Harriet A. Pierce

1849 - 1933  (83 years)

• Name	Harriet A. Pierce  [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10]
  Nickname	Hattie
  Alt. Birth	Abt 1845
  	1910 Census: age 65
  Alt. Birth	Abt 1848
  	1860 Census: age 12; 1900 Census: age 52
  Birth	4 Feb 1849	, Milford, Baker County, Georgia, USA   [2, 5, 6]
  Census: Federal	30 Jun 1860	, Milford, Baker County, Georgia, USA   [11]
  	1) Ben Bryant, white male age 40, farmer, $2,500 real estate, $1,920 personal estate, born in NC, cannot read or write 2) H [Harriett] Bryant, white female age 35, born in NC, cannot read or write 3) C. C. [Clarsy] Bryant, white female age 12, born in GA, attended school 4) John Bryant, white male age 5 months, born in GA 5) M Bryant, white female age 10, born in GA, attended school 6) J [Josephine] Bryant, white female age 7, born in GA 7) GA [Georgiann] Bryant, white female age 5, born in GA 8) M [Mattie] Bryant, white female age 2, born in GA 9) H [Harriett] Pearce, white female age 12, born in GA
  		1860-06-30 09-31-37.jpg
  Move	1863	, , Decatur County, Georgia, USA   [12]
  Religion	1867  [5, 6]
  	a member of Bethel Missionary Baptist Church
  Census: Federal	5 Sep 1870	, Lynn, Decatur County, Georgia, USA   [13]
  	1) Elija Rich, white male age 30, farmer, $1,075 real estate, $850 personal estate, born in GA 2) Harriet Rich, white female age 21, at home, born in GA 3) Usamer Rich, white male age 3, born in GA 4) Susan Rich, white female age 28, at home, born in GA 5) Sarah Willson, white female age 32, farm labor, born in GA 6) Thomas Willson, white male age 12, farm labor, born in GA, cannot read or write 7) Elija Willson, white male age 10, born in GA, cannot read or write 8) Mary Willson, white female age 8, born in GA
  		1870-09-05 09-32-11.jpg
  Census: Federal	4 Jun 1880	Pinehill Road, Bainbridge, Decatur County, Georgia, USA   [14]
  	1) Elijah A. J. Rich, head, white male age 40, farmer, born in GA, parents born in GA 2) Hattie Rich, wife, white female age 31, keeping house, born in GA, parents born in GA 3) Euseamer Rich, son, single white male age 12, attended school, born in GA 4) Minnie Rich, daughter, single white female age 10, attended school, born in GA 5) Emery Rich, son, single white male age 8, attended school, born in GA 6) Arthur J. Rich, son, single white male age 7, attended school, born in GA 7) Madora Rich, daughter, single white female age 5, attended school, born in GA 8) Hunnewell Rich, son, single white male age 3 9) Perry Rich, son, single white male age 8 months 10) Zilphy Lofton, aunt, widowed white female age 47, keeping house, born in GA, parents born in GA 11) Rosa Heana, single white female age 19, boarder, school teacher, born in GA, mother born in NC 12) William Sloan, single white male age 22, farm laborer, cannot read or write, born in GA, parents born in GA
  		1880-06-04 09-00-02.jpg
  News Article	17 Mar 1892	USA, Georgia, Decatur County, Bainbridge, The Weekly Democrat (newspaper)
  	“Prof. and Mrs. Euzema Rich spent last Sunday in Center with his parents, Hon. and Mrs. E. A. J. Rich.”
  		1892-03-17 12-00-00.jpg
  Census: Federal	15 Jun 1900	Pinehill Road, Bainbridge, Decatur County, Georgia, USA   [15]
  	1) Elija A J Rich, head, white male age 59, married 33 years, born Nov 1840 in GA, parents born in GA, farmer, owns farm #112 2) Hattie Rich, wife white female age 52, mother of 8, all living, born Apr 1848 in GA, parents born in GA
  Census: Federal	15 Apr 1910	Pinehill Road, Bainbridge, Decatur County, Georgia, USA   [16]
  	1) Elijah A. J. Rich, head, white male age 70, married 43 years, born in GA, parents born in GA, general farmer, owns farm #9 2) Hattie Rich, wife, white female age 65, born in GA, parents born in GA 3) Loucile Rich, granddaughter, single white female age 16, born in GA, parents born in GA, attended school 4) Clide Rich, granddaughter, single white female age 14, born in GA, parents born in GA, attended school
  Census: Federal	8 Jan 1920	Pinehill Road, Bainbridge, Decatur County, Georgia, USA   [17]
  	1) E. A. J. Rich, head, married white male age 79, born in GA, parents born in NC, farmer, owns a general farm 2) Hattie Rich, wife, married white female age 70, born in GA, parents born in GA
  Move	1925	, Colquitt, Miller County, Georgia, USA   [18]
  	her daughter's house
  Affidavit	20 May 1926	, , Decatur County, Georgia, USA   [19]
  	Georgia, Decatur County: Personally comes P.D. Rich, who on oath says that he was born on September 22nd, 1879 and that he is the seventh child of E.A.J. Rich and Hattie Rich. That his father, E.A.J. Rich, died in Decatur County on July 4th, 1925 leaving his widow Mrs. Hattie Rich the mother of the deponent. That ever since deponent can remember there was a very large scar just below the right shoulder of E. A. J. Rich and the said E. A. J. Rich always told deponent that it was a wound received in the Confederate war, the ball entering from the front during a charge and coming out and tearing away a portion of his shoulder blade.  My father and others informed me that this wound gave him much trouble for a considerable time after the close of the war.  Deponent knows for other reasons that the said E. A. J. Rich, his father, saw active service in said war.  Deponent's father presented to deponent his sword which deponent now has in his custody and prizes very highly.  Deponent has furthermore heard conversation between his father and other soldiers who served in said war with him, among them being Mr. Hardy Strickland who was an officer in the same Company.  The said Strickland was a resident of Miller County until his death occurred several years ago Deponent believes that the said Strickland was on the pension roll at the time of his death and that deponent's father helped make the proof that caused said Strickland to be placed on the pension roll. Deponent has talked with several other confederate veterans who knew of the Military Service of deponents' father but all of whom are now dead, the names of some of them being Mr. William Hollingsworth who was in the same Company with deponent's father and who told deponent that he, Hollingsworth carried deponents father on his shoulder from the Battle field at the time he was wounded.  