Jonathan Nowell was born in Johnston County, NC on August 3, 1820. He was deputy sheriff of Wake County, NC when the Mexican War broke out. He enlisted in Company I of the 12th Infantry Regiment. He was present when General Winfield Scott's men participated in the attack upon the walled heights of Chaputapec. He was 38 years old when the Civil War broke out. He immediately sought to serve his home state. Jonathan enlisted in Company K, NC 14th Infantry on April 23, 1861.
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| 1st Muster Roll for Jonathan |
He deserted from the 14th on April 27, 1862 at Fort Bee, VA.
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| Muster Roll showing Jonathan's Desertion |
Jonathan Nowell re-enlisted in Petersburg, Virginia in 1863, this time in the North Carolina 31st Infantry Regiment where he would serve for the remainder of the war. I will cover his service with the NC 31st in a forthcoming entry.
Below is Jonathan's obituary from the Asheville, NC paper:
OBITUARY - December 23, 1908
A VETERAN OF THE MEXICAN WAR DEAD
Asheville, N.C. , Dec. 23- JONATHAN NOWELL, aged 88 years, veteran of the Mexican and Civil War and who sought to enlist for the Spanish-American war, died at the home of his son, Charles Nowell, at West Asheville early yesterday morning. He retained full possession of his faculties up to a short time before his death.
Mr. Nowell was a deputy sheriff of Wake Co this state, when troops were mustered in for the Merican War and enlisted to Company I, of the 12th Regiment composed almost entirely of North Carolinians and saw much active service during the campaign in Mexico. He participated with General Scott's army in the attack upon the walled heights of Chaputepec and was one of the intreped detail which hewed a hole through the castle walls through which the troops entered the forti-fications. In speaking of this incident, the old veteran related that many men were shot down by his side while they were working on the walls, adding " The Mexicans stopped shooting when our men began to pick them off every time they poked their heads over the wall to shoot at us ".
Mr. Nowell was a deputy sheriff of Wake Co this state, when troops were mustered in for the Merican War and enlisted to Company I, of the 12th Regiment composed almost entirely of North Carolinians and saw much active service during the campaign in Mexico. He participated with General Scott's army in the attack upon the walled heights of Chaputepec and was one of the intreped detail which hewed a hole through the castle walls through which the troops entered the forti-fications. In speaking of this incident, the old veteran related that many men were shot down by his side while they were working on the walls, adding " The Mexicans stopped shooting when our men began to pick them off every time they poked their heads over the wall to shoot at us ".
When War Between the States broke out Mr. Nowell enlisted in the 14th NC Regiment and served throughout the war, seeing much active service with his regiment.
When war was declared against Spain, the doughty old veteran still full of fight, again sought to enlist for active service in Cuba but was rejected on account of his age.
Mr. Nowell was born in Wake County, N.C., on August 3, 1820 but for many years past had been a resident of Buncombe county. He was the last of the Mexican war veterans in this county.
Jonathan Nowell is buried in the Asbury Memorial United Methodist Church Cemetery in Asheville, NC.
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| Grave of Johnathan Nowell |
Here's my relation to Jonathan:
Jonathan Nowell 1820-1909
3rd cousin 5x removed
3rd cousin 5x removed
William Nowell 1794-1880
Father of Jonathan Nowell
Father of Jonathan Nowell
James Nowell 1767-1830
Father of William Nowell
Father of William Nowell
John Nowell 1736-1793
Father of James Nowell
Father of James Nowell
James Martin Nowell 1682-
Father of John Nowell
Father of John Nowell
Dempsey Nowell Sr. 1728-1777
Son of James Martin Nowell
Son of James Martin Nowell
Dempsey Nowell Jr. 1755-1810
Son of Dempsey Nowell Sr.
Son of Dempsey Nowell Sr.
Rev. John Nowell 1803-1859
Son of Dempsey Nowell Jr.
Son of Dempsey Nowell Jr.
