Was My Great Grand Pappy Really a Civil War Soldier?   
                                                                                                 Carla Love Maitland 
As a native Memphian and a former history teacher, I’ve learned so much about the city of my birth over the years and at one time even developed and taught special interest courses about Memphis to middle school students. Nevertheless, I constantly learn new and amazing things about the city’s history. Since the beginning of the commemoration of the Sesquicentennial of the Civil War in 2011, I’ve acquired even more knowledge about Memphis and the surrounding area. The involvement and significance of this area during the Civil War is so much more than most people realize.

I do know that my understanding increased tremendously after the presentation given to the Tennessee Genealogical Society by Dr. Lee Eugene Wilson on Saturday, June 22, 2013. Dr. Wilson, a dentist by profession, is a Civil War enthusiast and author of two published books* relating an ancestor’s story of love, war, and survival in the turbulent years in the Western Theatre of Operations in the Civil War. The stories are based on facts and documents passed along through his family. He has a third book in the series due to come out in July. The name of his presentation was "Genealogy and the Civil War - or Was my Great Grand Pappy Really in the Civil War and How do I Find Out?" 

Lee, as he asked us to call him, explained that he caught the “history bug” due to those many family stories told over the years. He is a native Mississippian, born in the small town of Duck Hill, who has lived in the Memphis area for around thirty years. The knowledge he’s gained of the history of this region is extraordinary. Lee described the numerous Union encampments that were established after the fall of Memphis to Union forces on June 6, 1862. He described the importance of these areas as well as the Confederate bases and forays into those Union forts, resulting in frequent battles in this area.  He used a series of modern-day photos to help the audience put into perspective exactly where those camps, forts and engagements took place, as well as other places of historical significance.

As Lee said, most people who live in this area don’t realize how much activity actually happened during the 1860s around Memphis, Germantown and Collierville. In truth, most of us in attendance didn’t. He also brought with him a sampling of some of the sabers, swords, bayonets and rifles used during the Civil War. Even more interesting was his own family’s Bible and other memorabilia that were on display for people to look at and examine.
  
Lee’s presentation began with a chart showing what an incredible toll the Civil War took as far as the loss of population in the United States. Although around 650,000 casualties are the current numbers generally given, historians are increasing those numbers based on census records that continue to show the actual ‘missing generations’ of men after the 1860 census. 

Another part of Lee’s presentation had to do with the many websites, books, and other resources that he used to research his own family and that are available for anyone to use in order to find out if their own ancestor or ancestors participated in the Northern or Southern forces during that time period. He went into detail regarding a few of them, describing how to use them for the best research results.                                             

Lee told so many engaging stories that people were truly disappointed when his presentation ended. The time went by way too quickly. It is a certainty that Dr. Lee Wilson will be asked back soon to delight us with even more of his vast knowledge of this time period.  After all, the Sesquicentennial won’t end until 2015!

*Once a Southern Soldier: A Novel of the Civil War; Copyright @2011 by Dr. Lee E. Wilson.

Always a Southern Soldier (The second book in the series Once a Southern Soldier); Copyright @2012 by Dr. Lee E. Wilson. 

Forever a Southern Soldier (The third book in the series Once a Southern Soldier); July 2013 release by Dr. Lee E. Wilson. 
                                                                                       Photos by Jim Bobo
                                                                                                                                                                   

February 2013 Events:

Mark your calendar and participate in these learning experiences with other family researchers. Unless otherwise noted, all classes and programs are: 1) free and open to the public, and 2) held in the Tennessee Genealogical Society lecture room in the Germantown Regional History and Genealogy Center, 7779 Poplar Pike, Germantown, TN 38138. For details call 901-413-7995 or email Tina Sansone: tinahsansone@gmail.com

African American Genealogy  
Saturday, February 09 ~ 10:30 am to 12:00n  ~ TnGenSoc Lecture Room 
Come learn how to get started doing your family history; focus on African American resources.

Early American Roads and Trails
Saturday, February 16 ~ 10:30 am to 12:00n ~ TnGenSoc Lecture Room 
Come learn about the early roads and trails our ancestors traveled leaving clues along the way.

