Biography of John W. Pearson (1808-1864)
Content
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THE LIFE AND TIMES OF JOHN WILLIAM PEARSON (1808 – 1864 CE)
A CHRONOLOGICAL BIOGRAPHY
by Donald J. Ivey
________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________
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PREFACE The information contained in this chronology has been researched as accurately and as thoroughly as possible. Whenever there has occurred a discrepancy between sources regarding dates and circumstances of events, I have opted to use the most probable and consistently reliable of all of the sources. At times, however, I have had no choice but to deduce or hypothecate the various possibilities involving events described in this chronology, in which case I have added the words "possibly" or "probably" to my narrative. This chronology is the product of nearly two years of research in archives and libraries across the State of Florida. It is, I believe, one of the most thorough and complete biographical accounts of any local community leader in Florida during the Civil War era. It has been my privilege to bring this narrative to you, the reader—and most importantly—it has also been a true labor of love for myself.
D.J. Ivey December 20, 1984
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Chapter I.
Title
Page
The Early Years (1808-1840 CE) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
4
II.
Florida Pioneer (1840-1860) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
III.
Secession & War (1861) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
IV.
Guerrilla Warrior (1861-1862) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
11
V.
Tampa Service (1862-1863) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
VI.
The Road to Olustee (1863-1864) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
VII.
Virginia & Beyond (1864) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
BIBLIOGRAPHY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
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THE LIFE AND TIMES OF JOHN WILLIAM PEARSON (1808 – 1864 CE) A CHRONOLOGICAL BIOGRAPHY Chapter I: The Early Years (1808-1840 CE)
1808 January 19 Born in Union District, State of South Carolina, the eldest son of Thomas and Ailsey (Garrett) Pearson.
1812 Moves with his mother and grandfather (William Pearson) to the State of Tennessee, where the family settles near Flat Creek in Bedford County. His grandfather would later establish a tannery, saddle and harness making shop, garment factory, and whiskey distillery in the area.
c.1820-1830 During this period, Pearson probably grows up under the tutelage of his grandfather (his father apparently having died previously). He may also have worked in his grandfather's various businesses as an apprentice laborer.
c.1830-1840 Pearson family tradition holds that J.W. Pearson operated a general store near Lynchburg in Moore County, Tennessee at about this period in time.
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Chapter II: Florida Pioneer (.1840-1860)
c.1840 Pearson moves to the Florida Territory, where he settles at Newnansville Township in Alachua County.
1840 December 6 Enlists for a term of three months service as a Private in Captain Matthew Hindley's Company of Colonel Bennett M. Dell's 2nd Regiment of Florida (Mounted) Militia at Newnansville. This unit is then mustered into the United States Army Volunteers for service against the Seminole Indians in the Second Seminole War, where it serves on outpost duty as guards on the frontier.
1841 March 19 Pearson re-enlists for a second term of service for a period of three months in Captain Hindley's Company at Newnansville. April 6 Mustered out of service at Newnansville, after an actual period of service of four months.
1842 October 5 Marries Miss Sarah M. Warren of Screven County, Georgia. The ceremony is performed by the Reverend James E. Evans of the Episcopal Church at Savannah, in Chatham County, Georgia.
1843 August 12 Eldest child, a son (Charles Green Pearson) born in Newnansville.
c.1845 Second child, a daughter (Kate Pearson) born in Newnansville.
1845 March 3 Florida becomes the 27th state to be admitted to the Union of the United States of America. July 31 Pearson obtains title to lands in Marion County, Florida "including the mineral
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springs known as Orange Springs." Later, in partnership with David L. Yulee (one of the first two men to represent Florida in the United States Senate), Pearson becomes a major developer of the Orange Springs community. October 6 Elected County Commissioner of Alachua County in Florida' s first general election held after Statehood.
OFFICIAL ELECTION RESULTS COUNTY COMMISSION ALACHUA COUNTY 1845 GENERAL ELECTION (Top 4 Candidates are Elected) Candidates Samuel Geiger J.W. Pearson James Hague Joseph J. Knight Asa Clark L.L. Wamsley William J. Turner Joseph Howell Wyatt C. Allen Daniel Congers Alexander J. Hunter Total Votes Cast 94 87 57 44 35 27 14 14 7 3 1 Percentage of Total Votes Cast 75.2 69.9 45.6 35.2 28.0 21.5 11.2 11.2 5.6 2.4 .08
October 31 Commissioned County Commissioner by Governor William D. Moseley to serve for a term of two years. November 25 Pearson takes the oath of office as a County Commissioner on the first Board of County Commissioners for Alachua County in a ceremony held at the County Courhouse at Newnansville. His colleagues in the office are Samuel Geiger, Joseph J. Knight, and William J. Turner.
1847 October 29 Term as County Commissioner expires; Pearson declines to be a candidate for re-election. December 20 Newnansville. Third child, a daughter (Janet Eliza Pearson) born, probably in
1847 or 1848 Moves with his family from Newnansville to Orange Springs. Here Pearson would become a major developer of the community establishing a large mercantile business which issued scrip over his name, a hotel and boarding house, a cotton gin, machine shop,
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and sawmill (located in nearby Putnam County). He would also engage in planting orange groves (and possibly Sea-Island cotton) on a large scale.
1850 Fourth child, a son (William Tell Pearson) born, probably in Orange Springs. December 4 United States census records for Marion County, Florida list Pearson as a "merchant." No values are recorded on his real and personal estates, but county tax rolls show him to own 1,060 acres of land in Alachua and Marion Counties. He is also listed as the owner of thirteen slaves.
1852 Donates the land and lumber to help construct the Orange Springs Community Church (a Methodist Episcopal Church) at Orange Springs. The church, completed in 1853 and restored in 1982, is one of the oldest remaining houses of worship in Florida. July 27 Granted a bounty land warrant of eighty acres by the United States Pension Office for his service in the Second Seminole War.
1853 A plat of Orange Springs is drawn up, and streets are named. One of them, "Pearson Street" is named in Pearson's honor. February 2 Pearson sells his hotel and boarding house, which he had previously built and established in Orange Springs. May 3 Fifth and youngest child, a daughter (Lucretia Pearson) born in Orange Springs.
