FAMILY OF PRISCILLA WILLIAMS AND GREEN BERRY HARDWICK
PRISCILLA
(PRISLIE)
WILLIAMS
was born about 1823 in Williams Settlement, Rusk County, Texas, Coahuila,
Mexico, and died February 27, 1853 in Gholson, McLennan County, Texas. She
is buried
in the Hardwick Cemetery Gholson, McLennan County, Texas. She
married GREEN
BERRY
HARDWICK
May 25, 1841 in Nacogdoches, Nacogdoches, Republic of Texas, son of GEORGE
F. HARDWICK.
He was born July 02, 1820 in Seddon, St. Clair County, Alabama, and died
November 1861 in Gholson, McLennan County, Texas. He is buried in the
Hardwick Cemetery, Gholson, McLennan County, Texas. Notes for GREEN
BERRY
HARDWICK: TAKEN FROM OLD
NORTHWEST TEXAS, HISTORICAL-STATISTICAL-BIOGRAPHICAL, NAVARRO COUNTY
TEXAS 1846-1860 COMPILED BY NANCY SAMUELS AND BARBARA KNOX, PUBLISHED BY THE
FORT WORTH GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY "Priscilla, probably born about 1823; died prior to 1853; married in Nacogdoches County May 25, 1841 (one source says they married June 4, 1840) Green Berry Hardwick; lived in Cherokee County in 1850, had son James Hardwick, born about 1841. Green Berry Hardwick married wife 2 in McLennan County May 10, 1853, Sarah A. McCary (one source says they married October 5, 1853 in Hill County); are on the 1860 McLennan County census, Sardis PO. He was born July 2, 1820 in Alabama and died 1861 in McLennan County, Texas; he and both wives are probably buried in the Hardwick Cemetery west of Gholson. Kirkpatrick states that Green Hardwick lived in Hill County in the early 1850s 'on Cobb Creek on the stage road...a Dutchman Louis Boda lived with him...Hardwick was an early voter at Wyman's about 1851...his place on Cob Creek now (1909) known as the Cato ranch." MARRIAGE LICENSE OF
GREEN BERRY AND PRISCILLA FROM NACOGDOCHES, TEXAS Republic of Texas
To any Judge, Justice of the County of Nacogdoches
Peace or regular ordained You are hereby
authorized to solemnize the rites of matrimony between Mr. Green B. Hardwick and
Miss Percellor Williams the necessary proof having been made according to law to
warrant the issuing of license. Witness
my hand and (seal) of office this the 25 day of May 1840. Daniel Lacy CCK of Co
By his Deputy A.G. (too dim) I do hereby certify
that the rites of Holy matrimony was solemnized between the within mentioned
Green B. Hardwick & Pricilla Williams.
Given under my hand this 25 of May 1840. William Johnson, J.P. Recorded 18th Feby 1841 Wm Arnold CCC |
CHILDREN OF PRISCILLA WILLIAMS AND GREEN BERRY HARDWICK
James Hendon Thomason Hardwick
John G.M. Hardwick - born 24 March 1841 Houston County, Texas; died 24 April 1841 Houston County, Texas
FAMILY OF LEONARD HOUSTON WILLIAMS, JUNIOR AND NARCISSUS JANE (PUSS) ESTES
LEONARD
HOUSTON
WILLIAMS, JR.
was born October 10, 1828 in Coahuila, Texas, Mexico (Nacogdoches, Nacogdoches
County, Texas), and died March 22, 1920 in Mt. Calm, Hill County, Texas.
He is buried
at the Old Mt. Calm Cemetery, Mt. Calm, Hill/Limestone County, Texas. He
married NARCISSUS JANE
(PUSS)
ESTES
October 26, 1854 in Waco, McLennan County, Texas, daughter of AARON
ESTES
and ELIZABETH
WILSON.
She was born August 16, 1840 in Newton County, Missouri-1900 census gives
birthdate as Aug 1839, and died November 12, 1916 in Mt. Calm, Hill County,
Texas. She is buried at the Old Mt. Calm Cemetery Notes for LEONARD
HOUSTON
WILLIAMS, JR.: TAKEN FROM OLD
NORTHWEST TEXAS-HISTORICAL-STATISTICAL-BIOGRAPHICAL, VOL I-B NAVARRO COUNTY
TEXAS 1846-1860 COMPILED BY NANCY SAMUELS AND BARBARA KNOX Leonard Houston
Williams, Jr. was the son of Leonard Houston Williams and Nancy Isaacks, who was
1/2 Cherokee. See parents for
detailed explanation of this Williams family. "They lived
in Hill County 1860 and 1870 and in Eastland County in 1880 (Precinct 2).
