Pvt. George R. Anderton (c1833-1862) was born about 1833, the son of George Anderton and his wife, Mourning -, who were married outside Brunswick County about 1830. Mourning died in July 1854 at 45 years of age and George Sr. evidently died during the 1850's also.

When the census was taken in Brunswick County in 1860, George Jr. was living with his brother Richard H. Anderton (c1832-22 Mar 1875) near Lawrenceville.

As far as available information shows, George Jr did not marry. At least, he left no marriage record in Brunswick County. Also Richard served as George's administrator following his death during the Civil War suggesting that George then had no wife.

George enlisted in the Confederate Army July 10, 1861 at Sturgeonvgille, in Brunswick County. He was enlisted by Captain Thomas J. Taylor who led the Ebenezer Greys, known otherwise as Company E, 56th Regiment, Virginia Infantry.

George went through the campaign to Tennessee, through the imprisonment for some six months or more following the surrender at Fort Donelson, and returned home unscathed. However, in the fall of 1862, not long after returning to Virginia, George was stricken with typhoid fever (a cause of death for so many soldiers in this War.) He was sent home from the army, or was allowed to come home, where he would try to recover. However, he died at home October 13, 1862. He no doubt was buried in the County, probably somewhere in the Dolphin area, but the site of his grave has not been determined.

George's brother Richard served as his administrator to settle up his estate. This included filing for any army pay due George.

Richard Anderton married twice and had about nine children, and inasmuch as George was living with his family, they were, in fact, his family, so some attention should be given to them in this report. Some of the children were not born, of course, until after George died.

Richard's first wife was Matilda C. Turnbill whom he married in 1848 (marriage bond dated November 22). Richard and Matilda had four children. The first of these was Harriet Elizabeth, born about 1850. It is not known what became of her after 1860; she may have succumbed to typhoid fever as did her Uncle George Anderton.

The second child of Richard and Matilda was Richard W. Anderton, who was born about 1852. He married Lucy A.R. Johnson, daughter of George W. and Frances Johnson, March 13, 1877 in Brunswick County. They had a daughter named Fannie Anderton who married Samuel H. Wray, son of Samuel and Araminta Wray, in 1901. They may have had other children.

George R. Anderton was the third child of Richard and Matilda. He was born about 1854 in Brunswick County. In 1880 he was living with his sisters Jane and Nannie.

The fourth child of Richard and Matilda (Matilda's last) was Jane H. Anderton who was born April 28,1855 in Brunswick County. She married Millard Filmore Wray, son of William and Virginia Wray, in Brunswick County November 8, 1881. They were married by the Rev. William H. Dameron. Millard Wray, born November 8, 1858 died January 24, 1927, and was buried at Liberty Methodist Church Cemetery near Dolphin. Jane died August 26, 1931, and was buried beside her husband at Liberty Church.

Sometime between Jane's birth in 1855 and the census in the summer of 1860, Matilda died and probably was buried in the Dolphin area. Afterward, Richard married again; his second wife was named Nannie, but no further information has been obtained concerning her. Nannie's first child, born about 1864, was a son named William H. Anderton. He married Iola B. Lewis, daughter of F.E. and Indiana F. Lewis, in Brunswick County June 16, 1892.

The next child born into the family was John Anderton, who was born about 1865. There is a John Anderton buried at Liberty Methodist Church Cemetery who probably was this man, despite a discrepancy in the date of birth. John's tombstone at Liberty Church Cemetery says he was born August 15, 1871, and died October 26, 1931.

Joseph W. Anderton was born about 1866. He married Mary R. Sadler, daughter of George R. and Mary Sadler, in Brunswick County, on December 23, 1884.

Nannie Anderton, named for her mother, was born September 5, 1872 in Brunswick County. She married M.W. Bottom,a native of Mecklenburg County and a son of John H. and Martha A. Bottom, on September 27, 1899. Nannie died September 29, 1958, and was buried at Liberty Methodist Church Cemetery.

The Census of 1870 recorded a son named Charlie, age one, but no further information has been obtained concerning him.

The Anderton family name has been in Brunswick County since the Revolutionary War, and perhaps for some years prior to that. In fact, Isaac Anderton was one of the patriots who in 1782 was awarded compensation by the Brunswick County Court for aid given the army, or in the cause of the Colonists, during the Revolutionary War.

From the Book "Civil War Soldiers from Brunswick County, Va." by Dr. William McCaddin Pritchett

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