52 Cousins~Pleasant A. Brock: Soldier, Merchant, and Family Man

The “52 Cousins” series of biographical sketches are Artificial Intelligence (AI) compiled narratives of selected individuals from my Genealogical database.  The selected AI will used the RootsMagic Individual Summary from my Genealogical Software, Roots Magic. All genealogical data is my research material acquired over the past 46 years of research. Today's Biography of Pleasant A. Brock: Soldier, Merchant, and Family Man  was compiled with the assistance of Claude Sonnett 4 and is entitled:

 Pleasant A. Brock: Soldier, Merchant, and Family Man

Pleasant A. Brock was born on March 10, 1839, in Chesterfield, South Carolina, into a world on the cusp of tremendous change. He was the son of Alsey Brock (1815-1858) and Lucy Morris (1822-1887). Pleasant grew up with at least one brother, C. A. Brock, who was about two years older than him.

The Brock family lived a modest rural life in Chesterfield County. Pleasant's father, Alsey, worked as a farmer, providing for his family through the land. Tragically, Pleasant lost his father when he was only about 19 years old—Alsey passed away in 1858. After her husband's death, Lucy found work as a seamstress to support her family, showing the resilience that must have been passed down through the generations.

Growing Up in Antebellum South Carolina

The 1850 census captures a snapshot of young Pleasant at age 10 or 11, living at home with his parents and brother in Chesterfield. Also staying with the family was Martha Morris, likely a relative. By 1860, when Pleasant was 21, he was working as a clerk and still living with his widowed mother Lucy in Cheraw. His brother Charles had also found work as a clerk. These were the formative years of Pleasant's young adulthood, spent learning business skills that would serve him well in the years to come.

Civil War Service

When the Civil War erupted, Pleasant answered the call to serve the Confederacy. On March 24, 1862, at the age of 23, he enlisted as a private for the duration of the war. He initially served with Company A of the 12th Battalion South Carolina Cavalry before being reassigned to Company A of the 4th Regiment South Carolina Cavalry (Rutledge's).

Pleasant's service took an interesting turn when his organizational skills were recognized. In July 1863, he was detailed to the Quartermaster Department by order of Colonel Rutledge. By the end of that year, on December 31, 1863, General Walker detailed him for duty as a Wagon Master—a position of considerable responsibility that involved coordinating the movement of supplies and equipment for the troops. This role speaks to Pleasant's reliability and competence, trusted as he was with keeping the cavalry unit properly supplied during the challenging war years.

Building a Life After the War

After surviving the Civil War, Pleasant returned to Cheraw and threw himself into civilian life. He established himself as a merchant and lumber dealer, building a successful business in the recovering post-war economy. The lumber trade was crucial to the rebuilding South, and Pleasant clearly had a knack for commerce.

On February 10, 1869, when Pleasant was nearly 30 years old, he married Martha Eugenia "Mattie" Horne, who was just 17 at the time. Mattie was the second daughter of William E. and Sarah Horne of Anson County, North Carolina. The wedding took place in Wadesboro, North Carolina, performed by Reverend J. R. Little. The marriage was a happy occasion, bringing together two families from neighboring states.

Pleasant owned a family Bible—a beautiful edition published in 1865-1866 by Oxford University Press, with his name embossed in gold on the front cover. In this cherished Bible, he carefully recorded the important milestones of his family's life, creating a record that would survive long after him.

The 1870 census shows the young couple settled in Cheraw Township, with Pleasant listed as a 31-year-old merchant and Mattie, then just 17, keeping house. They were building their life together, with Pleasant's business providing for their needs.

A Tragic End

Sadly, Pleasant's story ends far too soon. On February 28, 1873, just four years after his marriage and only four years shy of his 34th birthday, Pleasant died of typhoid fever in Cheraw. He was buried that same day in the Old Saint David's Episcopal Church Cemetery, where his tombstone still marks his resting place.

Typhoid fever was a devastating disease in the 19th century, spread through contaminated water and food. It claimed victims without regard to age or station, and even young, strong men like Pleasant couldn't always overcome it. His death left his young widow Mattie, not yet 21 years old, to manage his affairs alone.

