Name: Charles William Southern
   Born: 28 Apr 182932 
  Place: Pearisburg, Giles Co., VA
   Died: 7 Dec 1921
  Place: near Viola, Mercer Co., IL
 Buried: 10 Dec 192132 
  Place: Bethel Cemetery, Mercer Co., IL
Y-Haplo: R1b-BY99561
Married: 6 Aug 1851
  Place: New Boston, Mercer Co., IL

Courtesy of Dianna Powell Martin

It seems likely that Charles was named for his grandfathers, Charles Duncan and William Southern.

The following biographical sketch, from Historical Encyclopedia if Illinois and History of Mercer Co,¹ is presented as transcribed by Mary Ann (Duncan) Dobson:²

Pg.742-743: CHARLES W. SOUTHERN, farmer, Green Township, Mercer County, was born in Giles County, Va., April 8, 1829, a son of John and Elizabeth Sarah Duncan (Duncan) Southern. In 1848 Mr. Southern located on a farm in Duncan Township, and, in 1852, moved to his present farm ... Enlisted in the Union Army ... On Jan. 16, 1848, he was married to Sarah Duncan, who died April 16, 1849, and Aug. 6, 1851, he was married to his present wife, Mrs. Ruth McManus, and of their children, Catherine E., Sarah E., and Marion L., are living, and two - William and Martha - are deceased. Republican, Commissioner of Highways for 21 years, member of the United Presbyterian church at Viola.

Obituary and Burial Notice

From The Times Record (Mercer County, IL), 15 Dec 1921

Charles William Southern was born in Pearisburg, Chiles [sic] county, Virginia, April 8th, 1829, and died at the home of George Martin, December 7th, 1921, aged 92 years and 8 months.

When 13 years of age he went to Cedar county, Iowa. After a short residence there he came with his parents to Duncan Prairie, Mercer county, Illinois, where he grew to manhood. On August 6th, 1851, he was united in marriage to Ruth Ruema McMannis of New Boston. After their marriage they moved to their farm three miles southwest of Viola, Illinois, where they lived until the death of Mrs. Southern, June 6th, 1905. To this union were born five children. Catherine B. Martin, Viola, Illinois; Eva Ashenhurst, Tingley, Ia.; William S. Southern, who died at the age of [23?] years; Martha Selma Southern, who died in infancy, and Mariob [sic] S. Southern of Viola, Ill. There are seventeen grandchildren, forty great grandchildren and two great-great grandchildren.

On October 21, 1908, he was united in marriage to Mrs. Elizabeth Stewart of Adair, Iowa. She preceded him in death February 10th, 1912, at Adair, Iowa. Mr. Southern was a pioneer of Mercer county, having lived in the county for about seventy years. He was a private in Co. D, 83rd Regiment, Illinois Volunteers.

In early life Mr. Southern a profession of his faith in Christ and united with a Free Presbyterian church that was located a little west of Viola in the Carnahan neighborhood. Later on, in the seventies, he and his wife became members of the United Presbyterian church of Viola where he remained a member until the time of his death, with the exception of a short time he lived at Adair, Iowa. The allotted time for man on earth is said to be three score and ten, but Mr. Southern has outlived this time by more than twenty years. It can well be said of him that he came to his "grave in full age, like a shock of grain cometh in its season." A short time ago he seemed to realize that the end might not be far off for him and he selected that passage of scripture to be read, the 55th chapter of Isaiah, and the text, the 6th and 7th verses of the chapter.

The funeral services were held from the home of George Martin, Saturday December 10th, at 11 a. m., in charge of his pastor, A. S. Bailey. The pallbearers were Messrs Fred Morris, J. M. Tary, W. A. Anderson, Alex. McGaughy, James Mack and M. A. Forsythe. Burial was in the Mercer County Bethel cemetery west of Viola.

CARD OF THANKS

We desire to express our heartfelt thanks to our friends and neighbors for their kindness during the sickness and burial of our beloved father. We also extend our thanks to the singers and for the beautiful floral offerings. Mr. and Mrs. Geo. Martin and family; Mr. and Mrs. O. T. Ashenhurst and family; Mr. and Mrs. M. L. Southern and family.

From The Times Record (Mercer Co., IL), 8 Dec 1921

NONAGENARIAN, HEAD OF FIVE GENERATIONS, TO BE BURIED SAT.

Charles Southern, born in Giles Co., Virginia, and for more than seventy years a resident of Mercer county died at the home of his daughter, Mrs. Geo. Martin, near Viola Wednesday afternoon, December 7, 1921, at the ripe old age of 92 years and 8 months.

At the age of 21 years, the deceased came to Mercer county, being one of the oldest resident pioneers at the time of his death. He is survived by four succeeding generations. Funeral services will be held at the Martin home at 11 a. m. Saturday, December 10, Rev. Bailey of the Viola United Presbyterian church officiating.

