Tag: Helen Ruby Light Thomson (1913-2012)

Posted on

Militia Enrollment, Franklin Township, Owen, Indiana

Update

I have found an online source for this. This is from the Indiana Draft Enrollment Lists of 1862. It has been posted online and transcribed on a site called From the Page, which seems to be a place to volunteer to transcribe documents for museums and libraries. The images on this site are much clearer than what you see in this post.

Had I known this was out there, I wouldn ‘t have done this post. But, it was fun, if tedious at times, research.

Indiana Archives and Records Administration Virtual Volunteer Program

Original Post

This image was in Helen Ruby Light Thomson (1913-2012)’s notebook in 2001. I don’t know the source beyond that.

This is a Civil War area militia enrollment log for Franklin Township, Owen, Indiana. It is undated, or the portion I have is. But, it is probably from 1862 or 1863, due to Tice Light’s recorded age.

Transcription

Militia Enrollment
State of Indiana, Owen County, Franklin Township
Roll of able-bodied white male citizens resident in Franklin Township, Owen County, Indiana, over 18 years and under 45 years of age, subject to military duty.
Enrolled in pursuance of orders from the Secretary of War, by James M. Johnson Dep. Commissioner for said Township.

                                       NOT ABLE  
                                       BODIED,   EXEMPT,
No.  NAMES.	    AGE.  OCCUPATION.  AND WHY.  AND WHY.  REMARKS
 85  Thomas Wood    19	  Farmer			
 86  A J Hicks      30    "            Right eye out		
 87  John McIntosh  28	  "			
 88  John Ooley	    25	  "			
 89  Pleasant       32	  "			           Since Vol
        Franklin
 90  William R.     36	  "	
        Johnson  		
 91  Abner Johnson  26	  "			
 92  Phillip        30	  "			           Since Vol
        Carpenter
 93  John McGee	    30	  "			
 94  Wilson Zellers 26	  "			
 95  Abner Light    19	  "			
 96  John Burns	    32	  "			
 97  Gideon B.      20	  "			
        Potter
 98  Jucson Slough  18    "			
 99  T. J. Gentry   40	  "			
100  Silas E. Deem  21	  "			
101  Isaac Ooley    22    "			
102  Edmond         19    "             Right arm broke	
        Vandeventer	
103  Lowry Deem	    22	  "			
104  John R. Brown  24    "             Heart    Weak
	                                disease  generally
105  Galen Bray	    37	  "			
106  George A.      41    "             Frequent piles	
        Hogan	
107  Tice Light     35    "             Rheumatism		
108  Henry Carter   25	  "

Notes

Tice Light really, really wanted to go to war. One story was that he was medically denied locally, and another was that the medical denial was not real, but was done because the family wouldn’t make it without him. I believe the first story, because the next part involves him leaving his family the day after the birth of his twins Elvin and Melvin in 1864 to go to Indianapolis in a last-ditch effort to join up. He was also medically denied there.

