Photo Reuben Harrison and Wife

REUBEN HARRISON PIERCE AND

WIFE SARA BAKER PIERCE

Reuben Harrison Pierce was the 7th Child of the Unknow James H Pierce. RHSaraP.jpg (75874 bytes)

Dorman Thomas is descended from this Pierce line

Reuben H. Pierce written by Dorman Thomas

Reuben H Pierce was said to have been a witness in Edgefield District, SC to
the marriage in 1818 of his sister Elizabeth to James R. Russell. The Russell
family relocated to Hall County, GA in 1822.<2> It is presumed that Reuben
moved with his family to Hall County about the same time. He was included as
Reyben H. Pierce (31) in a report of poor school children in Capt. Dorsey's
575th District, Hall Co., GA, July 5, 1825, by David G. McClusky, Lemuel Clayton
and John Burnett. He was also included in a receipt for Ephraim M. Johnston
for teaching in the 575th Militia District, April 1, 1828, and another report
for the same district Oct. 1829. William G. (Green) Russell and his siblings,
Elizabeth, Martha Ann and Polly Ann (Mary) were also in the same schools, as
was Levi and Hamton (sic) Pierce. Reuben, therefore, was probably in Hall
County, GA as early as 1822, very close to the Russell family.

In the 392nd Militia District, Oct. 1829, was Mariah Russle(12) and Franklin
Russle(15), children of Robt. W. Russle. It is not known if the latter were
related to the James Russell family.<35>

On 29 Apr 1831 (p.57) and 7 May 1831 (p.63), Reuben H. Pierce's name appeared in
account books of one of Frances C. Anoc's stores or taverns in Hall Co. or
Cherokee Indian Nation.<61>

The name of R. H. Pierce appeared as a teacher for 1836 on a list of Hall
County poor school students for 1836, dated 1837, from the Counties Oversize,
File II, Georgia Department of Archives and History.<62>

On 25 Jun 1838, Reuben H. Pierce was a Second Leutenant of the 575th District
of Hall County of the Georgia Militia.<63>

In 1840, Reuben(age 20-30) and Sarah(age 20-30) were in the 827th District, Cass
County, GA with two sons (R. J. and W. L.) under age five. Nearby in the same
County was Levi(age 30-40) and Matilda H. Pierce(age 20-30) with a daughter
under five.<31>

On 12 Sep 1850, Reuben(age 40), Sarah(age 38) and six children (ages 4 mo. to
14 yr.) were in Savannah District, Lumpkin County, GA .<34>

In 1851-1852, A. M. Russell and R. H. Pierce were Representatives to the State
Legislature representing Hall County.<64>

In 1860, Reuben(age 50), Sarah(age 40) and eight children(ages 2 to 23) were in
Dawsonville, Savannah District, Dawson County, GA.<65> Dawson County was
created out of Lumpkin and Gilmer Counties in 1857.<6>

In 1861, Alfred Webb and R. H. Pierce represented Dawson County as delegates to
the Cecession Convention held in Milledgeville and Savannah, GA.<66>

Reuben enlisted in his nephew, Capt. John R. Russell's infantry company in
Dawson County, GA which was organized in Atlanta on March 4, 1862 and became
Company I, 52nd Regiment, Georgia Volunteer Infantry, Army of Tennessee,
Dept. of East Tennessee, CSA. He was First Sergeant. The regiment served
briefly at Chatanooga, TN before moving to Cumberland Gap. In late 1862, the
unit was transferred to the Dept. of Mississippi and Eastern Louisiana.
Stationed at Vicksburg, the unit later served in the Army of Vicksburg and was
captured when the city fell to Federal forces on July 4, 1863. Reuben was
discharged, over-age, in 1863.<41> The Regiment reformed and was involved in
further conflicts in Tennessee, Georgia, Alabama and Mississippi and surrendered
at Columbus, MS, May 4, 1865.<67>

The 1870 Georgia Census of Sanford's District, Dawson County, at Dawsonville,
on 30 Jul 1870, enumerated at p.510, dwelling 657: Harrison Pierce (age 55,
School Teacher, b. GA), Sarah (age 54, b. GA), Mary (age 22, b. GA), Nancy (age
13, b. GA), Nancy A. (age 36, b. GA), and John (age 8, b. GA.) Harrison was
Reuben H. Pierce, born in SC, not GA. Nancy, age 13 was Ada Missouri(Sou). It
is not known who Nancy A. was. John was probably her son.<68>

Georgia and the rest of the south became so impoverished that the restoration
of order and prosperity was slow in coming. Reuben, his wife and children and
their families left Georgia in late 1870, following his eldest son, Dr. R. J.
Pierce, who migrated to Arkansas the year before.

In 1872 Reuben homesteaded a 160 acre farm at Sugar Orchard Creek in Marion
County, Arkansas and built a hewed log house for Sarah, himself and his
youngest daughter, Sou, who was then about thirteen years old. While living
here, he taught school. In 1875, he sold the farm and purchased a small
place on Carrion Crow Mountain in Pope County, Arkansas, near the home of his
daughter, Betty Allmon. Soon after, he and Sarah sold this place and lived
in turn with their children in Marion and Pope Counties.<3>

The 1880 Arkansas Census enumerated on 8 Jun 1880 in Green Log Township, Pope
County, AR, Enumeration District 198, p. 8, dwelling 53, Rueben Pierce (age 68,
Teacher,b. SC, f b. NH, m b. NC) and Sarah (age 65, b. NC, f b. GA, m b. GA.)
His son, Rube and family lived in the adjoining dwelling.<37> Sarah died in
1886 and was buried in Pisgah Cemetery, near Pottsville, Pope County, AR.<69>
Reuben died in 1890 and was buried in Patton Cemetery, near Pyatt, Marion
County, AR.<70>

FOOTNOTE:61*Robert S. Davis, Jr., "Families of Hall County, 1817-1849,"
Magnolia Press, Gainesville, GA, 1991.

FOOTNOTE:62*From the Counties Oversize, File II, Georgia Dept. of Archives and
History, Atlanta, GA, contributed by Robert S. Davis, Jr.

FOOTNOTE:63*State of Georgia Military Records, 1829-1961, Vol.3, p.162,
Drawer40, Box 17, Georgia Dept. of Archives and History.

FOOTNOTE:64*State of Georgia Official and Statistical Register, 1975-1976,
p.1548, Ben W. Fortson, Jr., Secretary of State, Georgia Dept. of Archives and
History, Atlanta, GA.

FOOTNOTE:65*1860 Dawson County, Georgia Federal Census, M653, Roll 119, p.68,
dwelling 334, National Archives, Fort Worth, Texas.

FOOTNOTE:66*The Confederate Records of the State of Georgia, Vol. I, Journal of
the Convention held at Milledgeville in open session, 16 Jan 1861, p.214,
Georgia Dept. of Archives and History, Atlanta, GA.

FOOTNOTE:67*"Grey Books, Vol. 7", pp.976-981, Civil War Confederate Collection,
Hill College, Hillsboro, TX.

FOOTNOTE:68*1870 Dawson County, Georgia Federal Census, M593, Roll 146, National
Archives, Fort Worth, Texas.

FOOTNOTE:69*Tombstone incsription, Pisgah Cemetery, Pope County, AR.

FOOTNOTE:70*Tombstone inscription, Patton Cemetery, Marion County, AR.
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