Taney Co, MO Civil War Minors' Application Abstract & Misc. Submitted by: E.Lynn Wright (lynn.wright@cox.net) NATHAN WRIGHT 1843-1887 NATHAN WRIGHT was born in 1843 in Taney County, Missouri. The site of his birthplace would later become part of Douglas County in 1864. He was married three times. His first wife's name is not known, his second wife was Elmina Caroline Stanley, and his third wife was Mary Elizabeth Moseley. Nathan died on Oct 23, 1887 in his home on Beaver Creek, Bradleyville, Taney Co., Missouri, of pneumonia and is buried in Patterson Cemetery, Bradleyville, MO. His wife, Mary Elizabeth, died ten days later on Nov 2, 1887 and is probably buried alongside her husband in an unmarked grave. There is a depression in the ground, but it has been unproven if this is her grave. Nathan's father, John Daniel Wright died when Nathan was three years old. His mother, Sarah Rebecca Pierce Wright then married Lazarus Wright, the brother of her late husband who lived nearby on a farm in Douglas County, Missouri. He lived with his mother and step-father/uncle until he was age 21, when he went to the town of Ava, Douglas County, Missouri on November 1, 1863 and joined with Captain James H. Sallee in forming Company B, of the 16th Missouri Cavalry Volunteers, U.S. Army. He served until the end of the Civil War and was discharged as a private at the conclusion of the war, in Springfield, Missouri on July 1, 1865. His enlistment documents describe him as being a farmer, 5' 6", and blue eyes with a fair complexion. He was mustered into the army in Springfield, Missouri. Upon enlisting, the horse he brought with him was appraised by the Army for $95.00. However, the Army did not pay Nathan for his horse until February 28, 1865, which was very near the close of the war. Nathan's service during the Civil War was limited to the southern Missouri area and he was not involved in any well-known battles. At the conclusion of the Civil War the U.S. Government undertook an effort to compile all the messages, correspondence & reports from the Union and Confederate armed forces that participated in this conflict. This massive work is titled, "The War of the Rebellion; A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union & Confederate Armies," however it is more commonly referred to as "The Official Records" and can be found in most large libraries and at some online sites. The following accounts were taken from those records that relate to the action seen by the 16th Missouri Volunteers while Nathan Wright was a member. Volume 48, Part 1, Page 116 February 16-20, 1865---Scout in Ozark County, MO., and Marion County, Ark. Report of Capt. James H. Sallee, Sixteenth Missouri Cavalry. Hdqrs, Company B, Sixteenth Missouri Cavalry. Lebanon, Mo., February 22, 1865. Captain: I beg leave to submit to you the following facts connected with a scout made by me with a detachment of Company B, Sixteenth Missouri Volunteers, in obedience to the order of Lieut. Col. John F. McMahan: I left this place on the morning of the 16th instant, with fifteen days rations and proceeded to Little North Fork, in Ozark County, Mo. Here I met with four citizens of Douglas County, Mo., viz, Isham Lamar, Johnson Lamar, William Lamar and George Lamar, who reported to me that they had been to White River, near the Widow Magness', and had found some rebels in a cave and wanted assistance to catch them. I immediately started in search of the cave, the Lamars accompanying me as guides. On arriving at the cave I found three bushwhackers, viz, Williams and Riddle, one unknown, who on our approach started to run but Williams was killed and the others wounded, who made their escape in the bluffs and brush. After this affair I prepared to move on down the river and did so, but the Lamars would not go any farther, and on the day following they were seen driving twelve head of cattle up the Little North Fork through a Union settlement. I mention this, as I am reliably informed that these men are in the habit of driving off stock from that county and converting it to their own use. After leaving the cave I went down the river; crossed at the mouth of the Little North Folk at Mr. Yochan's. I learned that there were four rebels up the river four miles, and also three miles down the river there were four others. On agreement with Captain Piland, Forty-sixth Missouri Infantry, I took a few men and went up the river, and he took some and went down the river. On arriving at the house where they were reported to be I found two rebels, whom we killed. Captain Piland found two and killed them. I then heard there were eight rebels on the head of Musick's Creek, in Marion County, Ark., near Pine Mountain. I proceeded to the place, but found no one there except women and children. I found six rifled guns. The rebels have lately built a grist-mill here, and I think it is a good place to catch a bushwhacker almost any time. This was the 18th instant. I then started back, came to White River, at the mouth of Big Creek, but could not cross, and had to go down to the mouth of the Little North Fork, where I crossed, and proceeded to this place, arriving on the 20th instant. