James Tinder is the first known Tinder in America. He was probably born sometime in the 1730's, and came possibly, from Scotland. The only proof of this is found in a biographical sketch of his grandson Jeremiah Tinder in "The History of Hendricks County, Indiana 1886", p 536 which states his father was born in Scotland. Jeremiah's father was Elijah Tinder, son of James, and all records show that Elijah was born in Virginia. We might therefore presume that he meant his grandfather James was born in Scotland, not his father.
James could have arrived in America with a brother. Henry Elliot Tinder, now deceased, of Barboursville, Virginia stated according to tradition that Tinder brothers came to America together. A few records found in Rockingham County Virginia substantiate this theory, yet the relationship is unproven. I found a Fredrick E. Tinder listed in a book of solders from the American Revolution. He was listed along with James Tinder Jr. This could have been the brother of James Tinder Sr., or an unknown son.
There is a Michael Tinder who died in Culpeper County, Virginia in 1760. The inventory of Michael Tinder's estate was conducted by James Barbour Jr., Adam Gaar and Adam Wayland. The Will is listed in the Culpeper County Will Book "A" p229. This, because of the date of death, sounds more like it could be the brother of James, and perhaps the Frederick mentioned above could be Michael's son. There needs to be more work done on these two Tinders.
Where James landed in America, and the exact date of his arrival is unknown, but we do know that he was in Virginia before 1758, because he served in the French and Indian Wars that year. He enlisted in Louisa County Virginia in the Second Regiment under Colonel Byrd. Lieutenant Colonel George Washington commanded this Regiment, along with the First. From reading about this period of history we can get a feel for what James's movements might have been during his service in the Virginia Regiment.
Washington's forces were assigned to the Forbes expedition against Fort Duquesne. Colonel Henry Bouquet was commanding the First Division, and was in charge of building a road through Pennsylvania. This is where the main thrust against Fort Duquesne would be mounted. Washington was against the building of this road, for he felt it would delay the campaign into the winter, and the attack would have to wait until next spring. Washington, commanding the Second Division, wanted to use the Braddock Road through Virginia, a road he had helped cut on an earlier attempt to take Fort Duquesne.
The British won out and Washington and his Virginia forces were to work on the Braddock Road in an attempted to try and fool the French into thinking that the attack against the fort was coming from that direction. In July of 1758 Washington's Virginia Regiment reached Fort Cumberland on the Potomac River, so we can only assume this was where James was to be found. During August they continued to clear Braddock's Road, but sometime in late August the army moved north to Loyalhannon, at Fort Ligonier, in Pennsylvania, to join Colonel Bouquet and his forces. As it turned out Washington was right about the delay in building a new road, and the army was forced to go into winter quarters.
This was to be James's new home for the winter of 1758, but as luck has it, on November 12th, 1758 Washington and Bouquet learned that Fort Duquesne's garrison was very weak. Washington took 2500 men and advanced on the fort, and on November 24th, camped on Turtle Creek. During the night the French blew up the fort and abandoned it. Washington and his men took the fort the next day, and possibly James was there on the forks of the Monongahela and Alleghany Rivers on November 25th, 1758.
James returned to Louisa County Virginia in 1758, and was probably discharged from the army later in the same year. James married Sarah ? (Last name unknown) ca 1760 possibly in Louisa County Virginia. A daughter Margaret was born to them ca 1761 in Virginia. By 1763 James and Sarah were in Spotsylvania County Virginia, as their oldest son James Tinder Jr. was born there. Jesse was born in 1765, and by 1768 James and Sarah had purchased land in Orange County, Virginia. They purchased 180 acres from Ruben and Ann Young for 12 pounds. The farm was located on the Little Black Walnut, and Branch of the Mine Run, in Orange County Virginia.
The rest of James and Sarah's children were born in Orange County. There was Anthony 1770, Sarah 1773, Jeremiah 1775, Rev. James Jr. 1776, Elijah 1777, and Jennie 1780. As you can see there were two James Tinder Jr's, why I do not know, but the youngest became a reverend and will be known as the Reverend James Tinder Jr.
James Tinder Sr. at court held in Louisa County on the 14th of February, 1780 made application for land bounties in the Virginia land office for his service in the French and Indian Wars. From the land bounty certificate, French and Indian War page 58, #448 warrant for 50 acres of land, which "I assign the within rite to Luis Perry this 14th February, 1780".
James Tinder Jr. served in the America Revolution. The following was taken from James's pension application.
"He appeared in open court before Justices John Steele, Samuel Wallace, Barnett Gaines, and William Woodridge. He was mustered into the service as a Militia soldier in the Revolutionary Army in the State of Virginia, in the County of Orange, under Captain Gaines, General Stephans Commanding the Brigade.
He entered the service a few days before Christmas in the year 1778, and served two months, which expired in the last of February. Colonel Thomas was the commanding officer, with Thomas Barbour. They marched from the Orange County Courthouse to rendezvous at Beals Tavern in Orange County, and marched to Fredericksburg, Spotsylvania County. He remained at Fredericksburg all winter and returned home in March 1779.
