John W. Blankenship was born April 7, 1844 in Murray County, Georgia (based on his death certificate) to Alexander and Rebecca Blankenship. In his pension application he makes claim he was born in May of 1844 in Yancey County, North Carolina and on a reply to the Tennessee Board of Pension Examiners, he amended his birth as May of 1846. The U.S. Federal Census of 1850 shows he is living in Yancey County with his parents and siblings: Robert (4), Elizabeth (14), Emelia (12), Margaret (8) and Elvira (<1 month). In 1860 he is living in Subdivision 33 of Gilmer County Georgia with the following McKager [?] family members: McKager (21), William (18), Margaret (15), John (11), Elvira (9), Frances (7), Lucretia (5), Sarah (3), Marcus (1) and Henry Blankenship (9 months). In 1870 he is living in Madison County, NC with his wife Matilda Rice Blankenship and daughters Milly (3) and Rebecca (10 months). His marriage to Matilda was on October 18, 1866. In 1880, John and Matilda are living in Upper Laurel, Madison County with children: Milly L. (13), Rebecca (11) and Cager L. (10). Based on Matilda’s death certificate, she and John were divorced and she was living as a widow at the time of her death in Madison County in 1933. In 1900, John is living in District 10 of Unicoi County with his wife Sarah Mathis Blankenship, who he married in 1896. Living with them are children: Atlas E. (8) and John B. (6); children from his previous marriage. In 1910 John (63) and Sarah (41) are still in District 10 of Unicoi with children: John Blankenship Jr. (19), Atlas E. (18), Texanna (9) and Robert (1) and in 1920 are still in the same location with children Texanna and Robert. In 1930 the Blankenships are still in District 10 living with daughter Texanna and a granddaughter Zettie Mae (8). Sarah passed away in 1936 and in 1940, John at 96 years of age is living in the household of his son Robert and wife Zara with 5 of Robert and Zora’s children and John’s daughter Texanna. A notation is made on the census record beside John’s name—“oldest man in county.”

On August 15, 1907, John filed for a Tennessee Confederate pension (S9419) while residing at Flag Pond in Unicoi County. He states he enlisted in Company B of the 4th Georgia Cavalry in the fall of 1863 under the command of Colonel George Edmondson, Captain George May, 1st LT Charles Dean and 2nd LT Joe Blackwell. He made claim he was in battles at Chickamauga, Altoona and Atlanta, being thrown from a horse at Altoona with injuries to his back and hips. The injury removed him from duty for about 5 weeks. He reports he was captured at Kingston, GA on May 12, 1865. At the time of his filing he is living with his wife Sarah and three of their children. His pension folder contains numerous documents with one sent from the Confederate Pension Board in Nashville, dated February 20, 1943 to Boyd-DeArmond Company of Erwin noting an enclosed check for $100 was enclosed to cover burial expenses for John. The company acted as undertakers. A letter to John from the Tennessee Board of Pension Examiners dated August 24, 1907 asks john to confirm his place and date of birth. Another letter is from R.B. Blankenship, an officer of Company B of the 4th Georgia Cavalry making claim he was with John in October of 1864 when he enlisted and was also with him on May 12, 1865 when he was surrendered with his company at Kingston, GA.

A most interesting letter dated July 8, 1942 was sent by John to the Treasurer of the State of Tennessee which reads: “I have just received my check dated June 29 [for] $50. I have passed my 98th birthday, and receing $50 per month. I am almost helpless, and have had the assistance of a nurse, for about 2 years. I am informed I am entitled to extra pay for such nurse assistance. Therefore I am asking for such information in regard to same as is necessary for you to give. I am the only living soldier of the Civil War as far as I can ascertain, in Unicoi County, Tennessee, and as far as I know, there is no Federal soldier now living in this County, me being of my age and poor and helpless, or practically so, if anything coming to me, please inform me of such.”
Other documents are in John’s file folder and are worthy of reading. He passed away on February 15, 1943 in Flag Pond with interment beside his son John W., Jr. and his second wife Sarah in Blankenship Cemetery of Flag Pond. The cemetery is the site of a memorial placed by the Blankenship family to commemorate a tragedy of war which befell the Blankenship family on March 2, 1864.

Lest we forget.

John W. Blankenship