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, James H. Sallee, Captain Co. B., 16th Missouri Cavalry Volunteers. General Orders} No. 26 } Headquarters District of Rolla Rolla, Mo., April 15, 1865. The colonel commanding has the mournful duty to announce that he has received official intelligence of the assassination of President Lincoln and Secretary Seward on the night of the 14th instant at Washington, D.C., and directs that all business be suspended until the 17th instant; that on the 16th instant one gun shall be fired at each post in the district every half hour from sunrise to sunset; that all flags shall be raised at half- mast; all regimental and camp colors be draped in mourning, and that all officers on duty within the district shall wear the usual badge of mourning for the period of sixty days. While the above barbarous act of the abettors of this cursed and non- crushed rebellion arouses the deepest feeling of indignation and resentment, the colonel commanding would especially caution all officers and soldiers against any display of feeling which would be an infraction of the strictest military discipline. By order of Col. John Morrill, Commanding: H.W. Werth, Lieutenant and acting assistant Adjutant-General Volume 48, Part 1, Page 197 Report of Maj. John Small, Sixteenth Missouri Cavalry. Headquarters, Lebanon, Mo., April 25, 1865 To Capt. W.T. Kittredge, Springfield, Mo. CAPTAIN: I started from this place on the 20th instant after a band of rebels reported to be in eight miles of this place. They were reported to number 100, robbing houses and taking horses. I started with detachments of Company H, B, I and L, numbering in all about twenty-five men, with two commissioned officers, Captain Sallee, of Company B and R.D. Mayes, of Company L, all of the Sixteenth Cavalry Missouri Volunteers. I started at 9 p.m. We traveled about eight miles before we struck their trail, and followed their trail all that night over very rough ground. They traveled in most all directions. The waters being up, made it very difficult to gain much on them. We had to swim the Wet Glass. Near the mouth, it was about fifty yards wide, and the banks being steep, we were some time in getting across. We were in hearing when Captain Bollinger, from Linn Creek, attacked them, and we could not get to him for the high waters. The rebels held the ground, killing Captain Jeffery and three soldiers, one discharged from Wood's Battalion, Sixth Cavalry Missouri Volunteers, and the other two of Captain Bollinger's company. Captain Bollinger was wounded in the shoulder. Captain Bollinger had twenty-four men; Captain Jeffery had six or eight citizens with him. The rebels did not tarry long after the fight. We traveled until about 10 o'clock that night, when it got so dark and the hills so rough I was compelled to stop for the night. On the morning of the 22d, we came on the rebels a little before sunrise--they were crossing the Osage River--just as the skiff left the shore. The most of them had crossed. Then the firing commenced, which lasted some thirty minutes. They returned the fire for some time, but soon found out that they had different men to fight to what they had been fighting the day before. They had all the advantage of me. They took shelter under the banks of the river, and we charged them. A part of my men dismounted and went down the banks to rake up their old acquaintance. I saw twelve or fifteen afoot, and we had them hemmed so that they had no chance but to take the water or be killed, and that quick; there were two of them stripped off their clothes and one of them made it across the river. He was the only man that made it across that I saw. The river was very full and the current swift and cold. The number killed was 6 on the bank and 4 in the skiff. The skiff had six in it when it started; two of them got out of it on the shore and made their escape, and it floated off with four dead rebels and a load of saddles and blankets. I captured fifteen horses and some revolvers, though the most of them I think threw them in the river. In looking along the bank of the river Captain Chitwood found two rebels hidden under the water by the side of a log. One of the men who was with him fired and killed one. The other was Captain Martin. He stated if the whole command had him on the same side that they would have sold out to us in a different way. He stated there would be two more squads along in a few days, and also that Price's army was breaking up into small bands of from 50 to 100, and that when we ran across them, they would sell out to us very dear. They were crossing the Osage at Mining Post, about eight miles below Linn Creek. I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant, John Small, Major Commanding, Volume 48, Part 2, Page 809 Headquarters District of Southwest Missouri Springfield, Mo., June 7, 1865 Col. J.F. McMahan, Sixteenth Missouri Cavalry Volunteers, Commanding Post: Colonel: I am directed to call your attention to the fact that complaints are constantly being made by citizens of this county of lawless and disorderly conduct on