Thursday, May 23, 2013

Captain Charles S. Stuart

CAPTAIN CHARLES S. STUART.

Charles S. Stuart was born unto Charles and Susan Arthur Stuart on July 2nd, 1808, in Knox county, Kentucky, and with his parents in early life moved to Henry county, Tennessee, where he gained his education from the common schools. His father died in Perry county Tennessee, and afterwards his mother, Susan Arther Stuart, was again married to Colonel Miller, and the family removed to Yallabusha county, Mississippi, and settled near Coffeeville in the year 1833, where Charles S. Stuart was married to Martha Cox in 1836, and unto them were born eight children, five girls and three oys, and as told in this narrative he was killed in battle and buried at Round Mound.

Of his family, his widow, Martha Cox Stuart now lives with her daughter, Mrs. C. A. Smith, at Mt. Pleasant, Texas. Two others of the family still live รข€” Mrs. S. J. Stephens, also at Mt. Pleasant, and Mrs. Nellie Stuart, of Ft. Worth, Texas.

Captain Stuart moved with his family to Texas in December 1841, and settled a farm in Red River district eight miles west from Mt. Pleasant, Texas, where he lived and raised his family, and from his enterprise and public spirit he became well known as one of those staunch pioneers of North Texas.

He loved Texas and was ever watchful in her development into homes for an enlightened and prosperous people, and his name can still be found at the head of the list in many grand efforts by the early settlers. The schoolhouse for the early training of the children and the church house for the worship of the God of the pioneer settler were his pride. His house was known to the pioneer of Texas as a place of hospitable entertainment, and among his neighbors he was respected and loved. He was a consistent member of the Methodist church, in which he officiated as steward, he was a royal arch mason and stood high in that institution of selected friends, and by his industry had accumulated a fine property and owned a number of slaves, which he regarded as a special care entrusted to his hands and was never cruel. And he was one of the foremost men in building a good and comfortable home and surrounding it with beauties in plants and domestic animals and became noted for the extra fine developments in the breeding of his stock.

He raised a company of soldiers, not rebels but of law-abiding Texans, who loved Texas and raise their arms in her defense. He was elected Captain and led them in accord with his convictions which he at all times was in readiness to defend.

He died as he lived, at his post, and was buried in the wilds of nature, and sweet memories of his goodness and his ever upright walk is all the monument that marks the sacred precincts where his body rests. Thus passed an early settler of Texas and one of nature's noblemen.  And God forbid that the happy throngs of bright and educated Texas boys and girls that have feasted from the fields that he planted and drank from the fountains that he opened unto them, while in the giddy world should ever be so forgetful as to connect his name with "Rebel."

 The Death of Captain Charles S. Stuart.
As told by A. W. Sparks.

Captain Stuart carried one of those peculiar pistols that were so constructed that their use required the use of three fingers, the second and third fingers were used to cock the  pistol and the first, which was used to shoot by pulling the trigger as with an ordinary pistol, and while Captain Stuart was firing he would raise the muzzle of the pistol up and fire as his arm was on a downward movement, and while his hand was raised after cocking his pistol, he was struck in the forehead by a large ball that passed out a little to the left of the center of the back of his head, and he made an unusual noise and I looked and he was falling forward and to the right of his horse, .which he held well in gather with the left hand, firmly holding the bridle when the body fell, it so turned that the hand raised with the pistol fell across the front of the saddle and the force of the grip discharged the pistol and the ball passed very close to my face, "fearful close." The ball that killed him on passing out of his head threw a large wad of his brain upon the sleeve and collar of my coat.

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