Dee Wheaton's "James Halstead" (Part 3)

    First, it is worth noting that although my grandfather, Edgar Halstead, wasn't from Streeter, he socialized with many people from there. Of course, he married my grandmother (Lillie Jennings Basham), who was from Streeter. My research -- and the research I share -- has always extended a little beyond the boundary of the topic of Streeter itself. Family history can sometimes lead to this. In fact, the Halstead family of southern West Virginia is connected in many ways with the early history of Summers County. James Halstead, as one of the first settlers in the area, is an important figure. It's also worth stating again that, although others might not have Halstead ancestry, Dee Wheaton's book contains a lot more information than just about him (see the previous posts on this topic). 

    Note to my cousins (James is our 5th great-grandfather)

    As for the topic of James himself, Wheaton states that he was mentioned in John Gwathmey's Virginians in The Revolution and in the National Archives. He was a soldier in "Col. James Wood's Company and a rifleman in Daniel Morgan's 12th Virginia Regiment" [my note: Daniel Morgan did not command the 12th; Woods did. Washington ordered Daniel Morgan to create a provisional rifle corps using the best marksmen from multiple regiments. This provisional rifle corps ended up being about 500 men from the 11th, 12th, and 7th Va. regiments, along with some from Penn. However, James is not a part of a list of these 500 men]. He enlisted on March 8, 1777, when Washington gathered his army. Col. Wood's men were gathered from the counties of Berkeley, Hampshire, Dunmore, Augusta, and Botetourt. Parts of these counties became Greenbrier, Monroe, Fayette, and Summers. She states that on August 11, 1777, James disappeared, "deserted" from "the hospital". Never collected his pay of six dollars for six months of service. 

    Wheaton may not have been aware of it, but the August 19, 1777, publication of Dunlap's Pennsylvania Packet* announced his desertion. This ad gives us a very rare glimpse into what he looked like. The ad states: "James Halstead, born in the Jerseys, about 27 years of age, five feet ten inches high, slender made, straight black hair, black eyes and eye-brows; had on a hunting shirt and trowsers, a small round hat, and took with him a soldier's knapsack and some shirts. It is thought he will make for Virginia, he having a wife there within twenty miles of Winchester" (desertion advertisement written by Captain William Vause, August 16th). 

  *Some researchers report this is in the Pennsylvania Gazette. I couldn't find the ad in it. I found it in the August 19, 1777, Dunlap's Pennsylvania Packet, page 3 (image above). 

  

  Wheaton asks, "Did James rejoin Morgan or unite with the British or become a prisoner, a Tory or was he a sick man who simply went home?" 

  Desertion didn't have the stigma then as it does now. Many soldiers left without formal leave to return home for the safety of their families or to tend to crops. It was not an uncommon occurrence (in his recent documentary, Ken Burns covers this topic). Nevertheless, the Continental Army was in desperate need of fighting men. Officers were under pressure from Congress to maintain muster rolls. The ads, like the one for James, were an attempt by the officers to maintain their reputations and funding. Most likely, James did not commit a real criminal act. Indeed, he did "go home" -- to answer Wheaton's question. 

        More importantly, the article answers some key questions that Dee Wheaton tries to tackle in her book. Where was James born? Where was he before 1777 (before his enlistment)? The article states he was born in "the Jerseys". At one time, New Jersey was split into two provinces, East and West Jersey. Long after the two provinces were combined in 1702, colonists continued to refer to them as "the Jerseys". Wheaton states that Everette Miller "knew of James" and wrote that he was born in England, the father of John Halstead. Miller, author of The Genealogy of Jacob Miller and His Descendants, was born in 1880 and long after James Halstead died around 1815. I found a copy of Miller's book. He briefly states that James was born in England, but he doesn't give his source, and I couldn't find where he stated that he knew James. In my estimation, the desertion ad provides a good primary source for James Halstead's birthplace. Military companies had descriptive lists given directly by the enlisted, including birthplace, and this is probably what Vause (or a member of the company) used for the desertion advertisement. 

