John Malcolm Culpepper

Male, #32460, (13 Nov 1835 - 10 Jan 1927)

ParentRev. William Henry Culpepper (17 Oct 1813 - 22 Mar 1909)
ParentSarah Leslie (15 Feb 1808 - 22 Jan 1849)
John Malcolm Culpepper|b. 13 Nov 1835\nd. 10 Jan 1927|p32460.htm|Rev. William Henry Culpepper|b. 17 Oct 1813\nd. 22 Mar 1909|p32073.htm|Sarah Leslie|b. 15 Feb 1808\nd. 22 Jan 1849|p32074.htm|John Culpepper of Randolph Co., AL|b. 1 Oct 1772\nd. 13 May 1855|p31566.htm|Nancy Gillespie|b. circa 1778\nd. 25 Jul 1848|p31584.htm|Joseph? Leslie|b. circa 1778|p13728.htm|Mary? Calhoun ?|b. circa 1781|p13729.htm|

DNA Test Needed* To help confirm John Malcolm Culpepper's descent from Henry Culpepper of Lower Norfolk, we are seeking a descendant of John's to participate in our free DNA testing project. For more information, go to: http://gen.culpepper.com/dna. 
Birth*13 Nov 1835 John was born at Upson Co., Georgia, on 13 Nov 1835. 
 He was the son of Rev. William Henry Culpepper and Sarah Leslie. 
(free wh male 00-05) 1840 Census1 Jun 1840 John was probably a free white male, under 5 years old, in Rev. William Henry Culpepper's household, on the 1840 Census on 1 Jun 1840 at Meriwether Co., Georgia.1 
Employment* John's occupation: farmer at Randolph Co., Alabama. 
Marriage*25 Dec 1856 He married Sarah Ann Elizabeth Stephens at Randolph Co., Alabama, on 25 Dec 1856. 
1860 Census*1860 John was listed as the head of a family on the 1860 Census at Almond, Randolph Co., Alabama. 24 m-p. 838 hh 1480. 
Civil War*between 1862 and 1865 An unknown person served in the military between 1862 and 1865, and was a in Private, Co B, 37th AL Infantry. 
1870 Census*1870 John was listed as the head of a family on the 1870 Census at Louina, Randolph Co., Alabama. 35 m-p. 572 hh 18. 
1880 Census*1880 John was listed as the head of a family on the 1880 Census at Randolph Co., Alabama. 46 m-Beat 8 ED 111-19. 
Photographedsay 1890 He was photographed say 1890 at Hopkins Co., Texas.2
John Malcolm Culpepper
PhotographedNov 1891 He was photographed Seated next to John Malcolm and wife Sarah A. E. Stephens is their son Daniel and his first wife Dora (Hardison) Stephens Culpepper. She was a widow of a man named Stephens and some relation to Sarah's family before she married Daniel. She is holding Addie Culpepper who married a Hayden. Immediately behind her on the left are siblings, Mattie Culpepper Minter and Luther Culpepper. The young lady on the right is a Miss Hardison, Daniel's sister-in-law. Lavyn says Mattie wanted Capus to marry this lady but he had other ideas. Source: Tommie Smith in Nov 1891 at Hopkins Co., Texas.3
John Malcolm Culpepper family, 1891
1900 Census*1 Jun 1900 John was listed as the head of a family on the 1900 Census at Hopkins Co., Texas.4 
(Brother-in-law) Photographed23 Nov 1905 Broxon Yarbrough Carlisle was photographed Presumed to be Thanksgiving Day, 1905:

Left to right, back row: Coral Lee Carlisle, Mary Emma Carlisle, Artimisha (Motley) Carlisle, Paul Richard Carlisle, being held by his father Washington Homer Carlisle. The seven children on the right side of the photo all belong to Washington Homer.

