William Joseph Bynum

Contents

Personal and Family Information

William was born on 3 Aug 1826 in Greenville County, Virginia, the son of unknown parents.

He died on 10 Dec 1907 in Amarillo, Potter County, Texas.

His wife is not known, but they married on 21 SEP 1859 in DeSoto County, Mississippi. They had no known children.

Events

EventDateDetailsSourceMultimediaNotes
Birth3 AUG 1826
Place: Greenville County, Virginia
Death10 DEC 1907
Place: Amarillo, Potter County, Texas
Census29 JUN 1880
Place: DeSoto County, Mississippi
Age: 53
Address: Horn Lake, Bynum, W.J. wm age 53 married, farmer born Va, f&m Va __ K.A. wf age 42 wife married, keeping house born Tenn f NC, m Tenn __ M.M wf age 16, daughter, single, born Miss, f Va, m Tenn __ W. J. Jr wm age 18 son, single, born Miss, f Va, m Tenn __ W. W. wm age 13 son single, born Miss, f Va, m Tenn __ B .C. E. wm age 10 son single, born Miss, f Va, m Tenn __ Sallie, wf age 4, daughter, single, born Miss, f Va, m Tenn
BurialDEC 1907
Place: DeSoto County, Mississippi
Address: New Bethlehem Church Cemetery, Horn Lake findagrave 28827752 links to two wives, father, children, and breother

Notes

Note 1

Confederate veteran - Private, Co. A, 7th Tennessee Cavalry.

Private Co E 4th Tennessee Infantry

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- WILLIAM JOSEPH BYNUM. -

William Joseph Bynum, youngest son of Britton Sugust and Virginia (Dupree) Bynum, was born August 3, 1826, in Greenville County, Va.

His father was a planter and slaveholder, and built the first cotton gin in that part of Virginia. His mother died September 8, 1828, and his father October 1834, at which time he became a member of the family of his eldest brother and guardian, Maj. Benjamin C.D. Bynum. He was educated in a private academy near his home, and moved with his brother's family and a company of relatives and neighbors from Virginia to DeSoto County, Miss., in 1844.

His brother bought land from Martin Colbert, Chief of the Chickasaw Indians, and built his home by that of the Chief; and thus they lived as neighbors for more than a year, the families becoming great friends. He was married to Miss Martha Gibbs December 18, 1855. His wife and their infant child died in less than two years after their marriage. On September 21, 1859, near Horn Lake, Miss., he was married to Miss Katherine Anne Walker. To this union seven children were born.

William J. Bynum entered the service of the Confederate States early in the war as a Private in Company A, 7th Tennessee Cavalry Regiment, W.F. Taylor captain, and was wounded in the right arm on September 1, 1862, near Byhalia, Miss. This wound left the arm almost useless, causing great suffering at times the remainder of his life. On July 23, 1863, he was honorably discharged as unfit for further service; but in 1865, when the Confederacy's needs were so great, though crippled and disabled from long suffering, he went back to his command. When Lee surrendered, he returned home with his comrades.

During the days of reconstruction he stood as a pillar of adamant against the terror and ruin that tried the endurance and character of Southern manhood. He was appointed Sheriff and tax collector soon after the war closed. Fearing to cause trouble and loss to his bondsmen through clashes with the Freedmen's Bureau, he resigned the office and entered the mercantile business at Horn Lake.

In November, 1875, he was elected Sheriff and tax collector, being the first Democrat to be elected to any office in DeSoto County after the war. After serving several terms, he retired to his home, near Horn Lake, where he lived until October, 1903.

Ill health carried him from the country he loved, and with his wife and youngest daughter he moved to Amarillo, Tex., to join his other children.

For nearly sixty years he lived in DeSoto County, and his life was interwoven with the traditions and history of its early settlement. He knew and loved the people, and his interest to rich and poor, black and white.

He became a Christian in September, 1862, while in the hospital suffering from the wound which left him a cripple him for life.

He tried to live by the teaching set forth in the thirteenth chapter of Corinthians.

He died at Amarillo, Tex., December 10, 1907; and Camp W.B. Plemons, Amarillo, of which he was a member, drew feeling resolutions on his death. His body was laid to rest in the old churchyard of the New Bethlehem Church, near Horn Lake, Miss. Confederate Veteran, Vol. XVI, p. 290.

findagrave 28827752