    Also, the article states he lived near Winchester, Virginia. Wheaton postulates that he might have lived in North Carolina. At least at and a little before 1777, he was living near Winchester. Later, he moved to Indian Creek (in present-day Summers County).

    Wheaton consulted many books, but she would not have been able to answer her own questions unless she stumbled upon the book Uniforms of the Continental Army by Phillip Katcher (1981). There are innumerable books written about 1700s America, the Revolution, etc. The subject of Katcher's book pertains to the clothing that members of the Continental Army wore, and, coincidentally, he uses desertion ads for sources to discuss uniforms. The title of his book wouldn't necessarily stand out to most family history researchers. However, this is one book that might have pointed her in the right direction to this very useful newspaper article at the U.S. Library of Congress. I found it through some online research and a little help from A.I. Even then, I spent three hours browsing digital images of the Pennsylvania Gazette and Dunlap's Pennsylvania Packet until I finally found the ad. Eureka!

    Wheaton states that he was a part of Morgan's Rifles -- men handpicked from the Va. 12th for their marksmanship. The article's description of his "hunting shirt" is possible evidence for this. However, it's important to note that the 11th and 12th Virginia were later merged. Later historians broadly referred to all these men as "Morgan's" men, whether or not they were technically in "Morgan's Rifles". A hunting shirt was common clothing for men from Virginia. YouTube videos and social media have made a great deal out of the "hunting shirts". In fact, it was a common look for frontiersmen. More importantly, it is stated in the ad that James is a part of Cpt. William Vause's company. 

 If he was in Captain Vause's company, then he was in the Philadelphia area and left just before Morgan's riflemen went north to Saratoga. She states he was "in the Philadelphia General Hospital in July and was inoculated for smallpox" (Wheaton doesn't state her source here, but I believe this is in the May or June 1777 monthly muster and pay roll via the National Archive). 

To be continued...

Dee Wheaton's sources for "James Halstead: Pioneer of Indian Creek" (part 2)

     The following is a list of Dee Wheaton's sources for her book. It is located at the back of the book, under the heading "Bibliography." As stated in the post before this one, I admire Wheaton's exhaustive research. I think she did an excellent job, and at a time when online resources were somewhat limited. Some of her sources I am familiar with. A few I have consulted myself. Wheaton states, "these books are in libraries and on microfilms". I make notes about my own thoughts here in the post on some of the material. She uses History of Summers County by James H. Miller. 

    A sidenote: as with Miller's book, these sources sometimes can contain errors. I've covered it in an earlier post, but Miller made some questionable claims. As one example, he claims that President Hayes -- General Hayes during the Civil War -- confided in Anderson Pack, who was a prisoner of war, that his wife's mother was Jennie Pack. This is not correct. Hayes's wife was Lucy Webb, the daughter of Dr. James Webb and Maria Cook Webb. A number of years ago, I consulted a well-regarded biography of Hayes and found nothing about his encounter with Anderson Pack. Of course, that does not mean the encounter did not happen. It is possible that biographers did not have access to that bit of information, and it is lost to history (it was an alleged brief encounter afterall). Could it be that Hayes spoke to Anderson Pack but shared a completely different story? Could it be that the story involved a shared acquaintance between them of a different name? Is it possible that Hayes lied to Anderson Pack for some ulterior motive? Maybe Hayes wanted to gain favor with locals and told a white lie, or was looking for a military intelligence opportunity and decided to be friendly with an enemy soldier for that purpose. Is it possible that Anderson Pack made up a tale or embellished a story about a chance meeting? Did Miller recount the wrong details about Anderson Pack? It could be any number of these possibilities.

