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Saturday Soldier: Sgt. Ezekiel Absher (It's Sorta Personal)

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Photo by Gary Sizemore via FindAGrave
Ezekiel Absher was born in Tennessee February of 1838. He joined up with Company E of the 43rd Tennessee Infantry in November 1861. (Note: this was a mounted infantry between December 1863 and May 1865.) Shortly after his enlistment, Pvt. Absher was absent from roll due to sickness. Upon returning in January 1862, it seems he remained present for the duration of his service.

Ezekiel was elected 3rd Corporal in May of 1862. In November, he was noted as a brigade teamster. By the summer of 1863, Ezekiel was listed as a 4th Sergeant when he was captured at Vicksburg, Mississippi on the 4th of July. After signing an Oath of Allegiance, he was paroled five days later.




The "allegiance" didn't stick, however. A year later, on 2 September 1864, Ezekiel was again captured by the Union Army. This time near Martinsburg, Virginia. He was sent to Fort Delaware, and was confined there for 8 months. Release came May of 1865.

Ezekiel's Compiled Service Record online at Fold3, where the above information was found, contained two cards that held physical descriptions. He was listed as 5 1/2 feet tall, with dark hair and blue/grey eyes.

Ezekiel was first married only months before his enlistment, on 11 March 1861 to Eliza Jane Alvis. They had at least five children. Ezekiel later married Susan Helton in 1876, and they had at least six kids.

Ezekiel died in 1912 and was buried at Ward Cemetery in Hawkins County, Tennessee.

Why this is "sorta" personal.

I guess it's a bit more proof that I enjoy the research even when it's not my direct line. Let's just say you might find a few tangents in my personal genealogy data. According to Family Tree Maker 2012, this is my "official" relationship to Ezekiel Absher:
Paternal grandfather of wife of brother-in-law of wife of husband of 1st great grand aunt of Stephanie Lincecum.
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SouthernGraves.blogspot.com

The hand of the Lord came upon me and brought me out in the Spirit of the Lord, and set me down in the midst of the valley; and it was full of bones. Then He caused me to pass by them all around, and behold, there were very many in the open valley; and indeed they were very dry. And He said to me, "Son of man, can these bones live?"

So I answered, "O Lord God, You know."

Again He said to me, "Prophesy to these bones, and say to them, 'O dry bones, hear the word of the Lord!' Thus says the Lord God to these bones: 'Surely I will cause breath to enter into you, and you shall live...'" (Ezekiel 37:1-5, NKJV)