Military Records Found in Various Sources
June 5th, 1994MILITARY RECORDS FOUND IN VARIOUS SOURCES
Military records are always important genealogical sources. Researchers should always check to determine if an ancestor or other relative participated in a war or otherwise had a military record. The American Revolution, fought from 1775-1781, is the source for two new publications. Bobby G. Moss’ “Roster of South Carolina Patriots in the American Revolution” has been reprinted for the third time since 1983. The volume lists brief biographical bits on each proven South Carolina patriot with exact citations as to the source, mostly from records at the South Carolina Archives. Anyone found in this book would be a viable ancestor for membership in the Daughters of the American Revolution or the Sons of the American Revolution. For those for whom pensions or widow’s pensions survive, that is noted and the information entered. The information does NOT tell you specifically where the person was living either at the time they entered service, or at the end of the war unless they got a pension. The 1,000-page book is available for $50 plus $3 postage from Genealogical Publishing Co., 1001 N. Calvert St., Baltimore, Md. 21202. Earlier printings are found at many genealogical libraries.
On the opposite side during the Revolution were the Loyalists, American colonists who supported the British. Many Georgia backcountrymen changed sides several times during the war as did others. Even Benjamin Franklin’s own son was a loyalist, serving as Governor of New Jersey. Alexander Fraser’s 1905 “Second Report of the Bureau of Archives for…Ontario” has been reprinted as “United Empire Loyalists”, a two-volume set. it contains abstracts of the actual claims filed by the loyalists themselves in the wake of the American Revolution. These claims were filed in Canada and most of the people appear to have been from the northern states, although all original colonies/states are represented including Georgia. The full-name index contains some geographical locations. These books shed light on an aspect of the American Revolution that is often overlooked in our history books, especially the fact that many United States citizens were once loyalists, filed claims, and then often were forgiven and returned home to reclaim their lands, as happened to some Georgians. The United Empire Loyalists or a similar-named organization exists today for those of loyalist descent. This set is available for $87.50 plus $4 postage from the Genealogical Publishing Co., address above.
CIVIL WAR LIST FOUND
The Confederate soldiers buried at Liberty Hill Cemetery in Lamar (formerly Pike) County, near Milner, Georgia, have been unknown until recently. The 70 soldiers from eight states fought in the Battle of Atlanta and were evacuated to hospitals and died. Recently their names were found in an article published August 4, 1866 in the “Macon Telegraph”. Many other lists are to be found in newspapers the first few years after the war. A group is trying to erect a monument, a fence, and obtain contributions for the perpetual upkeep of the cemetery. For information contact Bill Lockhart (404) 412-9769cq, or Southern Poseur, 563 South 6th St. Extn, Milner, Ga. 30257.
WORLD WAR ONE DEKALB
The World War One Draft Registrations for the Metro-Atlanta area continue to be published with those registrants from DeKalb County, some 5400 names. Edited by Linda Geiger for the Friends of the National Archives, Southeast Region, the list is in alphabetical order, giving each man’s name and birth date. One must use the original cards at the National Archives in East Point in order to determine if place of birth, next of kin, and occupation are given. There is a bibliography, and an explanation of the World War One draft registrations of 1917-1918. This volume is $12 postpaid from the Friends of the National Archives, 1557 St. Joseph Ave., East Point, Ga. 30344. Remember the Archives is open Monday -Friday, has late night on Tuesdays, and is open one Saturday and one Sunday a month. Reservations needed for microfilm readers and they have a bookstore. They have the draft registrations for the entire U.S. Call 763-7477cq.
CENSUS INDEXES
The 1820, 1830, and 1840 censuses for Hall and Habersham Counties, Georgia, have been abstracted, indexed and published in two volumes, one for each county. Viola H. Jones has painstakingly listed the inhabitants in the exact order they appear on the original lists on microfilm, including the numbers of family members in each age category. For each year the citizens appear first in the order they were recorded and then in a separate list in alphabetical order. Thus there are 6 lists in each volume, but not one overall index. These volumes should be welcomed by anyone doing research in these counties as they provide a great data base. “Early Census of Habersham County, Georgia” and the “Early Census of Hall County, Georgia” are $20 each from Viola Jones, 1712 Maplecrest Dr., Louisville, Tenn. 37777. The author has also done census and marriage works on Fannin County.
TURNER COUNTY CEMETERIES
“Survey of Turner County, Georgia Cemeteries” has been compiled by Jessie H. and Delma Paulk. Published through a grant from the Taylor Foundation, the book contains approximately forty cemeteries in alphabetical order by name of cemetery and within each the burials/tombstones are listed in alphabetical order, rather than being grouped by family lots. Directions are given for each, and there are notes and annotations explaining discrepancies and other information known but not on the tombstones. There is a full-name index. Those attached to churches include a history of the church. The same authors prepared a similar book on Irwin County Cemeteries published last year. Both the current Turner County cemeteries and the Irwin County volume are each $40 plus $5 postage from Jessie H. Paulk, P.O.Box 275, Salem, Fla. 32356.