    Miller was a politician and not a professional historian (he was a circuit court judge and a prominent political figure). I don't fault him for inaccurate information necessarily. My honest opinion is that he was just recounting what locals told him, and he would have been in an uncomfortable position to second-guess or question the honesty of his Summers County neighbors -- and voters! In the late 1800s and early 1900s there was an explosion of local history books around the country. The 100 year celebration of America in 1876 was a part of this. President Grant encouraged a history of local communities. Local politicians capitalized on this by writing what are called "mug books" -- focusing on notable people in the area and the writer's own notable family history. A professional historian, on the other hand, would seek accuracy by evaluating sources for bias. Miller didn't do this, but we are lucky to have his book. It has some interesting tales we wouldn't otherwise have about our ancestors, but keep in mind the book's purpose as a promotional tool and the questionable accuracy of some stories you read. 

 

    Wheaton's Bibliography:

• The story of the Halsteads of the United States. By William Leon Halstead. Found on Film Number 132119 at the Mormon Church Libraries. [My note: It's difficult to make much of a connection with James Halstead with this book. Wheaton makes some reasonable conclusions using it). 
• Valley of Virginia in the Revolution. By Freeman H. Hart.
• Virginia's Colonial Soldiers. By Lloyd DeWitt Bockstruck.
• A Register of Virginians in the Revolution. By John Gwathmy
• The Patriots. By A.J. Langguth
• West Virginians in the Revolution. By Ross B. Johnston
• West Virginia Revolutionary War Ancestors. By Anne Waller Reddy [ my note: I believe this book was originally published in the 1930s. Online sources state 2019, but it's a reprint. Most of the information in this book can now be found online.]
• The Spirit of Seventy-Six as told by participants, edited by Henry Seele Commager and Richard B. Morris. 
• The South in the American Revolution. By Lucien Agniel
• Rebels and Recoats. By George F. Sheer and Hugh F. Rankin
• Loyalists in the Southern Campaign of the Revolutionary War. By Murtie June Clark
• Loyalists in the American Revolution. By Claude Halstead Van Tyne
• The Soldiery of West Virginia. By Virgil A. Lewis, M.A. [My note: I believe the full title is The Soldiery of West Virginia in The French and Indian War]
• Chronicles of Border Warfare. By Alexander Scott Withers. Edited and annotated by Reuben Gold Thwaites [my note: This book was originally published in 1831. It was republished with notes by Thwaites in 1895. Withers, like David E. Johnson later, used Colonel  John Stuart's papers to understand the New River Indian skirmishes. Stuart's papers are considered the foundational written account for the Middle New River and Greenbrier regions -- including the Swope/Pittman/Pack scouting party account.]
• Early Adventures on Western Waters, Vol 1, New River in Pioneer Days, 1745-1800. By Mary B. Kegley and F. B. Kegley. 
• Indian Warfare and Massacres of the West Virginia Frontier. Written and Compiled by Dale Payne
• A Seed Bed of the Republic. By Robert Douthat Stover. 
• History of Indian Creek Primitive Baptist Church, Greenville, WV, and Related Churches of West Virginia. By Elder Norvel P. Mann
• History of Monroe County, WV. By Oren F. Morton [my note: I am familiar with this book. I'm going from memory here, but I don't think it included a whole lot of my ancestors.]
• History of Greenbrier County. By Otis Rice
• The Great Kanawha Valley. By John P. Hale
• Raleigh County. By Jim Wood. [my note: This is an excellent book. It doesn't cover many of my ancestors, but it has some wonderful surprises, and it is well-written]
• Greenbrier County Records, WV. Transcribed by Larry G. Shuck, Vol. II
• History of Early Settlements and Indian Wars of West Virginia. By Wills De Hass. [This book was written in the 1850s. He, like Withers and Stuart before them, only refers to Pack by last name in the Swope/Pittman/Pack scouting party; he doesn't give a first name. Many researchers have speculated about the identity of this Pack. Through the years, some have speculated that it is George Pack and some that it is John Pack. They might be right that this Pack was an ancestor to Samuel Pack, but there has never been definitive proof.]
• Annals of Augusta County. By Jos. A. Waddell
• History of Southwest Virginia, 1746-1780, Washington County 1777-1870. By Lewis Preston Summers.
• New River Settlements. By Patricia Johnson
• History of Summers County. By James H. Miller
• Transallegheny Pioneers. By John P. Hale
• Statutes at Large. By Henning
• History of Middle New River Settlements and Contiguous Territory. By David E. Johnston [my note: Johnston first published this book in 1906. He was a veteran of the Civil War and served as a U.S. congressman for West Virginia. The book's introduction had the unintended consequence of giving me a laugh because he complains about the same thing many researchers complain about: the lack of detailed information about our ancestors. He, like James Miller, shares the questionable Hayes/Jennie Pack story. They were both writing their books at the same time, and I think it's safe to say they shared some information.]
• Index to Draper Manuscripts. By Lymon Draper. 
• History of Tazwell County and Southwest Virginia. By Judge Wm. C. Pendelton
• Preston Papers, Vol. I. By Chalkley
• Greenbrier Court Orders. By Helen Stinson
• The 22nd Virginia Infantry. By Terry D. Lowrey. 
• Lowrey's Bryan's and Chapman's Batteries of the Virginia Artillery. By J. S. Scott
• The Gauley, Mercer, and Western Artillery. By Michael West
• The 30th Battalion of Virginia Sharpshooters. By Michael West
• Thurmond's Partisan Rangers and Swann's Battalion of Virginia Artillery. By Jerry C. Weaver
• Crucial Land Battles. By David L. Phillips
• War Stories: Civil War in West Virginia. By David L. Phillips
• The Civil War in Fayette County. By Tim McKinley
• The Miller Family. By Everette Miller (LDS Microfilms 1017648)
• The Ballard Family. By Dr. Margaret Ballard
• The Ramsey Family. By James Ramsey
• Historical Footprints. By Pauline Haga. (Wheaton notes that she found other books by Haga in the Raleigh County Library that she found very useful)
• List of Colonial Soldiers of Virginia. By H. J. Eckenrode

