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William Alexander Secrest was the second of seven children born to Phillip
and Mary (Sullivan) Secrest (Sechrist) in one of two counties in North
Carolina. Some records indicate his birth place as Rowan County, while
others say Davidson. These two counties join each other. He was born in
the summer, 9 June 1829. (he was my great great
grandfather)
Sometime around 1845, the family moved to Ray Township, Morgan County,
Indiana. They lived about 1 3/4 miles north of the town of Paragon. On
August 26, 1850, William, then 21, and a 23 year old local woman named
Franky Warthen were joined together in marriage by Jacob Secrest.
There were three children born in this marriage: a daughter, Mary C., in
1851; a son, William Alexander Secrest II, on 13 Aug 1852 (my great
grandfather); a daughter, Malinda J. Secrest, circa 1854. William's
wife, Franky passed away in March, 1854, possibly as a result of
childbirth.
On 17 Aug., 1857, William and Harriet Stiles, age 25, are married by William
Stout, a Justice of the Peace, in Martinsville, Morgan County, Indiana.
They continue to live in the Paragon area and their first child, a boy
named Perry, is born in Oct. 1858. Another son, Douglass A. is born, circa
1860, and a daughter, Tillena Kansas [Candace, sp] is born, circa
1861.
The War Between the States began in 1861 and William, now 33, decides to
volunteer. His appearance is described on the muster sheet as being 6 feet
2 inches tall, with dark hair, blue eyes, and dark
complexion.
On 15 Aug. 1862, he travels to Martinsville, some 10 miles away, and enlists
as a Corporal in Company H, 79th Infantry Regiment, Indiana Volunteers.
The company travels to Indianapolis,
Indiana and is mustered in on 27 Aug 1862. The regiment is then
transported to Louisville, Kentucky in September, 1862 where they are
attached to the 11th Brigade, 5th Division, Army of the Ohio.
Meanwhile, back in Paragon, Harriet has given birth to their fourth child,
a boy named Warden. He was born 22 Aug 1862.
William's unit was involved in the fierce fighting at Stone's River, near
Murfreesboro, Tennessee where, on 2 Jan 1863, "he was wounded in battle
in the left shoulder by gunshot, which caused the contraction of tendons,
to stiffen of the fingers of his left hand, and the perishing away of the
entire arm and hand." He was discharged from service 7 June, 1863, after
spending several weeks recovering in a field hospital near
Murfreesboro.
William's wound disabled him and he applied for and received a pension
from the Federal Government.>
During the next several years, other children were born to the couple:
Lincoln, circa 1864; Mansa, circa 1869; Charles J., circa 1873; Thomas,
circa 1878; Dollie, circa 1882; and Joseph W. F., 1888.
In 1878, the family moved from Morgan County, Indiana to Martinsville, Clark
County, Illinois, about 32 miles west of the Wabash River, on the Old
National Road. Here they remained until William died on 9 April 1901, just
short of his 72nd birthday. Records indicate he and Harriet lived in
Laffertys Addition to Martinsville, Ill. Later, after William's death,
Harriet lived in South Bend in northern Indiana. She apparently died there
sometime around January 1927, at the age of 95.
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