A few days after he returned home he was drafted in the 16th year of his age for two months. He was commanded by Captain Bucker, and Colonel Emmerson was the Colonel, Major Meriweather also commanded the regiment. They again marched to Fredericksburg in Spotsylvania County. He returned home in the last of April 1779, and substituted himself to serve a tour of two months more, in the place of someone, his name forgotten. Nelson Meriweather was the commander, and General Stephans commanded the Brigade.
They marched from Fredericksburg to Bowling Green, and from there to Jamestown on the James River. Near the first of July he returned home and in five days after his return he substituted himself in the place of Nate Olover (Clover) under Captain Roland Thomas, Colonel Edmonson, and General Stephans. They marched to Richmond City, from thence down the James River to Williamsburg, returning home about September 1, 1779.
In a few days he substituted for Thomas Johnson for two months, and marched to Richmond thence to Petersburg. He was then discharged, and knows but one man that can prove this tour of duty; Benjamin Adams of Jessamine County, "if he is still living". That he returned home to Orange County, Virginia when the weather was cold, and substituted again for James Sanders for two months, under Captain Thomas Chambers and Colonel Taylor. They marched to Albemarle County and were a guard to Burgoin's prisoners. He continued on two months more for James Saunders under Captain Burnley and the same Colonel.
He then returned home, and in 1781 he substituted for Thomas Johnson for two months under Captain George Wayne and Colonel Mathews. That he marched to Richmond where he joined General Lafayette, and then went down the James River to Williamsburg. They then retreated to Culpeper County about the time Manchester was burned. The American army recruited and pressed on Lord Cornwallis and they retreated below Richmond. He served this two months with John Stephans whose disposition was attached. He was discharged at Williamsburg.
That he was in one more tour of duty, of two months, at the siege of York under Captain Stublefield, General Lafayette and General Welch. General Morgan was a regular officer, and General Wayne was also a regular officer.
He applied for his pension September 3, 1832 in Woodford County, Kentucky. Several questions were put to James regarding his place of birth, etc. He stated he was born in Spotsylvania County Virginia in 1763. He stated he lived in Orange County, and moved to Woodford County, Kentucky about 1796, except for two years he spent in Fayette County, Kentucky.
When asked about the officers he served under, he stated he served under General Wayne, General Morgan, General Lafayette and General Washington, as well as Colonel Mathews and Colonel Meriweather. He stated he received nothing but continental money, $50.00, of which he paid for a knife and his breakfast. James received a pension of $26.66 semi-annually. It was awarded under certificate #7274."
The British prisoners mentioned were properly part of the so-called Convention Troops, captured at the battle of Saratoga, and marched south to Charlottesville. The men who served here as guards received little more than the prisoners. Others from Orange County, Virginia serving in the guards were Zebulon Allphin, John Taylor, Presley Thornton, and Quartermaster Sergeant George Martin. There was a lack of clothing, particularly shoes, and food. Colonel Taylor wrote Governor Thomas Jefferson to try and have the situation changed, but unfortunately little was forthcoming. The Convention Army Guard Regiment was moved to Winchester and elsewhere in the Valley of Virginia due to the British invasion of Virginia in 1781. The Convention Army Guard Regiment was disbanded in May and June of 1781.
James Tinder Sr. and James Tinder Jr. were both involved in the American Revolution, James Sr. as a farmer, and James Jr. as a soldier. In the book "Patriots of the Upcountry" by William H. B. Thomas, both James's names appear on Orange County Legislative Petitions. James Sr.'s name appears also on the Public Service Claims of Orange County for driving public beeves, certified by Andrew Shepherd, Com., September 1, 1780. Unfortunately James Jr's name does not appear on the Roster of Military Personnel of Orange County probably, because he applied for his pension in Kentucky.
On the 24th of December 1791 James and Sarah sell their farm in Orange County, Virginia to John Bledsoe. The sale was for 280 acres. James had increased his land holding by 100 acres since it's purchase in 1768. James took his family to Woodford County, Kentucky, possibly by way of the Wilderness Road through the Cumberland Gap. James purchased 18 acres of land from Joseph Collins and his wife Susannah in the Clear Creek area of Woodford County, Kentucky. In 1806 James and Sarah deeded the 18 acres to their son Elijah, who no doubt cared for his parents for the rest of their lives. The 1810 Federal Census shows a male and female over 45 living in the home of Elijah. Elijah sells his land in 1816 and moves to Shelby County, Kentucky, so we have placed James Tinder Sr.'s death at ca 1810-1816.
A deed between James Tinder Jr. and his father-in-law Job Shadrick may help explain why James Jr. also moved on to Woodford County, Kentucky after Job's death. James was renting 50 acres of land from his father-in-law, and every year he had to pay to Job, his heirs, or executor's five hundred pounds weight of good merchantable tobacco. He also had to plant 100 apple trees and 100 peach trees on the above mentioned premises with a good fence. Job's will states that after his debts were paid; the remainder of his estate was to be divided between his five children. His estate was appraised 27 December 1790 and recorded 25 December 1796.
