The Coin that survived the Civil War

In honor of the 150th Anniversary of the beginning of the Civil War  I've chosen the following which I think you will enjoy.


Take a good look at this coin.  Look at the year.  Wow!

1858 50 cent piece

My Great Great Grandfather,

Andrew S Davis, put this coin in his boot and wore it all through the Civil War.  Family members say this was his "lucky" coin.  It served him well because he survived the war, married and began a new generation.  My cousin has this coin today and plans to give it to his son who he named Andrew Davis.  That is so cool!

Here is a note that his grandson, Stuart Davis (my grandfather) wrote regarding this coin.  I have transcribed it in case it is difficult for you to read.

"This 50 (cent) piece was carried by Grandfather Davis in Shermans March to the sea.  Also up the coast to Washington to be mustered out at the close of the war."

Andrew S. Davis enlisted in Company E, Iowa 4h Infantry Regement on August 8, 1861 at the age of 40.  He was wounded at one time and in a hospital for about 4 months.  He was promoted to Full Corporal on January 1, 1864.  He mustered out on July 24, 1865 at Louisville, KY.  He also was a flagholder at the Grand Army of the Republic in Washington at the close of the war.

I am so proud of my gr gr grandfather!

Here is the only picture the family has of Andrew S Davis.  We believe this was his wedding on November 6, 1866 to Anna Schafer. 

See more below:

Andrew Davis' unit 4th Iowa Infantry Company E fought in the battle of Pea Ridge. The Pea Ridge National Military Park is at that location today. He was in Sherman's "March to the Sea", which took place thru Georgie after Atlanta was "accidently" burned down. He also went up the ocast. After the war he was mustered out in Washington D.C. after they had the "Grand Review" (parade) of the Army. He fought for the Union.||This was in the book " History of Polk County" regarding the military.||550 HISTORY OF POLK COUNTY.||Castellin, Thomas (Costello], captured at Gaines' Landing, Miss.; December 24, 1862.|Danforth, Andrew J.|*Davis, Andrew S., veteranized as corporal January 1, 1864.|Dixon, John, discharged November 24, 1862.|



In case any one is reading this.  Andrew is my brick wall.  I have no idea what he did from the time he was born in West Virginia in 1821 until he joined the war in Iowa.  Course, Davis is a difficult name to research.  :)

Never Say Die

Back in the late 70's my coworker knew I loved hilarious things. Anything hilarioius. Well take a look at this newspaper clipping of a guy who amazingly survived the Civil War. Wow! This is amazing! And it it hilarious! Make sure you read to the end. It is something. Unfortunately I do not know what newspaper it came from. It was cut out from the page.



For some reason I kept this and found it again when Mike and I recently moved. Thought you would enjoy it. I tried looking on Ancestry to see if I could find any family, but I did not have any luck with his name.

Enjoy!

Monday Madness - Driving me coo-coo!

Today is Monday Madness. The frustrations I have regarding my Gr Gr Grandfather are huge! Sometimes I feel like I am obsessed with being a detective trying to figure him out. Believe me at this point, I am way farther along than I was a couple of years ago which is a good thing.

When reading the blogs from fellow blog members I keep hoping I will come across something that will totally "click". If any one is interested, please read the following on what I do have on him.

My gr gr grandfather, Andrew S. Davis was born in Hardy County, Virginia April of 1821 according to his civil war pension file records. We also found from those records he could not read or write. We stil have no idea what his middle name is except for the letter "S".

Here is the deal. I have no idea who his parents are or if he had any siblings. The next record we found after the supposed date of birth is in Des Moines, Iowa area. He enlisted in the civil war at the age of 40, survived the war and mustered out a full corporal at the end of the war in Louisville, KY in 1865.

I have found a census record of him living with Uriah White and his family before the civil war. One daughter was names Hanah. Later - Andrew's son, George W Davis (b1872 d 1932) is listed in a census living with Uriah White and his daughter Hanah when George was about 13 years old. I'm trying to figure out the connection there as well.

After the war, he married Anna (Schafer) Needham, (second marriage for her)in Nov of 1866 in Polk County, Des Moines, Iowa. He lived out the rest of his life in the Des Moines area and is buried in the Woodland Cemetery in Des Moines. Date of death, Nov 24, 1898.

Anna and Andrew also had a daughter named Zena. B 4/30/1870 D 06/06/1932. She married Benjamin F Gifford on Oct 26, 1891 in Des Moines, Iowa. They ever had any children.

From what I have tried, there are no birth or death records available for him.

I would love any information and/or photo's.

Treasure Chest Thursday Grandpa's Coin

This is a true treasure to me. You see, the coin was carried by my Gr Gr Grandfather, Andrew S. Davis, in his shoe during the Civil War. He was a member of the Iowa Company E, 4th Infantry for the Union. He signed in at the age of 40 and mustered out as a full Corporal. He was also a flag holder at the Grand Army Parade in Washington DC at the end of the war. My cousin atually has possesion of this coin and he will pass it along to his son, also named Andrew.

The envelope reads: "This 50 cent piece was carried by Grandfather Davis in Shermans March to the sea. Also - up the coast to Washington to be mustered out at the close of the war.______" We believe the writing on the envelope is that of my Grandpa, Stuart Davis.

Don't you just think this is cool? I sure do.