Devania Parker

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Devania (Devanie) Parker

GRAHAM COUNTY, NC - CENSUS - 1870 Cheoah and Stecoah Districts, Cherokee Co.
        1872 became a part of Graham County

PARKER
.... Devania...32 m...Farmer...NC
.... Eliza...31 f.....NC
.... John...9 m.....NC
.... Joseph...7 m.....NC
.... Adina...5 f.....NC
.... Benjamin...3 m.....NC
.... Plato...1/12 m.....NC

Census Year: 1880   State: North Carolina   County: Graham   Enumeration District: 82   Sheet No: 254A
Reel No: T9-964   Division: Cheowah Township   Supervisor District: 4   Page No: 22B
Enumerated on: June 21, 1880   by: N. G. Philips

 5 |              |   161   161 | Parker          Dev * * *       | W   M    43 |                       |   X     | Farmer               |                             
   6 |              |   161   161 | Parker          Eliza           | W   F    43 |       Wife            |   X     | House keeping        |                             
   7 |              |   161   161 | Parker          John W.         | W   M    19 |       Son             | X       | Farm Lab.            |                           
   8 |              |   161   161 | Parker          Joseph Lee      | W   M    17 |       Son             | X       | Farm Lab.            |                            
   9 |              |   161   161 | Parker          Adina           | W   F    14 |       Daughter        | X       | At Home              |                            
  10 |              |   161   161 | Parker          Ben Hill        | W   M    12 |       Son             | X       | At Home              |                           
  11 |              |   161   161 | Parker          Plato D.        | W   M     9 |       Son             | X       |                      |                            
  12 |              |   161   161 | Parker          Tilda A.        | W   F     7 |       Daughter        | X       |                      |                           
  13 |              |   161   161 | Parker          Doctor Ward     | W   M     5 |       Son             | X       |                      |                           
  14 |              |   161   161 | Parker          Theodore        | W   M     3 |       Son             | X       |                      |                               

1900 Federal Census Graham County, North Carolina
 
56 |              |   116   117 | Parker          Ward D.         | Head            | W M | Apr.    1876 |    24 M    6       | North Carolina North Carolina North Carolina |          | Farmer           
  57 |              |   116   117 | Parker          Tennessee       | Wife            | W F | Apr.    1875 |    25 M    6  5  4 | North Carolina North Carolina North Carolina |          |                   
  58 |              |   116   117 | Gunter          Maggie          | Stepdaughter    | W F | Apr.    1890 |     9 S            | North Carolina North Carolina North Carolina |          |                  
  59 |              |   116   117 | Parker          Ralph           | Son             | W M | Jan.    1894 |     6 S            | North Carolina North Carolina North Carolina |          |                   
  60 |              |   116   117 | Parker          Vaney           | Son             | W M | Oct.    1896 |     3 S            | North Carolina North Carolina North Carolina |          |                   
  61 |              |   116   117 | Parker          Mary            | Daughter        | W F | July    1898 |     1 S            | North Carolina North Carolina North Carolina |
          

Judith Parker-Proctor is sole owner of the Devanie Parker information enclosed:
© Copyright 1998 Judith Parker-Proctor, All rights reserved.

Devanie Parker

Uncle Devanie was living in Jackson County when he enlisted on 31 August 1861, at the age of 25. He was mustered in as a Sergeant in the 29th Regiment of the North Carolina Troops, Company F and appointed 2nd Lieutenant 20 June 1863. He lost his right arm at the battle of Chickamauga, Georgia, on 19 September 1863 while serving in General Ector's Brigade.

Being an honorable and very patriotic fellow, he was not happy with the possibility of being discharged as disabled and on 16 April 1864, while in still in Lauderdale, Mississippi, fired off a letter to Col Thomas M Jack.

"Through you I have the honor to apply to be placed on Recruiting Services, in Western N Car the section of county in which my Regt was raised. On the 19th day of Sept 1863 in the battle of Chickamauga, Ga I lost my right arm by cannon ball shot from the enemy's gun. So severe is my wound that I am unable to perform military duty in the fileds. I believe I can do much good as a Recruiting office for the Regt. I hope the Com'dg Gen'l will assign me, to such duty as I may be able to perform, as I desire to remain in the service of my Country."

In Demopolis, Alabama, on 5 May 1864 his request was granted, "XXII Lt. Devania Parker, Co F 29th N.C. vols on Surgeon's certificate of disability for field service, is hereby detailed as a Recruiting Officer and will proceed to Western North Carolina, the section of country in which his Regt was raised."