Middle row, left to right: Mattie (Carlisle) Noel, Boyce Winston Noel, held by his father Walter Winston Noel, Sarah Ann Elizabeth (Stephens) Culpepper (wife of John Malcolm Culpepper), Emily Miriam (Culpepper) Carlisle (wife of B. Y. Carlisle), Miriam Carlisle, Yarbrough Hopkins Carlisle, Hoyt Lorraine Carlisle, Wayne McKinley Carlisle, John D. Carlisle;

Front row, left to right: Richard Henry Carlisle, John Malcolm Culpepper, Broxon Yarbrough Carlisle, William Olin Carlisle on 23 Nov 1905 at Randolph Co., Alabama.5
Broxon Yarbrough Carlisle family
(father) 1910 Census15 Apr 1910 John was listed as a father in Robert Henry Luther Culpepper's household on the 1910 Census at Hopkins Co., Texas.6 
(farm hand) 1920 Census1 Jan 1920 John was listed as a farm hand working in Robert Henry Luther Culpepper's household on the 1920 Census at Hopkins Co., Texas. 50 m-ED 69/11/10.7 
Photographed*20 Feb 1923 He was photographed Civil War veterans, neighbors and friends in Pine Forest, Hopkins Co., TX.
Front Row: Thomas Jackson Combs, Dick Crump, Dave Turrentine.
Back Row: Newt Patrick, John Malcolm Culpepper (son of William Henry), Marion Dodd (father-in-law to Jim Culpepper who married May Dodd) on 20 Feb 1923 at Hopkins Co., Texas.2
Civil War Vets from Pine Forest TX area
Death*10 Jan 1927 He died at Pine Forest, Hopkins Co., Texas, on 10 Jan 1927.8 
Burial*11 Jan 1927 His body was interred on 11 Jan 1927 at Pine Forest Cemetery, Pine Forest, Hopkins Co., Texas.9 
Biography* John Malcolm Culpepper, who was known in his later years as "Uncle Johnnie," was the fourth child and third son of William Henry and Sarah (Leslie) Culpepper. There is some question about where he was born. Mrs. D. W. (Lavyn Wright) Sisco, a great-granddaughter of John Malcolm and Sarah Ann Elizabeth (Stephens) Culpepper, obtained information 10 from Masonic records, presumably based on information provided by John Malcolm, which indicated that he was born in Crawford Co., GA. This does not correspond with any known locations of John Malcolm's parents during this period. However, Culpepper uncles, Joel and James, were recorded with their families in the 1830 census in Crawford Co., GA and James I./J. Culpepper is known to have been on the move to Alabama in the mid-1830's so it is possible that William Henry Culpepper crossed back to Crawford Co., GA with his family for some reason near the time of John Malcolm Culpepper's birth. The other location suggested for the birthplace of John Malcolm Culpepper is Upson Co., GA. This is based on a reference to "Upton [sic] County, Ga." as his place of birth in an obituary.11 Unfortunately, no place of birth has been found in John Malcolm Culpepper's Civil War records and, in a newspaper article apparently written by him, 12 he lists his place of birth only as "Georgia."

In any event, within a short time of John Malcolm's birth, his parents and grandparents moved to Meriwether Co., GA and this is where John Malcolm was noted as one of two males 0-5 years of age in his father's household in the 1840 census. When John Malcolm was 12 years old, his parents again moved the family, this time to Alabama. Within months, John Malcolm Culpepper's mother died. John Malcolm is next noted living with his widowed father in the 1850 census of Randolph Co., AL. Mrs. D. W. (Lavyn Wright) Sisco wrote:

John Malcolm Culpepper attended school in Alabama. He didn't have much formal education, yet he could read well and write. He was also good in handling business matters.

In 1856, John Malcolm married Sarah Ann Elizabeth Stephens and they settled down to raise their family in Randolph Co., AL and this is where they were noted in the Almond P. O. District, west northwest of Louina (now Wadley) in 1860 census records.

John Malcolm was 25 years old when the Civil War began and he, along his brothers, joined the Confederate Army. Mrs. D. W. (Lavyn Wright) Sisco, in her biographical sketch 13 of him, wrote:

John enlisted in Company B. 37th Infantry at Davidson [Daviston?] in Tallapoosa County April 1862, his captain was L. P. Hauclin. John Culpepper did not desert the service but was a faithful soldier throughout the war. Sometimes the soldiers rode horseback but most of their travel was by foot. When the soldiers were marching within a short distance of their family, they were given opportunity to visit with them for only a short time.

