THEDFORD BROTHERS IN CIVIL WAR - Smith County, TX Submitted by Wilma Thedford 17 January 2004 Copyright. All rights reserved. http://usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm ********************************************************************* William Thedford, the father of this group, was the Sheriff, Deputy and census taker in Walker Co, Ga. prior to coming to Texas in 1851. He was a charter member in the Seven Leagues Baptist Church at Seven Leagues, which is North West of present Noonday, Tx. He, along with his son, Evan Pearson and T.J. Mangham, and assisted by Wm. Hawthorne and Elisha Shelton, drafted the constitution and rules of order for the church, April 17, 1869. This church was still in existence in 1896 when a new church ledger was required. This church stood near the Seven Leagues Cemetery at the end of Seven Leagues Rd., County Road # 199. ---------------------------------------------------------------- All the THEDFORD brothers listed below, except one, joined the Confederate States of America ( CSA ) in Company D, 15th Infantry from Smith Co. Tx. at various locations during the first year, 1861. Allen Hawkins Thedford Andrew Jackson Thedford Benjamin Calloway Thedford, ( died of gangrene in Louisiana ) Evan Pearson Thedford Harrison P Thedford, ( Chisum's Regt. ) Irus Henry Thedford James Lafayette Thedford Martin Vanburen Thedford Miles D Thedford, ( died as guard at Camp Ford, Tyler ) Wilson Satterfield Thedford ---------------------------------------------------------------- Evan Pierson Thedford Confederate pension file by his wife Susan, listed his name as Evan Pearson Thedford. Evan Pierson Thedford joined the Confederate Army on January of 1861 in Company D, 15th Texas Regt., Infantry. He served 15 months and discharged in April 1862, he was not listed on the muster roll of that company dated December 31st 1862, because he was already discharged. This record was according to his widow's application for pension. She was granted the pension which she drew until her death in 1916 while living on 321 E Ferguson St., Tyler. Family history says he had arthritis which made him crippled in his last years. Pension: Thedford, Susan C. #26602 Smith Co., TX Husband: Thedford, Evan Pearson ----------------------------------------------------------------- Andrew Jackson Thedford Andrew Jackson Thedford joined the Confederate Army at Columbia, Texas on October 28, 1861 and was listed on the muster roll for the Captain Jonathan Lewter's Company D, 15th Regiment of Texas Vol. Infantry, for the duration of the war. After his death his widow drew a state Confederate pension. Pension: Thedford, C. J. (Mrs) #15433 Henderson Co, TX Husband: Thedford, Andrew Jackson Obituary in the Tyler Paper dated June 9, 1909. Well known citizen, A.J. Thedford, aged 70, passes away at Chandler last week. On the 29th, there at his home in Chandler. One of the oldest and best known citizen of that place. Mr. A. J. Thedford, age 70 yrs. For many years he had been a resident of Noonday, this county, but about 6 years ago he moved to Chandler, where he resided up to the time of death. He leaves a widow and following children; Ed Thedford, Will Thedford, rs. Elisha Shelton, Noonday; Mrs. David Horton, Waco; George Thedford of Dallas; Jack Thedford of Chandler. Sister; Mrs. Elizabeth Spivey, Noonday. Three brothers; Van and Allen Thedford , Noonday; Wilson Thedford , Young County. Besides a large number of grandchildren. He was a good citizen. He stood for the least thing in life and a conscientious member of the Baptist church and very active in it's behalf. The remains were laid to rest in the Dean Cementery May 30th. The Courier Times extends condolences to all bereaved ones. ----------------------------------------------------------------- Harrison P. Thedford Harrison P. Thedford joined the Confederate Army in Chisum's Regt., Tex. Cal. He died November 15, 1906 in Leesburd, Tx., Titus County. ----------------------------------------------------------------- Irus H. Thedford Irus H Thedford lived a single man all his life and is buried in Seven Leagues Cementery beside his parents and is on the same marker they are on. He joined the Confederate Army in Camp Daniel on August 16, 1862 in Company D, 15th Regt. Texas Vol. Infantry. He was enlisted by J.E. Harrison. Unknown how long he served or where. ----------------------------------------------------------------- James Lafyette Thedford James Layfette Thedford served in the Confederate service as a guard at the Tyler ( Camp Ford ) prison stockade & Co. D 15th Tx. Inf. Regt., until the end of the war according to the records when he applied for a pension dated 1909.,& 1914 