Elizabeth (Bryan) Musgrove

Elizabeth (Bryan) Musgrove is our third great-grandmother* (see relationship notes below). She had three sons: John 'David,' Charles, and James Musgrove. Her middle child died in 1915.

"Charles 'Charley' H. Musgrove was born in August of 1850 in either Baker or Ware County, Georgia. Charles is thought to be the son of James W. Musgrove and Elizabeth Bryan. He was the grandson of James Bryan (b. 1799) of Bladen County, North Carolina, and the great grandson of William and Sarah Bryan (Vol 5)." 

Folks Huxford "Pioneers of Wiregrass, Georgia" Vol 12, page 350.

This is what we know of her story.

John Collins Meets Larkin Musgrove

Richard Graham Musgrove
1923-2016

Our family history is recorded in Richard Graham Musgrove's book "The American Family Musgrove." In 1993, on page 725 of his book, the author wrote of our family line:

"James Walter Musgrove, Sr. has been reported by descendants to have come from Baker County, Georgia. However, I have been unable to tie him back to one of the many Musgrove families from that area."

Until now, we'd no clue how our family's line became Musgroves. There was no known point of contact between Elizabeth (Bryan) Musgrove - James Walters' supposed wife - and any other known Musgrove.

This post tells the story of a meeting between John Forbes Collins - our third great grandfather* (see relationship notes below) - and Larkin Cuthbert Musgrove of Baker County, Georgia.

Musgroves in War: Letters Home

Melvin Musgrove
Viet Nam 1968

Our last blog was about Joshua John Musgrove and included a letter home from a Confederate camp in Virginia during the Civil War. Joshua had five young children back at home.

Your humble family historian was an Army brat. My father, Melvin Musgrove, served two tours of duty in Viet Nam. In the days before cellphones and Skype, letters were the only communication between soldiers and their families.

Soldiers deployed in active locations were sometimes barred from writing for months at a time. These times were scary for Mom, though she didn't tell us kids at the time. The soldiers also were careful about what they wrote home. They usually spared their families the gruesome details. From this perspective, we present the entire article by Earl 'Tige' Pickle that contained the very young Joshua John Musgrove's letter home.

Joshua Musgrove: Scalawag

On the morning of December 21, 1862, in camp near Franklin, Virginia, young Confederate soldier William Jordan wrote to his wife - the mother of his five young children,

 

"I this morning seat myself to inform you that I am well only I got my arm hurt in a row the other day. Hoping these few lines reach you safe and find you and the children all right. 

We got in a fight the other day and the Yankeys got Josh Musgrove, Little Bill Jordan and James Smith, Herman Chain, Elisha Harrison, Abi Dias, Wood Richardson, Albert Gladden all Prisoners. None killed as we know of."   

John Collins: Florida Pioneer

"The First Seminole War...is generally dated to 1817–18 and that led Spain to cede Florida to the United States."  

Encyclopedia Britannica

Florida historian and author Dale Cox wrote one book we've already referenced; The History Of Jackson County, Florida: The Early Years.