Beyond our Elusive William Daniel

It is my belief that William G. Shanks may have been the son of David Shanks who migrated to Mississippi from SC. David Shanks was the grandson of Matthew M. Shanks who migrated to the Colonies on "The Earl of Hillsborough in 1767, and who was was an officer in the Lower Long Cane A. R. P. Church in 1797. More research is needed, however. There are some possible indications that there may be an error in this assumption. William Shanks is not found with his family in the 1860 census of Mississippi. In 1866, however, there is a William Shanks on a Mississippi State Census which says there were 2 males 10 to 20 years of age, 2 males 20 to 30 years of age, 1 female 10 to 20 years of age, and 1 female 20 to 30 years of age. There is also one female aged 10 to 20 years of age listed among 'freedmen, free negroes, and mulattoes." The age of this William appears to be possibly in a range similar in age to the William Shanks who was the son of David and Martha Shanks. If it was the same man, however, where was he in 1860? "History of Kosciusko and Attala County" mentions a store owned by Wm. Shanks in Kosciusko at the time of Lee's surrender. He is in the 1880 census in Kosciusko, Attala, Mississippi, aged 40, living as a boarder with his daughter who was aged 7. He was a shoemaker, born in SC, and his daughter was born in MS. That would put him close to the age of David's son, but not exactly. In 1900 he was still living in Kosciusko, Attala, Mississippi, but it says he was born in January, 1836, in SC. That would put him at the correct age for David's son. His daughter Cora lives with him, but also there is a son, John D., who was a year and a half older than Cora. He was born in SC, but the children were both born in MS to a mother who was born in MS. He was a grocer at that time. He does not seem to appear in the 1870 census, but he married a woman from Mississippi, and had a son born in June 1871. This would indicate that he was there probably in 1870, although not in the census. Attala county is close to Holmes county. He seems to be found in the Kosciusko City Cemetery (1836 - 1925). Another troubling matter is that some of the family members were devout Methodists. William G. Shanks received a book of Psalms in Metre approved by the Kirk of Scotland from his father. That would indicate that his father was Presbyterian. However, the South Carolina family was associated with Presbyterian churches, so there may have been a connection to that faith regardless of other influences by some family members. There were others named Shanks in Mississippi at that time, and a couple of them were Methodist ministers. They may have been connected since they were born in South Carolina, but I am not sure of how. There is a possibility that our William G. Shanks was connected to the Shanks family of South Carolina through another branch, but if so, the connection is unknown at this time. There does not appear to be a William Shanks in the Civil War from Mississippi, although, if this William Shanks was living there at the time, he should have been of an age to serve, and probably would have been drafted unless there was a medical or other reason why he would not have served. There is a possibility that he was connected somehow to the Clarke County, Mississippi Clark families. A George Shanks (probably from that family) puchased land in Attala County in 1840. In the 1860 census records, the two families named Shanks who lived in Clarke County had only initials for the wives and children. More research is needed. In favor of the supposition we find that the son of David Shanks was the correct age, lived close to the Alabama cousins, and disappeared from his family at the correct time. William G. Shanks was able to buy land in Louisiana, and possibly in Alabama indicating the possibility that he received an inheritance from his father which made it possible for him to strike out on his own. It seems quite possible that he left his home in Mississippi, visited cousins in Alabama, met Diademia, married, and moved with the family to Louisiana. This was the period when he was not listed in the Mississippi census of 1860. If so, who was this other William Shanks, and how does he connect?

William Shanks and the Daniel family were found in the same household in Caddo County, La., in 1860. He is listed as 24 years old and a farmer. It says he was married in 1856.

He bought land in Caddo Parish which was recorded in 1860, Book N, p. 702 (Indirect Index to Conveyances, Caddo Parish, LA, microfilm, Broadmoor Library, Shreveport, LA). It was purchased from E. Gerrold et. al. In 1863 the land was sold at auction to Simon Koetz. The grantor is listed as W. G. Shanks, Succ'n and recorded in Book O, p. 370, Conveyance Records, Direct Index. It was filed 6 May 1863. It is described as North East quarter of South West fractional quarter of Section thirty two (32) in Township twenty (20) Range fifteen (15) West, containing forty three 60/100 acres which said Shanks, decd., possessed, which was this day sold at Public Auction by said Simon Koetz, for five dollars per acre. The land sold for $218. The money was distributed as follows: T. H. Pitts retainer (?) $10, Caddo Gazette $12, Clerks fees $9, to Leonard Daniel agent for Shanks Heirs $187 (file at courthouse, civil suit file 913, file cabinets in back on mezzanine level of courthouse). Leonard Daniel signed a receipt for the money, and Diademia signed a receipt, which was received in Panola County, Texas on the 6th day of May 1863 from A. L. Mershon clerk and ex. off. administrator and delivered by Leonard Daniel. This land was all the property that Thos. H. Pitts, notary public, who was commissioned to do a search and appraisal, found.

