More Information About My Ancestors

 

My Maternal Great Great Grandfather Wiley James Matthews : He first married Sara Ann Catherine Kessler.

Their marriage was solomized by Elder John R Martin on April 31st 1857

Was a Sgt in the Civil War buried at Wingo Cemetery in Franklin Co. VA and had a Conferderate headstone.

He married 3 times. 30 of April 1857 to Sarah Ann Catherine Kessler. They had 8 children. She died in 1888.

He married Pamelia Frances Brooks 19 Feb, 1890 and she died in 1911. She was Cluff Brooks daughter from his first marriage.

He married the 3rd time to Permelia Frances Crum. Granddaughter of Cluff Brooks. Her parents were John Crum and Mary Amelia Brooks, Cluff's daughter from his second marriage. Very confusing! They were both called Fannie as a nickname.

57th Regiment, Virginia Infantry

OVERVIEW:

57th Infantry Regiment was organized in September, 1861, by adding five independent companies to the five companies of E.F. Keen's Battalion. Some of the men were from Powhatan, Pittsylvania, and Botetourt counties. The unit was assigned to General Armistead's, Barton's, and Steuart's Brigade, Army of Northern Virginia. It participated in many conflicts from the Seven Days' Battles to Gettysburg, served in North Carolina, then saw action at Drewry's Bluff and Cold Harbor. The 57th continued the fight in the Petersburg trenches north of the James River and around Appomattox. It reported 113 casualties at Malvern Hill and lost more than sixty percent of the 476 engaged at Gettysburg. There were 7 killed, 31 wounded, and 3 missing at Drewry's Bluff, and many were disabled at Sayler's Creek. On April 9, 1865, the unit surrendered 7 officers and 74 men. Its commanders were Colonels Lewis A. Armistead, George W. Carr, David Dyer, Clement R. Fontaine, Elisha F. Keen, and John B. Magruder; Lieutenant Colonels Waddy T. James, William H. Ramsey, and Benjamin H. Wade; and Majors Garland B. Hanes, David P. Heckman, and Andrew J. Smith.

His daughter Nancy Margaret Rosella Matthews married my great grandfather George Washington Brooks who was actually born George W Forbes. Very intersting files located online in Census records and birth, death and marriage records.

 

PaPa Brooks died before I was old enough to remember him. A portrait of Grandpa Brooks (Posted above) was painted by a local Petersburg artist one year. He had gone to do some sharpening of scissors at the "poor" folks home and the artist asked him to sit for them. Many years later a picture appeared in the Progress Index asking to locate the family of this man. It was mentioned he was at the old folks home and Aunt Julia and Grand mom called immediately, not to claim the picture, but to make sure the paper nor anyone else thought he lived there. They explained he was only sharpening scissors to help others who lived there. It is believe by this researcher that George Brooks in fact may have been born George Forbes he and his two brothers according to census records from 1850 to 1890 in Franklin County. However in all their lives they went by Brooks. Their father Cluff Brooks acknowledged in his will the three boys as well as the five children from his previous marriages recorded in Franklin County Court House in Rocky Mount, VA. He stated after mentioning them "hereafter known as my children" There was never a legal marriage but Virginia recognized "Common Law" In 1850. However, Emeline's first husband Philip is still living and no record of a divorce could be located. When his brother Wiley Taze Brooks married he listed his parents names as Cluff Brooks and Emeline Brooks.

Today 2/8/2024 someone helped me locate a Chancerory record from Franklin County showing information about a lawsuit between Cluff Brooks and Philip Forbes. Has a lot of very interesting information. I had been wanting to find this record for years! 

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-C373-8SBG?cat=406488