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Contributed by: Claude Thomas Hardison, Jr.
According to the US Military Archives, Thomas served briefly in the
Civil War. He enlisted at Camp Musgrove on 26 May 1862, Co. E, 61st Regiment, NC,
discharged 1862. His papers state that he was born in Lenoir Co. NC, was 42
years of age, and was a farmer. His papers also state that he was rejected
and discharged in the same year due to being over age. Thomas Hardison appears
on a list of casualties in the 3rd Infantry in the battle before Richmond
between 26 June to 1 July 1862. A close search of the Archives does not
indicated how he was wounded or if indeed he was an entirely different Thomas. Our
Thomas was in the 61st Regiment upon enlistment, but the Thomas who was wounded
at that time was in the 3rd Regiment. I don't know if the regiments were
merged, he reassigned or what, I have not verified that information.
Thomas outlived Margaret and is found in the 1860 Census living by
himself. Thomas' middle name, Henry, does not show up on any census report or any
deed transactions. Rebecca Vause (Edward Vause's Mother) Thomas' great
granddaughter, first told the compiler that her grandfather's middle name was
Henry, and in the Lenoir Co. Cross Indexes, there is reference to Thomas Henry
Hardison, Jr, therefore, it is reasonable to assume that Thomas, son of
William, was Thomas Henry Hardison, Sr.
Ed Vause's mother Rebecca Vause and James Hardison of Kinston, of Lenoir
Co. NC while they were living conveyed to me that Rebecca Taylor Hardison,
wife of Thomas Henry Hardison, Jr. was buried in the Johnston Cemetery on the
Kennedy farm in Woodington. (I have map to cemetery which is in the middle of
a farm field.) Rebecca died in 1891, a wooden marker was placed at her grave
site and has deteriorated and disappeared. Her husband Thomas Henry
Hardison, Jr. was buried in the same cemetery along side his first wife in 1896.
Rebecca Vause pointed out the grave to her son Ed Vause, and he had a Civil War
Veterans Grave marker placed on Thomas' grave site, so the grave next to his
is supposedly Rebecca's.
Here is a photo of a Civil War (Confederate) Veterans grave
marker. This was placed on my Great Grandfathers grave site. According to
Martha Mewborn Marble, it was misplaced, as Thomas H. Hardison, Jr who is buried
here, was too young to be in the war, but it should have been placed on his
father's grave (Thomas Henry Hardison, Sr.)in Greene Co. NC I believe. This
stone was obtained from the Vets Admin. and placed there by Edward Vause of
Kinston, NC, his great, great, grandfather also. I have not been able to verify
if THH, Jr. served or not - there is some evidence that he might have, even at
his early age (Civil War 1861-1865) THH, Jr. was born about 1848, so he
would have been between 13 and 17 during the Civil War - so age wise there is a
possibility. For sure THH, Sr. served but was discharged due to "over age" he
was between the age of 37 and 42 during the start of the war. That was an
older soldier at that time.
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