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Filed for Record May 19, 1860:

Sawford Jackson Clerk

by V. P. Adams, his Deputy

Thomas C. Sawell to John Lineberger

Know all men by these present that we Thomas C. Sawell and Saphenia C. Sawell of the county of Pemiscot in the State of Missouri have this day for and in concideration of the sum of Two Hundred ___?____ Dollars to the same Thomas C. Sawellin hand by John Lineberger of the county of Harrison in the State of Indiana grants bargined and seals and by these present do grant bargin and sell unto the said John Lineberger the following described tract or parcel of land situated inthe county of Pemiscot in the State of Misouri that is to say the North half of the South East quarte of section frunteer in township in sevente in range twelve last containing eighty acres to have and to hold the premises hereby conveyed with all the rights reivileges and appestances thereto - belonging as in any wise appestaining unto the said John Lineberger his heirs and assigns __?___ and I the said Thomas C. Sawell hereby conventing to an with the said John Lineberger his heirs and assigns for himself his heirs executors and administrators to warrant and defend the title to the premises hereby conveyed against the claim of any person whatsoever in witness whereof we have hereto subscribed our names and affixed my seals this the 25th day of April 1860 AD.

S. C. Powell

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LETTER TO EBENEZER M. BARTLES' FAMILY DURING CIVIL WAR FROM J. L. BOTTLES, COUSIN IN TENN. AND "LUT.", [Lieutenant]  IN CONFERERATE ARMY. BRACKETS ] ARE MINE. as per Peggie R. Bastin

Johnson Island

New Sandusky City, Ohio

July 24, 1862                                           

                                           

Mr. E. Bartles:

Dear Cousin,

I received you letter of the 18th instant [?] today.  It was a sense of great satisfaction to me to hear from you.  I should of wrote to you long before this had I not forgot where you lived.

You say that cousin Thomas had received two letters, that is all. I wrote and have never received a line from him.  It would aford me great satisfaction to correspond with all of my friends, more especially since I am a prisner and have been a prisner.  Received one letter from my wife wrote in May.  She had quite a hard time of it getting home.  Father met her at Murphrysbury after which she got a long very well.  Brother Sam was one of my Lut. and was conveslent and directed to take care of the sick at Russellville while moving them to Nashville.  The Federalist over run that country therefore my wife was left alone with his little boy.  She received kind treetment from Mr. Fuqua and Lady and was sent on his way home.

Last information from home all of our friends was well, that is as late as the 28th June.  Father is quite stoute.  He left home and went in the house with my wife.  William has not bin sound long, he went in to Fathers house.  We are farmers two miles south of our old place where we have bin living for the last seven years.  I often think of you as I pace up and down the branch where we played when boys.  You say you want me to come and see you.  I suspose it will be out of my power.  I recon they will continue to march me at the point of the musket untill safely laid in the C.S.  I am in fair spirits and good health; weigh 186 lbs.  It is publiched in all the papers we get here that a general exchange of prisnors was about to be agreed on.  How true it is, I can not say, but rather think it is doutful.  We are comfortable here, plenty of substantial food and the privlig of buying such fruit as the market affords.  I have bin compeled to have none as I was with out available means.  All the money I had was C.S. bonds such as we think is good at home.  I wrote to cousin Thomas to send me some but as well as I recolect, if he ever has, I have not received it.  When I was captured I lost all my close but my uniform which my wife had in her trunk.  [Must mean clothes in her trunk, not uniform.]

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I want you to set down and write me a long letter and tell me all about your brothers and sisters, what they do and how they are geting along, also how Uncle William's family is and all the rest of our friends that are in that country.  It will be a great satisfaction to Father & Mother as well as all the rest of your friends that I may have the good luck to see before long.

Give all my love and tell all to unite and if pease is ever restored and I am alive, I intend to see you all.  I remain your affectionate cousin untill death.

J. L. Bottles

(The old name is Bartles - I like it the best. I have always signed my name Bottles.)