May 13, 1862, the regiment was mustered into Confederate service at Auburn, AL under Col. James F. Dowdell.14 John Malcolm served under Lieutenant Colonel Alexander "Alec" A. Greene.12 The regiment engaged in several battles in the fall of 1862 and in the spring of 1863: Iuka on September 19, 1862, Corinth on October 3-4, 1862, Chickasaw Bayou on December 27-29, 1862, Yazoo Pass Expedition on February 3-10, 1863, Port Gibson on May 1, 1863, Champion Hill on May 16, 1863, and finally, the Siege of Vicksburg which ended in July of 1863.15

At the time of the Civil War, Vicksburg was a city of about 4,500 situated on a 200 foot bluff overlooking a loop in the main channel of the Mississippi River.16 A flood in 1876 caused the main channel of the river to shift to the south of the city.17 Vicksburg was called the "Linchpin of the Confederacy" not only because it protected the rail connection from Arkansas, Texas and Louisiana to the rest of the Confederate states, but also because a Confederate artillery battery was set up on the bluff to prevent Union troops and supplies from being moved between Memphis and New Orleans.17 President Lincoln recognized that taking Vicksburg was key to bringing the war to an end and Ulysses S. Grant was charged with the task. John Malcolm Culpepper was with the forces that tried to prevent him from taking the city.17 Grant tried frontal and oblique assaults on the city and on areas near the city, all of which ended in failure, some disastrous. Finally, Grant determined to take the city from the east and he marched 45,000 men along the western side of the Mississippi to about 60 miles south of Vicksburg, where Adm. David Porter had assembled boats which he had managed to get past the artillery at Vicksburg and the Union troops were ferried across the Mississippi.17 Beginning on May 1, 1863, with the Battle of Port Gibson, Grant fought a series of battles to split the Confederate forces under Gen. Joseph E. Johnston and Lt. Gen. John C. Pemberton and cut Vicksburg's supply and reinforcement lines. In order to secure the rail line running east from Vicksburg to the state capital at Jackson, MS, Grant fought the Battle of Jackson on May 14, 1863 and he captured the city.17 Grant then turned west and began marching on Vicksburg, engaging Pemberton's troops at the Battle of Champion Hill on May 16, 1863 and at the Battle of the Big Black River Bridge on May 17, 1863.18

After securing his supply and reinforcement lines, Grant turned his attention to Vicksburg. On May 19, after an unsuccessful attempt to take the city by force, Grant laid siege to the city.17 With reinforcements, Grant's forces numbered approximately 77,000 men, the bulk of which were used to pin in approximately 30,000 Confederate troops under Pemberton.17 The remainder of the Union forces were used as a rear guard in case of an attack by Johnston.17 The Union forces then began bombarding the city. With their supply lines cut, the Confederate troops were put on half-rations of a half pound of corn bread and a quarter pound of meat per day.17 Conditions eventually became more desperate and, on July 4, 1863, Pemberton surrendered. Capos Conley "Chip" Culpepper, II a great-grandson of John Malcolm and Sarah Ann Elizabeth (Stephens) Culpepper, wrote about the surrender at Vicksburg:19

The Confederate General John Pemberton's major concern when he surrendered on July 4th, was that the 31,000-plus soldiers in his command be paroled rather than shipped north to Union prison camps. They were in a severely weakened state from the long siege (48 [47] days) and would certainly all die under the poor conditions in prison. The Federal commander, General Ulysses S. Grant, believing the Confederates were weary of the war and would willingly go home if released, agreed to the paroles. He was wrong. He was later criticized for allowing so many Confederates to walk away freely.