Dee Wheaton's "James Halstead: Pioneer of Indian Creek"

      Of the many books I came across related to my ancestors, I think one of the best researched books was Dee Wheaton's James Halstead: Pioneer of Indian Creek. Anyone who isn't related to James Halstead should at least take a look at the comments she makes pertaining to the history of West Virginia. Although she centers the research around James, she includes other important figures. Given the limited scope of the internet related to family history at the time she wrote the book (1999), I think it's an excellent attempt at tackling an enormous amount of printed information. 

      She covers a great deal of ground related to early frontiersmen, including James Ellison, Josiah Meadows, Francis Meadows, Jacob Mann, Jacob Miller, Francis Farley, Matthew Farley, and Drewry Farley (just to name a few). It may be difficult to find a copy of the book. Apparently, it was self-published. The last time I checked, Summers County library had a copy (that was 12 or more years ago). I have a copy given to me by a distant cousin. I presume Wheaton made a limited number of copies and sold them locally. 

    Anyway, there are some important descriptions that she makes in the book. Although the facts can be found in other books, she sometimes combines the information in a way that I found (and still find) extremely helpful as a family history researcher. For instance:

Related to James Ellison:

   "James Ellison of Crump's Bottom lived opposite the mouth of Indian Creek presently in Summers County. He served as a spy with a companion ranger from 1776 to 1781, usually for seven months a year except 1779, when a longer tour prevented him from raising his corn crop for the support of his family. His pay was five shillings a day. In his application for pension- 1834, he describes  the 1778 tour of exploring the country between Indian Creek, New River and Sewell Mountain. The Indians took him prisoner on one occasion about fifteen miles beyond the top of Bluestone Mountain, and after dark he stopped, pretending to tie his moccasin, permitting those ahead to get some distance. He then ran down a steep hill, and after being pursued for about half a mile he escaped and returned to the fort. James Ellison Sr., was born in Sussex County, New Jersey 1735, migrated to New River and Hans Creek in 1771.