He was photographed at Memorial Day reunions in the early 1900s. Standing tall at 6'2" with a fair complexion, dark hair and eyes, Uncle Devanie cut a very dashing and apparently colorful figure. In 1893 he was convicted of selling liquor without a license, but was pardoned "upon the recommendation of the Judge, Solicitor and the best citizens of Shelby". In 1902 he registered to vote, and his second wife, to whom he as married 40+ years died in 1908. On 29 October 1910, 75 year old Uncle Devanie took a 23 year old named Bessie as his third wife. The marriage didn't last, but apparently the friendship did as Uncle Devanie gave the information on the death certificate of Bessie's baby by her second husband in 1917. He had applied for his Soldier's Pension in 1901, 1909, 1914 and again in 1917. In 1926 Uncle Devanie was nearly blinded by cataracts and suffering the ails of age when applied for admission to the North Carolina Soldier's home. He was granted admission, but apparently spent very little time in the institution as his records there had no entries after the initial signing in, and he was back in Shelby for the 1930 and 1931 reunions. Uncle Devanie is buried at Union Baptist Church near Polkville, in Cleveland County, NC. His grave, and that of second wife Eliza, and son Theodore's wife and child, is only a short distance from the property he owned.

The Cleveland Star, Shelby, NC
Friday, May 10, 1929
Two Confederates in Cleveland, Officers in Two Big Battles
'Capt Dickson and Lieut Parker Served at Gettysburg and Chickamauga Battles'

(By Prof W E White, Cleveland County Historian)

As the tenth of May arrives the minds of Southern people naturally turn to deeds of valor and heroism. This is Memorial day in the South and our minds rever to the gallant, bravely championed, the "Lost Cause".
Cleveland county perhaps has a distinction in Souther history today that does not belong to any other county in NC.-----------our borders is found two living ex-Confederate officers who participated in the two greatest battles of the Civil War. One of these officers was wounded at Gettysburg, while the other lost an arm at Chickamauga.

When Gen Robert E Lee invaded Pennsylvania in the summer of 1863, there was within the ranks of the army Capt E Dixon, of Fallston. Capt Dickson was a brave and efficient officer, and was in the heroic charge led by Pickett and Pettigrew on the third day of battle at Gettysburg. In this gory battle Capt Dixon was wounded in the heroic effort to drive the Federals from their stronghold.
After the Confederate misfortune at Gettysburg, General Lee sent General Longstreet to the assistance of General Braxton Bragg, the Confederate commander in the west at the time. Being reenforced by General Longstreet's corps, General Bragg joined battle with his adversary, General Rosencrans, at Chickamauga. One of the officers who took part in this, the greatest battle of the west, was Lieut Devaney Parker. Lieut Parker, though a native of Cleveland county, entered the service from Jackson County, of this state. Like Capt Ed Dixon, Lieut Parker was a brave and efficient officer. During the first day of this terrible battle of Chickamauga, he lost his right arm in the fearless performance of his duty.

May the last days of these heroic Confederate veterans be spent in happiness. Capt Dixon was 96 years of age on March 8, 1929, while Lieut parker is expecting to celebrate his 92hd birthday on July 2, 1929. Cleveland county and the entire South can afford to be proud of these noble veterans. W E White, County Historian"
My note: Mr. White spells Captain Dickson's name two different ways in the article, as both Dickson and Dixon. I have endeavored to leave is his misspelling alone. Mr. White was also in error of Uncle Devanie's age, he would have been 94 on July 2, 1929. Through the years the Memorial Day celebrations in Cleveland County dwindled , articles that once listed the heroic efforts and names of each surviving vet, became afterthoughts, with short lists gifts given by area merchants, and "entertainment" offered the veterans or surviving spouses. These elderly folks were served a dinner by the UDC, taken to the local movie house and trotted out to Sunset Cemetery to place flowers on graves of Confederate Soldiers. I can't help but wonder at the thoughts of 90something vets placing ornaments on the graves of their friends. The article for May 11, 1931, lists Mr. J F Walker, age 91, as the oldest living veteran, which indicates Uncle Devanie and Captain Dickson had passed away.

My quest is to find the exact date Uncle Devanie died. He was blind, infirm, and living in the Old Soldier's Home in Raleigh, North Carolina in the late 1920s. He is buried at Union Baptist Church, on Highway 226, near Polkville, in Cleveland County, NC. His marker is a Confederate memorial with no dates. If anyone has access to the Soldier's Home records, I would appreciate any information you could give on Uncle Devanie. I have found no obituary written for him during the years following Mr. White's article of 1929. How we do forget.....

Notes:

Devania Parker served in Company F, 29th North Carolina Infantry Regiment. Ancestors of mine--William J. Parker and Jeremiah Parker--also served in Company F, 29th North Carolina Infantry Regiment. Prior to the War, all resided in the same locale. If anyone has knowledge to how these Parkers are related, please contact me: thomas_legion@yahoo.com
 

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