Richard D. Stinnet & Mary Jane Carter Stinnet of Botetourt, Rockbridge & Goochland Counties

Richard D. Stinnet [1]. He was born on 01 Feb 1830 in Amherst, Virginia, USA[2]. He died on 24 Nov 1917 in Maidens, Goochland, Virginia, USA[2]. Burial on 26 Nov 1917 in Buchanan, Botetourt, Virginia, USA[2]. Cause of Death was bronchial pneumonia[2].

Richard and Mary were married by Lewis P. Fellers, pastor of Zion Hill Baptist Church in Fincastle, Virginia. They lived along Purgatory Creek, a few miles to the northeast of Buchanan in Botetourt County. Richard was an uneducated farm laborer who never learned to sign his name. The couple had at least seven children, three girls and four boys: Virginia, Emma Elizabeth, Ada W., John H., Richard Haden, Charles O. and Elmer Whitfield.

Richard served as a private in the Botetourt Artillery during the Civil War and was captured at the Battle of Port Gibson, Mississippi on May 1, 1863. He was subsequently sent to prison in Alton, Illinois but was released during a prisoner exchange one month later. He then became a recruiter for the Confederate Army, stationed in Richmond, Virginia, and served until his unit disbanded.

The Stinnet family moved from the Buchanan area to Buffalo of Rockbridge County around 1880. By 1900 Richard and Mary were living with their son Richard in Maidens of Goochland County. The elder Richard was suffering from the infirmities of old age and had a weak back. He was unable to work and applied for a military pension in 1903.

Mary passed away before 1910 and Richard died from pneumonia in 1917. He was buried in Buchanan, presumably in Fairview Cemetery, but neither he nor Mary have a marker in that graveyard.

Mary Jane Carter is the daughter of Joseph Carter and Belsora Elizabeth Lavender[3]. She was born Nov 1838 in Botetourt, Virginia, USA[3, 4]. She died Bet. Jun 1900–Apr 1910[4, 5]. Richard D. Stinnet and Mary Jane Carter were married on 16 Feb 1854 in Botetourt, Virginia, USA[6].

Sources

1 - Ancestry.com, 1870 United States Federal Census (Provo, UT, USA: The Generations Network, Inc., 2003), Database online. Buchanan, Botetourt, Virginia, post office Jackson, roll 1636, page 511, image 268.Record for Richard D Stinnet.

2 - Commonwealth of Virginia certificate of death (Bureau of Vital Statistics), Richard Stinet, 1917, 340-26783.

3 - Botetourt County, Virginia Marriage Register, 1853-1899, Stinnett-Carter entry, 1854, p. 23, ln. 24.

4 - Ancestry.com, 1900 United States Federal Census (Provo, UT, USA: The Generations Network, Inc., 2004), Database online. Licking Hole, Goochland, Virginia, ED 16, roll T623 1710, page 7B. Record for Richard Stinett.

5 - Ancestry.com, 1910 United States Federal Census (Provo, UT, USA: The Generations Network, Inc., 2006), Database online. Licking Hole, Goochland, Virginia, ED , roll T624_1629, part , page, Record for Richard Stinett.

6 - Botetourt County, Virginia Ministers' Returns, 1782-1854, Stinnet-Carter entry, 1854.

Drewry's Bluff, Richmond National Battlefield

I have been a little slow with posting lately. I have been playing with my wife's video camera and have not had much luck yet. There is something wrong with the battery so I cannot get it to record the video entries that I want to make. I have not given up on it yet so keep an eye out for videos coming soon.

We went to the Chesterfield Berry Farm today and picked strawberries. We ride out there twice each year, once for strawberries and once for pumpkins. It is a long drive but we always have a good time. They have good barbecue and beans so that alone makes it worth the trip!


I was going through some old pictures tonight and came across some that we took in July of 2003 at Drewry's Bluff, part of the Richmond National Battlefield. It was a major defensive position for the Confederates, being along a critical bend in the James River. There was an earthworks, a barracks and three large artillery guns to shoot at Union vessels.

I do not pretend to be an expert on the site. My main interest is that my wife's ancestor, Ansalem Clemens / Clemmens / Clements / Clemments / Clemons / Clemmons / Clemans / Clemmans ... you get the idea, well he supposedly died at that site. Family legend (and his wife's pension application) says that he was killed in battle on May 15, 1862 at Drewry's Bluff. My wife and I, she being seen in this photo aiming a large gun, went to the site to check it out. It is quite secluded, well back into the woods, and is not well travelled. We never saw another person for the two hours or so we were there.