There is a photograph of him with the name W. G. Shanks. There is also a Book of Psalms in Meter given to him by his father with the name Wm. G. Shanks inscribed in it (although the pencil has faded and someone wrote over it to darken it again). He may have been Presbyterian since the book was approved by the Kirk of Scotland. The copyright date is 1855, so his father did not die before that date.

He served in as a private in Co. H 25 Regiment, Louisiana Infantry (Caddo Pioneers). He enrolled Mch. 19, 186_ in New Orleans. Enrolled by Capt. W. F. Mellen (Commander of Company G) for the period of the war. This is the same man who enrolled his brother-in-law, Thomas Filyan Harris. The dates are the same, although his brother-in-law had served previously in Co. B. 9th Reg. Louisiana Volunteers in the year 1861. Co. H 25 Regiment, Louisiana Infantry was not organized until March 26, 1862 at New Orleans. There were 1,018 men in the regiment when it was formed. The Company Muster Roll for March 26, 1862 lists him as 23 years old. He is listed on the Muster Roll for March 26 to June 30, 1862. It says that he has not yet been paid, and that he is at the hospital.

The death record lists his name as W. J. Shanks (apparently misread). It says he died July 1, 1862 in Meridian of disease. There is no listing for money or effects. It has a listing for when received and the date of Jany 2, 1864.
Remarks: SWC 451. It is labeled Confed. Arch;, Chap, 10, File no. 6, page 235.

After the regiment was formed, it was ordered to go to Corinth, Mississippi where it would take part in the Corinth Campaign from April to June 1862. They traveled by steamer until they reached Memphis where they switched to a train. They arrived at Corinth on April 11 (Guide to Louisiana Confederate Military Units 1861-1865 by Arthur W. Bergeron, Jr., Louisiana State University Press, Baton Rouge and London, 1989, pp. 132-134). Kate Cumming wrote in her diary about her arrival at Corinth on the same day (Heroines of Dixie by Katharine M. Jones, Konecky & Konecky, New York, N. Y. 10016, pages 107 -117). Since there had been rain for days, there was a great deal of mud and water. "As far as the eye could reach, in the midst of all this slop and mud, the white tents of our brave army could be seen through the trees, making a picture suggestive of any thing but comfort...," she wrote. Since there was such a crowd at the depot, they found a gentleman to help them get where they needed to go. Every large building had been made into a hospital, and yellow flags flew above them all. She worked in a hospital and found terrible conditions there as they attempted to care for victims of Shiloh. Due to a lack of beds, men lay on the floor. The army was not prepared for so many casualties. The roads were bad, and soldiers were still arriving from the battlefield. Soldiers from both sides were being cared for together, and with little concern for the fact that some were the enemy (although it would appear that there was some resentment evident toward them from the care givers). Sanitation was poor. The women had to kneel in water and blood as they cared for the wounded. When a new surgeon arrived, he cleaned up some things such as the amputated limbs that were tossed into the yard. One exception to the filth was College Hospital, which was operated by the Sisters of Charity. It was different in that it was quite clean and neat. Many sick men lay waiting for transport because the railroads were not dependable. On April 22 she wrote that nearly all of the army was ill. On April 24 she wrote that she had heard of an engagement that was going on at Monterey.

Perhaps this was one reason that the unit William Shanks was in is said to have left Corinth and marched to Monterey, Tennessee (Guide to Louisiana Confederate Military Units 1861-1865). Throughout the next month they took part in several skirmishes. May 9, 1862, the regiment took part in its first battle at Farmington. Two men were killed and 29 were injured. Their brigade commander commended them for acting like they were veterans. The regiment marched to Tupelo when Corinth, Mississippi was evacuated. (Apparently this was at the end of May) There they remained until August (Guide to Louisiana Confederate Military Units 1861-1865 by Arthur W. Bergeron, Jr., Louisiana State University Press, Baton Rouge and London, 1989, pp . 132-134).

Sometime during this time, William Shanks entered the hospital. We now know that he was buried in Rose Hill Cemetery in Meridian, Mississippi. The name on the group marker calls him W. C. Shanks under the 25th Louisiana heading.