This narrative traces the mother's side of Gilbert Cyril Ward/ Mary Bernice Pyles ancestry. This page preface defines what is known so far (as of Feb 1995) of the immigration and migration of the Pyles ancestors.
The main migration to Texas in the late 1800s occurred from two directions. The Pyles and Lockes moved to Texas from Georgia after the Civil War. The Wards on the Pyles side came to the Oklahoma Territory/North Texas area from Indiana, also after the Civil War.
The Pyles and Lockes had moved to Georgia from North Carolina just before the Civil War. Cemetery and family records document the fact that the Pyles and Lockes came from Iredale County, North Carolina.
Little is known about the Pyles and Lockes in North Carolina; however, there were few people in that area during the time of the family's settling there. The general pattern of migration and the early settlers in Rowan (early Iredale) County give strong evidence that the Lockes came to the area in the mid 1700s; the Pyles, in the late 1700s.
It is assumed that the Lockes were descendants of John and Elizabeth Locke. The widow Elizabeth and three sons moved to Rowan county in the early 1700s. The sons settled very near where the Pyles had moved.
Again, the precise connection between the William S. Pyles/Dovie Locke who moved to Georgia and the Lockes and Pyles who previously settled in North Carolina is not established at this time.
The Wards on the Pyles side immigrated to North America before the 1790s. The great-grandparents of Mary Bernice Pyles migrated from the New York/New Jersey area to the Indiana area between the 1790s and the 1820s. The maiden names of the great-grandmothers are not known at this time.
The main areas of research needed at this time are discovering the Pyles/Lockes connections in North Carolina and immigration of the Lockes, Pyles, Wards, and Colley's to North America, and the finding of the maiden names of ancestry mothers.
- Jimmy D. Ward
January 1997
Tradition states that in the early 1700s, John Locke ran a line of immigrant ships between London and Philadelphia. John Locke died in London, and was buried there. Later, his widow Elizabeth Locke, with five children, Matthew, Francis, George, Elizabeth, and Margaret came to America on the same boat with John Brandon, a widower, with children.
Soon after landing, this couple married and lived for a brief time in the Pennsylvania colony. They then moved to the North Carolina colony and settled in Rowan Co. about 1750. John Brandon died in 1756; Elizabeth Locke Brandon, in August 1760.
By 1773, a map of settlers in the Rowan County area showed that George Locke already had settled just south of Rocky Creek on the South Yadkin River. He was granted additional land (or given full title to the land on which he had settled), in 1783, following his service in the Revolutionary War.
The three Locke sons fought in the American Revolution. Matthew Locke was a famous general and Francis Locke was a Colonel (Maddox, et al.). George Locke's rank is unknown, but he is listed in the Roster of North Carolina Soldiers (NC Revolutionary Army Accounts).
Matthew Locke went on to become an elected official at the State constitutional conventions, and was later elected to the U. S. Congress. Francis Locke was Sheriff of Rowan County. Both Matthew and Francis Locke were slave owners, since slaves were listed in their wills.
On February 20, 1797, George Locke, Sr., deeded land (or it was willed) to George Locke, Jr., and Francis Locke. The Francis Locke land was on the North Yadkin River, and the George Locke, Jr. land was on the South Yadkin River.
The Pyles migrated from the Maryland area southward into North Carolina in the middle to late 1700s, the typical migration pattern down the Shenandoah Valley. Dixie, Texas, cemetery records indicate that John Locke Pyles was born in Iredale County, North Carolina, in 1840, and that his parents were born in North Carolina as well.
Iredale County was formed in 1788 from Rowan County. Large groups of Scotch-Irish moved down the Shenandoah Valley from Pennsylvania to settle in North Carolina (Coulter, et al.). One of the early deeds listed a sale of 150 acres, for 50 pounds, on the south side of main Rockey Creek and Trumpet Creek adjacent to the Cowdens, to a Richard Piles. The sale occurred on February 18, 1792, and Jeremiah Piles was listed as a witness of the sale. This location would place the Piles family very near the George Locke location mentioned earlier.
Richard and Rachael Piles sold 100 acres to Jeremiah Piles for 50 pounds. The land was on the south side of main Rocky Creek adjacent to the Templeton line, Cowden line, and Sharpe corner. This sale occurred on February 16, 1795. On July 7, 1794, the State sold 100 acres to Jeremiah Piles, on Rocky Creek adjacent to John Boyd and Robert Watson. On March 20, 1796, Jeremiah Piles sold some of the land to John Loveless.
