From Alabama to Appomattox Courthouse

Clipped from a newspaper probably printed in 1937

Mysteries continue to unfold from Grandfather Weaver's scrapbook.

Did Charles Sisson Weaver know either of these men? Mr. Crump was from Lincoln, Alabama, and Mr. Turner was from Whatley, Alabama. 

When I read the fine print from these 2 articles saved for some reason in our great-grandfather's book, I discovered that Mr. Turner passed away on December 24, 1940, the day AFTER Mr. Crump in Lincoln celebrated his 100th birthday, December 23, 1940. 

Also from a paper in approximately 1937

Grandfather Weaver may have saved these articles about 2 of the last surviving Confederate soldiers in Alabama because he knew them. 

He may have saved these articles because he was interested in history. 

He may have saved them because he too had read the entire Bible more than once just as Mr. Crump had. 

I think that all of the above is true, but I think there is more to the story of why he might have saved these articles. 

Grandfather Weaver was 5 years old when General Robert E. Lee surrendered at Appomattox Courthouse, Virginia on April 9, 1865.  I have a newspaper clipping somewhere in my "stash" that calls Charles Sisson Weaver "a child of Reconstruction." His half-sister, Becky, told him stories of soldiers stopping by the Weaver house looking for food and rest. I think that since Charles Sisson Weaver grew up hearing and seeing the results of such a terrible time in our country's history, he must have had great admiration for the men and boys not much older that him who had fought to protect their families. And so he clipped out their photographs…he read their brief story remembered in  just a few lines in a newspaper…

This was his way of honoring these men who lived just a few miles down the road from him.