However, by taking control of the Mississippi River, Grant was successful in cutting Confederate supply lines.20 John Malcolm's company reorganized at Demopolis, AL and, in November of 1863, the Regiment was declared "exchanged."12 On November 23-25, 1863, the Regiment fought under General Braxton Bragg against Ulysses S. Grant in the Battle of Chattanooga in Tennessee.15 John Malcolm recalled that, during this battle, he was assigned to the detail that was charged with dragging a cannon up Lookout Mountain.12 The cannon was still on display when he revisited the battleground many years later.12 Mrs. D. W. (Lavyn Wright) Sisco wrote:13

Grandchildren recall the stories that John would tell of the war days. One of the battles in which he fought was the "Battle above the Clouds" on Lookout Mountain, Tennessee. Grandpa Culpepper often told of the tense moments around the campfire when the enemy was camped nearby. In the stillness of the evening the teasing Yankees would yell to the hungry Confederates, "Come over, Johnny Reb and get a cup of coffeeee."

John Malcolm also remembered leaving two dead comrades behind on the battlefield on Missionary Ridge as the brigade retreated.12 From May to September, 1864, the Regiment took part in the Atlanta Campaign 15 in which Gen. William T. Sherman marched from Chattanooga, TN to Atlanta, GA and, after bombarding and capturing Atlanta, he marched to Savannah, destroying everything in his path.21 The Regiment fought at Rocky Face Ridge May 5-11, 1864; at Resaca May 14-15, 1864 and at New Hope Church May 25-June 4, 1864.15 For five weeks, Sherman besieged the Confederate troops under General John Bell Hood, including the Alabama 37th Infantry Regiment, and finally defeated them on July 22, 1864.22 Less than a week later, on July 28, 1864, the same troops fought again at Ezra Church (the second Battle of Atlanta) and again General Hood's troops were defeated.22 There were 10,000 Confederate casualties during the two battles.22

In November 1864, leaving Atlanta in ruins, Sherman, with 60, 000 troops, cut a mile wide path to the sea.22 The remnants of the 42nd and 54th Infantry Regiments were consolidated with the 37th Infantry Regiment to form the Alabama 37th Infantry Regiment Consolidated and these troops then took part in the Carolinas Campaign from February until April 26, 1865 when, under General Joseph E. Johnston, they surrendered at Durham Station, Orange Co., NC.23 Mrs. D. W. (Lavyn Wright) Sisco wrote 13 that after the War:

John returned home to his wife and children to find his farm devastated, his barn empty, and his money worthless.

John remained in Alabama approximately fifteen years, then traveled with his family with a wagon train to Grant County, Arkansas, settling in the Brushville Community. John's youngest son, Capos Conley Culpepper, recalled being about six or seven when this move took place and he recalled crossing the Mississippi in a flatboat.24 This would seem to indicate that the family moved in the mid-1880's. Brushville has not been located but there is a Brush Creek Community near the western border of Grant Co., AR. Also, John Malcolm's son, William Jehu Culpepper, moved to the Hurricane Creek area of Grant Co., AR around 1890. This creek run north to south through eastern Grant Co., AR. Perhaps Brushville was near this creek.

In any event, in 1892,11 John Malcolm with his wife, son Luther and the two youngest children, went by train to Saltillo, Hopkins Co., TX.25 John Malcolm and Sarah Ann Elizabeth then settled down in the Pine Forest Community which is southeast of Weaver (which is about 10 miles east of Sulphur Springs) near the Franklin County line. They joined the Pine Forest Methodist Church. Mrs. D. W. (Lavyn Wright) Sisco also wrote that John Malcolm attended "the Do-Sol-La singings." Lavyn explained: 26

I have learned more about Do - Sol - La singing since I wrote about it in the 1970's. In the old church hymnals, the notes are/were shaped rather than reading notes written on lines and spaces. An experienced musician can convert shape notes to lines and space notes easily. The music is read in the same key. Early singers didn't always have the old pump organ to accompany their singing so by hearing the note, the melody could be learned. To learn the song, the leader would voice the shape note correctly. (Kinda like Julie Andrews sang one song in the Sound of Music.) John [M.] Culpepper could voice Do and from there go on to other to other notes -- Do Ra Me Fe Sol La Te Do -- the eight note scale.

