Forrest Relatives of Nathan Bedford Forrest

I have about 15 relatives that were in Forrest's Escort. Related to Forrest by marriage. My family was from Lincoln and Bedford Counties.

Welcome! Sorry I missed you before - I'm one of the hosts of this forum. I have a grandfather and three great-uncles were in Forrest's escort. Pleased to meet you! (Honest, it really is my grandfather - my father was born when granddad was 82, and I ain't no spring chicken. :D) Would you mind if I asked what your connection by marriage might be? There's a lot of Forrest's kin here and we like any input about it!
 
Welcome! Sorry I missed you before - I'm one of the hosts of this forum. I have a grandfather and three great-uncles were in Forrest's escort. Pleased to meet you! (Honest, it really is my grandfather - my father was born when granddad was 82, and I ain't no spring chicken. :D) Would you mind if I asked what your connection by marriage might be? There's a lot of Forrest's kin here and we like any input about it!
The relationship goes way back. My 3rd great grandmother was Anna Dance. Her brother, Jonathan Edmund Dance married Martha Forrest, brother of Nathan Forrest Sr., who was father of William Forrest, father of Nathan Bedford Forrest. My gg grandmother, Sarah Overby (Dance) married James William Newsom. He was in Forrest's Escort.
Another brother of Anna Dance was Rev Mathew Dance. His son, Stephen Edward Hinton Dance was the Chief Surgeon of the 8th Tennessee Infantry.
http://www.ancestry.com/genealogy/records/jonathan-edmund-dance_133184908
 
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The relationship goes way back. My 3rd great grandmother was Anna Dance. Her brother, Jonathan Edmund Dance married Martha Forrest, brother of Nathan Forrest Sr., who was father of William Forrest, father of Nathan Bedford Forrest. My gg grandmother, Sarah Overby (Dance) married James William Newsom. He was in Forrest's Escort.
Another brother of Anna Dance was Rev Mathew Dance. His son, Stephen Edward Hinton Dance was the Chief Surgeon of the 8th Tennessee Infantry.
http://www.ancestry.com/genealogy/records/jonathan-edmund-dance_133184908

That's great. Way back! But Forrest's troops and his escort were often relations. I think that is something overlooked in discovering who Forrest was and why he did what he did. The war became extremely personal as it went on. My ancestors were Choctaw/Chickasaw/Catawba/Cherokee, horse breeders in Kentucky. Forrest recruited them out by Brandenburg - he knew them through horses! Excellent stock - destroyed by the war as were many Southern lines.
 
That's great. Way back! But Forrest's troops and his escort were often relations. I think that is something overlooked in discovering who Forrest was and why he did what he did. The war became extremely personal as it went on. My ancestors were Choctaw/Chickasaw/Catawba/Cherokee, horse breeders in Kentucky. Forrest recruited them out by Brandenburg - he knew them through horses! Excellent stock - destroyed by the war as were many Southern lines.
My family raised mules. Yes, it became really personal. I had another gg grandfather, Constant Smith Massey, and his brother, Lewis Massey in the escort. They joined in late 64'. One was 18, one was 15. They joined after a cousin, John R. Massey was murdered in Fayetteville with two others, and 9 others were murdered in Lynchburg, by General Eliazar Payne, Provost Marshal of Middle Tennessee. This, in June, or July, 64'.
 
My family raised mules. Yes, it became really personal. I had another gg grandfather, Constant Smith Massey, and his brother, Lewis Massey in the escort. They joined in late 64'. One was 18, one was 15. They joined after a cousin, John R. Massey was murdered in Fayetteville with two others, and 9 others were murdered in Lynchburg, by General Eliazar Payne, Provost Marshal of Middle Tennessee. This, in June, or July, 64'.

