Week 31 (July 30-Aug. 5): Flew the Coop

Who flew the coop? Well apparently 2 men did, around the same time. A great great uncle George W. Granger, who turned up later and married in Galveston. And my Great great grandfather...

William Phillips, born in 1832 in Georgia. 

Moved to Texas with his mother, brother and step-father, to Galveston first, then settled in Tyler County.

What is important to know about William Phillips, is that he grew up with plenty, in a Georgia town called Fort Gaines, but they probably also had a plantation somewhere. His father died when he was about 5, and his mother remarried to a Judge Samuel Gainer. William had an older brother, Marion, who never married, and is the source of some correspondence within the family before and after the Civil War.

William's family had been on the 1850 census in Fort Gaines GA,, on the banks of the Chatahoochee River  but moved through Galveston by 1855.  Galveston was the shipping port of trade in Texas at that time. Houston hadn't begun it's channel which made it become a port later on. But the Gainer/Phillips didn't stay in Galveston. They were to move a north-east in the Tyler County area, in a town called Spurgess. 

But William had married in Nov. 1855 a woman from Massachusetts whom he met in Galveston. Her name was Mary Hull Granger. So similar to his stepfather's name Gainer. It definitely meant descendents had to be careful which family was being considered. We have no idea how long their engagement might have been.

William and Mary Phillips moved up the Sabine River, near Sabine Pass (another port town) and Beaumont to an area they called Griggsby's Bluff. There they started a plantation (there were slaves, as attested to the letter Mary wrote about the drought with 26 blacks and 6 whites to feed.)

Interestingly enough in 1858 when Mary was about to give birth to her first daughter, she traveled (by sea I imagine) back to Fort Gaines, GA to give birth, supposedly with her mother-in-law. So the property in GA must still have been active. Mother of William, Mary Phillips Gainer, had learned a lot about the law from her 2 husbands in the duties for executor for her first husband, and how to write a bill of sale for a slave. She gave a slave girl to the newborn baby, complete with the documentation written in her hand. (I have a copy, sadly enough.)

Mary's second child wasn't born till the 10th month, (15 Sept. 1861) and she was as surprised as everyone that the baby wasn't born when expected. I have a letter written by Mary Sept 28 1861, after the 2nd baby. She doesn't indicate any problems with her health in that letter. But by Nov. apparently she had died. The 2 daughters were taken to Galveston to be in the care of one of Mary's sisters. William's letter (below) indicates he had met with the sister of  his deceased wife when engaging her to care for them, and she wished him well in the fighting.

 

Here's the original letter written by her father, George T. Granger, about Mary Granger and her husband William, addressed to his other daughter, Elizabeth (Lizzie) Granger. I've transcribed it below, so don't go blind trying to figure it out.

Even my grandmother, Ada S. Rogers asked if this photo was George W. Granger's father (who was George Tyler Granger.  The answer was that this picture was "his great Uncle"...but I'm letting all the Grangers share it until I have confirmation as to which one it is.)

George Tyler Granger was father to Mary Hull Granger Phillips (1829-1861) my grandmother's grandmother.  His other children (according to Ancestry.com) were: George W. Granger (1830 – ?)  Elizabeth (Lizzie) Pulsifer Granger Sweet (1833 – 1911) Joseph Granger (1835 – 1850) and Lucy Ellen Granger Wakelee (1837 – 1876.) The Grangers of Newburyport, Massachusetts were Yankees who moved to Galveston TX just before the Civil War.

I remember a line from Mary Phillips concerning someone named Joseph, and that was all. Her sister Elizabeth (Lizzie) was the recipient of the sad letter from her father transcribed below.

Mary Granger Phillips' mother, Lucy Pulsifer Granger, also had family with interests in Beaumont TX...as her brothers were the surveyors for that town.