Legacy

Pleasant's estate records (packet #318 in Chesterfield County) reveal that he had built a solid business as a lumber dealer. His widow Mattie served as administratrix of the estate, handling the complex business of settling his affairs. The estate papers mention several individuals including C. A. Brock (his brother), William McCall, P. H. Brock, and Hannah Liles—all part of the community that surrounded Pleasant's life and work.

Mattie would eventually remarry on July 20, 1875, to Thomas A. Gandy, and they would have a daughter, Edith May Gandy, born November 9, 1876. Pleasant's Bible remained in the family, preserved by descendants and eventually making its way to Ashton Gandy in Society Hill, South Carolina, where it stood as a testament to Pleasant's life and the family he loved.

Though Pleasant A. Brock's life was brief—just 33 years—he lived through one of the most tumultuous periods in American history. He survived a brutal civil war, built a successful business, married, and left behind records that allow us to remember him over 150 years later. His story reminds us that even lives cut tragically short leave ripples that extend far beyond their years.

Pleasant A. Brock is my 1st Cousin 3X Removed

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1. P. A. Brock Family Bible Family Bible Holy Bible, (Oxford: University Press, 1865), BIRTH- 10 March 1839; P. A. Brock,  Obtained from Ashton Gandy by L. Cleveland, 2004.

2. 1850 U. S. Census, Chesterfield, Chesterfield County, South Carolina, population schedule, Chesterfield, Chesterfield County, South Carolina, Page 102A, Line 21, Dwelling #46, Family 46, Household of Alsey BROCK; digital images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : viewed 23 July 2012); citing  National Archives Microfilm M432 Roll 851.

3. 1860 U. S. Census, Chesterfield County, South Carolina, population schedule, Cheraw, Chesterfield County, South Carolina, Page 183A, Line 25, Dwelling #1238, Family #1239, Household of Lucy BROCK; digital images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : viewed 23 July 2012); citing National Archives Microfilm M653_1217.

4. Ancestry, "Civil War Service Records" database, Military Service Records (https://www.fold3.com/ : accessed 2 September 2012), entry for Pleasant A. Brock, Private; Co A, 4th SC Cavalry; Confederate.

5. 1870 U. S. Census, Court House, Chesterfield County, South Carolina, population schedule, Cheraw, Chesterfield County, South Carolina, Page: 252A;  Line 7, Dwelling 48, Family 52, Household of P. A. BROCK; digital image, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : viewed 23 July 2011); citing National Archive  Microfilm M593, Roll 1491.

6. P. A. Brock Family Bible Family Bible, DEATH - 28 Feb 1873 of typhoid fever, P. A. Brock.

7. James C. Pigg, Chesterfield County Cemetery Survey; Chesterfield County Genealogical Services, 1995, page 87. Tombstone of Pleasant A. Brock; 10 March 1839–28 February 1873, St. David's Episcopal Church Cemetery, Chesterfield County, South Carolina.

8. Find A Grave, Inc., Find A Grave, database and digital images, (http://www.findagrave.com : accessed  22 January 2012); Memorial page for Pleasant A. Brock; (10 March 1839–28 February 1873); Find a Grave memorial # 52861355, Citing Old Saint Davids Episcopal Church Cemetery; Cheraw, Chesterfield County, South Carolina, USA.

9. Chesterfield County, South Carolina, Probate Files & Loose papers, Pleasant A. Brock; digital images, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, FamilySearch (http://www.familysearch.org: viewed 12 January 2012); Estate Folder #318, Pleasant A. Brock.

10. P. A. Brock Family Bible Family Bible, MARRIAGE - 10 February 1869, P. A. Brock & Martha Eugenia Horne.

11. Find A Grave, Inc., Find A Grave, database and digital images, (http://www.findagrave.com : accessed  26 August 2021); Memorial page for Martha Eugenia “Mattie” Horne Gandy; (3 March 1852–27 May 1925); Find a Grave memorial # 100453492, Citing Abel Gandy Family Cemetery; Society Hill, Darlington County, South Carolina, USA.