Comment and analysis by Gillis Dan Bartles 2-15-92

Here we see a very interesting insight to our family, one J.L. Bottles or James L. as we know his full name was, he was one of what we believe were a  set of twins and believe to be the son's of John H. Bottles aged 52 yrs. as noted in the 1850 Tenn. census, we know that he was the older brother to our S. M. or Samuel McCracken Bottles, patriarch of the Texas clan, now just think of it, here are some words of our own flesh and blood as he was serving time in a northern prisoner of war camp. I am touched as I read his letter, for I know he did not make it through the war. J.L. died the 26th of Oct. 1863, it is not known whether or not he died of natural causes or of wounds suffered in the war or by some disease, and whether or not it was in prison or otherwise.

Note that J.L. has mentioned his Brother Sam, we of course interept that to be our S.M., now again isn't that something!, father is of course John H. Bottles, as mentioned earlier, aged 52 yrs. in 1850.

I am somewhat puzzeled by J.L.'s comment "the Federalist over run that country therefore my wife was left with his little boy". Now this I don't understand at all, but maybe I really do, (you'll see what I mean later), It looks for the world as if J.L. is simply saying the Yankees invaded the country of the old homeplace and Sam's son was staying with J.L.'s wife Susan (Lineweaver) Bottles. Now how in the world did Sam have a little boy, if he did not marry Maggie until January of 1866, could it be that he was indeed already married and the person to whom he was married to was Bettie Elizabeth Mull as spoken about by the Carolina clan, remember now that the Carolina clan speaks of a C.M. Bartles that guarded prisoners somewhere in S.C. during the war, and married a woman he met in S.C. during the war, this makes pretty good sense as there is no war record for a C.M. Bartles, or a federal census for that matter, and we possess copies of documents signed by S.M. that looks for the world like he is signing it C.M., also the signature on the letter to Henry Mull Sr. his father-in-law at the present time, if all this is correct, now also see where J.L. in his letter speaks of Brother Sam being conveslent and directed to

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take care of the sick at Russellville while moving them to Nashville, now could this of been federal prisoners of war he is taking care of, and possibly guarding as the Carolina clan speaks of. Now there is one big glaring hole in all of the above theories, we see where Sam is living at home in 1860, and is aged 26, could it be that the Carolina story like all stories is only partially correct and has gotten distorted with the passing of time, and Sam was indeed married earlier and simply left Bettie Elizabeth sometime between his marriage and 1860, his letter, if it is his, to Henry Mull Sr. is dated Dec. 14th 1856, this of course leaves plenty of time between the 1850 Tenn. census and the 1860 census to have had a family and to have left that union and returned back home to John H. and Susannah. dunno! All pure speculation, shame on you Sam M. for not telling more of your early life and history, and shame on you for dying so soon, and grandpa shame on you for not listening better, you are forgiven as you where just a child when your old daddy died, and Maggie, you could have said more yourself you know, maybe you tried and no one listened or cared, and finally shame on myself Gillis Dan for not listening to my grandpa John Samuel.

Anyway now that I got that out of my system, J.L. is of course speaking of his Uncle William, he must be speaking of him posthumously as we know William died in Indiana in I believe 1853, well now let me think, after all J.L. is not really inquiring how Uncle William is doing but how Uncle William's children are doing. The other William, mentioned thusly, "William has not bin sound long, he went in to Fathers house."  We know this to be his younger brother William W. or M. shown as the young 17 yr. old boy in the 1850  Tenn. census.

Now this letter and others were provided by Peggie Rees Bastin, of Owensboro Kentucky, we will always be indebted to her for sharing this small glimpse into the window of the past. She is a new found cousin.

You will note that her narrative of the letter states that the [ ]'s are hers, perhaps she also meant to include the ( )'s, whatever the intent, just think, if the comment about the (The old name is Bartles - I like it best. I have always signed my name Bottles) then we are truly blessed and are indeed being granted a true and rare glance into the distant past and may for once and for all resolve a mystery for all these years about just what our name really was, and of course still is, see what I am saying, he may be letting Ebenezer know why he is writing to his cousin, and addresing him as E. Bartles, and why he is signing his letter J.L. Bottles, I believe I get the distinct impression that these two boys Ebenezer and J. L. were friends when they were very young, note the comments of pacing up and down the branch when we were boys, like a lot of cousins are, and the never ending march of time and circumstance have them separated for many years, and in a way they are finding it necessary to somewhat re-acquaint themselves with one another.

