50th Tennessee Infantry, CSA

Regimental History


Working on a regimental history of the (50th) Fiftieth Tennessee Infantry, Confederate States Army. Needing information on each soldier’s date and place of birth, death and burial; full names of the soldiers, their parents and wives; if the veteran survived the war, was he a member of a veterans’ organization, and if so, which one, and whether he was awarded the Southern Cross of Honor from the United Daughters of the Confederacy. Also needing copies of photographs of the veterans (civilian or military, during, before or after the war), obituaries, documents, letters, recollections, reminiscences, and any other stories from the soldiers or their families, or others relating to their military service. Any and all correspondence will be appreciated.

Thanks

Greg & Randy


Gregory S. Miller
702 Fairlane Drive
Murray, KY 42071
(270) 753-3742
steven63@charter.net


Randall Rubel
1053 Eastland Drive
Clarksville, TN 37040-3915
(931) 647-3774
RRUBEL@peoplepc.com

Greg, My 3rd great granduncle (my 3rd gr gm's brother) served in the 50th Tennessee. His name was Rufus S. Knight. He was born March 1, 1835 in Humphreys Co., the son of Joshua Y. Knight and Lucretia Wildredge. He lived in the White Oak Creek area near the Houston County line and was a farmer. He never married. He joined Company K on December 11, 1861 at Ft. Donelson and served until "the end" in May 1865. He was a corporal and his record indicates that he was wounded in the train wreck. He died in Humphreys County August 30, 1867. I am not sure where he was buried, but it may have been in the Knight Cemetery off Highway 231 just inside the Houston Co. line when heading north from Humphreys Co.. There are no known letters, photos etc... of him. Good luck! Dave in Michigan

Just a comment on the Knight families of Humphreys Co. TN one needs to find and chat with relatives of Susan Knight Gore, she was the administrator of the Houston County Tn. web site on USGENWEB.

My Great Aunt Ora Johnson was married to Charles Knight of the Knight families of Humphreys Co. Tn. I will be glad to share what information we have accumulated on the Knight Families. But again Susan Knight Gore was the most knowledgeable on this section of our CLAN of families.

My information on the Knight Families of Charles Knight Gore and Great Aunt Ora Johnson can be found on postings of TJStubby or Tony Johnson on rootsweb.

Tony L. Johnson off lines of Hudson Johnson died 1823 and Agnes b 1740-50 died Dickson County Tn 1843.

Thanks so much for the information. I don't have Houston County cemetery records handy, but is Knight Cemetery near Knight Hollow and the community of Silvertop? At least looking at my DeLorme Tennessee Atlas that would seem to be the logical place just inside Houston County along Highway 231. If you believe that is where he is buried we could get him a military marker and place it in the cemetery next year.
Greg Miller
Murray, KY

Hello Greg,
Yes, I believe that is the correct Knight Cemetery. I don't know if there is a listing or survey of burials there, but I plan on trying to visit the cemetery near the end of October during a short trip to Tennessee. I'll let you what if anything I discover while I am there.
Dave Jones
Richmond, MI

I will contact an SCV memeber in Houston County to check the cemetery records and go to the cemetry in person. It has been a few years since I set a military headstone in Houston County for a member of the 50th.
gsmiller@newwavecomm.net

What about this cemetery?

From: William Beard [mailto:webeard1934@peoplestel.net]
Sent: Friday, October 10, 2008 10:10 PM
To: Greg Miller
Subject: Rufus Knight

Info on Rufus Knight,

I found a cemetery on Hwy. 231 that is called the Belcher Cemetery
the cemetery is located on Hwy 231 approx. 4 miles off Hwy 13 as you would be going to McEwen Tn., I found this in the cemetery book
I know where this cemetery is !!

Here is a list of the old Knight's that is buried there
Joshua Y. Knight
b. 3-17-1808 d. 11-23-1871

Elizabeth Ann Knight
b.3-5-1822 d.?? Grave marked with a rock

Catherine Knight
?? ?? grave marked with a rock

William J. Knight
b. circa 1848 d. ?? grave marked with a rock

1850 census Humphreys Co. this part of Hump. became Houston Co.

J. Y. Knight age 41 Farmer
Elizabeth age 28
Margaret age 17
Rufus age 15
Cordelia age 10
Rebecca age 7
Kiziah age 5
William age 1

I believe this is the right family for Rufus Knight

Wm. Elbert Beard

Hello Greg,
Thank you and thanks to Mr. Beard for his search! This is Rufus' family. Joshua Y. Knight was his father, Elizabeth his step-mother, Catherine and William are siblings. William J . Knight was married to Catherine Belcher! I have nothing to show where Rufus was buried, but I would suspect his father probably would have buried him there...
Margaret Knight was Rufus' sister and my 3rd gr gm. Her hsuband William S. "Willie" Jones was a member of Co. I of the 11th TN Inf and died at Cumberland Gap in November 1861 of "disease of the lungs" and finding where he might have been buried has been a subject of much frustration for me, so this will help me in my quest to preserve some of my family's history!!
I couldn't find a cemetery called Belcher though, I wonder if it is known as both Belcher and Knight Cemetery?
Please let me know if you plan to place a Confederate marker for him, if possible I'd like to attend if there will be a ceremony. I'm a "long distance" member of the Col. Napier SCV Camp in Waverly, I'll let the Camp Commander know about this as well.
Thanks again, Dave