Confederate Civil War Soldier Portrait

[JimDon]

I picked up this portrait of a Confederate Civil War soldier from a thrift store for $8 and just had to save the history of this man. There was a note on the back with a name of JW Hudson. It was enclosed a mailing envelope, and based on the name it was addressed to, my amazing genealogist cousin was able to unravel the mystery by searching the connections to the names on Ancestry.com. Turns out it was John William Hudson of Sumter County SC born 1844 - died 1933. She even found an elderly picture of the man and the resemblance is unmistakable. I posted the photo on Ancestry so relatives can now attach the photo to their Ancestry record of this man. I also offered the original to the Hudson family and hope to return it to them.

 

[tamrock]

That's cool when you find something that tells a story.

 

[randazzo1]

Awesome! Good karma too.

 

[Vhoov]

Nice write up JimDon. I Like these kinds of stories.

 

[Saabman]

Well done!

 

[JimDon]

Interesting in that the two people I contacted have no interest in the original. Just wanted the digital file. I will try the Sumter County historical society but if they are not interested I guess I will sell.

 

[A2coins]

Pretty cool for 8 dollars that's a steal

 

[scott9050]

Really cool find you had. I had to look him up:

https://www.sciway3.net/sc-rangers/5th_cav_h.html

HUDSON, John William (1844–1933): 14/A, 5/H, DBN/B–PVT, Sumter Dist. b. 24 Mar 1844, Sumter Dist., SC. Enlisted at McPhersonville, SC, 10 May 1862, age 19. Reported in Dismounted Bn., 31 Aug 1864. Last recorded on clothing receipt roll, dated 1 Dec 1864. Post-war, farmer in Sumter Co., SC. Applied for a Confederate pension at Privateer, SC, 17 Jan 1920. d. 5 Jan 1933, and buried at Bethel Baptist Church, Privateer, SC. m. Margaret Henrietta OSTEEN. Brother of Thomas Jefferson HUDSON.

https://www.sciway3.net/sc-rangers/5thcavsc_history.html

 

[JimDon]

Really cool find you had. I had to look him up:

https://www.sciway3.net/sc-rangers/5th_cav_h.html

HUDSON, John William (1844–1933): 14/A, 5/H, DBN/B–PVT, Sumter Dist. b. 24 Mar 1844, Sumter Dist., SC. Enlisted at McPhersonville, SC, 10 May 1862, age 19. Reported in Dismounted Bn., 31 Aug 1864. Last recorded on clothing receipt roll, dated 1 Dec 1864. Post-war, farmer in Sumter Co., SC. Applied for a Confederate pension at Privateer, SC, 17 Jan 1920. d. 5 Jan 1933, and buried at Bethel Baptist Church, Privateer, SC. m. Margaret Henrietta OSTEEN. Brother of Thomas Jefferson HUDSON.

https://www.sciway3.net/sc-rangers/5thcavsc_history.html

That is an awesome history thank you for looking it up.

 

[Professor of Engineering]

Thank you for sharing!

 

[JimDon]

I ended up sending the portrait to see Sumter County Geneaological Society

 

[Mekong Mike]

I didn't know there was a Confederate pension. Awesome story.

 

[HGFM]

Kudos

very cool to JimDon and scott9050 for researching and preserving the history. My older sister used to reunite families (if interested) with old wedding pictures, family Bibles, etc. that she found languishing in antique shops. Of course, there had to be a name to go on. My wife and I do yard sales. This past summer, I bought a stack of books on woodcarving and a few on WWII history. One was a book about WWII battleships. Stuck in the book was a picture of a young sailor and two 8 X 10's of the USS New York. The guy at the yard sale didn't know who the sailor was and had bought a bunch of books at an auction, kept what he wanted and was selling the rest. When we got home, we found that the Picture had the sailor's name written on the back. A quick search, sadly, turned up his obituary. He had passed away in his 90's just a few years ago and had lived within ten miles of us. The obituary contained the names of his children who were also near. We made contact and returned the pictures and the book which had a several page history of the ship on which their father served in WWII. It feels good to do the right thing. It will always be a mystery to me that some people couldn't care less about their ancestors, but different strokes for different folks, I guess. Anyway, thanks to JimDon and scott9050.

 

[JimDon]

very cool to JimDon and scott9050 for researching and preserving the history. My older sister used to reunite families (if interested) with old wedding pictures, family Bibles, etc. that she found languishing in antique shops. Of course, there had to be a name to go on. My wife and I do yard sales. This past summer, I bought a stack of books on woodcarving and a few on WWII history. One was a book about WWII battleships. Stuck in the book was a picture of a young sailor and two 8 X 10's of the USS New York. The guy at the yard sale didn't know who the sailor was and had bought a bunch of books at an auction, kept what he wanted and was selling the rest. When we got home, we found that the Picture had the sailor's name written on the back. A quick search, sadly, turned up his obituary. He had passed away in his 90's just a few years ago and had lived within ten miles of us. The obituary contained the names of his children who were also near. We made contact and returned the pictures and the book which had a several page history of the ship on which their father served in WWII. It feels good to do the right thing. It will always be a mystery to me that some people couldn't care less about their ancestors, but different strokes for different folks, I guess. Anyway, thanks to JimDon and scott9050.

Great story. I find it fun and personally rewarding. It’s the right thing to do.

 

[Trezurehunter]

What a great find for $8.00, and great research to go with it.