James Madison Callaway

On the day James Madison Callaway (born March 13,1838) was twenty-one years old, he enlisted in "The Confederate War." This was the term which he always used for the Civil War. For two years he fought for the "greys" against the "blues" until his arm was shot off in a skirmish. They did not give him anesthetic. Before sewing the skin in place, they seared the bone with a redhot iron. In six weeks gangreen had set in, and this had to be done all over.
Being one-armed did not give James a pessimistic viewpoint on life. Instead, he figured that the life of a Texas farmer sounded pretty good to him. He came to Nickleville (later to be named Wylie) near the present site of the Middle Grades and bought 55 acres of land for 50 cents an acre, all in sod. With two horses, a turning plow and one arm, he broke land and planted 24 acres of wheat. From the sale of this wheat, he realized enough profit to pay for the entire 55 acres.
About 1876 C.W.H. (Wesley) Pitts brought his family to this area from Alabama. His lovely wife was the former Miss Nancy Bennett (born April 12, 1851) to Charles and Nissie Bennett in Alabama. Children born to this union were J.A. (Gus) Pitts, Charlie Pitts, Amanda Pitts, Nissie Pitts, Minnie Pitts, Nannie Pitts, Willie Pitts and Wessy Pitts.
Soon Mr. Pitts expired. His young wife struggled raising a very young family for approximately a year. Wessy was only six months old when his daddy died. Soon she looked across the fields to see the neighbor who was helping her with chores, James Callaway. Romance blossomed. After the wedding, all of the Pitts children and Nancy moved into the home of James Callaway. He began farming her 40 acres plus his 55 acres.
To this union was born two children:
1. DELLA CALLAWAY (OLIVER) born Oct. 10, 1877, died April 19,1958.
II. FRED CALLAWAY, born January 29, 1886, died June 16, 1978.
Quiet, hardworking people were the Callaways. He treated all the children the same, whether they bore his name or the name of Pitts. They raised all of them in the church of their choice, the old Shiloh Baptist at Nickleville. There Mrs. Callaway sang in the choir. James had a great love for music and treasured his wife's melodious tones.
Mr. and Mrs. Callaway, Fred and Della each called Wylie home. Appropriately all are buried in the Wylie Cemetery. Mr. Callaway passed away January 9, 1911 and she followed July 25, 1925.

Texans in the Civil War
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