My father many times made that statement.  The said Hollingsworth resided in Grady County and died some eight or ten years ago.  Deponent has also talked many times with Mr. Ben Harrell of Miller County who was in the same Regiment with my father, which was 59th Georgia, and if I remember correctly the said Harrel was a Member of Company K. Deponents' father many time related to him the particulars of his enlistment and Military experience which was in substance as follows: At the commencement of hostilities he and several brothers volunteered and enlisted at Bainbridge, Georgia, in the State Militia, and were immediately sent to Savannah and put in training.  While located at Savannah they built Fort Screven.  They were at Savannah for about six months and then went in Company A of the 59th Georgia Regiment, Andersons Brigade under the command of General Longstreet.  He was soon elected a Lieutenant and was again promoted to First Lieutenant.  He was commissioned as First Lieutenant and his Captain whose name I do not remember was severely wounded and my father was left in command of the Company for some time when he himself was wounded.  I have heard him say that at the time he was wounded Colonel Gee was in command of the Regiment.  I do not know or remember the date of his wound but he always gave me to understand it was near the close of the war.  I do know that it occurred sometime after the battle of Gettysburg because several years ago while I was on vacation I planned a visit to the Gettysburg battle field and my father went into detail with me and explained that his Brigade went to Gettysburg on the Pike Road from Chambersburg or Chambersville and that upon reaching Gettysburg they entered a wheat field and fought during the first day of the battle back and forth across this wheat field, that during the second day they reached a rock fence which was at the foot of a steep hill, that the Yankees were entrenched on the top of this hill and they were never able to make it up the hill.  While fighting at the foot of this hill and using the rock fence for breastworks his brother Charlie Rich was killed and that they buried his body that night in an Apple orchard a few hundred yards west of the place where he was killed and that near the Apple Orchard was a stone barn and stone dwelling and he gave me a good description of the barn and dwelling and made a special request that I try and find out for him where his brothers body was afterwards moved to and endeavor to locate his present grave. Upon reaching Gettysburg and obtaining a competent guide deponent and said guide went to where the Chambersburg road entered the battle field.  Of course the wheat field was not there as the Federal Government had converted the entire battle field into a National Park.  A short distance from the end of the Pike and leaving the road southward as my father had directed me I discovered a large bronze Tablet stating that Andersons Brigade commenced forming their lines at this point and giving the names of the Regiments and among them was the 59th Georgia.  I looked about a mile eastward and saw a large stone house and barn and leaving my guide I made straight to this house and barn on foot and from time to time along the way I consulted tablets and markers which confirmed what my father had told me about the progress of the battle.  Upon reaching the stone house and barn I instantly saw that they were the same buildings because they was scarred by artillery shells and there was a shell sticking in the side of the barn, I saw signs of the Apple orchard and then at the foot of the hill further on I came upon the same rock fence, thereby knowing that my father had at some time visited this identical scene.  I further more know that he has never visited Gettysburg in my recollection and neither have I ever heard of his ever visiting Gettysburg since the war. He told me a number of times of the circumstances of his being wounded.  That they were making a charge up a steep hill when he was wounded and lost consciousness.  When his senses returned he was on the shoulders of a man who was running at full speed.  This man was W.M. Hollingsworth who carried him to the rear for some distance and laid him in the jam of a fence.  That the shock and the loss of blood was such that he could not walk but was conscious.  While he was in the fence jam by the side of the road General Lee and his Staff came by and he said this is the only time during the entire war that he ever saw his beloved General and he always seemed to appreciate it very much that the General stopped and expressed the hope that he was not seriously wounded and ask him some questions about the fighting which could then be plainly heard.  He was soon taken to a Hospital where he remained for sometime having no use whatever of his right arm.  While in this Hospital he received news that his father had been wounded at some place in Georgia and was then in a Hospital in Macon Georgia in serious condition.  This is the reason that I know that my father must have been wounded at some time near the end of the war because his fathers age did not require him to enter the army until near the close.  The family record shows that his father Thomas J. Rich was born April 30, 1815.  Knowing that no one was at home with the little children and that he was useless for Military Service he sought a furlough which was granted him by the Hospital Authorities for six months and he came home.  While at home on this furlough his father died in the Macon Hospital of the wound received.  His father received his wound at Griswoldville, Georgia.  At the end of his furlough he started back to Virginia to join his command but upon reaching some point in North Carolina, the name of the place I do not remember, his train was sidetracked and remained in the side track for several days while other trains were coming south loaded with soldiers and shouting the news that Lee had surrendered and that the war was over.  