Absalom Strutton (abt. 1803 - 1862)

Born about 1803 in Burke County, North Carolina, United States

Ancestors

Husband of Nancy Jemima (Unknown) Strutton — married 1825 in Burke County, North Carolina

Descendants

Died 9 Jul 1862 at about age 59 in McMinn County, Tennessee, United States

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Biography

Absolum Strutton, son of Absalom Strutton and Darcus Shearman, was born about 1803 in Burke County, North Carolina. Absolum married Nancy Jemima UNKNOWN about 1825 in Burke County. Absolum and Nancy lived for a few years in Monroe County, Tennessee. It was here that Absolum got into a bit of trouble.

On 27 September 1828 one John L. Hopkins was mortally wounded by gunshot near the Tennessee River in Monroe County. He died on 30 September. In November 1828 five men, including Absolum Strutton, were indicted for his murder. Among the witnesses for the defense was John Strutton, Absolum's brother. The man who actually pulled the trigger, Harrison S. Ragsdale, was convicted of murder and sentenced to be hanged. Another defendant, James Rollins, was convicted of "felonious slaying" and sentenced to jail for two months and to be branded with the letter M on his left hand. The other three were discharged. (See #NI13771) Shortly after this, Absolum left town and was in Blount County, Tennessee by 1830.

Absolum and Nancy lived in Blount County until about 1838 when they moved to Roane County, Tennessee. By 1850 they were living in McMinn County, Tennessee.

Absolum enlisted in the Confederate States Army on 13 December 1861 in Co. G, 43rd Regiment, Tennessee Infantry.^[1] According to the Company Muster Roll for January & February 1863, he was paid through 31 October 1862 and was discharged in November 1862.^[2] No record has been found for Absolum after that date. And no burial site has been located that I am aware of. I do wonder if he died in battle and the discharge date should be his death date; this needs further research.

Census

1830 Federal, 1 Jun 1830 - Absolum, wife Nancy, and children Rhoda, Sarah, William, and Mary are living in Blount County, Tennessee.^[3]

1840 Federal, 1 Jun 1840 - In Roane County, Tennessee the head of household on this record is Abraham Strutton, but I believe it is probably Absolum. I find no other listing for Absolum. The only discrepancy with the children is one missing daughter. Rhoda married in 1842 and Sarah about the same time. But one of them is not in the household. Children John, Riley, Darcus, Mary, and William are there; and one daughter of an age to be either Rhoda or Sarah.^[4]

1850 Federal, 1 Jun 1850 - A. Stratten is enumerated as head of household, age 47 and a farmer in McMinn County, Tennessee. With him are wife Nancy and children Sarah, Mary, Darcus, Riley, John and Hiram. Also in the household are Hiram Day, widowed husband of Rhoda Strutton Day, and their four sons Frank, Samuel, James and George. Two children listed as Elizabeth and Virginia Steelman are here and will be found in 1860 using the surname Strutton. They are daughters of Sarah Strutton. I have found no record of her marriage and do not have her husband's name.^[5]

1860 Federal, 1 Jun 1860 - In McMinn County, Tennessee, A. Stretton is listed as head of household. He is renting a farm. With him are wife, Nancy Jemima, and sons Riley and Hiram. Also in the home is Jane, listed with surname Stretton, age 18. I believe this may be Mary Jane King who married Riley H. Strutton in 1861, although the age is wrong; Mary Jane was born in 1845 and would have been age 15 in 1860. And a house full of grandchildren all using the surname Stretton. Elizabeth and Virginia, daughters of Sarah Strutton, are here. George Day, son of Rhoda and Hiram Day is still with his grandparents. Two new grandchildren, Sarah and Thomas, are children of Mary Strutton. I have found no record of a marriage for Mary and she appears to have died before 1860.^[6]

Note

Note: #NI13771

Sources

1. ↑ American Civil War Soldiers Name: Absalom Strutton Side Served: Confederacy State Served: Tennessee Service Record: Enlisted as a Private. Enlisted in Company G, 43rd Infantry Regiment Tennessee. Historical Data Systems, comp. American Civil War Soldiers [database online]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc, 1999.
2. ↑ copy of Civil War Muster Roll posted to ancestry.com by grumpypopp1 30 Nov 2011: Confederate S 43 Mounted Tenn. A. Strutton Rgt, Co G, 43 Reg't Tennessee infantry Company Muster Roll for Jan & Feb, 1863 Enlisted when: Dec 13, 1861 Where: Knoxville By whom: J W Gillespie Last paid: By whom: A. C. Day To What time: Oct 31, 1862 Remarks: Discharged Nov '62
3. ↑ Source: #S93 Page: Western Division, Blount, Tennessee; Page: 277; NARA Series: M19; Roll Number: 178; Family History Film: 0024536. Absolum Stratton Males under 5 1 Males 20-29 1 Females under 5 1 Females 5-9 2 Females 20-29 1
4. ↑ Source: #S112 Roane, Tennessee; Roll: 535; Page: 47; Image: 976; Family History Library Film: 0024549. Abraham Struton Males under 5 2 [John, Riley] Males 10-14 1 [William] Males 30-39 1 [Absolum] Females under 5 1 [Darcus] Females 5-9 1 [Mary] Females 10-14 1 [Sarah or Rhoda] Females 30-39 1 [Nancy]
5. ↑ Source: #S91 McMinn Co., TN; M432_887; p 249; Subdivision 23 House #543 A. Stratten 47 M W Farmer b NC Nancy 49 F W b NC Sarah 23 F W b NC Mary 19 F W b TN Darcus 15 F W b TN Riley 13 M W b TN John 10 M W b TN Hiram 6 M W b TN Frank Day 7 M W b TN Samuel 6 M W b TN James 3 M W b TN George 1 M W b TN Elizabeth Steelman 5 F W b TN Virginia 1 F W b TN Hiram Day 40 M W Farmer b PA
6. ↑ Source: #S80 McMinn Co., TN; M653_1262; p 272; District 8 House #152 A. Stretton 60 M W Renter b TN Jemima 58 F W b TN Riley 21 M W b TN Hiram 18 M W b TN Jane 18 F W b TN Elizabeth 16 F W b TN Virginia 12 F W b TN George 10 M W b TN Sarah 6 F W b TN Thomas 4 M W b TN

