4th Sgt. Company "I" 47th AL Inf. Regt. - CSA
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"The LaFayette (AL) Sun" - July 16, 1919:

Letter From Mr. S. J. S. Abernathy.

Editor LaFayette Sun - I am one week behind this time in renewing my subscription for The Sun. I see now we cannot get along without the Sun, so here goes another year's subscription for our favorite paper, which will be thirty-nine years in Texas, and if I live till this time next year and am still pleased with a reasonable portion of health and my eye sight is good enough for me to see how to read, I will renew for another year.
We are all well at present. You heard about our sad bereavement - the death of our oldest son, Charles P. Abernathy, on the 29th of May at Deming, New Mexico. It was all very sad but he was fully prepared for death and expressed himself that way several times, and died in a full triumph of a living faith beyond the grave. We try to be reconciled to the will of God, knowing full well that He makes no mistakes.
I will now say something about Texas crops of all kinds. Wheat, oats, rye and barley, I think, is the best in twenty years. The fruit crop is fine and gardens are fine all over Texas. I would like to say something about the oil business in Texas, but I could not do the subject justice. But I know some people in this country who have lived here forty years, worked hard, used all economy and did not know what to do next. They are now worth $10,000.00 to $500,000.00 and then some. Well I will not say any more about it, but what I have just said is only a hint or beginning.
Well, I read in The Sun not long ago about the death of Judge J. J. Robinson, Sr. As honest, upright, and as true Confederate as ever lived, as good and as true a friend as I ever had. Peace to his ashes.
Mr. Editor, I know this letter is written very "scattering" and like the writer, very imperfect, all of which you will please overlook, and let The Sun continue to shine on us in Texas, and elsewhere.
Our love and best wishes to our dear relatives, and everybody else, God be with you 'till we meet again.

As ever,

S. J. S. Abernathy
Palo Pinto, Texas, July 7, 1919
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"The LaFayette (AL) Sun" - June 21, 1923:

Three Pioneers Are Chambers Citizens.

"The Weatherford (Texas) Herald" says:

S. J. S. Abernathy, of Mineral Wells, a resident of Palo Pinto County for the past 42 years, has been visiting his daughter, Mrs. W. C. Ragsdale, of this city, during this week, and incidentally meeting many friends and personal acquaintances.
Mr. Abernathy (Uncle Joe as he is commonly called), is a typical old timer of the rural South and during his pilgrimage of more than four score years has passed through many and varied experience and vividly recalls many incidents and events, historical, political and personal, that are quite interesting to the present generation. Mr. Abernathy vividly recalls political and social conditions that existed before the war between the states and while talking to his friend, Judge J. M. Richards, who he has personally known since the judge was an "infant in arms," stated that he had known the Richards family for 75 years; that his father and Judge Evan G. Richards, father of Judge J. M. Richards, and their families were personal acquaintances, living only a few miles apart in Chambers County, Ala., and that his father and the old judge were two of the sixty men in Chambers County, Ala., who voted in 1860 for Stephen A. Douglas for president of the United States - the large majority being in favor of John C. Breckenridge. Breckenridge it will be remembered, favored secession, while Douglas favored staying in the union. However, after Alabama seceded, both gave loyal support to the South. Uncle Joe and his brother, Dave and James, joined the 47th Alabama regiment and served in the Confederate Army, taking part in all of the noted battles on the fields of Virginia. Dave lost his left arm, and Uncle Joe received a serious wound in his right hip on the 6th of May 1864, during the battle of the Wilderness, where several thousand gallant men, under Lee and Grant, respectively, gave their lives fearlessly.
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"The LaFayette Sun" - June 4, 1924:

The Thin Gray Line Passes in Review.

That we may not forget the heroes who fought our battles of yore, and who crowned themselves with everlasting honor. The Sun will furnish this column for a short sketch of the lives of these great and good men.
The following letter from a former Chambers County citizen, and a member of the old Abernathy family, one of the best in Chambers County, will be read with interest by many who knew the writer of the letter, and especially by the Confederate soldiers. The writer of this letter is one of the few remaining veterans who were real men when knighthood was in flower. Mr. S. J. S. Abernathy, the writer of the letter below, is the great uncle of J. R. B. Abernathy, probate clerk of Chambers County, and is a brother of D. H. B. (Uncle Dave) Abernathy.

