How Rare is it?

[58th Virginia]

There are posts from members asking about their "Great, Great" or "Great, Great, Great" Grandfathers but how rare is it to know someone whose "Great Grandfather" was in the Civil War. Evidently each child was born later in life, but my friend in question is also only 64.

Same family, same person, but her Grandfather lived well into his 90's. To say that she knew and talked to someone whose "Father" was in the Civil War, seems pretty amazing to me. He passed on in '79 when she was 26. I sure would have loved the chance to talk to him. How rare would you say this is? And what would be your close connection?

 

[LoriAnn]

My mother (87 years old) can say this, as her Great Grandfather is our Union soldier. She did know his son, her Grandfather, but she did not like him very much, so there wasn't a whole lot of conversation between the two.

She has no recollection of any discussion about her Great Grandfather or the war, either from her Grandfather or her father. We only have two photos of him that I know of, and nothing else. No one seems particularly impressed with our family history. I'm pretty much it.

I came along much later in life (I'm 47), so people are surprised when they find out my father is a WW2 veteran. You can imagine it's not too often I find someone my age who has a GG Grandparent who was a CW vet.

 

[NH Civil War Gal]

It depends on longevity and birth order. I'm 60. My grandfather was born in 1869 and I saw him at least once a week for 10 years and often stayed with him and an aunt (his daughter 1897). My grandfather lived until 1969 - sharp as a tack. His sisters (which I also knew) lived to 98 and 107 - again sharp. I have a picture of my daughter in 1996 being held by her great-great-aunt at 106 (still living in her own home).

So... my paternal grandparents took care of two CW vets (brothers) for a number of years. My father was about 15 and 18 when each died. I have their CW gaming table (checkers).

So it is possible but again the birth order, longevity, and mental acuity all have to be there.

 

[John Winn]

Pretty common I'd say. Both my gg grandfathers were in the Civil War (I'm 67). Both of them died before my parents came along so neither parent knew their grandparents. However, I'm sure they knew a lot of Civil War veterans. Geez, the last veteran died when I was eight.

 

[captaindrew]

The closest CW veteran connection I have is my GG Uncle who lived till 1927. It's likely my Grandfather met him as a child, I wished I had asked him. He talked about him quite a bit but I can't recall any personal memories he had of him. When I was young I remember my grandmother telling me stories about her grandparents who were German immigrants in NYC at the time of the CW and witnessed the draft riots and saw Lincoln's funeral train. I sure wish I had taken some notes and wrote some of that stuff down at the time. Sadly the generation between me and my grandparents didn't care much about it.

 

[Ferd454231]

There are posts from members asking about their "Great, Great" or "Great, Great, Great" Grandfathers but how rare is it to know someone whose "Great Grandfather" was in the Civil War. Evidently each child was born later in life, but my friend in question is also only 64.

Same family, same person, but her Grandfather lived well into his 90's. To say that she knew and talked to someone whose "Father" was in the Civil War, seems pretty amazing to me. He passed on in '79 when she was 26. I sure would have loved the chance to talk to him. How rare would you say this is? And what would be your close connection?

I am sure it is getting rarer and rarer. I am 70 and my grandfather told me a little bit about his Dad. Great grandpa did not talk much about the war but he did tell my grandpa about his participation in the battle of Brown's Ferry. He was in Hazen's brigade and floated in the barges to secure the landings. He told grandpa that someone sneezed and started the whole battle early. I can remember my grandpa dismissing the whole story by saying to me (age 12) "Pop was a G-D liar". Grandpa died before I found out the story was largely true. H

 

[Old Texas Reb]

I'll be 77 in July but my family tended to marry late. My great grandfather was born in 1827, lived until 1916. Grandfather born in 1870, father in 1900. My Mom was born in 1897 and lived until 1988. My Uncle Paul (on mother's side) served in the Spanish American War. However, I never knew much about him until well after his death in 1971.

The only Civil War connection is through my great grandfather, who was a friend and business associate of U.S. Grant in the 1850's before the war.

 

[Booner]

My Grandfather was born in 1890, and his grandfather (the Civil War Vet) died in 1922. Both lived in the same small town so they knew each other well. My Grandfather was a combat veteran of WWI so I can imagine that the two of them shared some war stories, but Grandpa never told me any and wouldn't talk about his service. Perhaps it was because I was just a kid asking him stupid question like "did you shoot anyone?" I had a couple of elderly cousins (my grandfather's nieces), who also knew our CW ancestor as young girls and they would often speak of him in glowing terms. My interest in the CW came through these 3 ancestors; from their stories and their books. So I consider that I'm only one generation removed from the CW.

 

[MattL]

My closest is a 2x great grandfather and my father is still living so his great grandfather served. Unfortunately my father's great grandfather and grandfather died by the time his father (my grandfather) was 3 years old, so there was no personal connection beyond that point.

 

[CSA Today]

My father knew his paternal grandfather (40th North Carolina Regt., 3rd artillery) and his grandfather's older brother (6th Mississippi Infantry).

 

[NH Civil War Gal]

My father knew his paternal grandfather (40th North Carolina Regt., 3rd artillery) and his grandfather's older brother (6th Mississippi Infantry).

Was he fortunate enough to ask and collect their war stories?

 

[CSA Today]

Was he fortunate enough to ask and collect their war stories?

Yes, he was eleven when his grandfather died and thirteen when the grand uncle died. He, as was I, named for the grandfather. When the uncle came home for visits from Mississippi, my father remembered them speaking Gaelic between themselves, but would tell him war stories in English.

 

[NH Civil War Gal]

That's amazing with them speaking Gaelic! Were they emigrants from either Scotland or Ireland?

 

[CSA Today]

That's amazing with them speaking Gaelic! Were they emigrants from either Scotland or Ireland?

Their father was from Scotland. The region was settled by Highlanders. Gaelic started to decline after about 1850 as other people started to move in -- mainly Welsh here. Gaelic lasted longer in the churches -- mostly Presbyterian. The language last gasp probable came in the 1930s when a special church service was held for the old-timers

 

[Karen Lips]

I knew my great grandparents from my mother's side of the family. Both of their fathers fought for the South in the Civil War.

 

[Stone in the wall]

Might not be so uncommon as one might think. Talking to a friend from Loudon county, he mentioned his G or GG grandfather (I don't remember) fought in the Stonewall Brigade. What regiment? 33rd Va. Mine to, what company? Company H. Mine was also in H. His dads brothers son lives a little over a mile down the road from me. Chances of 2 men living in Page county 150 years ago, having great grandsons living a mile apart in West Va?

 

[Lost Cause]

I knew a gentleman (recently passed) whose grandfather was in Pickett's Division (Corse's Brigade) as I recall.

 

[Copperhead-mi]

How about the 10th President (1841 - 1845) of the United States, John Tyler, having two grandsons still alive as of 2018?

https://www.usnews.com/news/us/arti...ler-born-in-1790-still-has-2-living-grandsons