Elliott County’s Civil War Veterans in 1890 By John A. Stegall < johnstegall@hotmail.com One installment in a series of articles Mr. John A. Stegall prepares and publishes in The Elliott County News, this article first appearing in the Oct 17, 1997 edition of said paper and a continuation from Sept 26, 1997. Transcribed with permission from the author by Samone Ratcliff on Nov 16, 1999. Silvester S. Porter: Pvt., Co., D, 40th, Ky., Inf. His service in the Union Army began on Sept 5, 1863 and extended through Oct 30, 1864. In 1890 he indicated that his post office was Trench. Obviously, this veteran was living in Elliott Co in 1890; however, other than the military information given above, I do not find him mention in any of the other records in my files. John C. Rabb: Sgt., Co., D, 5th., Ky., Inf. There was not information given regarding the date of entry into the military or his discharge therefrom. He indicated that his post office was Ibex, and that he was a “Physician”. This veteran has very few descendants in this area today; therefore, most of the information I have compiled on his come from Rabb(e) descendants in other states. Fern Penicnek, a Rabb descendant living in New Jersey, says that Sgt. Rabb’s full name was John Charles Theodore Augustus Rabb and that he was born in Hanover, Germany about 1818. (Birthdate based on age at the time of his marriage.) She also says that he graduated from the medical school of the University of Berlin in 1848 or 1849. Dr. Rabb (sometimes spelled Rabbe) apparently came to America soon after graduating from medical school, and may have lived in the New Jersey area for a short time. But why did he come to present day Elliott Co? Hew did it happen that he singled out this area? Did he know someone that had already settled here, or did he more or less just stumble upon this area? We may never know the answers to these questions, but there does seem to be an explanation for his leaving the New Jersey area. I askdhed Mrs. Penicnak if the family knew why Dr. Rabb came to this area, and she, in turn, asked a cousin if she knew why. The cousin stated that a Jewish friend had told her that the town where Dr. Rabb lived was a “Closed community” to Jews. Dr. Rabb left that area “To escape the stigma (a mark of infamy or disgrace) of being a Jew and the actual ostracization (exclusion from social rights).” But the question still remains: Why Elliott Co.? Dr. Rabb is said to have been the first medical doctor actually educated in a medical school to set up a practice in our county. And I am sure that he was a very welcome arrival in the Stark area. It is not known if Dr. Rabb had been previously married, but on Aug 12, 1858 he married Jane Elliott, a daughter of John L. Elliott of the Stark area of Elliott Co. Information from the marriage record indicates that Dr. Rabb was 40 years of age, single, and born in Germany. Jane was 20 years of age, and was born in Bath Co, KY, most likely the area that later became a part of Morgan Co. When the 1870 Elliott Co census was taken, the Rabb family was found living in the Stark area. Perhaps due to an error on the part of the census taker, Dr. Rabb was listed as Grance Rabb, age 53, born in KY and a farmer. On the other hand, whoever transcribed the census from the original record could have made the errors. But I can imagine that Dr. Rabb had a very strong German accent, which might have made it difficult for our local people to understand everything he said. In 1870, Jane (Elliott) Rabb was 31 years of age and born in “KY”. Three children were named in this report; Mary A., 11; Amanda, 9; and William, 3. Elliott Co Vital Statistics show that twin daughters were born to John C. Rabb and Jane E. Elliott on Oct 26, 1874. Records seem to imply that these twins did not survive for very long. Family researchers say Jane Elliott Rabb died in 1877, and indeed, when the 1880 census was taken, Dr. Rabb was a widower, age 63 years. Dr. Rabb, along with 2 children, William, 13, and Mary E., 7, were living in the home of Milton and Manervy Rabb Waggoner. Also found living in the Waggoner home was another Rabb daughter, Amanda Skeens and her one year old daughter, Elizabeth. Amanda, age 19, was married to Luke Skeens. Obviously, Dr. Rabb was still living when the 1890 Elliott Co census was taken. This is also supported by the 1890 tax records, which indicate that he owned 180 acres of land, with Jake Kinser being his near neighbor. Mrs. Penicnak says, “It is believed that Doc Rabb died about 1895.” She continues, “My grandfather said that he remembered the death of his grandfather, Doc Rabb, and following his coffin up a hill where there was a Masonic funeral rite.” Harlan and Meta Skaggs now live on the property once owned by Dr. Rabb. I visited Harlan a few years ago and he pointed out the spot where the Doc Rabb home sat. (Harlan is a great-grandson of Doc Rabb though his grandmother Mary Rabb Smith, who married Morris Smith.) Dr. Rabb is buried on a high hill near the home of Harlan and Meta. I have stated that Dr. John C. Rabb(e) served in Co., D, of the 5th., Regt. Leonidas Hamilton Elliott, most likely a brother-in –law of Dr. Rabb, was the Captain of this Company, and died during the Battle of Princeton, VA on May 16, 1862. Dr. Rabb may have been at Capt. Elliott’s side when he died. It is known that Dr. Julius Rabbe, believed to have been a brother to Dr. John C. Rabbe, was there when Capt. Elliott expired. Newton Ridgeway: 53rd., Mtd., Ky., Inf. This Union soldier stated that he entered the military Apr 11, 1865 and was discharged Sept 15, 1865. His address in 1890 was Ibex. The first reference I find for Newton Ridgeway is in the Elliott Co birth records. On Sept 25, 1878, a son, William was born to Newton and his wife, Nancy S. Maggard. This same record indicates that both parents were born in Carter Co, KY. Although the above birth was recording in Elliott Co, I am unable to find Newton Ridgeway enumerated in either the 1870 or 1880 Elliott Co census reports. Obviously, he was a resident of Elliott Co when the 1890 census was taken, a fact that is supported by the tax records for that year. It was not indicated that Newton Ridgeway owned land, no nearest neighbor was mentioned, and if he had children between the ages of 6 and 20 years, that was no indicated. According to the 1900 census of Elliott Co, Isaac N. Ridgeway was a resident of the Cracker’s Neck Precinct. He stated that he was 50 years of age, having been born in Mar of 1850. If this date of birth is correct, he would have been extremely young at the time he was serving in the Civil War. He also indicted that he was born in KY, but that his father was born in Pennsylvania. In 1900, Nancy S. Maggard Ridgeway stated that she was 40 years of age, having been born Jan of 1860. She and Newton had been married 22 years and had the following children: William, 21, born in Sept 1878; Benjamin J., 18, Nov 1881; Purlie J., 15, Aug 1884; Wert, 13, Sept 1886; John, 9, Sept 1890; Thomas, 6, Aug 1891; Charlie, 4, Feb 1896; and Annie M., 2, Apr 1897. In 1910, Newton Ridgeway indicated that he was 65 years of age, which was not consistent with the age he gave in 1900. At that time, he indicated that his parent were born in VA, which was also inconsistent with the information he gave in 1900. Nancy was 49 years of age in 1910, and stated that they had been married 33 years. They were the parents of 12 children, 2 of which were deceased. Children at home with Newton and Nancy in 1910 were: William, 32; Wirt, 22; Tom, 16; Charlie, 14; Anna M., 12; Irely, 7; and Opal, 6. I have no date of death for Newton Ridgeway, neither do I know were he is buried. 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