Tuesday, August 18, 2009

Pear Tree Cemetery II



Since this post stretches from here to the Outer Banks of North Carolina and back with a side trip to Texas, I'd like to make this as easy as possible by dividing it up into three parts: bad, worse and worst. Part One in green is mostly Chesapeake Bay Woman's whining about her demonic-like computer and her need for a vacation. If you don't want to hear any bellyaching, then skip to Part Two in blue, which is information that should be reasonably accurate because Chesapeake Bay Woman did not write it - rather she stole it saw it on the internet and copied it here for your reference. Part Three is where you swear that you're never coming back to this long-winded site again. You may wish to fast forward straight to that section.
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PART ONE - IN WHICH CBW CONTINUES HER WHINING
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Yesterday I was trying to tell about my little jaunt to Pear Tree Cemetery down Onemo, but my computer very rudely interrupted me by stubbornly refusing to do anything I asked of it, sending my blood pressure to all new heights. As if that wasn't enough, at exactly 3:00 a.m. this morning it completely rebooted--loud enough to awaken me, all on its own after making some highly unusual sounds.

After you've spent the majority of the evening writing and thinking about cemeteries, old graves, and people who are long gone, and then your computer decides to act possessed at 3:00 a.m., you start to get a little scared. Of course, when I say "you start to get a little scared" I really mean I was so scared I couldn't get back to sleep until after 4, just in time for my alarm clock to go off a short hour later.

Note to Self: I need a vacation. Note to Santa Claus: I would love a new computer and high-speed internet. And some Hypnose perfume (along with the scented lotion) by Lancome. If you're too busy around Christmas, you can send it sooner. Thank you.

Anyway, what I wanted to convey was even though there are many Confederate graves in Mathews, they are scattered hither thither and yon--and this was the first time I'd seen so many in the same place ...decorated with the flags.

After doing a quick internet search on the cemetery, I came upon a site which listed all the soldiers with the last name of Hudgins who served in the Civil War. There were over 53 of them, and several (some of which are listed below) are buried here in Pear Tree.

Hudgins is a very prolific name in Mathews, I must know a million a couple dozen people/families with that last name, which is also the name of my post office. In a quick glance at a genealogical website, they listed a Sukey Hudgins who was born in 1760. 1760. That's an awful long time ago, and yet the name is still going strong here in Mathews.

Coincidentally, 1760 was also the same year my computer was manufactured. I think it might have even belonged to Sukey
.
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PART TWO - SOME HISTORICAL DATA PULLED FROM THE INTERNET
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The Mathews Light Artillery was organized during July 1861. A total of 72 men enlisted in the unit on July 18 or 20, 1861. The balance of the year was spent in organization and training. Available records indicate that the Mathews Light Artillery began as Company H, 61st Virginia Militia, and continued under that designation until that unit was disbanded on May 14, 1862.

Little detail is known of the organization and training of the Mathews Light Artillery. Its organization, however, was unusually stable. Its officers served together, without promotions or transfers, for the entire war.

SOME OF THE SOLDIERS BURIED AT PEAR TREE CEMETERY INCLUDE:

HUDGINS, JOHN
Enl. 2/14/65 in Henrico Co. Pres. on 2/28/65 roll. Deserted on 3/18/65, sent to the Provost Marshal in Washington, DC.
Buried in the Pear Tree Cem., Mathews Co., VA.
Mathews Light Artillery

HUDGINS, ROBERT F.
Born: 10/4/1842, Mathews Co. VA
Death: 9/16/1922, Mathews Co. VA
Buried: Pear Tree Cemetery, Route 677, Mathews Co. VA
Rank: 2nd Sgt.
Enl. 7/18/61 at Mathews C.H. Pres. on all rolls as Pvt. Paroled at Appomattox C.H. on 4/9/65 as Sgt. WIA late in war. In U. S. Army XXIV Corps Field Hosp. 4/11/65. In Petersburg Gen. Hosp. 5/1/65 for treatment of wound in left arm. Discharged from hosp. on taking oath on 5/19/65, then age 22. Superintendent of the Poor at Fitchetts, postwar. Mathews Light Artillery

DIGGS, JOSEPH. R.: Bugler, Enl. on ?. Paroled at Appomattox C.H., VA on 4/9/65. NFR. On 1909 Mathews Co. Pension list drawing benefits under act of 1902. Buried in the Pear Tree Cem., Mathews Co., VA

DIGGS, THOMAS J. (#2): Enl. on 10/9/62 in Henrico Co. Listed on a variety of clothing receipts. Pres. on all muster rolls. D. 1/11/1905, age 66. Buried in the Pear Tree Cem., Mathews Co., VA.

