Born and bred in Darlington County SC, Elias Wright was the fourth child and third son of McDuffy & Sara Mims Wright. He, along with his siblings, grew up on the family land and helped run the farm.
When the War came along, Elias, along with his brothers John Ellis and Pinkney, volunteered as did nearly all the other young men in Darlington at that time. Numerous name rolls just before the War show an eagerness and cohesiveness in the community from the number of men who voluntarily signed up and presented themselves as candidates in their respective age groups for military enlistment and organization. His Confederate papers show his official enlistment date as Oct 21 1861, at Lightwood/Knot Springs by Captain Carter. There were many young men from Darlington in this regiment--Co A 14th SC Infantry--also known as the Lynch Creek Guards. Elias mustered in at the rank of Private. Numerous muster rolls from 1861 through 1863 have him accounted for. However, he does not show again until he was captured at Hatch's Run and delivered to City Point VA on April 7 1865. From there, he was transported to Hart's Island, NY Harbor. He was released on June 16, 1865 and made to swear an Oath of Allegiance. Interestingly, all prisoners captured and taken to this station were made to swear the Oath. Additionally, their physical descriptions were also detailed and duly noted on record. During Elias' swearing, the Union noted on his record that he was 5 feet 5 3/4 inches in height, fair of complexion, light of hair, with blue eyes. Amusingly, he didn't sign his name, but instead made a mark--more likely as a small act of rebellion, a last stand than anything else since many other prisoners also did the same. Later, he drew a pension from his Confederate service, as did his brother's wife, Mollie Wright, for her husband, John Ellis Wright, both of which are on record in SC State Archives.
One footnote of interest concerning the Wright brothers and the War: curiously, neither of the two brothers--John or Elias--have Confederate headstones marking their graves. Pinkney died in VA in 1863 and was buried in a mass grave at Camp Gregg so the family wasn't able to inter him. However, John and Elias were certainly entitled to the headstones and someone in the family could have easily applied for and received them in their stead, as many other families did. But in retrospect, it seems to speak volumes that these men's families chose not to have Confederate markers for them. The exclusion of something so deserved seems rather indicative of the emotions and attitudes of the little community at that time and begs the question as to why they deliberately chose not to have government-supplied headstones for their men and their graves. The only conclusion to be drawn is clear: they'd all sacrificed more than enough for the War and wanted no further reminders. In fact, no graves in the family cemetery in Darlington at Fair Hope bear Confederate markers or crosses. The families bought their own headstones--some at great expense judging by the size--and none have Confederate markings on them. Perhaps they all just wanted to forget that terrible bloody War and what it had cost them.
After the War, Elias settled into domestic life back in Darlington and married sometime before 1880. His wife was named Martha and she was recorded on the 1880 census along with Elias. In fact, it was the only census record she was recorded on. For many years afterward, they ran a business a together. First a drug store, then a dry goods/mercantile shop in the Darlington/Lamar Township. Martha passed away sometime before 1900 since Elias is listed as a widower on the census of that year. No other information at this time is available on her full name, death, or where she is buried.
After Martha's death, and sometime between 1910 and 1920, Elias went to live with his nephew, Henry Spears, oldest child of his sister Pheroby. It was Henry who provided the information for Elias' death certificate. Elias applied for his Confederate pension in March of 1922. Sadly he did not get to draw very much of what he so richly earned. He died the following year in Lamar, and was buried on Oct 25 1923. A truly loyal South Carolinian and brave soldier.
When the War came along, Elias, along with his brothers John Ellis and Pinkney, volunteered as did nearly all the other young men in Darlington at that time. Numerous name rolls just before the War show an eagerness and cohesiveness in the community from the number of men who voluntarily signed up and presented themselves as candidates in their respective age groups for military enlistment and organization. His Confederate papers show his official enlistment date as Oct 21 1861, at Lightwood/Knot Springs by Captain Carter. There were many young men from Darlington in this regiment--Co A 14th SC Infantry--also known as the Lynch Creek Guards. Elias mustered in at the rank of Private. Numerous muster rolls from 1861 through 1863 have him accounted for. However, he does not show again until he was captured at Hatch's Run and delivered to City Point VA on April 7 1865. From there, he was transported to Hart's Island, NY Harbor. He was released on June 16, 1865 and made to swear an Oath of Allegiance. Interestingly, all prisoners captured and taken to this station were made to swear the Oath. Additionally, their physical descriptions were also detailed and duly noted on record. During Elias' swearing, the Union noted on his record that he was 5 feet 5 3/4 inches in height, fair of complexion, light of hair, with blue eyes. Amusingly, he didn't sign his name, but instead made a mark--more likely as a small act of rebellion, a last stand than anything else since many other prisoners also did the same. Later, he drew a pension from his Confederate service, as did his brother's wife, Mollie Wright, for her husband, John Ellis Wright, both of which are on record in SC State Archives.
