Our Military Branch

These are family members that served in the Military.
Here we can share Record's, Photo's, and story's about our loved ones that served our country.

These are only a partial list of the family men and women who served our Country in the Service. We have so many family that we are still researching anything will help and we would be forever grateful.

Charles Joseph Lewis b April 14, 1947  d. Jan 27, 2001 - US MERCHANT MARINE WORLD WAR II
Duglas Durwood Hall b Jan 14, 1922  d. Aug 18, 2008 - Navy
Jessie Lee Collier b. Feb 22, 1919  d. Jan 23, 1981 - Army
Wesley Alexander b. Dec 1825 d. May 18, 1864 – Civil War
William Alexander Jr. b. Aug 22, 1920 d. Jun 13, 1944- Killed in action in France during WW II
John Archibald Cato b. Feb 06, 1836 d. Jul 14, 1864 – Civil War- KIA in Battle of Harrisburg, Ms. with the 4th. Miss. Cav.
Stephen Lee Ford b. Jun 22, 1922 d. Nov 03, 2003 – US Army WWII
Fred Lee Freeman B. Dec 05, 1894 D. Jul 15, 1964 – us Army WWI
David H. Gurly B. Dec 25, 1911 D. Jun 08, 1945 -Gunnery Instructor
William Thomas Hall B. Apr 12, 1917 D. Sep 27, 1963- W.W. II
Freddie Leroy Harrigill Sr. - stll living - Navy
Freddie Leroy Harrigill Jr. -  still living -US Army
Benjamin Harrigill B.1787 D.AFT 1860 -Killed as 2nd Lt. at Murfreesboro, Tn.
Henry J.M. Harrigill B.1842 D. Dec 31, 1862 - Killed in Action Battle of Murfreesboro, Tennessee
Samuel Madison Harrigill B. Aug 11, 1822 D.1882 - Company F 2nd Quinns Infantry
William T. Harrigill Jr. B. Sep 09, 1922 D. Jan 29, 1997 - 1ST LT US ARMY WORLD WAR II
Robert James Lowery B. 1752 D. Sep 17, 1813 - American Revolutionary War, Private, South Carolina State Militia
James Edward Newman B. Jun 23, 1926 D. July 30, 2006 - Navy (Signalman 3rd Class)
Clifford Warren Patrick b. Nov 05, 1920 d. Jul 27, 1967 - Army Sarg.ent
James Monroe Smith b.1845 d. 1923 - 9th Louisiana Infantry, Co. D, Private, CSA
Marvin Vernel Thomas b. Aug 09, 1921 d, May 07, 1981 - WORLD WAR II, KOREA SMSGT US AIR FORCE
Robert Dan Duncan Sr. b. Dec 06, 1939  d. Nov 16, 2008 - served in the US Army in Germany
Seth  Austin Horton b. May 06, 1989 - still living - Navy
Burdine Farmer  b. Nov 28, 1821 d. Aug 16, 1911 - veteran of the war of 1845 with Mexico and was         with Gen. Zachary Taylor at the fall of the City of Mexico
James Edward Smith b. Mar 18, 1944 - Still Living - US Army
Hilton I "Shorty" Beatty b. Dec 31, 1927  d. Nov 24, 2011 - US ARMY-WWII, Korean, and two tours in Vietnam 
Alpha Inez Buchanan
Roger Dale HallE-5 Sargent serving in the Army 198th . Two years in VietNam
Christoper Adam Billen = Air Force 4 years
Justin Anderson -Army (injured during airborne training)
James Cordell Anderson -WWII and Army Air Force as a bellygunner
Melvin Ray Lewis -Vietnam 1965-66  paratrooper and sniper in the Army
Eugene Scott Newman Sr. - Army

       Shane Laneil Daniels - Marines

    Dennis Daniels - Marines 
    Freddie Leroy Harrigill Sr.- Navy

Eddy Hill Payne

Joined the Army just as WWII broke out. He later switched to the US Air Force and retired as a Senior Master Sergeant with 29 years of service. He served in China during WWII and spent one tour in Vietnam. His first half of military duty was in the communications field with his later half spent as a First Sergeant. He was assigned all over the world.