In 1902, John Malcolm joined Saltillo Masonic Lodge No. 631.27 The records show that he entered the lodge on a demit but there is no indication of the name or location of the lodge that John Malcolm had been affiliated with previously. John Malcolm remained a member the Saltillo Lodge for the rest of his life.27

In 1906, John Malcolm lost his wife of nearly 50 years. He is next noted in 1910 census records living with his son, Luther. He visited with family, attended Confederate reunions and was known as a peacemaker in the community.11 John Malcolm's family would regularly hold reunions on his birthday.11 Finally, in the Fall of 1926, John Malcolm fell ill. On January 10, 1927, John Malcolm Culpepper died at the home of his grandson, Thomas Jefferson Culpepper, he died at the age of 91.11 Mrs. D. W. (Lavyn Wright) Sisco wrote:

J. M. C. always encouraged his grandchildren to get all the education possible. Several granddaughters attended East Texas State Teachers College (E. T. S. University) and became school teachers. Approximately 25 great grandchildren have received college degrees--just recently James Leslie Culpepper received his Ph.D.
(Names referenced above: John Malcolm Culpepper John Malcolm Culpepper). 
Reunion* A reunion of the descendants of John Malcolm Culpepper has been held, but not annually. Last reported to Culpepper Connections! as held on 30 Apr 2000 at the Pine Forest Cemetery, Pine Forest Community, Hopkins Co. , TX. For more information, contact Lavyn Sisco or Tommie Smith.28,2
 

Family

Sarah Ann Elizabeth Stephens (22 Oct 1839 - 21 Jul 1906)
Marriage*25 Dec 1856 He married Sarah Ann Elizabeth Stephens at Randolph Co., Alabama, on 25 Dec 1856. 
Children

Charts Descendants of Joseph Culpepper of Edgecombe Co., NC (Six Generations)
Last Edited 26 Dec 2007