in Dallas, Tx. In the words of Jas L. " I was near Tyler, Tx. when the war ended. I was sick with measels & my Capt let me off on that account. I was out about 6 weeks." His brother Wilson said he brought him home during the war sick with the measles. And at no time did he desert his duty as a soldier. Another brother, Allen H. swore he was a guard at Camp Ford for about a year. pension record # A-27968, Dallas County. He was in the company of Capt. Rucker and Colonel Jamison, having enlisted 3-28-1862 & last date on muster roll was 2-29-1864. But then there were no other later muster rolls found. Pension: Claimant: Thedford, J. L. # 27968 County: Dallas, Co., TX Widow: Thedford, Elizabeth 36569 County: Dallas Co., TX ----------------------------------------------------------------- Miles D. Thedford Miles D Thedford married in Smith County to two ladies. The first was to Elizabeth C Townsend. She died and he married S.E. Fitzgerald. His children were raised by his parents, William and Jane at Noonday, Tx. He enlisted in Company D, 15th Regt. Texas Vol. Inf. at Tyler, Texas on June 18, 1862 and was listed on the muster roll dated December 31, 1862 as absent sick. Stories told that he was a guard at the Tyler Stockade, ( Camp Ford ). This is possible, because his brother James Lafayette was also a guard at this camp. ---------------------------------------------------------------- Benjamin Calloway Thedford Benjamin Calloway Thedford joined the Confederate Army at Camp Daniel on August 24, 1862 along with his brother, Irus H., in Co D 15th Texas Vol.. Inf.. He was listed on the muster roll dated December 31, 1862 as present. Family history has it that he died on his way back from the war having suffered a hand wound at Vermillion Bayou. and gangrene was the cause of death. According to history of Co. 15th Tx. Inf., one battle, among others, was at Vermillion Bayou. His widow filed for a pension from Henderson County Tx. Claimant: Thedford, L. A. (Mrs)Pension Number: 15429 County: Henderson Husband: Benjamin Calloway Thedford --------------------------------------------------------------- Wilson S. Thedford Wilson S. Thedford was born in Walker Co. Georgia and moved to Texas as a small boy with his parents in 1851. He joined the Confederate Army at Columbia, Texas on October 28, 1861 and don't know how long he served. He is listed on the muster roll for Company D, 15th Texas Regt. Infantry along with eight brothers. Wilson was living in Smith Co. Tx. in 1870. The 1870 census showed he had two children and by 1890 he was living in Young Co. when his fathers estate was settled. In March 1909 he helped his brother get his war pension by answering questions about his service. At this time he was still living in Young County, Graham, Texas. Family stories tell of his daughter marrying and had some children which he and his wife raised. They took the name of Thedford and descendants still live in that area now. All efforts made to locate some of their descendants have failed. Since his mother's maiden name was Satterfield, it is assumed his middle name was Satterfield. -------------------------------------------------------------- Allen Hawkins Thedford Allen kept the ex slaves of William and Jane after their death. They came to Texas with them when they came in 1851. They were freed in 1863 and they were content to stay with the Thedfords. Winnie Freeman Carter, told me that their names were Wade & Hannah and a daughter named Julia. . In the 1870 census, there is a Hannah Thedford age 45 born in Ga. and a son Joseph age 13 born Tx. Winnie said that she lived to near 100 and her grandfather Allen took care of them and buried her down by the Neches river where a lot of the slaves were buried. Allen Harkins Thedford was a member of Captain Jonathan Lewter's Co. D,15th Texas Vol. Inf. of the Confederate Army, having joined at Tyler, Texas May 1, 1862 by J Lewter. He was still on the roll, February 29, 1864. He drew a pension from Texas for his services until he died in 1923. # A-13513 Smith County. He is buried at Seven Leagues Cementery near his parents, brothers and sisters. Pension: Claiment: Thedford, Allen Harkins #13513 County: Smith Co., TX -------------------------------------------------------------- Martin Vanburen Thedford Martin Vanburen Thedford was a private in Company D, 15th Texas Infantry, Confederate States of America. He enlisted May 1, 1862 at Tyler, Tx., paroled May 1865 at close of War. He died Jan 1912 & his wife drew a pension from the State of Texas after his death # A-19406. Pension: Claiment: Thedford, Martin Vanburger #19406 County: Smith Co., TX Widow: Thedford, Amanda Jane #21514 County: Smith Co., TX