ALEXANDER WILLIAM A

First Lieutenant 

ARMY

Joined Army on 6-23-43

WHITE

STATE OF RESIDENCE- North Carolina

Battalion Combat/Special Troops

European Theatre: Germany

LATEST REPORT DATE: 05-01-1945

Individual has been reported through sources considered official.

Returned to Military Control, Liberated or Repatriated

DETAINING POWER -GERMANY

CAMP-045 Oflag 64 or 21B Schubin (Moved to Usedom) Poland, Altburgund 53-17 

Marvin Vernel Thomas 

He was a 31 -year veteran of the US Army Air Force and a 32- degree mason. He was a combat veteran of World War II and Vietnam.

Marvin Thomas was discharged from service with honors in 1972 at the Wright Patterson AFB in Ohio. Since 1973 he had been employed by Sun Electric Corp. as zone manager in Kentucky and originally manager in Boston.

He was a member of Corlic St. Andrews Lodge No. 1334 in Coulton, Scotland. He became second degree mason in 1972 and was a member of Oleika Temple Shrine in Lexington, KY. since 1974.

Jessie Lee Collier 1944

Douglas Durwood Hall

Jewell Louis Thomas

Jewell Louis Thomas

 Anthony Peter Pagano Jr.

U.S.Navy

Roger Dale Hall

E-5 Sargent serving in the Army 198th . Two years in VietNam

Alpha Inez Buchanan

Freddie Leroy Harrigill Sr.       

Joined the Navy in 1942 at the age of 16. Served on the U.N.S. aircraft. Stationed in Cuba, California, and Maine where he retired after 22 years as an E-6,
not a Chief Petty Officer.

Freddie Leroy Harrigill Jr.

First joined the USMC on Feb. 24, 1965 at the age of 17. Served 4 years then joined the  Army on December 9, 1969 at Dallas, Texas. Was a Radio Teletype operator, Arm Recruiter, and Drill Sgt. Served 30 months in VietNam- 1966 to 1968 & 1970. Stationed in Germany, Panama, Hawaii, Colorado, Oklahoma, Vietnam, California, and South Carolina. Retired from Army on Jan 1987.

Allen Anthony Patrick 

 Aaron Kenneth Shell Jr.

Tommy Gene Payne

 Jonathan David Anderson

David Casey Billen

John Robert Darsey

Jiles Uriah Hall

James Monroe Newell (Left)

Jewell Ray Freeman

Charles Lenroe Harrigill, Jewell Thomas, ?
Freddie Leroy Harrigill Sr., Clifford Warren Patrick

Robert Dan Duncan Jr.

Hiram  T. Duncan

Milton Glen Buchanan

 Marines 1950-1954

Bobby Harrigill with wife, Mona

Charles Harrigill and Fred Harrigill (brothers)

"Military Registration cards"

Charles Whitney Draft card

Clay Alexander Hall

World War I Draft card 1917-1918

Carey Watts

World War I Draft card 1917-1918

Thomas Edward Hall

World War I Draft card 1917-1918

Henry Francis (Frank)  Harrigill

Draft Card

Samuel Madison Harrigill

Draft Card

William Luther Harrigill

Draft card

William T Harrigill

Draft Card

Charlie E. Sandifer Sr.

World War I Draft card 1917-1918

Burdine Farmer 

MEXICAN WAR VETERAN 

b. Nov 28, 1821

d. Aug 16, 1911

Burdine Farmer, 80, Was with Gen. Zachary Taylor.
Special to the News.
Corsicana, Tex., Aug. 16. - Burdine Farmer, aged 89, died at the home of his daughter, Mrs. Martha Ann Patterson, this morning. Mr. Farmer was a veteran of the war of 1845 with Mexico and was with Gen. Zachary Taylor at the fall of the City of Mexico. He was a native of Tennessee and had been a resident of this county since 1867. 
He was the husband to Lovenia Speer, James Hall's 1st Cousin 4x removed

