James J. Gathings -- Why a Colonel?

[DixieRifles]

James Jackson Gathings, Sr., moved from N. Carolina to Mississippi and then to Texas by 1852, where he founded the town of Covington and also Gathing's College.

Find-A-Grave Link:
http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=30646877

This seems to be well documented but I'm trying to find out why was he a "Colonel"?
He was rich enough in 1860 to form his own regiment but I don't see that in Fold3 records.
If he had prior military service, then I would expect he would had seen a lot of service and/or graduated from West Point. Maybe he served in Mexican War? None of this really explains why he was a Colonel.
Being from Texas, I also wondered if he might have been a colonel in the Texas Rangers or some other unit. Maybe he was simply a Mason.

Did James Gathings have any military service?

{Edited}
Link to marker for Gathings College
http://www.stoppingpoints.com/texas/sights.cgi?marker=Gathings+College&cnty=hill

Quote:
Established about 1860 by the founder of Covington, Col. James Gathings, and his brother Philip. Over 200 students enrolled. A military department prepared young men for duty in Civil War. Many of the 25 colleges in Confederate Texas closed, due to shortage of teachers and books. But college here stayed open. Col. Gathings operated flour mill, tannery, shoe shop, machine shop (made wagons, coffins, farm equipment), brick kiln, saddlery. To needy families of soldiers he gave flour, meat and shoes. He also mounted, clothed and equipped army units free.

 

[mcfb50]

I wonder if it wasn't an honorary title. See page 463.

https://books.google.com/books?id=X...HS3OBwcQ6AEILjAH#v=onepage&q=gathings&f=false

 

[mcfb50]

Entry two asked the same question: https://www.tsl.texas.gov/news/ifounditinthearchives/vote.html

 

[ErnieMac]

I wonder if it had something to do with the military department at Gathings College. The superintendents at VMI, the Citadel, Louisiana State Seminary of Learning & Military Academy, etc. had military ranks. I'm not sure if they derived from the state or from the school, itself.

 

[DaveBrt]

Page 463 of mcfb50's first link says he was offered the rank by Sam Houston, but declined. He also declined the rank of BG. I suspect the title was honorary after Houston's offer.

 

[AndyHall]

Prominent men in the South often were bestowed courtesy military titles, on the flimsiest of excuses. Lawrence Daffan, who I've written about several times, was universally known as "Colonel Daffan" in his later years, even though he was a teen-aged buck private during the war. In short, there may not be a clear explanation.

Another veteran of the Fourth Texas, Val Giles, poked fun at this phenomenon:

It is over, and we are all officers now!
It's General That and Colonel This
And Captain So and So.
There's not a private in the list
No matter where you go.

The men who fought the battles then,
Who burned the powder and lead,
And lived on hardtack made of beans
Are promoted now—or dead.​

 

[DixieRifles]

Entry two asked the same question: https://www.tsl.texas.gov/news/ifounditinthearchives/vote.html

I like that!! Wow!
Thanks so much.

This is not MY ancestor but one of my non-blood kin. They were also questioning the link to Sam Houston. I couldn't figure out a connection but I assumed he was well into retirement age by 1860.

 

[Private Watkins]

Prominent men in the South often were bestowed courtesy military titles

Yes it's been known to happen...
http://www.todayifoundout.com/index.php/2014/04/colonel-sanders-actually-colonel/

 

[AndyHall]

Yes it's been known to happen...

Now, I'm going to defend Harlan Sanders against all comers on this one. . . . A Kentucky Colonel is a Kentucky Colonel.

 

[mcfb50]

Yes it's been known to happen...
http://www.todayifoundout.com/index.php/2014/04/colonel-sanders-actually-colonel/

Ha! After reading Andy's comment earlier today I went directly to google to check if he was legit or not.

 

[mcfb50]

Now, I'm going to defend Harlan Sanders against all comers on this one. . . . A Kentucky Colonel is a Kentucky Colonel.

Which of course begs the question whether you are also a defender of Nebraska Admirals.

 

[CMWinkler]

Tennessee Governors are also permitted to give honorary Colonelcies in the Tennessee Militia and often do so.

 

[GELongstreet]

...A Kentucky Colonel is a Kentucky Colonel...

And a Nebraska Admiral is a Nebraska Admiral ... though probably even the honorary is honorary.

 

[AndyHall]

I didn't know there was such a thing as a Nebraska Admiral. But they're all honorary titles.

 

[MissREP]

I did a quick Fold3 search and found an 18-year-old Pvt. James Gathings (his son perhaps) in the 12th Tex. Cav. But that's it within anything near the right time. However, like the others were saying, it could be an honorary title.

 

[Northern Light]

Now, I'm going to defend Harlan Sanders against all comers on this one. . . . A Kentucky Colonel is a Kentucky Colonel.

Especially when he brings fried chicken to the picnic!

 

[DixieRifles]

I did a quick Fold3 search and found an 18-year-old Pvt. James Gathings (his son perhaps) in the 12th Tex. Cav.

Yes. Here is Find-a-Grave site: http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=62971217

But the person I'm doing this for is not a descendant of that child but one of the other ones.

 

[52ndFandS]

I like that!! Wow!
Thanks so much.

This is not MY ancestor but one of my non-blood kin. They were also questioning the link to Sam Houston. I couldn't figure out a connection but I assumed he was well into retirement age by 1860.

Well I'll be. I'm a relation to the Colonel as well.

 

[Borderruffian]

If he formed a Regiment he may have been voted it's Regimental Commander, a Colonels billet. One could be voted Commander without Military training, deployment or real ability. As has been said it my have been honorary In the South the honorific Colonel was often used for the wealthy and large land owners.

 

[52ndFandS]

If he formed a Regiment he may have been voted it's Regimental Commander, a Colonels billet. One could be voted Commander without Military training, deployment or real ability. As has been said it my have been honorary In the South the honorific Colonel was often used for the wealthy and large land owners.

It wasvcomkon for a colonel to be a rich, powerful person. It gave the power to start a militia. In cases of conflict, should it arise the duty of the day-to-day day was left to the luetenant colonel.