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Re: Andrew Jackson "Dick" Kitchen - Bushwacker

You likely have most of this information but for the other folks to give them some names and connections:

Notes From 'Phelps County Missouri Heritage' book Vol #1, page 229:

Andrew Jackson (Dick) Kitchen was the son of George Kitchen and Elizabeth Adams. Dick (Bushwhacker book) married Martha Ellen Mace Edgar, March 31,1867, the daughter of Henry Mace and Elizabeth Black. Dick and Martha had a little girl who died after eating too many dried apples. She is buried at the Renaud Cemetery.

Oral family history says Dick and others fought the North as bushwhackers instead of putting on Southern uniforms. They destroyed government supply wagons at Beaver Creek, south of Rolla and around Edgar Springs and also gave food back to those people from whom the army had taken it.

At the conclusion of the war all Southern sympathizers were to be pardoned, but the one in charge of Missouri said, "No". This area put out posters for Dick Kitchens, Anthony Wright, Bill Wilson and Jim Jamison. BILL went to Texas, Anthony to Louisiana, Jim was later pardoned and became a Texas Ranger.

After the war Dick was hiding in a cave east of Edgar Springs (where Highway H crosses Little Piney). Dick's mother's home was at the foot of the hill that leads to the Mitchell Cemetery. Sergeant Jim Samples and the Home Guard came looking for Dick. Dick's half-sister Bett, age 16, would slip out at night and take him food. Samples and his men caught her and tried to make her reveal where Dick was. She wouldn't, so they hung her from a walnut tree by the house. They shoved her mother into the house, chained the door, piled straw up to the front door and set it on fire. When they let Bett down, she said, "Now I didn't tell you, and I never will!" Then they hung her again. The second time, she was turning blue. By then Dick had gotten there with his guns shooting. The soldiers ran off. Bett had rope burns on her neck for many years. Dick said he could have killed them all, but he didn't want to kill anyone.

Another time Samples and his men came to Coon's (Dick's brother) home and took him up on a ridge to kill him if he didn't tell where Dick was. Coon thought the only thing that saved him was that John Samples, Jim's father, came. He was a Baptist preacher. He preached in a coat that had a bullet hole in the back. He walked stooped over. They asked him how he got that way. He said, "From dodging Bill Wilson's bullets." He had a crease on the back of his head from one.

Martha Ellen's mother was very sick. (She lived where Bud Arthur's farm is now located.) Dick went there to help sit up with her. Samples found out where he was and brought the Home Guard after dark. They fired two bullets into Mrs. Mace's pillow. Dick told his relatives to blow out the light and get on the floor. Dick saw the glint of a gun barrel and went out with both guns firing. He killed Samples and wounded some other. Dick escaped on his horse.

The soldiers went up to Uncle Antnie's (Dick's brother) at 2:00 in the morning to make him haul Samples's body home. He hauled the body with a team of oxen and wagon. John Samples thanked him for bringing his boy home. Somebody asked Antnie if he didn't hate to haul him. He said, "Only thing I hate -- I didn't have a full load."

Dick was freighting and was at a blacksmith shop in Evening Shade, Arkansas. He had to shoe his horse. He took off his guns and hung them up on the bellows. He didn't have enough horseshoe nails and while getting them, someone shot him in the back with his own gun. He is buried at Evening Shade.

Martha's farm was where Roy Davidson's farm is located today. Martha later married Tom Kepler. She is buried in Renaud Cemetery.

Dicks's uncle, "Piney Bill" William Adams was kept awhile as a prisoner during the Civil War because authorities accused him of harboring bushwhackers in his home.
Submitted by Connie Davidson

* Taken from Phelps County Missouri Heritage - Volume I - pg 229-230

Dick's brothers and sisters were first cousins to the four Wright boys along with their father Judge Lewis Wright who were murdered on their way to Rolla by Union soldiers led by Col. Babcote, also after the war was over, August 17, 1865. Two of the Wright boys were Confederate soldiers, pardoned by Missouri Governor Fletcher (having laid down arms, Confederate soldiers were entitled to the state's full protection).

* Taken from Phelps County Missouri Heritage - Volume I - pg. 287

Judge Lewis F. Wright owned considerable land around the Yancy Mills area, he also had a number of slaves. He was active in the creation of Phelps County and was appointed as Judge. He and Frances raised six sons and three daughters: Tartan S., Isaac N., Anthony R., Elias Davidson, Lewis F. Jr., Gilbert Benjamin, Agnes Ann, Margaret Ann and Susan Elizabeth.

Judge Wright supported the southern cause and four of his sons were active participants. Tartan, Isaac and Davidson fought at the Battle of Pea Ridge with Isaac being killed and Tartan and Davidson being taken prisoner for the duration. Anthony was a bushwacker along with his cousin, Dick Kitchen, and Bill Wilson.

Tartan and Davidson returned home with only Anthony refusing to surrender. Anthony's actions led Federal troops to the Wright house, where stolen property and a horse were found, leading to the arrest of Judge Wright and his other four sons. While enroute to Rolla, Judge Wright and his sons were killed for allegedly trying to escape. Father and sons are buried at King Cemetery.

* Taken from Phelps County Missouri Heritage - Volume I - pg 420-421

"Dick" was killed at Evening Shade, Arkansas, after Missouri refused to grant him a pardon after the Civil War. He is buried at Evening Shade.

CENSUS YR: 1850 STATE or TERRITORY: MO COUNTY: Pulaski DIVISION: 72nd District REEL NO: M432-411 PAGE NO: 111a
REFERENCE: November 14, 1850 by Jas P. Harrison

41 547 557 RYNERSON Christopher 38 M W Farmer KY
42 547 557 RYNERSON Elizabeth 44 F W TN X

CENSUS YR: 1850 STATE or TERRITORY: MO COUNTY: Pulaski DIVISION: 72nd District REEL NO: M432-411 PAGE NO: 111b
REFERENCE: November 14, 1850 by Jas P. Harrison

1 547 557 KITCHEN Coonrod 15 M W Labour MO X
2 547 557 KITCHEN Margaret 12 F W MO X
3 547 557 KITCHEN Andrew J. 11 M W MO X
4 547 557 KITCHEN Polly Ann 9 F W MO X
5 547 557 KITCHEN Sarah F. 7 F W MO

1863 Phelps Co. MO Property Tax Book - Personal Property only Phelps Co. Gen. Soc. Quarterly - 1/1990 pg. 14

Dicks Wife Martha Ellen Mace married William T Kepler after 1868 and is buried with him in Renaud Cemetery Phelps County MO

Kepler, Martha E. w. of W. T. Kepler 4 Nov 1837-19 Feb 1898
Kepler, W. T. 2 l May 1842-2 Apr 1911
see http://ftp.rootsweb.ancestry.com/pub/usgenweb/mo/phelps/cemeteries/ranaud.txt

Evening Shade Cemetery 360388N 09136513W Sharp Co Arkansas

John R.

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Thank you!!!!! *NM*