| Notes |
- LKH Note: From a letter written by George F. Hedges on 11 February 1948 we know that in 1881 William R. and Sarah L. Hedges moved their family from Fleming County, Kentucky to a small farm southwest of Fairmount, Vermilion County, Illinois. In three years they moved to Champaign County, Illinois and then in 1891 they and most of their children moved to Linn County, Missouri.
[10]
- LKH note:
Information matches for this to be about William R. Hedges, but I have never read about his being referred to as Uncle Billie or as Billie at all.
Uncle Billie Hedges is on the sick list at the home of his daughter, Mrs. Anna Bagley.
The Browning Leader-Record, Browning, Missouri. Thursday, 23 December 1920, page 5.
* * * *
Uncle Billie Hedges is spending this week with his daughter, Mrs. Lucy Jenkins.
The Browning Leader-Record, Browning, Missouri. Thursday, 31 March 1921, page 5.
* * * *
Uncle Billie Hedges is quite poorly at the home of his daughter, Mrs. Wm. Jenkins.
The Browning Leader-Record, Browning, Missouri. Thursday, 28 May 1925, page 4.
* * * *
George Hedges of Jamaica, Ill, and P.T. Hedges of Shreveport, Lou., spent Xmas with their father, Uncle Billy Hedges, and other relatives.
The Browning Leader-Record, Browning, Missouri. Thursday, 3 January 1924, page 4.
[10, 11]
- Obituary
William R. Hedges was born in Fleming County, Kentucky, March 10th, 1841, died October 25, 1925, age 84 years, 7 months and 15 days. At the age of 16 he obeyed the gospel and became Elder in the Church of Christ and remained faithful to the end of his life.
He enlisted in the Civil War while a young man and served 2 1/2 years.
He was married to Sarah Lavina Allen Nov. 28th, 1863. To this union were born 9 children all of whom are living, 5 boys and 4 girls. The boys are James A. and John W. of Purdin, Mo., Geo F. o Fairmount, Ill, P.T. Hedges of Natchitoches, La. And Jasper N. of Sidney, Mont. The girls are Emma A. Gardner of Riverton, Wyo., Lucy M. Jenkins and Anna M. Bagley of Purdin, Mo. And Mary D. Wood of Seagoville, Texas. His wife died June, 1916.
He leaves beside the above mentioned relatives to mourn their loss 39 grand children and 32 great grand children.
Dearest Father thou hast left us,
You no more on earth we see,
But in Heaven we hope to meet thee<
There to dwell eternally.
The funeral services were conducted by Elder Potter at the Church of Christ on Monday where a large concourse of friends and neighbors gathered to pay him a last farewell, after which the remains were laid to rest in the Purdin cemetery by the side of his companion, who crossed over some years ago.
[5, 12]
- William R. Hedges was born in Fleming County, Kentucky, March 10th, 1841, died October 25, 1925, age 84 years, 7 months and 15 days. At the age of 16 he obeyed the gospel and became Elder in the Church of Christ and remained faithful to the end of his life. He enlisted in the Civil War while a young man and served 2 1/2 years.
Was married to Sarah Lavina Allen Nov. 28th, 1863. To this union were born 9 children all of whom are living, 5 boys and 4 girls. The boys are James A. and John W. of Purdin, Mo., George F. o Fairmount, Ill, P.T. Hedges of Natchitoches, La. And Jasper N. of Sidney, Mont. The girls are Emma A. Gardner of Riverton, Wyo., Lucy M. Jenkins and Anna M. Bagley of Purdin, Mo. And Mary D. Wood of Seagoville, Texas. His wife died June, 1916. He leaves beside the above mentioned relatives to mourn their loss 39 grand children and 32 great grand children.
Dearest Father thou has’t left us,
You no more on earth we see,
But in Heaven we hope to meet thee,
There to dwell eternally.
The Browning Leader-Record, Browning, Missouri. Thursday, 29 October 1925.
[5, 11]
- Elder C.E. Potter preached the funeral of Rev. Wm. Hedges at Purdin Monday afternoon.
The Browning Leader-Record, Browning, Missouri. Thursday, 29 October 1925.
[11]
- Fourth Kentucky Volunteer Infantry, Company C.
Rank: private.
Enrolled 27 August 1861.
Mustered in 9 October 1861, Camp Dick Robinson, Kentucky. Enlisted for a period of 3 years.
Discharged 8 March 1863, Gallatin, Tennessee.
We have a copy of William R. Hedges Soldier's Certificate No.690641 file. In his general affidavit, he writes that in Dec 1861 I received an injury to my left side by being kicked by a mule, while helping to break mules at Crab Orchard Ky the mules back joint struck me three or four times on the lower ribs of the left side causing a rupture of the left kidney so that I urinated blood for six weeks and about the 10th of April 1862 while still suffering from the effects of said injury I was poisoned by eating cheese purchased from the suttler of the region and my whole left side seemed to be affected by said poison and my belief is that my left side being was when I was poisoned the effects of the poison naturally settled in that side and the poison aggravated the results from the injury. An any rate I have continued to suffer from that time to the present with pain in the left side of my head and face like neuralgia and with pain in my left side and hip and spine like rheumatism.