It seems that James Tinder Jr. left Orange County owing money. In a book "British Mercantile Claim 1775-1803" in the Culpeper County Library I found the following:
"James Tinder, Orange f5.18.0 John Glassell. He moved to Kentucky about 1785 in moderate circumstances, but generally reputed able to pay any debts he might contract. His first residence was in Fayette County, but he has since removed to the Green River settlement, and considerably improved his estate. Report of William IV, Henry November 12, 1800".
We now have three James Tinders in Woodford County, Kentucky.
In 1796 Anthony Tinder returns to Virginia, and marries Lucy Robinson Dec. 18, 1797. Lucy was the daughter of John Robinson. John owned the Robinson Tavern ( previously known as the "Old Trap") along the Old Turnpike between Charlottesville and Washington D.C., that is Rt. 20 today. The tavern was located on the N.W. corner of the intersection of Routes 20 and 611 at Locust Grove, Virginia, but it has been moved back off the road about 200 yards to make room for a 7-11 type store.
I don't know a lot about John Robinson and his family. I do know that on 23 February 1769 the court ordered the sheriff to pay John Robinson for repairing the lower Mountain Run bridge. Two years later on 28 March 1771 John Robinson was paid 1,879 lbs of tobacco for building a bridge on Mountain Run. On 24 January 1790 John Robinson purchased property from Alexander Spottswood, and on 26 October 1790 Andrew Monroe was appointed to oversee the road from Wilderness to John Robinson at the Old Trap. On 25 April 1791 John Robinson petitioned the court for a road to go by his house, and on 28 June 1791 John Robinson paid 20 pounds and 5 shillings for property known as "Old Trap" from Thomas Crutcher. The court approved the road on 25 July 1791. The property known as the "Old Trap" was part of the original 500-acre tract of land sold by William Crutcher, deceased, to John Roach and others. This land adjoined Alexander Spottswood's land. Witness to the deed were William Perry, Richard Robinson, William Robinson and Isaac Johnson. Robinson Quarter: John Raines, Isaac Sertain, James Roach and Mungo Price be added to clear the road from Wilderness to Germana. John Robinson died in 1811. In his will dated 18 March 1811 John Robinson asked that his just debts be paid, and that the whole of his estate be loaned to his wife Aley until her death, and then be divided among his children.
Anthony and Lucy lived in Culpeper County. Anthony performed his military service in Thomas Yancey's company of militia in the second Battalion, Fifth Regiment of the Culpeper County. He is shown on the April 1806 muster role for this unit. I found Anthony listed in the "Aaron Lane tax list of Culpeper County - 1800" at the Culpeper County Library. A bill was filed by Taylor and Richards vs. Anthony Tinder in the Chancery Court of Orange County, Virginia in 1832. Apparently Anthony sold the mineral rights to his farm twice.
Anthony and Lucy' move to Orange County and buy a farm named "Bittersweet" from Hezekiah Ellis in 1833. The house is still standing, and is located just south of St. Just, Virginia. Isaac L. Graves purchased the property from the Anthony Tinder estate in 1849. Mrs. Lillian Doyle presently owns the farm. My wife Jean and I found a book on pre-civil homes in Orange County, Virginia in a small gift shop. We found Anthony and Lucy's Bittersweet listed, and after some searching and driving down country roads, found the farm. Mrs. Doyle was a very kind lady and allowed Jean and I to take pictures of the house, and showed us through the place. She invited the family back to spend the night with her. Jean, Sarah and I took her up on the offer, and it was quite a thrill to spend a night in a house your great great great great grandfather lived in. We got to walk around all that is left of the farm, and I think my daughter Sarah really enjoyed her stay. There is, according to Mrs. Doyle, an old gravesite on the farm. She showed us were she believed it to be located. The area was ringed with stones, and was a mounded area with trees, in the middle of one of the fields. We searched through the plot, but could not find any gravestones or other evidence of gravesites. It could be that Anthony and Lucy are buried there, but we will probably never know.
Mrs. Doyle had a few stories about the house she had heard. It is believed that the house was used as a hospital during the battle of Mine Run in the Civil War. The house had Federal fireplaces in four rooms, the living room, kitchen, and two bedrooms up stairs. The fireplace in the kitchen had drawings scratched on it, like children might have done. The molding in all the rooms was very nice, and the floors were all wide board pine. The doors still had the "Heaven and Hell hinges." Mrs. Doyle was a gracious lady, and I will always be in her debt for her kindness to us. I have to add a sad note here. My wife and I went back to visit Mrs. Doyle in the summer of 1994. We found the house standing empty and in disrepair. The paint was coming off and everything was grown up around it. It left a sad feeling in my heart to see it this way, and not knowing what has happened to Mrs. Doyle. I have a few of my relatives in Virginia trying to find out. I know the farm is for sale, but way to expensive for this line of the Tinder family.
Good news and bad. The good news is the farm was sold to a young couple who are keeping it in tact, and are going to raise beef cattle. The bad news is that Mrs. Doyle is in a nursing home and not doing to well.
Anthony and Lucy had 10 children they were James R. 1798, John A. 1800, Thomas 1803, Anthony M. 1805, Robinson C. 1807, George W. 1809, Ann 1812, Catherine 1814, Richard 1819 and Eliza Jane 1824. From these children came most of the Virginia line of Tinders.
