Contibuted by: John Andrew Prime, Shreveport, Louisiana
japrime@prysm.net
Lisa:
Here is a tidbit for the list. This letter recounts some LILES genealogy of Covington County. I have seen the original letter and it is quite authentic. Letters in parentheses are worn away by time and had to be supplied by inference. Original letter now in possession of Mabel Sirman Givens of Shreveport, Louisiana, great-granddaughter of Lucinda Armora (Liles) Sirman, one of the four daughters of William Sherod Liles, sergeant in the Consolidated Crescent Regiment, who was killed April 8, 1864, at the Battle of Mansfield.
"May 8, 1893
To the daughters of Wm. Lile(s) Son of Sherwood Liles So(n) of John Liles Who was a majo(r) in the Revolutionary War and was a Grandson of Ephraim Liles who settled in the colony of Virgini(a) in 1606.
Dear Girls this is fo(r) you I am John (K?) Liles second son of John M(.) Liles who was your father('s) next oldest brother your Father being the youngest s(on) of Sherwood Liles. your Fat(her) also had two other Brothe(rs) Ephraim + James. James d(ied) before the war. Ephraim is (?) Falls Co. Texas. your Fa(?)
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Married J.B. Dilan. Salatha Married Thomas Ford. Cyn(tha) Married Wm. Matheny + An(na) Married Jackson Mancile. Our grandfather Sherwood L(iles) was the oldest son of Majo(r) John Liles of Revolutionary Fame. he is our Great Grandfa(ther) + was one of the most galant a(nd) daring officers in the Revolutionary war + was en(gaged) in nearly all of the Bloody Battles of that great Strugg(le) and lost his left hand or i(t) was made nearly useless in (a) hand to hand sword figh(t) with a British officer b(ut) the Britisher lost his hea(d.) Great Grandfather lies bu(ried) at Montezum Covington Alabama while Grandfat(her)
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lies buried not far away a(t) the place where your Fathe(r) Wm. Liles was born while Ephraim Liles our Great Grandfather's Grandfather lie(s) burried on the banks of the Pee Dee River in Anson Co. N.C. I have visited his grav(e) and have with great troub(le) and through the aid of rela(tives) from Ala to Va gathered the foregoing facts. and also Great grandfathers record is kept sacred i(n) the war Office Department at Washington City"