On my fathers train and in the side track were a great many soldiers and quite a number of Officers.  These Officers sought vainly for some kind of orders but could receive none and finally the Officer in command of the party wrote him a pass and authority to return home, which he did.  Several months later he went to Tallahassee, Florida, and took the oath of Allegiance to the United States and I am Happy to state that he kept this oath religiously during the remainder of his life.  I therefore know and swear that if the records of the Confederacy show that he was ever absent without leave that those records are incorrect. When the first pension law was passed he refused to apply for a pension because he said he was able to take care of himself and his family and that the purpose of this law was to help those who could not help themselves.  He was always very religious and conscientious and he felt that the State should do more for his comrades who were less fortunate than himself and felt that it would be wrong for him to receive a pension from the taxpayers of Georgia.  I often insisted that he was wrong about the matter and that he should apply for and receive a pension.  When the last pension law was passed before he passed away I discussed the matter with him but he was adamant. His passing lives his widow, my mother, quite old and while she is not in a destitute condition both of us feel that it is entirely right that the State should assist in her maintenance during the remainder of her life, in token of its appreciation of the service rendered by her husband to the Confederacy which has never cost it anything this far. In the records of the pension office many applications filed by others from Decatur and adjoining Counties are of file and pensions have been for many years paid on them in which the proof was made by my father.  His motto in life was to help others and I am proud of such father and my mother is proud of such husband. In making this affidavit deponent does not consider that it is necessary in order to prove the claim of the applicant for a pension but for the reason that he has just been informed by the pension commissioner, that the record shows him "Absent without leave since Feb 13th 1865" and this affidavit is made in detail for that reason.  Deponent further believes that if his father had known that such appeared on the Public Records that he would have taken necessary steps in his life time to correct.  I have seen with my own eyes his discharge granted at Tallahassee, Florida, but it cannot now be found. (signed) P.D. Rich Sworn and subscribed before me this 20th day of May, 1926
  Alt. Birth	, , Decatur County, Georgia, USA   [7]
  Census: Federal	4 Apr 1930	Main Street, Colquitt, Miller County, Georgia, USA   [20]
  	1) Dola Bush, head, widowed white female age 54, married at 17, born in GA, parents born in GA, owns a $6,000 house, has a radio 2) Hattie Rich, mother, widowed white female age 81, married at 18, born in GA, parents born in GA
  Obituary	8 Jan 1933	The Post-Searchlight (newspaper)-301 North Crawford Street, Bainbridge, Decatur County, Georgia, USA   [21]
  	"Mrs. E. A. J. Rich Dies Sunday Morning      On Sunday morning January 8, 1933 Mrs. Elijah Andrew Jackson Rich died at the home of her daughter, Mrs. J. W. Bush, in Colquitt, Ga.  When life passed from the body of that beloved woman, one of the most successful careers of womanhood came to a close.  For eighty-three years her every deed had been based upon devotion to her large family and unselfish service to her community.  With her late husband who seven years ago preceeded her to the grave she succeeded in raising one of the largest families in Southwest Georgia.  Their descendants have successfully gone forth into every walk of life to wield a great and good influence upon the world about them.  That influence is being relayed from a home founded upon the bedrock of Christian living and the world is better for their having lived in it.  Born a woman, Mrs. Rich attained the highest success as a woman.      'Grandma' Rich came into this life on February 4, 1849 in Milford, Baker county, Georgia.  She was Christened Hattie Pearce.  Left an orphan at a tender age she was carried on horseback from Milford to Brinson by her uncle, a Mr. Bryant, while yet an infant.  From that day until the day of her death she lived in Decatur county, even maintaining it as her legal residence after she took up her abode with her daughter, at the death of her husband in 1925.  Shortly after Lee had surrendered at Appamattox, she became the bride of Mr. Rich.  To that union were born eight children, six of them survive her.  Mrs. W. G. Powell and Emory G. Rich have died.  The living are, Mrs. Jesse T. Powell, of Brinson, Mrs. J. W. Bush of Colquitt.  Euzema Rich, Judge Perry D. Rich, Thomas E. Rich, and A. J. Rich, all of Bainbridge.  In addition there are 34 grandchildren, 47 great grandchildren and one great great grandchild to mourn her.      In addition to their own large family, Mr. and Mrs. Rich also reared the families of Mr. Tobe Wilson, who was killed in the Civil War, and of Mr. and Mrs. Emory G. Rich, who died in the same year.      Besides her duties as a mother and a home-maker, Mrs. Rich's chief interest and activity was in the work of the Bethel Baptist Church of this county, of which she was a devoted member for sixty-five years.      The funeral services were conducted at the church Monday morning by the Rev. H. H. Shell of the First Baptist Church, of Bainbridge, who was assisted by the Rev. D. Maurice Smith of West Bainbridge.      Serving as pallbearers were eight grandsons: Lloyd Rich, Lamar Powell, Alee Rich, T. E. Rich, Jr., W. G. Rich, Dewey Powell, P. T. Rich and C. C. Rich.  Interment was in the Rich lot of the cemetery, adjoining the church.      The Bainbridge Bar Association attended the rites in a body.  E. W. Cox Funeral Home in charge."
  Death	8 Jan 1933	Main Street, Colquitt, Miller County, Georgia, USA   [4, 5, 6]
  Burial	9 Jan 1933	Bethel Missionary Baptist Church Cemetery, Bainbridge, Decatur County, Georgia, USA   [5, 6]
  Person ID	I424	My Genealogy
  Last Modified	25 Aug 2023

