David Hamlett

James David Hamlett was born Jan. 16, 1842 in Nelson County, Virginia. He died February 18, 1920 in Edgewood, Iowa at his daughter Nettie's home. He is buried in the Hamlett Cemetery east of Wood, Iowa in Clayton County beside his wife Mary. James David Hamlett served 4 years in the Civil War. Due to incomplete records in the War Dept. files at Washington D.C. his first two years of service 1862-1863 cannot be located. David's last two years of war service are filed thus--A private of Company I, 28th Regiment Virginia Infantry, Confederate States Army, enlisted Nov. and Dec. 1864, dated 24, January 1865; last on file shows him present. Union prisoner of war records show that he was captured April 14, 1865 at Harpers Farm and imprisoned at Point Lookout, Maryland, where he was released June 13, 1865 after taking the Oath of Allegiance to the United States. His residence at that time was given as Braxton County, Virginia. ( now West Virginia) It is recalled he often spoke of his services in "Hunters Brigade" and "Picketts Division", and especially at the Battle of Gettysburg, where he was in the famous charge under Major General George Pickett. He did not receive a scratch throughout his four years of service, was fat and ragged when released, but without means to buy clothes; told how his sweetheart, Mary D. Giles made shirts for him from her petticoats. His principal rations in service were salt pork, greens and rice. His address on release was Braxton County, West Virginia, his parents having moved there prior to or about the time he went to war. David remained in Nelson County. He married Mary D( Molly). Giles on Dec. 7, 1865 in Lovingston, Virginia. Married by R.E. Gleason. Mary D(Molly). Giles was the daughter of William and Mary Belinda (Wills) Giles of nelson County, Virginia. Mary died Oct. 9, 1909 on her family farm east of Wood, Iowa. David worked as overseer of the freed negroes for Billy Coleman and lived on Stony Creek, near Nellys Ford in Nelson County, Virginia. This building site entirely deserted in 1938, when his eldest son, Freeling visited there. In the fall of 1871, David, Molly and their three children came by rail to Dubuque, Iowa and from there by wagon. the owner of the wagon hauled dressed pork to Dubuque and carried passengers on his return trip to Greeley, Iowa. The Railroad did not go through Edgewood, Iowa until the following year. At Greeley they were met by their relatives who had previously settled in Elk Township in Clayton County. David built a log and frame house and settled after having purchased his first land, 15 acres off George and Mary Halfhill on Nov. 16, 1871 for $100.00. David continued to add small tracts of land to his acreage until Aug. 27, 1886 when he sold his farm to his brother Thomas and moved his family to Sheridan County, Nebraska where David and his brother Elias had filed on claims the past summer. they chartered immigrant cars and moved all possessions. Elias did not like Nebraska and returned the following spring, but David and family homesteaded there until the spring of 1895, when they moved by covered wagon to Putnam County, Missouri where his brother William Hamlett was living and his son Freeling had gone the year before; also his uncle William Hamlett and his aunt Elvirey Hamlett Seay wre located near there. The members of Davids family were now becoming widley scattered. In Missouri, David bought a farm where they remained until 1906, sold all interests in Missouri and spent the year with their children, Freeling Thomas, Joseph and Nettie in Nebraska before returning to Iowa in 1908, where he bought a farm adjoining his old home place in Elk Township, Clayton County, Iowa and resided until the death of Molly the following year. Once again the family was united with the exception of William whom they had buried in Nebraska. David made trips to Virginia in 1905 and 1910 and also visited his brother Elias in Oklahoma in the fall of 1919 where he became ill, from which he never recovered. David and Molly had the following children: Freeling Huysen Hamlett born Sept. 2, 1866 in Nelson County Virginia William David Hamlett born Oct. 15, 1868 in Nelson County, Virginia James Seaton Hamlett born April 3, 1870 in Nelson County Virginia Thomas Lee Hamlett born Feb. 16, 1872 near Wood, Iowa John Henry Hamlett born Feb. 13, 1874 near Wood, Iowa Joseph Caleb Hamlett born Dec. 28, 1875 near Wood, Iowa Mark Hamlett born April 27, 1878 near Wood, Iowa Nettie Virginia Hamlett born July 16, 1880 near Wood, Iowa

• Reference: Find A Grave Memorial - SmartCopy: May 22 2018, 4:15:43 UTC