This Information came from the History of Montgomery County.
Jeptha Spruill Eiland left Alabama when eight years old with his mother, father, brothers, sisters, and several other families on their way to California. A death caused them to stop and settle in Choctaw County Cession, now Montgomery County. His father Bryant purchased land near upper Milligan Springs Church where Allen Holiman now lives. Jeptha Spruill and his brothers Levi and Elisha fought in the Civil War. Jeptha and Levi joined the 1st MS Light Artillery in 1863 , commanded by Colonel Withers and served in the siege of Vicksburg in 1863, and later at Enterprise, MS. In 1864 they moved to Mobile, AL , back to Tupelo MS, back to Mobile, and on to the siege of Atlanta. He wrote he was fighting Yanks on his 22nd birthday in Mobile. A ball struck him in his hip in Vicksburg, which troubled him for life. He was taken to a tent hospital in Vaiden, MS. Lydia Whatley, his mother, drove a wagon from home near Kilmichael by herself to Vaiden and brought her son back home to nurse him. He returned to his old unit and finished the war. His last battle was in Meredian where they "stacked their arms' and went home. He married Frances Rushing in 1870 and to this union twelve children were born. Bryant helped his sons purchase land and Jeptha owned approximately 800 acres in the Milligan Springs community at one time. The children born to him and Frances were: Ben Franklin, Walter, Minnie, Matt, Allen, Mary Jane "Molly", Eugene, Elizabeth, Lula, Robbie, and Roy. Robbie at 87 was the only child living in 1985. Jeptha, his wife Frances, and some children are buried in Upper Milligan Springs Church Cemetery. After Jeptha's wife Frances died, he married a Civil War widow, Calpernia Fredonia Henderson Bramlett. He and Fredonia retired and died in the Civil War Veterans Home near Biloxi, MS.
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The following was placed in the Winona Times by Jeptha S Eiland.

The Winona Times
July 23, 1926

Reminescences
In 1843 there was born to Mrs. Bryant Eiland in Pickens County, Ala., a boy by the name of Dock. In 1853 the boy's parents moved to Choctaw County, Miss. near Greensboro, the county seat, and bought a nice home on Wolf Creek. About 40 acres of timber land were cleared that year. Greensboro was the nearest town, and was the only market, with no railroads. Coffee, salt and molasses were about the only articles bought. Everything else was made at home.

Then along came the time when the states got mad at each other, and finally agreed to disagree and fight it out. Little Dock had grown to the age of 19. His education consisted of the Blueback speller, and he learned this sitting on a wood sapling split open.

Then there came the call for volunteers. Dr. Turner called for a company of boys. Two hundred joined, gathering at Winona on the 14th of March, 1862. As we were going as Cannoneers, we gathered up 40 horses. All the boys boarded the train at Winona except three, Dock Eiland, Frank Wingate and Bill Brown, who were to drive the horses by land. It took three days to go to Jackson. One of the horses died, and Dock Eiland volunteered to go back to Winona, walking, spending the first night in Goodman, the second night with Tom Garner, three miles east of Vaiden. Dock managed to go through the fighting lines and back to his dear home on May 4th, 1865. During the war we had some lively ball games, but they were vastly different to the ball games the boys play nowadays.

Mr. Editor, when this boy Dock lets his mind run back over the years of war, he wonders if he is the same boy that started at 19, now 83. After getting home he bought 450 acres of land, chose himself a life companion in 1870 and has several fine boys and girls. In 1891 the oldest boy died, the others have started out in life for themselves and have families of their own.

Mr. Editor, this boy Dock Eiland and his companion are living in the nice, lovely town of Winona, among as good neighbors and friends as any two aged people ever had and we are so thankful.
J. S. Eiland