Notes for JAMES BARR ARMSTRONG by Donald Hayworth:
James Barr Armstrong, known as Jim Armstrong, was born in South Carolina, probably in that part of Pendleton District that later became part of present day Anderson County. In 1828, when he was 12 years old, he moved with his family to Georgia. The family lived in Georgia for about six years then moved on to Alabama in 1834. The entire family made the move except for a sister that married in Georgia and she and her family followed later. The Armstrong family settled in Randolph County in that portion later to become part of Cleburne County.
James Barr Armstrong married Elizabeth Jane Porter in 1839 and chose to remain in Randolph County. James Barr was a slave owner, like his father and grandfather before him, with large tracts of land to work. His family had grown to 12 surviving children by the time the Civil War broke out. The lives of James Barr Armstrong and all other slave owners of the South and, in fact, all Americans from both the North and South were forever changed by the outbreak of the Civil War. James Barr's eldest son, William Hamilton, enlisted in the Confederate Service in June of 1861. His second son, John Franklin, enlisted one month later and his third son, James Jasper, enlisted in November 1863 when he reached the age of 17.
It is possible that a fourth son, Andrew Jackson Armstrong, also served the Conferderate Army as a messenger for General Lee beginning when he was only 13 years old. The family of Samuel Barr Armstrong, son of James Barr Armstrong, has handed down the following story of his service. After his three older brothers entered the Confederate Army, Andrew Jackson Armstrong, was anxious to also help with the Confederate cause even though he was too young to enlist. He finally convinced his father to buy him a horse. He traveled to Virginia and served as a non-combatant messager for Lee, or at least for Lee's forces. While it is not proven that Andrew Jackson Armstrong served in this capacity, messengers of his age were used. With three brothers serving under Lee, Andrew Jackson Armstrong would have had strong advocates for his ability to fulfill such a role.
I also have copies of the Company Muster Roll for a Pvt. J. B. Armstrong of Wade's 8th Cavalry - Company C, 2nd Regiment Mississippi and Alabama Cavalry for periods from January 1862 through February 1864. These records show that J. B. Armstrong enlisted on 14 November 1861. This company was formerly Company A, 4th Battalion Mississippi Cavalry and Company A, 2nd (Brewer's) Battalion Mississippi and Alabama Cavalry.
The 8th (Wade's) Regiment Confederate Cavalry (also known as the 2nd Regiment Mississippi and Alabama Cavalry) was formed in May 1862, by the addition of three companies, which had formerly served in the 1st (Beall's) Battalion Alabama Cavalry, to the 2nd (Brewer's) Battalion Mississippi and Alabama Cavalry.
While I do not have proof that this J. B. Armstrong is our James Barr Armstrong, I believe they are the same. If so, this means that at the age of 45, when his youngest child was only four months old, James Barr Armstrong enlisted as a Private in the Confederate Cavalry while three of his sons served in the Confederate Infantry. I do not have a record of the battles in which J. B. Armstrong fought, but do have that information for the three sons of James Barr Armstrong who served in the Civil War.
His second son, John Franklin, was wounded twice only to recover and return to battle. He did not recover, however, the third time he was wounded. He died in a hospital/prisoner of war camp at the age of 22. James Barr's other two sons in the Infantry were captured at the Battle of the Wilderness. William Hamilton Armstrong remained a prisoner of war until the war ended and James Jasper Armstrong remained a prisoner until he was exchanged in November 1864. The Armstrong family certainly did their part in a losing cause, just as their ancestors did during the Revolutionary War.
Following the end of the Civil War, James Barr Armstrong and his surviving sons returned to Randolph County, Alabama. With their slaves now freed and the turmoil that followed the Civil War, their lives were never the same. In 1869, James Barr pulled up stakes and headed for Texas. His wife's brothers, John and Kit Porter, also came with them to Texas. This move was made in Covered Wagons, the best method of moving overland for long distances in those days. They settled first in Hill County, Texas, then moved on to the area that is now Somervell County in 1872. This was to be his last move. James Barr Armstong died in 1883, shortly before his 67th birthday and both he and his wife are buried at George's Creek Cemetery in Somervell County, Texas.
I have wondered why James Barr Armstrong chose to move to Texas at the time he did - - - several years after the Civil War was over. Another story handed down by the family of Samuel Barr Armstrong may provide the answer. According to family tradition, a Union "carpet-bagger" was making a speech and one of the the sons (believed by the family to be James Jasper Armstrong) of James Barr Armstrong became so upset that he shot the man as he was speaking. Family tradition does not reveal if the speaker was killed or only wounded, but it is said that James Barr Armstrong moved the family to Texas to avoid possible identification and prosecution of his son.
Both of the story about Andrew Jackson Armstrong during and James Jasper Armstrong after the Civil War were related to me by Barbara (Armstrong) Williams, daughter of William Draton Armstrong and great-granddaughter of Samuel Barr Armstrong. In an effort to verify these family stories, Barbara located the following report of an assassination that occurred in Alabama at about the time of the Armstrong's move to Texas. "Thomas Haughey was assassinated on July 31, 1869 in Courtland, Alabama while making a political (campaign) speech. He served in the Union Army in Tennessee. After the Civil War he was a Doctor with his practice in Decatur, Alabama."
While this does not prove the traditional family story, the similarity and timing of this assassination lends it a degree of credibilty. Courtland is near enough to Randolph County that some of the Armstrong family could well have been there to listen to or protest the speech. The candidacy of a former Union soldier for political office in Alabama so soon after the end of the Civil War would no doubt have drawn protestors from a wide area.