  
  

  Father	Benjamin B. Bryant,   b. Abt 1821, , , , North Carolina, USA d. Between 1870 and 1880, , , Decatur County, Georgia, USA (Age ~ 49 years)
  Relationship	Adopted
  Mother	Harriett D. [--?--],   b. Abt 1825, , , , Georgia, USA d. 25 Dec 1887, , , Early County, Georgia, USA (Age ~ 62 years)
  Relationship	Adopted
  Family ID	F834	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family	Elijah Andrew Jackson Rich,   b. 16 Nov 1840, , , Randolph County, Georgia, USA d. 4 Jul 1925, , , Decatur County, Georgia, USA (Age 84 years)
  Marriage	25 Apr 1867	, , Decatur County, Georgia, USA   [2, 3, 5, 22]
  		1867-04-25 09-31-38.jpg
  Children	+ 1. Euzema Rich,   b. 8 Nov 1868, Pinehill Road, Bainbridge, Decatur County, Georgia, USA d. 3 Jan 1944, Planter Street, Bainbridge, Decatur County, Georgia, USA (Age 75 years) + 2. Minnie Rich,   b. 12 Aug 1870, , , Decatur County, Georgia, USA d. 9 Jan 1909, , Cyrene, Decatur County, Georgia, USA (Age 38 years)  [Father: natural] + 3. Emory G. Rich,   b. 24 Jan 1872, , , Decatur County, Georgia, USA d. 15 Mar 1902, , , Decatur County, Georgia, USA (Age 30 years)  [Father: natural] + 4. Arthur Johnson Rich,   b. 19 Dec 1873, , , Decatur County, Georgia, USA d. 30 Jun 1953, , Brinson-GMD 1613, Decatur County, Georgia, USA (Age 79 years) + 5. Madora Rich,   b. 1 Sep 1875, , , Decatur County, Georgia, USA d. 4 May 1957, , , Seminole County, Georgia, USA (Age 81 years) + 6. Hunnewell Rich,   b. 22 Sep 1877, , , Decatur County, Georgia, USA d. 20 May 1956, , , Decatur County, Georgia, USA (Age 78 years) + 7. Perry David Rich, Sr.,   b. 22 Sep 1879, , , Decatur County, Georgia, USA d. 20 Jul 1963, , , Decatur County, Georgia, USA (Age 83 years) + 8. Thomas Elijah Rich,   b. 24 Oct 1882, , , Decatur County, Georgia, USA d. 9 Dec 1965, , Bainbridge, Decatur County, Georgia, USA (Age 83 years)
  Family ID	F138	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
  Last Modified	13 Feb 2011

