A Gift in My Inbox

I discovered in a Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) application that used my four times great grandfather, Samuel Beard, as their Revolutionary War ancestor, the name of the husband of Samuel's daughter, Elizabeth "Betsey" Beard. He was Rufus Thomas and together he and Betsey had a daughter named Julia Thomas. As I was searching for information on Julia, I learned she married William Ware Jopling.

Attached to another Ancestry.com member's public tree was this wonderful photo:

Jopling Family Portrait courtesy of Ancestry.com member ebmayes

I messaged ebmayes and told her about the information I had discovered on the DAR application and heard from her the next day. She is related to William and Julia (Thomas) Jopling's daughter, Mary Elizabeth Jopling, who went by the nickname, "Mollie." I learned her mother actually stayed with the woman who had applied for DAR membership in the 1960s and writes genealogy books! Then I got the best surprise of all.

This copy of the above photograph with Mollie's writing across the top appeared in my email inbox, along with an article which appeared in Confederate Veteran magazine.

Copy of Confederate Veteran magazine article with Mollie (Jopling) Bondurant's
handwriting across the top

The rich genealogical detail in the article is wonderful:

"Jas. W. Joplin, now resident of Elizabethtown, Ky., is eighty-nine years old. He lived in Franklin County, Va., at the breaking out of the Civil War. Although too old for active service, he had six sons fighting for the Confederacy. He assisted in raising and equipping one company and had it drilled on his place. His home was known as Confederate headquarters, and many a soldier was fed and assisted by him.

He was a personal friend of Gen. J. A. Early, and it was at the Joplin home that Gen. Early was concealed after Lee's surrender while Federal soldiers were scouring the country for him, to get the reward for his body, "dead or alive." Gen. Early made his escape from Virginia on "Gray Bill" a noted horse that Thos. M. Joplin rode at the time of the surrender. This horse was captured from a squad of Federal soldiers while Early was attempting to cross the Mississippi River.

Mr. Joplin's sons served as follows: Thos. M. Joplin (now of Franklin, Tenn.) in the first Tennessee Cavalry. He was considered mortally wounded while with Morgan at Lebanon, Tenn., in 1862. He was afterwards scout from army headquarters and was badly wounded again. He was much with Sam Davis.

J. B. Joplin, the second son, (now of Gurley, Ala.) served with distinction in Second Virginia Cavalry with Gen. J. E. B. Stuart until his death, and afterwards with Gen. Fitzhugh Lee. He was wounded at the first battle of Manassas -- and again in the battle of Seven Pines. He participated in all the battles of his command in the Virginia campaign.

Jessee Joplin, (now of Eureka, Mo.) served in Second Mississippi Cavalry, with Forrest at Fort Pillow and all through his campaign; he was wounded twice and is now a cripple from his wound. 

Wm. A. Joplin, (now of Garuthersville, Mo.) served in Thirty-seventh Virginia Cavalry with Col. Dunn; in West Virginia under Gen. Wm. L. Jackson, who chose him as a guide and companion after Gen. Lee's surrender.  They were to join Gen. Early to the Trans-Mississippi Department, but abandoned the undertaking after ten days in the Pines.

J. C. Joplin, (now at Santa Ana, Calif.) served in the Second Virginia Cavalry and was known as one of the bravest and most daring soldiers in his regiment, being always at the front when duty demanded. 

F. M. Joplin (now of Elizabethtown, Ky.) was thirteen years old when the war begun, and participated  with Roanoke College Reserve Company, 1863. He ran away from school in June, 1864, joined the First Virginia Infantry when sixteen years old, and served under Gen. Ewell in front of Richmond and in that vicinity. He was with Gen. R. E. Lee's Army at Appomattox."