I was scrolling through
The Monroe Journal, when I found this article concerning a Civil War Soldier from Stanly County. He had been caught attempting to go home to see his family and was sentenced to death, apparently by his own side. Its a melancholy goodbye to a wife and children he would never get to see again, and it was his love for them that was the catalyst of the actions that led to his execution.
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Joseph Honeycutt (or Huneycutt) was the brother of R. H. G. Huneycutt, who had been mentioned in this blog before, and will be mentioned again, as he plays a part in some other lives I've been researching.
Below is the 1850 census, showing his twin daughters Mary and Martha, whom he mentioned in his letter, and probably the children he wanted sermons preached for.
| Name: | Joseph Honeycutt |
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| Age: | 27 |
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| Birth Year: | abt 1823 |
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| Birthplace: | North Carolina |
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| Home in 1850: | Almonds, Stanly, North Carolina |
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| Gender: | Male |
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| Family Number: | 434 |
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| Household Members: | |
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By 1860, the twins had passed away, perhaps falling ill to the same ailment as twins are close. Another little girl, Adelaide, had joined the family. As she was not mentioned in her father's letter, she probably passed away as an infant, and probably before her father was executed.
| Name: | Joseph Honeycut |
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| Age in 1860: | 39 |
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| Birth Year: | abt 1821 |
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| Birthplace: | North Carolina |
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| Home in 1860: | Stanly, North Carolina |
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| Gender: | Male |
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| Post Office: | Albemarle |
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| Value of real estate: | View image |
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| Household Members: | |
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The 1870 census shows the widowed Nancy Allman Honeycutt with her 4 surviving children living next to Daniel Lefler and his family, whom Joseph mentioned in his letter. She may have been a tenant on his property and he appears to have perhaps helped to take care of the family, although he had a large one of his own.
Below, Daniel and Jane Lefler family, friends of the Burlesons and deliverer of the letter, in 1860
| Name: | Daniel Lefler |
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| Age in 1860: | 49 |
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| Birth Year: | abt 1811 |
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| Birthplace: | North Carolina |
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| Home in 1860: | Stanly, North Carolina |
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| Gender: | Male |
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| Post Office: | Albemarle |
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| Value of real estate: | View image |
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| Household Members: | |
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And then the Daniel Lefler familly in 1870. The family is listed in a strange order and Jack Rowland, no doubt a relative of Margaret Jane Rowland Lefler.
| Name: | Daniel Lefler |
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| Age in 1870: | 59 |
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| Birth Year: | abt 1811 |
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| Birthplace: | North Carolina |
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| Home in 1870: | Ridenhour, Stanly, North Carolina |
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| Race: | White |
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| Gender: | Male |
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| Post Office: | Albemarle |
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| Value of real estate: | View image |
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| Household Members: | |
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By 1880, widow Nancy Allman Honeycutt, had moved across the border into Cabarrus County with son Julius, whom his father worried "had no chance".
| Name: | Nancy Honeycutt |
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| Age: | 59 |
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| Birth Year: | abt 1821 |
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| Birthplace: | North Carolina |
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| Home in 1880: | Reed Misenheimers, Cabarrus, North Carolina |
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| Race: | White |
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| Gender: | Female |
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| Relation to Head of House: | Mother |
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| Marital Status: | Single |
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| Father's Birthplace: | North Carolina |
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| Mother's Birthplace: | North Carolina |
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| Neighbors: | View others on page |
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Cannot read/write:
Blind:
Deaf and Dumb:
Otherwise disabled:
Idiotic or insane: | |
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| Household Members: | |
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But Julius fared as well as any in the area, working as a farmer and shoemaker, raising a family and living a long life, passing away at the age of 82 in 1929.
In 1900, Nancy was still alive, now living with daughter Rebecca Hazeltine Honeycutt Sides and family. She passed away about 1908, in Cabarrus County. This census shows her as the mother of 8 children, 4 living, so there was another child besides Mary, Martha and Adelaide who had passed away, that did not make a census. Perhaps it was a son, and had all passed away prior to their fathers' demise as he refers to them as "children" and not just girls or daughters.
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