What I could find about these men

  • Thomas Jacob Wood (1843-1920) – strangely, he enlisted in Co. B, 59th Indiana Infantry 18 Oct 1861 and served until March 1864. Not sure why he was on this list that seems to be from 1862. I can’t find a burial location for him.
  • Andrew Jackson Hicks (1832-1902) – he did not end up serving, which makes sense as he was disqualified due to “Right eye out.” I had hoped to find a photo of him to confirm, but I didn’t.
  • John Wesley McIntosh (1834-1900) – his gravestone shows that he served in Co. A, 59th Indiana Infantry
  • John Ooley (1837-1919) – My first cousin 5x removed, he was the son of the brother of my 4th great-grandmother, Arvida Ooley Johnson (1804-1933). He also married Hester Ann Light (1838-1917), who was the sister of Tice Light, and so my 3rd great-grandaunt. I’ve seen no evidence of military service for him.
  • Pleasant Franklin (1820-1863) – he served in Co. H, 97th Indiana Infantry, and died during his service of phthisis pulmonalis, or pulmonary consumption. He was laid to rest at Memphis National Cemetery and, unlike many buried there who perished of disease in Memphis hospitals, his grave is marked.
  • William R. Johnson (1826-1886) – this is another cousin, first 5x removed, son of Hester Light Johnson (1798-1865), who was the sister of my 4th great-grandfather Baird ‘Bird’ Light (1805-1867). His father was a guy named Skillethead Johnson who was supposed to be a Cherokee but I think was likely at least part white based on trees I’ve seen. William’s burial location is unknown to me. His wife is at Crown Point in Indianapolis and her grave is unmarked. I don’t believe he served in the military.
  • Abner Johnson (1836-1871) – William R.’s brother, he served in Co. K, 137th Indiana Infantry.
  • Philip Carpenter (1832-1907)
    • He enlisted in Co. H, 97th Indiana Infantry and deserted a few months later. Strangely enough, he, and later his wife, seems to have collected a pension. I can’t find a burial for him, but he seems to have died in Arkansas in 1907. His wife was an Ooley, and surely a cousin, but the trees I’ve seen are such a mess that I can’t state her connection at the moment.
  • “John McGee”
  • Wilson Zellers (1833-????) – The last name is sometimes “Zellars.” He served in Co. C., 57th Indiana Infantry. His wife was Martha Johnson, another daughter of Skillethead, and so Wilson is related by marriage. His death date is nowhere to be found, but he lived until at least 1896 as I found mention of his pension being increased in a newspaper.
  • Abner Jasper Light (1842-1911) – He was my 3rd great-granduncle, brother of Tice Light and Hester Ann who married John Ooley. He served in Co. K, 137th Indiana Infantry.
  • John Burns (1830-????) – He was from North Carolina. I’ve seen no evidence of his service. He was last enumerated in a US Census in 1880 in Missouri.
  • Gideon B. Potter (1842-1868) – I have found no information on his service.
  • Jucson Slough (1844-????) – I can’t find anything about this person. I have looked for “Jackson Slough” and other Slough males to no avail. There was an Aaron L. Slough, born in 1844, who served and was from Owen County. If I’m wrong about the name, please let me know. This one is a mystery.
  • Theoderick James “T. J.” Gentry (1822-1894) – he served in Co. D, 33rd Indiana Infantry near the end of the war.
  • Silas E. Deem (1841-1934) – he served in Co. B, 97th Indiana Infantry
  • Isaac Ooley (1842-1865) – He enlisted near the end of the war and served in Co. G, 13th Indiana Infantry until his death at Point of Rocks Hospital in Virginia. He was the son of Elijah & Sarah Newton Ooley. My relationship to him is 2nd cousin 4x removed, if online trees can be trusted. His paternal grandmother was the sister of my 4th great-grandmother.
  • Edmond Vandeventer (1842-1865) – He recovered from his broken right arm and served in Co. G, 29th Indiana Infantry. He died of disease in Chattanooga near the end of the war and is buried there.
  • Lowery Deem (1839-1912) – He seems to have not served in the military. His Find A Grave memorial has the wrong death year. I’ve submitted a correction. The Deem family created a settlement of some sort that the Lights and others in my family tree lived near. Deem post office existed in the 1860s, but is now gone.
  • John R. Brown (1838-????) – John R. Brown seems to have not served in the military, which makes sense if he had the heart disease and weakness described in this document. He did manage to have children and lived until at least 1870. He died at some point before the 1880 Census when his wife was enumerated as widowed. He may be buried at Heddings Road Chapel Cemetery, Spencer, Indiana where his wife is buried. But, no legible marker currently marks his grave there, if it is there.
  • Galen Bray (1825-1886) – I have seen no references to his serving in the Civil War. He was a farmer. I have seen reference to him being buried at Fairview Cemetery in Linton, Greene, Indiana, but there is no Find A Grave memorial for him. He was a farmer.
  • George Alexander Hogan (1821-1900) – Suffering from “frequent piles” or hemorrhoids, he seems to have not served in the Civil War. He seems to have died in 1900, but I have found no record of where he is buried. He is an Ooley descendant — my 5th great-grandfather, John Ooley, was George’s paternal grandmother’s brother.
  • Tice Light (1827-1908) – He really wanted to serve, but was not allowed. He was the grandfather of my great-grandmother — my 3rd great-grandfather.
  • Henry Carter (1837-????) – I can’t find anything about him. There was a William Henry Carter, but I have found no evidence of him going by his middle name.

