1860-80 Handwritten Civil War Era Album Confederate Brothers Leesburg VA Birkby+ Smithpeter of Missouri/Shot to Death as Sympathizer

Description

1860-80 Handwritten Civil War Era Album Confederate Brothers Leesburg VA Birkby. “Thomas Birkby was born in England in 1778 and emigrated to the United States around 1800. Birkby was both a craftsman and a minister in Leesburg, Virginia. Throughout the 1820s and 1830s, Birkby was regularly elected to Board of Common Council for the Town of Leesburg. WELCOME TO SALLY’S DIARIES: Before I get started describing this piece, I want to let you know that I have a podcast. I’ve taken some diaries from my private collection and shared them on our podcast called “Diary Discoveries.” We’ve got 67 episodes out now and you can find it on all the usual podcast venues. So if you enjoy the compelling and adventurous stories from vintage diaries then please check it out. Plus, I was asked to do a TEDx talk in Vienna about this very thing, collecting diaries, and if you are interested in this sort of thing just put into the search engines “10,000 diaries” and you should come up with it. It was a privileged and blessing to be able to share what I’ve learned in the last 36 years. And with all that said…… First off I want to say that this (per usual) is going to be a long description because I found so much valuable information not only about the original owners of this family but also about one of the other family’s (the Smithpeper’s of Missouri) who signed the album. Much of it has to do with the Civil War, both North and South, Union and Confederate. Up for auction today is a very historical handwritten 1860’s to the 1880’s autograph album that originally belonged to the Birkby family of Leesburg Virginia. The Birkby’s had three boys who fought on the Confederate side in the Civil War and this album, belonging to their sister, in part, tells a story of grief as two of them died in battle or prison both in 1864. At least one of the brother’s signatures is in this album. In back is this handwritten poem, “Ah! Soldiers to your honored rest, Your truth and valor bearing. The bravest are the tenderest, The loving are the daring.” Summer of 1864.” But before I get to the album itself, I want to give you some historical information I found about the Birkby’s and their amazing family history. The patriarch of the family was Thomas Birkby (1778-1851). The following was taken from the George Mason University Website….. “Thomas Birkby was born in England in 1778 and emigrated to the United States around 1800. Birkby was both a craftsman and a minister in Leesburg, Virginia. Birkby’s primary source of income came from building and repairing coaches and carriages. According to the Mason account book, Birkby had been practicing his craft since at least 1815. In 1823, Birkby purchased property in downtown Leesburg, from which he operated his business and established his family residence. Throughout the 1820s and 1830s, Birkby sold and repaired gigs, harnesses, coaches, and carriages, boasting in his advertisements that he was "well supplied with good workmen and the best materials.” Among his workmen was a bound-out or indentured child named Charles Fenton Harris, a white fourteen-year-old taken in by Birkby to work with him in carriagemaking. In addition to his carriage business, Birkby served as a Methodist minister. While the historical record is silent on his sermons and specific religious beliefs, Birkby frequently served as the officiant of weddings and funerals throughout Northern Virginia and in Maryland. By the 1820s, Birkby had established a reputation as a leading member of the community. In 1830, Mr. and Mrs. Wickes listed Birkby as a character reference in an advertisement for the Wickes’s Female Academy they had established in Leesburg. The following year, Birkby joined the Board of Directors for the Leesburg and Snicker’s Gap Turnpike Company, for which he sold stock and helped determine the exact course of the road. Throughout the 1820s and 1830s, Birkby was regularly elected to Board of Common Council for the Town of Leesburg. In 1837, he served as the Council’s Recorder under William Temple Thomson Mason, then mayor of Leesburg. The following year, Birkby became mayor of Leesburg. Birkby and his wife, Sarah—also from England—had at least ten children together. By 1850, Birkby and his family could be considered middle-class, with modest property holdings in Leesburg. Their estate included six slaves—five women and a young boy—at least some of whom the Birkby family likely used as house staff. Sarah died on 13 November 1850, at age 63, with Thomas Birkby dying four