the part of soldiers presumed to belong to the garrison at this post. A system of petty plundering and pilfering is carried on throughout the town and the adjoining county, and citizens are threatened and even fired at if they attempt to protect their property. Within the limits of this town it is represented that citizens are insulted and the safety of every one endangered by the promiscuous firing so constantly indulged in, in the face of repeated orders to the contrary. In view of all these complaints, which are doubtless well founded, and for the purpose of terminating a condition of affairs so disgraceful to the command, the general commanding directs: First, that you renew the orders heretofore issued relative to the absence of soldiers from their camps without proper passes, limited the number of passes and allowing none after dark except in urgent cases. Second, that you direct commanding officers at this post to allow no man to leave his camp with his horse, except when on duty requiring him to be mounted. You will cause camp-guards to be established and maintained at every camp of sufficient strength to enforce the above provisions, and will hold the officer in command of each camp responsible for their strict and impartial enforcement. When men are sent off on any duty the officer in charge will be furnished with a written detail, which will protect him and his men. All men of your command found riding U.S. horses or mules, who have not written orders allowing them to do so, will, after this order has been duly published, be arrested and sent to their commands in arrest and their names, company, &c., reported to your headquarters. In all such cases you will at once ascertain what officers or men are responsible for such violation of orders, and will cause them to be promptly punished, if commissioned officers, by arrest; if enlisted men, by confinement. A system of roll-calls, inspections, &c., at unexpected hours will also be adopted to assist in promoting these measures. Small patrols of reliable men will also be sent out around the outskirts of the town, who will take up and bring in all U.S. horses or mules found hitched near houses, refugee camps, and other similar places. You will take charge of the animals so brought in and ascertain the persons responsible for such violation of orders, and punish them as above. Running horses in and through the town will also be stopped at once. Very respectfully, Wm T. Kittredge, Assistant Adjutant-General Volume 48, Part 2, Page 937 Headquarters District of Southwest Missouri Springfield, Mo., June 19, 1865 Maj. J.W. Barnes, Assistant Adjutant-General, Department of the Missouri: The Fifteenth Cavalry Missouri Volunteers reports 510 serviceable horses and the Sixteenth Cavalry Missouri Volunteers reports 529 serviceable horses. In addition to this there are about 100 unserviceable horses in each regiment. These regiments are scattered through the district at twenty-one different posts. There being no troops except some militia here to relieve them or any part of them, and having no information as to when the Second Ohio Cavalry will be here, or of its strength, nor how many posts are to be maintained, I am at a loss how to proceed in order to comply with orders received this day to mount a battalion of the Third Wisconsin Cavalry, not knowing the strength of it. The Second Battalion, Fourteenth Cavalry, requires 140 horses to equip them so as to proceed to Fort Riley as ordered. Please inform of these points; inform me also as to whether the Fifteenth and Sixteenth will be mustered out June 30 or not, and whether they will be mustered out here. Early information is desired, as it will take at least twenty days to concentrate these two regiments at this post. John D. Allen, Colonel Fifteenth Missouri Cavalry Volunteers Volume 48, Part 2, Page 938 Headquarters Department of the Missouri June 19, 1865--5:15 PM Col. John D. Allen, Springfield: The Fifteenth and Sixteenth Cavalry will be mustered out at Springfield. You will hold after this the posts of Lebanon, Springfield, Granby and Cassville only. The two regiments will be concentrated at Springfield as soon as possible and dismounted. Horses will be turned over to mount the Fourteenth Missouri, so it can move at once as ordered. The Second Ohio will be sufficient to hold the posts named. J.W. Barnes Assistant Adjutant-General Soon after Nathan's return from the war he married his first wife and began to farm 40 acres on Beaver Creek, near the small town of Bradleyville, Taney County, Missouri. Soon after returning from the Civil War Nathan married his first wife, Rhoda Barns on September 4, 1866. Rhoda was born in North Carolina in ca 1840. She was the daughter of Susan Barnes b: 1805, father unknown. They had three children, Sarah, Susannah and Lewis Nathan. It is thought that Rhoda died after 1870. In the 1870 Federal Census for Douglas County, KANSAS, you will find this family living on a rented farm, with the youngest child Lewis Nathan indicating he was one year old and was born in Missouri. Therefore, they relocated from Taney County in ca 1869 to Kansas for