The Tinders owned a great deal of land in the Locust Grove area. A bit of history by Alma Pleasants, descendant of Ann Tinder Canaday daughter of Anthony, regarding the formation of Tinder's Crossing.
"When the crossroads was put in, the Tinders owned all the land around here, and hence it was named "Tinder's Crossing". It crossed over the railroad and had a depot there. There was a large piece of land known as Tinder's Switch where lumber, ties, pulpwood, as well as produce and barrels of turkeys were shipped in boxcars. Dried apples by the barrel were frequently shipped by Alma's grandmother Harris."
The town of Mine Run, Virginia was originally named "Tinder" (from Orange County Historical Society Newsletter Volume 24, Number 6, June 1993) and properly was at the location of Tinder's Crossing. When the town was renamed to Mine Run it was moved, and has been moved several times. There is road named "Tinder" near Mine Run.
Early Tinders attended the Zoar Baptist Church, which is now located on Rt. 611 between Locust Grove and Burr Hill. The original church was located on what is now Frog Pond Road. The church was founded in 1805 and admitted to the Goshen Association in the same year. It was organized from the Black Walnut and Salem Churches. Nathaniel Saunders was the first pastor. Several Tinders are buried in the graveyard at the church.
There are several Tinders also buried at the Antioch Baptist Church just south of St. Just, Virginia. Anthony and Lucy probably attended this church, as Anthony is listed as a Deacon of the church.
The militia system of Virginia was early put to a test when the War of 1812 contested for a second time American rights with England. The militia was composed of able-bodied men between the ages of 18 and 40, and were required without exception to serve. Several Tinders served in the War of 1812 against Great Britain. The Reverend James Tinder Jr., James Tinder Sr.'s son, enlisted in the War of 1812 under Captain Henley Roberts in Nickolas County, Kentucky 9/10/1814. Discharged 3/9/1815 at Fort Malden Canada. On his last payroll it was stated:
"He was paid $8.00 per month, and that he was 325 miles from his place of residence. He was allowed 27 days traveling time to get home, and his traveling expenses were $6.96".
On November 27, 1850 the Reverend James Tinder Jr. granted power of attorney to Cyrus L. Dunham for the purpose of having him apply for any bounty land that may become available to veterans. Congress passed an Act on Sept. 28, 1850 allowing claims to be filed for Bounty Land Warrants. James Tinder's witnesses on his papers were David Peak and Hiram Willis. He received 80 acres on Warrant # 11632. The Reverend James Tinder Jr. died December 12, 1854 and his widow applied for Bounty Land under the Act of Congress March 3, 1855. Evidently there were some problems regarding her receiving Bounty Land, as correspondence in the military and pension files shows Catherine was to prove her widowhood. On March 12, 1856 a letter from J. Minot Commissioner of Pensions wrote stating:
"Catherine's application # 159502 was suspended for proof of continued widowhood."
Her application had stated she had remained unmarried from the time of her husband's death until May 14, 1855. Mr. Minot requested a full explanation of this statement, and if she remained a widow after May 14, 1855. Catherine was granted Bounty Land Warrant # 159502, but had Mr. Minot checked the marriage records in Jennings County, Indiana, the place of Catherine's residence, he would have found a marriage record in Book 5, page 338 which stated Catherine married John C. Powner on May 14, 1855.
Captain C. Allen drafted James R. Tinder, Anthony Tinder's son, on July 31, 1814 into the first Regiment of the Virginia Militia at Stevensburg, Culpeper County, Virginia. He was discharged at Fredericksburg, Virginia on December 14, 1814. Under the act of Congress September 28, 1850, James applied for Bounty land, and stated:
"He was 56 years old, and had served in the Militia commanded by Colonel Crutchfield."
He was granted 80 acres of land, Bounty Land Warrant # 51,119.
With the Act of Congress on March 3, 1855 James applied again for Bounty Land at the age of 58. Witnesses on his application were M.C. Kirky and his brother George W. Tinder. He received Bounty Land Warrant # 17182 for 80 acres of land. He was allowed a pension on an application executed 13 April 1871.
In May 1879 James R. Tinder's widow applies for a pension. She states:
"James substituted for his father Anthony Tinder Sr. at the age of 17. James had been a farmer in Orange County, Virginia, and that he was 6 feet tall, brown eyes, black hair, and dark complexion. They were married October 14, 1854 by A.H. Bennett, and her name was Emily Sanders prior to her marriage. That he was previously married to Elizabeth Shadrick, and that Elizabeth had died in March 1851. She now resides in Mine Run, Orange County, Virginia, but that they had resided in Culpeper County, Virginia for some time."
Witnesses on her application were James Robinson and Benjamin Sanders. James died Feb. 27, 1879. She received a pension for $12.00 monthly, # 25541. She was dropped from the pension file on December 4, 1891, due to her death.
Ephraim Tinder, son of Jesse Tinder, substituted for his brother David Tinder in the War of 1812, enlisting in Louisa County, Virginia at the courthouse for a period of six months. He enlisted 15 Aug. 1814 and was discharged 25 Feb. 1815.