Joseph Warren Nowell 1829-1889
Son of Rev. John Nowell
Son of Rev. John Nowell
Walter Hinton Nowell 1855-1922
Son of Joseph Warren Nowell
Son of Joseph Warren Nowell
Joseph Warren Nowell 1889-1954
Son of Walter Hinton Nowell
Son of Walter Hinton Nowell
Ruth Adelaide Nowell Stokes 1918-2013
Daughter of Joseph Warren Nowell
Daughter of Joseph Warren Nowell
Selby Edward "Stokey" Stokes Jr. 1946-2019
Son of Ruth Adelaide Nowell Stokes
Son of Ruth Adelaide Nowell Stokes
Company K, of the North Carolina 14th Infantry Regiment, also known as the "Raleigh Rifles", was formed in Raleigh in June of 1861. They were originally designated as the 4th Regiment of North Carolina Volunteers. They received designation as the NC 14th Infantry Regiment on November 14, 1861 by State Order No. 222.
William Loftin Nowell was born in Wake County, NC in October of 1839. Prior to his enlistment in the Confederate Army, he was an Engineer for the Raleigh & Gaston Railroad. William enlisted as a Private in the North Carolina 14th Infantry Regiment on April 21, 1861. He was mustered into the service on May 1, 1861.
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| 1st Muster for William |
He "deserted" to work on the Raleigh Railroad for part of 1863.
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| Roll showing William was working on the Railroad in Raleigh |
He appeared on a Receipt Roll for clothing in the 3rd Quarter of 1864. So we know he was back from his previous "desertion".
William Loftin Nowell lived an additional 41 years after the Civil War. He died in Louisburg, NC on August 23, 1906.
Below is a transcription of his obituary from the Raleigh News & Observer from August 24, 1906:
DEATH OF CAPT. NOWELL
Well Known Railroad Engineer Died Yesterday at Louisburg.
The funeral of Captain W. L. Nowell, who died in Louisburg yesterday morning, will be held at 11 o'clock this morning in the First Baptist church, and will be conducted by Rev. W. C. Tyree, D. D., pastor, assisted by the church missionary, Rev. R. S. Stephenson. The funeral will be with Masonic honors. The active pall bearers will be members of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers, who are Masons, and the honorary pall bearers will be Capt. Nowell's old Masonic comrades. He was a member of both Raleigh lodges.
Capt. Nowell had been suffering from acute indigestion, and his age, he being 67 years old, made his chances of recovery slight. His two oldest sons, Messrs. Arthur and Thos. Nowell, and Mrs. Nowell, his wife, were with him and yesterday afternoon accompanied the remains to this city for burial.
Capt. Nowell was one of the oldest engineers on the Seaboard system. He succeeded the late T. M. Fleming on the Louisburg road in the fall of 1902, and was highly esteemed by the many friends he made while in Louisburg. He had been continuously in the service of the Seaboard for forty years and his long and efficient service with that road indicates the value its officials placed upon his work. Directly after the Civil War, through which Capt. Nowell fought in the Confederate ranks, he was engineer at the Central Hospital for the Insane at Raleigh, afterwards accepting a position as engineer on the Raleigh and Gaston Railroad.
Capt. Nowell married Miss Emily Amis, who survives him. Besides his wife he leaves also several children, as follows: Messrs. Arthur H. Nowell of LaFayette, La., Thomas Nowell and Ralph Nowell, of Raleigh, and Edwin Nowell of Greensboro, and Mrs. Thos. T. Pace, of Jellico, Tenn. All his absent children will attend the funeral.
Capt. Nowell had been suffering from acute indigestion, and his age, he being 67 years old, made his chances of recovery slight. His two oldest sons, Messrs. Arthur and Thos. Nowell, and Mrs. Nowell, his wife, were with him and yesterday afternoon accompanied the remains to this city for burial.