June 14 Pearson legally ends his partnership with David L. Yulee, and all lands in Orange Springs are divided up between the two parties. Apparently the split was caused by the failure of a venture to get the Florida Southern Railroad to run through Orange Springs. According to local tradition, Yulee pulled out of the venture when it collapsed, leaving Pearson to pay all of the accumulated debts.
1854 October 26 Pearson mortgages a major portion of his properties to Fones McCarthy of Orange Springs, inventor of a new cotton gin for Sea Island cotton. Also at this time, he apparently goes into partnership with John L. Livingston, also of Orange Springs. Together, they purchase a large cotton gin and machine shop in Orange Springs and go into business as "Pearson & Livingston."
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1855 November 27 Granted an additional bounty land warrant of eighty acres for his Seminole War service.
1858 In Pearson vs. Grice, Pearson successfully appeals a lower court decision to the Supreme Court of Florida sitting in session at Jacksonville. The decision, ordering him to pay a $2,985.13 balance on an account claimed to be due by New York merchant, Joseph Grice, is reversed by the Court, and the case is remanded for a new trial due to errors in admitting and recording evidence. Among the members of the Court hearing the case is Associate Justice Bird M. Pearson, Pearson's second cousin. (The eventual outcome of the new trial ordered by the Court is not known.) September 10 Appointed Agent of the State of Florida by Governor Madison S. Perry to negotiate loans "to provide for the payment of the debts of the State" incurred in the Third Seminole War in 1956. Apparently Pearson was appointed to this position due to his considerable business contacts in Charleston and Savannah.
1859 April Pearson successfully negotiates a loan for the State totaling $241,300.00, payable in twelve months from banks in Charleston and Savannah. Pearson later serves as Disbursing Agent for the State by paying out the sum obtained by the loan to state militia veterans for their service in the Third Seminole War.
1860 June 12 United States census records for Marion County, Florida list Pearson as a "merchant & etc." with real estate holdings valued at $35,000, and a personal estate valued at $36,000. He is also listed as the owner of twenty slaves. County tax rolls also show him to own 115 acres in Marion County. While Pearson is not one of the larger land owners in the county, his personal wealth makes him one of the more prosperous individuals in East Florida. Late Autumn Pearson travels to the northern United States (possibly to New York State) probably on a business related venture. Here he becomes convinced of the inevitability of war between north and south. On his return to Florida, he becomes one of the major movers for secession in Marion County, holding pro-secession meetings at his home in Orange Springs. November 6 Abraham Lincoln is elected the 16th President of the United States. Not a single vote is cast for him in Florida, where his name does not even appear on the ballot. November –December Pearson organizes and equips a volunteer militia company of 125 men with arms and accoutrements which he had fought home with him from South
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Carolina. Calling themselves “the Ocklawaha Rangers,” the men elect Pearson as their Captain. Pearson’s oldest son Charles is also elected Second Lieutenant of the company. November 26 In his last annual message to the State Legislature, Governor Perry calls for the convening of a secession convention of the people of the State of Florida to be held at the State Capitol in Tallahassee. December 20 South Carolina becomes the first State to secede from the Union.
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Chapter III: Secession and War (1861)
1861 January 3 Florida's secession convention assembles at the State Capitol in Tallahassee. An overwhelming majority of the delegates to the convention are radical secessionists. January 6-7 Florida militia troops, facing no opposition, occupy the Federal arsenals at Apalachicola and Chattahoochee and capture Fort Marion in St. Augustine. January 10 The secession convention adopts an Ordinance of Secession withdrawing Florida from the Union by a vote of 62 to 7. February 28 Florida joins the Confederate States of America and ratifies its provisional constitution. March 4 Lincoln is inaugurated as President of the United States in Washington, District of Columbia. March Pearson tenders the services of his company to Governor Perry, who, according to Pearson family tradition, incorporates the Ocklawaha Rangers into one of the first of two regiments of troops called into State service. April 12-13 Confederate artillery guns under the command of Brigadier General Pierre G.T. Beauregard fire on Federal troops at Fort Sumter, South Carolina. The next day the Fort surrenders. This action marks the beginning of the American Civil War. April 15 President Lincoln proclaims that a "state of insurrection" exists and calls for 75,000 militia troops to serve for a term of three months in the U.S. Army. Later, on April 19, Lincoln calls for a naval blockade of the Confederate States. The blockade begins off the coast of Florida in June. April Pearson and his company are ordered to Fernandina, off Florida's east coast in Nassau County.
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Section IV: Guerrilla Warrior (1861-1862)
1861 c.November Pearson's company is made an independent command, and they are ordered to various points along the St. Johns and Ocklawaha Rivers (Cedar Keys, Fowlers Bluff, Clay Landing, Cedar Landing, Cole's Mill, Palatka, Welaka and Dunn's Lake). Here they begin to operate as a guerrilla force against Federal troops and Union sympathizers in the area. December 15 Pearson and his company are mustered into State service.
1862 March 10 Florida's State militia is abolished and Pearson's company is mustered out of State service; however, they continue to serve as an independent force operating along the Ocklawaha and Saint John's Rivers. April 8 In a letter to Brigadier General Richard F. Floyd, commanding State troops in Florida, Pearson writes: "I am now a guerilla in every sense of the word; we neither tell where we stay nor where we are going, nor when we shall return..."
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Chapter V: Tampa Service (1862-1863)
1862 May 14 Pearson's company is mustered into the service of the Provisional Army of the Confederate States at Camp McCarthy in Putnam County to serve for a period of three years or for the duration of the war. May 19 Pearson is re-elected Captain of the company (his commission in the Confederate Army is to rank as of May 14, 1962). The Rangers are ordered to Tampa for service as an independent company, where Pearson assumes command of the garrison at Fort Brooke. June 30-July 1 Unsuccessful naval bombardment of Tampa by the Federal gunboat "Sagamore," Pearson refuses a demand for the unconditional surrender of the town, replying "We have no such thing in the book as surrender." After the engagement, Pearson brings two rifle cannons (nicknamed the "Hornet" and the "Target") from his machine shop at Orange Springs for defense of the town. October 26-27 According to company records made out in Pearson's own hand, the Federal schooner "Beauregard" shells Tampa after sailing into the Bay "in disguise." No one is killed in the bombardment, but "some hair breadth escapes" are reported.