In Louisa there were several companies of infantry and one of cavalry. Twice each year on Muster days the Militia gathered at the Muster Grounds and were drilled by the County Militia officers. These officers were chosen or recommended by the court and were commissioned by the governor.
Among the old Muster fields there was one at Cuckoo, one at Farrowbank, and probably one at the Courthouse. It was of great interest to the countryside to see the plantation soldiers in regimentals. The length of service of the militia men which served in the War of 1812 was short (about six months.) They were used only in the defense of the state, and were stationed at the Camp at Bottom's Bridge and Mount Holly, without much active duty. Ephraim Tinder was listed as a private under Captain George Morris's Company, 40th Virginia Regiment, 1st Brigade in Service of The United States under command of Colonel William Truhart at Camp Bottom's Bridge under Brigadier General William Chamberlayne from 28th August to December 3, 1814. The above was taken from "The History of Louisa County, Virginia" by Malcolm H. Harris M. D.
He made application for Bounty Land Warrants under two Acts of Congress in September 1850 and March 1855, receiving 120 acres of land. In 1850 when he first applied he was a resident of Wood County, Virginia (Now West Virginia), and his age was given as 61 years of age. In March of 1855 he is still a resident of Wood County, Virginia, and applies for additional land. His age is given as 64.
Under the Act of Congress of 14 Feb. 1871 Ephraim applies for a pension, and gives his address as Audrain County, Missouri, yet his Post Office address is given as Sturgeon, Boone County, Missouri. He applies for his pension on 15 July 1871 and states:
"His age as 81, and a resident of Saling Township, Audrain County, Missouri, and that he is not married."
He served in the capacity of a teamster and furnished himself a four-horse wagon and team. He served under Wagon Master Captain John S. Coleman.
Much correspondence took place regarding this application with a David M. Tinder, relation not given, and James T. Burris as witnesses. One letter of interest reads as follows:
"Dear Sirs:
Herewith I send you the following letter of Ephraim Tinder whom sources seem to be doubted, or not found on the Rolls of Washington. It seems to me the enclosed letter if true, about which I have no doubt, is fully explanatory to show he was in the service of Virginia. That he served at Camp Carter, 21 miles from Richmond, under John S. Coleman. Over and above this he is an artless old man who I take would be incapable of getting up this cock and bull story about his service in the Army. It all seem to meet your demand in your letter on this subject.
Very truly, your friend
W.W. McCann"
Ephraim's pension was rejected, the reason given was that he served as a Teamster and not as an enlisted, or drafted man, as required by the first section of the Act under which he claims. This pension would have paid Ephraim $8.00 per month. The book "History of Louisa County, Virginia" shows Ephraim listed as a private in the 40th Virginia Regiment, 1st Brigade In the service of the United States. He may have been cheated out of his rightful pension.
There were several Tinders who served in the Mexican War. James W. Tinder, age 32 of Platte County, Missouri, son of Lewis Tinder, served in the Mexican War at Fort Leavenworth as a teamster under Wagon Master James King. He was employed July 5, 1846 until 29 Sept. 1846. Drove a team from Fort Leavenworth, Kansas to Bents Fort, Arkansas. He served under Lieutenant Stevens and was discharged by Captain L.C. Easlin. He applied for bounty land and received 160 acres on 23 March 1858.
Captain Conover, 3rd Regiment, Indiana Infantry on 10/31/1846 at New Albany, Indiana, mustered Asa B. Tinder, son of the Reverend James Tinder Jr., into the Mexican War. He received an Honorable Discharged at New Orleans on 6/26/1847 due to disease contracted in the line of duty. He applied for a Land Warrant July 1, 1847 under an Act of Congress Feb. 11, 1847, section 9, and received 160 acres, # 4626-47-160.
What information we have on Asa B. Tinder is found in his widow's application for a widow's pension. She states:
"They were married Feb. 2, 1832 in Marion County, Indiana by John Evans."
A copy of their marriage record is found in Asa's military record. Eliza claimed a pension under Acts of Congress in 1846, 1848 and 1853 for 3.50 per month. In Eliza's deposition she stated:
"Asa died Jan. 26, 1848 in Scipio, Jennings County, Indiana at the home of his father James Tinder."
Since Asa was rendered unable to work from the disease, she took Asa and their family to be near to members of Asa's family. On Jan. 20, 1852 Asa's father gave a deposition to C.L. Dunham, Vernon, Jennings County, Indiana. He stated:
"After Asa's discharge he came to Scipio, Indiana with his wife and seven children, where he was cared for until his death. Asa was enfeebled by chronic diarrhea contacted in the line of duty."
James Tinder's testimony was subscribed and sworn to before Henry Arnold N.P. Who stated:
"He has known Asa's father James Tinder as a preacher of the Gospel for ten years."
Eliza went back to Shelbyville, Indiana to live after Asa's death.
Anderson E. Tinder, age 36 of Platte County, Missouri, son of Lewis Tinder volunteered at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas as a Teamster and drove a team to Bents Fort on the Arkansas River.
