A Civil War Soldier: Pvt. William Franklin MIDKIFF (1833 - 1920)

Source: Midkiff, William Franklin. Photograph. C. 1890. Whereabouts of original photograph unknown.

How Related: Brother of my husband's 2nd-great-grandfather

Born: 4 January 1833 in Lincoln (now Moore) Co., Tennessee

Parents: Franklin Preston MIDKIFF (c. 1800 - c. 1839) and Ellender "Nellie" OLIVER (c. 1807 - c. 1849)

Siblings: William was one of seven siblings and one of three brothers that served the Confederacy from Texas: Sarah Ann (1826 - 1912); unknown sister (b. c. 1825 - 1830); Elizabeth Carrie "Betsey" (1830 - 1912); John Rufus "J.R." (1835 - 1909); unknown brother (b. c. 1836 - 1840); and Charles Anderson MIDKIFF, Sr. (1839 - 1919)

Married: first to Frances Elizabeth COLE (1835 - 1905) on 4 September 1851 in Fayetteville, Lincoln Co., Tennessee. She was the sister of Louisa COLE, who married William's brother, J.R. MIDKIFF. Married second to Emma POINDEXTER (dates unknown), probably in Cooke Co., Texas

Children: With his wife Frances, William had 13 children:

• Marcus Franklin (1852 - 1868)
• James Jefferson "Jeff" (1854 - 1890)
• Martha Ann (1856 - 1858)
• Mary Jane (1859 - 1937)
• William Davis (1861 - 1864)
• George Price (1864 - 1847)
• Margaret Susan (1865 - 1941)
• John Horace "Bud" (1867 - 1937)
• twins Thomas Jackson (1870 - 1943) and Robert Lee (1870 - 1952)
• Kathryn Elizabeth "Kate" (1872 - 1949)
• William Petty (changed to William Preston) (1875 - 1950)
• Emma Tennessee (1877 - 1877)
  

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Enlisted: 1 February 1864 in Co. D, Cooke County First Frontier District; private

Side served: Confederacy

Discharged: unknown

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Biography or Information of Interest: The First Frontier District Regiment was much like a home guard or national guard, whose purpose was "keeping out the Indians & arresting deserters and those persons who are avoiding conscriptions and draft services..."

After the war, William returned to his farm at Sivells Bend, Cooke Co., Texas. Later, his family removed to nearby Gainsville. Much of William's story can also be found in Midkiff: A Texas Family, Town and Way of Life.

Died: 3 July 1920 in Gainsville, Cooke Co., Texas

Buried: Gainsville Cemetery, Gainsville, Cooke Co., Texas