  
  

• Event Map		News Article - 17 Mar 1892 - USA, Georgia, Decatur County, Bainbridge, The Weekly Democrat (newspaper)  = Link to Google Earth
  Pin Legend<	: Address       : Location       : City/Town       : County/Shire       : State/Province       : Country       : Not Set

  
  

• Photos » Slide Show

  
  

• Notes

  Hattie was an orphan.  Her father evidently died before she was born and her mother died either in childbirth or shortly thereafter.  No one in the family has been able to learn the names of her parents.  Hattie's last name has been spelled both as Pearce and as Pierce. Her obituary states that she was "Christened," possibly indicating that her parents belonged to a Methodist Church.  She was found living with the family of Ben Bryant in Baker County in 1860.  Seven years later, she married Elijah A. J. Rich in Decatur County. I am trying to locate tombstones, court records, news articles, or anything else that might leave a trail as to Hattie's ancestry.  Please contact me if you have any information! I found this cemetery listing at Oak City: Pearce, Margaret Ann died 28 May 1860 Wife of George W. Pearce Age 27 yrs 9 mos Could this be Hattie's mother? 1845 Baker Tax List: Ezekiel Pierce William G. Pierce   do as agent for children

  
  

• Reference

  Gail Rich Nestor. "Harriet A. Pierce". A Family Tree from Roots to Buds. https://roots2buds.net/getperson.php?personID=I424&tree=nestortree (accessed September 21, 2023).