My Seven Civil War Direct Ancestors and What I Know of Their Stories

The Civil War has always held a special place in my heart. I have been southern from birth. Many of my ancestors were southerners from birth and served in the War Between the States. Despite my being a fairly decent family historian, I am weak in the area of which ancestors had military service. For this reason, I cannot be certain any more than seven of my direct great-great-great (the greats number varies) grandfathers served in the Civil War. Since some of my ancestors are not traced far enough back to arrive at the Civil War it seems possible I could descend from more than this amount of soldiers.

Of the seven ancestors I know to have served, 3 were Union soldiers while 4 were Confederate. Most of my ancestors lived in southern states during the Civil War time period. My ancestors who did not live in the southern states were John Boozer and John Cheney. Both of these men, my direct great-great-great grandfathers were Union soldiers. My other Union soldier ancestor did live in the South in a state that went Confederate (Tennessee). Isaac Kennedy was himself descended from Irish immigrants and his wife's father was born in Ireland. My father surmised Kennedy's siding with the Union came from the desire many Irish had to look like more worthy citizens to the Union during a time period when the Irish were looked down upon.

My Confederate ancestors each lived in Southern states. John Davis Dykes was a very young man when he joined the Southern cause-believed to have been about 15 years old at joining. Conrad McCandless and Jasper Carroll were great-great-great grandfathers who each lived in Arkansas and fought for the side of the Confederacy. Granville Owen Bryant is the ancestor who shares my son's name (Owen) and he fought on the Confederate side in Kentucky.

Being 150 years away from the beginning of the Civil War means the memories of our ancestors have faded a bit. Few Civil War era stories have survived to be passed down to me. One interesting story involves my Confederate great-great-great grandfather John Davis Dykes and my Union great-great-great grandfather John Cheney. Grandpa Dykes had two young women as daughters. Grandpa Cheney had two young men as sons. Grandpa Dykes and Grandpa Cheney did not like each other in part due to each having fought on the opposing side of the conflict. In order for my great-great grandmother Sarah to marry my great-great grandfather John Cheney the two had to elope. While Sarah's mother was serving as a midwife one night to bring a baby into the world, Sarah eloped with John. A similar event happened between Sarah's sister and John's brother. Just like the Union and Rebel soldiers had to make some reconciliation, the Cheney and Dykes families had to as well.

John Dykes liked to tell his grandchildren that he stole John Cheney's medic bag during the conflict. I am certain other such claims were made between the two men as well.

As a student of the Civil War and a descendent of a significant number of soldiers who fought in the conflict, I feel sad we have no additional stories about our ancestors in this war.