This letter gives me great substantiating information about George W. Granger, George Tyler Granger's son who apparently has just left the area where his (GTG's) daughter, Mary had recently died. Grigsby's Bluff is not yet identified to my satisfaction.  It could have been in Tyler County, Texas or maybe another area overlooking a river, which has since become oil fields or flooded for a reservoir. It's not in Sabine Pass nor Beaumont, which are mentioned in the letter. It did have steam ship access to Sabine Pass and then to Galveston. 

(Notes throughout the letter in italics and parentheses are by the author. This letter is on 3 pages, as photographed above.

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                                        Grigsby’s Bluff             Dec. 9, 1861

Dear Elizabeth

        A few days after George left here for Galveston, (NOTE: George is assumed to be his son) I was shocked with a report of Mary’s (his daughter) being dead.  I could not believe it, until I was inform (sic) by Abel Coffin who obtain his information from Mr. (Ward?) who saw Mr. Phillips in Houston. (This was Mary's husband, William Phillips.)  I was then obliged to believe it.  I then afterwards saw Mr. Ward (?) Capt. Clements Clerk who saw Mr. Phillips, but could give me no particulars – The ways of God are always right, yet it is hard to us to think and feel so.  When the most useful are taken from us and those spared or permitted to live until they are useless and a burden to themselves and others.  We must however submit to the desires of Him “who doeth all things well” without a murmur only we can mourn.  He has given us that privilege with a blessing attended to it –

        I have been very well since George left.  I went down to the House and stayed there a week (this is probably the one room house where William and Mary Granger Phillips had lived) and found some one had broke in and broke open the Desk and Chest.  Yet I did not miss anything from them.  The rats have made more damage than the Burglars.  I stopped up their holes and put things to rights and left for this place on the 8^th and I got George’s letter of the 17^th on the 5^th from Beaumont.

        I was about writing George when Capt. Clements came up from the Pass (Sabine Pass, Texas was a major port at that time) with another story of an addition to 
(end page one)

(Page 2 letter from Grigsby Bluff, Dec. 9, 1861)

the Blockade and everybody was moving from the City (not sure if he means Sabine Pass or Galveston) and Gen. Hebert had removed the cannon to Virginia Point saying the city was untenable.  I told Capt. C. I did not believe any story (Sabine) Pass (?) could get up  they were all the time getting something to frighten the Citizens.

        If George is still with you tell him Mr. Mosley will move out of his house this week & move to Beaumont. (Note: George W. married a woman named Elizabeth Mosley in 1864)  And says you can on the can (?) have his house which belongs to Parvell (?) who ask $12 per month  Mr. Pemley and Mr. Mosley both say it is not worth much more than half that sum 5$ or 6$ is all its worth unless considerable is done to it.  It’s terribly infested with rats and leeks (sic) a good deal and is not so good as it looks but still with some small repairs it will do for us very well.  George knows the place well it is almost a new House, Painted outside but inside only half finished.

        My love to all.    I have not time to write more in (sic) I shall lose my chance to send the letter to Beaumont

                                        `      Your affectionate Father,

                                                        Geo T. Granger

(end of page 2)

(Page 3 letter from Grigsby Bluff, Dec. 9, 1861)

A. B.  Tell George Mr. Hughes has answered his letter & says he will pay the balance due on the $808 Debt deducting the amt paid by sale of Beaumont lots.   Allowing interest from Dec. 14, 1854 on the amount, i.e. provided the Boys wont (sic) pay it.  He will pay it himself.  This will give us something more perhaps $250 instead of $704               G.T.G

(end of page 3) (I haven't figured out who A.B might be in Elizabeth Granger's household.

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I think the patience of George T. Granger was being tried when considering his son, George W. Granger, who apparently disappeared. There's one man who apparently flew the coop.

The other man who "flew the coop" seems to be William Phillips. No one knows why William took off for Houston when his wife died, but GTG saw it as pretty irresponsible.  