Sometime in the early 1800s (most likely in the 1830s), William Simpson Pyles married Dovey Emaline Locke in the Iredale County, North Carolina, area. This William Simpson Pyles family moved to Georgia, most likely in the 1850s. It is not know if William Simpson Pyles moved with the family.
According to U.S. Census records, the Pyles family apparently moved from North Carolina to Georgia between 1846 and 1860. They settled in the corner of Northwest Georgia between Atlanta and Chattanooga, Tennessee, in the town of Sugar Valley. This area was once the land of the Cherokee Indians. The U.S. Government moved the Cherokees off their land and transported them to the Oklahoma area. Land lotteries were held, and winning white settlers moved into the region.
The 1860 U.S. Census listing provides more detail about the Pyles family. Schedule 1. Free Inhabitants in Sugar Valley in the County of Gordon State of Georgia enumerated on the 9th day of August 1860, as in the following table: insert table
There was no male head of the household. The father, William Simpson Pyles, may have died by the time of this census. Dovey E. Pyles did not own the property in which the family lived. She listed the value of her personal property as $250.
Everyone listed in the household above was born in North Carolina. Only Francis was listed as having attended school during the past year. The data indicated that all family members 20 years of age or older could read and write.
The Dovey E. Pyles Family lived next to the house of Francis D. Locke. Francis Locke, age 45, owned real estate ($800) and had personal property value listed at $1200. He was a wagonmaker.
The only other household member listed was Sarah Locke, 24 years of age, who performed domestic work. Francis was born in North Carolina; Sarah, in Virginia.
In November 1860, the election of Abraham Lincoln was the catalyst, which began the secession of southern states from the United States. By January 19, 1861, Georgia seceded.
By March, seven states had seceded, and had formed a government, headed by Jefferson Davis. The Confederacy had taken over many Federal forts by April, but Fort Sumter, South Carolina, was still held by the Federal government. By April 12th, Fort Sumter was fired upon, and the Civil War began.
By June, state regiments were being organized in response to
the Federal troops moving into Virginia. In northwest Georgia,
Rome was one of the general gathering centers for the formation
of Georgia regiments in that general area.
According to the Roster of the Confederate Soldiers of Georgia, the 23rd Georgia Regiment was formed in Rome, Georgia on August 31st, 1861. Francis and John Locke Piles joined the regiment, from Sugar Valley, at Camp McDonald. The two brothers served and fought together in Company C of that 23rd Georgia regiment, Colquitt's Brigade, the regiment named "Floyd Spring Guards" after the county in which it was formed.
John Locke Pyles served nearly all of the war in Company C; however, Francis Pyles died of illness (likely brought on by the war) in April of 1864. In the Roster, about 125 men were listed in Company C. Of the 125, 30 were killed in battle, 11 wounded, and at least 16 died of disease - mostly typhoid, dysentery, and pneumonia.
The Roster listed the places of those killed or wounded in battle; therefore, it is possible to trace some of the places and battles where Company C was located during the war. Company C was an infantry company, and it was assigned mainly to the Army of Virginia, the main army that would defend Richmond and fight under Robert E. Lee (Confederate Military History, by Evans).
The Regiment was sent from Virginia to Florida. It then returned to Virginia in the spring of 1864.
From The Civil War Day by Day, by E.B. Long, some of the battles in which Company C participated can be described. That summary follows:
The first big battle of the war, First Bull Run or Manassas, occurred during the summer, and before the formation of the Georgia 23rd Regiment. The Confederacy had not collapsed, and the conflict ahead would be much more serious than most people perceived.
On August 31st, the official day of the formation of the Georgia 23rd Regiment in Rome, GA, the Confederate Congress announced the appointment of five full generals; Cooper, Albert Johnston, Lee, Joseph Johnston, and Beauregard.
The Regiment was built up, trained, and moved north. It did not experience losing a soldier in battle until May 1862.
In The Supplement to the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies more details are supplied related to the 23rd Regiment and Company C. By December 1861, the Regiment was stationed at Yorktown, Virginia. As quoted from the Regiment military records,
The regiment is drilled in the school of the soldier, school of the company and battalion drill. Have been entirely without arms.
On December 4th,
By order of General [John Henry] Winder, the regiment marched from the Old Fairgrounds, Richmond, Virginia to Chimborazo Heights. Was engaged in guarding Federal prisoners.
On December 10th,
By order of the Secretary of War, marched to Yorktown, Virginia and reported for duty to Major-General [John Bankhead] Magruder. Company C moved from Chimoborazo Hill to Yorktown by way of the James River.