Donald Hayworth writes:
I now have strong evidence (although, perhaps, not absolute proof) that both
James Barr Armstrong and his son, Andrew Jackson Armstrong, were members of
the Randolph County, Alabama, "Home Guard" in Captain O. W. Shepard's
Company of "Mounted Men", also known as the "Randolph County Reserves,
Shepard's Company". Shepard's company was entirely made up of men over 45
and boys under 16 and their role during most of the war was to "guard the
home front" and help to train new recruits for the regular service.

It is almost certain, however, that Shepard's Company was called into active
duty at some time, because his company and the roster of men in his company
(including a J. B. Armstrong and an A. J. Armstrong) are listed in the
records maintained and available at the Manassas Battlefield. A fellow
researcher has seen those records although I have not. This seems to verify
the family story handed down over the years that Andrew Jackson Armstrong
served in the Civil War even though he was only 13 years old.

• Married: ABT. 1839 in Randolph Co., Al.

1. Infant ARMSTRONG b: ABT. 1839 in Al.
2. William Hamiliton ARMSTRONG b: 7 MAY 1840 in Randolph Co. AL.
3. Marion T. ARMSTRONG b: 1842 in Randolph Co. AL.
4. John Franklin ARMSTRONG b: ABT. 1843 in Randolph Co. AL.
5. Isabella Narcissa ARMSTRONG b: ABT. 1844
6. James Jasper ARMSTRONG b: ABT. 1846 in Randolph Co. AL.
7. Andrew Jackson ARMSTRONG b: ABT. 1849 in Randolph Co. AL.
8. Samuel Barr ARMSTRONG b: 25 JUN 1850 in Randolph Co. AL.
9. Sarah Jane ARMSTRONG b: ABT. 1852 in Al.
10. Henry Thomas ARMSTRONG b: MAY 1853 in Randolph Co. AL.
11. Rachel Parthenia ARMSTRONG b: ABT. 1854 in Randolph Co. AL.
12. Francis Marion ARMSTRONG b: ABT. 1858 in Randolph Co. AL.
13. Dama Adaline ARMSTRONG b: 19 MAR 1859 in Randolph Co. AL.
14. Jefferson Davis ARMSTRONG b: 17 JUL 1861 in Randolph Co. AL.