• Source: S112 Federal Census 1840 Publication: Effective date 1 Jun 1840 Repository: #R11
• Repository: R11 Ancestry. com Operations, Inc. Provo, UT Name: Ancestry. com Operations, Inc. URL: www.ancestry.com
• Source: 1850 United States Federal Census - Ancestry.com - 1,8054::0 Year: 1850; Census Place: Subdivision 23, Mcminn, Tennessee; Roll: M432_887; Page: 249B; Image: 589 1,8054::6349446
• Source: 1860 United States Federal Census - Ancestry.com - 1,7667::0 Year: 1860; Census Place: District 8, McMinn, Tennessee; Roll: M653_1262; Page: 272; Family History Library Film: 805262 1,7667::19355737
• Source: Ancestry.com - American Civil War Soldiers - Historical Data Systems, comp. - 1,3737::0 Side served: Confederacy; State served: Tennessee 1,3737::6511843
• Source: S80 1860 United States Federal Census Author: U.S. Bureau of the Census Publication: U. S. Bureau of the Census, Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration Note: Effective date of census 1 June 1860 Repository: #R11
• Source: S91 1850 U.S. Federal Census Author: United States Bureau of the Census Publication: U.S. Bureau of the Census, Washington, D. C.: National Archives and Records. Effective date 1 Jun 1850. Note: Effective Date 1 Jun 1850 Repository: #R11
• Source: S93 Federal Census 1830 Publication: Effective date 1 Jun 1830 Repository: #R11

Notes

WHEELER-BROWN DOCUMENTS transcribed by Mary Lu Johnson "(272) Nov 1828; Harrison S. Ragsdale of Monroe Co. indicted for mortally wounding by a stroke with a gun, on 27 Sep 1828 at the Tennessee River, John L. HOPKINS*, who died 30 Sep 1828; James Rollins, Absolem STRUTTON, Hiram Murry, and Moses Roberts, all of Monroe Co. indicted for aiding; not a True Bill against Moses Roberts; Jury after a trial lasting eight days finds Ragsdale guilty; nole prosequi entered as to Absalem Strutton; James Rollins found not guilty of murder but of "feloneous slaying", after a four day trial; Ragsdale sentenced to be hanged on 13 Feb 1829 and appeals to Supreme Court; James Rollins sentenced to be branded with letter M on left hand, confined in jail for two months, and pay costs of prosecution; case of Hiram Murry continued.

"Transcript of record for Supreme Court: Court ordered the Sheriff to summon a jury of fifty one including the original panel and to summon the most respectable men he could find in the court yard to which latter direction by the Court the defendant excepts; witness Joseph Milikan states that he was at house of William Harrison in Monroe Co. that is near the Muster Ground of Capt. Smith's company which had paraded there before the fight; he heard deceased HOPKINS talk of killing the son of McIntosh of Georgia in a duel; Major Stephens tried to squash the affray; witnesses for State are Joseph Milikan, John Wilson, Samuel Hensley, William Williams, Thomas Harrison, Dr. Nathan Harris, Samuel Yates, Richard Roberts, Lewis Smith, James Wright, William Flanigan, Moses Roberts, James Harrison, Edward McEldry, Stephens Rhea (who is cousin to wife of deceased); witnesses for defendant are John STRUTTON (brother of Absalem STRUTTON), Jackson Pannell, Elijah Kelly (who waded the river going to muster and drank some spirits while there and waded the River when he went home and slipped and fell in), Thomas Hensley, Jonathan Poland, Anderson Millsaps, Elisha Freshour, Jeremiah Carver, Daniel Russell, Valentine Harris, James Rose, J. Campbell Carsier, William Culver, William Wheeler, Benjamin Prater (defendant had rented land of him), Lewis Miller, William Murry (has known defendant for many years and his son is one of defendants); (all or most of these witnesses were at the muster ground at the fight); nolle prosequi entered against Hiram Murry. (This trial and transcript cover forty-three pages in the book.)"

From:CMRagsdale Subject: Re: [RAGSDALE] RAGSDALE Roll Call Date: Wed, 3 Oct 2007 15:23:17 EDT