Notes |
- Source: Article in the Montgomery County History Book 929.2; 1823 -1988; pages 109 - 110
Crawfordsville Library, Montgomery county, Indiana
"JOHN FRANKLIN AND MARTHA REBECCA (REATH) BURK
John Franklin Burk, who came to Montgomery County in the late 1850's,was born in 1831 in Philadelphia, PA. He was one of the oldest in thelarge family of Jesse Burk, a stone mason, and his wife Elizabeth.
They left for New Jersey between 1836 and 1837, and then on to RedLion, DE. between 1837 and 1840. In 1842 they hopped over the borderinto Port Deposit, Cecil Co., MD, where they remained for a time.
In the spring of 1854, John Franklin Burk and Martha Rebecca Reath,daughter of William and Catherine (McKee) Reath, eloped. It is saidthat she tied several bedsheets together to steal away into the nightwith John. They made their way to Chester Co., PA where they weremarried on May 3, 1854."
Martha was born on Mar. 14, 1836, in Maryland. John and she had sixchildren, the first two dying as infants. They were William C. Burk,John Albert Burk, Joseph Nathaniel Burk, George Washington Burk,Samuel Smith Burk, and Mary Elizabeth Burk.
Sometime in the late 1850's, the Burk's located in Montgomery County,where John worked the land. Their home was about four amd a halfmiles from Crawfordsville (Indiana). It was a "staked homestead,"consisting of a three room house of simple construction, on one or twoacres of land. They had beds in the kitchen, living room, and "frontroom," as they called it.
On Dec. 28, 1863, at the height of the Civil War, John signed up withCompany "B" of the 120th Regiment of the Indiana Volunteers inCrawfordsville. He mustered into the service in Lafayette on Jan. 30,1864.
Less than four months later, John Franklin Burk was dead. Accordingto his company captain, Charles W. Elmore, on Sunday, May 24, 1864,Private Burk "was driving a team in the supply train which was in therear of Sherman's Army when the train was attacked by rebels and hewas killed." The action took place at or near Kingston, GA. Hisfailure to return from the war created much confusion, as a neighbornamed Galey claimed that John Burk had been in the Confederates' LibbyPrison with him. It was four years before Captain Elmore's swornstatement, and a similar one signed by five of John's comrades,cleared up the matter. The testimonies were necessary so that Marthacould claim her husband's pension for her family.
Martha raised the four Burk children on her own following John'sdisappearance. She never remarried. The oldest child, JosephNathaniel Burk, and the youngest, Mary Elizabeth Burk, remainedsingle. George Washington Burk wed Mary Hanna Douglas, while SamuelSmith Burk exchanged vows with Martha "Mattie" Etta." Martha (Reath)Burk died on Aug. 23, 1909, at age 73." [Transcribed by, SLJuhl, 27Oct 2005]
Internet Source: http://www.itd.nps.gov/cwss/soldiers.htm
John Franklin Burk
28 December 1863
Served In The Civil War
Union Army
Indiana 120th Regiment, Co. B, Infantry
Died four months into enlistment while driving a supply train at therear of Sherman?s Army. They were attacked by the Rebel Army from therear at Kingston, Georgia.
Rank In: Pvt
Rank Out: Pvt
File # m540; National Archives in Washington, D.C.
Roll #: 10
UNION INDIANA VOLUNTEERS
120th Regiment, Indiana Infantry
Organized at Columbus, Ind., December, 1863, to March, 1864. LeftState for Louisville, Ky., March 20,1864; thence moved to Nashville,Tenn. Attached to 1st Brigade, 1st Division, 23rd Army Corps, Army ofthe Ohio, to June, 1864. 4th Brigade, 3rd Division, 23rdArmy Corps, toAugust, 1864. 3rd Brigade, 3rd Division, 23rd Army Corps, to December,1864. 1st Brigade, 1st Division, 23rd Army Corps, Army of the Ohio, toFebruary, 1865, and Dept. of North Carolina to August, 1865. Dept. ofNorth Carolina to February, 1866.
SERVICE.-March to Charleston, Tenn., April 7-24,1864. Atlanta (Ga.)Campaign May 1 to September 8, 1864. Demonstrations on Dalton May8-13. Rocky Faced Ridge May 8-11. Battle of Resaca May 14-15.Movements on Dallas May 18-25. Operations on line of Pumpkin VineCreek and battles about Dallas, New Hope Church and Allatoona HillsMay 25-June 5. Cassville May 27. Operations about Marietta and againstKenesaw Mountain June 10-July 2. Lost Mountain June 15-17. Muddy CreekJune 17. Noyes Creek June 19. Assault on Kenesaw June 27. NickajackCreek July 2-5. Chattahoochie River July 5-17. Siege of Atlanta July22-August 25. Utoy Creek August 5-7. Flank movement on JonesboroAugust 25-30. Lovejoy Station September 2-6. Operations in NorthGeorgia and North Alabama against Hood September 29-November 3.Nashville Campaign November-December. In front of Columbia November24-27. Battle of Franklin November 30. Battle of Nashville December15-16. Pursuit of Hood to the Tennessee River December 17-28. AtClifton, Tenn., till January 15, 1865. Movement to Washington, D. C.,thence to Morehead City, N. C., January 15-February 24. Campaign ofthe Carolinas March 1-April 26. Advance on Kinston and Goldsboro March1-21. Battle of Wise?s Forks March 8-10. Kinston March 11. Occupationof Goldsboro March 21. Advance on Raleigh April 10-14. Occupation ofRaleigh April 14. Bennett's House April 26. Surrender of Johnston andhis army. Duty at Raleigh till May 10. At Charlotte and Greensboro, N.C., till August 21, and at Raleigh till January, 1866. Mustered outJanuary 8, 1866.
Regiment lost during service 1 Officer and 26 Enlisted men killed andmortally wounded and 1 Officerand 140 Enlisted men by disease. Total168.
Predecessor unit:
INDIANA VOLUNTEERS
l22nd REGIMENT INFANTRY.
Failed to complete organization. Enlisted men merged into 120thRegiment Indiana Infantry.
Sandra lee Elkins Juhl
02 April 2005
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