The following was copied from a letter written to Eloise Talley by a descendent of David Capshaw, via Benjamin Franklin Capshaw, via his daughter, Lucille Dorothy Capshaw, the last person known to have actual possession of David Capshaw's family Bible. These notations are allegedly an exact copy, in both text and sequence of the Bible entries. One exception is wherein there was no date entered. At these points, I have entered a question mark or "no date". There are some entries which appear to be wrong, i.e., one child shown to have been born in 1818, when it is obvious that it should have been 1918. I have highlighted my additions or entries that I disagree with or entries that conflict with other information. The reader can decide for himself which is correct.
The letter was headed as follows:
from
Grandfather David
David Capshaw, born November 8, 1779
Mary McCracken, born September 14, 1778
Married January 5, 1808, Madison County, Alabama
Cassia Capshaw, born October 27, 1809
Preston Capshaw, born May 27, 1811
James McCracken Capshaw, born June 16, 1813
Robert Smith Capshaw, born August 26, 1815
David Granville Capshaw, Jr., born October 1, 1817
Aroma Capshaw, born August 7, 1819
John William Capshaw, born November 11, 1821
Mary Jane Capshaw, born September 22, 1823
Calvin Rush Capshaw, born March 7, 1825
Caswell Carver Capshaw, born December 19, 1826
Benjamin Franklin Capshaw, born December 1, 1828
MARRIAGES
Cassia Capshaw to John Simpson, October 13, 1832
David Granville Capshaw, Jr. to Ann Christopher, February 14, 1839
Aroma Capshaw to Sterling Smith, August 29 1839
Preston Capshaw to Amanda Hobby, June 4, 1840
James McCracken Capshaw to June B. Clarm, August 18, 1842
Mary Jane Capshaw to Richard Graves Bouldin, August 9, 1847
(child Mary Tabitha, August 10, 1808) ? (probably 1848 Jerry E. Capshaw)
Calvin Rush Capshaw to Ann Elizabeth Adams, 1857
Caswell Carver Capshaw to Julia Jane Bothwell No Date Entered
Benjamin Franklin Capshaw to Charlotte Ann Burton July 25, 1858
John William Capshaw No Spouse or date entered
Robert Smith Capshaw Never Married
DEATHS
David Capshaw, Sr., March 11, 1839 59 years
Robert Smith Capshaw, Mexican War, July 15, 1857 32 years 3 months
Mary McCracken Capshaw, July 15, 1857 68 years
John William Capshaw (Texas), July 11, 1858 37 years
James McCracken Capshaw (Texas) October 23, 1859 36 years
2nd wife, Martha Clarm (Texas) October 25, 1859 Both from Yellow Fever
Mary Jane Capshaw Bouldin (Texas), December 24, 1859 36 years
Lawyer Calvin Rush Capshaw (drowned) February 10, 1859 35 years 1 month
David Granville Capshaw, Jr., November 6, 1872 55 years
Dr. Caswell Carver Capshaw, February 3, 1884 55 years
Dr. Preston Capshaw (Florida) September 18, 1884 73 years 2 months
Cassia Capshaw Simpson (Alabama) July 17, 1903 94 years
Benjamin Franklin Capshaw (Alabama) April 8, 1883 55 years
Aroma Capshaw Smith (Texas) No Date Entered
MARRIAGES
Benjamin Franklin Capshaw to Charlotte Ann Burton, July 25, 1858, West Point, MS
Viola Capshaw to Thomas S. Bell, January 9, 1889 Atlanta, Georgia
Benjamin Preston Capshaw to Alice Streeter, June 27 1894, Cummington, Mass.
Lucille Dorothy Capshaw to Rhode Farman, June 16, 1903 Chicopee, Mass.
