Hello list, Well, the requests came pouring in almost as soon as I posted the offer of lookups! I have a request, as well, though: Please email me directly at anpreston@msn.com with lookup requests, rather than posting the request only to the list as I may not always read every posting so may miss some lookup requests. I can't promise to be able to keep up the current pace but will reply as soon as possible. (These stories make for some interesting reading, don't they?! Can't help thinking some of those ancestors would be turning in their grave knowing a "Yankee" is retelling their family secrets!) Best, Julie Preston anpreston@msn.com -----Original Message----- From: Julie Preston <anpreston@email.msn.com> To: TNMCNAIR-L@rootsweb.com <TNMCNAIR-L@rootsweb.com> Date: Tuesday, January 19, 1999 5:40 PM Subject: [TNMCNAIR-L] "Shiloh Remembered" -- LARRIMORE/MEEKS/ERWIN/HURST/GRANT/WALLACE >Mary, > >>From "Shiloh Remembered", pp. 18-19: > >"General John H. MEEKS: > >General John H. MEEKS was a Southern gentleman of distinction who lived on a >section of land just south of Stantonville during the Civil War. MEEKS' >section of land in the 20th century was owned by N.D. ERWIN and that section >of land remains intact today and is still owned by the descendants of Mr. >ERWIN. Originally, the tract of land was considered to be a true plantation >and the MEEKS home a work of southern art. Rufus MEEKS was a son of John H. >MEEKS. He was a Christian preacher of some note and was instrumental in the >old Clear Creek Church of Christ. T.B. LARRIMORE, the noted evangelist and >Bible scholar was a frequent visitor to the MEEKS plantation as Rufus MEEKS >had married his sister. > >General John H. MEEKS was not a general in the Civil War but had earned that >title because of his duties with the local militia in McNairy County before >the outbreak of the Civil War. He was a minister of high esteem and a >pillar of the activities surrounding the old Clear Creek Christian Church >which was located one mile east of Stantonville. Gen. MEEKS listed in his >education studies, a 10 month stint at the Pebble Hill Academy which was >located just south of Stantonville. He was also the minister "of note" who >held the famous "Sawmill Meeting" which took place in Adamsville in the >1870's. That meeting led to the founding of the Adamsville Christian >Church. > >In the spring of 1862, the Union Army under the generalship of U.S. GRANT, >was stationed at Pittsburg Landing. Very few realized that a major battle >was shaping up that February and March. Union scouts were everywhere >foraging or securing provisions by whatever means was necessary to feed >Union soldiers. Fielding HURST, a planter of wide recognition, was >apparently operating in the area under the direction of Gen. Lew WALLACE. A >group of HURST's scouts were on a forage mission. The scouts consisted of >men from North and East McNairy County, Decatur County, Henderson and Hardin >Counties. They raided the plantatation of General MEEKS and carried away >all his livestock -- some fifteen head were said to have been involved. >After the altercation at the plantation General MEEKS set out to find >General GRANT who was supposedly in his headquarters at Pittsburg Landing. >MEEKS found the famous general and made a rather frank statement about >himself: first off, he said that he was a southern sympathizer, had two >sons in the Confederacy; was an old man of peace, a noncombatant. Said he >had been trying to make an honest living for himself and his depends [sic]. >He went on with an impressive story that wound up with the misfortune of >losing his stock. > >General GRANT was said to have received the old man very kindly and they >talked pleasantly for about an hour. At the close of the interview, Gen. >GRANT wrote out in his own handwriting a slip of paper and handed to General >MEEKS. It was called a "Safeguard" which in substance ordered Fielding >HURST to return to MEEKS his livestock. The order, which was taken from the >Union Army book of regulations, also forbade any Federal soldier from >molesting him or his property as long as he was in Federally occupied >territory. > >It was obvious that Generals GRANT and MEEKS were impressed with each other. >General MEEKS told of the encounter with GRANT as long as he lived. MEEKS >was quite naturally lavish in his praise for the famous General, whom he >always described as "being big hearted, broad minded." No one could make >him believe that General GRANT ever did anything wrong. > >The handwritten "Safeguard", signed by General GRANT, was kept as a momento >[sic] at the MEEKS home for years until the old MEEKS home was destroyed by >fire. > >The mystery of Genl. MEEKS and Gen. GRANT's relationship remained a mystery >for generations. It is speculated by some that both were members of the >Masonic fraternity and that even tho [sic] they were engaged in a war on >opposite sides, through a fraternity brotherhood they both may have found a >common ground." > >Best, >Julie Preston >anpreston@msn.com >-----Original Message----- >From: McGuire, Mary <mmcguire@cavemen.net> >To: anpreston@msn.com <anpreston@msn.com> >Date: Tuesday, January 19, 1999 11:10 AM >Subject: Shiloh remembered > >>Julie, >>I would be interested in the name Larrimore, both Mrs. Rufus Meeks page >18 >>and Larrimore, T.B., page 18. >> >>Posting to the list is okay if it helps someone else. >> >>Thanks very much. >>Mary McGuire - mmcguire@cavemen.net >> >> >