Subject:
Pleasant and George Washington Gambrell
Date:
Sun, 19 Sep 1999 21:28:07 -0500
From:
Debbi McHenry
Organization:
Southwestern Bell Internet Services
To:
Robert Wade Gambrell
Names Mentioned:
Jemima Caroline Mitchell
Gambrell,Elvira Geer,
Emaline (Gambrell) Alexander and her husband William Carter
Alexander,George Washington Gambrell, and his younger brother Billy Gambrell,
Hester Huff,William Newton Mitchell, Marion Ephriam Mitchell,
Luther Gambrell, and Luther's first wife Clara,
the Garrett 's in Bowie, TX. ,Ephriam Mitchell and Edna Ester Wyatt Mitchell.
(See Mitchell-Pearman Book)
Emma Jane Alexander Martin,
William Oliver Alexander and his wife Louisa Telford Alexander,
his son William Carter Alexander and wife Narcissus Emaline Gambrell Alexander,
her two younger brothers,
George Washington Gambrell and William Ephriam Gambrell.
Sarah Mitchell Gilkerson and her two sons
Newt and Marion Mitchell, Jemima Caroline's brothers,
and a bachelor by the name of Venal Kay,Miss Betsy Alexander,
Capt. William Cox, Emma Jane Alexander
George Washington Gambrell
George Washington Gambrell was born in Honea Path, South Carolina in 1854 to Pleasant Marion and Jemima Caroline Mitchell Gambrell. His mother died in 1860. Pleasant Marion then married Elvira Geer. She was apparently cruel to the children and they ended up living with various members of Jemima Caroline's family in surrounding communities. His father, Pleasant Marion was killed October 19, 1864 at the Battle of Cedar Creek, VA.
In 1870, a small group of South Carolinians came by ship from Charleston, SC to Galveston, TX. They then traveled by railroad to a small Seventh Day Adventist community called Keene, TX just South of Ft. Worth, Texas. George Washington and his younger brother Billy came with his sister Emaline and her husband William Carter Alexander. Their mother's sister, Sarah and two of Jemima's brother, William Newton and Marion Ephriam Mitchell came to Texas with the same group. George Washington continued practicing the belief of worshiping on Saturday throughout his life time. He later joined the Baptist denomination and worshiped both on Saturday and Sunday. He married Hester Huff in 1877. they farmed and lived in the Keene area where all of their children were born. They later moved to Bowie, TX area where he continued to farm. G. W. and Hester later moved to Oklahoma to help Luther with his children after the death of Luther's first wife Clara in 1920. Hester died in March of 1929. G. W. died the following November while visiting the Garrett 's in Bowie, TX. Both Hester and G. W. are buried in the North Burns Cemetery just South of Burns Flat, OK.
Taken from the CORDELL BEACON Thursday November 21, 1929
Luther Gambrell was called Saturday to Bowie, Texas where his father was ill. Word was received Monday that he had died about 3 O'clock in the morning. His body will be brought back to Dill City for burial in the North Burns Cemetery.
Pleasant Marion Gambrell
Pleasant Marion Gambrell was a prosperous farmer in the area in Anderson County, SC He was said to be tall and slender with a soldierly bearing. It is said that he had numerous slaves and an extensive farm operation.
Jemima Caroline Mitchell Gambrell was a lady of distinction and delicate beauty, with blue eyes and blonde hair. She was the daughter of Ephriam Mitchell and Edna Ester Wyatt Mitchell. (See Mitchell-Pearman Book)
After the death of Caroline in 1860, Pleasant married Elvira Geer. It was said that his children did not get along with her and upon his enlistment in the Confederate Army, they went to live with other relatives of Jemima Caroline's in the area of Honea Path.
Pleasant Marion enlisted in the SC Volunteer Army on April 14, 1861; two days after the Confederate Army fired the first shot at Ft. Sumter. First in the 4th Inf. Co. J, Sergeant. the in the 20th Co. E, also referred to as the 13th. He then enlisted in Co. E. 20 Reg. S. C. Infantry on March 2, 1863.( *Please see letter Re: SC Soldiers dated 16, July 1998 explaining the Units.) His name is on the muster rolls through June of 1864, the last payroll records. According to the records from the Battle of Gettysburg, Co. E. SC was under the command of Jubal Early in Kershaw's Brigade. Therefore, I can't help but wonder if he were at that battle. The proximity of Winchester, Va. would lead me to believe it is possible.
Pleasant Marion was killed on October 19, 1864 in the Battle of Cedar Creek, VA. Place of burial is unknown. There are many graves of unknown Confederate soldiers at the Stonewall Jackson Cemetery in Winchester near the battle site. The director of the battle field museum directed me to that location since the dead were taken there for burial following the battle. (D. McHenry)
*******
Emma Jane Alexander Martin wrote a letter in September of 1965 about her Grandparents, Narcissa Emaline and William Carter Alexander. The following are quotes from the letter written to Boyce S. Mitchell.
"In 1870 a small colony of south Carolinians came to Texas from Charleston to Galveston by ship. They then came by railroad to Keene, TX. In this group were the following people: William Oliver Alexander and his wife Louisa Telford Alexander, his son William Carter Alexander and wife Narcissus Emaline Gambrell Alexander, her two younger brothers, George Washington Gambrell and William Ephriam Gambrell.
Sarah Mitchell Gilkerson and her two sons. ( She was Jemima Caroline's younger sister. According to the Mitchell-Pearman book, she had a younger sister named Sarah who married a Gilkerson.) and her two sons George and Willie.( William Gilkerson married Julia Huff in 1877, sister to G.W. Gambrell's wife Hester)
Newt and Marion Mitchell, Jemima Caroline's brothers, and a bachelor by the name of Venal Kay.
Miss Betsy Alexander, spinster sister of William Oliver Alexander (d.1873) buried at Cleburne, TX.
This is a list given to me by my father. W. O. Alexander died about 1872 and is buried at Thorpe Springs, TX. His wife Louisa Telford Alexander is buried at Cleburne, TX (died 1872).
I often visited with my grandparents and they loved to tell stories of the Civil War. Grandmother, in her last days, thought that she was living again in the time. She would call her little brothers and felt that because they didn't come that they were hiding from the Yankees or that they had to hide from their stepmother. she was planning to run away from her childhood home, taking her little family with her because they were just not going to stay and be treated that way!!! (Reference to Elvira Geer, mean stepmother) She did indeed end up selling the plantation and took all the proceeds for herself after P. M. death. The children did incidentally go to Belton where their mother's brother in law, William Cox, took them in and gave them a home. Narcissus Emaline was 11 years old when her mother died. I believe that she was 13 or 14 when she and her brothers went to live with Capt. Cox, she called him "Cousin Billy". she told stories of the plantation. it was her duty to carry the keys to the Commissary and give each slave their bacon and supplies each week. She also did spinning for the family. My grandfather met her in the spinning house when he called on Capt. Cox. My father is the oldest son of William Carter and Narcissus E. Alexander." These last notes by Emma Jane Alexander Granddaughter of Emma and Will.
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