John Chapel Wellons

John Chapel Wellons was the grandfather that my grandfather never knew. It’s a shame, because he was a civil war hero.

John C. Wellons was my grandfather Ralph’s paternal grandfather. He was born on February 17, 1839 in Pulaski County, Kentucky and died on April 27, 1893 in Madison County, Indiana. His parents were John C. Wellons and Sarah “Sally” Elizabeth Wellons. His grave marker, is shown above.

In the 1850 census, John Chapel Wellons was 11 years old and living with his parents in Pulaski County, Kentucky. He was the 5th of 10 children ranging in age from 1 to 18. Large families were big with the Wellons clan until the mid-20th century.

In the 1860 census, he is 21 years old and still living with both parents, who now have 12 children. They live in Hartford, Iowa.

In 1861, his mother passes in Hartford, Iowa on January 8th. Then on the 29th of August, 1861 he enrolls in the U. S. Army in Indianapolis and is assigned to Company I of the 39th Regiment of the 8th Cavalry.

In a break from the war, he marries Sarah E. Barnhizer on April 19, 1864 in Hamilton County, Indiana at Clarksville Village, which would be the home of the Wellons clan for parts of 3 generations.

On May 4, 1865, he is promoted to 1st Lieutenant and ends his military service after the war ends on July 20, 1865.

On August 23, 1873, his 5th of 5 sons, James H. Wellons is born. He turns out to be my grandpa Ralph’s dad.

At the 1880 census the 5 boys range in age from 6-14, with the 10 years old middle child and two older brothers shown as “working on farm”. Not much of a schooling history with the Wellons. They are living on Walnut Street in Clarksville.

John Chapel Wellons died on April 27, 1893, in Madison County, long before my grandfather was born. He was buried in Hamilton County at the Hair Cemetery. He marker says he was 54 Yrs 2 Mos old. His wife, Sarah, lived until 1918, spending her final years living on Central Avenue in Anderson.

And no, the grave marker shown as belonging to Bessie Wellons is not my grandmother. That’s probably a nickname for Sarah E. Barnhizer Wellons, the wife of John C. Wellons. Other Ancestry.com researchers, including our not so distant relatives, say that her middle name was Elizabeth. “Bessie” could be short for Elizabeth.

On my Dixon side there is a similar headstone deal where “the big man” gets “the big headstone” and “the little woman” gets “the little headstone”. Just a sign of the times.