Palo Pinto, Texas
May 27th, 1924

To the Editor of The LaFayette Sun:

I notice that through your kindness you are printing short sketches of the old residents, who have lived at some time or other in good old Alabama, and especially in Chambers and adjoining counties.
I was born in DeKalb County, Georgia, April 16, 1840. Professed faith in Christ and united with the Primitive Baptist Church at Macedonia, Chambers County, Alabama, on the second Sunday in July, A.D. 1860, and I have tried to live a consistent member of the same faith and order to the present date.
In March, 1862, I volunteered and joined Company I, 47th Regiment, Alabama - was in the battle of Chicamauga September 19th and 20th, 1863, and in several skirmishes in East Tennessee. I was severely wounded in the hip in the battle of the "Wilderness" on May 6, 1864, which wound gave me quite a good deal of pain and trouble, but did not hinder me from again going to the front and doing the duty of a soldier. I was in almost all the battles and skirmishes in and around Richmond, Va., in the fall and winter of 1864 and 1865; also, was at the surrender of Lee's Army at Appomattox Court House, April 9, 1865. I feel that I gave my country the best that was in me during the war, and I have no regrets to the contrary.
On November 8, 1866, was happily married to Miss L. A. Gilbert, eldest and accomplished daughter of Mr. and Mrs. W. E. Gilbert, of Louina, Alabama. To us were born ten children - six of whom are living. She was also a very devoted member of the Primitive Baptist Church, and lived happily in that faith until her decease. She departed this life September 25th, 1922, and in this connection, I desire to state, that a better and more devoted Christian never lived. She was a loving companion, and a noble mother, and was loved by all who knew her. I feel that it will not be long now before I, too, shall be called, and am waiting with patience ever with trust in the wise God, who I believe will land me safely across the deep and dark river of death, where all shall be peace and sweetly resting in the arms of the dear Christ.
I came to Texas about 44 years ago. Have farmed, and for many years was in the hotel business. I also served my county some few years ago for four years as county commissioner, and tried to give them the best service that was in me.
With the best wishes for all my dear kindred, and friends in dear old Alabama, I beg to remain in their memory as one who loves them very much.

Very respectfully submitted,

S. J. S. Abernathy.
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"The LaFayette Sun" - April 29, 1925:

S. J. S. Abernathy Celebrates 85th Birthday

S. J. S. (Uncle Joe) Abernathy celebrated his 85th birthday Thursday, April 16th, at the home of his son, Sheriff Gib Abernathy, in Palo Pinto. He was born April 16th, 1840, in DeKalb County, Georgia, near the celebrated Stone Mountain, now to the fore in the news stores on account of the wonderful piece of sculpture undertaken and the consequent sensational row which developed between the Stone Mountain executive committee and the sculptor, Gutzon Borglum.
In 1843, Mr. Abernathy's parents moved to Alabama, settling in Chambers County, near LaFayette. Here he was reared to manhood. He lacked just one week being 21 years old when the first gun was fired at Fort Sumpter and co-incidentally he lacked just one week being 25 years old when he surrendered and was paroled with General Robert E. Lee at Appomattox. He enlisted in Company I, 47th Alabama Regiment in March 1862. Was wounded at the battle of the Wilderness and fought through the engagement at Chickamauga and was in many hot skirmishes around Richmond, Va.
Mr. Abernathy tells some interesting incidents connected with the surrender and paroling of Confederate troops. For four years these men had been engaged in the business of killing each other, but in a few hours after surrendering the Johnnies and Yanks were fraternizing together in an astounding way. A federal soldier of commanding appearance twitted them with: "Now, you Johnnies run home to your sweethearts clothed in homespun." Before answer could be made a hardened soldier on picket duty hastened to say, "Don't pay any attention to him, boys. He's just enlisted and has never seen active service. We boys who have been in from the first know how you feel and sympathize with you."
While Uncle Joe is now entering upon his 86th year, he is still hale and hearty for such an advanced age, having been able until this year to do work in his garden in Palo Pinto. Speaking of work he stated to an Index reporter that he started to work when he was eight years old and kept it up regularly for 76 years. During that time the highest wage he ever received for common labor was a dollar per day and board.
Mr. Abernathy came to Palo Pinto County in 1881, lading at Weatherford March 10, and driving over into this county, locating near Mineral Wells on or more exact, where Mineral Wells now is, for it was in the following July of 1881 that Mr. Lynch bored the well that served as the basis for the present city. In 1904 he was elected county commissioner which place he held for two terms. He spoke praisingly of the decided improvements made in transportation methods and highway conditions in the county in his past forty-four years of residence here.
Uncle Joe has nineteen grandchildren and eight great grandchildren to help his children render comfort to him in his declining years.
These together with a host of warm personal friends wish for him many returns of the event celebrated Thursday, April 16th.