Also in the same Precinct of 1880 Eastland County were William and Cinderella
Williams (ages 75 and 72) and grandson Russell B. Williams (age 11)." Leonard Houston
Williams also served in the Civil War. He
is buried in the Old Town Cemetery, Mt. Calm, Hill County, Texas. TAKEN FROM A HANDBOOK OF WACO AND McLENNAN COUNTY, TEXAS EDITED BY DAYTON KELLEY, PUBLISHED IN 1972 BY TEXIAN PRESS IN WACO "Leonard
Houston Williams, son of Leonard and Nancy (Isaacs) Williams, was born near
Nacogdoches, Texas, in 1828. He
came to Torrey's Post No. 2 in the spring of 1844 and worked as a teamster for
his father's ox wagon line to Houston. The
next year, Williams operated a private mail route to Little Rock, Arkansas, from
Torrey's through East Texas, riding a mule. In the fall of 1846, he homesteaded 320 acres of land on the
headwaters of Williams Creek. He
helped his father move George Barnard's post up the Brazos River, across from
Comanche Peak in 1849. During the
organization of Hill County in 1852, he held the first election in the
southwestern part of the county in his home.
Although he had voted against secession, he joined the Confederate Army
in 1861 and participated in the battles of Chickamauga, Missionary Ridge, and
Pleasant Hill. After the war, he
began branding and driving stray cattle to the nearest market at New Orleans,
Louisiana. In 1873, he took the
oath of allegiance and was allowed to vote again. Williams married
Narcissus Jane Estes of Sardis in 1854 at Waco; they were the parents of six
children. He died in 1912 near
Mount Calm and was buried in the "Old Town" Cemetery in Hill/Limestone
County. BIBLIOGRAPHY:
Bounty Records (M.S., General Land Office); A.Y. Kirkpatrick, EARLY
SETTLERS LIFE IN TEXAS AND THE ORGANIZATION OF HILL COUNTY (1909); Mexican
Census of Texas, 1829-1835 (M.S., Spanish Archives, General Land Office);
Service Records of Leonard Houston Williams, Jr. (National Archives, Washington,
D.C.); John K. Strecker, CHRONICLES OF GEORGE BARNARD (Baylor University
BULLETIN, September, 1923) by Dan Williams." His service in
the Civil War was with Company I, 19th Regiment of the Texas Cavalry under Col.
N.M. Burford. FROM THE
CONFEDERATE GUNS OF NAVARRO COUNTY BY JOHN W. SPENCER, 1986, THE TEXAS
PRESS, CORSICANA, TEXAS CHAPTER VI -
DRESDEN'S TEXAS CAVALRY COMPANY - COMPANY I, 19TH TEXAS CAVALRY REGIMENT Company I of the
19th Texas Cavalry Regiment enlisted at Dresden, Texas on April 2, 1862, with
Samuel Wright as Captain, Robert A. Younger as first lieutenant, and four second
lieutenants: Nicholas T. Sneed,
Robert J. Wright, Robert D. Bills, and T.M. Williams.
Captain Wright resigned in March 1863, and was succeeded by Nicholas
Sneed as captain. Lieutenant Robert
Younger also resigned in 1863. This company of
Navarro County horsemen served with one of Texas's most famous cavalry
organizations-Parson's Texas Cavalry Brigade.
It was composed of the 19th Texas Cavalry, the 12th Texas Cavalry, the
21st Texas Cavalry, and Morgan's Texas Cavalry Battalion.
Morgan's outfit included Captain B.D. McKie's company of cavalrymen from
Navarro County. The service of
Parson's Texas Cavalry Brigade consisted mainly in scouting, advanced picket
duty for the army behind it, and in being the eyes of the Trans-Mississippi
Department. The regiments and
companies of the brigade were sometimes stretched out as much as one hundred
miles, where they were further divided into squads of two to five men. Commander of the
19th Texas was Colonel Nathaniel M. Burford, who had come to Texas in 1846.
Burford had been in a law partnership in Dallas with John H. Reagan,
served as district attorney of Dallas County, and was appointed district judge
in 1856. The brigade fought in 48
distinct engagements, mostly independent and unsupported, never sustaining a
defeat, except with the ironclads on the Red River, and in the last battle of
the Red River Campaign, the Battle of Yellow Bayou in Louisiana.
The brigade operated from Cape Girardeau in southeast Missouri southward
to the mouth of the Red River. One
of the highlights of the brigade was the capture of the entire First Wisconsin
Cavalry Battalion of about 600 men. FORMATION OF
COMPANY I The Navarro
County men enlisted in Company I of the 19th Texas Cavalry in April 1862.
By June 20 the graybacks were on the march to Dallas where they began
regimental drill at Camp Stonewall Jackson.
