Help with research accessing microfilms

[oneofakind190]

I'm trying to find information about a relative Braxton Johnson whom according to North Carolina Troops 1861-1865 A Roster Vol XIV Infantry. Jordan he served in the 58th NC infantry Co I but I can't find any other information anywhere, even on Fold3.

He has a brother Madison Johnson who also served in the 58th and is recorded in Microfilm M230 Roll 20.

Is there a way to view this microfilm? I know Family Search supposedly has a search like it but it doesn't turn anything up. Are there any digitized version of the microfilm anyone knows of?

 

[lupaglupa]

There are a number of Johnsons in the 58th, as well as a couple of Johnstons. The records for this unit are pretty good, so it's weird that Braxton isn't in there. My first instinct is to wonder if one of the other Johnson's is him, but the first name is wrong. They mixed him with another guy, of filed him under his middle name (a frequent thing in the south). My next thought is he got filed with another unit during the consolidations. But honestly none of those theories worked when I checked them. So......

I have to get off now - sorry! - but will come back with info on finding the microfilm.

 

[lupaglupa]

Can you tell me where you got the microfilm number from and where the source says it is located? I can't find it using what you've given me.

 

[lelliott19]

There is a Braxton Johnston filed in the Miscellaneous listed as a conscript working as a blacksmith at the CS Arsenal Columbus, GA. Unfortunately, this is the only card. Johnson and Johnston were often mis-spelled/used interchangeably so there is no way to be sure this is the man you seek. I believe your Braxton Johnson was born in 1823, so his age in 1864 would have been 41 - meaning he fell within the reporting requirement of men between 18 and 45 years. These were reported due to changing conscription laws. In case any of them were capable of field service.

Confederate Conscription Age Ranges
April 1862: able bodied white men age 18-35
February 1864: expanded to include ages 17-50. Men in the 17-18 and 45-50 age groups were originally assigned to State service (reserves and local defense).

This roll was recorded in April 1864, so your Braxton Johnson then age 40 or 41, could have been conscripted in February 1864 and assigned to service in the CS Arsenal. I'm not saying this is definitely him. Just saying circumstantial evidence doesn't preclude it from being him.

 

[oneofakind190]

There are a number of Johnsons in the 58th, as well as a couple of Johnstons. The records for this unit are pretty good, so it's weird that Braxton isn't in there. My first instinct is to wonder if one of the other Johnson's is him, but the first name is wrong. They mixed him with another guy, of filed him under his middle name (a frequent thing in the south). My next thought is he got filed with another unit during the consolidations. But honestly none of those theories worked when I checked them. So......

I have to get off now - sorry! - but will come back with info on finding the microfilm.

I got Madison's microfilm info when looking him up in the national park service soldier search feature

 

[oneofakind190]

There is a Braxton Johnston filed in the Miscellaneous listed as a conscript working as a blacksmith at the CS Arsenal Columbus, GA. Unfortunately, this is the only card. Johnson and Johnston were often mis-spelled/used interchangeably so there is no way to be sure this is the man you seek. I believe your Braxton Johnson was born in 1823, so his age in 1864 would have been 41 - meaning he fell within the reporting requirement of men between 18 and 45 years. These were reported due to changing conscription laws. In case any of them were capable of field service.

Confederate Conscription Age Ranges
April 1862: able bodied white men age 18-35
February 1864: expanded to include ages 17-50. Men in the 17-18 and 45-50 age groups were originally assigned to State service (reserves and local defense).

This roll was recorded in April 1864, so your Braxton Johnson then age 40 or 41, could have been conscripted in February 1864 and assigned to service in the CS Arsenal. I'm not saying this is definitely him. Just saying circumstantial evidence doesn't preclude it from being him.
View attachment 561536

Thank you so much for the info. My Braxton was born in 1823 in western North Carolina so not sure why he would end up in Georgia. The book that mentioned him did state there weren't any other record but that they were able to assign him a company suggest they found something. I spoke with the publishing company of the book and they say all their old records were destroyed when they moved buildings so I've been searching for whatever source they found.

 

[lelliott19]

My Braxton was born in 1823 in western North Carolina so not sure why he would end up in Georgia.

A number of older conscripts, unfit for field service, were sent to various armories, arsenals, powder works, and what have you. Columbus GA would not have been out of the question for assignment of a western NC conscript.

 

[lupaglupa]

I got Madison's microfilm info when looking him up in the national park service soldier search feature

Oh dear. Even before the government decided to abandon it, I never used this database. It has the worst search function ever devised. I have done several searches attempting to find Braxton and NONE brought me any useful information. I have tried every combination of his names, looked at all of the soldiers for the 58th, tried variants.... nothing brings me anything with a match.

I do see when I look at record for other men the film numbers you have gotten for Braxton. I can pull up the Library of Congress listing for the microfilm but it just tells me the information is on Fold3.

I would suggest that if you want to see the original microfilm you contact the Library of Congress. I wish I could be of more help.

 

[oneofakind190]

A number of older conscripts, unfit for field service, were sent to various armories, arsenals, powder works, and what have you. Columbus GA would not have been out of the question for assignment of a western NC conscript.

That is interesting I'll have to look into that. Would there have been field service roles assigned to infantry units as well?