    "The Ellison's were noted spinners and one house held only looms, spinning wheels, cards and spindles. One loom had twenty treadles necessary for double-weave coverlets. (Golden Seal). There are other stories about Ellison's and Farley's and their trouble with Indians written in other books."                My note: [Golden Seal was a popular clothing pattern in the 1800s]

For my cousins: we are related to James Ellison through our Pack line. Alexander Basham's wife Mary Jane Pack's mother was Elizabeth Dell Harvey whose mother was Sarah Ann Swope and her mother was Mary Eleanor Ellison (daughter of James Ellison). 6th Great Grandfather.

Related to Josiah Meadows:

      "Josiah Meadows came from Bedford County and served two or more times on the frontier against the Indians and was in the American Revolution. He enlisted in the spring of 1778 under Captain Renfroe and marched with the company to Jarret's Fort on Wolf Creek where the company was divided and he being sent to Keeney's Fort where he was stationed at the time of the attack on Donnelly's Fort  [my note: this was an attack of Wyandot and Mingo Indians on Donnally's Fort (in Rader's Valley, Greenbrier County). Keeney's Fort was situated below Keeney Knob near Glenray, WV. in Summers County. It is also called Arbuckle's Fort.]  After the expiration of terms he again enlisted in Captain Taylor's Company and a Regiment commanded by Col. John Montgomery, then marched through the Holston country, fighting back the Indians from the frontier, which was along the Blueridge and Cumberland mountains to Indian town of Chicamaugua which they destroyed. He was with a portion of the army that had charge of British prisoners captured at Yorktown and helped convey prisoners to Fredericksburg. Josiah took part in George Rogers Clark's expedition. In his later years Josiah was a Baptist Minister and organized the church at Bluestone which was a double log cabin with a dirt floor, the church is there today. Josiah married Judy Lilly and lived at Bluestone."

    To my cousins: We are related to the Meadows in various ways. First, through Andrew Lewis Lilly's parents. Andrew Lewis Lilly's (married to Sarah Mooney) father John Lilly's mother was Edith Meadows (she was a sister to the above Josiah Meadows). Second, Andrew Lewis Lilly's mother was Margaret Meador. Her father was Jesse Meador, who was a brother of Josiah. Also, John Wesley Alexander Basham's father Alexander's father Meador Basham's mother Amanda Meador was daughter to Jesse Meador. Mawmaw Halstead's mom and dad, Ida Jane Albatine Lilly and John Wesley Alexander Basham, were distant cousins. 

     By the way, and on the subject of Josiah Meadows, be very careful when doing research on him and his relations. Many researchers fall into the trap of confusing dates, names, marriages, etc. Not least of which, there is the -- what we West Virginians would call -- country pronunciation of Meadows to Meador. This phonetic spelling of the family name Meadows occurred shortly after the Meader or Meadows families arrived in Virginia. Many people back then couldn't read or write, and clerks and officials wrote names as they sounded. It further complicates things when doing research and can lead to confusion. This happened to me! 

     Wheaton gives an excellent list of sources that are worth using for anyone's research. When I can, I will make some more posts related to the book. 

  

Vandalia and Streeter

Vandalia is a word related to, not only West Virginia history, but also the history of Streeter. I made several posts in the past about the history of Streeter's name and name change, but, in brief, no one I spoke to years ago, including Vernon or Jack Pack, seemed to know the origin of the name Streeter. I was told that it was "someone's friend's name who lived in Streeter".  No one by the name of Streeter lived in the area (not in census records). There was a presidential candidate in the late 1800s by the name, but there didn't appear to be a connection (see my posts). 

