I am often asked where I find the material for this column, and that's not an easy question to answer. Although I do get material from many of the books that have been written about Kentucky, especially Western Kentucky, much of my material comes from information written by people about their own families - letters, Bible records, and interviews.

The material on the Wilkinson family that I am using today Is from the vertical file of the Special Collections at Murray State University. These files are organized by family name and contain a wide variety of things, from Xeroxed copies of articles to handwritten scraps of paper. This Information was written in a letter by Mrs. Cornelia Bartee to Charlotte Pulliam in 1940.

Edward Tillotson Wilkinson of Cadlz belonged to Co. F, 50th Tennessee Regiment. He served under Captain A.C. Richard and Colonel Sugg. He was taken prisoner at Fort Donelson, carried to Chicago (to the Federal prison), exchanged, sent South and took part in the Battle of Franklin, Tennessee.

His brother, Charles Thomas Wilkinson, served in the 14th Tennessee Regiment under Colonel Forbes of Clarksville, Tennessee. This regiment served under General Lee and took part in all battles around Richmond. He was very young -17- when he volunteered for service and was wounded, but served the duration, 1860, to 1865.

My mother said when he came home from the service, he was ragged, filthy, lousy, and a grown man with a beard all over his face, and none of them knew him. She cleaned him up and dressed him in new clothes and took him to Cadiz to his mother and father (she was his sister). You know how they must have been rejoicing.

His only son James (born later) once owned a little Bible that grandma gave Uncle Charles when he went into the service. He was still in prison when Abraham Lincoln was assassinated and wrote on the fly leaf of his Bible now glad he was. I don't know exactly what his wording was, but his wife had seen it and when I came to get It, she said it must have been on the steamer Buttorff when it struck the bridge pier at Clarksville one night and sank, with Jim as pilot at the wheel. After that he was made Captain and served on the steamers that ran from Nashville to Evansville.

James H. Wilkinson, son of Charles, was born In Mecklenberg County, Virginia May 17, 1816. He owned and operated the Trigg County Democrat for a time and was also county judge. He died of pneumonia while in Frank-fort as a member of the Kentucky Senate on March 6, 1882. His wife Joicey Tillotson Wilkinson, was born in Mecklenberg County, Virginia Sep I 1816 They married VirgInia October 9, 1834. The Wilkinsons came to Kentucky In ox-carts about 1836, accompanied by many of the Tillotson family slaves. Mrs. Wilkinson's family had evidently been quite wealthy. Joicey died February 9, 1885.

Their children were as follows:

Edward Tillotson Wilkinson, born August 17, 1835 in Virginia; married Virginia Crews January 29, 1864.

Maria Ann Cornelia, born July 31, 1837 in Montgomery County, Tennessee; married Joel Sanders McNichols in 1857.

Mildred H., born May 9, 1839 in Montgomery County, Tennessee; unmarried.

Charles Thomas Wilkinson, born January 26, 1841 in Montgomery County, Tennessee; married Martha E. Grace, daughter of W.D., November 2, 1869.

Grace Euphemla, born February 27, 1843 In Montgomery County, Tennessee; married John Fletcher.

Rebecca Alice, born December 21, 1844 in Montgomery County, Tennessee; married Richard C. Wilson September 24, 1867.

James Theodore, born March 16, 1846 In Stewart County, Tennessee and died in 1854 of poisoned candy.

Ella Blanche, born December 16, 1851 in Stewart County, Tennessee; married Jack Cobb. Ida, born August 4, 1853 in Stewart County Tennessee, and died January 5, 1859.

Capsandra Emily, born May 17, 1849 In Stewart County, Tennessee; married Aurelius Carr November 24, 1868.

Mrs. Bartee's family line came down through Marie Ann Cornelia McNichols. She commented In the letter that it was believed that her parents were afraid that she would be the only girl In the family, hence gave her all those names.

*- Echoes From the Past
(A Column of historical and genealogical anecdotes, stories and family notes.)
Calloway County, Ky.