Civil War: Lancaster Husbands Served in the Texas 6th Cavalry

Many years ago, I discovered a database on the Kaufman County, Texas, Rootsweb site that listed Civil War soldiers known to be buried in Kaufman County. The database included those buried in Rockwall County, as Rockwall County was formed from Kaufman in 1873.

Wayback Machine
Today, the website is gone and a browser search for it turned up nothing. However, thanks to the Wayback Machine at the Internet Archive, I was able to locate the database listings. Perhaps the database was compiled by Kathey Kelley Hunt, as she was the person who collected information to add to the database.

All one needs to do to get a capture of the old site using the Wayback Machine is to put in the previous website address: http://www.rootsweb.com/~txkaufma/civilwar/solbkauf.htm. Then select one of the days that the site captured the webpage. Here is how it looked on February 10, 2008.

Several of my family members are listed in this database:

Ruben Louis Bourn, married my 3x-great-grandaunt, Sarah A. Lancaster on 24 February 1851 in Lewis County, Missouri.[1] He served with Co. B. of the 6th Texas Cavalry and is buried at Camp Ground Cemetery.

Nathan Thomas, married Sarah’s sister, Catharine Susan Lancaster after the war on 31 July 1867 in Kaufman County, Texas.[2] He also served with Co. B of the 6th Texas Cavalry. He is buried at College Mount Cemetery.

Sixth Texas Cavalry
The 6th Texas Cavalry was organized and mustered into the Confederate Army at Dallas on 6 September 1861. Company A, raised in Kaufman County, was commanded by Captain A.J. Hardin. Company B, raised in “Rockwall County,” but really from Kaufman County, was commanded by John Summerfield Griffith.

The regiment was ordered to Fort Smith, Arkansas in November 1861 to join General Ben McCullock’s Army of the West. Along with regiments from Missouri, three divisions were created and Griffith commanded the second division. The 6th Texas Cavalry saw more than 85 engagements. More information about their service can be found at the Texas State Historical Association’s page, “Sixth Texas Cavalry.”[3]

Service Records
Fold3 has the Confederate Service records for each state. Ruben Bourn’s packet has nine cards.[4] He enlisted on 12 Aug 1862 at Rockwall, Texas for lt. Col. Griffith. The muster card from May & June 1864 says he deserted on May 17 with Kurr’s five shooter.

Nathan Thomas's service record has sixteen cards.[5] He enlisted on 9 September 1861 at Dallas by Col. B. Warren Stone.

Pension Records
Texas began issuing pensions to indigent Confederate veterans in 1889.[6]  Nathan received a pension in 1913 under the Act passed by the Thirty-third Legislature approved on 7 April 1913. He stated he served until surrender in April 1865 in Mississippi.[7]

No pension file has been found for Ruben. Ruben may not have been indigent. In 1880, he owned 81 acres, worth $1200.[8] In 1900, he and his wife lived on a farm and he was listed as a landlord.[9] The Texas State Library and Archives Commission has an index to pension applications and there are none for Ruben. Perhaps he did apply, if he knew he had deserted.

Future Research
I should look for unit records and unit histories for the 6th Cavalry, even if not for Co. B. There are other burials listed in the database who were in the same unit, so looking for their service and pension records might tell me more about the 6th Cavalry's service. I do have a book about Texas Cavalry's service in the Civil War, Texans in the Confederate Cavalry by Anne J. Bailey, (Abilene: McWhiney Foundation Press, 1998), but there is no mention of the 6th. However, it is still a source for background information about cavalry units from Texas. There might be other books. The "further Reading" section at the back would be a good place to start.

#52Ancestors-Week 17: War

This is my seventh year working on this year-long prompt, hosted by Amy Johnson Crow (https://www.amyjohnsoncrow.com/) at Generations Cafe.

I write each week in one of my two blogs, either Mam-ma’s Southern Family or My Trails into the Past. I have enjoyed writing about my children’s ancestors in new and exciting ways.

[1] Lewis County, Missouri, marriages, v. 2, p. 47, Reubin Bourne to Sarah Lancaster, 1851; imaged, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-9989-SQD5), citing IGN 007515686, image 151 of 544.

[2] Kaufman Co, Texas, marriages, v. 1a, p. 249, Nathan Thomas to Susan C Lancaster, 1867; FHL microfilm 1302500. These records are locked from home.

[3] “Sixth Texas Cavalry,” Texas State Historical Association (https://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/entries/sixth-texas-cavalry).

[4] Confederate Service Records, 6th Texas Cavalry, Ruben Bourn, Fold3 (https://www.fold3.com/file/8345476/bourn-reuben-us-civil-war-service-records-cmsr-confederate-texas-1861-1865).

[5] Confederate Service Records, 6th Texas Cavalry, Nathan Thomas, Fold3 (https://www.fold3.com/file/10639523/thomas-nathan-us-civil-war-service-records-cmsr-confederate-texas-1861-1865).

[6] “Confederate Pension Records,” National Archives (https://www.archives.gov/research/military/civil-war/confederate-pension-records), see Texas.

[7] “Form A, for use of Soldiers, who are in Indigent Circumstances,” Confederate pension application number 22041, Nathan Thomas, imaged, Texas Digital Archive (https://tsl.access.preservica.com/uncategorized/IO_2107df94-ba44-46a6-b7c3-84bb0e47a202/), citing Confederate pension application records, Texas Comptroller's Office claims records. Archives and Information Services Division, Texas State Library and Archives Commission, Austin.

[8] 1880 U.S. census, Rockwall Co, Texas, ag sched, ED 30, p 11, Reuben Bourn.

[9] 1900 U.S. census, Rockwall Co, Texas, pop. sched, ED 84, p. 27 (stamped), fam 64, Ruben Bourn.

Copyright © 2024 by Lisa S. Gorrell, Mam-ma's Southern Family, All rights reserved.

Comments

  1. Marian B. WoodApril 24, 2024 at 5:50 AM

    This is a really great tip! TY for the reminder and for the detailed methodology, a big help.

    ReplyDelete

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