The Tinder's were very active during the Civil War. Some of the Reverend James Tinder Jr's relatives fighting for the North and Anthony's for the South. There are a few stories about that era, one from Alma Webb Pleasants, Ann Tinder Canaday's great granddaughter, which goes.
"On a cold day in November Grandmother Ann Tinder Canaday was upstairs weaving. She happened to look out of the window and saw the field full of blue coated soldiers. Quickly she ran to warn the family, and to get Uncle Alex to hide the horses and cows. Uncle Alex was her only help. She was a widow with seven children at home. Her sons were all in the Confederate Army (properly Ferdinand, James David, Thomas G., and Adolphus). Her husband had died (James D. Canaday) before the war started. Very soon the soldiers came riding up to the yard. One introduced himself as Colonel Meade of the Northern Army. Colonel Meade asked if he might have the use of a room for a few days. He would see that no harm came to her, or her family. Later in the afternoon Colonel Meade sent for Grandmother Ann, and told her to take her family upstairs to bed, and he would put a guard at the upstairs door.
In the early hours of the next day he sent for her again. He asked if there was a place she could go, that there would be fighting there that day. Uncle Alex hitched the team to the wagon. They put on all the heavy clothes they could, piling the feather beds on quilts. They went to her daughter's home in the wilderness (this was Catherine Ann's home.) She had two small children, and her husband (Richard Mason) was in the War.
Dawn was just breaking as they passed Mrs. Sleets home. They could hear roosters crowing, she had taken her chickens into the upstairs of the house to save them. Grandmother said they all had a big laugh. Colonel Meade sent several guards with them, thru his lines, with a promise that they would not tell his position.
When the shooting ceased they came back home to find their cows and chickens gone, but their home had been spared. Grandmother lived on at the home place until the children were gone. The carpetbaggers and taxes had about gotten all she had. She divided what was left with her faithful slave, and went to Illinois to live with her children."
Another story from the Civil War era was related to me by Stuart Sutherland, which goes as follows:
"During the Civil War the widow Morris (Sarah Jane Mason) had the Union Army visit her farm. Martha Hester, her daughter, said one of her bothers told her that a "Yankee" came riding up to the house on a horse so blown out, that it's belly was dragging on the ground. The widow Morris lost a cow during the Union Army's visit. They all thought that the Yankees had taken her, but a few days later the cow came wandering back. It seems the cow had enough sense to know when to get out of town."
Stuart also told me that he could remember his grandfather John Milton Tinder, who married Martha Hester Morris, saying:
"Us kids all hid under the kitchen table and held hands while the Yankees were there."
There is a book of maps in the Orange County Historical Society that shows the Union and Confederate forces drawn up for battle on James R. Tinder and George W. Tinder's farms. This was during the Mine Run campaign in November 1863.
John Thomas Tinder enlisted in company C, 7th Virginia Infantry. Captain John C. Porter of Culpeper first commanded this company. All the other officers, James W. Green, John R. Strother and Daniel Brown were also from Culpeper County. Subsequently J. W. Almond of Orange became Captain and N. T. Bartley and Jeremiah Pannill Lieutenants.
Edgar A. Tinder enlisted in the Orange Rangers, Company I, 6th Virginia Cavalry May 4, 1861. This company was mustered into service at Rhodesville, May 4, 1861, and "traveled thence to Culpeper Courthouse, where it arrived June 11, 1861."
The above on John and Edgar is from "A History of Orange County, Virginia" by W. W. Scott.
My great great Grandfather Arthur R. Tinder, son of James R. Tinder, enlisted August 1, 1864 in Company C of the 13th Virginia Infantry. He was captured by General Sheridan's forces at the battle of Cedar Creek in the Shenandoah Valley on October 19, 1864. He was sent to the Prisoner Of War Camp at Point Lookout Maryland, were he died of pneumonia May 14, 1865. He is buried there in a common grave with his fellow soldiers. His name can be found on the monument erected on the site.
Just before the battle of Cedar Creek Arthur R. Tinder wrote a letter home to his wife Mag it goes as follows:
Browns Gap Sept. 27, 1864
Dear Mag
I once more seat myself with the pleasure to drop you a few lines to let you no how i am i am resting at this time and not very well i am broke down Dear Mag you don't no how i felt when i received your letter i had been wishing and praying that i could get one from you and when i got it i had rather see that letter and hear from you and the children and hear that you were all well there than to have received fifty thousand dollars and i still hope and trust to my God that these few lines may find you all enjoying the same Gods blessing We have been Marching ever since i left Richmond resting very little at a place Dear Mag i still trust and pray to God that it won't be long before we shall meet again to part no more until Death parts us and i think it will be a bleson to us for we had bin parted from each other less than the most of people and that is the reason that it goes so hard with me Mag you wanted to no if i saw any friends hear yet you needn't be uneasy about that {i see} Dick and Charles most every day i have not seen Al for several Days but they are all well i saw ben Herndon To Day he is well also and i have friends in my regiment in fact i am treated as well as i could expect but still that don't stop me from wishing for this war to stop for i Don't believe there is any man in the army that i{s} more anxious to get {home than} i am but i still trust in my precious god for my protection and to stop this Dreadful war Dear Mag i want you to still join me in prays to him that can Do all things for without him there can be nothing Dear and if we are in earnest he will hear our prays for he has said so Mag tell John and all the children to do whatever you tell them and they will be good children Tell Arthur that i think of him as much as he does of me and all the balance of them Dear Mag you don't no how glad i was to see that lock of hair i wouldn't take the world for it you may think i am joking about it but trust it is the truth we are about to move at this time but i don't no where yet so i must come to a close give my love to all inquiring friends and write soon as you can i start{ed} one just before i received yours nothing more at present and only remaining your loving Husband until Death you must excuse handwriting and short letter I Drawed a new suit of Clothes this morning and have a plenty just now they still think of camping near home yet Charles and Dick sends their love to you all and give our love to your Mother's family and all my old friends So farewell my Dearest Wife until we meet
Arthur R. Tinder
To Margaret Tinder
Image my surprise to find a letter written home from the Civil War by my great great Grandfather. It gave me a greater insight into who he was, not only that he was literate, but that he was a caring family man who loved his wife and children dearly, and was suffering greatly through one of the bloodiest time of this nations history. The things in {} I added to make it more readable, but it shows how broken done he was, and how hard it was for him to gather his thoughts. I hope all of you who are descended from Arthur enjoy this letter as much as I did.