KIA Pvt William J Alexander

b. Aug.22,1920

d.June 13,1944

He entered the service from Texas. Burial: Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial Colleville-sur-Mer Basse-Normandie Region, France.
The Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial, on the plateau overlooking Omaha Beach, is located on the site of the temporary American St. Laurent Cemetery, established by the U.S. First Army on June 8, 1944 and the first American cemetery on European soil in World War II. The cemetery site, at the north end of its ½ mile access road, covers 172.5 acres and contains the graves of 9,387 of our military dead, most of whom lost their lives in the D-Day landings and ensuing operations. The Memorial consists of a semicircular colonnade with a loggia at each end containing large maps and narratives of the military operations; at the center is the bronze statue, "Spirit of American Youth." An orientation table overlooking the beach depicts the landings in Normandy. Facing west at the memorial, one sees in the foreground the reflecting pool; beyond is the burial area with a circular chapel and, at the far end, granite statues representing the U.S. and France. On the east side of the Memorial in a semicircular garden are the Walls of the Missing, memorializing those Missing in Action or Buried at Sea during the Normandy Campaign. It is inscribed with 1557 names; Rosettes mark the names of those whose remains have since been recovered and identified.

John Archibald Cato, husband of

Martha Elizabeth Newman

Letter from Samuel Maxwell Newman to John Archie Cato March 30th 1862 J. A. Cato
Samuel Maxwell Newman was third Great Grandfather to Betty Harrigill, Hall.

Dear Sir,

I received a letter from you this day that gave me great pleasure to pause. I was of the impression that you had moved to Corinth to meet the enemy and sincerely hope that you will be able to meet them man to man, and I then know that our men will be proven victorious. I am very well satisfied that we can­not be repulsed by the Feds if we have anything like an equal chance with them. I sincerely hope that you will come out unhurt if you should get in a fight. I hope there will be soldiers sufficient to give them sizzors and take the remains prisoners without the loss of any of our brave soldiers. We are still making exertions to get up more men from Franklin. There is a company to leave on the 3rd day of April under Capt. Web. He has a very good company, and I anticipate that Web will be a noble officer. He is certainly a very clever man and is very well liked by all that knows him. Parson Willis is also trying to get up a company, but I am not able to say how he will get along. If he will persevere he may be able to get up a company. He had 15 when I last saw him, but was then waiting for Web to get his company ready, and he may now go ahead and make his. There was also another company spoken of court week. They were also waiting on Web. This company was merely spoken of then; I have not heard since we heard that the yankees had taken Corinth, and it raised great excitment. I will assure you to think that our Franklin boys were cut off from home; if it had been the case you may expect that there would have been a greater excitment than was. The battle at Norfolk appears cherish the people very much to think 21 guns could stand their hand with 140 guns and whip them. I see a Yankee dispatch today stating that they had now taken the Virgia steamer that done the execution at Norfolk, but am very well satisfied that it is false. It is not believed to be so at all events by the editor of the paper that I saw it in. I believe that the Yankees are not able to take it. I believe the soldiers aboard of her would all die before they would give her up or surrender a particle aboard of her. I was very sorry to hear that Oren was in the hos­pital sick. I was aware that he left home too soon. He should have stayed longer and gained his strength before going in to camp. If you should get a chance to see Oren tell him to write, as I am very anxious to hear from him. I must close for the want of room. We are all well at present. Margaret has been very sick, but is now able to get about again, and I sincerely hope she will mend on as she has for a few days. You must write as soon as you can as I am now more anxious to hear than here-to-fore. Give my respects to Ben & Osker.

Yours respectfully,
S. M. Newman

Webmaster’s note: John Archie Cato was the son-in-law of Samuel Maxwell Newman. John was the 1st husband of Samuel’s daughter, Martha Elizabeth Newman. John Cato died during the Civil War on July 14, 1864, near Corinth, MS. Samuel Maxwell Newman was the son of Solomon Newman and Mary Ann Lowrey. Samuel Maxwell Newman married Margaret Ann Herring, daughter of Aaron Herring and Mary Rowan.

