Francis A Biddix (abt. 1818 - 1882)

Born about 1818 in Grassy Creek, Mitchell County, North Carolina, United States

Descendants

Died Feb 1882 at about age 64 in Grassy Creek, Mitchell County, North Carolina, United States

Biography

Francis Biddix was an Appalachian.

Francis was born 13 Jul 1818, possibly in the Grassy Creek are of Mitchell County, North Carolina, United States, though the 1850 census shows him in a neighboring county.

In 1850, census enumerator Lorenzo D. Poteet found Francis, his wife, and five children living in Yancey County, North Carolina. Mary may have been married before as she is listed not directly under Francis' name, but further down with a daughter, Marinda, age nine. The other children are younger and listed above Mary's name. Francis was a laborer according to this census.^[1]

A difference in the 1860 census places Mary directly under Francis with a long list of ten children. The family was living in McDowell County at this time, and Francis was listed as a farmer. The Biddixes were residing in the midst of several large McKinney families with whom many later generations of Biddixes would marry into, just as Francis had.^[2]

Francis was residing in either Mitchell or McDowell County, North Carolina, when he enlisted as a private in Company A, 58th North Carolina Infantry. on 19 July 1862 for the war. He was a farmer by occupation and 47 years old. Francis was reported present in January and February 1863. He deserted on 25 January 1863 but was "brought back" on 5 February 1863. He appears on muster rolls from March through June 1863. At the Battle of Chickamauga, Georgia, Francis was wounded in the right forearm (a compound fracture) and right hand.^[3]

This probably occurred during the assault of 4:30 p.m. on Major General George H. Thomas' Union position at Snodgrass Hill. During a pullback, the 58th Regiment was raked by withering fire and driven back with heavy casualties. A second assault generated the same results. Union Col. Ferdinand Van Derveer described the assault as "unexampled fury, line after line... being hurled against our position with... heroism and persistency."^[4] Casualties accounted for "Every field and staff officer and one-half the balance of the regiment killed or wounded."^[5]

He was sent to a hospital in Atlanta on 21 September 1863. He remained on the muster rolls through 31 August 1864. He appears in no other records during the war.^[6]

Grassy Creek Township in Mitchell County was the home of the Biddix family in August of 1870. Francis was still farming, with his real estate's value at $300 ($6500 in 2022) and his personal estate's value at $100). He and his wife were illiterate as were some of the children, though several were attending school in the census year.^[7]

Francis died in February of 1882 and was buried at the Grassy Creek Baptist Church Cemetery in Mitchell County.^[8] His wife, Mary, would be buried beside him 25 years later in 1907.^[9]

Research Notes

Parents on Family Search:

John Biddix 1785–1866 • LZKG-138​​

Nancy Ensley 1783–1881 • L4M2-QXK

Marriage: 9 December 1809 Burke, North Carolina, United States

Sources

1. ↑ "United States Census, 1850," database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M4BL-B6F : 21 December 2020), Francis Biddix, Yancey, North Carolina, United States; citing family , NARA microfilm publication (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).
2. ↑ "United States Census, 1860", database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MDDT-F9X : 18 February 2021), Francis Biddis, 1860.
3. ↑ Jordan, Weymouth T., Jr., North Carolina Troops: 1861-1865, A Roster, Vol. XIV (Raleigh: North Carolina Office of Archives and History) p. 277.
4. ↑ Official Records (Army), ser. 1, 30 (pt 2): 445, 30 (p.1): 430.
5. ↑ Official Records (Army),ser, 1, 30 (pt. 2): 420, 442.
6. ↑ Jordan, Weymouth T., Jr., North Carolina Troops: 1861-1865, A Roster, Vol. XIV (Raleigh: North Carolina Office of Archives and History) p. 277.
7. ↑ "United States Census, 1870", database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MW82-NLL : 29 May 2021), Francis Beddix, 1870.
8. ↑ Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/21219248/francis-biddix : accessed 28 April 2022), memorial page for Francis Biddix (1818–Feb 1882), Find A Grave: Memorial #21219248 , citing Grassy Creek Baptist Church Cemetery, Grassy Creek, Mitchell County, North Carolina, USA ; Maintained by Roger Phillip Burnett (contributor 46801633) .
9. ↑ Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/11455381/mary-biddix : accessed 28 April 2022), memorial page for Mary “Polly” McKinney Biddix (1820–27 Sep 1907), Find A Grave: Memorial #11455381 , citing Grassy Creek Baptist Church Cemetery, Grassy Creek, Mitchell County, North Carolina, USA ; Maintained by Roger Phillip Burnett (contributor 46801633) .

See also: FindAGrave memorials of parents:
Mother: Find A Grave: Memorial #53484186
Father: Find A Grave: Memorial #53484066