Recap

  • Those who served
    • 13th Indiana Infantry
      • Company G
        • Isaac Ooley (1842-1865)
    • 29th Indiana Infantry
      • Company G
        • Edmond Vandeventer (1842-1865)
    • 33rd Indiana Infantry
      • Company D
        • Theoderick James “T. J.” Gentry (1822-1894)
    • 57th Indiana Infantry
      • Company C
        • Wilson Zellers (1833-????)
    • 59th Indiana Infantry
      • Company A
        • John Wesley McIntosh (1834-1900)
      • Company B
        • John P. McKee (1831-1899)
        • Thomas Jacob Wood (1843-1920)
    • 97th Indiana Infantry
      • Company B
        • Silas E. Deem (1841-1934)
      • Company H
        • Philip Carpenter (1832-1907)
        • Pleasant Franklin (1820-1863)
    • 137th Indiana Infantry
      • Company K
        • Abner Johnson (1836-1871)
        • Abner Jasper Light (1842-1911)

Relatives

  • John Ooley (1837-1919) – first cousin 5x removed, also through his wife, Hester Light Ooley, 3rd great-grandaunt
  • William R. Johnson (1826-1886) – first cousin 5x removed
  • Abner Johnson (1836-1871) – first cousin 5x removed
  • Philip Carpenter (1832-1907) – through marriage, wife was an Ooley, exact relationship to me unknown
  • Abner Jasper Light (1842-1911) – 3rd great-granduncle
  • Isaac Ooley (1842-1865) – 2nd cousin 4x removed
  • Tice Light (1827-1908) – 3rd great-grandfather

Am I wrong?

Please contact me if I have any of this wrong or if you have additional information.

Posted on

Tice Light Rejected from Indiana Militia due to Rheumatism

This was an item from Helen Light Thomson’s notebook I scanned in 2001 at a Light Reunion. There is no source information, but based on Tice’s age, this can be dated to 1862. It supports the family story that Tice was rejected locally and then went to Indianapolis later to try to volunteer. He was rejected then, too.

Here is a transcription I made of the document. Names starting and ending with “-” are crossed through on the original. The two with x’s beside their names are annotated as later volunteering. Pleasant Franklin did not make it back home to Indiana.

Militia Enrollment

State of Indiana, Owen County, Franklin Township

Roll of able-bodied white male citizens resident in Franklin Township, Owen County, Indiana, over 18 years and under 45 years of age, subject to military duty.

Enrolled in pursuance of orders from the Secretary of War, by James M. Johnson [illegible], Commissioner for said Township.

No.	Names			Age	Occupation	Not Able Bodied, 
                                                        and why
85	Thomas Wood		19	Farmer
86	-A J Hicks-		30	"		Right eye out
87	John McIntosh		28	"
88	John Ooley		25	"
89	Pleasant Franklin X	32	"
90	William R. Johnson	36	"
91	Abner Johnson		26	"
92	Phillip Carpenter X	30	"
93	John McGee		30	"
94	Wilson Zellers		26	"
95	Abner Light <		19	"
96	John Burns		32	"
97	Gideon B. Potter	20	"
98	Jucson(?) Slough	18	"
99	T. J. Gentry		40	"
100	Silas E. Deem		21	"
101	Isaac Ooley		22	"
102	-Edmond Vandeventer-	19	"		Right arm broke
                                                        Weak generally
103	Lowry Deem		22	"
104	-John R. Brown-		24	"		Heart disease
105	Galen Bray		37	"
106	-George A. Hogan-	41	"		Frequent Piles
107	-Tice Light-		35	"		Rheumatism
108	Henry Carter		25	"

Abner Light’s name is circled and has an arrow pointing to it. Abner was the brother of Tice Light. He ended up enlisting in 1864 and serving about four months. Here is his Find-A-Grave memorial: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/42835328

John Ooley, age 25, was married to Hester Ann Light in 1858. She was the sister of Abner and Tice. John’s maternal grandfather was the brother of Davy Crockett’s father. His paternal grandfather, John Ooley, was the maternal grandfather of Tice Light’s wife, Sarah Johnson Light.