Capt. Nowell was one of the oldest engineers on the Seaboard system. He succeeded the late T. M. Fleming on the Louisburg road in the fall of 1902, and was highly esteemed by the many friends he made while in Louisburg. He had been continuously in the service of the Seaboard for forty years and his long and efficient service with that road indicates the value its officials placed upon his work. Directly after the Civil War, through which Capt. Nowell fought in the Confederate ranks, he was engineer at the Central Hospital for the Insane at Raleigh, afterwards accepting a position as engineer on the Raleigh and Gaston Railroad.
Capt. Nowell married Miss Emily Amis, who survives him. Besides his wife he leaves also several children, as follows: Messrs. Arthur H. Nowell of LaFayette, La., Thomas Nowell and Ralph Nowell, of Raleigh, and Edwin Nowell of Greensboro, and Mrs. Thos. T. Pace, of Jellico, Tenn. All his absent children will attend the funeral.
Ransom Green Nowell was born in Wake County, NC on January 15, 1842. Prior to his enlistment in the Confederate Army he was listed in the 1860 census as being a Machinist. He enlisted as a Private in Company K, NC 14th Infantry on May 21, 1861. He was 19 years old. Ransom was present and accounted for through June of 1863. On July 1, 1863 the NC 14th Infantry Regiment would enter the fight at Gettysburg. Below is an excerpt from a post war letter from Corporal B. R. Kinney, who served in Company B. This letter references the first day of fighting on July 1.
"We came upon the battlefield about 2 o’clock in the afternoon of the first day. The enemy were then so far as our brigade front, extended behind a strong stone wall, such as are used as fences there. We assailed in front, the Fourteenth Regiment lapping their right. We beat them quickly, capturing prisoners, with small loss to ourselves. To our left the ground broke down from a high ridge to a level of twenty-five acres. Over this ground the enemy was retreating in some order before Doles’ Brigade and other troops. As we routed these people from the stone wall a column of them, looking the size of a brigade, emerged from a depression in the ground to our right and marched in very quick time along a railroad embankment and track into Gettysburg. I am not certain where these troops came from, but I suppose they marched out of the railroad cut. May be they had withdrawn from the very high ridge to the right of the railroad into the road-way as offering a more protected line of retreat. The commander rode at their head and our artillery harassed their rear. I could almost hear their bones crunch under the shot and shell. It was a hot day and our men were much distressed by the heat and work. We straggled into town and then formed as quick as possible. Many of our command were overcome by the heat, and I go upon record now and here as saying that immediate and effective pursuit of the enemy was out of our power. The sharp-shooters of my regiment, under command of Lieutenant Harney, pursued the enemy, and Harney captured with his own hand the colors of the Sixty-eighth Michigan and sent the captured flag to President Davis with his last breath. He was mortally shot in the bowels while in pursuit of these men. I think he was as reliable as any officer of his rank in the Confederate armies."
Ransom Green Nowell was killed in action on the first day of fighting in the Gettysburg Campaign. He was part of the "small loss" that Corporal Kinney referred to.
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| Muster Roll showing Ransom's death |
He was one of the roughly 1,600 North Carolinians killed in the 3 day battle.
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| Gettysburg Marker for North Carolinian's in Raleigh's Oakwood Cemeter |
Ransom Nowell is buried in the Confederate Section of Raleigh's Historic Oakwood Cemetery. He was 21 years old at the time of his death.
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| Grave of Ransom Nowell |
Below is a transcription of his Service Record courtesy of the National Archives:
YEAR DATE(S) DOCUMENT DESCRIPTION
1861 5/21 - 6/30 Company Muster Roll: enrolled for active service May21, 1861, in Raleigh, NC, by William H. Harrison. Mustered into service5/21. Occupation: Machinist.
1861 July and Aug. Company Muster Roll: Enlisted for a period of 1 year. Last paid by Maj. Carr for period ending 6/30. Present or absent -Present.
1861 Sept. and Oct. Company Muster Roll: Period - 1 year. Last paid by Maj. Carr for period ending 8/31. Present or absent - Present.
