VIRGIL AUGUSTUS CRESAP was born November 14, 1835 in Huntsville, AL as the third of six children to Alexander Hamilton Cresap (1805-1892) and Nancy Hess (1800-1854). Virgil's father was the son of James Michael Cresap, a miller of Oldtown, MD, and a grandson of Revolutionary War soldier, Capt. Michael Cresap, and a great-grandson of the Maryland frontiersman, Col. Thomas Cresap. Virgil's mother, Nancy Hess, was a daughter of Margaret “Peggy” Daveiss Hess, who has been recognised and honored as the first woman to plead a case in the Courts of the United States.

In 1847 Virgil's father moved the family from Huntsville to Gibson Co., TN where Alexander operated a tan yard and shoe shop in the Hopewell community. After Virgil's mother Nancy died in 1854, his father remarried to Eliza Rust. Both parents and his brother, Nelson, are buried in the Old Shiloh Burying Ground in Gibson County.

At the time of the 1860 census Virgil was living in Overton Co., TN. In 1861 he joined Co. D of the 26th Mississippi Infantry, CSA. After his regiment surrendered at Corinith, MS, he returned to Overton County and re-enlisted Feb. 1, 1864 at Monterey, Putnam Co., TN into Co. H Forrest's Reg't. Cavalry. (This subsequently became Co. H, of the 18th Tennessee Cavalry, which was organized by the consolidation of Newsom's Cavalry Regiment and four companies of Forrest's Alabama Cavalry Regiment, on May 11, 1864.) He was wounded in the battle of Harrisburg, MS, July 13-15, 1864 and captured near Franklin, TN on Dec. 16, 1864. He passed through the military prison in Louisville, KY on his way to Camp Douglass, IL, and from there was transferred in March of 1865 to Point Lookout, MD, where he stayed until June 10 of that year and was released after giving an oath of allegiance. He was given transportation back to his family in Gibson Co., TN. At the time of his release he was described as light-complexioned, auburn hair, with light blue eyes and standing at 5'11¼ ".

In December of that year in Tishomingo County, MS, he and Nancy Jane Glidewell were married by the Baptist preacher Rev. Jiddy Skinner. She was the daughter of William Glidewell and Elizabeth Cook, and the sister to William, one of Virgil's comrades-in-arms during the war. Together Virgil and Nancy Jane raised twelve children.

In her penion application Nancy Jane mentions having had thirteen children, but only twelve are known -- perhaps one child died young. The three eldest children attended Barnes Chapel School just north of Doskie where William Howell Skinner served as schoolmaster. In the early 1880's after the birth of their daughter Josie, they moved north across the state line into Hardin County, TN to a farm that would later be flooded by the waters of Pickwick Dam.

CHILDREN:

"Nannie" Nancy Elizabeth Cresap (m. David Sanders Roberts)
James Alexander Cresap (m. Mizer Thomas)
George William Cresap (m. Judy Ann Roberts)
"Mollie" Mary Lou Cresap (m. Gus Thomas)
"Marthy" Martha Ann Cresap (m. W. F. Wayne)
Alice Ramsey Cresap (m. Lafayette Johnson)
"Eddie" Edgar Augustus Cresap (m. Jackie Stockton)
Josie Carol Cresap (m. Dyer Mark Counce)
Sallie E. Cresap (m. James Allen Roberts)
Joseph Nelson Cresap (m. Hester E. Counce)
Charles Sanders Cresap (m. Mary N. Ray)
Katie Cresap (m. Estell B. Pyron)