.

Here, gathered in our beloved South Dakota, are a few members of our Williamson / Mattson Clan. Charles and Luella are to be blamed (be kind, they didn't know what they were doing). We're generally a happy bunch and somewhat intelligent (notwithstanding our tenuous grasp on reality). I'm also proud to say that most of us still have our teeth.

Monday, March 8, 2010

Our Confederate Cousin


From the Fortress of Solitude
Pleasant Grove

A Confederate Soldier in our Extended Family.

Tonight in our virtual family reunion we honor our 1st cousin, 3 times removed, Archer A Phlegar. His father was Eli Phlegar, my Great Great Great Uncle. Eli was the brother of Anabella Phlegar my Great Great Great Grandmother. Anabella was the mother of Margaret Ann Willis who was the mother of William J. Williamson who was father to the Williamson brothers and sisters of which my Grandfather Charles was one.

Archer was one of the South’s most distinguished lawyers and jurists. He was the head of the law firm of Phlegar, Powell, Price and Shelton. He was appointed by Governor Hoge Tyler to a position on on the Virgina State Supreme Court. Archer was born on February 22, 1845. He was 68 when he died on December 22, 1912.

He left Washington and Lee University to enter the Confederate Army. He served as a soldier in the 54th Virginia regiment of which his uncle was colonel. He entered the army as a corporal and finished as a lieutenant. The 54th Infantry Regiment was organized in October,1861. It was ordered to Kentucky and took an active part in the engagement at Middle Creek. Later the unit was assigned to Trigg's, Reynolds', Brown's and Reynolds' Consolidated, and Palmer's Brigade, Army of Tennessee.

The 54th participated in many battles from Chickamauga to Atlanta, endured Hood's winter operations, and fought in North Carolina. This regiment sustained 47 casualties at Chickamauga, totalled 390 men and 329 arms in December, 1863, and had 128 present in December 1864 and 212 in January 1865.

After the war Archer practiced law. He served as a member of the Virginia State Senate in 1881. He was reelected in 1903. Between that year and 1905 he had a primary hand in shaping the legislation necessary to make the code of Virgina conform to the new State Constitution. He was the President of the Virgina Bar Association.

Archer was the teacher of the men’s bible class in the Presbyterian Church. He was the vice president and a director in the Carolina, Clinchfield and Ohio Railway Company. He was president of the Bank of Christiansburg.

Judge Phlegar was especially noted for his philanthropic work. He was a trustee of the Thronwell Orphanage at Clinton South Carolina. It was a rule of his life to contribute ten percent of his earnings to charity. He insisted that nothing be said concerning his giving.

Judge Phlegar was a proud Southerner in our extended family.

Simply,
Victor