That's one reason my grandfather joined up - he was pretty young but there had been a lot of nasty things happen in family territory. Cousins from Oklahoma joined up, too - Choctaw Lighthorse. One fun thing - one of the Chickasaw cousins was a pretty little thing said to be the apple of Bill Forrest's eye! They were cotton planters a little south of Memphis. Whereabouts did your family raise mules? Mine, after the war, walked out to California - they'd been rich before but weren't anymore - and raised commendable draft horses and cattle. A few years ago some old timer from the area they'd lit in said his father bought a fine bull from my family. I was surprised the line was still going!
 
Two more of my blood relatives in Forrest's Escort were Robert Reeves and his brother Francis Marion Reeves. My ggg grandmother Chany Reeves brothers, and Felix Mathew Dance, son of James Thomas Dance, the brother of SEH Dance.
 
That's one reason my grandfather joined up - he was pretty young but there had been a lot of nasty things happen in family territory. Cousins from Oklahoma joined up, too - Choctaw Lighthorse. One fun thing - one of the Chickasaw cousins was a pretty little thing said to be the apple of Bill Forrest's eye! They were cotton planters a little south of Memphis. Whereabouts did your family raise mules? Mine, after the war, walked out to California - they'd been rich before but weren't anymore - and raised commendable draft horses and cattle. A few years ago some old timer from the area they'd lit in said his father bought a fine bull from my family. I was surprised the line was still going!
My family raised mules on Chestnut Ridge, near Fayetteville, Tn. They came to Flat Creek, near Shelbyville, in 1810. My 4rth great grandfather died in 1826, and my ggg grandfather moved to Chestnut Ridge in 1830. My grandfather was the last to farm there in 1930. Most of the others went to Texas.
 
My family raised mules. Yes, it became really personal. I had another gg grandfather, Constant Smith Massey, and his brother, Lewis Massey in the escort. They joined in late 64'. One was 18, one was 15. They joined after a cousin, John R. Massey was murdered in Fayetteville with two others, and 9 others were murdered in Lynchburg, by General Eliazar Payne, Provost Marshal of Middle Tennessee. This, in June, or July, 64'.
Massey's story is an interesting one.

http://www.tennessee-scv.org/massey.htm

I also have relatives who rode with Forrest. My ancestor Harry Sawyer was a partisan with the 12th TN Cavalry (Green's) which later became part of Forrest's command, and my relative Charles Stephen Olin Rice was 2nd Lt of Co. M of the 7th TN Cav. I've done a lot of research into company M of the 7th TN Cav and found that almost every man was related by blood or marriage to at least one other man.
 
Massey's story is an interesting one.

http://www.tennessee-scv.org/massey.htm

I also have relatives who rode with Forrest. My ancestor Harry Sawyer was a partisan with the 12th TN Cavalry (Green's) which later became part of Forrest's command, and my relative Charles Stephen Olin Rice was 2nd Lt of Co. M of the 7th TN Cav. I've done a lot of research into company M of the 7th TN Cav and found that almost every man was related by blood or marriage to at least one other man.
My cousin, Ron Warren is a member of John R. Massey SCV Camp 152 in Fayetteville.

http://www.ronwarren.com/scv/
 
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23680278_124744938725.jpg

My gg grandfather, Reverend CS Massey, Forrest's Escort in this picture. Wiley Butler Daniel, brother of Jack Daniel in it too.
 
That's great. Way back! But Forrest's troops and his escort were often relations. I think that is something overlooked in discovering who Forrest was and why he did what he did. The war became extremely personal as it went on. My ancestors were Choctaw/Chickasaw/Catawba/Cherokee, horse breeders in Kentucky. Forrest recruited them out by Brandenburg - he knew them through horses! Excellent stock - destroyed by the war as were many Southern lines.
I am more amazed the more I read. This is an awesome thread! Looks like I'll be on a Forrest Detour for a while. Piqued interest.
 
I just finished reading the story posted by Reb. Heart wrenching. I am now made more aware of the name John R. Massey and his sacrificial act. I am in awe, and glad Reb shared. I am moved.
 
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