From Dallas, they went to Plano, and left that area on July 13, 1862
towards Paris, camping on Pine Creek near that city.
Remaining in that area until about the first part of August, they then
marched to the Red River. Later,
they went on to a point a few miles northeast of Clarkesville, Texas, where they
camped until August 27, 1862. THE COTTON PLANT
FIGHT The Texans now
move on into Arkansas, passing through Camden, Pine Bluff, Little Rock, and,
then in late 1862, they fight in their first battle.
It happens near a small town in Arkansas called Cotton Plant.
Parson's Texas Cavalry Brigade consists at this time of the 19th Texas
Cavalry, the 12th Texas Cavalry, the 21st Texas Cavalry, Morgan's Battalion and
Pratt's battery. The brigade is on
guard at this little town, located just below the east border of White River
bottom, about 60 miles northeast of Little Rock, on Cache River.
Federal soldiers are moving down from Missouri to form a junction with
their forces already on the Mississippi River.
But Parson's brigade of cavalry stands smack in the line of their march. The Texans form a
line of battle on both sides of the road leading into Cotton Plant, and the
battle opens with charges and countercharges by both sides. Finally the Federals began to slowly give way, and then
started to make a hasty retreat. During
the battle, Lieutenant Tom Curington of Ellis County is shot through the heart.
D.H. Richardson of Kemp, Texas, jumps from his own horse as Curington is
falling, rushing to him. But
nothing can be done for him, and he died on the battlefield.
Richardson took a pistol from the clenched fingers of Curington and later
sent it to his widow at home in Ellis County.
Twenty-one of the Texas cavalrymen are killed and many are wounded. They capture many horses, mules, and wagons loaded with
commissary. Richardson said that
the Texans were hungry for what the wagons contained. INTO MISSOURI The Navarro
Countians continued duty in and around Cotton Plant and Des Arc, Arkansas for
two or three months, and then on April 18, 1863, they crossed the border into
Missouri. They reached Bloomfield
about midnight on April 23, after having swam their horses across the river. But they stayed
in Bloomfield only about two hours before crossing the White Water River about
3:00 in the afternoon on April 24, 1863. After
passing through Spring Hill, they arrived at a battlefield where a fight had
just occurred, and the dead were being buried and the wounded cared for.
On April 25, the company of Navarro Countians camped with the rest of the
brigade five miles below Cape Girardeau, and on April 26, they had an engagement
with Federal soldiers. The Confederates
were repulsed in this fight, and on the retreat they passed through Jackson,
Missouri after marching all night. On
April 27, they recrossed the White Water River and camped eight miles south.
Then on April 28, 1863, they camped about eight miles north of
Bloomfield, Missouri, all this time on the retreat. Though they were
on the retreat, it was orderly and slow, and an attempt was made every day to
check the Federals. Most of the
time the Navarro County men were in the rear, and were always in the skirmishes.
But the Missouri expedition cost the 19th Texas in casualties - five
killed, nineteen wounded, and nine missing. On April 29, the
brigade lined up in line of battle on the heights near Bloomfield and stayed
until April 30, when they moved to Chalk Bluff, Missouri.
On May 2, 1863, the Navarro Countians were again the rear guard of the
division, along with the rest of the 19th Texas Cavalry.
A Federal cavalry charge was made on them, but they received it in
gallant style, and then counterattacked with the rear guard of the rear guard,
including the men of B.D. McKie's company in Morgan's battalion.
The 19th Texas had one man killed, ten wounded and eight missing.
They captured a number of prisoners, including one captain, and killed
the lieutenant colonel who was leading the federal charge. On May 2, 1863,
the brigade took up a position in the rear of the line of battle, with the 19th
Teas being sent to the extreme right of the line. The Federals opened fire on the 19th Texas with cannons, shot
and shell. Between midnight and
daybreak the Texas brigade was quietly withdrawn across the river. INTO LOUISIANA After the
Missouri expedition, the Navarro County graybacks move with the rest of the 19th
Texas into Louisiana. On June 29,
1863, they had another fight in the Mississippi River bottom below Lake
Providence. They continued duty in
Louisiana until late 1863 or early 1864 when they were ordered to Hempstead,
Texas. This order was
countermanded, however, and the brigade was ordered back into Louisiana. BATTLES IN
LOUISIANA IN 1864 The Navarro
Countians' brigade was ordered toward Mansfield, Louisiana, in April 1864, but
they arrived too late to fight in the Battles of Mansfield and Pleasant Hill,
arriving in the battle area about Tuesday, April 12, 1864.