I'm tired now, I'll have to charge my battery!

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Johnson's Island

August 31st 1862

Dear Cousin,

I write to inform you that I am well and hope this will reach you in due time and find you and family well.

I have bin expecting a letter from you for some days but have not received many except two, both of which I have received some time ago. I have no nuse to write, have not heard from home since the 11 July at which time all of my family and friends was well.

We are all packed up and will leave in the morining for Vixburg to be exchanged.  You may depend it is a gratifying thing to know that we will once more be free men.  I intend to inlist for the war but intend to first visit my friends at home.

Give my love to all of friends, tell them I would love to see them all.  Write to me at home whenever opertunity affors and I will do the same to you.

I remain your friend and cousin,

J. L. Bottles

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LETTER FROM MOSES LINEBERGER:

 Dallis, Webster County

 Missouri

 February 8th 1873

Mr. E. M. Bartles

Dear Sir,

 I this evening seat myself to let you know our where abouts. We are all well except bad colds.  I written to you at Golcanda, have had no chance to write until now.  I have been traveling over parts of Mo. found some good country and some not so good though.  I can do better here than I can in Tennessee.  There is no trouble for a man to get him a good farm here; there is a good deal of vacant land here yet plenty of railroad land at from 5 to 10 dollars per acre.  I haven't bought me a farm yet.  I surveyed the other day 80 acres of government land that is as leavel as any of the Ohio bottoms and is rich enough  timbered prairie that I expect to take up.  It will cost me about $15. There is 280 acres left in the same section vacant.  I want you and all the boys to come out here next fall and get you a farm.  I have rented me a farm for this year, 22 1/2 miles East of Springfield, Mo. and 10 miles South of Marshfield.  You can get on a boat at your house and run to St. Louis and there take the train and in 12 hours, you can be at Marshfield within ten miles of my house.  There is a great deal of waste land in this country but the farming land is good and the range for cattle is fine and everlasting.

Now you will find my letter written backwards.  You will write to me soon and give me all the news you hear.  Give the boys my best respects and all the connections and tell them to write to me.  When you write to Joseph, tell him to write to me at Dallas Webster County, Mo. Tell me what has become of Junius Lineberger.

Mary sends you and family her best respects.  So no more at this time, only remain yours as ever.

M. Lineberger

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Marshfield, Mo

April 28 - 98

Miss Ruth Sterett,

My Dear Cousin,

Though I never met you.  I was aware that I had a cousin by that name, and for the first time in my life, it is to answer your letter to tell you the saddest thing that err my heart knew.  But what can I say?  This is all so utterably inexpressible.  But it seems if I could tell this great trouble to you I would feel a relief.  I believe you to be good, you could help me to bear this that seems so hard for me.  Your letter of sympathy was so comforting and feel that you do sympathize with us though only as one who has never known the loss of a father or mother.  It is a loss which can never be realized by those who never experience such.  Poor dear old father it seems so hard to give him up in such a way.  If he had taken sick at home where we could have nursed and waited on him, it would not have been so hard to give him up as the way it was.

That awful scene is every present in my mind.  I saw him clinging to the tree.  I saw him go down under those muddy waters while we could only stand and look on.  A horrible sight.  O merciful Father, did he think that we, his children had forsaken him, surly not.  I was at home alone that day; it rained so I knew the creek must have been past fording and knowing they would be anxious to cross.  I decided to go over soon as it quit raining and tell them not to try to cross if there was any danger at all, that I would stay alone or I would be safe alone and not to wory about me.  But when I got there I was too late.  They had tried to cross.  Brother had swam out and had made three or four efforts to reach Pa but the waters would wash him down each time until he was wearied out and was chilled to death.  There was several men on the bank, but all said they could not do anything.  I went after some more men and asked them if they could not do something and they said not.  Then it seemed there was nothing we could do but hope that he could stay until the waters lowered.  They told us he might, but his strength gave way.  He could stay no longer. He was found the 24th, the following Thursday.

