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Part of a Family of Texas Confederate Soldiers
John Harvey Parkhill was born August 31, 1831. He married Sara Jane Hannah. He was one of three children of John (James) William Parkhill and Mritha Birdwell, who were married around 1827-1828 in Jackson Co. Alabama.
John Harvey Parkhill, enlisted in the 9th Brigade, Texas Militia, August 17, 1861. He was #74 on the Muster Roll of Captain R. R. Sissell's Company. The Original muster roll showed his name as "Parkenhill."
The 1860 Hopkins Co. Census, Family number 1002, Charleston, Texas, shows:
John Parkhill, 28, M, farm laborer, 0/250, b. AL;
Sarah J., 21, F, b. TN;
Wm. M., 2, M, b. TX,
Robert F., 1, M, b. TX.
According to Charles Laverne Connally, great grandson of Charles Connally, John had died in 1863 in Arkansas during the Civil War. But according to others, he was killed by a falling barrel from the loft of his barn after the war was over. His descendants are Thomas Hannah Parkhill of Cooper, Texas and Dr. Billy Jerald Parkhill of Paris, Texas.
The original muster roll of Company G, 9th Texas Infantry, CSA, in the National Archives in Washington, D. C., shows J. A. (or J. H.) Parkhill, age 31, enlisted at Tarrant, Hopkins Co, Texas, on October 8, 1861.
"A"s and "H"s were commonly mistaken for each other when the musters were transcribed. The handwriting of the day left something to be desired. During transcription, cards stamped #1145 list J. A. while cards #1146 list J. H. The similarities are considerable. The wife's name is the same. Also, the state of birth matches. In June 1860, John Harvey Parkhill (b. Aug. 31, 1831) would be 28 years old.
Parkhill's service was short as he died of pneumonia on March 2, 1862, in Little Rock, Arkansas. The regiment was on its way to Bowling Green, KY, when pneumonia (probably typhoid pneumonia) broke out. Several men were left along the way between Texas and Memphis. The regiment never did get to Bowling Green because the Confederates had pulled back to Corinth, MS, by the time the 9th Texas Infantry got to Tennessee. J. A. Parkhill apparently died in Arkansas without rejoining the regiment. (A number of the "left-behinds" recovered and rejoined their companies. Many did not.)
John Harvey Parkhill had two siblings. His sister, Martha Jane Parkhill, born Nov. 5, 1829 who married Stephen Barker.
His brother was James Marshall Parkhill, born Oct. 31, 1833. James was my great grandfather and had married four times.
1). Mary Ann Nidever White Sept. 22, 1859 In Lamar Co. Texas. She and her children died between 1859-1862.
2). Nancy M. Cook. (Nov. 15, 1868)
3). Mollie Kuykendall.
4). Frances Lusk.
Around 1834 or 1835, his father, John (James) William Parkhill disappears, either by sickness and death, or by the Indian Wars in Alabama-Florida. Mritha or Ritha marries George Madison Connolly August 15, 1835 in Blount Co. Alabama. They had 9 children, among them namely Charles and George Connolly who served together with James Parkhill their half-brother.
James Marshall Parkhill and Charles Connolly enlisted on a Friday, June 20, 1862 from Lamar County, (sic) at Clarksville, Red River County, Texas in the 23rd Texas Cavalry, CSA. This regiment served as a dismounted Cavalry at the close of the war.
James Parkhill was detached Thursday, Oct. 23, 1862 as Army Quartermaster to drive a teamster Wagon at Beaumont, Texas. Charles Connolly was on special occasion detailed to act as a Scout for the company. Both James and Charles stayed in Lamar County until the spring of 1863 and was then ordered to Mansfield and from there to Pleasant Hill, Louisiana.
The Battle of Mansfield, Friday, April 8, 1864 was known as the biggest battle west of the Mississippi, where the Confederate Forces repelled the Union advance on East Texas. The defeat of the Union effort employed about 36,000 soldiers. The battle was won with hard picket fighting every day until they got to the Yellow Bayou, which closed the hard fighting. They were then marched back to Fort Bend, to rest up for the next battle.
