From the Family Farm to the Civil War: The McCauslands of Lawrence County
John McCausland was born in 1794 in Ireland. He and his wife Catherine moved from Ohio with their eight children to Lawrence County and purchased land from the US Government for $1.25 an acre in what would become Christy Twp.
As a farmer John had to file an agricultural report. He stated that 50 acres was improved and 51 acres was in its natural state. The cash value of his farm was $400. The value of his farming implements was $80. The family-owned 5 horses, 4 mules, 3 milk cows, 9 oxen, 14 cattle, 164 sheep, and 30 swine. The total value of his livestock was $200. He produced 50 bushels of wheat and 50 lbs. of butter. Some of these items would have been used for family consumption and some for sale.
His son John married Sarah McGuire on September 15, 1855, in Lawrence County. The young couple set up housekeeping by selling 8 3/4 bushels of corn to Jacob May, a merchant in the newly formed village of Sumner. They used this store credit for the following purchases: 1 wash pan, 1 coffee pot, 1 bucket, 1 set of knives and forks, 2 bed cords, 1 set of teaspoons, 1 set of tablespoons, 1 pepper box, 1 lb. of baking soda and 4 1/2 pounds of sugar for a total of $4.30. On November 22, 1855, Sarah purchased 6 yards of calico, 2 darning needles,1 paper book of needles, 1 paper book of pins, 1 pitcher, 1 bottle, 1 quart of molasses and 1 1/2 yards of table linen, all for $2.25.
When the 1860 census was taken John Jr was 26, and Sarah was 20. Two children had been born to them, Fannie 3 years old and 3 months old Thomas. John left Sarah and the children in the care of his family and neighbors Thomas and Fannie Perkins and with his older brother Alexander enlisted in the 63rd Illinois Infantry on December 1, 1861. John was described as 5’8 ½” tall with mixed colored hair, gray eyes and light skin. While on duty at Jackson Tennessee Alexander became ill and died of an unknown disease in the fall of 1862. John served until the end of the war.
The Historical Society has some of the letters he wrote home from Camp Yates. His punctuation and spelling have been left as they were in the letters. …. “I like soldiering very well. I wouldnent be any thing but a soldier ane have nothing to do and plenty to eat. The worst is we haft to lay on the ground but I have got youst to that. …I sent you this ring and locet….” Then a letter from Savannah Georgia. “I am tired of such long marches…” Then a letter dated March 7, 1865 from Goldsborough: “We marched in to Columbia the capital of south Carolina in soled colames with our banners a waving and our drummes a beting at the head of each regiment. …it beat any fourth of July you ever seen and is is just as nise a town as ever I marched thru and everything looked gay but the next day it did not look so gay the town lay in a mess and the people was in distress it is supposed that there was a large number of lives lost. And it it happened as I understand it did it is not a bit tended wel I understand that there was a lot of rebel soldiers stayed behind a purpose to plunder the town and that ther was the men that set fire to the town I understand that Sharmen nor Logan neither one intended to burn the town thare intention was to destroy the state house and the arsenal and the articles of war. Wel there is where our regiment was bloed up at the arsneil there was on detail a loding our train with shel and shot and some of the shel was loded and some of the boys was carles about throughing themin to the wagons went of and killed 3 men and wounded some 17 men …”
If you have information about a Lawrence county Illinois Civil War ancestor please contact lawrencelore@gmail.com.