The Murder of Jacob Moulder

Jacob Moulder was born 21 January 1806 in Grainger County, Tennessee.

He married Susanna Capley on 17 December 1829 in Tennessee. Susanna Capley was born 3 August 1801 in Rowan County, North Carolina, a daughter of  Peter Capley, Jr. and Maria Barbara Grappin. In the 1850 Census, there were six children in the household, plus their oldest daughter married Daniel Dry and was living nearby. 

Then in April 1861 this family and many others suffered the tragedy of the Civil War. At age 55, Jacob enlisted on 15 June 1862 with Company "E", 10 Tennessee Infantry at age 17, his youngest son, Samuel K. enlisted also with Company “E” on 26 December 1862. The 10th Tennessee Infantry Regiment was an infantry regiment that served in the Union Army during the American Civil War. Both returned from the War.

Jacob was mustered out and discharged on 28 July 1863 by Surgeon's certificate of disability and final statements given 31 July 1863 at Nashville, Tenn. [https://www.fold3.com/image/268107254]. He returned home to his family and was murdered about 9 weeks after returning home. 

Transcription:

Wheeler's soldiers on their last expedition into Bedford county, took Jacob Moulder, a discharged Federal Soldier, aged sixty-five, and one of the most upright and inoffensive citizens of that county, dragged him out of his bed and hung him to a tree. The murderers then went to the residence of a German, a man of excellent character, tore him from the arms of his wife, dragged him into a thicket and, shot him through the head. They also hung a third Union man, in the same county, and doubtless practiced similar outrages wherever they marched.

There are many on line trees that say Jacob Moulder died in December 1863. But, there are several documents that clearly shows Jacob Moulder was hung and died on or about 7 October 1863.There “The Nashville Daily Union”, Military Tombstone Application. The Tombstone application show death occurring on 6 October 1863.   

Susannah (Capley) Moulder lived another 25 years after this senseless wartime retribution that took the life of her husband. She died as best as I can determine in 1888. Some say she died 6 July 1888 but I was unable to confirm this date. 

Susannah (Capley) Moulder is my 1st Cousin 5X Removed. 

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1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/10th_Tennessee_Infantry_Regiment_(Union)

2. Ancestry, Headstones Provided for Deceased Union Civil War Veterans, 1861-1904 (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/1195/ : on-line December 2023), Tombstone Request, Jacob Moulder, 5 October 1863.

3. "An Alarming Evil.," The Nashville Daily Union, Nashviklle, Tennessee, 25 October 1863, Page 2, column 1; Digital On-Line Archives, Newspapers.com (https://www.newspapers.com/ : on-line December 2023); https://www.newspapers.com/.