12. Land Deed - M. E. Gandy to Lucy + C. A.Brock  Release; 13 December 1875; Deed Book #4; Page(s) 767, 768, 769; Register of Deeds; Chesterfield, Chesterfield County, SC; 4 November 2017.

13. Family data, Booker Gandy Family Bible, : Containing the Old and New Testament, 1837, (Hartford, Conn: n.p., 1837); original owned in 2023 by Darlington Historical Commission, [ADDRESS FOR PRIVATE USE], Darlington, South Carolina.

14. Mrs. Thomas A. Gandy Dies At Society Hill obituary, The State, Columbia, Richland County, South Carolina, 6 June 1925, page 5, column 4.

Aunts & Uncles~Through War and Loss: The Enduring Spirit of Alice Boan Goodwin

The “Aunt & Uncle” series of biographical sketches are Artificial Intelligence (AI) compiled narratives of selected individuals from my Genealogical database.  The selected AI will used the RootsMagic Individual Summary from my Genealogical Software, Roots Magic. All genealogical data is my research material acquired over the past 46 years of research. Today's Biography of  Alice (Boan) Goodwin (1820-1880+) was compiled with the assistance of Claude Sonnett 4 and is entitled:

Through War and Loss: The Enduring Spirit of Alice Boan Goodwin

Early Life and Family

Alice Boan was born around 1820 in Chesterfield District, South Carolina, during a time when the region was still recovering from the Revolutionary War and establishing itself as an agricultural community. She was the daughter of Archibald Boan (1771-1840) and Mary Boan (1785-?), who had built their lives in the rural landscape of the South Carolina upcountry.

Alice grew up in a close-knit family alongside her sister Effa (or Effy). The Boan family appears to have been established in Chesterfield County for some time, with roots deep in the Carolina soil. Her father Archibald passed away when Alice was about twenty years old, leaving her mother Mary to head the household.

Life with Her Mother

After her father's death, Alice remained devoted to her mother Mary. The 1850 census shows the three women—Mary, Effa, and Alice—living together in Chesterfield. At age 30, Alice was still unmarried, which wasn't uncommon for women who stayed home to care for aging parents. The Boan women maintained their household through the challenging years of the antebellum South, when life for independent women required both resourcefulness and determination.

This living arrangement continued through the 1850s, with Alice helping to manage the household and care for her mother, who was in her sixties by this time.

Marriage and the Civil War Years

On August 17, 1859, at nine o'clock in the morning, Alice married Alexander Goodwin at her mother's residence near Cheraw. She was about 39 years old—quite a bit older than the typical bride of that era. The ceremony was performed by Reverend John Burdine, and the announcement appeared in the Cheraw Gazette a week later, referring to her as "Miss ALICE BONE."

Alice's married life with Alexander would be heartbreakingly brief. The couple appears together in the 1860 census, living with Alice's mother Mary. Alexander was 22 years old at the time—seventeen years younger than his wife—which was an unusual age difference for that period.

The joy of their marriage was overshadowed by the chaos of the Civil War. Tragically, Alexander's fate was sealed by the Civil War. He enlisted on January 1, 1862, and served until he was captured at Morris Island, South Carolina. He was wounded on July 10, 1863, and after being released on oath, was transferred to the notorious Elmira prison camp in New York on August 16, 1864. Just as he was being transferred to Point Lookout for exchange on October 11, 1864, his health failed him. Alexander died on October 15, 1864, from chronic diarrhea—a common killer in the unsanitary conditions of Civil War prison camps. He was buried in Grave 517 near the Point Lookout prison camp, far from his home and his wife. Alice was left a widow after only five years of marriage, at about 44 years old, with her husband's remains in a distant Northern grave.

Later Years as a Widow

After Alexander's death, Alice's life took a turn that was practical for the times but must have been emotionally complex. She went to live with her late husband's family—specifically with her brother-in-law William Thomas Goodwin and her sister Effa, who had married William. The 1870 census shows Alice, now about 50 years old, living as a "sister-in-law" in William and Effa's household in Cheraw. This arrangement meant the sisters were reunited, and Alice had family support during Reconstruction.