Enlisted as a Sergeant (date unknown).

Promotions:
* 2nd Lieut (As of Co. E 7th MS Infantry)
He also had service in:
"C" Co. MS 4th Cavalry
"E" Co. MS 7th Infantry
Other Information:
born 2/6/1836
Buried: Union Church Cemetery, Jefferson County, MS
Sources used by Historical Data Systems, Inc.:
- Index to Compiled Confederate Military Service Records
- Research by R. Ross Houston
- Supplement to the Official Records of the Union & Confederate Armies

John A. Cato, 3rd Lieutenant, Company E, 7th Mississippi Infantry, recorded present on the September 27, 1861 muster roll, mustered into service September 28 at Camp Clark Bay, St. Louis, Mississippi, not being re-elected was discharged June 26, 1862

J. A. Cato, 27 year old Planter, born at Port Gibson, Claiborne County, Mississippi, resident of Union Church, Jefferson, Jefferson County, enlisted In Captain William M. Martin's Company C, 4th Mississippi Cavalry October 1, 1863 at Brandon, appointed 3rd Sergeant November 1863, notation: "He served 12 months in 7 Miss. Regt. and was at the battle of Shiloh," appears on a report of killed and wounded, in the Second Division of Forrest's Cavalry, including Mabry's Brigade, in the battle of Harrisburg, Miss., July 13 to 15, 1864, Remarks: Killed, no further records

M269: Compiled Service Records of Confederate Soldiers Who Served in Organizations from the State of Mississippi

William Enoch Speer

4th Great Grandfather to James Greg Hall

Applied for a pension in Jefferson County, Ala., May 15, 1856, giving his age as ninety-seven years. He signed with his mark. He was drafted and his residence during service was in Surry County, N.C. He served a tour of three months in Capt. Samuel Maseby's Company, Col. Joseph Williams' Regiment of Battalion. He then volunteered for a tour of three months as ensign in company of Capt. Henry Speer, Col. Joseph Phillips' Regiment or Battalion. Later volunteered for tour of three months as a private in Capt. David Humphries' Company, Col. James Martin's Regiment. He was so young during his first tour that his Captain proposed to his father that he furnish a pack horse for the service and that he remain at home, which was done. This seems to have been in addition to the service shown above. Affidavits were signed by the Rev. Benjamin Tarrant and L. G. McMillan as to his character. He was born in 1758 on the Eastern Shores of Maryland. The record of his birth is now in possession of his granddaughter. He lived in Surry County, N.C.; was in Kentucky, 1801-1824, and in Alabama since 1824. Abraham Estep, in North Carolina, was his brother-in-law. Another application was dated December 8, 1855, in Jefferson County, and with it was an affidavit of Nathan Byars, Justice of Peace, dated December 10, 1855, that William Speer had made affidavit for the heirs of William Hughlett of Kentucky, that he had sworn therein that Major, then Captain Hughlett, had served under his brother Capt. Henry Speer of North Carolina. An affidavit of August 12, 18.56, states that he was the only William Speer in Surry County, N.C. when he entered the Revolutionary service and the only one of that name in the regiments in which he served. A statement was signed by many citizens in Jefferson County, February 16, 1856. The North Carolina Comptroller has the following statement as to his payments: Certificate 33361 issued August 12, 1856 at $25.88 per annum from March 4. 1831, under Act June 7, 1832.—Information from Pension Files, National Archives, Washington, D. C.

William and Mildred Estep Speer are buried in Bivens Cemetery on the Old Jasper Road, Jefferson County, Alabama. The General Sumpter Chapter ofthe DAR has placed a marker on his grave. His name is also inscribed ona memorial boulder in Woodrow Wilson Park, Birmingham, Alabama, which includes 17 other Revolutionary War soldiers buried in Jefferson County,Alabama. The William Speer Chapter of the DAR in Birmingham, Alabama is named in his honor.