On December 12,
Reached Yorktown.
On December 13th,
By order of Major-General Magruder, Companies A, B, C, and F were detached from the regiment and ordered to report to Major [John Thomas] Goode for artillery duty [accomplished on December 17th.]. The remaining six companies have been engaged in serving under different details for duty.
On December 16th,
The regiment has been furnished with the musket, but in consequence of sickness and details daily made up, the men have had no opportunity to learn the manual well. The companies are supplied with camp equipage and accoutrements necessary for their use except except and a few articles of like character.
A large number of the men in the regiment are unable for duty in consequence to severe sickness. The sick are destitute of hospitals and it is impossible to take proper care of them in tents.
In January 1862,
the regiment remained at Yorktown, Virginia: For the last month the regiment has suffered seriously from sickness, but is now improved in health.
The discipline is good, but its efficiency as a regimental corps is and continues to be impaired by the detailing of four companies to serve as artillery [including the Pyles' Company C].
The Battle of Seven Pines or Fair Oaks, VA began when the Union General McClellan had split his large Federal army. With only two Union corps on the south side of the Chicahominy River, Confederate General Johnston launched an attack at Fair Oaks (or Seven Pines), east of Richmond.
In a series of failures to move at appointed times, the Confederates were delayed in the attack, and fighting was done by separated units, with others failing to get into action. Company C was involved, for two of its soldiers were killed.
General Johnston was severely wounded, and Confederate President Jefferson Davis visited the battleground. General Robert E. Lee assumed command, and the army was soon known as the Army of Northern Virginia. Overnight the Union units were reinforced, and on June 1st, Lee's army retreated to its original positions before the battle.
Out of 42,000 Confederates, 980 were killed, 4749 were wounded, and 405 were missing or captured. Of the 42,000 Union soldiers, 790 were killed, 3594 wounded, and 647 missing or captured.
What became known as the Seven Days' Fight in Virginia, just east of Richmond, began on June 25, 1862. General Lee planned to cross the Chickahominy at Meadow Bridge and push the Union troops out of Mechanicsville. Union General McClellan later tried to take Richmond, but was turned back. The Confederates were thin and stretched to the limit, but succeeded in defending Richmond. McClellan received great criticism for not utilizing his much better equipped army.
Two soldiers of Company C died in the Seven Days' Fight. Of the 83,000 Union troops engaged in the battle, 724 were killed, 4245 were wounded, and 3067 were missing or captured. Of the 86,500 Confederate soldiers engaged, 8602 were killed or wounded and 875 missing or captured.
After all of the fighting and dying, neither side had gained any significant ground. General Butterfield had his bugler write a song in tribute to the fallen dead on both sides. That song was "Taps" which is heard today at military funerals and at day's end when the flag is lowered.
In August 1862, a skirmish at Rapidan Station, Virginia, cost the life of one of the soldiers in Company C.
The left wing of Union General McClellan's army moved toward Crampton's Gap, Maryland, on September 14th, 1862, in order to cut off advancing Confederate troops advancing on that stronghold. After severe battling, the Confederates withdrew late in the evening; both Union flanks enveloped the Confederate soldiers.
Federal casualties for the day are put at 443 killed, 1807 wounded, and 75 missing out of more than 28,000. An estimated 325 Confederates were killed, 1560 wounded, 800 missing out of a total of 18,000 engaged. One member of Company C was killed in the fighting that day.
September 17th, 1862 became the bloodiest day in American history. Badly outnumbered, Lee made his stand in Maryland, and McClellan attacked, throwing in his corps piecemeal and uncoordinated at the outnumbered Confederates. A savage day of five main Federal drives ended with dreadful losses.
Federal casualties were put at 2010 killed, 9416 wounded and 1043 missing out of over 75,000 engaged. Confederate casualties were estimated at 2700 killed, 9024 wounded, and about 2000 missing out of 40,000 engaged. Only one member of Company C was killed in the bloody battles.
A Pennsylvania soldier walked over the battlefield afterwards and was quoted,
No tongue can tell, no mind can conceive, no pen portray the horrible sights I witnessed this morning. God grant these things may soon end and peace be restored. Of this war I am heartily sick and tired.
A Wisconsin man called the fearful battle a great tumbling together of all heaven and earth. Lee was convinced to withdraw across the Potomac into Virginia on September 18th and 19th.
By July 1863 the 23rd Georgia Regiment was sent south to James Island, South Carolina (Company C was stationed on the east lines) , and by August 1863, was engaged in battle. On August 17th, 1863, Federal artillery began firing on Fort Sumter and nearby Batteries Wagner and Gregg. Company C was among the units at Battery Wagner, located on Charleston's Morris Island.
