I have to admit, I looked at the record initially and dismissed it because to my knowledge there was no Charles Rounds born between Charles Rounds (1811) and Charles Rounds (1878) the son of Goliah Rounds. I continued my Civil War research on my Thompson ancestor, but kept that pension file in the back of my mind. After about another couple of months, I decided to look over the record and couldn't dismiss the coincidence.I ordered the pension file from the National Archives. I was pleasantly surprised that my 'hunch' paid off. I found a long forgotten Rounds Family member, Charles Rounds Jr.
This pension file, although only 19 pages long gave some vital information about Charles Jr. and his parents Charles Sr. and Charity Rounds. From the documentation, Charles was enlisted in the 50th USCT of Vicksburg, Mississippi at the rank of Private. About one month after mustering in on July 20, 1863 at the young age of 23, Charles died of disease on August 12, 1863. This puts his estimated birth year at about 1840 making Charles Jr. the oldest known child of Charles Sr. and Charity. He was described as being 5'4" having a black complexion, black hair and his occupation was a farmer.
The pension file also gives information about Charles and Charity receiving a $100 bounty on February 3, 1880 as a provision of the Bounty Act of July 1866. They filed two claims which leads me to believe that they may have been paid $200 total. This may have been the money they used to assist in the acquisition of The Rounds Plantation.
After the death of Charles Rounds Sr., Charity filed for the pension of Charles Jr in 1890 and started receiving a Civil War pension on August 11, 1890. She received a pension until her death on August 18, 1910. Witness statements report that she was nearly 100 years old upon her passing. The witness who reported her death was her grandson, Charles Rounds (son of Goliah and Dinah Rounds) along with son-in-law Jerry Shephard a man named Daniel Duncan. His statement confirms the oral history that Charity is buried on the side of the Rounds Plantation house.
7 comments:
Thank you so much Bill! Thank you for reading the blog! I hope that you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoy researching and writing it.
Thank you, so much, for finding Charles Rounds, Jr. I had no idea he was the eldest child of Charles and Charity Rounds. I always thought my great, great grandfather, Andrew Rounds (b. 1842), was the eldest child.
I am so pleasantly surprised to read that Charity Rounds lived to be nearly 100! Whenever, I go back home and visit the Rounds Plantation (Glen Aubin) I will make it my business to get a closer look at the headstones.
Do you have any pictures of any of our ancestors? I would love to see them or get a copy.
Please continue to research our family history and keep us informed. Please let me know how I may be of assistance.
There are several things of utmost importance to me and our family that really needs to be researched and addressed that I would love to discuss with you privately.
Please contact me at: irisrjohnson[at]gmail[dot]com.
I think we may be connected some kind of way. I recently started diving into my family history and the names you mentioned above came up in my family tree. Goliah Rounds seems to be my great-great grandfather on my mothers side of the family. They were all from Natchez, Mississippi and I actually went down to visit the family land when I was a round 12 years old with my grandfather. Goliahs son, Alexander is the father of my grandfather Sargent Rounds.
Would like to know what other information you have regarding the history and the family
I am Tim McGee grandson of Mary Alice Washing (Will and Alice Washing) the house Glen Aubin house is where she and her siblings grew up and our family cemetary is only yards away from the house. Will was the nephew of Charles and Goliath Rounds. On Will's property in Sibley Ms. we have the Washington-Rounds family reunions and the largest zydeco fest in Mississippi there and the road leading to the main property is named Will Washington Road in Sibley Ms. Other family members the Ealey Brothers YZ and Theodis are famous blues players Theodis has even had a no 1 song "Stand Up In It" on the R&b/HipHop charts and they have a plaque on the Mississippi blues trail. We also have a family church Mt Olive. Will and Alice had 8 kids Naomi, Bertha, Dorothy, Chester, Will Jr., Elijah, Winnifer, and Dinah. Will and Alice are my great grandparents and I grew up going to Natchez and Sibley Ms. I still do if you want more history on the family contact our family historian my aunt Gwendolyn Vanderson of Natchez Ms. the family would love to see more Rounds start to attend the reunions again. Also there is a Charles Rounds not much older than me that He always was known for sining and playing the organ and piano his sister Pinky was a great singer as well. Musch of the grandkids/great grandkids and beyond have left Natchez and are in Houston and Dallas Tx. Others are in Chicago and Peoria Ill and New York. This is my family and their story is beautiful the family mantra is "Our Roots Run Deep" hope this helps and gives you a better understanding of the family. By the way the cemetary is ours but the house was sold and is now a tourist spot (I hate that but it is what it is)
I also have pictures of Goliath Rounds too
Also left my grandmom off the list of her siblings for Will and Alice Washington her name was Mary Alice Washington Sorry Grandma Love you!
and St. Arby there are 9 kids last correction sorry
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