"Mineral Wells (Texas) Index"

Note: Mr. Abernathy is a brother of D. H. B. Abernathy, of Buffalo.
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"The LaFayette Sun" - October 14, 1925:

Uncle Joe Has Pocket Knife 118 Years old.

S. J. S. Abernathy, Uncle Joe, as he is familiarly known to all Mineral Wells and Palo Pinto County, was a pleasant caller at the Index office Monday and showed a souvenir of the Abernathy family that is very interesting. It was a two-blade pocket knife, in a good state of preservation considering its age, having been purchased in Charleston, S.C., in 1817 (sic, text actually reads 107), at a cost of fifty cents. It has a bone handle, once heavily mounted with silver, all of which is worn away now, and is capable of carrying a keen edge, despite its being one hundred and eighteen years old.
Uncle Joe says his two uncles, who were older than his father, made a trip to Charleston in 1807 (sic) to sell cotton and while there his uncle bought the knife. On the way home his uncle sickened and died, as it often took from three to four weeks to make the trip. The knife was given to Uncle Joe's father as the youngest son in the family, and when he died, he, in turn, gave the knife to Uncle Joe as the youngest son, and it has now been in his possession forty-seven years. - Mineral Wells (Texas) Index
D. H. B. Abernathy, familiarly known as Uncle Dave, states that the conditions outlined above are facts. He states that when they were boys that this knife was in their father's trunk, and the eldest son was to have the knife. Uncle Dave states that he never wanted to be the oldest son worse than he did then, but now he never wanted to be the youngest worse.
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"The LaFayette Sun" - May 4, 1927:

S. J. S. (Uncle Joe) Abernathy, Who Celebrated His 87th Birthday, April 16.

"Uncle Joe" was a former citizen of Chambers County, having moved to Texas many years ago. He has many friends and relatives in Chambers County who will be glad to know that he is enjoying splendid health. The article below is here reproduced through the courtesy of Hon. Sam Miller, of the Daily Index, of Mineral Wells, Texas:

"Uncle Joe" Abernathy is quietly observing his eighty-seventh birthday today, April 16, at his home in Palo Pinto, and receiving congratulations and good wishes of his host of friends and relatives in his usual good humored way.
S. J. S. Abernathy was born April 16, 1840, in Alabama, and came to Texas in 1881, settling in Palo Pinto County, where he has resided since. For several years he devoted his time to farming and cattle raising. In 1887 he purchases the Taylor Hotel in Palo Pinto and operated it for twenty-two years.
"Uncle Joe," as he is familiarly known to his wide circle of friends, has lived an exemplary life, ever taking a philosophic view of things and now, as he sits with his face toward the setting sun, he looks back without many regrets and forward with brightening hope. He served two terms as county commissioner of Palo Pinto County, a four year term of service to his friends which he now regards with pride.
"Uncle Joe" has a well-developed sense of humor, a cheerful attitude towards life and a forgiving spirit towards mankind. When making the race for commissioner, his opponent invaded his home town and made the argument that if the people would elect him, they would have an official to be proud of. When this was told "Uncle Joe" he chuckled over it and replied, "Well, if you folks elect me, you may not be proud of me, but you will have a commissioner who will sho' be proud of you," and he was elected.
The burden of years resting upon him, while they have whitened his hair, wrinkled his cheeks and to some extent weakened his stalwart form, has not affected his mentality. He remarked to an index representative recently that his memory today was a great pleasure and comfort to him; that he could repeat from memory the names and years in which they served, every president and vice-president of the United States, name the books of the Bible, both old and new testament in their order and recall to mind many interesting phases of the past history of Texas and Alabama.
Mr. Abernathy is justly proud of his four year record as a Confederate soldier. He was present at Lee's surrender to Grant at Appomattox Court House, April 9, 1865, and was with Field's Division, Longstreet's Corps. His story of the surrender and his trip back to his old home in Alabama reads like a romance. He says:

When we heard of the surrender of Lee that Sunday, it was accompanied by a rumor that the terms were for all officers to be imprisoned and all privates paroled and many of the officers started in right away cutting all the insignia of rank from their faded uniforms. My company had been on the march from Richmond for seven days prior to this, getting no more than two hours rest at a time and almost without food, being fortunate enough to capture a caboose loaded with bacon and crackers and ammunition at Dunlap Station, and that bacon and crackers sure tasted good to us. By some sort of mishap the ammunition exploded, but fortunately no one was hurt. On that fateful Sunday afternoon, though I was so hungry and so tired that I would actually doze off to sleep walking along. An officer from Grant's staff arrived that afternoon and told us that we would be paroled and allowed to go home. The Sixteenth Michigan Regiment marched up and formed a hollow square and company by company we marched into this hollow square and stacked our arms. This took place about 2 miles from Appomattox Court House at three o'clock in the afternoon and tired and hungry we Johnnies were soon mixing with the Yanks where we got food and fine treatment.
On the following Wednesday, April 12th, we received our paroles and I found myself free and afoot to trudge back to my Alabama home about 12 hundred miles away. There were about twenty-five other Alabamians with me and we started out, stopping at Danville, Va., where we got some rations. At Charlotte, N. C., we were advised by General Breckenridge and President Jefferson Davis to wait until the railroad was repaired. We waited a few days and left Charlotte by train to Columbus, S.C. At Columbus I met with some relatives by the name of Hunter with whom I spent two days and then went by train to Abbeyville, S.C., where I spent a day and night with some other of my kinsmen by the same name. Went from there to Washington, Ga., and after leaving that place I struck the places where Sherman's army had been. I found food very scarce, but the people were willing to divide what little they had with us. Sherman was exactly right when he laid the length of the war to the sacrifice, the enthusiasm and heroism of Southern womanhood.
I finally reached Atlanta, Ga., and rode from there to West Point, Ga., just seventeen miles from my home over in Alabama. I arrived home at about ten o'clock at night on April 25. Father and mother were in bed. I passed along the well-known cabins, some of the Negroes were still up. I hollared at 'em and they recognized my voice and shouted to each other, "Dar's Joe dun cum home." My old black mammy, Aunt Clarissey, beat me to the house, woke mother up, told hr I was home and then beat mother to the door and hugged me before mother could get to me.
I got home with plenty of Confederate money, but after the surrender it was worth only the cherished, though bitter memories clinging around it. Father's slaves were all freed, but orders had come from Washington or from some source for them to stay where they were until the end of the year and all of father's stayed and worked the plantation the balance of that year and helped out wonderfully. I rested up for a few days and then I went to work with the Negroes on the farm for my victuals and clothes. There was no work or money to pay for it anywhere at that time. The next year I worked on the farm with my father making a crop on halves and finally readjusted myself to the changed conditions and watched the whole Southland do the same thing.
And say, do you know I don't believe I've fired a gun a dozen times since I stacked my arms along with those of my comrades that Sunday afternoon, in the quadrangle formed by those Yankee Solders at Appomattox?
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"The Lafayette (AL) Sun" - January 18, 1928:

S. J. S. (Uncle Joe) Abernathy Been Here 47 Years.

S. J. S. (Uncle Joe) Abernathy stated to an index reporter Tuesday that he was celebrating the forty-seventh anniversary of his arrival in Texas and Palo Pinto County. He and his family, wife and five children, arrived here January 10, 1881. They could only secure immigrant tickets as far as Fort Worth and paid regular fare from there to Weatherford, where they were met by T. M. Gay and Jim Lynn, who were farming at that time on the Brazos River some seven miles south of Mineral Wells. T. M. Gay was from Alabama, a brother-in-law of Uncle Joe, and had come to Palo Pinto County some five years prior to this.
Mr. Abernathy farmed on the John Lynn place now owned by John Glidewell until 1887 when he bought the Haylor Hotel and moved to Palo Pinto, where he has lived since. Uncle Joe remembers distinctly the digging of the well here by Judge Lynch in July 1881, and has watched the city develop from a cluster of small buildings to its present proportions of brick business buildings and million dollar hotels.
On April 16 next Uncle Joe celebrates his eighty-eighth birthday as he is celebrating his forty-seventh anniversary today. He is hale and hearty; has lived a simple, abstemious life, never having used tobacco in any form or liquor to excess and says he's never shuffled a deck of cards or used profane language, which marks him as an unusual character. - The Daily Index, Mineral Wells, Texas.
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"The LaFayette (AL) Sun" - May 9, 1928:

S. J. S. Abernathy Celebrates 88th Birthday.

S. J. S. (Uncle Joe) Abernathy celebrated his 88th birthday Monday, April 16th, at the home of his son, Sheriff Gib Abernathy, in Palo Pinto.
Mr. Abernathy was born in Alabama on April 16, 1840; grew to manhood there, enlisted in the Confederate Army at the age of 20 and served through the war, being mustered out of service at Appomattox, when General Lee surrendered.
In 1881 he came to Palo Pinto County where he has resided continuously since. Uncle Joe is carrying his age in a wonderful way. While his body shows some symptoms of the ravages of time, his eye is as bright and his mind as alert as ever. He is blessed with remarkable memory, and recollection that holds every small event connected with any incident in his past life. The honor his relatives and friends delight to bestow upon him is only equaled by his deep sense of appreciation for such courtesies.
During the hours between 2 and 4 o'clock Monday afternoon in the delightful home of his son, presided over by Mrs. Abernathy in such a hospitable way, his relatives and friends thronged the household, congratulating Uncle Joe on his birthday. Among the number were two representatives of the Index and one of the most wholesome things witnessed by the reporter was the approach of Gib to his father with hand extended saying, "Put'er there Dad for another year." The handclasp that followed and the look of delight in the father's eyes as he grasped the hand of an obedient son, was something worth while.
The program of entertainment was started by a religious service consisting of prayer and old time songs. This followed by general congratulation. Refreshments were served consisting of ice cream and assorted cakes.
Prior to the religious service Uncle Joe told the following incident to the Index representative - a page torn from the book of memory of an interesting incident during the Civil War.
"Yes, I captured just one prisoner during my entire service and that happened under rather peculiar circumstances. He was armed and I wasn't. His gun was loaded and I didn't have a thing in the way of arms except a pocket knife. It came about this way. On the afternoon of October 25, 1864, at Ft. Harrison on the battle line southeast of Richmond the Federals attacked the fort which was manned by Georgia troops. As told to me by one of the Georgians engaged in the defense of the fort, a company of Negro soldiers were thrown against them. The fort was protected by what we called "hornsnoggles" and which now would be called revetment entanglements. Those "hornsnoggles" were small trees cut down, the top and limbs sharpened and placed slanting in the ground the entanglements pointing out toward the enemy. They were the best we could do toward having barbed wire entanglements. The Negro soldiers were thrown against these "hornsnoggles" and as they parted them into a path and came in view they were promptly shot down. A big fat Negro broke a path through for his followers and as he appeared was shot to death and one of his followers was heard to say, "Dar, now dey done gone an' killed Sargent Dick, de bes' osifer in de whole army." Superior numbers finally won and the fort was captured by the Federals.
"Sometime during the night the Yankees abandoned the fort and retreated back to their own lines. We were ordered to go to the fort on the morning of October 27 and when we arrived the place was deserted and quiet. We stacked arms and as I was always of a curious and adventurous turn of mind, I wandered around seeing what I could see. I had walked about a quarter of a mile from my company and came upon a place covered with the bodies of dead Federal soldiers. As I was standing looking them over, about ten feet from me a soldier arose from under a rubber fly tent with a gun in his hand. He seemed to have just woke up and looked around in a sort of bewildered way, finally asking me, "Where are all the boys?" I told him they had dropped back within their own lines and that our boys were very near. I looked at his gun and could see that it had a new cap on it, proving that it was loaded. I thought fast and made up my mind to do one of two things, surrender to him if he demanded it, or if he started to shoot I intended to jump him and scrap it out with him. These things passed quickly through my mind. As he seemed slow making a move I asked him if he would surrender to me alone or would I have to call some of my comrades, who could be heard talking in the distance. Without hesitation he said he would surrender. I told him to put his gun down on the ground, which he did. I walked over and picked it up with a great sense of relief. His new rubber cloth fly tent attracted my attention and I coveted it. Asking him what he would take for it he said, "Three dollars." I paid him the money and took the tent. Noticing a nice ring on his finger I asked him if he would sell it. "I would hate to," he said. "It was placed on my finger by my sister when I entered the army and she has since died." I told him if he wanted to keep it he'd better hide it somewhere in his clothes, which he did. I've always thought he was lying about it being his sister who gave him the ring. It was probably his sweetheart. On the way back I learned that he was about 21 or 22 years old and belonged to the Ninth Maine regiment. I took him into camp and turned him over to the guards, thus ending the adventure of capturing a Federal soldier with empty hands while he was fully armed. By the way he made one statement to met that I did not like at the time though I felt even then that he was telling the truth. He said, "General Grant will accomplish all of his designs, and it won't be long until he does." And it wasn't. I have always wished that I had learned the young man's name.
"Some of these days when we both have more time I want to tell you my personal experiences at the battle of Appomattox and my personal impression of General Robert E. Lee."
Among the relatives and friends present at Uncle Joe's birthday party were his daughters, Mrs. W. C. Ragsdale, of Weatherford; Mrs. Floyd Watson, Mineral Wells, and Mrs. C. V. Whatley, Palo Pinto; his two sons, W. G. and R. B. Abernathy, of Palo Pinto, and their families. Grandchildren, Mrs. Will McElhaney and Mrs. D. L. Fant, of Weatherford, and Mrs. Agnes Robertson, of Mineral Wells; Mr. and Mrs. Gilbert Ragsdale, of Weatherford; Mr. and Mrs. W. A. Beaty, Dr. and Mrs. R. H. Smith, Mr. and Mrs. I. C. Taylor, Mr. and Mrs. W. L. Cleveland, Mr. and Mrs. F. B. Watson, Mr. and Mrs. W. F. Logsdon, Mr. and Mrs. R. N. Townsend, Mesdames H. G. Taylor, A. G. Pitts, J. M. Searcy, O. H. McClure, O. B. Schoolcraft, George Metcalf, Webb Harris, Frank Eades, Jude and Mrs. J. B. Keith, Miss Clarie Watson, W. M. Ragon, Robert Curry and Mrs. Allen Wallace and Sam E. Miller. - The Daily Index, Mineral Wells, Texas.
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"The LaFayette (AL) Sun - March 20, 1929:

(Photo S. J. S. (Uncle Joe) Abernathy)

S. J. S. (Uncle Joe) Abernathy died at the home of his daughter, Mrs. C. V. Whatley, of Palo Pinto, Wednesday morning, March 6, at 12:25, after being confined to his bed for a number of weeks. He was born April 16, 1840, in Chambers County, Alabama, and only lacked from now until April 16, 1929, of being eighty-nine years old.
The burial took place at 3 o'clock Wednesday afternoon in the Palo Pinto Cemetery, services conducted by Elder J. W. Seale, Primitive Baptist minister, of Mineral Wells. B. H. Lattner, undertaker, of Mineral Wells, had charge of the burial.
Uncle Joe is survived by one brother, D. B. Abernathy, of LaFayette, Ala., who is ninety-one years old; two sons, Gib Abernathy, sheriff, and Ray Abernathy, of Palo Pinto; Mrs. Floyd Watson, Mineral Wells; Mrs. W. C. Ragsdale, Weatherford, and Mrs. J. L. Williams, of Knowles, N.M., and a number of grandchildren, nephews and nieces. All of his children were with him at the time of his death.
The active pall bearers were Bill and David Abernathy, Angus Robertson, Bill Ford, Floyd Watson and Joe Brooks Whatley.
The honorary pall bearers included a number of Uncle Joe's friends among the early settlers of Palo Pinto County, together with the full list of members of Stonewall Jackson Camp, Confederate Veterans, of which he was an active member.
S. J. S. Abernathy had resided in Palo Pinto County for 48 years, having located here in 1881, and during that time established himself as a warm, dependable friend in the minds of his neighbors. His was a character molded in a crucible long since broken or cast into disuse.
While adapting himself in an admirable way with the progress it was his to see develop, he still held to the old-fashioned tenets and principles in vogue prior to and following the Civil War. He easily recognized the faults of humanity and sympathized with them, tried to aid his fellows in overcoming them, rather than in a wholesale condemnation of things he thought wrong.
Patient, forbearing, devoted to family and to the church of his choice, the Primitive Baptist, and ever loyal to the lost cause of the Confederacy, through which he served for 4 years and in which he distinguished himself. Uncle Joe's life was lived in such a way that in his passing there are many to drop a tear, recall his kindly, wholesome smile, his ever-cheerful disposition, and to exclaim, "He was my friend, faithful and just to me."

- The Mineral Wells (Texas) Daily Index.
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