Badly damaged, the battery held through the numerous shellings over several days. One soldier of Company C was killed on August 25th, and another on August 26th. During the night between September 6th and 7th, the Confederate garrisons of Battery Wagner were evacuated. Fort Sumter, a mass of rubble and broken masonry, still held out, as did Charleston.
During January and February 1864 Company C was stationed at Camp Milton, Florida; however, on April 2nd, 1864, Francis Pyles died of disease back in Floyd County, Georgia. The regiment left Camp Milton, Florida on April 23rd and marched to Tebeauville, Georgia, thence by rail to Charleston, South Carolina and at James Island again by April 28th.
April 30th, 1864, was the last listed muster of Company C - John Locke Piles answered that muster call of Company C. Why or if he left the regiment, or if the regiment disbanded, is not known. Family tradition was that John Piles received a two-month leave to assist in farm work back home, and that by the time the leave was complete, the war had all but ended.
However, his only brother recently had died back home in Rome, Georgia, and General Sherman's army in Chattanooga, Tennessee, began its march through Georgia on May 7th, near his family. On May 11th, fighting in Sugar Valley resulted in extensive casualties. On May 17th fighting was occurring in Rome, Georgia, now home of what was left of the Dovey Pyles family.
Sherman continued to push the Confederate forces southward toward Atlanta. One great battle, one of the bloodiest of the war, occurred at Kennesaw Mountain, Georgia, between Rome and Atlanta, where 2000 Union soldiers were killed, compared to about 270 Confederate soldiers (the Confederates were fighting a mainly defensive battle in familiar territory).
By July, the push had reached Atlanta; therefore, the Union army controlled all of northwest Georgia, including Rome. Great damage had been done by General Sherman's army and by the fierce fighting.
During the next few months, Sherman marched across Georgia, destroying much in his path. Battles continued in Virginia, where Lee eventually was forced to surrender to Grant, and the rebuilding of the South began. Some of those in Georgia and North Carolina stayed and rebuilt; others moved west, some of them to Texas.
Sometime after the Civil War, and before 1880, the George W. Locke family moved to Texas from Georgia. Most likely ...
In the 1880 U.S. Census of Grayson County, Texas, a farming family was listed in the census, headed by a George W. Lock(e), whose wife was Margaret T. Lock(e), formerly Margaret T. Pyles as listed in the Gordon County, Georgia, census of 1860. The couple had four children, two daughters and two sons. George and Margaret are shown in the photos to the left.
Of interest were two other members of the household: John L. Pyles (brother-in-law) of George Lock(e), or sister of Margaret Lock(e); and Mary E. Ward, listed as an adopted daughter. John Pyles was 38 years of age at the time, while Mary Ward was 20. The State of birth of the parents of Mary E. Ward was Indiana, for both mother and father.
John Pyles' employment was listed as farming, while that of Mary Ward was assisting in housekeeping. George Locke and Margaret Pyles probably had moved from Georgia to Texas in the late 1860s or 1870s. John Pyles' daughter, Mary Pyles Ward, spoke of her father's journey to Texas, including the travelers' delays when the Mississippi River was in flood.
Family records indicate that John Pyles and Mary E. Ward were married a year and a half later on November 10, 1881 (written records of their daughter, Mary B. Pyles Ward). The U.S. Census for 1890 is not available.
In the June 6, 1900, U.S. Census of Grayson County, Texas (justice pct #6), a farming family was listed in the census, headed by John Piles, whose wife was M. E. Piles. The couple had been married for 19 years.
One daughter and three sons were listed, R.G., Wm, John, and C (for R. Gertrude, William, John, Cecil, respectively). All children were born in Texas.
The birthplace of John Piles, age 59, was North Carolina, and the birthplace of John's parents was also North Carolina.
The birthplace of M. E. Piles, age 40, was Indiana. M. E. Piles' mother was listed as having been born in Indiana; and her father as having been born in Virginia (however, he likely was born in Indiana, as listed in the 1850, 1860, and 1870 U.S. Census).
Of interest was another member of the household. Lavicie Dillard, was listed as the mother-in-law of John Piles (thus the mother of M.E. Piles). She was listed as being a widow, and having been divorced. She had been born in Indiana in January 1833, had five children, three of whom were living. Lavicie Dillard's father and mother were born in New York.
