On January 1, 1908, a photograph was taken in Hahira, Georgia, of 68 Confederate veterans. This photograph includes Hardy Christian, my great, great granduncle.
Hardy Christian is related to the Christians-Stokes of Haywood, Chatham County, North Carolina, from the early 1800s, according to: Mr. S.H. Griswold of the Griswold muntions manufacturing family, in the "History of Jones County, Georgia, 1807-1907," by Carolyn White Williams, with index by Margaret Heard Stephens, Memorial Edition, reprinted 2003. This is a fact.
Hardy Christian was serving in the Jones Volunteers, from Jones County, Georgia. This company was Company B, of the 12th Georgia Regiment, Georgia Volunteer Infantry. This company, Jones Volunteers, is also documented as Company F, 45th Regiment, Georgia Volunteer Infantry. Noteworthy, is that the roster of Company F, 45th Regiment, Georgia Volunteer Infantry, was discovered in May of 1956 (yes the year 1956) in Macon (Bibb County), Georgia, upon removal of a Confederate monument.
The regimental history is glorious. Hardy Christian was surrendered at Appomattox.
Hardy Christian is the brother of my great, great, grandmother, Lucinda Christian Mitchell. Lucinda Christian Mitchell married Warren Anderson Mitchell. Warren was serving on duty in the recruiting office at Camp Number One of Instruction, Camp Watts, near Notasulga, Alabama, when he contracted pneumonia and died on November 20, 1862. He was returned to his old home in Jones County, Georgia, and buried there. Warren Anderson Mitchell was the great grandson of Henry Mitchell, Revolutionary Soldier, and Sarah Maderias Mitchell.
Hardy Christian also married a Mitchell. He married Mattie (Martha) Mitchell, a cousin of my great, great grandfather, Warren Anderson Mitchell.
Hardy and Lucinda's father, Henry Christian, was a Civil War sheriff of Jones County, Georgia. Hard to see, Lucinda.
I would like very much to hear from the Christians and Stokes of North Carolina about the Christians and duty. Hardy does look like a lion in the photograph, doesn't he?
Auld lang syne,
Terri Anne Hastings