William Roots (1830 - 1907)

Ancestors Descendants

Biography

William was born about 1830 in Green County, Kentucky. He was the son of Phillip Read Roots and Elizabeth Smith. His father died about 1838 and William mother Elizabeth was the head of the household when the 1850 census was enumerated.^[1]

William enlisted at Camp John Graves in Marion County, Kentucky on 21 October 1861 for a period of three years. He mustered in on 21 November 1861 at Camp Crittenden in Marion County, Kentucky. He was captured and taken as a prisoner of war at the battle of Chickamauga, Georgia on 19 September 1863 and was confined at one of the prisons in Richmond Virginia on 29 September 1863. The prisoner exchange that had been in place was changed shortly before William was captured, so unlike others in his company who had been captured and released within a few months, he remained a prisoner of the Confederacy for the remainder of the war. He was admitted to the hospital in Richmond on 22 April 1864 and remained there until 6 May 1864. He was paroled to Aiken's Landing on 8 May 1864 and then transferred to Camp Chase, Ohio. From there the paroled former prisoners were returned to their respective states to be mustered out. William was mustered out on 6 December 1864 at Louisville, Kentucky.^[2][3][4]

He married Elizabeth Wright on 19 January 1865 at the home of her mother in Taylor County, Kentucky. LuEllen Wright gave her written consent for her daughter, Elizabeth, to marry which was proven by the oath of Samuel Wright. Samuel also served as William's bondsman.^[5]

They were the parents of one daughter Lou Ellen Roots. Elizabeth died sometime after the 1870 census was enumerated and August of 1872.^[6]

William married Mary Thomas Sanders on 4 September 1872 in Taylor County, Kentucky. William, with Elijah Cave as his bondsman, obtained the license on 30 August 1872^[7]

They were the parents of eight children:

• William Thomas Roots^[8]
• Mary Elizabeth Roots^[8]
• Charlie Emmett Roots^[9]
• James Alexander Roots^[9]
• Lena Mae Roots^[9]
• Samuel C Roots^[9]
• Minnie Florence Roots^[9]
• Grace Pearl Roots^[9]

William filed for and was granted a pension based on his service in the Civil War on 14 April 1880. Mary filed as his widow on 21 February 1907 to received a pension.^[10]

William died on 26 January 1907 in Marion County, Kentucky. He was buried in the Lebanon National Cemetery.^[11][12]

Research Notes

• The birth date on Roots-136 was 9 March 1835, which is the date on Find A Grave. The photo of the tombstone does not include dates, only name, rank and state. The sources that were on profile of Roots-224 indicate a birth year from 1826-1830. The 1900 census has birthdate of March 1828, he states that he was 35 when he married in 1865, and 45 when he married again in 1872. Left the birth date found on Roots-224 as it is closer to the ages in the sources.

• Aikens Landing was one of two places in the South for the exchange of prisoners.^[13][14]

