CSA Gideon Abernethy

Submitted by Bob Bowen

Letter from CSA Gideon Abernethy Camp 28 Regt., Fredricksburg Va., Feb. 18th 1863

Gideon A. Abernethy letter written from Hickory Station, April 30, 1870

This next letter written by my great-grandfather Gideon A. Abernethy was written from Happy Home, N. C. on August 31, 1870.

He was writing to his brother (either Dow or George). But, I'm not sure where they were situated at the time. In the letter, he refers to another brother, Robert A. Abernethy ("Brother R.A.A. says for you to hurry up and get well and ask him to that wedding for he has waited till he is getting impatient."). I gather from this that Robert was nearby.

Gideon, his brothers Lorenzo (Dow), George and Robert, and their father, Berryman Abernethy, appear on the 1850 Census for Caldwell County, North Carolina, pages 59 & 60. He was married to Rebecca Derr in 1824. I do not have any record of her death, but it must have been prior to 1850 as she does not appear on the 1850 census. Berryman was the son of Robert and Sarah (Nichols) Abernethy. Gideon's son, Robert L. Abernethy was my mom's dad. To date, there is no documentation to firmly establish Berryman as their father. Any information on this would be welcome.

Gideon did not marry until 1871. He married a cousin, Julia Ann Abernethy. Her parents were John P. Abernethy and Jane Rankin. Gideon and Jane had two children,
Ella Jane (b. 1872) and
Robert Laban (b. 1874).
Gideon died of meningitis in 1875. He is said to have contracted the disease during the war. Sadly, he lost his sight before his death.
Bob Bowen

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