One footnote of interest concerning the Wright brothers and the War: curiously, neither of the two brothers--John or Elias--have Confederate headstones marking their graves. Pinkney died in VA in 1863 and was buried in a mass grave at Camp Gregg so the family wasn't able to inter him. However, John and Elias were certainly entitled to the headstones and someone in the family could have easily applied for and received them in their stead, as many other families did. But in retrospect, it seems to speak volumes that these men's families chose not to have Confederate markers for them. The exclusion of something so deserved seems rather indicative of the emotions and attitudes of the little community at that time and begs the question as to why they deliberately chose not to have government-supplied headstones for their men and their graves. The only conclusion to be drawn is clear: they'd all sacrificed more than enough for the War and wanted no further reminders. In fact, no graves in the family cemetery in Darlington at Fair Hope bear Confederate markers or crosses. The families bought their own headstones--some at great expense judging by the size--and none have Confederate markings on them. Perhaps they all just wanted to forget that terrible bloody War and what it had cost them.
After the War, Elias settled into domestic life back in Darlington and married sometime before 1880. His wife was named Martha and she was recorded on the 1880 census along with Elias. In fact, it was the only census record she was recorded on. For many years afterward, they ran a business a together. First a drug store, then a dry goods/mercantile shop in the Darlington/Lamar Township. Martha passed away sometime before 1900 since Elias is listed as a widower on the census of that year. No other information at this time is available on her full name, death, or where she is buried.
After Martha's death, and sometime between 1910 and 1920, Elias went to live with his nephew, Henry Spears, oldest child of his sister Pheroby. It was Henry who provided the information for Elias' death certificate. Elias applied for his Confederate pension in March of 1922. Sadly he did not get to draw very much of what he so richly earned. He died the following year in Lamar, and was buried on Oct 25 1923. A truly loyal South Carolinian and brave soldier.
Born and bred in Darlington County SC, Elias Wright was the fourth child and third son of McDuffy & Sara Mims Wright. He, along with his siblings, grew up on the family land and helped run the farm.
When the War came along, Elias, along with his brothers John Ellis and Pinkney, volunteered as did nearly all the other young men in Darlington at that time. Numerous name rolls just before the War show an eagerness and cohesiveness in the community from the number of men who voluntarily signed up and presented themselves as candidates in their respective age groups for military enlistment and organization. His Confederate papers show his official enlistment date as Oct 21 1861, at Lightwood/Knot Springs by Captain Carter. There were many young men from Darlington in this regiment--Co A 14th SC Infantry--also known as the Lynch Creek Guards. Elias mustered in at the rank of Private. Numerous muster rolls from 1861 through 1863 have him accounted for. However, he does not show again until he was captured at Hatch's Run and delivered to City Point VA on April 7 1865. From there, he was transported to Hart's Island, NY Harbor. He was released on June 16, 1865 and made to swear an Oath of Allegiance. Interestingly, all prisoners captured and taken to this station were made to swear the Oath. Additionally, their physical descriptions were also detailed and duly noted on record. During Elias' swearing, the Union noted on his record that he was 5 feet 5 3/4 inches in height, fair of complexion, light of hair, with blue eyes. Amusingly, he didn't sign his name, but instead made a mark--more likely as a small act of rebellion, a last stand than anything else since many other prisoners also did the same. Later, he drew a pension from his Confederate service, as did his brother's wife, Mollie Wright, for her husband, John Ellis Wright, both of which are on record in SC State Archives.
One footnote of interest concerning the Wright brothers and the War: curiously, neither of the two brothers--John or Elias--have Confederate headstones marking their graves. Pinkney died in VA in 1863 and was buried in a mass grave at Camp Gregg so the family wasn't able to inter him. However, John and Elias were certainly entitled to the headstones and someone in the family could have easily applied for and received them in their stead, as many other families did. But in retrospect, it seems to speak volumes that these men's families chose not to have Confederate markers for them. The exclusion of something so deserved seems rather indicative of the emotions and attitudes of the little community at that time and begs the question as to why they deliberately chose not to have government-supplied headstones for their men and their graves. The only conclusion to be drawn is clear: they'd all sacrificed more than enough for the War and wanted no further reminders. In fact, no graves in the family cemetery in Darlington at Fair Hope bear Confederate markers or crosses. The families bought their own headstones--some at great expense judging by the size--and none have Confederate markings on them. Perhaps they all just wanted to forget that terrible bloody War and what it had cost them.
