Lost Confederate

[Ole Miss]

While searching for ancestors buried in the Tula Cemetery in Tula, Lafayette County, MS today, I found the grave of a Confederate soldier who served in an Alabama unit who has a Confederate stone. His name is Aaron Wooton a member of Company K, 41st Alabama Infantry and lived from 1831 to 1919. I looked him up on my Ancestry site and discovered he was a member of the 41st but little beyond that. He is on a film number M374 roll 49 but I do not understand exactly what that is.

He is buried next to his wife, Luvenia who lived from 1836 to 1908 but if she is from the area I am unable to determine. He is from Pickens County, AL and how he ended up in the little community of Tula is a mystery.
I have not found him in any census records for either MS or AL but I have very poor skills. I took a picture of their stones but do not know how to put it on this message.

If anyone assist with this search I would be much beholden. Perhaps a family member of his might see this post or someone who has an interest in the 41st Alabama.
Regards
David

 

[DixieRifles]

His name appears in the service records spelled 3 different ways. So that makes it hard to search the Census records.

He is found in Pickens County of the Census Records at the bottom of the page. Two children are on the top of the next pages.

Census - US Federal 1860 › ... Alabama › Pickens › Henrys Beat › Page 110

 

[Ole Miss]

Dixie
Thank you so much for the assistance as it gives me a starting point.
Regards
David

 

[DixieRifles]

My searches for WOOTEN failed on the Census. So I just searched "Aaron" in Pickens County---much easier. This says the entire family was born in Alabama. My COLE's moved to Allybama in 1840's but soon left for Missippy.

Let me know if you need more pages of his Service Records. They are a little washed out. It says he was transferred to a hospital so his date of death may be (much) later than the Battle of Stones River.

@Ole Miss
PS: My 1st cousin moved from Vicksburg after living there 37 years. He now lives in Oxford. I plan to go crash his pad one day.

 

[DixieRifles]

Here is a list of names found in the 41st Alabama Regiment. As you can see, there are duplicates due to spelling of the surname. There may also be duplicates for "J.E." and "J" and "James E". However, these could be cousins with similar family names. The three versions of "Aaron" is the first one, the "A. Wooten" and the "Aaron Wooton". The duplicates have an index card that says to see the other name.

You need to check this list with other brothers, fathers and uncles of your ancestor. They must be related.

 

[Mike Serpa]

At Find A Grave -

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/165903503/aaron-wootan

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/34084911/luvenia-m.p.-wootan

 

[Ole Miss]

Dixie
The funny thing is he is not any kin but it moved me seeing him buried in a very small community with his wife and no other family nearby to them. I would appreciate all the info you have just because I have become very interested in his life. I believe in died in 1919 though his unit was at Stone's River Battle I am not sure he was. Holler at me when you make it to Oxford to see your cousin.

Mike that is the same photo I took so thank you for posting his and his wife's.
Regards
David

 

[connecticut yankee]

There seems to be two more Wootan/Wooten/Wooton buried in Tulsa Cemetery in addition to Aaron and wife Luvenia.

NAME BIRTH Death
Wootan, Aaron 1831 -- --- -----1919
Wootan, Luvenia M.P. Coleman 01 Oct 1836---01 May 1909
Wooten, Aaron -- Apr 1857 -- ----Apr 1919
Wooten, Martha Luvenia P 01 Oct 1833--- 01 May 1908

Source: genealogytrails.com/miss/lafayette/cemeteries/tula.htm

 

[DixieRifles]

I believe in died in 1919 though his unit was at Stone's River Battle I am not sure he was.

Oh. I jumped the gun to look up his records that I didn't notice he survived the War. The card that I posted was something link No. 16. That is typical statement to say he was recorded as wounded after the battle. I will see what else there is on him.

 

[Ole Miss]

Connecticut Yankee
Thank you for the web site and the names. I have been through the Tula cemetery twice recently and have discovered the grave markers for
Wootan, Aaron -- --- 1831 -- --- 1919
Wootan, Luvenia M.P. Coleman 01 Oct 1836 01 May 1909
Now there is an obvious problem with the two names below as Aaron was a member of the 41st Alabama so the April 1857 date is spurious and the Martha Luvenia P is listed as Luvernia MP on the stone as provided by the photo from Mike above. I wonder if the P stood for maiden name? On the Find a Grave site they have her name as Luvernia M.P. Coleman? Where did that come from? Is it reliable?
There are a couple of omissions in the Tula cemetery web site so I will attempt to contact the web site host.
Thank all of you for your assistance and please keep it up. I would dearly love to know the story how he ended up in a small, less than 2 acres, cemetery 17 miles from Oxford? "Curiouser and curiouser!" to quote a well known author.
Regards
David

 

[connecticut yankee]

From research on the web I'm all but certain your Aaron Wootan was born in South Carolina, not Alabama. His wife Martha Lavenia Coleman was born in Pickens County, Alabama. They married in Mississippi on November 25, 1854. (One of them probably had relatives in Mississippi then) They lived up until his enlistment in May 1862 in Pickens County (@DixieRifles provided the 1860 census and military service info to verify such). Sometime after the war, (year unknown) Aaron, wife and at least some of their 12 children moved to the Tula Mississippi area. Martha Lavenia Wootan died 1908/1909 in Mississippi. Aaron died in Mississippi in 1919, hence they are both buried in Tula Cemetery.

 

[DixieRifles]

I would dearly love to know the story how he ended up in a small, less than 2 acres, cemetery 17 miles from Oxford? "Curiouser and curiouser!" to quote a well known author.

Aww. That is a no-brainer. Ive seen a lot more puzzling delimas. @connecticut yankee found your answer.

Our family was confused why our grandparents were buried 40 miles from their home. It turns out they lived there early in their marriage (about 1900-1910) and buried one of their first infant children in that cemetery. The infant's marker is lost now. But my Dad and Mom are buried next to my grandparents, even though they too resided 40 miles away.

 

[DixieRifles]

I would dearly love to know the story how he ended up in a small, less than 2 acres, cemetery 17 miles from Oxford? "Curiouser and curiouser!" to quote a well known author.

Aww. That is a no-brainer. Ive seen a lot more puzzling delimas. @connecticut yankee found your answer.

Our family was confused why our grandparents were buried 40 miles from their home. It turns out they lived there early in their marriage (about 1900-1910) and buried one of their first infant children in that cemetery. The infant's marker is lost now. But my Dad and Mom are buried next to my grandparents, even though they too resided 40 miles away.

 

[Ole Miss]

Connecticut Yankee
Thank you for the information about Arron and his family. It closes the mystery as to who they were but not why they moved to the Tula area after the War. Did you find them in any census reports where they were living in Mississippi?
Thank you for your assistance.
Regards
David

 

[Ole Miss]

I attended services at Tula Baptist Church this morning and thougt I would visit Wootan's grave and was startled to see a CBF on his grave. As this is a snall community about 15 miles from Oxford and not on the way to anywhere except Tula. I took some photos today and thougth I would post them and keep his memory with us.
Regards
David

 

[Zella]

I attended services at Tula Baptist Church this morning and thougt I would visit Wootan's grave and was startled to see a CBF on his grave. As this is a snall community about 15 miles from Oxford and not on the way to anywhere except Tula. I took some photos today and thougth I would post them and keep his memory with us.
Regards
David
View attachment 342007
View attachment 342008

Thanks for sharing!