Tombstone Tuesday~Pvt. William Alfred Rivers

“IN MEMORY”

WILLIAM ALFRED RIVERS

b. abt 1828

d. 17 Aug. 1863, Civil War

This posting is “IN MEMORY” of William Alfred Rivers. William was born abt 1828 to William Rivers and Elizabeth “Betsy” Rivers.

About  June 1851, William A. Rivers married Mary A. Brock, daughter of Squire H. Brock and Rachel Parker. 

Mary Brock Rivers died during or shortly after the birth of their son Squire James Rivers on 13 March 1852.
After the death of Mary A. Brock, William next married Eliza Ann Turnage about 1852.

William A. Rivers and Eliza A. are enumerated in the 1860 census¹ for Chesterfield County, SC.

1860 CENSUS: William A. RIVERS Household, 1860 U. S. Census, Chesterfield County, South Carolina, population schedule, page 100,  Line 9, dwelling 82,  family 82; National Archives micro publication Series: M653  Roll: 1217. Family History Library  Film #0805217. Household includes, William A. RIVERS, Male, age 31, born in SC; Eliza RIVERS, Female, age 30, born in SC; Emily RIVERS, Female, age 7, born in SC; Nancy J. RIVERS, Female, age 2, born in SC and  William L. RIVERS, Male, age 4/12, born in SC.

Their child, Squire is enumerated in his Grandfather Squire Brock household.²

1860 CENSUS: Chesterfield County, South Carolina; Roll: M653_1217; Image: 239; Family History Library Film: 805217; page 118A, Line 25, Dwelling 346, Family 345; Squire BROCK, Male, age 55, born in SC; Rachel BROCK, wife, age 50, born in SC; Sarah J. BROCK, Daughter, age 15, born in SC; Samuel O. BROCK, Son, age 14, born in SC; John W. BROCK, Son, age 12, born in SC; William W. BROCK, Son, age 07, born in SC and Squire RIVERS, age 08, male. [Squire Rivers is the son of Squire & Rachel's oldest daughter Mary A. Brock who married William Alfred Rivers, Mary died at child birth].

January 1861 was the start of the Civil War, William A. Rivers left his son, Squire James Rivers with his Brock grandparents and enlisted for the Civil War. Most of his young life Squire James was known as Squire James Brock rather than his real name Squire James Rivers.

In “Broken Fortunes” by Randolph W. Kirkland, Jr., reports that W. A. Rivers was a member of the Palmetto Sharpshooter (PSS) and died on 17 August 1863 at Petersburg, Virginia.³   

Secondary evidence indicates that William Alfred Rivers died at Petersburg, Virginia in August 1863. However, I have not found his military service record on Fold3 or any other evidence that proves his death. No tombstone has been found for William A. Rivers. If you have any information about  William’s military service, please contact me through this blog by posting your comments.

However on October 1866, Eliza Ann Turnage Rivers filed to have her husband estate inventoried and settled. This document provides primary proof that William A. Rivers died before 29 October 1866.⁴

 









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[1] 1860 U. S. Census, Chesterfield County, South Carolina, population schedule, Chesterfield County, South Carolina, page 100, Line 9, dwelling 82, family 82, Household of William A. RIVERS; digital images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : viewed 27 July 2011); citing National Archives Microfilm M653_1217.
[2] 1860 U. S. Census, Chesterfield County, South Carolina, population schedule, Chesterfield County, South Carolina, page 118A, Line 25, Dwelling 346, Family 345, Household of Squire BROCK; digital images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : viewed 7 October 2011); citing National Archives Microfilm M653_1217.
[3] Randolph W. Kirkland Jr., Broken Fortunes: South Carolina Soldiers, Sailors and Citizens Who Died in the Service of Their Country and State in the War for Southern Independence, 1861-1865 (Columbia, South Carolina: Univ. of South Carolina, 1997), Page 298.
[4] "South Carolina Probate Records, Files and Loose Papers, 1732-1964," Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter Day Saints, Family Search (https://www.familysearch.org/ : viewed 3 August 2011), Estate Folder #241,, "Wm. A. RIVERS, Probate Case #241," Images 342-353.