They were described in a diary as being "all fresh and full of
vigor". Actually, a part of
the brigade reached Mansfield on the evening of April 9, and were rushed to
General Thomas Green on April 10 and April 11, participating in the Battle of
Blair's Landing on April 12, 1864. SKIRMISHES After the affair
at Blair's Landing, the graybacks from Texas were ordered to a position near
Grand Ecore, Louisiana, and occupied a position at the forks of the road leading
to Grand Ecore and Natchitoches. While
here, they received orders from General Taylor to attack the Federals at
daylight on April 23. The Texans
were to push forward until they could drive no further. At this time, the regiment of the Navarro Countians was the
only one available for such duty, and they saddled their horses and moved out on
the morning of April 23, 1864. The bluecoat
pickets, however, had been withdrawn, and as the Texans marched into Grand
Ecore, they found it had been evacuated. Driving
on toward Natchitoches, they clashed with the rear guard of the Federal army and
drove it rapidly through Natchitoches. The
other regiments of the brigade soon joined the 19th Texas at Natchitoches, and
occupied the ground around Sibley's Lake, having driven the Federals about seven
miles below Natchitoches. The brigade is
soon ordered to McNutt's Hill, and assigned the duty of occupying the roads to
Alexandria. Skirmishing was
constant from April 29 to May 7, and several times the Federals came out in
large force and hammered the brigade back.
On May 5, a large force attacked the Texans, and again on May 6 they were
attacked with strength. On May 7,
the 19th Texas was withdrawn, and the brigade was forced to retreat over the
Bayou Bouef because of the superior Federal forces. The 19th Texas,
the 12th Texas and Morgan's Battalion proceeded on May 8 to a position on the
Bayou Bouef, arriving on May 9. Here
they relieved the troops that had been occupying that position, covering the
road leading south to Cheneyville. During
the days from May 9 to May 14, skirmishing was constant, and attack was made
daily with sufficient vigor to bring out the Federal line of infantry.
The pursuit continued to May 15, 1864, when the brigade engaged the
Federals rear guard again near Marksville, capturing a wagon and 30 prisoners.
They also left several Federal dead on the field. On May 17,
Parson's brigade was put in the advance in pursuit of the Federals again, and
they skirmished and fought with them until almost dark, when the Federals
brought out their heavy artillery and opened up on the graybacks.
The position the Federals occupied at this time would become better known
the following day as the battlefield of the Battle of
the Yellow Bayou. THE BATTLE OF
YELLOW BAYOU The following
day, on May 18, 1864, the Battle of Yellow Bayou was fought. The 19th Texas Cavalry charged in two columns, but were
repulsed with heavy loss. No
figures are available for the Navarro Countians, but their brigade had about 200
killed and wounded in this last engagement. RETURN TO TEXAS The remaining
duty of the Navarro Countians in Louisiana was in doing picket duty on the
various bayous, until they were returned to Texas some time late in 1864 or
early 1865. A general
reorganization of Texas troops took place in February 1865, and the 19th Texas
Cavalry, along with Morgan's Texas Cavalry, became a part of a new cavalry
division known as the Second Texas Cavalry Division. DISCHARGE On May 25, 1865,
at Hempstead, Texas, the Navarro Countians were discharged.
They returned to their homes after 38 months of arduous service with the
knowledge that they had done their duty. DRESDEN'S TEXAS
CAVALRY COMPANY - COMPANY I, 19TH TEXAS CAVALRY REGIMENT Williams, Leonard
H., private, age 31. He was
5'9" tall, had gray eyes, and brown hair.
He was discharged August 13, 1862. Notes for NARCISSUS
JANE (PUSS)
ESTES: TAKEN FROM OLD
NORTHWEST TEXAS-HISTORICAL-STATISTICAL-BIOGRAPHICAL VOL. I-B 1846-1860 NAVARRO
COUNTY COMPILED BY NANCY SAMUELS AND BARBARA KNOX, PUBLISHED BY FORT WORTH
HISTORICAL SOCIETY. "We note the
eldest child, Narcissa Jane, was some 10 years older than the eldest of the
other children, this leads to speculation that she was a daughter by
a first wife and not Elizabeth Wilson. Lived in Hill County in
1860; were in Eastland County by 1880 (Precinct 2).
Also in the same Precinct in 1880 Eastland County were William Williams
and Cinderella Williams (ages 75 and 72) and grandson Russell B. Willams (age
11)." |
CHILDREN OF LEONARD HOUSTON WILLIAMS, JUNIOR AND NARCISSUS JANE (PUSS) ESTES
Texana E. Williams
Aaron Fields Williams
Mary Ellen (Molly) Williams
Thomas G. (Tee) Williams
Nancy Alice Williams
Ephraim Wilson (Tant) Williams
© L.L. Kight 2002