Thought I'd post a few items written by my 3rd Great Grandfather, John Columbus Deason. This first one is a biographical sketch. The second item is a piece he wrote when he was 63.

A SKETCH OF MY LIFE
by John Columbus Deason

(This information was written on the back of a 1891 Mt. Zion Church bulletin, and was found in the home of John Coleman Deason. John Columbus Deason was a Clerk in the church.)

I was born in Butler County, Alabama, June 3, 1836. When I was about six weeks old, my parents moved to Bibb County. Staying in Bibb County one year and becoming dissatisfied, moved back to Butler. Then about the year 1843 or 44, they moved back to Bibb County, where I was reared to manhood and where I am at this present time.

My Father and Mother had nine children born unto them, three boys and six girls, two of my brothers and two of my sisters have gone to their Eternal Home. My parents and my oldest sister joined the Old School Baptist Church at Old Sweetwater in Butler County. Before I can recollect after moving to Bibb County, they joined the Auxiliary Baptist at Haysop Church but they never was satisfied with them. So you can see I was raised up by a strict disciplinarian Baptist parents. In my early boyhood, I was very feeble, puny, pale and bloated. Not able to do but little labor. My brothers and sisters called me "dirt eater" and which I denied and yet do. My dear old Mama spared no puny kin. Compounding roots and other stuff to recover me from my bloated condition, such as sweet bay root, snake roots, coppers, pills and many, many other things. Units of which I would take almost as same as my daily bread. About the time I reached the age of 18 or 19, I reckon I outgrew it and became real and hardy, tuff as a knot, but small and still so. After I came to be hardy, I loved to visit places of amusement and gay company, rowdy associates were my delight. I attended a11 sorts of so-called religious meetings. I also took great delight in a debating society and at times it was hard to clean up.

After I was of age, I was with father, then I set in with G. Howard to make a crop. In March, we had a rucus and I left him and went to one of my cousins and lived with him. In fall I taught a little school near my Father's. In my 25th year I lived with Mr. S. C. Brown, but my mind changed. He had a foolish girl about 17 years old by the name of Louisa. On the 20th day of January me and her married. I rented land from my wife's father to make a crop. We worked hard that year and made a nice little crop. In the fall of the same year, we joined the Missionary Baptist Church at New Massadonina. Baptized by N.H. The same day my wife's father gave us a little track of land and moved to it and commenced improving the same to make a crop. but alas our living together was about ended. The war was raging, call after call was being made for volunteers. I soon saw that I would have to go - then it seemed to draw the tick of nature a little closer, on the 13th of Feb. 1862 our oldest daughter was born.

Then in place of one I must leave two. In March of the same year I bid my wife and child farewell and went to Selma, Alabama in camp of instructions. While there I took the measles and almost died out. Got some better, then my wife's father came after me and brought me home in quite a feeble health. I remained at home until I was well. Then I bid a worser farewell then before to my wife and child. My baby was very sick, I never expected to see her again. I went to the army at Richmond, Virginia, our regiment was engaged in all principles battles and seiges that was fought in Va, Penn, and Maryland. Also the great Battle of Chicamauga and there back to Virginia in time for the Battle of Wilderness. Then we fell back to the cities of Richmond and Petersburg and while there about the first of January 1865, I got a furlough of 30 days to go home to see my wife and child, When I got home, I found them well, but my wife's father was dead. I stayed at home awhile and then went off to the Calvary up in North Alabama and stayed with them until the war was about over. Then I went home, rented some land from my wife's Ma and started to make a little crop in May. Consequently made very little. In July I took a little school at Massadonina. In the fall, I bought 200 acres of land from Simon Brown. Gave $400.00 for it and paid for it in stock and so on, and left us without a penny. One little shabby colt, no meat, no corn as a consequence. Then it was we must root hog or die. The next year 1866 we had a severe drowth which cut the crop short and we still had to live hard.

Then about 1876 we both joined the Primitive Baptist Church at Mt. Zion.

Sgt. John C. Deason
Company B. 44th Ala. Reg.
Born in Butter County, Alabama
Enlisted in Bibb County, Alabama
March 15, 1862 at Scottsville,
Alabama, by Col. Harrison and
served three years or more

This material was submitted to Uncle Jake Deason on his birthday, September 1975 by Bill Adkison, grandson of Dora Deason Murphy.