Charles William Southern's Family

Charles Southern and his second wife, Ruth Hoover, had five children:

Charles William Southern's Civil War Letters

Courtesy of Dianna Powell Martin

Here are my transcriptions of photocopied letters I received in the late 1980s or early 1990s. They have long become separated from the enclosing envelope. For the life of me, I can't remember who sent them to me, except that they came down through the Ashenhurst line.

[Transcribed by Michael Cooley.]

Camp Butler Ill.
Monday, March 20th 1865

My Dear Wife I again imbrace the opportunity of writing afew lines to let you know that I am well at present and hope that these few lines may reach and find you all injoying the same blessing. I wasent very well yesterday and day before but I got a box of Ayers pills and took some of them and I feel pretty well today I rote a letter asatturday and sent you my likness in it and I sent you a doubble one in an invelope when wee got our clothes [can't read] got no napsacks so wee could carry nothing but our blankets wee started the same night wee got our cloths and wee got a box and it was small to hold all our cloths so I only sent my over coat and and over shirt and socks wee sent them to Keithsboro in care of Asa Knox I put a book in the box for you it is Jack Mosby the gurrillia I hope wee will git away from hear for it is a hard place it is very sickly hear and tha [they?] say thare is 10 or 12 dies evry day, a man told me this morning that thare was two hundred sick men sent to the hospittle on Friday last thare was a poor fellow shot heare last night by the gards - he was trying to git away he was a substitute. When you hear people talk about drafted men and substitutes being treated as well as volunteers you can tell them that I say it isent so Well Ruth I am better contented than I thaut [thought?] I would be if I knew all was well at home I would feel satisfide still I never wantid to hear from any place as bad in my life, I was out to preaching yesterday I heard two very good sermons preached thare is severl boys hear from Kethsburg the boy have a goodeal of fun and seem to injoy thair selves first rate but I am like a Bound Boy at a husking Well Ruth you must excuse me for writing such letters as this but the boys keep so mutch noise that I can hardly think of anything, take good care of your self and the children and dont work to hard tell Elizabeth and polly I will rite to them soon it seems to me that thare is men anuf hare in this plase to give the Rebs a good brush thare is lots of them and more coming evry day. I heard since I have bin writing that thare is a solger a going to be shot to day hear for shoting a little boy while on gard Well Ruth if you got my other letter answer it but dont write any more till you hear from me agane. So no mor at present but remain as ever your husband

Charles W Southern

good by for this time
kiss all the children for me

--

indianopolice Ind Sunday March 26 1865

My Dear and mutch loved wife I imbrace the present opportunity of writing a few lines to let you no how I am gitting along I havent felt very well for a day or two I have [cough?] cold some way But I feel thankful to the giver of all good for the perservation of my life through the dangers that I have all ready past, and earnestly hope this will find you all well and doing well, wee left Camp Butler a Friday Eve [can't read] arrived hear last night at two o'clock in the night. I tell you I was glad to git away from Camp Butler for it is one of the worst places that I have ever saw we staid thare eight days and thare was a man kild evry night. wee was thare for trying to git away and tha ware dieing off fearfully with the smale from measels and nearly all the diseases I could mention two Boys from the Richland grove died last week tha had only bin away from home two weeks Well Ruth wee come from Camp Butler on a freight trane about two hundred of us as far as lafayett indiana and thare wee changed cars wee got on a passenger train and the engine run off the track about mid night last night, but thare was no one hurt as it happend one car was so badly broken that tha had to leave [us thare?] a nice place here tha have barracks and every thing fixed up as it should be, tha have spard nether trouble nor expence in making everything clean and comfortable for the solgers it is cald the solgers home I would like to stay hear a while but wee are only laying here over Sunday we will take the trane in the morning for Nashville and from thare to Clarksville Some of the men think that the 83 Regt will be full before wee git thare thare is more men going to that Rigt than any other on acount of it being ahealthy plase for my part I dont care it is full I dont no whether wee will have another choice or not iff it is full some think we will iff the Regt is full and I have another chois I will go to the 100th Regt doind guard duty at Rock island and then I will git a little neare home. Well Ruth was paid thirty three dollars and thirty cents of my government bounty before I left Springfield I will express it home to you as soon as I git to the Regt I had rather trust it in your hands that to carry it myself thare is a great many ways to git the solgers money from them if tha cant git it any other way tha will steal it thare is more stealing done in Camp Butler than any other plase in the State Some are gitting rich at it Well Ruth you wanted me told me to write to you and tell you just how I felt that would be very hard for me to do I feel very lonesome, to tell you the truth I am home sick I wont deny it But if I could only hear from you and know that all was well at home I no I would feel a goodeal better Sumner went to the post office before we left Butler to see if we couldent git a letter but we had to leave disapointed I know you will rite to me as as often as you can wee have not staid in one plase long anuf

