Finding Your Folks: Thornton update; Tidwell tale

There haven't been any outstanding new developments on the situation with possibly bringing Haywood Thornton, a Confederate soldier, home to Georgia from Illinois, but I have received two e-mails representing opinions from three people.

To recap briefly, the story involves Haywood Thornton, a Confederate soldier from Fayette County, who died at Rock Island Prison Camp in 1864. Haywood's wife died of a broken heart a few months later, leaving six orphans. Someone who had researched the family, but not a relative, had proposed bringing Haywood back to Georgia to be buried beside his wife, and had asked and received clearance from the national cemetery to bring Haywood home. All that was needed was the signature of a descendant to get the ball rolling. Others who knew how to make such things happen were contacted and the matter was tossed out for discussion.

One person, not a relative but just an interested party, said that he/she felt that Haywood should remain in the national cemetery in Illinois with his fallen comrades, since Haywood and his wife probably had their reunion in heaven long ago. Haywood was buried in the cemetery with one other in his unit and at least one other from Fayette.

Another said that since the cemetery in Illinois was a national cemetery and well-maintained, and the family cemetery where Haywood would be reinterred in Fayette County was maintained privately and there was no guarantee that maintenance would continue, Haywood would be much better off left where he was.

These are valid points. If others have other views, I would be happy to print them here. It may be more than a year before any action is taken, if any is taken at all. Please feel free to write and let us know how you feel - especially if you are a Thornton descendant.

The other topic this week involves a letter I received from Bobby Liles of Henagar, Ala. who is a descendant of Robert William Tidwell and Tabitha Jane Clark Edwards Tidwell. If you check previous columns, you will find this one a few months back with a remark from me that tracking this Robert Tidwell was the second worst wild goose genealogy chase I had ever been on. Mistakenly assuming that this was a son of Frances Boyd and Mark Tidwell (my relatives), I chased Robert all the way from Coweta County to Alabama before I discovered he wasn't mine. He was the son of William Tidwell and Martha Andrews of Coweta County and the grandson of Benjamin Tidwell and Milly Grimes of Meriwether County. This Robert William was no doubt a cousin of my Robert (mine was listed as "Robert M. in the 1870 Carroll County, Ga. census and had a son named Marcus), but not the same person.

But I made a little mistake in one of the surnames of this family and Bobby took the time to point out my error (which I gratefully appreciate). I had inadvertently given the married name of his ancestor, Viola Tidwell, as "Hines" when it was actually "Liles." I don't have a clue why I did that. I looked at my files and I have her as a Liles. I guess my fingers and my brain weren't working together at that particular time. I do apologize.

Bobby's story is very interesting and tells of Viola's listing herself as a widow in the census when she actually was not - but she had no idea. Bobby writes:

"Dear Mrs. Kilgore, I read your article on the Tidwell family and felt compelled to write you. It so happens that my great-grandparents were Robert William Tidwell and Tabitha Jane Clark Edwards Tidwell. My grandmother was Viola Tidwell, the same you mentioned in your article. However, she was not a Hines as far as I know.

"She married James R. Liles Jr. of Malone in Randolph County, Ala., when she was 17 years old. As far as her being a widow in 1910, she only thought she was.

"As the story goes, as told to me by my father, Homer Liles, Viola and James had been married for about six years when he came home one night and they got into an argument and she hit him in the back of the head with a stick of stove wood. He turned and went out the door never to return. Years went by with her believing he was dead.

"In 1919, after her mother died, she moved to Jackson County, Ala. on Sand Mountain. She is listed in 1920 and 1930 census as married.

"As it turned out, in 1908, my grandfather, after their argument, joined the Army as was sent to the Philippines. Before his time was up, there was talk of war and he could not get out. As you know, World War I ended in 1919. He was finally sent home in June of 1920.

"My grandparents never got back together but she always considered herself married to him until her death in 1972. He remarried even though they were never divorced. He died in 1948 in Kingsbury, Texas, and is buried there.

"Tabitha Jane's (first) husband, Nesbit Edwards, and her father, James Washington Clark, died in Richmond, Virginia, during the Civil War.

"I enjoy reading your articles on the Tidwell family. Sincerely, Bobby J. Liles."

Bobby, some in this family may never have known the story until you shared it. I thank you for writing and again apologize for the error.

Stories and family histories about your ancestors who lived on Atlanta's south side are always welcome. Send them to jkilgore@thecitizen.com or JodieK444@aol.com. Mail to The Citizen, P.O. Drawer 1719, Fayetteville, GA 30214. All letters and e-mails I receive are subject to being used in the column.