1861 Nov. and Dec. Company Muster Roll: Period - 1 year. Last paid by Capt. Brown for period ending 10/31. Present or absent - Present.
1862 Jan. and Feb. Company Muster Roll: Period - 1 year. Last paid by Capt. Brown for period ending 12/31/1861. Present or absent - Present.
1862 Feb. 28 to Dec. 31 Company Muster Roll: Period - 1 year. Present or absent - Absent since 28 October 1862. + (illegible).
1863 Jan. and Feb. Company Muster Roll: Present or absent -absent. Remarks - "Detailed" by order of Genl Lee to Maj. Pierce at Raleigh, N.C. February 27, 1863.
1863 Oct. 1, 1862 - Mar. 31, 1863 Register: R. G. Nowell, Pvt. Co. K,14th Regt NC Appears on a Register of Payments on Descriptive Lists -Period of service, October 1, 1862 to March 31, 1863. When Paid - April24, 1863. By Whom - W. W. Pierce. Amount - $44.00. Remarks - Rec'd less pay for Jan & Feb.
1863 Mar. and Apr. Company Muster Roll: Period - 1 year. Last paid by Maj. Pierce for period ending March 31, 1863. Present or absent -Present. Remarks - Was detailed by order of Genl Lee in February last to report to Maj. Pierce in Raleigh, N. C. for duty and was returned by Maj. Pierce to the Regiment April 27, 1863.
1863 May and June Company Muster Roll: Period - 1 year. Present or absent - Present.
1863 July and Aug. Company Muster Roll: Remarks - "Killed in action" 1July 1863, Gettysburg, Pa.
1863 Card not dated Roll of Honor: R. G. Nowell, Pvt. Co. K, 14th Reg't North Carolina Troops. Appears on a Roll Of Honor of the organization named above. County - Wake. Date of entrance into service May 31, 1861.Age 19. Vol. Or Conscript - Vol. Died or discharged and when (note: died or discharged lined through and the word killed written in above) -July 1, 1863. Remarks: At Gettysburg.
1864 Card not dated R. G. Nowell, Pvt. Co. K 14th Regt. Appears on alist of casualties of Brig. Gen. Ramseur's Brigade, in the battles at Gettysburg, Pa. July 2 and 3, 1863. List dated - not dated. Remarks Killed
1861 5/21 - 6/30 Company Muster Roll: enrolled for active service May21, 1861, in Raleigh, NC, by William H. Harrison. Mustered into service5/21. Occupation: Machinist.
1861 July and Aug. Company Muster Roll: Enlisted for a period of 1 year. Last paid by Maj. Carr for period ending 6/30. Present or absent -Present.
1861 Sept. and Oct. Company Muster Roll: Period - 1 year. Last paid by Maj. Carr for period ending 8/31. Present or absent - Present.
1861 Nov. and Dec. Company Muster Roll: Period - 1 year. Last paid by Capt. Brown for period ending 10/31. Present or absent - Present.
1862 Jan. and Feb. Company Muster Roll: Period - 1 year. Last paid by Capt. Brown for period ending 12/31/1861. Present or absent - Present.
1862 Feb. 28 to Dec. 31 Company Muster Roll: Period - 1 year. Present or absent - Absent since 28 October 1862. + (illegible).
1863 Jan. and Feb. Company Muster Roll: Present or absent -absent. Remarks - "Detailed" by order of Genl Lee to Maj. Pierce at Raleigh, N.C. February 27, 1863.
1863 Oct. 1, 1862 - Mar. 31, 1863 Register: R. G. Nowell, Pvt. Co. K,14th Regt NC Appears on a Register of Payments on Descriptive Lists -Period of service, October 1, 1862 to March 31, 1863. When Paid - April24, 1863. By Whom - W. W. Pierce. Amount - $44.00. Remarks - Rec'd less pay for Jan & Feb.