Sources

1. ↑ "United States Census, 1850," database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M652-TFC : 22 December 2020), William Roots in household of Elizabeth Roots, Taylor, Kentucky, United States; citing family , NARA microfilm publication (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).
2. ↑ Memorandum from Prisoner of War Records, page33, William Roots, Corporal, Company H, 10th Kentucky Infantry , Captured at Battle of Chickamauga, Georgia, 19 September 1863, Confined at Richmond, Virginia, 29 September 1863, Hospitalized, Richmond Virginia, 22 Apr 1864 - 6 May 1864, Paroled, 8 May 1864, Aiken's Lodge, Virginia; "Compiled Service Records of Volunteer Union Soldiers Who Served in Organizations from the State of Kentucky," Fold3.com; citing military unit Tenth Infantry, Ri-Ste, NARA microfilm publication M397, roll 242, National Archives and Records Administration, Washington,D.C (https://www.fold3.com/image/229195631)
3. ↑ "Kentucky Civil War Service Records of Union Soldiers, 1861-1865," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:F8ND-JV6 : 4 December 2014), William Roots, 1861; from "Compiled Service Records of Volunteer Union Soldiers Who Served in Organizations from the State of Kentucky," Fold3.com; citing military unit Tenth Infantry, Ri-Ste, NARA microfilm publication M397, roll 242, National Archives and Records Administration, Washington, D.C
4. ↑ "Records of the Adjutant General's Office, 1762 - 1984", accessed 23 July 2021, William Roots, Age 35, 1861, Tenth Infantry; citing Carded Records Showing Military Service of Soldiers Who Fought in Volunteer Organizations During the American Civil War, 1890 - 1912, National Archives Catalog
5. ↑ "Kentucky, County Marriages, 1797-1954," database with images, FamilySearch, accessed 9 March 2021, William Roots and Elizabeth Wright, 18 Jan 1865; citing Marriage, Taylor, Kentucky, United States, various county clerks and county courts, Kentucky; FHL microfilm 983,728
6. ↑ "United States Census, 1870", database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MX4Q-B4M : 29 May 2021), William Roots, Kentucky > Taylor > Mannsville > image 35 of 38 family 257; citing NARA microfilm publication M593 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).
7. ↑ "Kentucky, County Marriages, 1797-1954," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QKJS-48D2 : 9 March 2021), Marriage Bond, William Roots and Mary F Sauders, 30 Aug 1872; citing Marriage, Taylor, Kentucky, United States, various county clerks and county courts, Kentucky; FHL microfilm 983,729.
8. ↑ ^{8.0 8.1} "United States Census, 1880," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MCZY-8S3 : 19 February 2021), William Roots, Saloma, Taylor, Kentucky, United States; citing enumeration district ED 221, sheet 9B, NARA microfilm publication T9 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), FHL microfilm 1,254,442.
9. ↑ ^{9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 9.4 9.5} "United States Census, 1900," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M9CM-VGN : accessed 13 June 2021), William Roots, Magisterial District 2, Salome Saloma town, Taylor, Kentucky, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) 116, sheet 2B, family 39, NARA microfilm publication T623 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1972.); FHL microfilm 1,240,551.
10. ↑ "U.S., Civil War Pension Index: General Index to Pension Files, 1861-1934". The National Archives at Washington, D.C.; Washington, D.C.; NAI Title: U.S., Civil War Pension Index: General Index to Pension Files, 1861-1934; NAI Number: T288; Record Group Title: Records of the Department of Veterans Affairs, 1773-2007; Record Group Number: 15; Series Title: U.S., Civil War Pension Index: General Index to Pension Files, 1861-1934; Series Number: T288; Roll: 404. Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry Record 4654 #2020684 (accessed 11 March 2022). Name: William Roots; Gender: Male; Unit: H. 10 Ky, Inf; Filing Date: 14 Apr 1880; Relation to Head: Soldier; Spouse: Mary T Roots; Roll number: 404.
11. ↑ Ancestry.com. U.S., National Cemetery Interment Control Forms, 1928-1962 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2012; Interment Control Forms, 1928–1962. Interment Control Forms, A1 2110-B. Records of the Office of the Quartermaster General, 1774–1985, Record Group 92. The National Archives at College Park, College Park, Maryland; William Roots,Lebanon National Cemetery, Lebanon, Marion County, Kentucky 26 January 1907, Ancestry Image
12. ↑ Find a Grave, database and images (www.findagrave.com/memorial/3289188/william-roots : accessed 21 July 2021), memorial page for William “Billy” Roots (9 Mar 1835–26 Jan 1907), Find A Grave: Memorial #3289188, citing Lebanon National Cemetery, Lebanon, Marion County, Kentucky, USA ; Maintained by MAM (contributor 48991728) .
13. ↑ Aiken's Landing, Virginia vicinity. Aiken house on James River. United States, 1864. Photograph. https://www.loc.gov/item/2018670812/.
14. ↑ https://www.dhr.virginia.gov/historic-registers/043-0020/

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