We also don't know how the two young daughters (about 2-/12 years and 4 months old) got to Galveston, but other letters do refer to them later.  Their father, William Phillips soon joined in early spring of 1862 to the Texas regiment called Alabama or Burnetts Cavalry and went off to die for the South. I have transcribed the one letter from him HERE. Actually he probably died the next winter from disease, either in Arkansas or Missouri.

Elizabeth Granger, to whom the letter is addressed, was 26 years old, and her brother George W. was 31 at the time of this letter.  It sounds a lot as if George is working for his father's interests, who was a timber dealer at times.  As the war swung into action, many more children would be cared for by relatives.

Of interest to historians is the reaction by Confederate General Hebert to Galveston and Sabine Pass to soon be blockaded by the Union. Galveston was even seized by Union troops who occupied it for quite some time.

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There's another letter, from Mary Phillips to her mother Lucy Pulsifer Granger... July 30, 1861

Town Bluff, July 30^th/61

My Dearest Mother

        Your dated July 12^th I received this morning & most thankfully you may be sure for it is a long time since I heard from any of you.  I had begun to be considerable anxious for fear some member of the family were sick.  Now did you ever hear of anyone making such a mistake on their scheming as I have and still what else or how else would I judge the time for me to look for my confinement than when I last was sick and most surely it was the third week in September but I am now completely lost cannot tell only I am constantly expecting I suffer extremely from the heat.

(next page)

I have most wretchedly restless nights no little sea breeze but so oppressive it seems to take all my strength  the perspiration seems to pour from every pore.  I am in very good health otherwise.  William will write you as soon as I am through.  It is Zulie’s birthday and we had an extra dinner for her and sat the Lady up to the table for the first time.  She behaved very well.  I know you would be much amused could you see her ways and her back and forward!  She wiggles and swings like a girl sixteen.  Mother gave her a very pretty pink chamber tucked the shirt and she strutts (sic) well in it.  If a stranger comes in she directly comes to me and says Mama play she is never quiet but busy all the time scouring the house or sweeping, has a rag baby I made

(next page)

her which she named herself, Lula and she shows up bread and feeds her with a perfect slight of hand and then gives her most awful whipping and gets her to sleep.  I think she is going to love a book for she will stand and listen just as long as you describe a picture and express her anger and sympathy on each subject.  Lucy would be in shakes of laughter all the time were she here  she is a perfect mimic must try to do all I do even in the sewing line  Mama I want to too, me, Mama and no peace till she has it.

        I have written this letter by spells you may find trouble to read it.  I have done my best, it tires me very much to write  I am much more clumsey than I was with Zulie.  Mother says I will go she is positive until the first week in September.

(next page)

        The weather is very dry and extremely hot.  The crops are all burnt up and if we make our bread it is all we expect now such a disappointment to Mother & myself as it will prevent our coming to see you.  I fear for there are so many to provide for and it will take ready cash to do it another year.  There are twenty six blacks and six whites still if we could get rain even now we should make enough as we planted late.  There is above us in other countys much poverty familieis soley dependent on their crops and cannot get anything to eat but milk.  I believe they are going to make some provision for such from. (sic) I see I must close write me soon again.  I am anxiously looking for Lizzies’ letter love to all,

                Yours affectionately,

                        Mary

(more written in margin of this last page)

Mother – William desires much Love to you all  I still find my piano good as ever  it __(?) so well.  Mother do not over exert yourself because you are in better health  try to get strong  I wish I could see you  I should be so glad quite old times

---------------------------------

Her baby was born Sept. 15, 1861.

____________________________

And more about George W. Granger: Let's put that into another blog post. It will be available soon, and I'll link back to it here.

Sharing with 52 Ancestors 52 Weeks, and Sepia Saturday, where I don't exactly meet the meme about old cars.

Happy birthday great times 3 Grandmother Mary Phillips Gainer

Born Feb 27 1803 (probably Georgia)

Death 2 OCTOBER 1866 • Spurger, Tyler County, TX

I liked the story I wrote several years ago, about the home she and her family shared in Fort Gaines, GA.