The Union Army, v.IV. Published by the Federal Publishing Co, 1908, pp318-320.
"This regiment was one of the three which President Lincoln authorized Lieut. William Nelson of the navy, a native of Mason county, Ky., to raise in Kentucky in the early summer of 1861. The day after the August election, Col. Fry with a detachment from Danville, the nucleus of what became Co. A, opened Camp Dick Robinson and three other regiments began to pour in and with a few weeks enough men to fill the four regiments had assembled. The first active service performed by any portion of the regiment was when a detachment of several companies, with a similar detachment from the 3d, was sent to Nicholasville to escort a wagon train loaded with muskets and ammunition from Nicholasville to the camp. In the latter part of October the regiment moved to Crab Orchard and became a part of the 2nd brigade, 1st division, Army of the Ohio. Its first participation in actual hostilities was at the battle of Mill Springs, Ky., in which action the regiment lost 1 officer (Lieut. J. M. Hall, Co.B) and 8 men killed and 52 wounded, which was a pretty heavy percentage in a regiment depleted by sickness and detachments to less than 400 for duty. From Mill Springs the regiment marched by Coffey's mill, Danville, Lebanon, and Bardstown to Louisville and there embarked on boats for Nashville, where it arrived March 4, 1862. It took part in the advance on Corinth, frequently skirmishing and sometimes sustaining loss. After the evacuation of Corinth it pursued the enemy as far as Booneville, Miss. and then returned to Corinth marched via Iuka to Tuscumbia. After a stay of some weeks at the latter place, it moved with the command on July 24, via Florence, Lawrenceburg, Pulaski, Fayetteville, Lynchburg and Winchester to Decherd. Leaving the latter place for Nashville, it marched from there with Buell's army to Louisville. After the battle of Perryville, where the regiment was present though not engaged, it moved with the command via Danville to Crab Orchard, whence via Greensburg and Glasgow to Gallatin, Tenn., Then to Casalian Springs, half way between Gallatin and Hartsville, and there to Elizabethtown. It was joined at Munfordville by the 12th Ky. Cavalry and 13th Ky. Infantry and had a fight with Morgan's rear at Rolling fork; moved thence to Lebanon Junction and thence to Nashville. The Regiment took part in the Tullahoma campaign and was in action at Hoover's gap, Concord church and near Tullahoma, but with slight loss. It went into action at the battle of Chichamauga with 19 officers and 360 men and lost 13 officers wounded, and 160 enlisted men killed and wounded."
The text goes on with more information, but William R. Hedges was discharged by this time.
[6]
- Note: His death certificate states he was born in Rowan County, Kentucky (information provided by his brother J. A. Hedges). His obituary states he was born in Fleming County, Kentucky.
[2]
- LKH note: The children of William R. Hedges are named and their birth dates given in his application for military pension. We have a photocopy of that pension application file from the National Archives.
[10]
- 1870 US census enumerated 30 June 1870
Cross Roads Precinct, Rowan County, Kentucky
William R. Hedges, age 29, farmer
Sarah, age 27, keeping house
James, age 7
George, age 4
Emma, age 2
John, age 2 months
real estate value $600
personal property value $250
In the 1870 census, four household are listed next to each other: William Ribelin Hedges and three of his sons: Levi, William R. and James Hedges.
[13]
- 1880 US census, enumerated 12 Jun 1880.
Hillsboro Precinct, Fleming County, Kentucky
William Hedges, age 39, farmer
Sarah L., age 34
James A., age 15, farmer, attending school
George F., age 13, farmer, attending school
Emma, age 11, attending school
Peter T., age 9, attending school
Lucy, age 6
Anna A., age 3
Mary D., age 4 months
Next door is William’s cousin James Monroe Hedges.
[13]
- 1900 US census, enumerated 19 & 20 July 1900
Benton Township, Linn County, Missouri
William R. Hedges, age 59, farmer
Sarah L., age 54
John W., age 17, farm laborer
Jasper N., age 14, farm laborer
Owned home
[13]
- 1910 census, enumerated 18 April 1910
Benton Township, Linn County, Missouri
William R. Hedges, age 69, minister of the Gospel
Sarah, age 64
owned home
[13]
- US 1880 agricultural census, enumerated 12 June 1880.
Fleming County, Kentucky
William R. Hedges, line 1
Rented for share of produce
tilled acres – 25
value of farm implements - $10
value of farm production - $150
horses – 1
Milch cows – 2
other cattle – 1
cattle sold – 1
butter , pounds – 150
poultry, barnyard – 8
other – 50
eggs produced - 40
Indian corn, acres – 8
Indian corn, bushels – 150
Oats, acres – 5
Oats, bushels – 40
wheat – acres – 8
wheat – bushels – 60
Molasses – gallons – 25
Potatoes, Irish – 12
Potatoes, sweet – 10
Wood cut, cords - 15
value of wood products - $15
[13]
|
1841 - 1925 (84 years)
[1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7] 
: Address
: Location
: City/Town
: County/Shire
: State/Province
: Country
: Not Set
