One way to become a Confederate

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Oct 31, 2017
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Bountiful
Jim Harris.jpg

James G. "Jim" Harris was born in Henry County, Virginia in 1843. He was a "free man of color". Jim decided that in order for him and his family to have a better life, he was going to pass as white. It was a great plan right up till the time the Confederacy told him he was now a soldier. He tried to tell them he was really not white, but they weren't going for it. He became a soldier in the 57th Virginia Infantry.

Here he is listed in the 1860 census.

"United States Census, 1860", database with images, FamilySearch(https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M41C-LJ5 : 12 December 2017), James Harris in entry for George Harris, 1860.

Here he is again in the 1880 census. He is now white.

"United States Census, 1880," database with images, FamilySearch(https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MC5D-GTC : 15 July 2017), James G Harris, Irisburg, Henry, Virginia, United States; citing enumeration district ED 133, sheet 145A, NARA microfilm publication T9 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), roll 1373; FHL microfilm 1,255,373.
James Harris Pension.jpg
 
I feel awkward liking your comment because I obviously don't like the fact that your ancestor was killed by a drunk driver. Life is a gift, and as I get older I realize more each day that I need to appreciate every single day of my life.
Beautiful words. No idea how old you are Mr. Patrick, Sir. I'm 60 in 3 months. Mom is pushing 83.
 
That's some story! Thanks for sharing it with us. You know, it's funny about that color issue. I have a Catawba ancestor called Captain Billy (not a rank, just his name) who was colored/Indian when he signed up with the 12th SC infantry, got shot at Gettysburg, recovered and re-enlisted but this time was white!

We had a really interesting thread about lightning a while back. It's a little amazing how many people were zapped by it. Sometimes along with the horse they were riding! There was one really startling story about a dozen or so men sleeping in a field who were killed by lightning striking the ground nearby. It didn't hit any of them, just traveled.
 
What a fascinating story--thank you for posting it!

The lightning strike stories are interesting too. I hadn't realized they were that common, but it makes sense. I found a news article not too long ago about one of my great-great-grandfather's brothers. He was killed by lightning while plowing. The article reassured its readers that the horses "soon recovered sufficiently to be able to stand up and will probably come out all right." We, sadly, had a local lady get killed by lightning just a couple of years ago. I had never paid much heed to warnings about lightning before then, but that spooked me into being more cautious.
 
I have seen notations in records for both drownings and soldiers being hit by lightening. These men were Missourians who were serving in a MSM cavalry unit. It seemed odd at the time, but not so much now.
 
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