On Tuesday, April 9, 1865, Robert E. Lee decided not to further to prolong the war and surrendered. The news of the war came late to those in Texas. It took about a month, to learn that the war was completely over. Small skirmishes with "the enemy" still took place but the news that the war was over finally came and they were disbanded as a unit.
1st Lieutenant John J. Jamison, stated on Feb. 23, 1920 in Clarksville, Red River County Court House, as a witness for J. M. Parkhill's Confederate Pension, that the "unit was disbanded at Richmond, Texas on Wednesday May 24, 1865 but the men were not discharged until June 1, at Milligan, Texas." He also stated that these men were in the service of the State of Texas during the Civil War, to protect the state against Indian, Mexicans and the enemy.
According to a letter my grandfather wrote, he cites the following information about his father and Charles Connally. "These Texans had furnished their own horses, bridals, and saddles when they enlisted and it seems a shame they were taken from them and they were forced to walk home. On the 24th day of May 1865 they were honorably discharged at Richmond, Texas, and then forced to walk. They walked from Richmond to fourteen miles from Paris, Texas, about 300 miles. Since they had enlisted from the same general area, they were all headed in the same general direction. My father said they got so thirsty they would lie on their bellies and drink water out of cow tracks. These men were in the service of the State of Texas during the Civil War to protect the State against the Indians, Mexicans and Yankees. They never were absent from their commands without permission. They never deserted and served with fidelity and honor to themselves and the command of the Confederate States of America."
The Family split and moved to different areas. The Connolly's and J. M. Parkhill's family moved to around Farmersville-Greenville area. My grandfather J. M. Parkhill Jr. was born Oct. 8, 1870 in Greenville, Texas. The Connolly's later moved to Glen Rose, Texas.
Charles filed for his military pension on Jan 14, 1920. It was approved on Feb. 10, 1920. Also along with Charles Connolly, two witnesses were at the County Court named Levi Herring and W. B . Pruitt for Charles Connolly's application for Confederate Pension. Also noted was two other men that were in the Unit with him and James Parkhill were Gray Jorden and J. F. Wilkerson. Charles Connolly was a witness for these two men's pension around 1908 or 1910. James Parkhill was a witness also on Jan. 26, 1920. W. P. Pruitt was also practicing physician and pronounced Charles Connolly dead due to a cervical break due to old age.
James' Confederate Pension was approved Mar. 11, 1920. James died April 29, 1921 in Savoy, Fannin County, Texas. Charles Connolly died May 30, 1930 in Glen Rose, Texas. The records of both of these men can be reproduced from the original holdings of the State Archives in Austin, Texas.
James Wylie Parkhill
My great grandfather had also two other first cousins that were in the Civil War. In Johnny Rebs of Hunt County, by Mrs. Frances Terry Ingmire, Precinct No.1, Capt. J. M. Henslee, Co. 1, is muster roll #87 - James Parkhill.. He is known as James Wylie Parkhill who was married to Mary Jane Havens. He was born Jan. 15, 1848 also at Guntersville, Marshall Co., Alabama. He was the son of David Goodner Parkhill and Amanda M. Smith
Blooming Goodner Parkhill
Then there was B. G. Parkhill, the other cousin who was Blooming Goodner Parkhill whose Pension number is 32004. He enlisted Feb. 10, 1862 in Company E, Chickasaw Battalion, Fort Arbuckle, which afterwards became Company A, Well's Battalion. He was under the command of General Cooper in the Indian Territory. He lived and died in Forestburg, Grayson Co., Texas. He died May 25, 191?. Both Blooming and James were brothers.
Their father David G. Parkhill was made Captain of the Montague Mounted Riflemen Company, on Oct. 26, 1859. He was also a Cumberland Presbyterian Minister. David was born 1814 in Tennessee and died May 14, 1881 buried the 18th and is buried in Honey Grove, Fannin Co., Texas. Amanda his wife, died Mar. 4, 1907 and is also buried at Honey Grove, Texas.
©Ron Brothers and Jim Parkhill, All Rights Reserved, 1999, 2000.
October 17, 2000
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