After the War, Elias settled into domestic life back in Darlington and married sometime before 1880. His wife was named Martha and she was recorded on the 1880 census along with Elias. In fact, it was the only census record she was recorded on. For many years afterward, they ran a business a together. First a drug store, then a dry goods/mercantile shop in the Darlington/Lamar Township. Martha passed away sometime before 1900 since Elias is listed as a widower on the census of that year. No other information at this time is available on her full name, death, or where she is buried.
After Martha's death, and sometime between 1910 and 1920, Elias went to live with his nephew, Henry Spears, oldest child of his sister Pheroby. It was Henry who provided the information for Elias' death certificate. Elias applied for his Confederate pension in March of 1922. Sadly he did not get to draw very much of what he so richly earned. He died the following year in Lamar, and was buried on Oct 25 1923. A truly loyal South Carolinian and brave soldier.
When the War came along, Elias, along with his brothers John Ellis and Pinkney, volunteered as did nearly all the other young men in Darlington at that time. Numerous name rolls just before the War show an eagerness and cohesiveness in the community from the number of men who voluntarily signed up and presented themselves as candidates in their respective age groups for military enlistment and organization. His Confederate papers show his official enlistment date as Oct 21 1861, at Lightwood/Knot Springs by Captain Carter. There were many young men from Darlington in this regiment--Co A 14th SC Infantry--also known as the Lynch Creek Guards. Elias mustered in at the rank of Private. Numerous muster rolls from 1861 through 1863 have him accounted for. However, he does not show again until he was captured at Hatch's Run and delivered to City Point VA on April 7 1865. From there, he was transported to Hart's Island, NY Harbor. He was released on June 16, 1865 and made to swear an Oath of Allegiance. Interestingly, all prisoners captured and taken to this station were made to swear the Oath. Additionally, their physical descriptions were also detailed and duly noted on record. During Elias' swearing, the Union noted on his record that he was 5 feet 5 3/4 inches in height, fair of complexion, light of hair, with blue eyes. Amusingly, he didn't sign his name, but instead made a mark--more likely as a small act of rebellion, a last stand than anything else since many other prisoners also did the same. Later, he drew a pension from his Confederate service, as did his brother's wife, Mollie Wright, for her husband, John Ellis Wright, both of which are on record in SC State Archives.
One footnote of interest concerning the Wright brothers and the War: curiously, neither of the two brothers--John or Elias--have Confederate headstones marking their graves. Pinkney died in VA in 1863 and was buried in a mass grave at Camp Gregg so the family wasn't able to inter him. However, John and Elias were certainly entitled to the headstones and someone in the family could have easily applied for and received them in their stead, as many other families did. But in retrospect, it seems to speak volumes that these men's families chose not to have Confederate markers for them. The exclusion of something so deserved seems rather indicative of the emotions and attitudes of the little community at that time and begs the question as to why they deliberately chose not to have government-supplied headstones for their men and their graves. The only conclusion to be drawn is clear: they'd all sacrificed more than enough for the War and wanted no further reminders. In fact, no graves in the family cemetery in Darlington at Fair Hope bear Confederate markers or crosses. The families bought their own headstones--some at great expense judging by the size--and none have Confederate markings on them. Perhaps they all just wanted to forget that terrible bloody War and what it had cost them.
After the War, Elias settled into domestic life back in Darlington and married sometime before 1880. His wife was named Martha and she was recorded on the 1880 census along with Elias. In fact, it was the only census record she was recorded on. For many years afterward, they ran a business a together. First a drug store, then a dry goods/mercantile shop in the Darlington/Lamar Township. Martha passed away sometime before 1900 since Elias is listed as a widower on the census of that year. No other information at this time is available on her full name, death, or where she is buried.
After Martha's death, and sometime between 1910 and 1920, Elias went to live with his nephew, Henry Spears, oldest child of his sister Pheroby. It was Henry who provided the information for Elias' death certificate. Elias applied for his Confederate pension in March of 1922. Sadly he did not get to draw very much of what he so richly earned. He died the following year in Lamar, and was buried on Oct 25 1923. A truly loyal South Carolinian and brave soldier.
Gravesite Details
author's addendum: many thanks to Patrick Yearty for his initial work on his record
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