Mary Phillips Gainer and John Dill in Fort Gaines GA 

Blog posted

Thursday, January 19, 2017

Some of my direct ancestors were in Fort Gaines, Early County, GA, which I began talking about a few days ago, HERE. They were Mary C. Phillips Gainer, her two sons, and her second husband, Samuel Gainer.  Looking again at their lives just before the Civil War and whatever can be found during and afterwards...today I consider the US Census of 1850.

We know Mary Phillips Gainer's birth year of 1803, and her sons: Marion Phillips, born in 1823, and William Philllips Jr. born in 1832.

Before he died as a Confederate Soldier during the Civil War, William Phillips Jr had two daughters. One of these daughters became my great-grandmother.

There are quite a few William Phillips' in Georgia in the 19th century, but by looking closely at birth years, I have determined one of them was the father William and one the son.  I've added the sufix Sr. and Jr. to their names for my own clarification.

 Mary C. Phillips married in 1841 to her second husband, Samuel Gainer (a lawyer as stated occupation on the census.)

They lived in the town limits of Fort Gaines.  How do I know this? A neighbor listed 2 away from their household on the census is General John Dill. (I had thought they were out on a plantation in my mind's visualization all these years, but there they are in the town itself. This of course doesn't mean they didn't also have a plantation.)

General John Dill had been the farsighted man (with his mercantile partner) who purchased all the lots that became Fort Gaines.  His home still stands..  There is a very interesting story associated with how he built this home, having married a widow who had been captured by Indians.  Elizabeth Stewart Dill lived with the Indians 4 months before being "recaptured" by American troops.  The "story" says she collected paper money while she had been captive, that the Indians didn't know its value, and following her return and then marrying John Dill, they built their beautiful home.

John Dill house

DILL HOUSE ~ John Dill (1788-1856) of S.C., military aide to Gen. Gaines, commander of Fort Gaines, and leading pioneer citizen, is said to have built this, “the finest home on the frontier,” with money his wife had saved while a captive of the Indians. Hoarding and hiding paper money, which her captors discarded after raids, she took it with her when she fled to freedom. The original part of the house, now a hotel, contains elaborate mantles and intricate carvings. Gen. Dill established a mercantile business with his partner, John W. Sutlive, in 1821. He added a tannery, one of the finest harness and shoe businesses in the South, a brick kiln, and cotton warehouses to his interests. He and his wife are buried in a cemetery on Carroll Street. 

Later General Dill's partnership dissolved.  The "tall tale" about her windfall during her Indian capture continues as seen in the paragraph quoted above. Toward the end of his life, General Dill tried to establish a lottery, which contributed to his losing his long term business partner.  General Dill apparently lost everything and became empoverished before he died in 1856, all his properties being auctioned by the sheriff.according to land records.

This information as posted in Ancestry, is from a 1986 letter from a Fort Gaines attorney, with sources of various books. He and others have published evidence that the Indians by the 1830s had been trading for a long time with Europeans and knew the value of paper money, thus exposing the paper money windfall legend as bogus.

US Census, 1850, Early County, GA

Which brings me back to the Dill House and the census of 1850. My ancestors, the Gaines/Phillips household were listed as family number 16, while the Dills were number 18, with just a single (unmarried) farmer between them as number 17 (or across the street.)

Great great grandpa William Phillips was just 18 at that time, and listed as a student.  His older brother Marion was 27 and his occupation was merchant. I'm not sure what the following values represent in the column named "Real Estate." Marion has 1000.  And his step father Samuel Gainer has 4975.  But look at General John Dill. He lists 10,000. I would guess this was before the fall of the Dill empire.

A question did occur to me, if the story about the Indians and paper money is false, how did the Dills obtain the money to build that beautiful house?  I'm thinking a man who did so much real estate wheeling and dealing, and who promoted lotteries, might have obtained the money in another way, which might not have been as colorful, or perhaps was more colorful.

