1862 Obituary of Jonathan W. Upshaw of Spearsville, Union Parish Louisiana Submitted for the Union Parish Louisiana USGenWeb Archives by T. D. Hudson, 6/2005 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://usgwarchives.net/la/lafiles.htm ************************************************ ================================================================================= 1862 Obituary of Jonathan W. Upshaw of Spearsville, Union Parish Louisiana The Christian Index Issue of Tuesday, 29 July 1862, page 3, column 6 ================================================================================== Died in the _______ Hospital, Charleston, S.C., July the 18th in the 22nd year of his age, John W. Upshaw, of Union Parish Louisiana. The subject of this sketch was a native of Georgia, but was removed in his youth and attained to mature years in the first named State. He was a soldier in the Confederate service for a year prior to his death, he having volunteered at the commencement of the war, serving a short period at Camp Moore, near New Orleans, Louisiana, in a company subsequently disbanded, and then joining Company D, 4th Louisiana Battalion. This Battalion, after their campaign in Western Virginia, having been ordered to the coast of this State, were sent to aid in the defence [sic] of Charleston. In the engagement which ensued on James Island, the subject of our notice was so severely wounded in one of his legs as to render amputation necessary - this he never survived, but lingered to the above date when he expired. He professed religion some years ago, and united himself to a Baptist church. His prospects for the future, in view of his approaching end, may be seen from an extract taken from a letter, communicating his death to the writer of this notice: "I am sorry to announce to you the death of our beloved brother Upshaw, who departed this life, in hope of a better, on the night of the 18th, in Charleston, S.C. He sent word for us to do better, and prepare to meet him in glory. I trust these words will be stamped on our hearts, and that our memories will bear in mind our friend, who, without doubt, now seeth not as through a glass darkly, but enjoys the presence of the Lord, face to face, where he can join in praise with those who have gone before." Physically, brother Upshaw was strong and active. Mentally, those who knew him thought he possessed intelligence surerior to his advantages. What he was as a Christian, we who do not see the heart do not wholly know. He is now before the Great Judge of all - far above the mists and doubts which obscure the judgment of men. But this we know, that even if he had some infirmities, he evinced a disposition to serve his Maker, and was seldom indifferent to the subject of religion. In view of these considerations, those who survive him have "hope in his death." T. L. Cunningham, General Hospital, Macon, Georgia. ================================================================================== Note: Jonathan W. Upshaw (c1840-1862) was the son of Richard Upshaw (c1780-1840s) and Rebecca Elder (c1800/1805-after 1862), who married in Elbert County Georgia in 1820. Jonathan was probably born in Walton County, where his parents lived between 1822 and the latter 1830s. By 1850, Rebecca had moved to Butler County Alabama, and in 1856, she sold her farm there and moved to Spearsville, in northwestern Union Parish Louisiana. ###########################################################