John Pigott Stogner, c.1817-1885, GA>MS

John Pigott Stogner, my paternal third great-grandfather, was born 1817 in Liberty County, Georgia, the son of Ezell Stogner and Martha Pigott.  He was the only one of his siblings born in Georgia.  When he was a young child, his parents moved westward to settle into new lands opened in Mississippi.  John was probably named after his maternal grandfather, John Pigott Sr.  He remained in the household with his parents, whom resided in Marion County, Mississippi until he married Amanda Conerly, the daughter of William Conerly and Sarah Brown, on 17 July 1836 in Marion County, Mississippi.  Amanda was born 22 January 1821 in Duplin County, North Carolina.  Her family migrated to the Mississippi territory in the early 1800's as well.  

John was issued 40 acres of land in Section 10, Township 1, Range 13E in the district of Sands dated 10 November 1840.  This was a cash sale entry, document no. 4980, Washington office of lands records division. 

Land purchase record for
John Pigott Stogner, 10 Nov 1840

The 1850 census listed only the initials of the Stogner family whom we have come to identify as John Pigott Stogner and his family.  By then, John and Amanda had six children- Seaborn William, Sarah Ann, Jesse J., Martha E., Stephen E. and Thomas Jefferson.  The census record also reflects that John was a "chairmaker" and he was born in Georgia; it also shows that his wife, Amanda, was born in North Carolina.  A chairmaker back in the 1800's was what we now know as "furniture builder".  I would imagine that John built furniture for extra income, but he probably spent a great deal of his time farming, like most men of that era.  Since the family shows no ownership of slaves, someone had to hunt game and grow produce in order for the family to eat.

1850 Federal Census, Marion County, Mississippi

On the very first page of the 1860 census of Marion County, Mississippi, John P. Stogner is the last name written.  This is the first census record that actually identifies his family by names.  The next page of the census listed all of his children.  By then, John and Amanda had another child, a son, John Washington.  Their eldest son, Seaborn William, had married to Margaret Turnage and the couple resided in John and Amanda's home.  Living next door to John and Amanda was John's brother, Seaborn.  John's mother, Martha, who was widowed by then, lived in the household with Seaborn.  Also nearby was another brother of John's, Thomas Ezell Stogner and his family.  

1860 Federal Census, Marion County, Mississippi

John was 43 years old when the Civil War began.   Family history states that John served in the Confederate Army, Company G, Third Brigade of the Second Regular Mississippi Militia.  Thus far that information is unproved to my knowledge.  I found the Company Muster Roll for two periods, one dated 29 July 1862- 04 September 1862, and another dated 23 September 1862- 28 February 1863.  According to the documentation on these muster rolls, J.P. Stogner enlisted 21 July 1862 to serve for a period of twelve months in the Confederate army as a Private with Company G, 2nd Reg't Miss, State Troops, Quinn's.  However, each muster roll shows that John was absent without leave.  The reasons for his absence are only guessable, there could have been so many possibilites.   I have not found any further military records for him.

Company Muster Roll 1
J.P. Stogner

Company Muster Roll 2
J.P. Stogner

The spelling on census records never ceases to amaze me.  An example of this is the 1870 census, where I find John listed as John P. "Stayner"- no wonder our kinfolks are sometimes hard to find!  By then, John and Amanda had only three of their unmarried children living at home- Thomas, Sarah and John.  Their daughter, Martha, who had married, was left a young widow.  She and her two young children, the youngest being only about six months old, were residing with her parents, John and Amanda.  Their son, Stephen, was married and lived in the next house below them.  John's brothers, Seaborn and William Rankin, are also listed on the same page of the census with their families.  The next page of the census (I did not post it here) shows that John and Amanda's son, Seaborn William, and his wife had moved into their own home and were the parents of four children.

1870 Federal Census, Marion County, Mississippi

I didn't post the image of the 1880 census record because it is blurred and of poor quality.  By 1880, John and Amanda's children had all moved out.  A nephew resided with them, Stephen M. Conerly, age 19, whom worked on the farm.  John was aging, then in his 60's, and was probably retired from building furniture.  He was listed as a farmer on the census.  John and Amanda's youngest child, John Washington, had married and was living in the house next door with his wife Francis and their only child at the time, Rosa.

According to family history, John Pigott Stogner died in March 1885.  I have no knowledge of where he may be buried.  His wife, Amanda, died in 1898.

A summary of their children:
i.    Seaborn William Stogner, married Margaret Turnage
ii.   Sarah Ann Stogner, married Felix Henry Hines
iii.  Jesse J. Stogner, married JoAnna Stubbs
iv.  Martha E. Stogner, married a Conerly (first name unknown at present)
v.  Stephen E. Stogner, married Mary (maiden name unknown)
vi. Thomas Jefferson Stogner, married Elizabeth Stubbs
vii. John Washington Stogner, married Francis J. Ryals