1863 January 1 Pearson announces that he is offering a reward of $20.00 "for the arrest and jailing" of any of the fourteen men who recently deserted his company in Tampa. The incident reflects the low state of discipline and morale among the troops under Pearson's command. February 19 In a letter from Captain W. Call, Assistant Adjutant General of the Military District of East Florida, Pearson is harshly reprimanded for the "insubordination, bad discipline and interference with private property of the men under your command." February 27 Pearson is ordered by Call to explain the reasons for a controversial seizure of sugar by his second-in-command, First Lieutenant Robert D. Harrison, from one of the citizens of Tampa. March 27 Pearson's men ambush and attack a small party of sailors from the Federal bark "Pursuit" anchored off the coast of Tampa. Confederate records report twenty-four sailors killed in the skirmish; Federal naval records report only one officer and three sailors wounded. March 27-28 In retaliation for the attack, Tampa is shelled by the "Pursuit" and the gunboat "Tahoma." They retire after two days "doing but little damage."
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April 23 Pearson is ordered by Call to explain "... a petition from men now and lately under your command alleging certain grievances as sustained by them..." April 24 Pearson's plan for a rifle gun of 2 ½ bore, manufactured at his machine shop in Orange Springs, is accepted for consideration by the Confederate Chief of Ordinance in Charleston. (It is not known whether the gun was ever accepted or purchased by the Confederate Government.) September 11 The Ocklawaka Rangers are incorporated into the 6th Battalion Florida Infantry, Lieutenant Colonel John M. Martin commanding the Rangers became Company B of the Battalion. October 14 Pearson is relieved of command at Fort Brooke by Captain John Westcott of Company A, 2nd Battalion Florida Infantry; he is ordered to proceed to Camp Finegan near Jacksonville, where the company is placed on outpost duty. They are also apparently attached to an artillery company (possibly a company of the Milton Light Artillery) at this time.
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Chapter VI: The Road to Olustee (1863-1864)
1863 November 11-26 Pearson serves as a member of the General Court Martial at the Headquarters of the Department of East Florida at Lake City, Florida. December 8-18 Pearson serves as a member of the General Court Martial at Lake City.
December 22-January 8
1863-1864 Serves on General Court Martial, Lake City.
February 7 Federal expedition under Brigadier General Truman A. Seymour lands at Jacksonville. The expedition, consisting of about 7,000 men including infantry, cavalry and artillery, plans to divide East and West Florida and establish a separate pro-union government in East Florida. February 8 Confederate troops evacuate Camp Finegan; Pearson's cannons Target and Hornet are captured by the Federals after being abandoned in the evacuation of the camp. February 9 Federal troops occupy Baldwin, junction of the railroads from Fernandina to Cedar Keys and from Jacksonville to Tallahassee. February 11 Federal troops advance within three miles of Lake City but are forced to withdraw after heavy skirmishing with Confederate troops under Brigadier General Joseph Finegan. Pearson and his Company are present and serve in this engagement. February 13 Pearson's Company arrives by forced march with General Finegan's force at Camp Beauregard, near Olustee Station on Ocean Pond, Florida. February 20 Battle of Olustee; Federal troops decisively defeated. Pearson and his command serve with the 6th Battalion on the right wing of the Confederate Army, attached to an artillery company (possibly a company of the Milton Light Artillery). According to family tradition, Pearson and his men capture a piece of Federal artillery in the battle, and use it against the retreating Federals "to their great surprise." March –April Company records show Pearson's command to be stationed at Camp Milton, west of Jacksonville. They also serve for a brief period of time at Clay Landing. March 13 Pearson and his command are ordered to Fort Brooke, but they are subsequently directed to turn back near Flemington and return to Orange Springs to meet a strong Federal advance coming from Welaka.
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April 28 The 6th Battalion Florida Infantry is consolidated with three independent companies of Florida Infantry to form the 9th Regiment Florida Volunteers, Colonel John M. Martin commanding. The Ocklawaha Rangers become Company B of this regiment. May 17 Ordered to leave Orange Springs for service with the 9th Florida as part of General Finegan's Brigade in the Army of Northern Virginia.
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Chapter VII: Virginia and Beyond (1864)
May 25
1864 The 9th Florida arrives in Richmond, Virginia.
May 28 The 9th Florida joins Major General Richard H. Anderson's Division of Lieutenant General Ambrose P. Hill's Corps in the Army of Northern Virginia at Hanover Junction. June 3-4 Pearson's command serves with the 9th Florida at the battle of Cold Harbor; Pearson is possibly brevetted to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel for his service in this battle. June 10 Admitted to Howard's Grove Hospital in Richmond. By this time Pearson is probably ill with yellow fever, and according to family tradition, he is also afflicted with a problem affecting one of his hips. His son Charles (now Sergeant Major of the 9th Florida) is also admitted to the Hospital suffering from yellow fever. July 29 Pearson is released from Howard's Grove and returns to duty with the 9th Florida in the trenches near Petersburg, Virginia. July 30 Present with command during the Federal bombardment in the trenches.
August 21 Pearson is severely wounded by a bombshell fragment while leading the regiment in an assault within 100 yards of the Federal breastworks on the Weldon Railroad near Globe Tavern. He is sent to the regiment's Field Infirmary near Petersburg. August 24 Tenders resignation as Captain of Company B, 9th Florida Infantry to Major General Samuel Cooper, Confederate Adjutant General in Richmond. In his letter, Pearson states: "I have been in the military service of the country since near the commencement of the war, endeavoring both with my means and my own personal services to contribute to the attainment of my country's independence." September 2 War. Resignation is accepted by James A. Seddon, Confederate Secretary of
September 30 Pearson dies en route to his home in Orange Springs at the City of Augusta in Richmond County, Georgia, age 56 years, 8 months and 11 days. October 2 Buried in Laurel Grove Cemetery at Savannah. A memorial marker is also later erected in his memory at Orange Springs.