1863 Mar. and Apr. Company Muster Roll: Period - 1 year. Last paid by Maj. Pierce for period ending March 31, 1863. Present or absent -Present. Remarks - Was detailed by order of Genl Lee in February last to report to Maj. Pierce in Raleigh, N. C. for duty and was returned by Maj. Pierce to the Regiment April 27, 1863.
1863 May and June Company Muster Roll: Period - 1 year. Present or absent - Present.
1863 July and Aug. Company Muster Roll: Remarks - "Killed in action" 1July 1863, Gettysburg, Pa.
1863 Card not dated Roll of Honor: R. G. Nowell, Pvt. Co. K, 14th Reg't North Carolina Troops. Appears on a Roll Of Honor of the organization named above. County - Wake. Date of entrance into service May 31, 1861.Age 19. Vol. Or Conscript - Vol. Died or discharged and when (note: died or discharged lined through and the word killed written in above) -July 1, 1863. Remarks: At Gettysburg.
1864 Card not dated R. G. Nowell, Pvt. Co. K 14th Regt. Appears on alist of casualties of Brig. Gen. Ramseur's Brigade, in the battles at Gettysburg, Pa. July 2 and 3, 1863. List dated - not dated. Remarks Killed
Josiah Nowell was born in Wake County, NC in 1832. He was the older brother of Ransom Green Nowell. He enlisted late in the war on July 23, 1863 following his brothers death. Josiah also served in Company K of the NC 14th Infantry.
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| 1st Muster Roll for Josiah |
He was wounded at the Battle of Spotsylvania Courthouse on May 12, 1864. He appears on a Receipt Roll for Clothing at the Pattigrew Hospital In Raleigh, NC on Sept. 29, 1864. This is the last card in his service file.
Josiah was living with his daughter and her husband in the 1910 census. He died sometime between 1910 and 1920. The exact date of death and burial is not known.
Since I have the same relationship with Josiah, William Loftin and Ransom Green, I'm only listing one relationship chart.
My relation to Ransom Green Nowell:
Ransom Green Nowell 1842-1863
3rd cousin 5x removed
3rd cousin 5x removed
James Nowell 1800-1850
Father of Ransom Green Nowell
Father of Ransom Green Nowell
John William Nowell 1774-1825
Father of James Nowell
Father of James Nowell
John Nowell 1736-1793
Father of John William Nowell
Father of John William Nowell
James Martin Nowell 1682-
Father of John Nowell
Father of John Nowell
Dempsey Nowell Sr. 1728-1777
Son of James Martin Nowell
Son of James Martin Nowell
Dempsey Nowell Jr. 1755-1810
Son of Dempsey Nowell Sr.
Son of Dempsey Nowell Sr.
Rev. John Nowell 1803-1859
Son of Dempsey Nowell Jr.
Son of Dempsey Nowell Jr.
Joseph Warren Nowell 1829-1889
Son of Rev. John Nowell
Son of Rev. John Nowell
Walter Hinton Nowell 1855-1922
Son of Joseph Warren Nowell
Son of Joseph Warren Nowell
Joseph Warren Nowell 1889-1954
Son of Walter Hinton Nowell
Son of Walter Hinton Nowell
Ruth Adelaide Nowell Stokes 1918-2013
Daughter of Joseph Warren Nowell
Daughter of Joseph Warren Nowell
Selby Edward "Stokey" Stokes Jr. 1946-2019
Son of Ruth Adelaide Nowell Stokes
Son of Ruth Adelaide Nowell Stokes
Hi,
ReplyDeleteI found this post from a google search while researching Jonathan Nowell. I am helping someone join the Sons of the American Revolution. He descends from Jonathan Nowell and needs proof that Jonathan is the son of William Nowell and Martha Earp. Do you know of any record or document that lists his parents? I'm from VA and have never done any research in NC so I would really appreciate any tips.
Thanks!
loridoss@comcast.net
Lori