William R. Johnson’s mother, Hester Hallie Light Johnson, was the sister of Tice, Abner, and Hester’s father. His father is likely connected to Tice’s wife.

Perhaps I’ll revisit this and fill in more details in the future.

Posted on

Sarah Johnson’s Homespun Wool Coverlet, 1850

The above images are scans of two snapshots shared by Helen Ruby Light Thomson (1913-2012) at the Light Reunion in 2001. She had the actual sample with her, too, but I didn’t scan it. I should have.

The two images show the same piece of homespun wool coverlet made by my 3rd great-grandmother, Sarah Ann “Sallie Ann” Johnson Light (1832-1902), when she was eighteen years old in 1850.

The following information is from Helen’s notebook: 

"She could shear a sheep as quick as a man and carded all her wool. She used a handmade loom to weave and design her own bed clothes. The sample here was woven by her when she was 18 years old for her hope chest." 
~ Notes from Uncle Elvin (Light, Sarah Johnson Light's son)

"Piece of homespun coverlet made by Grandmother Sarah Light, who carded the wool and dyed the red and blue yarn with berrie. Many years ago, Uncle Elven Light cut this piece off for me when I was asking about the family.  He said there are so many descendants the primitive handiwork should be shared among the grandchildren. ~Helen Light" 

"Carded, spun, woven and dyed by Sarah Johnson at 18 years of age in 1850. Design is hand-made by process of weaving."

Helen passed in 2012. I’m sure that the piece of coverlet was passed down to someone. I don’t know who has it now, but I would like to have the information for my records.

Posted on

Hugh Moore Light, circa 1860s

This is Hugh Moore Light (1801-1885). I am assuming that this is a copy of a cased image like a daguerreotype. I’d date this to the 1860s, but it could be a bit earlier.

He was the son of Mathias (1769-1826) and Mary Catherine “Polly” Moore Light (1774-1856).

His brother Baird “Bird” Light (1805-1867) was my 4th great-grandfather (Bird>Tice>Nathaniel>Clara>Phyllis>Vicky>Me).

I believe that this is from the SearchLight newsletter, Vol. 15, Spring 1994. It was in Helen Ruby Light Thomson’s (1913-2012) Light family notebook at the 2001 Light Reunion.

The label on the photo reads:

"HUGH MOORE LIGHT s/o TYCE & MARY (MOORE) LIGHT. b 12-16-1801 d 3-9-1885. Bur. LIGHT Cem. Owen Co. IN. [Max & Jerry Kasparek]"

Max & Jerry Kasparek both passed away in 2002. Jerry was Jeraldine Delight “Jerry” Strawn Kasparek (1926-2002). Her mother was Lillis Elnora Light Strawn (1892-1982), daughter of Charles Wilgus Light (1860-1935), son of Albert Light (1830-1862), son of Hugh Moore Light (1801-1885). It is not clear if Jerry owned the original image — perhaps she only had a copy.

I would like to know if the original still exists and who has it, just for my records. Jerry had three children. Hopefully, the image of Hugh Moore Light is safe with them.

More about Hugh Moore Light — He was born in Pendleton, Anderson, South Carolina. The Light family had a plantation there which, according to family lore, was burned down during a slave revolt. I’ve failed to find anything specific about when this happened, but there were many such revolts in that area over the years.

The family left South Carolina for Kentucky at some point between 1803 and 1805 (birth of brother Israel in 1803 and Baird in 1805). Hugh likely wouldn’t have had any memories of South Carolina as they left when he was a toddler.

They didn’t stay long — they were in Owen County, Indiana by 1808. Hugh was seven at that point. He lived there for the rest of his life.

In 1823, he married Barbara Harriet (1803-1865). They had at least seven children. He remarried to Catherine McConnell Dyar (1829-1905) in 1867 and they had at least two children.

Hugh Moore Light died at age 84 in 1885 and is buried at Light Cemetery in Freedom, Owen, Indiana (I’ve been there!).

There were a few Hugh Moore Lights, but this is the original.

Here is a link to his Find a Grave Memorial:

Hugh Moore Light (1801-1885) – Find a Grave Memorial

Updated 7/25/2025