SERVICE: Ensign N.C. While residing in Surry Co. N.C., he enlisted in l780; served as Ensign in Capt. Henry Speer's Co., Col. Joseph Phillips' N.C. Regt. Enlisted in Fall of l78l; served as private in Capt. David Humphries' Co., Col. James Martin's N. C. Regt. PENSION: S 11 446. Application executed Feb. l3, 1856, resident of Jefferson Co. AL. Bounty Land Warrant 39215-160-55.

The Battle of Murfreesboro (Stones River) 31 Dec. 62 and 2 Jan. 1863

KIA Henry J. M. Harrigill
1st cousin 4x removed of Betty Harrigill, Hall

At the battle of Murfreesboro Chalmers' Brigade was stationed at the right of Polk's Corps, the right of the brigade resting on Stone's River. Rosecrans established his line near them, placing Palmer's Division (Hazen's, Cruft's and Grose's Brigades) from the river along the Round Forest. The lines were separated by an open field, and Chalmers' men were exposed to artillery fire. It was wet and cold, but to avoid observation they refrained from building fires. Throwing up a slight earthwork for protection, they lay there forty-eight hours, waiting for the battle. It began with the attack by Hardee's Corps at dawn, December 31. Chalmers' Brigade was the pivot on which Polk's Corps swung into action, and was not ordered to attack until 11 o'clock. Surprise had aided the other brigades in their triumphant advance, but Palmer's Brigades were fully prepared when Chalmers' went in. There was no lack of spirit in the charge of the Mississippians, but the storm of lead and iron that met them at the burnt house struck down General Chalmers and shattered the line of gray. The regiments became separated, but soon reformed and under the brigade command of Colonel White fought gallantly through the remainder of the battle, which raged about the Round Forest for three days. In his report of the battle General Bragg said, "We succeeded in driving the enemy from every position except the strong one held by his extreme left flank, resting on Stone's River and covered by a concentration of artillery of superior range and caliber which seemed to bid us defiance." All of Withers' Division except Walthall's Brigade, all of Breckenridge's Division except Hanson's Brigade, and Donelson's Brigade of Cheatham's Division, were in this fight on the left, about 12,000 men, and their killed and wounded numbered 4,000. The casualties of the Seventh Regiment were 12 killed, including Capt. R. D. McDowell and Lieuts. H. J. M. Harrigill and G. W. Jones, 97 wounded and 4 missing.
Henry J. M. Harrigil, mustered in Captain Daniel H. Parker's Company (Franklin Beauregards) 7th Regiment Mississippi Volunteers* as Private May 31, 1861, promoted to 2nd Lieutenant June 26, 1862, killed in action December 31, 1862 in front of the first line of entrenchments at the Battle of Murfreesboro, Tennessee, "In 1st charge 300 yards in front of breast works"

Pvt. John Tisdale Newman

5th Great Grandfather of Betty 

John Tisdale Newman was born September 11, 1842 in Amite County, Mississippi. He was the son of Johnathan Newman and Elizabeth Jane Mixon. He married Sappina Jane Haley on March 6, 1862, the daughter of Albert Haley and Mary Day.
He joined Company B, Amite County Guards, 33rd MS Infantry, and was mustered into service April 1, 1862 in Grenada, Mississippi. On May 17, 1863, at the Battle of Champion Hill on Baker's Creek, he received a saber cut across the head and a wound from a shell fragment. He was captured by the Army of the Tennessee, and sent to Memphis, Tennessee, May 25, 1863. He was then sent to Camp Morton, Indiana. He was then sent to Fort Delaware, Delaware, June 15, 1863. He was sent to City Point, VA, for exchange in July 1863. The exchange did not take place and he was sent to Point Lookout, MD, September 20, 1863. He was then sent to Elmira, NY, August 18, 1864. Paroled at Elmira, NY March 10, 1865, and sent to James Riviera for exchange.
He came back home to Amite County, MS and raised a family of 6 boys and 4 girls. He was a member of United Confederate Veterans Camp No. 226, Amite County, Mississippi.
He died May 3, 1923 and is buried in the Newman Family Cemetery in Gillsburg, Mississippi.