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BIBLIOGRAPHY
A Journal of the Proceedings of the Senate of the General Assembly of the State of Florida, Ninth Session, 1858; Adjourned Session of the Ninth Session, 1859, Tallahassee, Florida Sentinel Office, 1858 and 1859 respectively. Alachua County Land Records, Deed Book A (1845), County Clerk's Office, Gainesville. Alachua County Tax Rolls, 1846-1851, Florida State Archives, Tallahassee. "Captions and Records of Events," Co. B, 9 Florida Infantry (Confederate); Field and Staff, 9 Florida Infantry (Confederate), National Archives and Records Service, Washington, D.C. Chapman, Donald V., historical collection, Orange Springs. Reply to letter requesting information regarding John W. Pearson, Orange Springs, November 2, 1982. Chatham County Marriage Records, 1842, microfilm copy, Georgia Department of Archives and State History, Atlanta. Cutler, Harry Gardner, History of Florida: Past and Present, Volumes I and II, Chicago, Lewis Publishing Co., 1923. Davis, William Watson, The Civil War and Reconstruction in Florida, New York, Longmans, Green, and Co., 1913. Dickison, Mary Elizabeth, Dickison and His Men: Reminiscences of the War in Florida, Gainesville, University of Florida Press, 1962. Edwards, Lucy Ames, Grave Markers of Duval County, Florida 1808-1916, Jacksonville, Jacksonville Chapter D.A.R., 1955. Eighth United States Census, 1860, Free and Slave Population Schedules, Marion County, Florida. Evans, Clement A., editor, Confederate Military History, Volume XI, Atlanta, Confederate Publishing Co., 1899. Falero, Frank, Jr., "Naval Engagements in Tampa Bay, 1862," Florida Historical Quarterly, XLVI, 134-140, April 1967. Frech, Mary L., editor, Chronology and Documentary Handbook of the State of Florida, Dobbs Ferry, Oceana Publications, Inc., 1973. Johns, John E., Florida During the Civil War, Gainesville, University of Florida Press, 1963.
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Kendrick, Bayard, "Blockade Tightens With New Year," Tampa Tribune, January 20, 1963, p. 2-H. Laurel Grove Cemetery Records, Savannah Public Library, Savannah, Georgia. Linton, Calvin D., editor, The Bicentennial Almanac, Nashville, Thomas Nelson, Inc., 1975. Marion County Land Records, Deed Books C-G (1849-1862), County Clerk's Office, Ocala, Florida. Marion County Tax Rolls, 1848-1867, Florida State Archives, Tallahassee, Florida. Marks, Henry S., Who Was Who in Florida, Huntsville, Alabama: The Strode Publishers, 1973. McKay, J.B., "Tampa's 1864 Artillery Included 3 Ex-U.S. Guns; Two Guns Bored From Engine Shafts," Tampa Tribune, February 5, 1956. Moody, Eliza Pearson, "The Oklawaha Rangers," unpublished manuscript, Confederate Museum, Richmond. Morris, Allen, The Florida Handbook 1983-1984, Tallahassee, The Peninsular Publishing Co., 1984. Norman, Annie B. and Caroline P. Brown, Cemeteries of Marion County, Florida, Volume I, Ocala, Ocala Chapter D.A.R., 1977. Ott, Eloise Robinson and Louis Hickman Chazal, Ocali Country: Kingdom of the Sun, Ocklawaha, Marion Publishers, 1966. Pakula, Marvin H., William J. Ryan and David K. Rothstein, Centennial Album of the Civil War, New York, Castle Books, 1960. Pearson, Eugene L., "A Pearson Family History," unpublished manuscript, 1962, South Caroliniana Library, Columbia. Pearson, George R., Jr., great-grandson of John W. Pearson. Reply to letter requesting information regarding Pearson, Raleigh, August 21, 1983. "Pearson, James W.," Private, Hindley's Co. Dancy's 2 Fla. Mounted Militia (Florida War), military service records, National Achives and Records Service, Washington, D.C. (Pearson's name was mistakenly copied on the muster rolls as "James W." instead of "John W.").
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"Pearson, John W.," Bounty Land Warrant Application files for service in the Second Seminole War; Captain, Co. B., 9 Florida Infantry (Confederate); Land Entry files (18451856), National Archives and Records Service, Washington, D.C. Porter, Admiral David D., The Naval History of the Civil War, Seacaucus, Castle, 1984. Procter, Samuel, editor, Florida A Hundred Years Ago, Coral Gables, Civil War Centennial Commission, 1963. Reports of Cases Argued and Adjudged in the Supreme Court of Florida at Terms Held in 1858-1859, Volume VIII, Tallahassee, Office of the Floridian and Journal, 1859. Rerick, Roland H., Memoirs of Florida, Volumes I-II, Atlanta, The Southern Historical Associaiton, 1902. Robertson, F.L., Soldiers of Florida in the Seminole Indian, Civil, and Spanish-American Wars, Live Oak, Democratic Book and Job Print, 1903. Roster of State and County Officers Commissioned by the Governor of the State of Florida 1845-1868, Series 259, Book A, Florida State Archives, Tallahassee. Seventh United States Census, 1850, Free and Slave Population Schedules, Marion County, Florida. "Story Yields Pearson Grave Information," Ocala Star-Banner (Ocala, Florida), April 10, 1974. Territorial and State Election Returns, 1822-1929, Record Group 156, series 21, carton 4 (Alachua County 1845), Florida State Archives. Tallahassee, Florida. United States War Department, Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies in the War of the Rebellion, Series I, Volumes XIV, XXVIII, XXXV, LIII, Washington, Government Printing Office, 1901. Warner, Ezra J., Generals in Gray: Lives of the Confederate Commanders, Baton Rouge, Louisiana State University Press, 1970.