BIRTHS
B. F. Capshaw, December 1, 1828
Charlotte A. Burton, December 26, 1836
David Preston Capshaw, May 14, 1859
Benjamin Preston Capshaw, September 27, 1862
Forrest Capshaw, April 5, 1864
Robert Capshaw, February 27, 1867
infant daughter, October 8, 1868
Viola Capshaw, December 14, 1869
Charlotte Capshaw, July 8, 1871
Lucille Capshaw, August 10, 1873
Jessie Capshaw, July 2, 1875
Kate A. Capshaw, November 20, 1877
infant son, no month, no day, 1880
Annie Marie Elleselly Bell, February 16/17 1890
Benjamin Thomas Bell, December 28, 1891
Lucille C. Bell (died), April 22, 1896
Rufus Bell, August 26, 1894
Willard Bruce Capshaw, September 1, 1895
Harold Burton Capshaw, June 29, 1897
Victoria Bell, January 7, 1901
Jessie Bealer Bell, December 23, 1898
Ruth Bell, April 6, 1903
Dorothy Carlotta Farman, June 4, 1904
Ruth Capshaw, November 4, 1905
Chandler Capshaw Farman, April 12, 1909
Robert Burton Farman, May 8, 1913
Easter Lillian Capshaw, March 22, 1913
DEATHS
David Preston Capshaw, May 31, 1859 17 days
Forrest Capshaw, August 10, 1865 1 year, 4 mos., 15 days
Robert Capshaw, No Date Entered
infant daughter, October 8, 1868
Kate Capshaw, September 12, 1878
Heard Capshaw, infant son, no month, no day, 1880
Charlotte A. Capshaw, Fayette Co. AL, April 16, 1861
Benjamin F. Capshaw, April 8, 1882
Jessie Capshaw, July 1, 1888 Ashville, NC, Sunday 4 a.m.
Lucille Carlotta Bell (Viola's) no month no day, 1896
Viola Capshaw Bell, April 27, 1904
Victoria Bell (Viola's) December ??, 1818 ?? (1918? Jerry E. Capshaw)
Benjamin Preston Capshaw, February 8, 1920
Mariah Capshaw (colored) August 22, 1913 West Point, MS
(a freed slave who stayed with the family--Jerry E. Capshaw)
Lucille Dorothy Farman, September 16, 1959 86 years
Charlotte Burton Capshaw, October 14, 1953
MEMORANDA
Robert B. Burton Born March 10, 1809--Died March 27, 1847
Wife--Ann Dixon Born July 6, 1808 (near Huntsville, Ala--Died May 26, 1941
Catherine Francis Burton Born December 7, 1833 (near Huntsville, AL) Died 1838
Narcissus Elaine Burton Born May 26, 1835 (West Point, MS) Died 1865
.
Charlotte Ann Burton Born December 26, 1836 (near Huntsville, AL) Died April 16, 1881 (West Point, MS)
Susan Ann Burton Born February 26, 1837 (near Huntsville, AL)
Ellen Burton Born September 3, 1839 (near Huntsville, AL) Died ?
Nelson Burton Born March 6, 1841 Died 1842
2. Dr. Preston Capshaw died in Picolata, Florida, a small community of maybe 300 people. It is located on the eastern banks of the St. Johns River, due west of St. Augustine. Preston Capshaw is buried in Cemetery South Memorial Parkway, in Athens, AL, (where Chimney Springs Dr. junctions with Camelot Dr.). The cemetery is on the South side of Chimney Springs Dr., bordered by large limestone wall.
3. Received the following information from John C. Capshaw, Houston, TX 77019 (09/09/91):
Robert S. Capshaw, a private in Co. F., 13th Regiment of the US Army died in the 3rd Dragoon Hospital, Matamoras, Mexico, on July 15, 1847. Note that this is 10 years earlier than recorded in the David Capshaw family Bible. This fits the time of the war. Taylor occupied Matamoras in May, 1847 and many died of illness. He did not begin the campaign for Mexico City until October of that year. (See more details under Robert S. Capshaw below).
It may have been noble to indicate that one's off spring or sibling died "fighting in the War with Mexico", and while that statement may not be a lie, it is less than accurate. During the period of time Taylor and his troops were in Matamoras, many suffered from disease and pestilence. Alas! Poor Robert most likely perished from disease or an accident rather than a bullet from a Mexican's gun