Arthur R. Tinder's 1st cousin Thomas Robertson Tinder, son of John A. Tinder, was in Company I, of the 6th Virginia cavalry. He enlisted 1 April 1862. His horse was killed in action at the battle of Cedar Creek on 19 October 1864 the same battle Arthur was taken prisoner. Thomas was present for duty through the 20 March 1865 final roll. He died of Typhoid fever after the war.
The name Tinder was connected with the battle of Spotsylvania Court House in May of 1864. Not only with the Tinders who might have fought there, but by Tinder's Mill. Tinder's Mill was located on the Po River between Corbin's Bridge on Catharpin Road, south of Todd's Tavern, and the Block House Bridge on Shady Grove Church Road.
On May 9th Barlow's division retired from their works at Todd's Tavern and started down the Brock Road at about noon. He was followed by Birney's division at about 1:00 PM. These two Federal divisions were to join up with Gibbon's division, he was south of the Brock Road just east of the T. Hart house, which was north of, and facing the Po River. Barlow and Birney formed on the right of Gibbon towards the Po River.
At about 4:30 PM the Federals decided to force a crossing of the Po River. Barlow crossed first somewhere east of Tinder's Mill, with little or no resistance. Birney crossed the Po River at Tinder's Mill, but didn't have as easy a time of it as Barlow had. Birney was meet by Young's cavalry brigade of Hampton's division, primarily the Cobb and Jeff Davis Legions, along with two field pieces of Captain James W. Thomson's horse artillery battery. The Confederates were soon forced back from Tinder's Mill. The Confederates retired to Talley's Mill on Gladys Run, about a half-mile south of Waite's Shop. This small engagement at Tinder's Mill was one of the opening acts leading to the gathering storm known as the battle of Spotsylvania Court House.
On May 10th several Federal attacks were lunched against Fields's confederates on the left of Lee's line, but were driven back. General Handcock returns from south of the Po River to lead one more assault against Fields, but is recalled to stop a possible attack by confederate forces sent across the Po River. They were probably a scouting party send out by Early or Heth, and could have crossed at Tinder's Mill.
On the 11th of May General Hancock was ordered to reconnoiter as far back as Todd's Tavern, and also south of the Po River. These two scouting missions were to be a final check for any significant Confederate forces threatening the right flank of the Union Army before the Second Corps left this part of the field for the big push on General Lee the morning of the 12th of May.
Miles Brigade was chosen for the task. He divided his brigade into two parts, the Sixty-first New York and 140th Pennsylvania went to Todd's Tavern. The Twenty-sixth Michigan, Eighty-first Pennsylvania and 183rd Pennsylvania crossed the Po River at Tinder's Mill where again they came into contact with Confederate Cavalry, and advanced against them southeast towards the inter-section immediately north of Waite's Shop. Near there the Federals came into contact with more of Hampton's troopers behind field works. The Federals soon retired back across the Po River, probably the way they had came, at Tinder's Mill.
On the 14th of May Wade Hampton learned that the Federals opposite the Confederate left had disappeared. He ordered Rosser to reconnoiter to the northeast and attempt to locate the new right flank of the Union Army. Rosser and his men crossed the Po River, probably at Tinder's Mill.
It seems that the Tinder's Mill crossing of the Po River was used often during the Battle of Spotsylvania Court House. Yet when my wife, Jean, and I stopped at the Spotsylvania Court House Historical Society to find out more about Tinder's Mill, they had never heard of it. I showed the person on duty the location of the Mill on a Civil War battlefield map. She gave me a folder containing research of the Mills of Spotsylvania County, of course Tinder's Mill was not listed.
I would like to know more about Tinder's Mill. Like, did a Tinder build the mill and which one? What kind of a mill was it? Did the Tinders still own the mill during the Civil War? Is any of the original mill still standing? If anybody who reads this can answer any of the above questions please contact me. I will try to return to Spotsylvania and do more research on Tinder's Mill.
