William Jefferson Corn (1843 - 1924)

Born 10 Sep 1843 in Franklin, Tennessee, United States

Died 28 Nov 1924 at age 81 in Estill Springs, Franklin, Tennessee, United States

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Michelle Enke [send private message]

Biography

William Jefferson Corn^[1] was born in Franklin County, Tennessee in September 1843.^[1]

Family

William's parents were John Washington Corn and Eliza McCutcheon.^[1] His father John was a farmer who had been born in Franklin County, Tennessee. John's grandfather Jessie Corn came from Scotland to Halifax County, Virginia, with his two brothers Peter and George, and called themselves Scotch-Irish. His mother Eliza McCutcheon's parents were George W. McCutcheon and Jemmima Chitwood. Her fathers' farm was in Franklin county. Eliza's grandfather came from Wales to Virginia, and with the Corn's came to Tennessee in 1828.^[1]

In 1850, William was living with his family in Franklin County, Tennessee.^[2]

In 1880, William was living with his mother in Franklin County.^[3]

In April 1922, William used the post office of Hillsboro in Coffee County, Tennessee.^[1]

Military

William fought on the side of the Confederacy^[1] in the American Civil War. He enlisted in 1861.^[4] He was in Company D of the 17th Regiment, Tennessee Infantry.^[5][6][1]

The first battle William engaged in was the Battle of Fishing Creek, also called the Battle of Mill Springs, on 19 January 1862 near the town of Nancy in Pulaski County, Kentucky. He fought under Brig. Gen. Felix Zollicoffer, who was killed in the battle.^[1]

"From Fishing Creek we went to Cumberland Gap in east Tennessee, from Cumberland Gap we fought at Wil Cat at Cumberland Mountain, retreated from to Corinth, Mississippi from there to the battle of Shilo, from there we went with Bragg on his Kentucky camphane to the fight at Murfreesboro, from there to Shilo, Miss."^[1]

William mustered out in North Carolina.^[7]

Marriage

When William returned from the war, he resumed farming. "I lived with my mother on the farm twelve years after the war closed, helping her to care for the family, the youngest being five of 8 living children."^[1]

William married Cullie Wilkinson on 5 October 1880 in Coffee County, Tennessee.^{[8][9][10][11][12]}

After William's death, Cullie filed for a widow's pension for her husband's military service.^[6]

Death

William passed away in 1924 in Coffee County.^[13] He was buried on 30 November at Wilkinson Cemetery^[13] in Coffee County, Tennessee.^[14]

Questionnaire Answers

As a Civil War veteran, William was interviewed about his war experiences and life. His interview used form number 2.

• 1. William Jefferson Corn. Hillsboro, Tenn. Coffee co.
• 2. 78 years 7 months 15 days (form dated Apr. 28 1922)
• 3. State Tennessee, Franklin county
• 4. Confederate
• 5. Co. D-17th Tenn.
• 6. farmer
• 7. John Washington Corn; his Father's home; Franklin co., Tenn.; he was a prominent citizen, amont the formost in all religious and moral works.
• 8. Eliza McCutcheon; Geo. W. McCutcheon; Jemmima Chitwood,; her Fathers' farm in Franklin county
• 9. John W. Corn's grand father came from Scotland to Virginia, Halifax co. called them selves Scotch-Irish. There were three Corn brothers - Jessie, Peter and George Corn; Jessie being my great grandfather. Eliza MCutcheon grandfather came from Wales called themselves Welch-Irish, came to Virginia and with the Corn's came to Tenn. in 1828.
• 10. No. I was in my 18th year at the beginning of the war.
• 11. My parents owned 8 slaves
• 12. 500, acres of land
• 13. Estimated about $18,000 to $20,000 dollars
• 14. Brick house, with 4 rooms -- 2 hall -- two above and two below.
• 15. While a boy, I went to school in winter, worked with the negroes in the field in summer -- my father also worked.
• 16. My father was overseer or looked after his own business. My mother looked after her servants, all cooking and house hold affairs and did the sewing and mending for her family of twelve (12).
• 17. 8
• 18. It was essential to good citizenship and was considered respectable and honorable.
• 19. they did
• 20. very few
• 21. they did. they did not consider theyselves bettter than any honorable upright men.
• 22. they did
• 23. Owning slaves had nothing to do with social standing more then any other property.
• 24. not at all
• 25. yes
• 26. encouraged
• 27. 3 months free school in the fall. the rest of the time subscription school
• 28. about 3 years
• 29. about two miles
• 30. one literary school -- all branches up to latin were taught
• 31. public
• 32. ten (10) months school
• 33. they did
• 34. We had both
• 35. 1861 near Estill Spring. Franklin co., Tennessee
• 36. to Camp Trousdale
• 37. ---
• 38. Fishing Creek -- we fought under Zollicoffer, who was killed -- Critendone commanding
• 39. From Fishing Creek we went to Cumberland Gap in east Tennessee, from Cumberland Gap we fought at Wil Cat at Cumberland Mountain, retreated from to Corinth, Mississippi from there to the battle of Shilo, from there we went with Bragg on his Kentucky camphane to the fight at Murfreesboro, from there to Shilo, Miss.
• 40. at Richmond, Virginia after Lee's surrender
• 41. we were turned loose at Richmond without food or transportation, we took the rail road a foot from Richmond to Knoxville subsisting on what rations we could get from citizens and Yankee soldiers.
• 42. Farm work
• 43. I lived with my mother on the farm twelve years after the war closed, helping her to care for the family, the youngest being five of 8 living children
• 44. ---
• 45. two years ago I might have given you the names of most of my company but on account of some eye trouble I had to have one removed and all very badly out of the other. which caused my memory to be badly impaired, especially as to remembering names. I was captured in front of Petersburg, Va. June 1864 and sent to prison to Elmira, N.Y. was released the last week in Feb. 1865 and sent to Richmond, Va. on parole -- after the first year of war we had mostly hard ships -- while we were in Tenn. we were received our clothing from home but after we left Tenn. we received very few from the government, in the winter of 64 we went into East Tenn. marched from Knoxville to Morristown, with many of the soldiers barefooted as an example of the army I will give my own case, I had only the quarters of my shoes and for ___ of had rags tied on my feet. Our clothing was in rags, the roads froze at night and was sure rough traveling till thawed.
• 46. George W. Duncan, Carlsbad, Texas; Polke Sims, Hillsboro, Tenn.; Sam Gilliam, Pelham, Tenn.; Elic Ursery, Dechard, Tenn.; Linsey Jones, Estell Springs, Tenn.; Tom Gorsage, Nashville, Tenn.; George Newman, Hillsboro, Tenn.; Steven Roe, Alto, Tenn.; Mr. Talent, Hillsboro, Tenn.

