James Braxton Whittemore was my great-grandfather. His story is a story to be told.
He was the son of John Robert and Sarah Jane Hurst Whittemore, and born around 1848. He married a little woman by the name of Francis "Fanny" Ann Henry, from Indiana. He farmed land on Whittemore Branch, in the Barnardsville, NC area. He cured his tobacco in a barn, and once raised 40 barns of tobacco in one year. He was also a carpenter, specializing in building and repairing wagons and carriages. He could make a whole wagon from beginning to end, which included putting the tire irons on. He used to make every part them, never using a nail. When fixing a broken wheel, he would break it down, fill it with pine tar, put a new rim and tire on it, and it would be as good as new. It was a big business, and he had his own shop which had all kinds of tools in it. He had several side jobs as well. He made caskets, built homes, and would sharpen and fix plows.
James enlisted in the civil war on July 23, 1861, joining as a private. He was wounded on Malvern Hill on July 1, 1862, during the last of the Seven Day Battle. He was sent home on furlough , only to return on Jan 3, 1863, soon after the death of his brother John. On July 30, 1863, he deserted. (Desertion in the south was a factor of large significance. Unsanitary conditions and insufficient pay lead to desertion among many. Inactive soldiers commonly became homesickness and depressed. Often loyalty choices were made between abandoning family or staying in the army.) It is unclear why he deserted, but based on his military records, the army put him on the Roll of Honor, due to the fact that he left because of his severe injuries on Malvern Hill. According to a letter written by his son William…" All I know about his service is that he joined the Southern army, went through as a foot soldier, was discharged, but drew no pension". When James returned from the army, he continued farming and building wagons.
He was the son of John Robert and Sarah Jane Hurst Whittemore, and born around 1848. He married a little woman by the name of Francis "Fanny" Ann Henry, from Indiana. He farmed land on Whittemore Branch, in the Barnardsville, NC area. He cured his tobacco in a barn, and once raised 40 barns of tobacco in one year. He was also a carpenter, specializing in building and repairing wagons and carriages. He could make a whole wagon from beginning to end, which included putting the tire irons on. He used to make every part them, never using a nail. When fixing a broken wheel, he would break it down, fill it with pine tar, put a new rim and tire on it, and it would be as good as new. It was a big business, and he had his own shop which had all kinds of tools in it. He had several side jobs as well. He made caskets, built homes, and would sharpen and fix plows.
James enlisted in the civil war on July 23, 1861, joining as a private. He was wounded on Malvern Hill on July 1, 1862, during the last of the Seven Day Battle. He was sent home on furlough , only to return on Jan 3, 1863, soon after the death of his brother John. On July 30, 1863, he deserted. (Desertion in the south was a factor of large significance. Unsanitary conditions and insufficient pay lead to desertion among many. Inactive soldiers commonly became homesickness and depressed. Often loyalty choices were made between abandoning family or staying in the army.) It is unclear why he deserted, but based on his military records, the army put him on the Roll of Honor, due to the fact that he left because of his severe injuries on Malvern Hill. According to a letter written by his son William…" All I know about his service is that he joined the Southern army, went through as a foot soldier, was discharged, but drew no pension". When James returned from the army, he continued farming and building wagons.
James Braxton Whittemore was my great-grandfather. His story is a story to be told.
He was the son of John Robert and Sarah Jane Hurst Whittemore, and born around 1848. He married a little woman by the name of Francis "Fanny" Ann Henry, from Indiana. He farmed land on Whittemore Branch, in the Barnardsville, NC area. He cured his tobacco in a barn, and once raised 40 barns of tobacco in one year. He was also a carpenter, specializing in building and repairing wagons and carriages. He could make a whole wagon from beginning to end, which included putting the tire irons on. He used to make every part them, never using a nail. When fixing a broken wheel, he would break it down, fill it with pine tar, put a new rim and tire on it, and it would be as good as new. It was a big business, and he had his own shop which had all kinds of tools in it. He had several side jobs as well. He made caskets, built homes, and would sharpen and fix plows.
James enlisted in the civil war on July 23, 1861, joining as a private. He was wounded on Malvern Hill on July 1, 1862, during the last of the Seven Day Battle. He was sent home on furlough , only to return on Jan 3, 1863, soon after the death of his brother John. On July 30, 1863, he deserted. (Desertion in the south was a factor of large significance. Unsanitary conditions and insufficient pay lead to desertion among many. Inactive soldiers commonly became homesickness and depressed. Often loyalty choices were made between abandoning family or staying in the army.) It is unclear why he deserted, but based on his military records, the army put him on the Roll of Honor, due to the fact that he left because of his severe injuries on Malvern Hill. According to a letter written by his son William…" All I know about his service is that he joined the Southern army, went through as a foot soldier, was discharged, but drew no pension". When James returned from the army, he continued farming and building wagons.
He was the son of John Robert and Sarah Jane Hurst Whittemore, and born around 1848. He married a little woman by the name of Francis "Fanny" Ann Henry, from Indiana. He farmed land on Whittemore Branch, in the Barnardsville, NC area. He cured his tobacco in a barn, and once raised 40 barns of tobacco in one year. He was also a carpenter, specializing in building and repairing wagons and carriages. He could make a whole wagon from beginning to end, which included putting the tire irons on. He used to make every part them, never using a nail. When fixing a broken wheel, he would break it down, fill it with pine tar, put a new rim and tire on it, and it would be as good as new. It was a big business, and he had his own shop which had all kinds of tools in it. He had several side jobs as well. He made caskets, built homes, and would sharpen and fix plows.
James enlisted in the civil war on July 23, 1861, joining as a private. He was wounded on Malvern Hill on July 1, 1862, during the last of the Seven Day Battle. He was sent home on furlough , only to return on Jan 3, 1863, soon after the death of his brother John. On July 30, 1863, he deserted. (Desertion in the south was a factor of large significance. Unsanitary conditions and insufficient pay lead to desertion among many. Inactive soldiers commonly became homesickness and depressed. Often loyalty choices were made between abandoning family or staying in the army.) It is unclear why he deserted, but based on his military records, the army put him on the Roll of Honor, due to the fact that he left because of his severe injuries on Malvern Hill. According to a letter written by his son William…" All I know about his service is that he joined the Southern army, went through as a foot soldier, was discharged, but drew no pension". When James returned from the army, he continued farming and building wagons.
Inscription
Field stone has fallen. Inscribed with the initials: "W. J. B."
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