Obituaries: William E. "Uncle Bill" Dark, 1941, Winn Parish, LA Submitted by Greggory E. Davies, 120 Ted Price Lane, Winnfield, LA 71483 ********************************************** Copyright. All rights reserved. http://usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://usgwarchives.net/la/lafiles.htm ********************************************** From: March 27, 1941 Winn Parish Enterprise Last Surviving Confederate Veteran of Parish Dies W. E. Dark, 92 Years Of Age, Succumbs At His Home In Gaars Mill Winn Parish's last surviving Confederate veteran, died Sunday at his home in Gaars Mill and was buried Monday afternoon in the Harmony Grove Cemetery under the direction of Southern Funeral Home. The Rev. J. D. Kitchingham conducted the services and the Masonic Order held the last rites to pay their respects to the deceased. "Uncle Bill" Dark as he was affectionately known, was a regular attendant at all state and national Confederate reunions, and attained nationwide fame as a tap and jig dancer at these conventions. At a reunion held in Washington, D. C., while President Wilson was in the White House, "Uncle Bill" was an invited guest and presented his dance specialty. The daily press and several magazines with national circulation on several occasions carried "Uncle Bill's" picture stories of his reunion activities. The deceased was born in Merriweather County, Georgia. He was just a lad of a boy when he enlisted in the Confederate army and served as a courier directly for Gen. Joseph E. Johnston. He was with Gen. Johnston at the Battle of Atlanta and several other engagements in which the gray-clad Confederates tried to halt Sherman's march to the sea through Georgia. In 1869 he moved to Claiborne Parish, Louisiana. A few years later he moved to Winn Parish and has lived in the Gaar's Mill Community ever since. He was married three times and was the father of twenty-one children, 13 of whom survive. He has many grandchildren and great grandchildren. Among his descendants are some of the most prominent citizens of Winn Parish. Surviving are his wife, five sons and eight daughters, as follows: P. T. Dark, W. L. Dark, and J. F. Dark, Gaars Mill; J. W. Dark, Jonesboro; E. H. Dark, Walker, La.; Mrs. Emma Hutson, Summerville, La.; Mrs. Maude Stewart, Mrs. Annie Zigler and Mrs. Gordie Know, all of Ansley, La.; Mrs. Cora Carter, Ruston; Mrs. Ora Hickenbotham, Walker, La.; Mrs. Lula Branch, Chatham, and Mrs. Lela McMurry, Gaars Mill. He also leaves one brother, R. L. Dark, of Liddieville, La.