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THE LIFE AND TIMES OF JOHN WILLIAM PEARSON (1808 – 1864 CE)
A CHRONOLOGICAL BIOGRAPHY
by Donald J. Ivey
________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________
1
PREFACE The information contained in this chronology has been researched as accurately and as thoroughly as possible. Whenever there has occurred a discrepancy between sources regarding dates and circumstances of events, I have opted to use the most probable and consistently reliable of all of the sources. At times, however, I have had no choice but to deduce or hypothecate the various possibilities involving events described in this chronology, in which case I have added the words "possibly" or "probably" to my narrative. This chronology is the product of nearly two years of research in archives and libraries across the State of Florida. It is, I believe, one of the most thorough and complete biographical accounts of any local community leader in Florida during the Civil War era. It has been my privilege to bring this narrative to you, the reader—and most importantly—it has also been a true labor of love for myself.
D.J. Ivey December 20, 1984
2
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Chapter I.
Title
Page
The Early Years (1808-1840 CE) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
4
II.
Florida Pioneer (1840-1860) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
III.
Secession & War (1861) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
IV.
Guerrilla Warrior (1861-1862) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
11
V.
Tampa Service (1862-1863) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
VI.
The Road to Olustee (1863-1864) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
VII.
Virginia & Beyond (1864) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
BIBLIOGRAPHY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
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THE LIFE AND TIMES OF JOHN WILLIAM PEARSON (1808 – 1864 CE) A CHRONOLOGICAL BIOGRAPHY Chapter I: The Early Years (1808-1840 CE)
1808 January 19 Born in Union District, State of South Carolina, the eldest son of Thomas and Ailsey (Garrett) Pearson.
1812 Moves with his mother and grandfather (William Pearson) to the State of Tennessee, where the family settles near Flat Creek in Bedford County. His grandfather would later establish a tannery, saddle and harness making shop, garment factory, and whiskey distillery in the area.
c.1820-1830 During this period, Pearson probably grows up under the tutelage of his grandfather (his father apparently having died previously). He may also have worked in his grandfather's various businesses as an apprentice laborer.
c.1830-1840 Pearson family tradition holds that J.W. Pearson operated a general store near Lynchburg in Moore County, Tennessee at about this period in time.
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Chapter II: Florida Pioneer (.1840-1860)
c.1840 Pearson moves to the Florida Territory, where he settles at Newnansville Township in Alachua County.
1840 December 6 Enlists for a term of three months service as a Private in Captain Matthew Hindley's Company of Colonel Bennett M. Dell's 2nd Regiment of Florida (Mounted) Militia at Newnansville. This unit is then mustered into the United States Army Volunteers for service against the Seminole Indians in the Second Seminole War, where it serves on outpost duty as guards on the frontier.
1841 March 19 Pearson re-enlists for a second term of service for a period of three months in Captain Hindley's Company at Newnansville. April 6 Mustered out of service at Newnansville, after an actual period of service of four months.
1842 October 5 Marries Miss Sarah M. Warren of Screven County, Georgia. The ceremony is performed by the Reverend James E. Evans of the Episcopal Church at Savannah, in Chatham County, Georgia.
1843 August 12 Eldest child, a son (Charles Green Pearson) born in Newnansville.
c.1845 Second child, a daughter (Kate Pearson) born in Newnansville.
1845 March 3 Florida becomes the 27th state to be admitted to the Union of the United States of America. July 31 Pearson obtains title to lands in Marion County, Florida "including the mineral
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springs known as Orange Springs." Later, in partnership with David L. Yulee (one of the first two men to represent Florida in the United States Senate), Pearson becomes a major developer of the Orange Springs community. October 6 Elected County Commissioner of Alachua County in Florida' s first general election held after Statehood.
OFFICIAL ELECTION RESULTS COUNTY COMMISSION ALACHUA COUNTY 1845 GENERAL ELECTION (Top 4 Candidates are Elected) Candidates Samuel Geiger J.W. Pearson James Hague Joseph J. Knight Asa Clark L.L. Wamsley William J. Turner Joseph Howell Wyatt C. Allen Daniel Congers Alexander J. Hunter Total Votes Cast 94 87 57 44 35 27 14 14 7 3 1 Percentage of Total Votes Cast 75.2 69.9 45.6 35.2 28.0 21.5 11.2 11.2 5.6 2.4 .08
October 31 Commissioned County Commissioner by Governor William D. Moseley to serve for a term of two years. November 25 Pearson takes the oath of office as a County Commissioner on the first Board of County Commissioners for Alachua County in a ceremony held at the County Courhouse at Newnansville. His colleagues in the office are Samuel Geiger, Joseph J. Knight, and William J. Turner.
1847 October 29 Term as County Commissioner expires; Pearson declines to be a candidate for re-election. December 20 Newnansville. Third child, a daughter (Janet Eliza Pearson) born, probably in
1847 or 1848 Moves with his family from Newnansville to Orange Springs. Here Pearson would become a major developer of the community establishing a large mercantile business which issued scrip over his name, a hotel and boarding house, a cotton gin, machine shop,
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and sawmill (located in nearby Putnam County). He would also engage in planting orange groves (and possibly Sea-Island cotton) on a large scale.
1850 Fourth child, a son (William Tell Pearson) born, probably in Orange Springs. December 4 United States census records for Marion County, Florida list Pearson as a "merchant." No values are recorded on his real and personal estates, but county tax rolls show him to own 1,060 acres of land in Alachua and Marion Counties. He is also listed as the owner of thirteen slaves.
1852 Donates the land and lumber to help construct the Orange Springs Community Church (a Methodist Episcopal Church) at Orange Springs. The church, completed in 1853 and restored in 1982, is one of the oldest remaining houses of worship in Florida. July 27 Granted a bounty land warrant of eighty acres by the United States Pension Office for his service in the Second Seminole War.
1853 A plat of Orange Springs is drawn up, and streets are named. One of them, "Pearson Street" is named in Pearson's honor. February 2 Pearson sells his hotel and boarding house, which he had previously built and established in Orange Springs. May 3 Fifth and youngest child, a daughter (Lucretia Pearson) born in Orange Springs.
