Charles N Percy was my three times great grandfather and was born about 1840. The place of birth is still a mystery as is the exact birth date. On his daughter’s [Sarah Jane Percy Davis] death certificate, the place of birth for her father is stated as Lee County, Kentucky. Sarah’s husband, Charles P Davis was the informant. But on a death register from Monroe County, Kentucky, Charles Percy was listed as being born in Scott County, Virginia! I am more inclined to trust the Scott County birth place since the information for that register was probably given by Charles himself. But, alas, no proof yet.
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| Margaret Weaver Percy |
In 1859, Charles married Margaret W Weaver. There is no record of an exact marriage date in the Monroe County, Kentucky courthouse. Monroe County is on the border with Tennessee and Confederate raiders burned the courthouse in Monroe County on April 22, 1863. This is when their marriage record was probably destroyed. The minister who married them gave a sworn statement when Margaret was seeking a pension for Charles’ Civil War service. He stated he had married them in either 1859 or 1860. Margaret states it was in 1859. Her brothers gave a statement declaring 1859 as the marriage year.
Before his Civil War service, Charles and Margaret had two daughters- Mary Elizabeth born on July 1, 1860 and Sarah Jane born on January 22, 1862. Sarah would eventually marry Charles P Davis, my two-times great grandfather.
Before his Civil War service, Charles and Margaret had two daughters- Mary Elizabeth born on July 1, 1860 and Sarah Jane born on January 22, 1862. Sarah would eventually marry Charles P Davis, my two-times great grandfather.
Charles enlisted for Civil War service on October 14, 1861 for a term of three years. From a statement in his pension file, Charles mustered into service on September 16, 1862 as a private in Co. C of the 5th Regiment- Kentucky Cavalry. From his service records, it appears that he was a wagoner and an ambulance driver in 1863 and 1864. He showed up on hospital muster rolls in May-June 1863 in Nashville and again in January-February 1864 and March-April 1864 in Memphis. He is listed as a patient in the first two hospital stays but nothing is listed for the third stay. It appears he was involved in Sherman’s siege of Atlanta, Georgia and was on Sherman’s famous March to the Sea when they took Savannah, 
Georgia. On February 21, 1865, Charles was captured by the Confederates in Monticello, South Carolina, just north of Columbia. He must have been quickly released because his pension records state he was given a furlough from Camp Chase near Columbus, Ohio from March 21, 1865-April 21, 1865. He apparently died of typhoid fever, which he may have contracted while a prisoner. This may also have been the reason for the furlough. He died at home in Rockcastle County, Kentucky on March 28, 1865. Just this past March was the 150th anniversary of his death. I had attempted to find his gravesite in Rockcastle County online, but have had no luck. A person from Rockcastle County’s Facebook page said unfortunately that long ago many were buried with only a fieldstone marker which are next to impossible to locate today. I had hoped to check to see if Charles had received any recognition for his service at his gravesite, but that appears unlikely. As I have said before, these ancestors deserve to be remembered; sometimes, this is the only way.
Georgia. On February 21, 1865, Charles was captured by the Confederates in Monticello, South Carolina, just north of Columbia. He must have been quickly released because his pension records state he was given a furlough from Camp Chase near Columbus, Ohio from March 21, 1865-April 21, 1865. He apparently died of typhoid fever, which he may have contracted while a prisoner. This may also have been the reason for the furlough. He died at home in Rockcastle County, Kentucky on March 28, 1865. Just this past March was the 150th anniversary of his death. I had attempted to find his gravesite in Rockcastle County online, but have had no luck. A person from Rockcastle County’s Facebook page said unfortunately that long ago many were buried with only a fieldstone marker which are next to impossible to locate today. I had hoped to check to see if Charles had received any recognition for his service at his gravesite, but that appears unlikely. As I have said before, these ancestors deserve to be remembered; sometimes, this is the only way. |
| Pedigree Chart for Edna Happekotte- my grandmother |
