Laura Childress

The ‘tombstone cleaning’ volunteers of the Historical Society have been working in the old section of Pleasant Hill, also known as White House Cemetery north of Bridgeport on the frontage road.  (You are welcome to join us…just email a contact number.)

In the process they are comparing the stones’ information with Irene Black’s Cemetery book.  Some of the stones that were there fifty years ago and able to be read, are not there now.  The older stones were probably difficult to read even then.

On page 828 is listed:

Laura E, daughter or W and H A Childress October 29, 1865, aged 8 months, 21 days.

Frank, son of W and H A Childress, October 1, 1876, aged 1 month 21 days.

In reviewing various records for Lawrence County, Illinois, to determine the parents of these children, genealogists discovered William A and Harriet A Haskins Childress. The initials matched the tombstone.  This couple married in January 1858 and made their home in Bridgeport where William was a blacksmith. They were both active in the Christian church. (Pleasant Hill cemetery was served by Pleasant Hill Christian church.) The 1860 census shows the couple living in Bridgeport with one- year- old Margaret and 6- month- old Clarence.

William was killed in action in May 1864 serving in the 66^th Illinois Infantry while with Sherman on the March to the Sea and his body was buried in Georgia.  Harriet filed for his pension as a widow, and declared that she had four children, Margaret born December 3, 1858, Clarence born June 1, 1860, George born April 13, 1862, and Laura E born February 8, 1864. She also stated that Laura had died on October 29, 1865, in Lawrence County Illinois. Thus, the transcribers incorrectly read her age at death which should have been 1 year 8 months and 21 days.

In 1900 Harriet told the census taker she had had 4 children but only three were then alive confirming the death of Laura A. But the genealogists were still left with the notation about Frank, another alleged child of William and Harriet.

However, they believed it was impossible for Frank to be William and Harriet’s son because he was born and died in 1876 according to the transcription AND his father had died in 1864.