Before 1889, Streeter was called Vandalia, and that name has a complicated and long history. The name Vandalia is connected with an early proposed colony in what is now West Virginia and parts of Kentucky in the 1770s (before the Revolution). Land speculators -- including Benjamin Franklin -- wanted to call the colony Vandalia. The choice of the name was meant to gain favor with King George III. His wife, Queen Charlotte, was believed to be a descendant of ancient Germanic Vandal tribes. The title "King of the Vandals" was a title that many European monarchs used over the centuries. The proposal for the colony was abandoned as tensions between Great Britain and the American colonies escalated before the Revolutionary War.  Also, the plan was opposed by the colony of Virginia, which had its own claims to the land and was afraid of losing political influence over what might become a new colony. 

The name Vandalia became an important symbol of the distinct culture of people in this region that set them apart from the culture of the more coastal colony of Virginia. In the 1860s, it was even considered as a name for our state, however, "West Virginia" won out. 

It's no wonder that Streeter was once named Vandalia. By the way, there is a Vandalia in Lewis County, West Virginia. There is also the annual Vandalia Gathering in Charleston. 

Pack Family History

Also see my post dated 10/12/2011 for an update

Sources: Notes and Queries: Literary Men, Artists, Aniqueries, Etc. Vol VII, 1853, by

George Bell of Fleet Street, London; The Last Years of the Protectorate by Charles Harding, Firth, 1909; Wikipedia: "Sir Christopher Packe", Lilly Family History.

First, let me address the information provided by the Lilly Family History Book (as well as the Silas Hatcher writings) about the Pack family. According to this, and other sources, the Packs descend from "Alderman Pack" who was a member of the "Long Parliament during Cromwell's time". Also, there is a story that Jennie Pack, a daughter of Samuel Pack and Mary Farley, was married to President Hayes. I will address the Alderman Pack connection, but first let's address the connection to Pres. Hayes.

First Lady Lucy Webb Hayes was the daughter of Maria Cook Webb and Dr. Webb of Ohio, and her mother was from Connecticut. So, this story can not be true (and Pres. Hayes married only once).

There is, or might be, a connection with a man by the name of Sir Christopher Packe ,or Pack, 1593?-1682. Sir Christopher was not a member of the Long Parliament (1640-1648); however, he was a member of Oliver Cromwell's "2nd Protectorate Parliament".

Sir Christopher was the son of Thomas Packe of Northhamptonshire. He was a wealthy man who over time procured the position of "Alderman and Lord Mayor" of London (in 1654, wikipedia). He was an ardent supporter of Oliver Cromwell (Cromwell and his supporters dethroned King Charles I, and had him beheaded).

Cromwell knighted Pack and in 1655 Pack became a Member of Parliament and a member of the "New House of Lords". Pack later introduced a proposal to make Cromwell a King; however, the proposal failed.

Once the monarchy was restored under Charles II, the King offered pardons to Cromwell's followers; however, a group of a dozen or more were blacklisted from this pardon (Pack was one of them). He was barred from ever holding public office, and, ostensibly, lost his knighthood. He retired to his home, Prestwold Hall, in Leicestershire (pronounced Lestershire in British English). He had two sons: Christopher and Simon; daughters: Anne, Mary, and Susanna.

A book published in 1853 (see above), notes several prominent Packs: Sir Dennis Pack, a descendent of Simon, son of Christopher, was a commander of the light division of Duke Wellington's army (during the early 1800's)

At this point, I can not find the connection between the Packs who descend from Sir Christopher and Samuel Pack (forefather to Packs of Southern WV) who was born in Augusta Co, VA in 1760. Members on Ancestry.com state that Samuel Pack descended from Graves Pack (1680-1723), the son of Dennis Pack. But, this could not be the same Dennis Pack who descended from Sir Christopher (there is a difference of about 100 years). Also, many sources offer up stuff like "Alderman Pack was the son of Sir Christopher" and was a member of Parliament, and that Sir Christopher was the son of Major Dennis Pack. Alderman is a title of office, Christopher's son was not a member of Parliament (he was), and Dennis Pack was a descendant (not his father).*

*Note: For a further look into the distant ancestors of the Packs, check out the above mentioned resources. Also, take a look at the recently published book: A Cornucopia of Packs, by Jeffrey Pack, Woodfield Publishing (I have not read this book yet).

