Duplin County, NC - Military Records File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by Stephen Carroll Pearsall John Wesley Pearsall The CSA records at the National Archives reflect that John Wesley Pearsall enlisted at the age of 20 on October 1, 1861, from Duplin County, NC. His unit is reflected as Company A, 38th Regiment, NC Infantry. He was born in Duplin County, NC, and gave his occupation as farmer; other describing remarks reflect that he was 6 feet tall. Sergeant J. W. Pearsall appears on a Register of Chimborazo Hospital No. 5, Richmond, Va, where he was admitted on August 17, 1862. The Roll of Honor of 38 Regiment NC State Troops reflect that J. Wesley Pearsall, 5th Sergeant, Company A, was wounded at Gettysburg 3 Jul/63. July & August 1863 - wounded and left in Hospital Winchester July 3, 1862. September and October 1863 - Hospital, Goldsboro. He is on the list of POW's belonging to Army of Northern Virginia when surrendered and was amongst those paroled at Appomattox Court House, Virginia on April 9, 1865. John Wesley Pearsall, was the son of Edward Pearsall and Margaret Powell McGowan of Duplin County, NC. He was born September 16th, 1841. His first marriage was to Lucy L. Sullivan on 12 Oct 1865. She was the daughter of Samuel Sullivan and Dicey Jones. Lucy was born on October 3, 1844. They had two children: Claudia Estelle Pearsall, born 3 August 1866 and Charles Wesley Hill Pearsall, born September 16, 1868. Clauda married on February 9, 1898, Lee Johnson Shine. Charles Wesley died on December 27, 1896. The January 7, 1897 issue of the Sampson Democrat of Clinton, NC contains an obituary: Magnolia, NC, January 5. Death of W. H. Pearsall excellent young man who died December 27 at home near Goshen, age about 25. : Lucy L. Sullivan died on 25 January 1874 and is buried in the Edward Pearsall Cemetery, outside Kenansville, NC, not far from where the Hannah Moore Academy was located. John Wesley Pearsall married as his second wife, Anne Elizabeth Ervin, born May 29, 1849, in Richlands, Onslow County, NC. John Wesley Pearsall, age 84 years, applied for a disabled Confederate Soldier pension on June 15, 1926 in Virginia. On the application, he gave his residence as 2511 Orcutt Avenue, Newport News, Warwick County, Virginia. The application states that he entered service at Kenansville, NC. At surrender, his immediate superior officers were Colonel John Ashford and Captain N. E. Armstrong. He indicated he had been a member of the Wm Watts Confederate Veteran Camp in Roanoke, Va. A note in the file reflects that his daughter, Mrs. Moseley has resided in the city for many years. Upon inquiry of Mrs. Moseley it was noted that Mr. Pearsall had divided his time about equally between his children, three of whom resided in Virginia (Roanoke, Richmond and Newport News) and the other in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. He is now with Mrs. Moseley in Newport News where he will spend the rest of his days. A letter in the file dated April 10, 1926, indicates that he is a member in good standing of the R. F. Webb Camp Number "818" United Confederate Veterans, of Durham County, NC. There is an extract in the file February 1926, which reflects: The 38th North Carolina Infantry Regiment (N. C. Troops) was in Soales' Brigade, Wilcox's Division, Third Corps (A. P. Hill's, afterwards Gordon's), in April 1865. There was paroled at Appomattox: Colonel John Ashford, Lieutenant Col. G. W. Flowers, Major J. T. Wilson. From Company "A" was paroled - Captain N. E. Armstrong, lst Lieut. R. M. Middleton, together with 5 Sergeants, 3 Corporals, 14 Privates, Total 22 enlisted men. Among the enlisted men paroled from Company "A:", 38th North Carolina Infantry appears the name of 3d Sergeant John W. Pearsall. This extract was certified as correct and true, according to the documents in the possession of Ed. N. Eubank, Captain (Retired) Virginia Volunteers. On 23 September 1927 in Roanoke, Virginia, Mrs. Anne Ervin Pearsall filed an application for Civil War pension as the widow of John Wesley Pearsall. The application reflects that she has resided in Virginia for 29 years. For the past 17 years she has resided in Roanoke. She married on January 25, 1877, in Richlands, NC, John Wesley Pearsall. He died August 23, 1927 in Newport News, Virginia. The Oath of Residence witnesses were Anne Pearsall Davenport and William A. Davenport The Wilmington News Dispatch (Wilmington, NC) issue of August 30, 1927 reflects: DIED - Kenansville, NC., August 30. In the death at Newport News, Va., of John Wesley Pearsall, Duplin County lost one of its most loved and loyal sons. After funeral services at the home of his daughter, Mrs. A. G. Moseley, at whose home Mr. Pearsall died. The interment was at the family burying ground near Kenansville; in 1865 he was married to Miss Lou Sullivan of the same county. After her death he married Miss Annie Ervin, of Onslow County. He is survived by his wife and five children; three daughters, Mrs. Lee J. Shine, of Chapel Hill; Mrs. A. G. Moseley, of Newport News, Va., and Mrs. William Davenport, of Roanoke, Va., and two sons, E. F. Pearsall, of Richmond, and P. J. Pearsall, of Roanoke, Va. Thirteen grandchildren survive. Mr. Pearsall was a gentleman of the old school. In his young manhood he united with the Methodist Church, joining Wesley Chapel, near his home in Duplin County. Upon moving to Richmond some 28 years ago, he moved his membership, and again when he made his home in Roanoke. He was a devoted, consistent member wherever he was. He was a Confederate veteran and up until three years ago when his health was too feeble for him to leave home he attended the annual reunions of his county, his State and of the general organization. In Duplin County he belonged to the William Houston camp and upon making his home in Chapel Hill he joined the Julian S. Carr camp of Durham. Children by Anne Elizabeth Ervin were: Edward Franklin Pearsall, born March 21, 1878 (married April 24, 1912, Daisy Montgomery Potter); Mary Corrine Pearsall, born 14 Aug 1880 (married December 24,1905, Adolphus Garland Moseley, Jr); Sarah Elizabeth Pearsall, born November 28, 1882, died July 26, 1884; Paul James Pearsall, born January 20, 1887 (married Evelyn Atkinson); Anne McGowan Pearsall, born October 24, 1891, married October 27, 1920, William Albert Davenport. John Wesley Pearsall is buried with his first wife in the Edward Pearsall Cemetery in Duplin County, NC. Anne Elizabeth Ervin Pearsall died in Richmond, Va., on June 10, 1939. She is buried in the Hollywood Cemetery, Richmond, Va. __________________________________________________________________________ USGENWEB NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, data may be used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material. The electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or for presentation by other persons or organizations. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material for purposes other than stated above must obtain the written consent of the file contributor, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access. __________________________________________________________________________