June 14 Pearson legally ends his partnership with David L. Yulee, and all lands in Orange Springs are divided up between the two parties. Apparently the split was caused by the failure of a venture to get the Florida Southern Railroad to run through Orange Springs. According to local tradition, Yulee pulled out of the venture when it collapsed, leaving Pearson to pay all of the accumulated debts.
1854 October 26 Pearson mortgages a major portion of his properties to Fones McCarthy of Orange Springs, inventor of a new cotton gin for Sea Island cotton. Also at this time, he apparently goes into partnership with John L. Livingston, also of Orange Springs. Together, they purchase a large cotton gin and machine shop in Orange Springs and go into business as "Pearson & Livingston."
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1855 November 27 Granted an additional bounty land warrant of eighty acres for his Seminole War service.
1858 In Pearson vs. Grice, Pearson successfully appeals a lower court decision to the Supreme Court of Florida sitting in session at Jacksonville. The decision, ordering him to pay a $2,985.13 balance on an account claimed to be due by New York merchant, Joseph Grice, is reversed by the Court, and the case is remanded for a new trial due to errors in admitting and recording evidence. Among the members of the Court hearing the case is Associate Justice Bird M. Pearson, Pearson's second cousin. (The eventual outcome of the new trial ordered by the Court is not known.) September 10 Appointed Agent of the State of Florida by Governor Madison S. Perry to negotiate loans "to provide for the payment of the debts of the State" incurred in the Third Seminole War in 1956. Apparently Pearson was appointed to this position due to his considerable business contacts in Charleston and Savannah.
1859 April Pearson successfully negotiates a loan for the State totaling $241,300.00, payable in twelve months from banks in Charleston and Savannah. Pearson later serves as Disbursing Agent for the State by paying out the sum obtained by the loan to state militia veterans for their service in the Third Seminole War.
1860 June 12 United States census records for Marion County, Florida list Pearson as a "merchant & etc." with real estate holdings valued at $35,000, and a personal estate valued at $36,000. He is also listed as the owner of twenty slaves. County tax rolls also show him to own 115 acres in Marion County. While Pearson is not one of the larger land owners in the county, his personal wealth makes him one of the more prosperous individuals in East Florida. Late Autumn Pearson travels to the northern United States (possibly to New York State) probably on a business related venture. Here he becomes convinced of the inevitability of war between north and south. On his return to Florida, he becomes one of the major movers for secession in Marion County, holding pro-secession meetings at his home in Orange Springs. November 6 Abraham Lincoln is elected the 16th President of the United States. Not a single vote is cast for him in Florida, where his name does not even appear on the ballot. November –December Pearson organizes and equips a volunteer militia company of 125 men with arms and accoutrements which he had fought home with him from South
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Carolina. Calling themselves “the Ocklawaha Rangers,” the men elect Pearson as their Captain. Pearson’s oldest son Charles is also elected Second Lieutenant of the company. November 26 In his last annual message to the State Legislature, Governor Perry calls for the convening of a secession convention of the people of the State of Florida to be held at the State Capitol in Tallahassee. December 20 South Carolina becomes the first State to secede from the Union.
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Chapter III: Secession and War (1861)
1861 January 3 Florida's secession convention assembles at the State Capitol in Tallahassee. An overwhelming majority of the delegates to the convention are radical secessionists. January 6-7 Florida militia troops, facing no opposition, occupy the Federal arsenals at Apalachicola and Chattahoochee and capture Fort Marion in St. Augustine. January 10 The secession convention adopts an Ordinance of Secession withdrawing Florida from the Union by a vote of 62 to 7. February 28 Florida joins the Confederate States of America and ratifies its provisional constitution. March 4 Lincoln is inaugurated as President of the United States in Washington, District of Columbia. March Pearson tenders the services of his company to Governor Perry, who, according to Pearson family tradition, incorporates the Ocklawaha Rangers into one of the first of two regiments of troops called into State service. April 12-13 Confederate artillery guns under the command of Brigadier General Pierre G.T. Beauregard fire on Federal troops at Fort Sumter, South Carolina. The next day the Fort surrenders. This action marks the beginning of the American Civil War. April 15 President Lincoln proclaims that a "state of insurrection" exists and calls for 75,000 militia troops to serve for a term of three months in the U.S. Army. Later, on April 19, Lincoln calls for a naval blockade of the Confederate States. The blockade begins off the coast of Florida in June. April Pearson and his company are ordered to Fernandina, off Florida's east coast in Nassau County.
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Section IV: Guerrilla Warrior (1861-1862)
1861 c.November Pearson's company is made an independent command, and they are ordered to various points along the St. Johns and Ocklawaha Rivers (Cedar Keys, Fowlers Bluff, Clay Landing, Cedar Landing, Cole's Mill, Palatka, Welaka and Dunn's Lake). Here they begin to operate as a guerrilla force against Federal troops and Union sympathizers in the area. December 15 Pearson and his company are mustered into State service.
1862 March 10 Florida's State militia is abolished and Pearson's company is mustered out of State service; however, they continue to serve as an independent force operating along the Ocklawaha and Saint John's Rivers. April 8 In a letter to Brigadier General Richard F. Floyd, commanding State troops in Florida, Pearson writes: "I am now a guerilla in every sense of the word; we neither tell where we stay nor where we are going, nor when we shall return..."
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Chapter V: Tampa Service (1862-1863)
1862 May 14 Pearson's company is mustered into the service of the Provisional Army of the Confederate States at Camp McCarthy in Putnam County to serve for a period of three years or for the duration of the war. May 19 Pearson is re-elected Captain of the company (his commission in the Confederate Army is to rank as of May 14, 1962). The Rangers are ordered to Tampa for service as an independent company, where Pearson assumes command of the garrison at Fort Brooke. June 30-July 1 Unsuccessful naval bombardment of Tampa by the Federal gunboat "Sagamore," Pearson refuses a demand for the unconditional surrender of the town, replying "We have no such thing in the book as surrender." After the engagement, Pearson brings two rifle cannons (nicknamed the "Hornet" and the "Target") from his machine shop at Orange Springs for defense of the town. October 26-27 According to company records made out in Pearson's own hand, the Federal schooner "Beauregard" shells Tampa after sailing into the Bay "in disguise." No one is killed in the bombardment, but "some hair breadth escapes" are reported.