I am trying to give the history as accurately as possible, but my own viewpoints will come through some of the time.  I am grateful to the historic society of Fort Gaines for having placed many historic markers about the town to provide much of the information I share with you here.

Sources:
Letter from P.C. King, Jr, Attorney, Fort Gaines, Georgia dated Feb. 27, 1986, to Ms. Thelma Stevens of Barnwell, Alberta Canada following a telephone inquiry by her, in which he lists his  sources. He also talks about how the legend of Mrs. Elizabeth Stewart Dill and the Indians is being used to help sell the house when it was in need of rennovation.








Fort Gaines and Environs, by Mr. P. C. King, published 1976

The Legend of Mrs. John Dill, Builder of Fort Gaines Dill House, by Mrs. Elizabeth King Folger, (sister of P.C. King.)

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Here's the post for Mary C. Gainer's birthday last year.

There's a family with William Phillips in Early County, GA in the 1830 census:

Free White Persons - Males - 5 thru 9	1 (Uncle Marion b. 1823?)
Free White Persons - Males - 20 thru 29	1 (Head or?)
Free White Persons - Males - 30 thru 39	1 (Head ?)
Free White Persons - Females - Under 5	1
Free White Persons - Females - 10 thru 14	1
Free White Persons - Females - 20 thru 29	1 (Wife)

And yes, they also had slaves.
This William Phillips is the father of William Jr. who married Mary Hull Granger from Massachusetts when they met in Galveston Texas in 1855...on my grandmother, Ada Phillips Swasey Rogers family tree.  I blogged about Uncle Marion a few years ago Here,

And I told some of the story of Mary Granger and William Phillips Jr. here.  and here and HERE.  
and Here about some pre-Civil War and post-Civil War correspondence.
And this is my post about William Phillips Jr. during the Civil War.

But back to Mary C. Phillips Gainer.  The C. might stand for her maiden name which is still unknown.

The 1860 census would have her birth year as 1804...which is still possible.

Mary C. Phillips Gainer died Oct 2, 1866, and Samuel Gainer, died June 11, 1867, buried in Spurger Hill Cemetery, Tyler County, Texas. Their daughter-in-law, Mary Granger Phillips who died in 1860, is also buried there. Uncle Marion lived until 1907 and is buried in Magnolia Cemetery in Woodville, Tyler TX.

I just have searched a bit more for info on Ancestry about William Phillips Sr. and found that indeed he died around 1836, and Mary C. Phillips was administrator for his estate probated from 1837-38.  She was very adept at counting the value of everything her husband had left. And since the probate records are in Early County, GA, it is clear that the census of the family in 1830 must be the same one.

In 1841, Jan 5, she is listed on a marriage license to Samuel Gainer.  Their wedding was Jan. 7.  He had been married previously also, in 1838, but doesn't have a female living in his household in the 1840 census.  At that time he lived with 2 young men (20-29) and was probably the elder of the household (40-49).  It also states "Persons Employed in Learned Professional - Engineers 2."

It is listed that Samuel Gainer had been born in North Carolina, in 1896.  I have no further information on his family of origin.  But I do know he was considered a Judge.

In 1850 the Early County Georgia census says (though it transcribed his name as Griner)

Samuel Gainer	54 occupation Lawyer, born NC
May C Gainer	47 born Ga
William Phillips	18
Marion Phillips	27

There is no mention of a daughter...though one appeared to the family and claimed to be William and Marion's sister, Ghidora Phillips, born around 1841, following the Civil War. I have a copy of a letter she wrote asking for aid. That was after Grandpa William Phillips had died about 1836, and before Grandma Mary Phillips married Samuel Gainer in 1841.

That 1850 census is also the one that led me to understand that the Gainer/Phillips family lived in the town of Fort Gaines, Early County, GA


By 1860, the Phillips/Gainer family lived in Woodville, Tyler County, Texas.