Census data in the mid 1800s indicate that the Wards, Colleys, and relations were born in the New York/New Jersey area in the 1790s. Therefore, immigration to North America occurred before the 1790s.
No additional information on this immigration is known at this time. Earlier census data, other vital records, and ship lists may help reveal this information.
According to U.S. census data, the Wards and Colleys who migrated from New York/New Jersey were born in that area in the 1780s and 1790s, and their children were born in Indiana in the 1820s. Therefore, the migration occurred between the 1790s and the 1820s.
The given name of the father of William S. Ward is not known at this time. The William S. Ward who moved to Indiana around 1820 likely was the uncle of the younger William S. Ward. The father of the younger William S. Ward possibly was Peter Ward.
In the 1850 U.S. census for the Wood Township, Clark County, Indiana, the William S. Ward family was listed as: insert table
Both William and Lavisa were listed as having been born in Indiana. No children were listed. William was a farmer, and the couple owned real estate estimated at $1500. A farm laborer lived with them, Aaron Borman, age 20, also born in Indiana.
The July, 24th, 1850, U.S. census for the York Township, Dearborn County, Indiana, did list a William S. Ward household, possibly the uncle of the younger William S. Ward. The entry was as follows: insert table
William and Wannals (?) were listed as having been born in New Jersey (? - difficult to read). William was a farmer, whose real estate was valued at $4000. All of the children were listed as having been born in Indiana.
The June 14th, 1860, census of Carr Township, Clark county, Indiana, listed the William S. Ward family as:
William S. Ward in 1860 was a farmer with real estate values of $1400, and personal estate value of $400. All members of the family were listed as having been born in Indiana. The post office address was listed as Bennettsville. Bennettsville is on modern maps on Highway 60, 10 to 15 miles north-northwest of Louisville, Kentucky.
Adjacent to William S. Ward was the family of Peter L. Ward, Jr., age 34, and a farmer who owned the land. Peter may have been the brother of William S. Ward. The family listed was:
Peter L. Ward, Jr. was born in Kentucky, as was Sarah. All of the children were born in Indiana; Kentucky was just across the Ohio River.
Also nearby was the family of Peter L. Ward listed as:
Peter L. Ward was a farmer, but did not own real estate. He was born in New Jersey. Rhoda was born in Virginia. The three younger Ward's were born in Indiana.
Family records indicate that William Simpson Ward, father of Mary E. Ward, was born in Dearborn county, Indiana, in 1822. Family records also indicate that William Simpson Ward married Lavisa Jane Colley.
Dearborn county is located next to the Indiana-Ohio-Kentucky conjunction, about 50 miles west of Cincinnati. Apparently the couple moved down state soon after being married. They were not listed in the 1850 Dearborn county U.S. Census, but were listed in the Clark county census.
William S. Ward served a short time in the Union Army from Indiana. The Special Schedule taken by the U.S. Census in 1900 indicated that William S. Ward served as a private in Company D of the 55th or 53rd Infantry Regiment of Indiana from September 20, 1864 until May 31, 1865.
When the Civil War broke out, William S. Ward was the head of a large household of small children, and an established farmer. insert table
William S. Ward was a farmer who owned real estate worth $1300, and a personal estate worth $550. All members of the family were listed as having been born in Indiana. Clark county is just across the Ohio River from Louisville, Kentucky.
Since the Wards lived in Indiana at the time of the 1870 census, and since the 1880 census lists Mary E. Ward in the George Locke household, it is assumed that the Wards moved to the Red River Valley area between 1870 and 1880.
References & Sources
Coulter, S., Purdy, E., and Schneider; Iredell County, N.C. Deed Abstracts, Vole 1, 1788-1797. found in Clayton Library, Houston, TX.
Maddox, J. and Carter, M., North Carolina Revolutionary Soldiers, Sailors, Patriots & Descendants, Volume II. Published by Georgia Pioneers Publications, P. O. Box 1028, Albany, Georgia 31702. found in Clayton Library, Houston, TX. North Carolina Revolutionary Army Accounts, Vol. V. Comptroller's Office Vouchers. found in Clayton Library, Houston, TX. Roots Research Bureau, Ltd., Genealogical and Historical Sketch, The Name and Family of Pyle, Manuscript Number 2142. Roots Research Bureau, Ltd., Business Office, 39 West 32 Street, Suite 704, New York, NY 10001.
Hewett, Janet B., Supplement to the Official Records of the Union and Confederat Armies, Part II - Record of Events, Volume 6, Serial No. 18, pp 519-525. . Bradfoot Publishing Company, Wilmington, NC. 1995.