA and married to Elizabeth and has 8 children. Perhaps the Moore family had a second home in FL and were on vacation at the time of census. One of Milton's sons, Luther, migrated to FL and died there in later years, so it's possible Milton had brothers or uncles there they'd gone to visit, missing the 1860 census altogether. If a person or family was away the day the census taker came, they were not listed. Sometimes the census was taken by posting it on the post office wall where residents filled it in when they were at the post office. In July 23, 1863, Milton was already 41 years of age. The Yankees had killed or captured so many of the young Rebels and now the Confederacy called upon the fathers of those already dead and all other able bodied men to put down their plow reins and join the cause. Milton's oldest child, William Henry Moore was only eleven when Milton went to Columbus, GA to enlist; to march to war to protect the way of life that the Yankees deemed immoral, a way of life he refused to resign. He must have thought 'After all, he was just a little man. Only a few slaves and didn't he give them a house to sleep in? Never mind it only had dirt floors. They had worse in Africa and the Atlantic islands from where they had come.' Milton had to go. These must have been some of his thoughts and reasoning. He left at home his wife Ophelia Zilpha Bailey Moore, also born in Georgia 1832; William Henry, born 1852; Hargravs Welborn, born 1855; Milton Monroe, Jr., born 1857; Thomas T. born 1859; Jefferson Davis, born 1861 and Luther Jackson, born in 1863. All were born in Randolph County, GA. Children born after the Civil War in Randolph County, Georgia were: Frank A., 1865; Leila Victoria, 1868 and Cora Lee born in 1870. A Company Muster Roll of Capt. Fickling's Co., Bonaud's Battalion Infantry* Aug 23 to Nov 16, 1863 (3 months after Milton joined) signed by J.B. Dowd, shows Pvt. M.M. Moore present and due $100.00. "Last Paid" is left blank. The next Company Muster Roll we find is Pvt. M.M. Moore has been present from Jan 01 to Jun 30, 1864 and was last paid by Major Hanson to Oct 31, 1863. Again the roll is signed by J.B. Dowd. Albany, GA was included in the District of FL during the Civil War and we find M.M Moore as present on a sheet which bears the printed heading "Post Register, Albany, GA" that is supposed to be a list of prisoners paroled at Albany, GA. In a letter dated Jun 01, 1865, Brig. Gen. E.M. McCook stated: ' The rebel troops with all public property in the district of FL were surrendered to me by Maj. Gen. Samuel Jones on the 10th of May, 1865. The number paroled and already reported is 7200 and will doubtless reach 8000'. *This co. subsequently became Co. B, 28th Batt GA Siege Artilery. From Jan 1864 it acted as infantry. On July 27, 1864, Pvt. M.M. Moore is reported absent from the prison camp for July and August, 1864 because he was "sent to hospital, Charleston, SC by acting surgeon". On Ophelia's widow's pension application, she stated that Milton was born in 1822 in Walton County, Georgia and was injured at Ocean Pond. In the book, "The Civil War, A Narrative" by Shelby Foote in 1963 and "Civil War Cards" by Stephen T. Foster, Atlas Editions, the events of the Battle of Ocean Pond, also known as The Battle of Olustee, the only Civil War battle to be fought on Florida soil, are revealed. Mid January, 1864, President Lincoln decided to send someone to FL under the Proclamation of Amnesty and Reconstruction to get allegiance signatures so that area would have political representation in congress. The intent was to extend coastal holdings a hundred miles inland from Jacksonville to begin claiming more of FL for the Union. The bluecoats pushed hard to set up garrisons sixty miles inland near Lake City to keep the rebs from destroying the railroad. When they arrived, the rebel militia were there, ready, giving resistance in the form of butternut skirmishes resulting in a series of breakdowns and a victory for the southern militia in a four hour, stand up battle from noon to four in the afternoon. Casualties totaled 1861 for the feds, including more than 700 killed or captured, while Milton's comrades-in-arms had 946 with less than 100 dead or missing. Milton was one of the 946 casualties at Ocean Pond on Feb 20, 1864, suffering a wound to his left hip. All accounts of that battle are pretty much the same, with little variation. It seems the percentage of Union losses were extravagantly high, giving the battle its place in the annals of the