Confederate Ancestor Tidbits

Obediah R. Eason

1812 - 1868

Obediah R. Eason was born in Greene County, North Carolina in 1812 to Obediah R. Eason and Frances Lester.  Obediah

married Mary Christine Lane Cowan in 1849, and lived in New Hanover County, according to the 1850 U.S. Federal census. 

Mary Christine Lane was a native of New Hanover County.  (Mary married Magnus Cowan in 1843, and in 1845, a

daughter, Sarah Cowan was born.  There is no more mention of Magnus Cowan, so it appears that he died.) 

By the time of the 1860 U.S. Census, Obediah and Mary moved to Columbus County, where Obediah was a turpentine

 farmer. 

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Obediah enlisted in the Confederate States Army in Whiteville on March 12, 1861 at the age of 49 to fight

for the Southern Cause.    He was a Lieutenant in Company K, 20th

North Carolina State troops. 

On March 12, 1862, he was not re-elected Lieutenant, and so he joined Company E,

36th/2nd Light Artillery North Carolina State troops.  Obediah fought at Fort Fisher as a member of the 36th.

Obediah was listed on the roll of honor at the conclusion of  the War Between the States. 

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Obediah returned to Columbus County, and resumed his position as an overseer

on the John McDowell Plantation south of Elizabethtown.  The McDowell Plantation

was engaged in the farming of turpentine. 

In September 1868, Obediah was thrown from his horse, and died from a broken neck.

It is unknown where he is buried, but the McDowell Plantation has a family cemetery, and it is thought that

he is buried there.  The house is no longer there.  The cemetery is now on property

owned by a business, and access is permitted to the cemetery.  There is no headstone there for

Obediah, but there are several grave markers there that are unidentifiable.  It is only

a guess that he is buried there. 

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Mary Christine Lane Eason moved back to New Hanover County with their children

to be closer to her family, prior to the 1870 U.S. Census.   Mary Lane Eason died in 1911 and is buried

in Pike Presbyterian Church Cemetery in what is now Pender County on Highway 117, in the St. Helena area.

 Her daughter, Sarah Cowan, died in 1922, and is buried next to her mother.

 Several grandchildren, who died young are also buried near their grandmother in

the Lane section of the cemetery. 

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DAUGHTERS OF CAPE FEAR #3,  PLEASE SEND A PARAGRAPH ON YOUR CONFEDERATE ANCESTOR. 

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