NEWTON RUSSELL ALTUM

    Newton Russell Altum enlisted in Knoxville, TN on 1 Aug 
1861 for 12 months in the Confederate Service, Ashby's 2nd Cavalry Co. H, 
2nd Regiment of Tennessee Cavalry under James W. Gillespie.  He was present 
for the company muster near Tunnell Hill Georgia on 13 March 1864.  On the 
muster roll for Nov. and Dec. of 1864 it was stated that he had enlisted 20 
March of 1864 for the duration of the war, but had been absent without leave 
since Nov. 8, 1864.  This was not unusual for the time and the place, this 
was the end of the Civil War, when it had become evident to the Confederate 
soldiers that they had lost the war, they simply stopped fighting and went 
home to try to put in their crops.  The formalities of surrender they left 
to the officers, the most important thing to them was to pick up their lives.  
They and their families were facing starvation, they were exhausted and sick 
to death of the constant fighting.
    Tunnell Hill, Georgia was in Murray County, as was Pisgah, where the 
family Bible states that Newton Russell Altum married Elizabeth Irene Watson.  
No marriage record has been found, but that would not be unusual either, the 
South had many records lost or burned.  This family is on the 1870 census 
of Murray Co. GA. with first two children, 1. Obedience born 1866, and 2.
Margaret Elizabeth born 1869, the 3rd, F. Belle, was born 1872 in Texas. 
This family came to Texas and to Coryell County, to the part that is now 
part of Fort Hood, seven children in all; 4. were twins, John Thomas and 
5. Mary Jane, called Dollie, 6. James F. in 1876 and Samuel Newton in 
1878 were reared and they contributed greatly to the settlement of this part
of the country.  This family joined with Farris, Beasley, DeLord, Kinsey, 
Palmer, Netherlin, Edgar, Shelton, Gallager, Edgar and other families of 
Coryell County, Texas.
    Newton Russell Altum died 17 April, 1918, Elizabeth Irene, known as
"Rene" died 29 October, 1923.  Both were buried in the Shiloh cemetery, near
their home and were moved in 1945 by military to Restland in Gatesville.

By James Ross, great-great grandson of Newton Russell Altum and Elizabeth 
Irene Watson Altum.  From book "Farris Facts" 1996 by Bobbie Ross