--

[written in top margin]:
tell your mother to be shore and write as soon as you git this and tell me iff she got the money

Franklin Tenn July the 27 1865

Dear Son I seat myself to write you a few lines to let you know that I am well at present and hope these few lines will find you all well Willie I got a letter from your mother to day and I have just rote an answer to it She sent me one dollar and some paper and I sent the dollar back and the paper I kept I sent ten dollares to your mother and fifty cents to Cassa and eva and I will put 25 cents in this letter [can't read several words] you must give him five cents of it Well Willie I havent had an opportunity to git you any little gun yet but the solgers can all git to keep thair guns for six dollars cuterments and all and iff you want a big gun I will bring my gun home for you it is a new gun rite out of the shop and if you live you will soon be a man and then you will want a big gun Send me a word iff you think a big gun will do you you must be a good boy and mind your mother and tend to the pigs calvs and chickens [can't read several words] good to your litle brother and sisters So good by for this time from your father C. W. Southern

Well eva your mother said you are all good children I am very glad to hear that you are all good children and go to Sunday school [can't read] learn all you can I want to hear you read when I git home I have got three nice little bboks that the preacher gave me I will fetch them to you and Cassa and Willie mind your mother and be a good girl good by C W Southern

Well Catherine I must write a little to you I would like to see some more of your writing I could read all the letter I got from you very well and I would like for you to try it agane the next letter your mother writes I am gitting along [can't read several words] my health is [can't read several words] have plenty eat and a good tent to sleep in we have preaching in camp every Sunday a man by the name of Kelly a private in Co I preaches for us thare is all sorts of men hear some singing and praying and some playing the fidle and dancing [can't read] some dreinking whiskey and gambling some quarling and some fighting before tha got thair money all was quiet but now it is ahead of any thing I ever saw tha have a drinking saloon in one of the tents in Co F and

[I must be missing a page. Too bad. It was getting interesting.]

--

Franklin Tenn Wednesday August the 10th 1865

Dear wife and children I seat myself to write you a few lines to let you know that I am well at present and I hope that these few lines may find you all well I received aletter from you this morning dated august this containing one from Dunk I will answer his letter as soon as I get time and I want you to write to mother and tell her that iff I git home in time I will try to go and see her Well Ruth you said that you got my letter and Willie got one but you did not say whether thare was any money in it or not I thaught that I would box up afew things and send home but it is so hard to hear from any thing I gess that I had better not send them you said in your other letter that Will Curtis wanted to no iff he could rent some ground for next year you must exersize your one [own?] jugement about that and every thing else while I am away for I cant tell when I will git home I may have to stay my time out I cant find out any thing about it to any sertainty thare is some talk of us going to huntsville alabamma but but whether thare is any thing of it or not I cant know one of the men asked the Colonel about it yesterday and he told him that he would bet him a hundred dollars that wee all would be at home by the 10th of September at the fardest but the officer is sutch liers that we cant depend in any thing tha say all thay care for is to swindle the government out of all the money tha can I heard this morning that the officers of the 83 sold us to the officers of this regiment for one dollar a head all th 61st wanted of us down hear was to fill up the regt so tha could promote officers tha had no officers hardly and tha couldent promote any more with what men the had tha have promoted a Colonel and a whole kit of officers Since we come hear. iff tha had left us at Nashville two days longer wee would a bin mustered out, iff I live to git home I will never vote for any officer in this army for any office no sooner than I would a Rebel I know anuf about them to know that all tha care for is green backs and hores, they have a hore house hear in town expressly for the use of the officers and tha draw rations from the government but I have said anuf on this subject every thing gose to show that we will leave this plase soon tha are turning over the government property that belongs to this post, but the officers will keep us just as long as tha can you must do the best you can and tell the men that has grain in that field to see to having the fense fixed up or the cattle will destroy all the corn and iff tha wont do it let the cattle take it for for you must not run after the cattle for it is no use to make your self sick becaus thare is no fense iff tha will all go at it tha can soon fix it up and if tha dont let it go, dont you run after the cattle any more I did not leave home with the calculation for you to be a [?] to run cattle this summer and iff you will mind me you wont do it, iff tha will fix the fense we will pay them what is right for it and iff not let thare crops take it that is the best we can do, you have hard work and trouble anuf with out watching the field and I dont intend you shall do it iff I can help it

1. By William A. Marsh; ed. by Newton Bateman & Paul Selby, Mercer Co. Hist. ed. by Wm. A. Lorimer; pub. Chicago: Munsell Pub. Co., 1903, 860 pgs.

2. http://homepages.rootsweb.com/~dobson/va/vagiles.htm