June 13, 1901

[East Tennessee Roots]

123 years ago today, my paternal great-great-grandfather (and my Avatar), David Land, Confederate Veteran of Company I 13th NC Infantry, filed for a Confederate pension in Caldwell County, NC. He was 76 (my current age) and gave his post office location as Draco. He says he enlisted on March 1, 1863. He probably joined the regiment in Virginia about March 1st but in 1864. He was probably taken in the last conscription in Feb.1864. David reported for training to Camp Vance, Morganton, NC on Feb.14, 1864, leaving his wife, Rebecca Knight Land, and seven children aged 13 to newborn. He managed to survive The Overland Campaign and the Siege of Petersburg. He was captured on April 2, 1865, and spent two months as a POW at Hart's Island, NY. The examining physician wrote the following:

"the applicant received no wound but was injured in health in service in the Confederate Army. David is now very old and infirm and is unable to do more than a fourth manual labor".

David's signed witness was James Knight. James was David's nephew. One of four sons of David's sister, Frances Cecilla Land Knight. James' father, John Joseph Knight was Rebecca Knight Land's brother. James was one of three brothers serving in Company A 22nd North Carolina Infantry. He along with his brother, John Knight voluntarily surrendered on Feb.20, 1865. Brother, Thomas, was paroled at Appomattox. A fourth brother, David Marion Knight served in the 39th NC and was wounded at Chickamauga. He became a well-known Pastor and Evangelist in Western NC and East Tennessee following the war. He married David Land and his second wife, Sarah Kerley in Dec. 1874 and also married several of David Land's children.

David Land probably passed between 1901 and 1906. In July 1906 Sarah filed a widow's pension on the service of her first husband, James S. Reid who served in Co.G 37th NC and died in 1864. David and Rebecca have a Find-A-Grave page that says they are buried at Little Rock Baptist Church in Wilkes County. I believe that's because they had a son buried there. So far, David's burial site is unknown.

David's second wife, Sarah Kerley Reid, Land (1835-1923)

David & Sarah's only child, Hannah Ninabelle Land Crisp (1878-1965). Hannah, her husband, and her mother were school teachers.

Baptist Minister David Marion Knight Confederate Veteran of the 39th NC.

 

[lupaglupa]

A number of my family members had family as witnesses to their need and/or infirmity. Today I think we'd call that a conflict of interest!

 

[nc native]

Here are the pension applications from my 2x Great Grandfather Wiley W. Russell who served Company K of the 34th NC Infantry from 1885 and 1901. Despite evidence of being wounded at Second Manassas he was turned down both times. Wiley Russell died in 1907 at the age of 83.