I have just run across a distant ancestor of mine that receives my admiration. Lawson White Ellis. He was the brother of my second great grandfather, John Milton Ellis.That would make him the uncle of my great grandmother, Julia He was born on August 10, 1843 in Newport, Tennessee and died on March 30, 1922 in Eton, Georgia. But what caught my attention is his service record in the Civil War. He joined on March 1, 1862 at the age of 18 in Murray County enlisting in Company C, 11th Regiment, GA Volunteer Infantry. On August 30, 1862, he was wounded in the Second Battle of Manasseh's, VA. The wound was so severe that it necessitated amputation. Yet he continued to serve the Cause and continued the fight and was captured at Gettysburg, PA on July 2, 1863. Later he was paroled at De Camp General Hospital, on David's Island, NY. I am sure other men were just as brave. Some people may call it stubbornness. But to me it tells a story of the men who served from Georgia among the many Rebels from the South. Invading our territory was just something you don't do. I don't dwell on the past of this great conflict but this is something that I look to be outstanding in the line of duty. I am sure there were many from the North who were like this and that is probably why the war lasted so long.
Lawson raised 2 families. His first wife died in 1905 and he married again and had more children. Yet through all this, he still had a farm to provide for his family. And still did all this with just one arm. And we complain today if we have to do a job with 2.
I just happened to find his death certificate at Georgia's Virtual Vault to give me proof of the day of his death and where he is buried. He lived to be 78 years old.
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