Samuel Pack (1760-1833) I have covered this in previous posts. Samuel Pack moved to the Bluestone River area. He was involved in a number of skirmishes with Indians. He married Mary Farley (daughter of Captain Matthew Farley). He owned a large stretch of land from the mouth of the Greenbrier to Warford. Children: John, Samuel, Bartley, Lowe, William, Matthew, Anderson, Betsy, Polly, and Jennie.

His grandson John R Pack (born 1807) first married Elizabeth Harvey (daughter of Joshua and Sally Swope Harvey). They lived in Streeter. He built the historic Pack's Mill (photo in earlier post). Children: William, Sarah, Mary Jane (who I descend from), James, John, Rachel, Nancy, Samuel, and Preston. John R's 2nd marriage to Betsey Rollyson: Albert, Tom, and Haley.

Samuel Pack was born at Streeter and took over operations of Pack's Mill. He married Rhoda Anne Farmer Cooper (the church at Streeter is named in her honor) she was the daughter of Alexander and Mary Ann Farmer Cooper. Children: Lucy, George, Andrew, William Alex, Alfred Berman, Laura, Amanda, Samuel John Tilden, Jediah, Cecil, and Effie.

Samuel John Tilden married Margaret Elizabeth Henderson, daughter of William Henderson and Sarah Ann Lilly Dunbar. They lived at Streeter. Children: Clara (married Carl Hatcher), Winnie (m: Jamie Lilly), Audra (m: Opal Pack), Marie (m: Earl Lilly), Bessie (m: Wade Harvey, then Robert Wadell), Dewey (m: Alma

Greetings!

 Greetings!

It has been quite a long time since I last posted to the blog. I'm guilty of not checking it as much as I should. Life has a way of distracting and other interests intervene. Nevertheless, I did manage to find a cemetery related to Snake Bite Lilly this past summer. It is located off of Ellison Ridge Road. Mrs. Lilly told me that someone long ago vandalized the cemetery. Most of the tombstones are illegible (if not all). The writing has pretty much disappeared from the few shards of slate that might have been tombstones. 

Anyway, I wanted to give a quick update. I will do my best to keep an eye on the blog. It's my intention to keep it up for everyone's use. 

If I don't immediately respond, hopefully, someone will notice your comment and give you some good advice. 

People will sometimes comment asking for information related to their own branches of the family trees. I know a lot about my own branches of family trees. I do not know everyone's branch of their own family trees. Keep in mind that the blog was originally intended for my immediate cousins related to our grandmother's family from Streeter (Lilly Jennings Basham's side). I have cousins who live around the world and this was a way to answer their questions and share photos, etc. 

I have a blog post titled "Online Sources for Research" (2012). It could be helpful.

Happy investigating and good luck!

60th Va. Infantry Command

Keep in mind that the command structure changed over the course of the war.  At the beginning of the Seven Days Battles of Richmond in 1862, the command was the following (in descending order of rank):

Gen. James Longstreet

Maj. General Ambrose P. Hill - his light division (which included men from the 60th Va. Infantry - among many other divisions - totaled roughly 14,000 men at the time of the Seven Days Battles).

Brig. General Charles W. Field -"Field's Brigade". During the Seven Days Battles this included roughly 1,500 men.  This included: the 60th, 55th, 47th, and 40th Va. Infantries.

Col. William E. Starke (commanding officer of the 60th Va. Infantry).

Lt. Col. B. H. Jones.

Maj. John C. Summers.

White Ryan, Cpt. of Company I,  aka "Mercer Mountain Rangers"