The Richmond Dispatch from May 19, 1862 stated that "Bowyer’s battery, from Botetourt county, lost one man killed – George Clements – and three wounded." The name is not right but Ansalem was from Botetourt County and he was serving in their artillery unit.

To give you a little background, only days before this battle, the city of Norfolk had fallen to Union forces and the Confederates made a stand against the Union Navy, right here at the Bluff. They were able to hold off the Yankees, only a few miles from the Confederate capital!

We know that Ansalem died in this time period from estate records from Boteourt County, Virginia. Ansalem left $475 in the bank at Buchanan, Virginia. His wife was given one third, $107.89, and each of his ten children received $21.57. No mention was made of any funeral expenses. That leads me to believe that he was either buried on site or near by. I recently discovered that some of the Confederates that died at Drury's Bluff were buried at a church at Fort Darling.

I found this photo on the Internet of Confederate graves at the church. Its source was cited as "View of Confederate Church at Fort Darling—Graves in the foreground—Entrance to the Fort on the right. Gardner Stereo #1069. William Frank Browne - photographer. Negative at Library of Congress (LC-B815-1135)." The site I "borrowed" my copy from is a great source for Richmond Civil War history, you should check it out by clicking here: Civil War Richmond


In short, I am pretty sure that Ansalem was killed at Drury's Bluff when he was about sixty-years old. That sounds a little strange but not impossible. He was a stone mason by trade so perhaps his skills were used to help construct some of the structures at the site or maybe he was good at math and could help aim the artillery better. Who knows but his wife claims that he was there and the newspaper supports that a Clements died there during battle.




I want to go check out the site of this Confederate church but I have not made it over there yet. If anyone knows anything about the church or if it exists today, please share what you know with all of us.

Henry Headen Stinnett of Richmond, 1915-1980

Richmond Times-Dispatch, Thursday, October 2, 1980:
"HENRY STINNETT, CITY CONTRACTOR, DIES AT AGE 64 - Henry H. Stinnett, a general painting contractor in Richmond for 50 years, died yesterday at his home at 5623 Chamberlayne Ave. He was 64. He started working as a painter at age 14. Mr. Stinnett was born in Botetourt County and his family moved to Richmond when he was 4. He attended Richmond public schools. He was a sergeant in the Richmond Light Infantry Blues before World War II. During the war he served in the Marine Corps and was assigned as a painter in Riverside, Cal. Mr. Stinnett is survived by his wife, Mrs. Ollie K. Stinnett; a son, Cavell Wayne Stinnett of Richmond; five daughters, Mrs. Winnie Virginia Beadles, Mrs. Barbara Newman, Mrs. Rosa Golden, Miss Cora May Stinnett and Miss Tina Marie Stinnett, all of Richmond; a brother, Richard L. Stinnett of Clearwater, Fla.; and three half-sisters, Mrs. Cora Stinnett and Mrs. Gladys Lawhorn, both of Richmond, and Mrs. Debbie Carter of Virginia Beach. A funeral Mass will be said at 11 a.m. Saturday at St. Paul's Roman Catholic Church. Burial will be in Mount Calvary Cemetery."

Richmond Times-Dispatch, Thursday, October 2, 1980:
"STINNETT - Died at his residence, Wednesday, October 1, 1980, Henry H. (Bud) Stinnett, of 5623 Chamberlayne Ave. He is survived by his wife, Mrs. Ollie K. Stinnett; one son, Cavell Wayne Stinnett; five daughters, Mrs. Winnie Virginia Beadles, Mrs. Barbara Newman, Mrs. Rosa Golden, Miss Cora May Stinnett and Miss Tina Marie Stinnett; one step-son, Eugene Rousey; one brother, Richard L. Stinnett of Fla.; three half-sisters, Mrs. Debbie Carter of Virginia Beach, Mrs. Cora Stinnett, and Mrs. Gladys Lawhorne; ten grandchildren; three great-grandchildren; three sons-in-law, Harold G. Beadles, Thomas M. Golden, John Henry Newman. His remains rest at the Joseph W. Bliley Funeral Home, . 3rd and Marshall, where a Christian Wake will be held Friday at 7 P.M. Funeral Mass at St. Paul's Catholic Church, Saturday 11 A.M. Interment Mt. Calvary."

Henry is buried in section 3A, lot 141 of Mount Calvary Cemetery in Richmond.