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Sunday’s Obituary — Maiden Aunts and Bachelor Uncles: Sarah, Civil War Child

Sarah Gillespie, daughter of Jeremiah and Mary Gillespie was born sometime during February of 1860 in Amherst County, Virginia. She was had 1 sister and 2 brothers; the family had a $300 farm and personal possessions worth $50.1

Sarah, 8 months old in the 1860 census, which was enumerated October of 1860.

She died in Feb of 1865.2

Her short little life spanned the Civil War.  She had 4 or 5 uncles who fought in the war for the Confederacy and I’m quite sure many neighbors.  The stress that must have been in the household is difficult to imagine.  I’m sure during the end, that good food and medicine were hard to come by.

I have no idea why she died.  Her mother was about 5 months pregnant with my great great grandfather Wyatt when Sarah died.  The pain Mary must have felt losing one child while carrying another.

I have just two records that Sarah is in, the 1860 census and her death index.

A brief blip in human history, but not forgotten.

Footnotes

1. 1860 U.S. Census, Amherst County, Virginia, population schedule,, p. 132 (penned), dwelling 979, family 977, Jaremiah Gillispie and family; digital images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com accessed : 18 Jul 2012); citing NARA microfilm publication, M653, roll Unknown.
2. Virginia, Deaths and Burial Index, 1853-1917, database, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 22 Jul 2012), entry for Sarah Gilispie, daughter of Jerry and Mary Gillespie, Feb 1865, Amherst, Virginia.