Here's a copy of the September 15, 2002 memorial speech I gave for Henderson Elswick:

Henderson Elswick [1830-1888]

The Elswick family has been in America since the 1600’s. The line can be traced to a John Elswick, Sr. – born in 1690 in Prince George County, Maryland. It is interesting to note that in 1750, John Elswick received a grant for 406 acres near Sharpsburg, Maryland. Over 100 years later the old Elswick farm would become the scene of the bloodiest single day battle in American history – the Civil War Battle of Antietam.

The line is then traced down three generations to John Elswick, III – who served with the Virginia Militia during the American Revolution. In fact, Henderson Elswick is descended from a long line of men who fought for their country in times of war – having at least two great-grandfathers, John Elswick and Pleasant Childers serving in the Revolutionary War. Pleasant Childers served in North Carolina Continental Line.

Henderson Elswick was the oldest of ten children born to John Wesley Elswick and Winnie Rowe. He was born in Kentucky on October 5, 1830 and the family moved to the mouth of Conaway Creek in the 1840’s after John received grants for several hundred acres in the area.

On November 1, 1849, Henderson was married to Catherine Looney – the daughter of John and Cynthia Stiltner Looney and herself the descendant of several Revolutionary War ancestors. On May 1, 1856, Henderson Elswick received a land grant of 227 acres on the Levisa Fork and 60 acres on Cabin Creek of Rock Lick. He shortly thereafter built his house that is still standing at the entrance to this cemetery.

In July of 1863 – John Wesley and Winnie Elswick watched their four oldest sons ride off to enlist in Company F of the 10th Kentucky Cavalry. The 10th Kentucky fought in many battles during the war and earned the nickname the “Yankee Chasers” for their bravery under fire.

Henderson Elswick is a very special veteran for me. I grew up not 200 yards from this spot and have known the Elswick family my entire life. There are family stories of Henderson being captured during the war. During his captivity he was guarded by Clell Thornbury who knew Henderson personally and allowed Henderson to escape.

During this period it was almost as dangerous to be home on leave as it was on the front lines. Families up and down the Levisa River sided with either the Union or Confederate cause and Buchanan County became known as Buchwacker’s Paradise. When I was growing up I made many trips to the small cave on the mountain where Henderson was said to have stayed when home on leave.

Henderson and Catherine had a large family of twelve children.

Lucy, John L., Joseph L., Jemima, Mary “Polly”, Thompson, Louise, Nancy, Lewis, Basil, Anderson and Landon M. Elswick.

After the war, Henderson was involved in farming and the logging business. He and his sons would wait for the spring rains and then ride the rafts of logs down the Levisa and Big Sandy Rivers to the saw mills in Cattletsburg, Kentucky on the Ohio River. It was on one of these trips, on June 1, 1888, when he died of a heart attack in Pike County at the age of 57.

Catherine applied for and received her widow’s pension of 25 dollars per year in 1900.

We are gathered here today to honor these two veterans of the American Civil War. May they always be remembered and their final resting place never be forgotten by the generations that follow us here today. Thank you.

Speech given by Ed Talbott, III
Genealogist of the Lt. Col. Vincent A. Witcher SCV Camp #1863
September 15, 2002
Mountain Valley Memorial Cemetery, Big Rock, Buchanan Co., VA