I'll send you an obituary which all will probably be interested in reading.  Though unexpected when found, he was so natural, he was the very picture of health with it seemed a pleasant smile on his countenance.  He was simply beautiful.  How often I have heard him speak of that trip to Meade Co. and of being at your Grandpa Bartles.  He enjoyed himself talking about those old times they used to spend together.  He often spoke of Dora Bartles and remembered her as she was then.  In fact, I have heard him speak of them so much that I feel that I know you and love you all.  I know of no other relations on my fathers side but the Bartles family and W. F. Wease who lives in our neighborhood.  I

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wish I might know more of you all and think we would like each other very much, at least I think I would like you all.  I used to have a letter occasionally from your Aunt Emma before she got married.

Hoping the letter received from you may not be the last and that you will remember us kindly to the rest of the relations,

I am Your Affectionate Cousin,

Etta C. Lineberger

LETTERS TO MEDORA BARTLES, 12 YRS. OLD, FROM HER UNCLE BEN CRECELIUS, 19 YRS. OLD IN UNION ARMY:

November 14, 1862

I take my pen in hand to writing on a few lines to let me know we are all well today and hoping these few lines may find you the same.

I havent much time to write much this evening.  I got your letter today sent by W. Peckenpaugh and I was glad to hear from you.  Tell you Pa to write to me ever chance he has and I want you to.

No more at present but remain your true friend,

                            B. F. Crecelius

Medora Bartles

E & A Bartles

BEN WAS A BROTHER TO ABIGAIL.  HE DIDN'T MAKE IT EITHER.  KILLED AT KNOXVILLE, HE'S BURIED IN SOLDIERS CEMETERY THERE.

ABIGAIL CRECELIUS WAS THE WIFE OF EBENEZER BARTLES.  EBENEZER IS THE FIRST BORN SON OF JOSEPH W. AND ANNA (LINEBERGER) BARTLES/BOTTLES.

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1862

Camp Ed Weir Nov 25

Owensboro, Ky. Davis Co.

Miss Medora Bartles,

I take my pen in hand to let you know we are all well at present and hoping these few lines may find you the same.  I wood of wrote to you before now but I had a chance to write to night to you.

Our boys started to Brandenburgh last Friday and I dont know when they will be back again and as soon as they come back we will come to Brandenburg.  If I can get a furlow I will come on a steamboat.  I want to get a furlow for ten or twelve days.  I dont expect I can get a furlow at all; it will be about Christmas when I come home.  I want you to cook me a big Shanghigh chicken for dinner.  If you will I will fech you a Christmas gift.  I wish I had one of your Shanghighs now to eat to knight.

All the boys is making so much fus I dont know what to write.  We have a fine time here in camp.

It is a snowing to night and its very cold to night and it has been tolerable cold for the last two weeks.  It snowed about 2 weeks ago.

I want you to write to me as soon as you get this letter.  You must excuse my bad writing as I am in a hurry.  You will direct your letter to Camp Ed Wier near Owensboro, Ky.

No more at present but remains your friend untill death,

                                        B. F. Crecelius

CONT. FROM NOV. 25, 1862  CAMP ED WEIR LETTER

Medora Bartles

E. Bartles

Abigail Bartles

Frank Bartles

Charley Bartles

(Un-noted P.S.)  The Star Spangled banner Oh long may it wave over the land of the free and the home of the Brave.  If Ky. tomarrow unfurls the banner of resistance, I never will fight under that banner again.  I vow(?) her permanent alligience to the union, a support(?) vote one Henry Clay in the senate 1850.  Herray for the union, the constitution and the enforcements of the laws.

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Camp Ed Weir

Owensboro, Ky

Dec. 7th 1862

Miss Medora Bartles

I take my pen in hand to let you know we are all well to day, hoping when these few lines may find you the same.  I received your letter last night and was glad to hear you was all well and that Joseph had got back and that Phillip was a comeing up home about Christmas and for you to come home to.  I expect I will be at home in a week or two and stay about two weeks and to catch some of them rebels; we take more or less rebels every week.

