Abraham Merideth

Great-grandfather of Ranzel L. Merideth

Abraham Merideth was born on the 10th of September 1836 in Edmonson County. He was born to Joseph Abraham Meredith and Elizabeth Sanders Meredith who were both in their mid 40's at the time. The 1840 census shows the family settled in Edmonson County. In addition to the parents, there were 8 boys listed, no girls. One can only presume these were Abraham and his older brothers.

On Christmas Eve, 1861, Abraham mustered-in the Union Cavalry, 4th Kentucky, having enlisted a month earlier. On the 28th, he appears on the company roll at Camp Anderson which was located at Lebanon Junction, Ky. In March, the company proceeded toward Nashville, TN. Command was given to Col. Smith in May, and they engaged the Confederate cavalry several times. The most significant of these was at 4 am on May 5th at Lebanon, TN against Morgan. In the summer of 1862, Pvt. Meridith was promoted to corporal. However, in April 1864 he was demoted back to private. His enlistment described him as dark complected with black eyes and black hair.

The 4th Kentucky was involved in the pursuit of General Bragg into Kentucky as far as Bowling Green. In the winter of 1863, they returned to Nashville. In Tennessee, they engaged in several contests against the troops of Van Dorn and Forrest. At the Battle of Chicamauga, 9/20/1863, they were involved in heavy fighting losing 90 men and 4 officers.

For the beginning of the Atlanta campaign, Copl Meridith was assigned to the 2nd Kentucky Cavalry but eventually rejoined the 4th in April at the time of his demotion. He fought throughout Georgia and was sent home to Kentucky at the end of the year to be mustered-out.

He returned to the farm and in 1868 he married Minisa Crouch, the daughter of a James and Sarah Crouch. James was a farmer, Sarah, a midwife. Minisa picked up the trade of midwifery and herbs from her mother. When Minisa later would apply for pension assistance, Sarah testified that she delivered six children belonging to Minisa and Abraham in addition to the over 600 children Sarah had delivered professionally. These children were James E. Merideth (father of John Edsel Merideth) b. 1873, Flora Bell b 1874, Noah Clint b. 1876, Pernia Ann b. 1878, Leonard Bert b. 1880, and William A. born 1885.

Family lore tells that Abraham didn't get along with the other Meredith's in the area and so changed the spelling of his name. It appears as both Merideth and Meridith in his civil war papers. Although, he weathered many battles in the war, his life was still cut short at 56. On Nov 5, 1892 he was killed by an explosion at a sawmill. His grandfather had brought the clan to Kentucky almost 100 years beforehand and had operated one of the first Gristmills in the region. Some stories I have seen say that Abraham was just riding by on horseback at the time of the accident. Whatever the cause, he left 6 children ages 7 to 19. Mincy followed him six years later at the age of 52. They were buried in Old Cub Run cemetery in Hart County, Ky.

Thomas F. Hall

Great-grandfather of Marshall A. Paris

Nelson Thomas Frazier Hall was born around Shelby County, Kentucky in 1840. His parents were Norman Franklin Hall and Naomi Hall. They were born in Virginia, but traveled to Kentucky at a young age. They were married June 27, 1834 in Shelby County, Kentucky. By 1843, they were living in Union County, Kentucky, eventually settling in the Grove Center area (then called Gum Grove). They had at least seven children together, of which, Thomas was the oldest known.

At the age of 22, Thomas enlisted in Company D, 10th Kentucky Cavalry (Johnson's Calvary) as a private, Sept 3, 1862. He was recruited by confederates in Union County and signed up for three years. Census records for his family do not indicate that they owned slaves. Perhaps his strong Virginia roots were his motivation for choosing sides. Recruitment in this regiment was helped greatly by Johnson's victories in capturing Newburg, Madisonville, Slaughters, etc, in the region during the summer of 1862.

Within a few months of enlisting, Thomas was promoted from private to 3rd corporal. Colonel Johnson, the commanding officer, originally intended the regiment to be a band of guerilla fighters in Western Kentucky. However, soon after formation, the regiment was called to Murfreesboro, Tennessee. There, they were attached to Brigadier General John Hunt Morgan's cavalry division.

