The subsequent articles attempt to explain why the Unaka and/or Unicoi Mountains lying between Tennessee and North Carolina were virtual hotbeds of dissension full of pro-Union citizens during the Civil War, why so many descendants now have ancestors from both sides, if not the same ancestor recorded on muster rolls from both sides, and why our cemeteries have both Confederate and Union soldiers lying side by side, some with the same surname or related in various ways. All these dilemmas puzzle beginning family tree researchers, youngsters, and sometimes visitors from other states. Hopefully, these articles will expedite future research. This information represents many years of research by both my husband and me beginning about 1973 as well as a great deal of research from others. All articles are copyrighted. Footnote pages are included for validating sources.
Very special thanks and appreciation is due our son Shane Ratledge for teaching me html in order to create this website as well as the skills necessary to maintain it. Were it not for his persistence, expertise, and encouragement, I would never have attempted this.