Today, I have a real mystery and I would like the help of you, my readers, to solve this mystery. Jesse Freeman is said to have died in the Civil War but I have not been able to prove that this is true.
Background
In the late 1920's, about 1927 or 1928 Minnie Sanders Rivers of Chesterfield compiled a handwritten family history of the Rivers Family. Family 16 of her history dealt with the Family of Jesse Freeman & Sarah Jane Davis Freeman. This is an exact transcription of that family history.
<16> Sarah Jane Davis (1Wm., 5Nancy); b. 1824-5;d. ____;m. abt. 1830, Jesse Freeman, b. in S.C. 1804. Both living in 1870. Known Issue:
64. Lewis; b. 1832
65. Jane; b. 1834
66. Wm.; b. 1835; d.____;m. 1862-63, Sarah Ann, daug. of Michael and Hulda Rivers Davis (17); b. 1838-39; d.____.
67. Jesse; b. 1838; d. abt, 1863; in service in C.S.A. War; m. 1860, Ann _______; b. S.C. 1845; d._____. Issue:
1. Jesse A. Freeman, b. 1862. No further record.
68. Christain; b. 1839-40
69. John F.; b. 1842
70. Effa; b. 1847
71. Sarah A.; b. 1848
72. Ann Elizabeth; b. March 1850.
To date, I have not been able to identify Ann, the wife of Jesse Freeman.
Jesse Freeman is enumerated with his parents in the 1850 and 1860 Census for Chesterfield County, South Carolina.
1850 CENSUS: Chesterfield, Chesterfield County, South Carolina; Roll M432_851; Image: 273, Page: 134B/135A; Line 33, Dwelling 560, Family 560; Jesse FREEMAN, age 46, farmer, born in SC; Jane FREEMAN, age 45, born in SC; Lewis FREEMAN, age 18, born in SC; Jane FREEMAN, age 16, born in SC; William FREEMAN, age 14, born in SC; Jesse FREEMAN, age 12, born in SC; Christian FREEMAN, age 11, female, born in SC; John FREEMAN, age 8, born in SC; Effa FREEMAN, age 2, female, born in SC; Sarah A. FREEMAN, age 2, female, born in SC; Ann E. FREEMAN, age 2/12, born in SC.
1860 CENSUS: Chesterfield County, South Carolina; Roll: M653_1217; Image 350; Family History Library Film: 805217, Page 173B; Line 27, Dwelling 1123, Family 1122; Jesse FREEMAN, age 54, farmer, born in SC; Jane FREEMAN, age 50, born in SC; Jesse FREEMAN, age 20, born in SC; John FREEMAN, age 18, born in SC; Effie FREEMAN, age 13, female, born in SC; Sarah FREEMAN, age 11, female, born in SC; Jane Brock, age 04, born in SC.
The National Park Service (NPS) Civil War Soldiers and Sailors Database (CWSS) have the following entry for Jesse Freeman.
Freeman, Jesse[1]
Regiment Name: 21st Regiment, South Carolina Infantry
Side: Confederate
Company: E
Soldier's Rank In: Corporal
Soldier's Rank Out: Corporal
Alternate name: J./Freeman
Film Number: M381 roll 11
Notes: See also J./Freeman
Plaque Number:
Note: The note above says to see J. Freeman this will be important later.
Brigadier General Johnson Hagood, C.S.A. in his memoirs "Memories of the War of Succession," pages 402 and 403 does not list Jesse Freeman as a member of Company E, 21st SC Infantry. Listed as members of the unit are the three (3) brothers of Jesse – Lewis, William and John Freeman.[2]
The Fold3 database[3] has thirteen (13) Freeman listed as members but no Jesse Freeman. Remember the note above for the NPS CWSS database that said see J. Freeman. The records of one of these men are for a J. Freeman from Chesterfield, SC but at the end of his record is a single document labeled Jerry Freeman.
There is no Jerry Freeman from Chesterfield, SC; but the remainder of this record is for a J. Freeman, age 19 from Chesterfield, SC. I believe the Jerry Freeman Civil War file is in fact the Civil War file of Jesse Freeman. The entire record consists of 17 pages, 16 pages label J. Freeman and one page label Jerry Freeman.
These records show that J. Freeman was captured in 1864. There is no mention of his death or his release from captivity.
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http://www.fold3.com/image/#20|83102060 |
Jesse Freeman is not listed in "Broken Fortunes" a book listing all known South Carolina soldiers, sailors and citizens who died in service to their country during the War for Southern Independence, 1861-1865.[4]
In summary, Jesse Freeman enlisted into Company E, 21st SCVI; Commanded by his 1st Cousins, Capt. Benj. T. Davis, and Capt. Alfred W. Davis and was captured on 16 June 1864 at Petersburg, Virginia.
Did he die during captivity?
If he didn't die, where is his release from captivity?
Since there is no evidence of his return to South Carolina to me it's obvious that he died in captivity; but, why are the military records so silent about his death?
I would love to hear from you, the readers of my blog. Any suggestions, information, help greatly appreciated.
[1] National Park Service, "Soldiers" database, Civil War Soldiers & Sailor System (http://www.nps.gov/civilwar/search-soldiers.htm : accessed 12 June 2012), entry for Freeman, Jesse, Corporal; 21st Regiment, South Carolina Infantry; Confederate.
[2] Johnson Hagood, Memoirs of the War of Succession (Camden, SC 29020: Jim Fox Books, 1997 (Reprint)), page 402-403.
[3] Ancestry, "Civil War Service Records" database, Military Service Records (http://www.fold3.com : accessed 12 June 2012), entry for Jesse Freeman, Corporal; Company E, 21th SC Infantry; Confederate.
[4] 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), Jesse Freeman is Not Listed as a deceased soldier.
