Hezekiah K Thorne Crenshaw (1839 – 1906)

Hezekiah K. Crenshaw was born on April 5, 1839, in South Carolina. He served in the Civil War with the First South Carolina Regiment Rifles and was captured at the Siege of Petersburg in 1865, subsequently being held at a POW camp on Hart Island, New York. After his release, he returned to South Carolina, married Louisa M. Elbrook, and became a farmer. The couple had 13 children, with 10 surviving into adulthood. By 1900, they owned a farm in Wagener, South Carolina.

1850 United States Census

In 1850, 11-year-old Hezekiah Crenshaw lived with his parents, Henry B., 43, and Sarah Crenshaw (listed as Renshaw), 36, in the Western Division of Pickens County, South Carolina. The household included his siblings: Elizabeth, 16, William J., 15, Samuel, 13, Newton, 10, Henry N., 8, Anne, 6, Becky J., 2, and James J., 6 months. Henry, a carpenter, was the only family member born in North Carolina; the rest were born in South Carolina. Elizabeth, William, and Samuel attended school the previous year.¹

1860 United States Census

In 1860, Hezekiah, 22, lived with his parents, H. D. (Henry David), 54, and Sarah Crenshaw, 47, and siblings, Samuel, 23, John N., 20, Henry M., 17, Sarah A., 14, Rebecca J., 12, James J., 10, Nancy, 8, and Martha E., 6, in Walhalla, then the district of Pickens, South Carolina. H. D. was a farmer, Samuel was a wagoner, and Hezekiah, John, and Henry Jr. all worked in farming. H. D.’s personal estate was worth $630, Samuel’s personal estate was worth $160, and Hezekiah’s personal estate was worth $50. Everybody in the family was born in South Carolina, except HD, who was born in North Carolina.²

Pickens, South Carolina

Civil War (1861-1865)

Hezekiah served as a Confederate soldier, participating in numerous battles. The war’s end, marked by the Confederacy’s defeat, led to his capture during the Siege of Petersburg.

A Confederate POW in the Civil War

Hezekiah served as a Confederate soldier in the First South Carolina Regiment Rifles,³ also known as “Orr’s Regiment of Rifles,” according to Civil War of the East⁴. His obituary notes that he participated in 36 engagements, with his final battle being the Siege of Petersburg.⁵ As detailed on battlefields.org, these battles occurred from June 14, 1864, to April 2, 1865, when Robert E. Lee abandoned the city, leading to his surrender at Appomattox on April 9, 1865. Hezekiah was captured by Union forces on April 3, 1865, a day after Petersburg fell,⁶ and was sent to a prisoner-of-war camp on Hart Island, New York, arriving on April 11, 1865. He was ordered released by General Ulysses S. Grant on June 16, 1865.⁷

Reconstruction Era (1865-1877)

Following his release from a POW camp, Hezekiah returned to a South deeply impacted by the war and the subsequent Reconstruction, which influenced his farming and family life.

1880 United States Census

In 1880, Hezekiah, 41, and his wife, Louisa M Crenshaw, 30, lived with their children Susan W., 12, Robert E., 11, William F., 9, John M., 6, Henry D., 4, and James A., 2, in Wagener, Oconee County, South Carolina. Hezekiah was a farmer, and Robert also worked on the farm. Louisa kept house with Susan helping her. Susan and Robert attended school. Everybody in the household was native to South Carolina.⁸

Wagener, Oconee County, South Carolina

Agricultural Economy

As a farmer in post-war South Carolina, Hezekiah’s livelihood depended on the region’s agricultural economy, which underwent significant changes due to the abolition of slavery and shifts in labor practices.

1900 United States Census

In 1900, Hezekiah K. Crenshaw, aged 61 (born April 1839), lived with his wife, Louisa M. Crenshaw, aged 50 (born February 1850), and their children: Hezekiah J., 15 (born September 1884), Floyd D., 7 (born March 1893), Nina, 12 (born February 1888), and Jessie V., 9 (born February 1891). They owned a farm in Wagener, South Carolina. Hezekiah and Louisa had been married for 34 years and had 13 children, 10 of whom were still living. All family members, except for Louisa’s mother, were born in South Carolina; her mother’s birthplace was listed as Germany, though it might have meant that Louisa’s father was born in Germany and her mother in South Carolina. Hezekiah worked as a farmer and had been unemployed for three months in the previous year, while his son Hezekiah worked as a farm laborer but had been unemployed for eight months. Hezekiah, Nina, and Jessie attended school the previous year, and everyone except the two youngest could read, write, and speak English.⁹

Death of Hezekiah K Thorne Crenshaw – November 1, 1906

Hezekiah died on November 1, 1906. His obituary was printed in the Keowee Courier on December 5, 1906.