Dorothy M. Boyd from Culpeper, Virginia submitted the following on the Tinder Mill.
"We went to look up Tinder's Mill Site. It was on the Po River on Rd 649 on Mill Pond road. We stopped at a sawmill near it and the man told us to go talk to his 87-year-old mother. We rode down to where the Mill stood, but the woman said only the stones were left. The road was closed and it was a messy day so we didn't go over there. We are going back soon and take a picture of what is left. It was Tinder's Mill during the Civil War, but we don't know which Tinder owned it. It was next ran as Pendleton's Mill. In 1918 it was ran as Wright's Mill. It was later sold to Zeke Swift and moved to Buckner, Virginia in Louisa County and reassembled. Mr. Swift never paid for the Mill. The 87-year-old mother told us all of this. "
My wife Jean and I actual found the mill still standing. It is on the Swift Mill Pond just South of Buckner, Virginia in Louisa County. We took several pictures of Tinder's Mill, and were even asked by several Orange County relatives to take them down to see it, which we did. It would be interesting to have it back on the Po River as part of the battle of Spotsylvania Courthouse before it is lost forever.
The following family stories were submitted by Roy P. Tinder Jr. to share with use. They are about his line of the family from Anthony Tinder's son Thomas to his son Waller Mason to his son Eugene Mason.
"Eugene, aged 16, got into an argument with his strict (no-dancin', singin, car-playin') dad (Mason Waller) and jumped on his horse and rode all the way to San Francisco. He worked on several ranches in Sonoma, Sonora, etc. Land opened up in Montana about 3 years later, and he rode up to the Gallatin Valley where he met Mamie Black (in Virginia City) who's folks owned the Local Stage Coach stop and hotel. They married and homesteaded two sections in the Valley. They raised 6 (out of 11 - 5 stillborn) children starting with aunt Clara who was born in 1889, I know for sure. The boys, in sequence, were Eugene, Bill, Thomas, Rodney, and Roy, my dad. Great grandfather came out to visit the family at the ranch a time or two, I was told, by train.
Eugene Mason and my dad (Roy Phillip) rode over the bluff near the ranch just in time to see one of their beef cattle being butchered. It turned out to be the neighboring rancher who never seemed to be able to make ends meet. He had 8 mouths to feed, I remember hearing. My granddad is reported to have said, "Blankety-you if your family was hungry, why in the heck didn't you ask me for food?", and he turned to my dad and told him to ride back to the ranch to fetch a sack of potatoes from the cold-cellar. In those days, they hung cattle rustlers.
My dad was 19 when he and granddad were riding herd one afternoon in the beautiful Gallatin Range of the Taylor Grazing land- there had been a 3-year drought and they had planted dry-land wheat 3 years in a row in vain. The first good rain, heavy thunder and lightning and granddad was hit with a lightning bolt and both he and his horse were killed instantly. My dad was knocked off his horse and when he came-to, he tried artificial respiration to no avail, put granddad on his horse and walked miles back to the ranch. He was the youngest of the family and the last boy at home. The other 4 boys each had a ranch in the Valley that granddad had helped them buy. "Big Sky" Ski Resort is on that land today. Kit Carson is known to have traveled over the ranch many times. Elk and bear and deer still roam the land and Yellowstone Park is right next to it.
The shock of losing his dad that way caused Roy to tell his mom, Mamie, to sell the ranch. They did, 1,361 acres, the "Diamond-Tee" was their brand - for $32,000.00, I was told. That was a lot of money in 1924. My dad took his portion and bought 3 new Pierce Arrow automobiles and opened a taxi company in Butte MT. Butte was a roaring mining town in those days. Dad was also a Union drummer who played in the orchestra for the Vaudeville shows that came through town. He claimed to be the only musician/drummer in Butte who could read music and as such was in big demand in the shows - had to be able to read in order to hit the cymbals at the right time for the prat-falls, he would explain. I still have his J.P. Petrillo signed Musician's Union card in my memorabilia.
Dad died of industrial poisoning working as a Steamfitter Superintendent (Local 342, Oakland , CA) in a Titan Missile Silo in Lincoln, CA in 1962 at the young age of 57. He had never been sick in his life - 6'2", 190 lbs. and could sit a horse like no one I have ever seen. As a kid, he broke horses on the ranch for his dad who sold them to the Army. Grandad Eugene is reported to be one of the early developers of the Appaloosa breed of horse, which was cross-bred from the Indian Pony. One of our relatives, Jim McDonald, was a well-known breeder in the '50's owning a ranch in Flat-Head, MT."
Thanks Roy for these stories on Eugene and his family, and for sharing them with us, the rest of the family.
I am sure there is probably more information and stories about our relatives during this period. If you have any please write them down, and if you wish, send them to me and I will see that they get included in this reference.
This is just a brief look at some of the early Tinders, and there lives. It has amazed me to find out this information about my relatives and their involvement in this country's early history. There is much more out there, and I hope if anyone reads this, that it will whet your appetite to search and write down the facts and stories about our ancestors. By putting them in a format like this we can all share, and enjoy, our family's history.
Copyright 1997, Everett R. Tinder Jr.