Our boys taken five or six rebels up there and they took Cal Richardson and sent him off to Camp Chase and when we come up there I expect we will take some of the rebels there.  Our boys has gone on a scout out about fifteen miles to take some rebels.  They will be back tomarrow with five or six.

Harden got him a new pair of boots and he is a proud as if the war was over.  I want to get me a pair before I come home, I would like to be at home awhile and then wood like to be back.

You said George Noble was at Bowling Green and that Philip was at Bardstown, Ky.  I expect we will go to Bowling Green for winter quarters and if he is, I will get to see him.  I wood like to see Philip and George awhile.  Tell Joseph I want him to write to me and for him to write all about Missouri and for (him to) write what for times he had since he left.  Tell Charley to sing that Billy Boy Blue, come blow your horn for me.

I want you to write to me as soon as you get this letter.  You must excuse my bad writing as I am in a hurry.  I recken I will have to quite writing as I have no more paper.

No more at this time, from your friend,

                                        B. F. Crecelius

Medora

Ebenezer

Abigail

Frank and

Charley

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TO E. M. BARTLES FROM BEN CRECELIUS, BROTHER-IN-LAW:

Columbia, Adair Co., Ky.

 May 13, 1863

Ebenezer Bartles

Dear Sir, it is with pleasure that I seat myself to write you a few lines to let you know that we are all well today hoping these few lines may find you the same.

I received your letter some time ago and had no chance to answer it untill now.  I got four or five letters at the same time and was out on a scout and couldn't git no paper to write to you.

I will tell you about our scout.  We packed three days rations and started out on a scout and expected we wood be back in three or four days.  We went to Campbellville and stayed all night and then we went to Columbia and then we went from there to Burksville on Cumberland River.  We stayed there about a week and then came back to Columbia and stayed four days and then went to Panestown and on to the Cumberland River and then we learned that the rebels was at Monticello.  We went over the river and went to Monticello and stayed there three or four days and it rained all the time and when we came back to the river, the river was so high that it tuck us three days to cross.   These was the ninth, eleventh and twelf Ky. Cavalry and regiment of infantry and two pieces of artillery and just as we was about over, in came old Morgan on the other side and the most of the forces had to cross back and one piece of artilley and struck out after him.  They went about six miles and we attacked him and drove them back about a half mile.  Then they drove our fources back to the river where we cross over and come back here to Columbia.  I don't know the loss on our side, but it was tolerable heavy.  The rebels must have lost a good many men.  There wasent more than two thirds of the forces engaged in it; there was none of our Company in the fight.  Old Morgan left the next night and the talk is that they crossed the river about ten miles before where we crossed and said to be coming on this way. But I dont think that he will come in this way. Its more like that he would stay away awhile for I wood like to rest awhile for we have been out in the country for four weeks.  I dont think that we will stay here long.  I think that if old Morgan comes on in, this means that we will either go to Lebanon or Mumfordsville.  I think if old Morgan stayes away we will be payed off _________use should of been payed off it we hadent to of been sent on this scout, we are ordered to make out our pay rolls and if we are payed off I think we will be payed off I will get to come home. They a going to furlow out the tenth part of the regiment as soon as we git to some camp. I wood like to be a home awhile soon for to see you all. If we go to Lebanon, I know we will be payed

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off and then know that some of us will git to come home. I learned that Wm. Peckenpaugh got a discharge. Thomas Peckenpaugh got a letter the other day from home that I learned from.  I havent got any letters from home for some three weeks. I havent wrote any letter since we have been out on this scout and that I wrote to Bill at Burksville. If these arent some mountains where we have been; I never seen any in my life.

You can go on over the hills at Burksville and see the Cumberland mountains. We went on a scout from Monticello and went in about seven miles from the Tennessee line.

I have nothing more of importance to write to you this time.  You will excuse my bad writing as I am in a hurray and _________how I write and have a chance soon to write.  I will bring my letter to a close.  I want you to write as soon as you get this letter, for I wood like to hear from you so you will direct your letter to Columbia, Adair Co., Ky.

So no more at this time, from your affectionate friend untill death,

                                    Benjamin F.Crecelius

Hurah for the union and the enforcement of the laws!

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Source:     Peggie (Rees) Bastin of Owensboro KY