 

[oneofakind190]

Oh dear. Even before the government decided to abandon it, I never used this database. It has the worst search function ever devised. I have done several searches attempting to find Braxton and NONE brought me any useful information. I have tried every combination of his names, looked at all of the soldiers for the 58th, tried variants.... nothing brings me anything with a match.

I do see when I look at record for other men the film numbers you have gotten for Braxton. I can pull up the Library of Congress listing for the microfilm but it just tells me the information is on Fold3.

I would suggest that if you want to see the original microfilm you contact the Library of Congress. I wish I could be of more help.

I don't think I'll be able to physically visit it. I was hoping that in today's technology it would have been scanned already by now and viewable somewhere. If it's not I'm not sure why it hasn't but I think I read a lot of it was used to create Fold3 but I would like to view the original film scans to see if there were any mislabeled or missed records.

 

[lelliott19]

I got Madison's microfilm info when looking him up in the national park service soldier search feature

Madison was younger. His carded records are available at Fold3, a subscription data base and filed with the 58th NC. He enlisted January 27, 1862 at Watauga County into Company D at age 30. He mustered into service January (or June) 1862 at Boone NC. A claim was filed for his back pay dated March 2, 1863 -- which says he died at Big Creek TN, date not specified. But his death had to occur prior to March, 1863. Let me know if you need any of his carded records.

 

[lelliott19]

I don't think I'll be able to physically visit it. I was hoping that in today's technology it would have been scanned already by now and viewable somewhere. If it's not I'm not sure why it hasn't but I think I read a lot of it was used to create Fold3 but I would like to view the original film scans to see if there were any mislabeled or missed records.

Contact @Bob Velke He goes to the National Archives all the time and retrieves records for people vis his service Gopher Records. If anyone can find records that are not catalogued in Fold 3 it's Bob.

 

[oneofakind190]

Madison was younger. His carded records are available at Fold3, a subscription data base and filed with the 58th NC. He enlisted January 27, 1862 at Watauga County into Company D at age 30. He mustered into service January (or June) 1862 at Boone NC. A claim was filed for his back pay dated March 2, 1863 -- which says he died at Big Creek TN, date not specified. But his death had to occur prior to March, 1863. Let me know if you need any of his carded records.

Thank you. Yes he has much better documented records. I was hoping with him being in the same Infantry Regiment that Braxton was he would also show up in the same Microfilm as him, maybe mislabeled or overlooked.

 

[lelliott19]

Thank you. Yes he has much better documented records. I was hoping with him being in the same Infantry Regiment that Braxton was he would also show up in the same Microfilm as him, maybe mislabeled or overlooked.

There are no carded records filed in the 58th NC for Braxton Johnson, Braxton Johnston. or any similar name. There are some records filed with the 58th NC for a Bartlett Johnson - the closest to Braxton. But Bartlett seems to have been the brother of Madison and Braxton - all sons of henry Harrison Johnson of Watauga, NC. Do you know if Braxton had a middle name he might have gone by? Here are the names of the men with last name Johnson for which carded records exist in the 58th NC.

Would there have been field service roles assigned to infantry units as well?

Yes, infantry units were "field service." Older guys incapable of camp life and the challenges of life "on the march" were often assigned to support roles such as those I described. It's possible that your Braxton Johnson was one of these older conscripts who was unfit for such service and so was assigned to a support role in an arsenal, armory, or powder works. He may have originally asked for assignment to the 58th NC but was unfit for service with that regiment's grueling field service. Older guys were also sometimes assigned to Quartermaster services, nitre bureau, and other support roles. But since there's a carded record for a guy named Braxton Johnston, I'd start there. Do you happen to know if he was a blacksmith at any point in his life? For example is he enumerated on the 1850 or 1860 US census as a blacksmith?

 

[oneofakind190]

There are no carded records filed in the 58th NC for Braxton Johnson, Braxton Johnston. or any similar name. There are some records filed with the 58th NC for a Bartlett Johnson - the closest to Braxton. But Bartlett seems to have been the brother of Madison and Braxton - all sons of henry Harrison Johnson of Watauga, NC. Do you know if Braxton had a middle name he might have gone by? Here are the names of the men with last name Johnson for which carded records exist in the 58th NC.
View attachment 561569

Yes, infantry units were "field service." Older guys incapable of camp life and the challenges of life "on the march" were often assigned to support roles such as those I described. It's possible that your Braxton Johnson was one of these older conscripts who was unfit for such service and so was assigned to a support role in an arsenal, armory, or powder works. He may have originally asked for assignment to the 58th NC but was unfit for service with that regiment's grueling field service. Older guys were also sometimes assigned to Quartermaster services, nitre bureau, and other support roles. But since there's a carded record for a guy named Braxton Johnston, I'd start there. Do you happen to know if he was a blacksmith at any point in his life? For example is he enumerated on the 1850 or 1860 US census as a blacksmith?

His middle initial is J. He was a farmer all his life but might have had other skills too.

 

[lupaglupa]

I think your guess that there might be something in the original records that isn't available in what's been digitized is a good one. You would not need to go to the Library of Congress to find out what they have - you can contact them using an online form with a research request. Or hire someone like @Bob Velke as @lelliott19 mentioned. But I do think it's unlikely that he would be on muster rolls and not get picked up in some way. So he either served as support troops, as @lelliott19 suggested, or showed up and was sent home before actually getting on the rolls.

Have you checked to see if he applied for a pension?