CANCELLED / WILL RESCHEDULE: Field Trip: Morton Museum of Collierville History
Thursday, February 21 ~ 11:00 am to 12:00n ~ The Morton Museum of Collierville History is located at 196 North Main Street, Collierville, TN 38017 (At the intersection of Poplar Avenue and Main Street). Lunch after museum tour is optional. Meet at the Morton Museum of Collierville History or, if you need transportation, contact Tina Sansone at 901-413-7955 or email tinahsansone@gmail.com. No registration is required for this field trip. CANCELLED / WILL RESCHEDULE

Let's Discuss It (genealogy/computer discussion group)
Saturday, February 23 ~ 10:00 am to 12:00n ~ TnGenSoc Lecture Room 
The first part of the session will be led by Debbie Atchley. Bring up your topic of interest and/or soak up the knowledge from the round table. The last 30 minutes will be led by P.Z. Horton who will answer questions about Family Tree Maker software. If time allows, P.Z. will demonstrate some advanced features in Family Tree Maker. No registration is required for this program. "Let's Discuss It" handouts available for download.

2013 Spring Seminar ~ Saturday, May 04 ~ 9:00 am to 3:15 pm 
Registration Form and Seminar Schedule available as download: PDF 
Registration: $20.00 TGS members — $25.00 nonmembers 

Lisa Louise Cooke ~ Producer/Host of The Genealogy Gems Podcast ~ a free online genealogy audio show. Episodes feature research strategies, expert interviews and much more. Featured speaker Lisa Louise Cooke has an impressive bio and website. 

Registration at door begins at 8:30 am, Pickering Center, 7771 Poplar Pike, Germantown, TN  (Next to the Germantown Regional History and Genealogy Center, 7779 Poplar Pike, Germantown, TN)

School Days, School Days ~ Dear Old Golden Rule Days
                                                                                                          Carla Love Maitland
As I walked down the long school hallway, my feet felt the familiar tread of aged wooden flooring under me . . . familiar because I had felt that same sensation under my feet for six long years at my own elementary school many years ago. The trip back in time I was taking occurred on Thursday, January 24, 2013, when several members of the Tennessee Genealogical Society visited the Cordova Museum, located at 1017 North Sanga Road in Cordova, TN.  The visit was part of the TNGen Society’s popular monthly ‘field trip’ program to various museums, historic homes, and other places of historic and genealogical interest in and around Memphis.

The museum itself is located inside the historic Cordova High School, built in 1913, and now known as the Cordova Community Center. The school would eventually close out the high school grades, and the building would serve as an elementary school until it was completely closed in 1973. For the next few years, it served as a storage area for the Shelby County School System. Facing the possibility of seeing the school torn down, a group of historic-minded citizens took quick action and managed to save the building by purchasing it after a long series of fundraising activities. The citizens of that community were also able to have the building recognized on the National Register of Historic Places.

After the purchase of the building, the Cordova Community Center was established and at least one of the old school rooms was designated as a ‘museum’ area. That room is completely awesome! Filled with artifacts from the old Cordova School, as well as from other places in Cordova, it’s a visual and tactile visit down memory lane. Yes – you can actually pick up and look at many of the old school books, student work, and other memorabilia that fill the room.

Looking at the old two-part school desks with the seat attached to the back of a desk, I saw the holes in the right-hand corner that were used as inkwells. I remember putting my own bottle of ink in the same type of hole and trying my best to fill my adorable pink ink pen that my Mother bought for me to use.  Loved the pen – hated the process of filling it with ink. What a mess that always was, and what a different world, too!

The museum brought that world back to life. The room abounds with memories, not only from my era, but also from a time that goes back to the beginning of the Cordova community itself – the early 1800s. Photos of former students and citizens, records and research books of various types and other mementos of times past (including register books of area cotton merchants) help make this place a genealogy or history lover’s dream.

I’m sure you’ll see some of those interesting items in the slideshow below. So instead of just reading about the museum and looking at the pictures, make a plan to visit! While there, you will also be able to see the first official U.S. Post Office building for Cordova, TN. The old building was moved from its original site and placed behind the Community Center to become a part of the full tour that takes you through the entire school building. 

The museum is always in need of volunteers or financial assistance. Please contact Museum Director, Darlene Hooker Sawyer, at 901.757.4400 for more information. Darlene is ably assisted most days by retired University of Memphis professor, Dr. Jane Hooker, as well as by Mr. Don Odom. Both gladly volunteer their time to help bring the past to life for others.

If you are on Facebook, search for Cordova Museum to learn more – and be sure to click ‘like!’  You will definitely like this place! 