MINTER, ELIJAH T.: Corp., Enl. on 7/18/61 at Mathews C.H. Pres. on all rolls. 6th Corp. o n 4/30/64. 4th Corp. on 10/31/64. Paroled at Appomattox C.H., VA on 4/9/65. B. 2/18/1841 D. 10/17/1924. Buried in the Pear Tree Cem., Mathews Co., VA.

MORGAN, CHARLES P.: Enl. on 5/1/63 in Henrico Co. Pres. on all rolls. On 1909 Mathews Co. Pension list drawing benefits under act of 1902. B. 1845 D. 1922. Buried in the Pear Tree Cem., Mathews Co., VA.

HUDGINS, JOHN W.
Enl. 10/9/62 in Henrico Co. Pres. on all rolls. Paroled at Appomattox C.H., VA on 4/9/65. Mathews Light Artillery Buried Pear Tree, marker Armistead’s Co. Va L Arty C.S.A

PART THREE: THE PROMISE
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If you come back tomorrow I promise not to write any posts this long again. At least not this week
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13 comments:

abb said...

Do you know about findagrave.com? In your spare time, and I just KNOW you have A LOT of SPARE TIME, you might want t enter the grave info there. I used to photo and enter a lot of info...until I had to pull on my big girl pants and go to work. Still love doing findagrave stuff, just can't always find the time. These big girl pants are rather binding. Dammit!

foolery said...

WHEN I go back to Mathews -- WHEN, not if -- I plan to look in that cemetery and possibly others until I find a LaGrone. We're from The South, you know. It could happen. Then I will know I have truly found where I belong.

Until then it's the nuts and granola crowd for me, *sigh.*

p.s. I love pretty much everything you write.

p.p.s. The "pretty much" was to sound more believable. It really wasn't necessary in that sentence.

Angel Mama said...

I think I may have you beat (maybe) on the long, drawn out part. Just see my Squirrel story, hehe. At least yours is educational! I really liked that post alot. It makes us stop and think about the past, and about the ghosts running amuck in Mathews County - and your computer!!

Maybe one of the Hudgins' were trying to speak to you through your computer...

Angel Mama said...

Oh, good grief. Now that I am on my work computer, it won't let me put in my google acct. Telling me wrong password! Uhgg

Meg McCormick said...

Fascinating stuff! I'm all about the dead people. But not the dead computers.

You may want to visit santaclaus.com to leave your message. At this early stage in the game, it'll be just you and the 5 year olds...

Many/most of my ancestors have been in the US since the mid 1700s too. They fought with the Indians and stuff in the valley in which I grew up!

Mental P Mama said...

Now all I can think about is Hypnose perfume. What does it smell like?

Caution/Lisa said...

I love Hypnose and I love each of your posts. That's a lot of love for me to handle!

Daryl said...

I took some pix at a small cemetery and I must post them .. no idea which one it was but we passed it on the way from Sea Shanty to your place a trazillion times

Save up and get a MAC .. they are much more reliable ..

Unknown said...

I loved it, and it wasn't as long as I thought it would be lol.

were these Confederate soldiers or Union soldiers? I'm guessing the first. I'm trekking with Laurie to a few of those cemeteries too.

You have to get someone to put a high speed internet cable in your yard. Then hook up your mom too.

I wish you would have told me you like Hypnose...I just gave away a set that I bought in May. the Lancome gal talked me into it for the free gift with the same old eyeshadow and makeup remover that's in all the free gifts. It didn't mix well with my dna... My fav is Tresor, so I'll be back for another free gift at Christmas time lol

Country Girl said...

Love Lancome. My favorite perfume is by Chanel: Coco Mademoiselle. Because I am such a dainty mademoiselle. Plus I am french. Especially when I wear my jaunty beret.

I am making all of this up.Except for the perfume part.

Word Verfication: cluelss

Suits.

Meg McCormick said...

I'm asking Santa for Philosophy's Amazing Grace. Can't get enough of the stuff.

mom x 2 said...

I LOVE Hypnose! It's my favorite!

I think the history here is so interesting. It's amazing how many of those cemeteries are around in random places. However, I am not a fan of cemeteries in the day light. I would have completely and totally been freaked out if my computer started making noises in the middle of the night, I mean early in the morning after even thinking about cemeteries after dark!

Noe Noe Girl...A Queen of all Trades. said...

We have some Confederate soldiers in the cemetery at our church. Have I mentioned that before? I knew a guy years ago named Sukey. Wonder if thats the same one?