Source: Dyer, Gustavus W. & John Trotwood Moore. The Tennessee Civil War Veterans Questionnaires: Volume Two, Confederate Soldiers (Caldwell -- Funston). Easley, South Carolina: Southern Historical Press, 1985. Pages 567-568.

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8 1.9} Dyer, Gustavus W. & John Trotwood Moore. The Tennessee Civil War Veterans Questionnaires: Volume Two, Confederate Soldiers (Caldwell -- Funston). Easley, South Carolina: Southern Historical Press, 1985. Pages 567-568.
2. ↑ "United States Census, 1850," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MCDD-6YY : 12 April 2016), William J Corn in household of John W Corn, Franklin county, Franklin, Tennessee, United States; citing family 831, NARA microfilm publication M432 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).
3. ↑ "United States Census, 1880," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MD77-M9V : 15 July 2017), William Corn in household of Eliza Corn, District 17, Franklin, Tennessee, United States; citing enumeration district ED 91, sheet 88A, NARA microfilm publication T9 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), FHL microfilm 1,255,254.
4. ↑ "United States Census, 1880," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MD77-M9V : 15 July 2017), William Corn in household of Eliza Corn, District 17, Franklin, Tennessee, United States; citing enumeration district ED 91, sheet 88A, NARA microfilm publication T9 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), FHL microfilm 1,255,254.
5. ↑ "Tennessee, Civil War Service Records of Confederate Soldiers, 1861-1865," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FZ7P-PTD : 4 December 2014), William J Corn, 1861; from "Compiled Service Records of Confederate Soldiers Who Served in Organizations from the State of Tennessee," database, Fold3.com (http://www.fold3.com : n.d.); citing military unit Seventeenth Infantry, NARA microfilm publication M268 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1960), roll 186.
6. ↑ ^{6.0 6.1} "Tennessee, Confederate Pension Applications, Soldiers and Widows, 1891-1965", database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q571-Z969 : 31 October 2018), William Jefferson Corn, 1891-1965.
7. ↑ Index to Compiled Confederate Military Service Records; Confederate Veteran Magazine.
8. ↑ "Tennessee, County Marriages, 1790-1950," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:V4NV-1ZY : 5 November 2017), W J Corn and Cullie Wilkinson, 05 Oct 1880; citing Coffee, Tennessee, United States, Marriage, p. , Tennessee State Library and Archives, Nashville and county clerk offices from various counties; FHL microfilm 1,572,813.
9. ↑ "Tennessee Marriages, 1796-1950," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XD3L-J6V : 11 February 2018), W. J. Corn and Cullie Wilkinson, 05 Oct 1880; citing Coffee,Tennessee, reference ; FHL microfilm 802,745.
10. ↑ "Tennessee, County Marriages, 1790-1950," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:V4NV-1ZR : 5 November 2017), W J Corn and Cullie Wilkinson, 04 Oct 1880; citing Coffee, Tennessee, United States, Marriage, p. , Tennessee State Library and Archives, Nashville and county clerk offices from various counties; FHL microfilm 1,572,813.
11. ↑ "Tennessee, County Marriages, 1790-1950," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:V4NV-MMR : 6 November 2017), W J Corn and Cullie Wilkinson, 05 Oct 1880; citing Coffee, Tennessee, United States, Marriage, p. , Tennessee State Library and Archives, Nashville and county clerk offices from various counties; FHL microfilm 802,745.
12. ↑ "Tennessee State Marriage Index, 1780-2002," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VNZZ-7LS : 4 December 2014), W J Cun and Cullie Wilkinson, 05 Oct 1880; from "Tennessee State Marriages, 1780-2002," database and images, Ancestry (http://www.ancestry.com : 2008); citing p. 96, Coffee, Tennessee, United States, Tennessee State Library and Archives, Nashville, Tennessee.
13. ↑ ^{13.0 13.1} "Tennessee Deaths, 1914-1966," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:NSVG-6HJ : 26 August 2019), William Corn, 28 Nov 1924; Death, Coffee, Tennessee, United States, Tennessee State Library and Archives, Nashville.
14. ↑ "Find A Grave Index," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QVKM-52N3 : 13 December 2015), William Jefferson Corn, 1924; Burial, , Coffee, Tennessee, United States of America, Wilkinson Cemetery; citing record ID 27922313, https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/27922313/william-jefferson-corn, Find a Grave, http://www.findagrave.com.