The household also included the family of P. Ingram and several African American individuals who were likely employees or tenant farmers—a common arrangement in the post-war South as the region adapted to life after emancipation.

By 1880, Alice was still living with William and Effa in Cheraw. Now about 60 years old, she continued to make her home with her sister and brother-in-law. William was farming, and the household also included William's elderly mother Sarah. This multi-generational living situation provided mutual support during the challenging economic times of the late Reconstruction era.

Historical Context

Alice's life spanned some of the most turbulent decades in American history. Born during the Era of Good Feelings, she witnessed the rise of cotton culture in South Carolina, the growing tensions over slavery, the devastating Civil War, and the difficult years of Reconstruction. Chesterfield County, located in the northeastern part of South Carolina near the North Carolina border, was primarily agricultural, with cotton as its main crop.

The town of Cheraw, where Alice spent her later years, was an important trading center on the Pee Dee River. During the Civil War, it served briefly as a Confederate supply depot and was one of the last towns in South Carolina to fall to Union forces in 1865.

Final Years

Alice Boan Goodwin died sometime after 1880 in Chesterfield County, having lived into her sixties. Records suggest she may have passed away around 1883. She left no children, but she had maintained strong family bonds throughout her life—first with her mother and birth sister, then with her husband's family after his death.

Her story is one of loyalty, resilience, and adaptation through extraordinary times. She represents countless women of her generation who navigated war, loss, and economic hardship while maintaining the family connections that gave their lives meaning and stability.

Alice (Boan) Goodwin is my 2nd Great Grand Aunt.

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1. 1850 U S Census, Chesterfield County, South Carolina, population schedule, Chesterfield, Chesterfield, South Carolina, Page 108B (stamped), Line 13, Dwelling 152, Family 152, Household of Mary BONE; digital images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : viewed 5 January 2013); citing  National Archives Microfilm M432 Roll 851.

2. 1860 U. S. Census, Chesterfield County, South Carolina, population schedule, Chesterfield County, South Carolina, Page: 130 (stamped); Line 26, Dwelling 513, Family 512, Household of and Mary BONE; digital images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : Viewed 5 January 2013); citing National Archives Microfilm M653_1217.

3. Land Deed - John C. Evans to James Eddings; 5 November 1862; Deed Book #BURNT; Page(s) 166-167; Register of Deeds; Chesterfield, Chesterfield, South Carolina; July 2025.

4. 1870 U. S. Census, Chesterfield County, South Carolina, population schedule, Cheraw, Chesterfield, South Carolina, Page: 261A(stamped); Line 31, Dwelling 194, Family 201, Enumerated with P. INGRAM; digital images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : viewed 8 June 2016); citing  National Archives Microfilm M593_1491.

5. 1880 U S Census, Chesterfield, Chesterfield County, South Carolina, population schedule, Cheraw, Chesterfield, South Carolina, enumeration district (ED) 002, Page 268D(stamped); Line 6, Dwelling 117, Family 118, Household of William GOODWIN; digital images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : viewed 3 May 2016); citing  National Archives Microfilm T9-1225.

6. "Marriage: Mr. ALEXANDER GOODWIN and Miss ALICE BONE," The Cheraw Gazette, Cheraw, SC, 24 August 1859, Image/Page 2, Col. 5. accessed on http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/.

7. Ancestry, "Civil War Service Records" database, Military Service Records (https://www.fold3.com/ : accessed ), entry for Alexander Goodwin, Private; 21st SC Infantry Regiment.; Confederate.

8. Find A Grave, Inc., Find A Grave, database and digital images, (http://www.findagrave.com : accessed  5 January 2013); Memorial page for Pvt Alexander Goodwin; (1838–15 October 1864); Find a Grave memorial # 27562855, Citing Point Lookout Confederate Cemetery; Scotland, St. Mary's County, Maryland, USA.