Transcript: "H. K. Crenshaw was born April 5th, 1889, and passed his reward at his home near Seneca, S. C., on November 1st, 1906. He was not a demonstrative man; he said but little; but such was his life that he won the confidence of those who knew him. But it is of the record that he made during the war between the States that the writer would like to say a word, for it was there that he showed most plainly his nobility of character. He was among the first to tender his services to the cause of the South and was one of that noble band of mountaineers who composed Company C, James L. Orr's Regiment of Rifles, and during the long struggle was never known to to shirk a duty. Mr. Crenshaw participated in thirty-six different engagements, but never received a wound. When that noble chieftain, Gen. R. E. Lee, surrendered the remnant of his once noble army of veterans at Appomatox, it was suggested to a comrade, and we think the only man of that company besides himself who was with the company at its organization that were present that day, that as they had never surrendered to the enemy they would not do so then. So the two made their way to the river, cast their equipments into the stream and started for their homes in Oconee county, but were soon captured, and were put in prison for two months. Not long afterwards he was married to Miss Lou M. Elbrook, of Walhalla, S.C. To this union were born eleven children, ten of whom survive, twenty-six grandchildren, three brothers-Samuel Crenshaw, of Pelzer S.C., Newton Crenshaw, of West Union, S.C., and Thomas Crenshaw, of Newry, S.C., besides three sisters-Mrs. Sallie White and Mrs. J.M. Kelley, of Walhalla, S.C., and Mrs. C.D. Hill, of Cannon, Texas. Honor to his memory as a valiant soldier, affectionate husband, indulgent father and faithful friend, and when he saw the end had come he told his faithful wife that the way was clear and he had no fears. -C.D. Hill, Cannon, Texas."

The Last Will and Testament of H K Crenshaw

Hezekiah named his wife, Louisa (spelled Lousia) M Crenshaw, the executor of his will. His land was broken up in the following way:

Beneficiary	Plot	Acres	Value
Floyd Dewit Crenshaw	A	30 3/20	$500
Mrs. R. L. McDonald	B	30 3/20	$200
Henry David Crenshaw	C	29 1/8	$300
Hezekiah Thorn	D	30	$200

To his other 5 children, including R. E. Crenshaw, W. J. Crenshaw, J. M. Crenshaw, Nina Crenshaw, and Jessie Crenshaw, he bequeathed each $100. However, the entire estate would remain with his wife, Louisa, until her death, and if she died before Floyd Dewit came of age, Floyd would keep the entire inheritance until his 18th birthday on March 14, 1914. In the case of the death of his wife before Floyd came of age, his son, J. M., would become the executor. He canceled the $40 in debt owed to him by his daughter, Mrs. R. L. (Ava) McDonald. He commanded that if any of his estate was sold before distribution to his children, they would all receive an equal amount from his estate. Lastly, he assigned his wife the guardian of all of his minor children, and he signed it:

The will was not executed until June 29, 1937, by J. M. Crenshaw.¹¹

Sources

1. 1850 U.S. Census, Pickens District, South Carolina, population schedule, Western Division, p. 389 (stamped), p. 777 (penned), dwelling 266, family 273, Hezekiah Rendshaw, image, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com : accessed 5 April 2021), citing NARA microfilm publication M432, roll 857. ↩︎
2. 1860 U.S. Census, Pickens District, South Carolina, population schedule, 2nd Regiment, Walhalla post office, p. 39 (stamped), p. 77 (penned), Hezekiah Crenshaw, image, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com : accessed 5 April 2021), citing NARA microfilm publication M653, microfilm 805225, roll 1225.  ↩︎
3. “Civil War Soldiers and Sailors System”, National Archives and Records Administration (https://www.nps.gov/civilwar/search-soldiers-detail.htm?soldierId=C734C691-DC7A-DF11-BF36-B8AC6F5D926A : accessed 30 May 2024), entry for Hezekiah K Crenshaw, battle unit 1st Regiment, South Carolina Rifles (Orr’s), side Confederate, company C, M381, roll 8. ↩︎
4. Steve A. Hawks, “Orr’s Regiment of Rifles,” The Civil War in the East (https://civilwarintheeast.com/confederate-regiments/south-carolina/1st-south-carolina-regiment-rifles/ : accessed 5 April 2021). ↩︎
5. C.D. Hill, “In Memoriam – H.K. Crenshaw,” Keowee Courier, Pickens, SC, 5 December 1906, unpaginated, 5th page, col. 3, image, Newspapers.com (https://www.newspapers.com/article/keowee-courier/75024693/ : accessed 3 April 2021), clip page by user genistory. ↩︎
6. “City of Petersburg, VA: Jun 15 – 18, 1864,” American Battlefield Trust (https://www.battlefields.org/learn/civil-war/battles/petersburg : accessed 5 April 2021). ↩︎
7. “U.S., Civil War Prisoner of War Records, 1861-1865,” entry for H R Crenshaw, p. 44, image, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com : accessed 5 April 2021). ↩︎
8. 1880 U.S. Census, Oconee County, South Carolina, population schedule, Wagner Township, enumeration district (ED) 120, p. 187 (stamped), p. 22B (penned), dwelling 213, family 219, Hezekiah Crenshaw, image, Ancestry (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 5 April 2021), citing NARA microfilm publication T9, microfilm 1255236, roll 1236. ↩︎
9. 1900 U.S. Census, Oconee County, South Carolina, population schedule, Wagener Township (in part), enumeration district (ED) 77, p. 233 (stamped), p. 6B (penned), dwelling 112, family 115, Hezekiah K Crenshaw, image, Ancestry (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 5 April 2021), citing NARA microfilm publication T623, roll 1537, microfilm 1241537. ↩︎
10. Hill, “In Memoriam,” 5th. ↩︎
11. Oconee County, SC, estate no. 1037-1130, H.K. Crenshaw, 1906, Last Will and Testatment, apt. no. 110, pack. no. 1097, Letters Testamentary, Probate Will, Letters of Administration, “South Carolina, Wills and Probate Records, 1670-1980,” images, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com : accessed 5 April 2021). ↩︎