Citations

  1. 1840 Federal Census, United States.
    Page 123, Unk Twp, Meriwether Co., GA
    William H. Culpepper, 2 M0-5, 2 M5-10, 1 M20-30, 1 F0-5, 1 F5-10, 1 F30-40.
  2. E-mail from Tommie Sue Reeves Smith, e-mail address, 942 Clarice, Grand Prairie, TX 75051 to Lew Griffin, numerous e-mails.
  3. E-mail from Tommie Sue Reeves Smith, e-mail address, 942 Clarice, Grand Prairie, TX 75051 to Lew Griffin, numerous e-mails.
    as provided by Lavyn Sisco.
  4. 1900 Federal Census, United States.
    ED 50, Sheet 8A, Pg 100A-101, Pct 2, Gen.com Img 14, Hopkins Co., TX
    Jno. Culpepper, Head, M, Nov-1835, 64, md-43 yrs, GA SC GA, Farmer
    S. E. Culpepper, Wife, F, Oct-1839, 60, md-43 yrs, Ch 9/8, MS GA MS
    Capos Culpepper, Son, M, Apr-1879, 21, S, AL GA MS, Farm Laborer.
  5. Correspondence from Dwight L. Carlisle to Lew Griffin.
  6. 1910 Federal Census, United States.
    ED 59, Sheet 11B, Pg 213B, Pct 2, Gen.com Img 22, Hopkins Co., TX
    Luther Culpepper, Head, M, 31, M1, md-15 yrs, AL GA GA, Farmer
    Anna Culpepper, Wife, F, 36, M1, md-15 yrs, ch 7/5, MO KY MO
    Mattie Culpepper, Daughter, F, 14, S, TX AL MO
    Thomas Culpepper, Son, M, 8, S, TX AL MO
    Guy Culpepper, Son, M, 6, S, TX AL MO
    Eunice Culpepper, Daughter, F, 4, S, TX AL MO
    Fred Culpepper, Son, M, 2, S, TX AL MO
    John Culpepper, Father, M, 75, wid, GA GA GA, Farmer.
  7. 1920 Federal Census, United States.
    ED 69, Sheet 15B, Pg 218, Pct 2 , ? Pickton? & Pineforrest Rd., Hopkins Co., TX
    Own=Y, Farm=Y
    R. H. Luther Culpepper, Head M, 50, M, AL GA GA, Farmer
    Annie E. Culpepper, Wife, F, 46, M, MO VA MO
    Thomas Culpepper, Son, M, 18, S, TX AL MO, Farm Laborer
    Guy Culpepper, Son, M, 16, S, TX AL MO, Farm Laborer
    Eunice Culpepper, Dau, F, 13, S, TX AL MO
    Fred Culpepper, Son, M, 11, S, TX AL MO
    Irma Culpepper, Dau, F, 7, S, TX AL MO
    John Culpepper, Son, M, 5, S, TX AL MO
    May or Mary Culpepper, Dau, F, 2 2/12, S, TX AL MO
    John Culpepper, Father, M, 84, Wid, GA SC SC.
  8. Texas Department of Health, compiler, Texas Death Index, 1903-2000, Online database at Ancestry.com, 2006.
    http://www.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=4876
    John Culpepper, Hopkins Co., Jan 10 1927, 2255.
  9. National Cemetery Administration, compiler, US Veterans Cemeteries, 1800-2006, Online database at Ancestry.com, 2006.
    http://www.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=8750
    Pine Forest Cemetery, Sulphur Springs, Hopkins Co., TX 75482
    + John Malcolm Culpepper, CONFEDERATE STATES ARMY, 13 Nov 1834 - 10 Jan 1927.
  10. from S. O. Loving, Secretary of Saltillo (Texas) Masonic Lodge #631
  11. "Beautiful Tribute Paid to Uncle John Culpepper" unknown source, presumably a Hopkins Co., TX paper, circa 12 Jan 1927
  12. "Pioneers and Veterans," unknown source, possibly a Saltillo, Hopkins Co., TX paper, circa 1912-14?
  13. "John Malcolm Culpepper" typed sheet
  14. Stewart Sifakis, Compendium of the Confederate Armies: Alabama (New York: Facts on File) p.106
  15. Stewart Sifakis, Compendium of the Confederate Armies: Alabama (New York: Facts on File) p.107
  16. Richard Nilsen, "Vicksburg: Hard-won battle side on Mississippi River turned Civil War tide" Arizona Republic (Phoenix, Maricopa Co., AZ) pp. T1-2
  17. Richard Nilsen, "Vicksburg: Hard-won battle side on Mississippi River turned Civil War tide" Arizona Republic (Phoenix, Maricopa Co., AZ) pp. T1-2
  18. Richard Nilsen, "Vicksburg: Hard- won battle side on Mississippi River turned Civil War tide" Arizona Republic (Phoenix, Maricopa Co., AZ) pp. T1-2
  19. "Culpeppers in the Civil War" section of A Collections of Culpeppers printed manuscript, July 1993
  20. James Trager, The People's Chronology: A Year-by-Year Record of Human Events from Prehistory to the Present (New York: Henry Holt and Company, 1992) p. 490
  21. Sol Holt, The Dictionary of American History (New York: MacFadden-Bartell Corp., 1964, c1963) p. 44
  22. James Trager, The People's Chronology: A Year-by-Year Record of Human Events from Prehistory to the Present (New York: Henry Holt and Company, 1992) p. 495
  23. Stewart Sifakis, Compendium of the Confederate Armies: Alabama (New York: Facts on File) pp.106-107
  24. Capos Conley "Chip" Culpepper, II, A Collection of Culpeppers (Little Rock, AR: self published, 1993, biographical information at the end of the book
  25. Mrs. D. W. (Lavyn Wright) Sisco, "John Malcolm Culpepper," typed sheet and letter 15 Apr 1994
  26. letter 15 Apr 1994
  27. Mrs. D. W. (Lavyn Wright) Sisco information from S. O. Loving, Secretary of Saltillo (Texas) Masonic Lodge No. 631
  28. E-mail from Lavyn Sisco, e-mail address, 1411 Cherrywood, Sulphur Springs, TX 75482 to Lew Griffin, 2004.