Civil War. In The Civil War Almanac by World Almanac Publishers, copyright 1983; Library of Congress catalogue #8261819, Page 184, The Battle of Olustee, FL is narrated in Chronological order of events. "...after a series of forays from Jacksonville, the Federals have concentrated some 5500 troops near Olustee or Ocean Pond, while the Confederates have 5200 Infantry and Calvary near Lake City. In the morning of this day a Union Calvary brigade opens battle at Olustee with a successful advance against Confederate outposts, but then two Federal regiments, after heavy fighting and serious casualties, break and flee in confusion...losses are high, particularly to Union black soldiers...". It has not been determined what other battles, if any, Milton participated in but Ocean Pond in February 1864 is probably where, injured, he was captured, taken to the prison camp at Albany and sent in July to Charleston for treatment where he was released from duty on August 29, 1864. My copy of his discharge papers qualifies any of his female descendents application for membership in The United Daughters of The Confederacy. The July 19, 1870 census, taken by Duncan Jordan, Assistant Marshall, in Randolph County, Cuthbert Post Office, GA, Subdivision #146, Milton's age is 48, which places a two year discrepancy in the 1850 census; not an uncommon occurrence. Milton's military discharge papers describe him as "...5 feet 10 inches high, dark complexion, blue eyes, dark hair...". Milton had returned from the war to a small plantation that had been reduced to a farm worth $1500 without the benefit of an overseer or slaves. The weather was beginning to turn cold, so few crops could be considered. 1864 garnered no crops. The family, all so young. He had his property. He had his endearing wife, Zelphy. But what was he to do? In 1869, Land Records of Randolph County show that Milton and Zylpha began selling off their land. His health slowly deteriorated until he died at the age of 49. One can only imagine the loss of self esteem, pride and dignity this common man must have endured. It surely contributed to his early demise. According to a statement on Zylpha's application for pension, he endured a wound in his hip at the "Ocean's Pond Fight" and just never fully recovered. He died October 19, 1871. A physician's statement for her application stated Milton died of diabetes. Zilpha raised the remaining children with proceeds from more sales of the family land which was all sold by 1883. Milton's widow lived off her children, whom she stated were very poor had many children, until 1899 when, almost completely blind and in very poor health, she applied in Berrien County for assistance, a pension, as a Civil War Veteran's widow. It was so granted in 1901. Milton's obituary was published in the Cuthbert Appeal, October 20, 1871. The obituary, in part, stated "...Again we are called upon to chronicle the death of a friend, an eminent Christian and citizen, Milton Monroe Moore, aged 49 years, 4 months and 24 days. He died at his residence near Coleman's Depot, a few minutes before 5 o'clock, A. M. on the 13th ___, after a painful and protracted illness...Mr. Moore lived in this community for many years and was pre-eminently an example of the successful farmer...He was a member of Mt. Hebron M. B. Church, an active ___, earnest good citizen and universally mourned by all who knew him... He leaves a wife and nine children...written by A. J. P..... Coleman's Station, October 17th, 1871." This obituary did not list any relatives who may have preceded him in death nor any of his survivors' names. As of 2003, his grave has not been found nor has anyone been able to prove his parents or siblings. Milton Monroe Moore, Sr. has a descendency of five generations of farmers; the last one being in Burneyville, Love County, OK, to wit: "The South-half of the Southwest Quarter, and the Northwest Quarter of the Southwest Quarter, and the Southwest Quarter of the Northeast Quarter of the Southwest Quarter, containing 130 acres more or less, in Section 2, T 8 S, R 1 W, Love County, State of Oklahoma". The foregoing is approximately one third of the estate willed to his last son, David Moore in 1952 from Milton Monroe Moore, III and kept in the family until about the year 2000 with life tenancy for the great grand daughter of Milton Monroe Moore Sr, namely, Virginia Ann Moore Roper and her husband, Karroll G. Roper, who lived on and farmed the land for many years prior to selling it in exchange for life tenancy.