Morgan led 4000 confederates (90% ky natives) from Alexandria, TN, on December 22, 1862.
They quickly marched about 50 miles to Tompkinsville, Ky, by the next night. On a cold Christmas Eve, the men continued on to Glasgow and took the city from a small Federal garrison. They then continued and camped in Upton for a few days while small detachments took out bridges and telegraph lines. The rebels marched on to Elizabethtown on the 27th where 650 union troops were garrisoned. After a troop and artillery assault on the town, the confederates took the town. They were welcomed by the residents with whiskey and Christmas festivities.

Morgan moved his troops north toward Bardstown. It was only the next day that Union troops arrived in Elizabethtown in chase. Amazingly, the confederates were able to stay out of the federals grasp and snuck from Bardstown to Tennessee in a snow storm at the close of the year.

Morgan led an even bigger venture in the summer of 1863. Against the orders of his commanding officers, he led a raid from Tennessee and through Kentucky to Indiana and Ohio. He raided the garrison in Lebanon, KY and moved on through Bardstown. They eventually crossed the Ohio River at Brandenburg and moved on to Corydon, IN where a battle was fought with militia. He crossed toward Ohio, looting small towns along the way. They then proceeded to a ford over the Ohio River to West Virginia. The Union Army anticipated his attempt to escape south and were ready with militia, cavalry and gunboats. In the Battle of Buffington Island, Morgan attempted to make a crossing but 750 of his remaining 1150 men were captured in the attempt. A second attempt caused many men to drown. With only 300 men eventually escaping to West Virginia.

Morgan succeeded in terrorizing the region and damaging bridges and rail. He also captured and parolled 6000 Union troops. Most of the men that followed him on this raid were sent to Camp Douglas in Illinois.

Thomas' war records are spotty. He was with Johnson's cavalry for the November and December rolls in 1862. This confirms he was most likely a part of the Christmas Raid. However, I have no attendance information for him until he was captured Sep 9 1863. At that time he was still with the 10th Ky Cavalry. So, I assume he stayed with them the whole time. It is only a theory that he was a part of Morgan's largest raid. In any event, he was not one of the men captured crossing the Ohio River. He made his way to Cumberland Gap. A garrison of 2300 men collected there with self dug trenches. On Sep 7th, large Union forces arrived and began demanding surrender. The confederate commander surrendered facing poor odds and the very low moral of his troops after news of Gettysburg and Vicksburg. So, at 3pm on Sep 9th the rebel forces surrendered unconditionally.

On Sep 26, 1863, Thomas Hall arrived at Camp Douglas, the most notorious prison camp in the North. 1 in 6 prisoners died there. This was largely due to poor sanitation, overcrowding, and inadequate food and clothing. Stories abound of rations being withheld and blankets taken away from prisoners. Many died of disease or froze to death in the bitterly cold Chicago winters. Still, Thomas survived two winters there. He was part of a prisoner exchange between North and South. He was released at Point Lookout, Maryland on Feb 24, 1865.

Thomas returned to Union County. In 1866, he married Susan Livesay. They had three children Ollie, Laura, and Charles. He got started making Wagons and working as a Blacksmith. Eventually, he took up farming like his father. He died in 1922 of dysentery and was buried in Bethel Cemetery.

William Brooks and Elizabeth

Family of Bobbie Cabell Merideth

Today I'm going to talk about William Brooks. William is my husbands ggg grandfather on the Merideth side of the family.

William Brooks was born in Pennsylvania in 1855. Both of his parents were also from Pennsylvania. Depending on the record, they were either born there or in Ireland. They died when he was quite young, and he was raised by a relative (perhaps a sister). Later, he moved to Tennessee where he met and married Elizabeth. Elizabeth was at least part Native American according to family lore. She was born about 1851 in Tennesee. Both of her parents were from Tennessee as well. Together, William and Elizabeth had seven children and eventually moved to Kentucky. First, they lived in East Fork, Metcalfe County, Kentucky. They are found there in the 1880 census. William is listed as a "laborer." Eventually the family moved to Adair County. The four youngest girls are found enrolled in school there in 1895.