1863 January 1 Pearson announces that he is offering a reward of $20.00 "for the arrest and jailing" of any of the fourteen men who recently deserted his company in Tampa. The incident reflects the low state of discipline and morale among the troops under Pearson's command. February 19 In a letter from Captain W. Call, Assistant Adjutant General of the Military District of East Florida, Pearson is harshly reprimanded for the "insubordination, bad discipline and interference with private property of the men under your command." February 27 Pearson is ordered by Call to explain the reasons for a controversial seizure of sugar by his second-in-command, First Lieutenant Robert D. Harrison, from one of the citizens of Tampa. March 27 Pearson's men ambush and attack a small party of sailors from the Federal bark "Pursuit" anchored off the coast of Tampa. Confederate records report twenty-four sailors killed in the skirmish; Federal naval records report only one officer and three sailors wounded. March 27-28 In retaliation for the attack, Tampa is shelled by the "Pursuit" and the gunboat "Tahoma." They retire after two days "doing but little damage."
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April 23 Pearson is ordered by Call to explain "... a petition from men now and lately under your command alleging certain grievances as sustained by them..." April 24 Pearson's plan for a rifle gun of 2 ½ bore, manufactured at his machine shop in Orange Springs, is accepted for consideration by the Confederate Chief of Ordinance in Charleston. (It is not known whether the gun was ever accepted or purchased by the Confederate Government.) September 11 The Ocklawaka Rangers are incorporated into the 6th Battalion Florida Infantry, Lieutenant Colonel John M. Martin commanding the Rangers became Company B of the Battalion. October 14 Pearson is relieved of command at Fort Brooke by Captain John Westcott of Company A, 2nd Battalion Florida Infantry; he is ordered to proceed to Camp Finegan near Jacksonville, where the company is placed on outpost duty. They are also apparently attached to an artillery company (possibly a company of the Milton Light Artillery) at this time.
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Chapter VI: The Road to Olustee (1863-1864)
1863 November 11-26 Pearson serves as a member of the General Court Martial at the Headquarters of the Department of East Florida at Lake City, Florida. December 8-18 Pearson serves as a member of the General Court Martial at Lake City.
December 22-January 8
1863-1864 Serves on General Court Martial, Lake City.
February 7 Federal expedition under Brigadier General Truman A. Seymour lands at Jacksonville. The expedition, consisting of about 7,000 men including infantry, cavalry and artillery, plans to divide East and West Florida and establish a separate pro-union government in East Florida. February 8 Confederate troops evacuate Camp Finegan; Pearson's cannons Target and Hornet are captured by the Federals after being abandoned in the evacuation of the camp. February 9 Federal troops occupy Baldwin, junction of the railroads from Fernandina to Cedar Keys and from Jacksonville to Tallahassee. February 11 Federal troops advance within three miles of Lake City but are forced to withdraw after heavy skirmishing with Confederate troops under Brigadier General Joseph Finegan. Pearson and his Company are present and serve in this engagement. February 13 Pearson's Company arrives by forced march with General Finegan's force at Camp Beauregard, near Olustee Station on Ocean Pond, Florida. February 20 Battle of Olustee; Federal troops decisively defeated. Pearson and his command serve with the 6th Battalion on the right wing of the Confederate Army, attached to an artillery company (possibly a company of the Milton Light Artillery). According to family tradition, Pearson and his men capture a piece of Federal artillery in the battle, and use it against the retreating Federals "to their great surprise." March –April Company records show Pearson's command to be stationed at Camp Milton, west of Jacksonville. They also serve for a brief period of time at Clay Landing. March 13 Pearson and his command are ordered to Fort Brooke, but they are subsequently directed to turn back near Flemington and return to Orange Springs to meet a strong Federal advance coming from Welaka.
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April 28 The 6th Battalion Florida Infantry is consolidated with three independent companies of Florida Infantry to form the 9th Regiment Florida Volunteers, Colonel John M. Martin commanding. The Ocklawaha Rangers become Company B of this regiment. May 17 Ordered to leave Orange Springs for service with the 9th Florida as part of General Finegan's Brigade in the Army of Northern Virginia.
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Chapter VII: Virginia and Beyond (1864)
May 25
1864 The 9th Florida arrives in Richmond, Virginia.
May 28 The 9th Florida joins Major General Richard H. Anderson's Division of Lieutenant General Ambrose P. Hill's Corps in the Army of Northern Virginia at Hanover Junction. June 3-4 Pearson's command serves with the 9th Florida at the battle of Cold Harbor; Pearson is possibly brevetted to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel for his service in this battle. June 10 Admitted to Howard's Grove Hospital in Richmond. By this time Pearson is probably ill with yellow fever, and according to family tradition, he is also afflicted with a problem affecting one of his hips. His son Charles (now Sergeant Major of the 9th Florida) is also admitted to the Hospital suffering from yellow fever. July 29 Pearson is released from Howard's Grove and returns to duty with the 9th Florida in the trenches near Petersburg, Virginia. July 30 Present with command during the Federal bombardment in the trenches.
August 21 Pearson is severely wounded by a bombshell fragment while leading the regiment in an assault within 100 yards of the Federal breastworks on the Weldon Railroad near Globe Tavern. He is sent to the regiment's Field Infirmary near Petersburg. August 24 Tenders resignation as Captain of Company B, 9th Florida Infantry to Major General Samuel Cooper, Confederate Adjutant General in Richmond. In his letter, Pearson states: "I have been in the military service of the country since near the commencement of the war, endeavoring both with my means and my own personal services to contribute to the attainment of my country's independence." September 2 War. Resignation is accepted by James A. Seddon, Confederate Secretary of
September 30 Pearson dies en route to his home in Orange Springs at the City of Augusta in Richmond County, Georgia, age 56 years, 8 months and 11 days. October 2 Buried in Laurel Grove Cemetery at Savannah. A memorial marker is also later erected in his memory at Orange Springs.