months later on 16 March 1851. Birkby’s house still stands today in downtown Leesburg at the corner of Loudoun and Liberty streets.” The historic Thomas Birkby House in downtown Leesburg, Virginia, is a beautifully preserved Federal-style estate built in 1770. Originally operating as a tavern, it was purchased in 1827 by Rev. Thomas Birkby, who enclosed the structure in brick. Today, it functions as an event venue. The property's rich history spans several distinct eras: Colonial Origins: Built in 1770, the property was originally used as an ordinary (a tavern). During the Revolutionary War, the attic was reportedly used to hold Hessian prisoners who carved profiles of Leesburg residents into the walls. (Taken from Friends of Thomas Balch Library website) and the George Washington's Connection: As a tavern, the location hosted notable figures, including George Washington, who famously wrote to the tavern owner to have "jowls and greens" prepared for his dinner. (Taken from a post on Facebook) Thomas’s wife was Mary (Major) Birkby (1813-1882). Their five children were: John Major (1834-1864), Henry Collins (1838-1864), Charles Thomas (1841-1908), Mary Elizabeth (1844-1908) and Sarah Sallie Maria (1853-1917). Two things I noticed when looking at the genealogy, both John and Henry died in 1864 and sure enough they both fought in the Civil War, one dying in battle and one dying in prison. I found out that John joined the Confederacy and was with Roger’s Company, Virginia Light Artillery (Loudoun Artillery). The Find a Grave site has a newspaper article on it that said he was also with Marshall’s battery and fell near Petersburg June 18th, 1864. Henry’s Find a Grave Site says that he was with Company C, 35th Battalion Virginia Cavalry, Rosser’s Brigade, Hampton’s Division, Cavalry Corps, and the Army of Northern Virginia. Then in 1863, he was present on all Rolls from enlistment until POW 11/28/1863 in Loudoun County, VA; transferred 12/3/1863 to Military Prison, Wheeling, WV; transferred 12/7/1863 to Camp Chase, OH; transferred 2/29/1864 to Fort Delaware, DE, arriving 3/4/1864; died there of inflammation of bowels. How sad is all of this, two sons from the same family dying while fighting in the Civil War. But their brother Charles also joined the army and fought in the Civil War. He ended up being a Corporal and was with the Confederates, 17th Regiment, Virginia Infantry. Charles died in December of 1908 and his sister Mary Elizabeth (the one that first started this album) died a few months earlier. Sallie, the last siblings lived until 1918. THE ALBUM: There are 41 pages and most of those have a handwritten sentiments, notes, etc. on them. A few have pasted newspaper articles (but as you can see the glue has seeped all over the pages and darkened many of the articles). The very first dedication is addressed to Miss Mary E. Birkby written in 1861 and signed J. T. B. Not sure if this is a Birkby. Then the second one is also J. T. B. and it’s an acrostic written in 1862, at least I think it’s a “2”. This could be her father Joseph, but I don’t know his middle name. After this there are four pages of newspaper articles and one page is about the death of her two brothers. The other articles are about death and grieving. Then a poem, not dated, signed James R. Malone. After this is the page which has a card pasted to it and her brother’s signature, rather faint, in pencil. At the bottom on the page it says, “Signature of John M. Birkby.” A few pages after this, there’s a very interesting piece of paper that has written on it, “My Address will be, Fauquier Battery, Reads Battalian, 1st Corp artillery, Army N. Va.” This is John’s writing because as it states above he was with Marshall’s Battery and it couinsides with the following information I found on the National Park Service website…. “The Fauquier Artillery (also known as Stribling's Battery) was a Confederate light artillery unit from Fauquier County, Virginia, that fought in the Army of Northern Virginia during the American Civil War. 1st Corps Artillery (Read's Battalion): The battery saw significant service in the Confederate First Corps, notably under the artillery battalion commanded by Major J.P.W. Read. Originally organized as infantry in June 1861, the unit was transferred to the artillery a few months later. They were heavily involved in major engagements including Williamsburg, Fredericksburg, Gettysburg (where their marker is on West Confederate Avenue), and the defense of Petersburg. Commanders: The battery was notably commanded by Captain Robert M. Stribling and Captain William C. Marshall.” The rest of the handwritten messages are