On Thursday, June 28, 2012, a group of history lovers from the Tennessee Genealogical Society (as well as some non-members who joined us) endured the 100+ degree heat to tour the splendid Davies Manor Plantation located just outside of Memphis near Lakeland, TN.

Located on 32 acres of land that at one time numbered over 2000 acres, the Davies Manor House and its surrounding buildings, gardens, wagons, well – and even an outhouse - represented a trip back in time, all the way back to a time before the county of Shelby was even established.

Our docent informed us that the first room of the Manor House was actually built in 1807.  West Tennessee was not even officially open to settlers at that time and wouldn’t be until 1818.  Although the unknown builder of that one log cabin room was not a member of the Davies family, the first family members appeared in West Tennessee sometime around 1838.  They eventually acquired the land and began to add on to that room until finally completing the beautiful home that still exists today.

There were so many beautiful things to see in the house itself.  Looking at the hearth, the furnishings (many pieces original to the home), and experiencing the feel and look of the log cabin walls actually helped the group members realize what it must have been like to live in those ‘olden days.’  The original ‘dog trot’ or breezeway in the house had been closed in a number of years ago and serves as an entry room for the house itself.  Standing in that entryway, one could imagine the open area where the dogs and other farm animals would freely roam through, and where whatever gentle wind that might be blowing at the time would help cool down the house and its occupants.

One member of the tour group, Pete Crawford, took a number of excellent photos.  I’m a firm believer that a ‘picture is worth a thousand words,’ so I will close and allow you to enjoy the slideshow below.  Hopefully, the photos will encourage you to visit the Plantation.  To learn more, be sure to visit the Davies Manor Plantation website.

Carla Love Maitland
Public Relations
Tennessee Genealogical Society  

When we were in school, most of us (hopefully) went on field trips that were designed to increase or add to our knowledge of a particular subject that we were studying. These trips created wonderful memories, and more often than not, did indeed enhance our understanding of the subject.

This year the Tennessee Genealogical Society began a series of “Field Trips.”  These field trips were also designed to increase and enrich our knowledge in specific subjects, those being genealogy and history. So far, the trips have been successful in accomplishing that goal. The field trips planned included visits to the  Cordova Museum, the History and Genealogy departments of the Memphis Public Library, the Shelby County Archives, and the historic Shelby County Courthouse.

Tina Sansone shared her review regarding the field trip to the Cordova Museum. This author had the opportunity to participate in the tours of the other three places. The information given at all three of those places was amazing.  Even though I’ve spent many days of research on the fourth floor of the  Memphis Public Library, where the History and Genealogy departments are located, I was surprised at how much I really didn’t know about the resources available there.  Although I knew about the large collection of microfilm, I did not know the diversity of subjects available and the span of years that are covered. The enthusiasm and knowledge of our guide, Mr. Thomas Jones, motivated most of us to stay for a while after the tour to engage in more of our own research.

At the Shelby County Archives, we were able to actually visit the place that houses all of the wonderful county resources that are available to the public.  The staff at the Archives have also done an outstanding job of putting as much of this information as possible online.  That process continues on a daily basis, and if you cannot ever physically visit the Archives, be sure to visit the website.  Our guide for that trip was Mr. Vincent Clark, and once again the knowledge of our guide was remarkable. A number of people stayed after the tour to research and to receive personal help from Mr. Clark.

The last field trip attended was one to the Shelby County Courthouse.  It was led by Memphis historian, Jimmy Ogle. This magnificent building is a beautiful representation of neo-classical architecture, built in 1909 and dedicated in January of 1910. It was made with blue Bedford limestone and was the main building for both the Memphis and Shelby County governments for a number of years.  The office of E.H. “Boss” Crump was located on the first floor of the building, which includes wonderful mahogany, brass, and marble adornments. A true gem from the tour was finding out that the outstanding Law Library is open to the public during daytime hours.  A bust of Andrew Jackson, one of the founders of the city of Memphis, is also located on the first floor of the building. It dates back to 1835 and is believed to be one of the oldest busts of any U.S. President to still exist. 

The Tennessee Genealogical Society’s “Field Trips” have created wonderful memories as did those from our childhood, and they have also added considerably to our knowledge of the history of Memphis and of the availability of resources for genealogical research.


More field trips for the Tennessee Genealogical Society are currently being planned.  If you have ideas or suggestions for a place to visit in or around Shelby County, TN  please contact Tina Sansone, Vice President. 

Carla Love Maitland
Public Relations
Tennessee Genealogical Society