reasons unknown, but returned to Taney County soon there after as I find; He married his second wife, Elmina Caroline Stanley, in 1871 in Taney County. They had one child, Effie Jane. Elmina Caroline died in Taney County on Oct 2, 1876 and is buried in Patterson Cemetery. Her tombstone is inscribed "Caroline Wright", and she is buried very near Nathan as well as near her parents. Wife number three was Mary Elizabeth Moseley; they were married on Dec 1, 1879, in Swan Township, Taney County. They had two children, Charles Easton (my direct ancestor) and James Curtis. Nathan died on Oct 23, 1887 of pneumonia and his wife, Mary Elizabeth died ten days later of an unknown cause on Nov 2, 1887, both were living on Beaver Creek, near Bradleyville in Taney County. Nathan is buried in Patterson Cemetery but Mary Elizabeth's grave has never been located. His grave was marked with a fieldstone onto which someone has scratched "N Wright". In 1989 efforts were undertaken by Lynn Wright to prove to the U.S. Government, that Nathan Wright had honorably served in the U.S. Army and was eligible for a suitable marker for his grave. Lynn had in his possession the service record of Nathan which he had obtained from the National Archives in Washington, DC, and after providing this to the government, the Veterans Administration approved the request and ordered that a marble marker be provided. This marker was manufactured in Georgia and because Patterson Cemetery has no caretaker, the government would not ship direct to the cemetery, so they trucked it to Arizona where Lynn in turn placed the 240 pound stone into his vehicle, drove to Missouri where he was met by his brother, Mike Wright and they erected it on his grave on June 3, 1991. Information regarding the pension application for orphan's pension: On June 27, 1890, the U.S. Congress passed a law making orphans and destitute widows of Union military veterans eligible for a pension. On March 21, 1891, Enos Stanley (Nathan's former father-in-law) filed a petition in Taney County Court requesting that he be appointed the legal guardian of Effie, Charles and James Wright the minor children of Nathan Wright. He was subsequently appointed their guardian on March 23, 1891. Stanley was the grandfather of Effie, Nathan's daughter by his second marriage, who had lived with Stanley since the death of Effie's mother, but had no relationship to Charles and James who had been living in Rosston, Texas with their Uncle Roland Moseley for the previous two years. Stanley's application for the pension required that he obtain affidavits from neighbors of Nathan's in the Bradleyville area that attested to Nathan's service as well as the events surrounding his death. He spent the next several months gathering these documents. After he collected his proof, he submitted them to the government and a pension was approved on March 23, 1892 for the three minor children of Nathan Wright. Enos Stanley, as the appointed guardian of these children, received the first check in March 1892 (which included retroactive payments from June 1890). Each of the three children was awarded $12.00 per month as an orphan's pension. Upon hearing that pension payments are being made to orphans of Civil War veterans, Roland Moseley decided to file a petition in Gainesville, Texas on May 24, 1892 asking that he be appointed the legal guardian of Charles and James Wright, since their father has served in the Army, and they had been living with him in Texas since 1888. Since Roland had never formally been declared the guardian of these two children, he was required to post a bond with the court of Cooke County, Texas in the amount of $300. The was then appointed their guardian on November 17, 1892 As their guardian, Roland made an application with the government for the orphan's pension not knowing that Enos Stanley had already filed for the pension and was in fact already receiving the money. The government replied that their records show these boys, and their half-sister Effie were under the guardianship of Enos Stanley of Taney County, Missouri, and they must deny Roland's request and would continue to send the pension to Enos Stanley until such time they receive notice that Stanley is either dead or has been removed as guardian. The government closed their letter by saying they were filing his application without further action. At this point, Roland wrote to Enos Stanley in Missouri and asked that the portion of the pension funds belonging to Charles and James be forwarded to him. Stanley responded that he would forward these funds immediately. However, months past and Roland never received a cent from Enos Stanley. On May 10, 1893, Roland retained an attorney in Taney County for the purpose of bringing legal action to compel Enos Stanley to release the pension funds. Stanley, apparently feeling the pressure of the legal system, decided to give $35.35 to his granddaughter (Nathan's daughter), Effie Jane as a one-time payment to settle any claim she might have to any of the pension funds he had received over the past several years. When he made this settlement with Effie Jane, she was over 