Children of William and Elizabeth Brooks

1. Marion Brooks born c. 1869 in Tennessee
2. Charles Brooks born c. 1874 in Tennessee
3. Dina Brooks born c. 1876 in Tennessee
4. Margarett "Maggie" Brooks born c. 1878 in Tennessee
5. Anna B. "Annie" Brooks born c. 1882 in Kentucky and died c. 1906. She married Loren Washington Tabor in March 1901. They had three children together. 
6. Lou Ella Brooks born c. 1883 in Kentucky
7. Victoria "Bunch" Brooks born in April 1886 in Metcalfe, Kentucky and died Jan 1 1981 in Adair County. She married Joe F. Gadberry of Adair County Nov. 19 1903.

Elizabeth died before or after the family moved to Adair. William also married Clemma Melson. She died in childbirth and the baby didn't survive. William later married Ella Francis Floyd (Powell) 24 Nov 1893. She was a native of Adair County and the wedding took place there. They lived in Columbia, Kentucky. William worked as a stonemason. He built several walls around Columbia. Some are still standing. William and Ella had four children together. They are found in Columbia in both the 1900 and 1920 census.

Children of William and Ella Brooks.

1. Mike B. Brooks born August 31, 1896 in Columbia. He married Mabel J. Hall on April 19, 1919 in Indianapolis.
2. Cary Brooks born December 15, 1898 and died June 7, 1911, both in Adair County.
3. Rollin Brooks born c. 1901 in Kentucky.
4. Ida Mae Brooks born c. 1909 in Kentucky and died January 9, 1990 in Indianapolis, Indiana. She married Vernon Holt, Dec 22, 1923 in Indianapolis.

Cary died of Typhoid fever and pneumonia in 1911. Sometime after that the family moved to Indianapolis. In 1920, they lived on Concordia Street. William was a Fireman in a factory. He also had living with him his 18 year old grandson Earnest R. Tabor (son of Annie B. Brooks and L.W. Tabor). Earnest, Mike and Rollin were all working in an auto factory. By 1930, William and Ella are living with their daughter Ida Mae and her family. William listed his age as 75 and was still working at a Hosiery Mill. William died March 25, 1938 and was buried in New Crown Cemetery in Indianapolis.

Rody Lynn (c.1855-1896)

Family of Jeptha Moxley

Rody Lynn is my great great grandmother. She is an ancestor in our Moxley family tree. Rody was born about 1855 in Warren, Tennessee. Her parents were William Riley Lynn and Nancy Hobbs. Her family eventually came to Hurricane, Crittenden County, Ky. They are listed in the 1870 census there.

Rody married William E. Lynn on August 10th, 1874. He was born in Warren County as well and was 20 years old. I do not know if or how they were related. She was 19. The marriage was performed at Rody's house by Thomas Riley. Rody and William "Buddy" Lynn had at least four children together.

1. Richard Lynn
2. William Thomas Lynn b. March 1885. He married Mildred Hagger. They lived in Michigan.
3. Lacy Ellis Lynn b. March 4, 1889
4. Jennie Lynn b. Dec 1889, quite soon after Lacy, and d. May 13, 1965. She married Robert Earnest Guill

There is a gap between the next child and family has reported that Buddy Lynn had died before Katherion Lynn was born.

1. Katherion Lee Lynn (Dec 12, 1894- July 24, 1941) She married John Given Moxley in 1919. They had six children before she died at the age of 46 from diabetes.
2. Ada Mae Lynn b. May 1896.

Rody Lynn died sometime between 1896 and 1900. Her six children were left behind and distributed amongst relatives in Crittenden County. In 1900, they are found in the local census as follows. William T. Lynn is a servant in the home of William and Victoria Nation. Lacy Lynn is a servant in the home of Joel and Lorne Taber. Jennie Lynn was in the home of her uncle Richard and aunt Elizabeth Lynn. Richard was Rody's brother. Katherine was raised by George Barley and Catherine Beanblossom Barley. Ada lived with her second cousin Mary Isabelle Lynn and her husband William H. Riley.
To Do: locate birth and death records for Rody if they exist.
I always appreciate help from others. If you have additional information or a relation to the folks above please leave a comment.