Elijah J. Nelson
| Elijah J. Nelson was the sixth of twelve
children born to Isaac Nelson and Elizabeth McCartney Nelson of
Pendleton Co., (W)VA. He was born around 1815. Elijah was married twice
and fathered six children.
He enlisted in the 18th Virginia Cavalry in January of 1863 soon after the Regiment was formed. He served as a private in Co. “A” and saw action at Gettysburg, New Market, Piedmont, and Lynchburg. Elijah’s eldest son, Samuel K. Nelson, was a member of Co. “C” of the 62nd Virginia Infantry. Elijah J. Nelson’s children and their descendants have handed down the following story of his death. While he was at home on leave in Randolph Co., Captain Sampson Snyder’s Union Home Guard, known as the “Swamp Dragons”, got wind of the fact that Nelson was in the area. Several of them came on horseback to his farm above Whitmer and raided his homestead. Nelson took off on foot down the mountain to escape, but was ambushed and mortally wounded. The marauders then proceeded to loot and destroy family belongings and supplies. Nelson’s wife and children were witnesses to the raid. Elijah J. Nelson was buried in the Nelson family cemetery near his home. Many thanks to Leon
Armentrout
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