16 years of age, married and no longer eligible for an orphan's pension and actually had no legal right to the money. This appears to be the only direct payment he ever made to her. However it should be remembered, Stanley and his wife took Effie when she was an infant and raised her in their home until she married. On June 3, 1893, Mr. J.C. Johnson, who was a pension agent for the U.S. Government, was appointed by the Taney County Court to investigate the Stanley/Moseley matter. A few days later Mr. Johnson reported to the court that Enos Stanley was in fact wasting the funds and referred to him as "decidedly crooked," and included the statement, "Stanley is at his old tricks." Mr. Johnson recommended to the court, that since Charles and James Wright were not living in the Stanley household, Mr. Stanley should be removed as guardian of these children. Upon this recommendation, the Pension Board in Topeka Kansas, on June 30, 1893, ordered that no further pension funds be sent to Enos Stanley. On June 17, 1893, just prior to the Pension Board's decision, Enos Stanley notified the court that he was transferring all the money due Charles and James Wright to Roland Moseley in Rosston, Texas. After several more months with no payment being receive from Stanley, Roland Moseley found it necessary to take the train from Gainesville, Texas to Forsythe, Missouri in order to bring suit against Stanley to recover the pension funds due Charles and James. This civil action was filed with the Taney County Court and the trial date was set for November 11, 1893. On the first day of trial, Stanley failed to appear, so the judge issued a citation to Enos Stanley, that was served by the sheriff the same day, demanding that Stanley appear in court the following day and show cause why an attachment should not be issued against him for failing to come forward and settle his accounts as the former curator of the estate of Charles & James Wright. On the next day, Stanley appeared in court and pleaded he had no money and there were no funds remaining from the prior payments to the Wright children. Moseley's attorney objected, contending Stanley had wasted the estate and the expenses that Stanley had charged against the estate were unreasonable. The court took the testimony under advisement and handed down their decision on January 8, 1894, ordering Enos Stanley to hand over $131.48 to Roland Moseley. (Editor's note: If Charles and James were each due $12.00 per month, the money that should have been accruing in their account over the past two and one-half years should have been $720.00) Moseley accepted this payment to settle the suit and the money was delivered to him on January 9, 1894. While Moseley was in Taney County he wanted to settle all matters regarding the estate of Nathan & Mary Wright, so he filed a petitioned with the courts, and was granted permission to sell the Wright farm on Beaver Creek. This property included a one- half interest in 100 acres (the other half being owned by Nathan's older brother, James Curtis Wright), and 40 acres owned solely by Nathan, which abutted the other 100 acres. On November 25, 1893, Roland Moseley reported to the court that he had sold the children's one-half interest in one hundred acres and their whole interest in the forty-acre parcel to James Curtis Wright for $300.00. Payment was made in the form of $150.00 cash and a note for $150.00 at 8% interest to be paid, one year later, on November 25, 1894. Roland Moseley concluded his business in Taney County and returned by train to Gainesville, TX. Roland Moseley, as guardian, filed various reports with the courts of Cook County, TX accounting for the money he was now receiving from the government as pensions for these two boys. As the guardian and administrator of the estate, he charged the estate a commission of 5% (as was his right) for all funds that he either received or disbursed. He also charged the estate $3.50 per month per child for their room and board. He later amended this to $3.00 per month per child when the boys reached age 13 and 10 respectfully, stating the reduction was because the boys were now old enough to "provide some help on the farm". In his October 1899 Guardian Report, Moseley reported to the Cooke County, Texas Court, that the estate had a balance of $807.41. As each child became 16 years old and no longer eligible for the orphan's pension, the payments from the government stopped. There is no record of what happened to the money left in the estate as each child reached the age of majority, but one could assume each child received a lump sum settlement from Moseley since he had proven to be a most honorable guardian and father to these two little boys. **************************************************************************** USGENWEB ARCHIVES NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by any other organization or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material, must obtain the written consent of the contributor, or the legal representative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. 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