W Phillips	27 Farmer (William JR) worth:640 real estate
M H Phillips	27 wife (Mary Hull)
M G Phillips	2 female (daughter named Zulieka Granger Phillips)
Sam Gainer	65 Farmer worth: 5000 real estate
M C Gainer	56 (Mary C)
C A Mills 14 male (?)

So I don't have any further information on Mary C.'s family of origin, nor of William Phillips Sr.  It's one of those branches that doesn't go any further back.  

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Here's the background post on Fort Gaines, GA.

Fort Gaines GA ancestors 

Blog posted Sunday, January 15, 2017

The Queen City loaded with bales of cotton, near a covered bridge, Chattahoochee River at Fort Gaines

I've been researching how my ancestors from the south lived and died during the years of the Civil War and following.

So to talk a bit about Fort Gaines GA, where my ancestors the William Phillips Sr. and Samuel Gainer family lived as of 1850. Before looking at 1850, here's some background of the location.

History lesson about Fort Gaines Georgia:

Located in southwest Georgia, on the Chattahoochee River in Fort Gaines was a smallish city where cotton had been shipped down river to the Gulf of Mexico prior to the Civil War. There were three forts built at that location, with the earliest having been a frontier fort to protect settlers from Indians. (The Indian culture had been established in that area for 2000 years, and included building Kolomoki Mounds nearby.)

The First Fort:  Fort Gaines was established in 1816 by order of Gen. Edmund P. Gaines, commander of a large district, who used this as his headquarters. Containing two blockhouses, the 100-foot square fort was enclosed by a stockade eight feet high. During 1817, when Indians were active in the area, settlers look refuge in the fort, garrisoned by Federal troops under Gen. John Dill.  (Incidentally, a 100-foot square is 100 feet on each side, not 10 feet which brings a 100-square foot size.)

 

The Fort at Fort Gaines, and to the right, the railing overlooking the Chatahoochee River/

Frontier village restoration at Fort Gaines GA

The Second Fort: In May of 1836 the 88th Regiment of the Georgia Militia built a small fort in anticipation of an attack by the Creek Indians. The Steamer Georgian had arrived crowded with women and children fleeing from the Indian uprising at Roanoke upriver. The Steamer, Anna Calhoun was pressed for 5,000 pounds of bacon and 8 barrels of flour in order to feed the refugees and militia.

The uprising was quelled before the fighting reached Fort Gaines. This was one of the last major insurgences of the Creeks before their removal to the West by Andrew Jackson. That was also known as the Trail of Tears.

Two Covered Bridges

 A covered bridge near The Queen City loaded with bales of cotton

Coheelee Creek Covered Bridge, Early County GA

I think these are 2 different bridges, based on the height over the water surface.  And the Queen City paddlewheeler (Steamer) is probably in the Chattahoochee River, not a creek! Early County later was divided into other counties, and Fort Gaines now is the county seat of Clay County.

There's an interesting video HERE about an old house (Toll House) that still exists, near where the original covered bridge crossed over the Chattahoochee River.  I found a few good pictures of the Toll House, but they are copyrighted, so go here to see them.

Fort Gaines GA now has a dam across the Chattahoochee River, forming a big lake of course.

The other Fort Gaines that I found in my brief search, is in Mobile Bay, Alabama...and was part of the big battle of Mobile Bay in the Civil War.  This wasn't the same Fort Gaines at all.

Map of Fort Gaines, GA today

This document of 1858 shows Mary Gainer was well educated, and could write a legal document, where she gave her 15 year old slave, Frances, to her granddaughter Zulieka Phillips who was born in Fort Gaines GA, but her parents lived in Texas.  Her parents were William Phillips and Mary Granger Phillips, my great times two grandparents. Zulieka was my great grandmother. Though I have no correspondence about the slave, Frances, I am glad that she was freed following the Civil War, while she was still young enough to start a new life.