from the 1860’s, 1870’s and 1880’s. Some are not signed and some just have their initials. Here are some of the names: Linda A. Thompson, Norman H. Hall, Carrie R. Taylor, Lucy Dice Mollie Dice, Sallie L. Nesmith, Lizzie Hoge, Etta Smithpeter, Nannie Jones, Alice Beiderliden, Rose Conlon, Laura R. Bitzer, M. Jennie Canter, Ella Ward, Julia W. Cryss, Wheatley, Lida Marchant, Sam Rogers, W. B. Rogers, Celia Cass, Jos. L. Norris, Daniel S. Heffner, Nettie Jones, Dulcie A. Edwards, J. B. M Cabe, and a few more. On the last page, written in pencil is this, “Patrick M . (? Can’t quite make out his last name), J. C. Dolan, Jacob Boden. Co. (? Can’t quite make it out). Gilmors Batt. July 10, 64.” Finally, I need to tell you what I found out about the Smithpeter family, as “Etta Smithpeter” signed this album twice and she was from Missouri. She was Marietta “Etta” Smithpeter, (1858-1947). She was just 3 years old when her father Alfred was tied to a tree and shot to death for being a Union Sympathizer. I found this amazing article all about it on a website titled, “Memories of Route 66” and I must quote from it…… “’Alfred Smithpeter, born January 26, 1813, in Carter County, Tennessee – Murdered by Rebels, December 24, 1861, in Laclede County, Missouri – age 48 years, 11 months, 29 days.’ “Though he came from Tennessee, Alfred Smithpeter was a Union sympathizer at the outbreak of the war between the North and the South. Later, two of his sons, Columbus and Mike, were in the Union Army. The farm along the Old Wire Road, now known as Old Highway 66, was in territory traveled by soldiers of both armies and infested by guerilla bands, locally termed ‘Bushwhackers.’ The old Smithpeter home, destroyed by fire many years ago, was not far from the highway, and it was there that Alfred Smithpeter and his wife, Mary, and their seven children lived on that fateful day, December 24, 1861, when a band of guerillas were lurking near their home. Mr. Smithpeter saw them coming and knew that it meant death to him if he was caught. “He tried to escape but one of the band had made his way to the rear of the home, so the only courageous thing he could do was defend his honor and fight. This he did as his wife and children assisted as best they could with his 12-year-old son, Albert, holding the door open for him. But a bullet from a guerilla’s gun shattered his shooting arm. They took him to the top of the hill not far from his home, tied him to a tree and shot him to death, leaving word that the body was to be removed at a certain time. “A neighbor, Welk Stevens, cut the body down and brought it home, the burial being made in the family cemetery on the Smithpeter Farm where the peaceful grave covered now by tiger lilies and wild flowers still tells the true story of the Civil War on its weatherworn gravestone. “Mrs. Smithpeter, left with a family of little children, later was married to John Broyles. She died in 1890, and as Mary C. Broyles was buried on the old Smithpeter Farm, but not in the old cemetery, which was no longer used as a family burial ground, which explains the second lone grave on the edge of the field. Mary’s grave is on the left going east on old Highway 66, and her brave husband’s grave is on the right coming west on the new Highway 66 near the Bear Creek bridge and west of the Sleeper turnoff. The former Smithpeter Farm on Highway 66 is now owned by Mr. and Mrs. David Atkins.” We sold the area where the Broyles grave was to Leo Pearcy, and he built the Red Bud Hill Restaurant. Willis Smithpeter of Stoutland, a great-grandson of Albert, engaged our neighbor, Nick O’Quinn, to move the grave. In the process they found nothing in the grave, but they did move the monument to the Smithpeter lot in the Lebanon City Cemetery.” Finally there are a few little loose ferns, foliage between the pages and in the back there’s an envelope that says, “For Nammie and Carrie” and inside are a few pages of handwritten poetry. Well, there you have it. Now as far as the condition, the album is in fair shape and needs some archival repair. The outside spine really has some tears and wear on the edges. The back and front of the cover look great however and it’s really quite the beautiful design. Inside, as you open to the first page you can see someone has put some white tape to keep the front cover attached to the binding. There are also water stains on the first page with the engraving. Next page there is more tape on the spine. After that most of the pages are securely attached to the binding and the back cover is as well. Foxing and glue marks throughout. This is a buy as is auction, no returns. It measures about 7” x 10”.