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BIBLIOGRAPHY
A Journal of the Proceedings of the Senate of the General Assembly of the State of Florida, Ninth Session, 1858; Adjourned Session of the Ninth Session, 1859, Tallahassee, Florida Sentinel Office, 1858 and 1859 respectively. Alachua County Land Records, Deed Book A (1845), County Clerk's Office, Gainesville. Alachua County Tax Rolls, 1846-1851, Florida State Archives, Tallahassee. "Captions and Records of Events," Co. B, 9 Florida Infantry (Confederate); Field and Staff, 9 Florida Infantry (Confederate), National Archives and Records Service, Washington, D.C. Chapman, Donald V., historical collection, Orange Springs. Reply to letter requesting information regarding John W. Pearson, Orange Springs, November 2, 1982. Chatham County Marriage Records, 1842, microfilm copy, Georgia Department of Archives and State History, Atlanta. Cutler, Harry Gardner, History of Florida: Past and Present, Volumes I and II, Chicago, Lewis Publishing Co., 1923. Davis, William Watson, The Civil War and Reconstruction in Florida, New York, Longmans, Green, and Co., 1913. Dickison, Mary Elizabeth, Dickison and His Men: Reminiscences of the War in Florida, Gainesville, University of Florida Press, 1962. Edwards, Lucy Ames, Grave Markers of Duval County, Florida 1808-1916, Jacksonville, Jacksonville Chapter D.A.R., 1955. Eighth United States Census, 1860, Free and Slave Population Schedules, Marion County, Florida. Evans, Clement A., editor, Confederate Military History, Volume XI, Atlanta, Confederate Publishing Co., 1899. Falero, Frank, Jr., "Naval Engagements in Tampa Bay, 1862," Florida Historical Quarterly, XLVI, 134-140, April 1967. Frech, Mary L., editor, Chronology and Documentary Handbook of the State of Florida, Dobbs Ferry, Oceana Publications, Inc., 1973. Johns, John E., Florida During the Civil War, Gainesville, University of Florida Press, 1963.
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Kendrick, Bayard, "Blockade Tightens With New Year," Tampa Tribune, January 20, 1963, p. 2-H. Laurel Grove Cemetery Records, Savannah Public Library, Savannah, Georgia. Linton, Calvin D., editor, The Bicentennial Almanac, Nashville, Thomas Nelson, Inc., 1975. Marion County Land Records, Deed Books C-G (1849-1862), County Clerk's Office, Ocala, Florida. Marion County Tax Rolls, 1848-1867, Florida State Archives, Tallahassee, Florida. Marks, Henry S., Who Was Who in Florida, Huntsville, Alabama: The Strode Publishers, 1973. McKay, J.B., "Tampa's 1864 Artillery Included 3 Ex-U.S. Guns; Two Guns Bored From Engine Shafts," Tampa Tribune, February 5, 1956. Moody, Eliza Pearson, "The Oklawaha Rangers," unpublished manuscript, Confederate Museum, Richmond. Morris, Allen, The Florida Handbook 1983-1984, Tallahassee, The Peninsular Publishing Co., 1984. Norman, Annie B. and Caroline P. Brown, Cemeteries of Marion County, Florida, Volume I, Ocala, Ocala Chapter D.A.R., 1977. Ott, Eloise Robinson and Louis Hickman Chazal, Ocali Country: Kingdom of the Sun, Ocklawaha, Marion Publishers, 1966. Pakula, Marvin H., William J. Ryan and David K. Rothstein, Centennial Album of the Civil War, New York, Castle Books, 1960. Pearson, Eugene L., "A Pearson Family History," unpublished manuscript, 1962, South Caroliniana Library, Columbia. Pearson, George R., Jr., great-grandson of John W. Pearson. Reply to letter requesting information regarding Pearson, Raleigh, August 21, 1983. "Pearson, James W.," Private, Hindley's Co. Dancy's 2 Fla. Mounted Militia (Florida War), military service records, National Achives and Records Service, Washington, D.C. (Pearson's name was mistakenly copied on the muster rolls as "James W." instead of "John W.").
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"Pearson, John W.," Bounty Land Warrant Application files for service in the Second Seminole War; Captain, Co. B., 9 Florida Infantry (Confederate); Land Entry files (18451856), National Archives and Records Service, Washington, D.C. Porter, Admiral David D., The Naval History of the Civil War, Seacaucus, Castle, 1984. Procter, Samuel, editor, Florida A Hundred Years Ago, Coral Gables, Civil War Centennial Commission, 1963. Reports of Cases Argued and Adjudged in the Supreme Court of Florida at Terms Held in 1858-1859, Volume VIII, Tallahassee, Office of the Floridian and Journal, 1859. Rerick, Roland H., Memoirs of Florida, Volumes I-II, Atlanta, The Southern Historical Associaiton, 1902. Robertson, F.L., Soldiers of Florida in the Seminole Indian, Civil, and Spanish-American Wars, Live Oak, Democratic Book and Job Print, 1903. Roster of State and County Officers Commissioned by the Governor of the State of Florida 1845-1868, Series 259, Book A, Florida State Archives, Tallahassee. Seventh United States Census, 1850, Free and Slave Population Schedules, Marion County, Florida. "Story Yields Pearson Grave Information," Ocala Star-Banner (Ocala, Florida), April 10, 1974. Territorial and State Election Returns, 1822-1929, Record Group 156, series 21, carton 4 (Alachua County 1845), Florida State Archives. Tallahassee, Florida. United States War Department, Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies in the War of the Rebellion, Series I, Volumes XIV, XXVIII, XXXV, LIII, Washington, Government Printing Office, 1901. Warner, Ezra J., Generals in Gray: Lives of the Confederate Commanders, Baton Rouge, Louisiana State University Press, 1970.
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