WILLIAM JAHU CHASTINE KUYKENDALL
(AKA JAHU KUYKENDALL)
16^th NORTH CAROLINA INFANTRY
CSA

PERSONAL INFORMATION

Born: 4 February 1840 in Greenville District, SC (Tombstone says 1845)
Died: 10 Aug 1915 in Putnam County, TN
Buried: Judd Cemetery, Putnam County, TN
Parents: Joseph Harden and Rebecca (Waldrop) Kuykendall

Married: Sarah E. Osteen (it is in dispute whether these two actually were married)
Born:
Died: about 1902 in South Carolina
Buried: Osteen Graveyard, Henderson County, NC
Parents: Solomon and Teresa (Unknown) Osteen

Children:

1. Rebecca Osteen

Married: Susannah Caroline Mathis on 11 July 1875 in Putnam County, TN
Born: 13 October 1857 in Putnam County, TN
Died: 4 May 1929 in Putnam County, TN
Buried: Judd Cemetery, Putnam County, TN
Parents: James and Susannah (Stulz) Mathis

Children:

1. Olivia Kuykendall
2. Isaac Kuykendall
3. Simon Kuykendall
4. Martin L. Kuykendall
5. Ella L. Kuykendall
6. Connie Kuykendall
7. William Kuykendall
8. Harvey D. Kuykendall
9. Benton McMillan Kuykendall
10. Harry H. Kuykendall

RELATIVES WHO SERVED

• Brother: Alfred Kuykendall- 2nd North Carolina Mounted Infantry Regiment - USA
• Brother: Ezekial Kuykendall - 2nd North Carolina Mounted Infantry Regiment - USA
• Brother: Isaac Kuykendall- 2nd North Carolina Mounted Infantry Regiment - USA
• Brother: Thomas M. Kuykendall- 2nd North Carolina Mounted Infantry Regiment - USA

MILITARY INFORMATION

16^th North Carolina Infantry Regiment (CSA)
Company I

ABSTRACT:

• Entered military as Private and left as a Private
• N/A

2^nd North Carolina Mounted Infantry Regiment (USA)
Company H

ABSTRACT:

• Entered military as Private and left as a Private
• N/A

PENSION APPLICATION ABSTRACT (CSA)

S2551

ABSTRACT:

• Filed: 27 Feb 1900
• Rejected
• Residence: Cookeville, Putnam County
• Member: Company I, 16th North Carolina Hampton's Brigade, A. P. Hill Division
• Wounded at Cedar Mountain near Culpepper Court House in 1862; Gunshot would to left knee; bullet never removed
• Born: Greenville District, South Carolina on 4 Feb 1840
• Enlisted May 1861 in Captain Wm. Shipp's Co. I; Col. John Y Elroy's 16th North Carolina Regiment; Captain Ben Whittaker's Company
• Parolled at Appomatox Court House, Apr or May 1865
• Wife is 43
• 3 Daughter and 6 sons
• Came to Putnam County in Feb 1874; Lived in Rutherford County (North Carolina)
• Attest: Henry P. Davis & R. R. Brown

Supporting Documents:

• Tennessee Bureau of Pension Examiners (6 Apr 1905) - Request Service Records
• War Department (11 Apr 1905) - No records found
• J. I. Allison, M. D. (21 Apr 2005) - Medical Exam
• J. T Pointer (22 Apr 1905) - Tax Assessment
• Z. P. Lee (11 Aug 1905) - Supports his claim

CENSUS DATA

• 1850 Census:  Henderson County, NC, Page 242 (Listed as John C. Kuykendall)
• 1860 Census:  Henderson County, NC, Page 418B (Listed as John C. Kuykendall)
• 1870 Census: 
• 1880 Census:  Putnam County, TN, Page 88D (Listed as W. T. Kuykendall)
• 1900 Census:  Putnam County, TN, Page 14B
• 1910 Census:  Putnam County, TN, Page 8B

OBITUARY

Putnam County Herald 15 August 1915, Vol. XIII, No. 32, Page 3

• Wm. Kuykendall, aged about 70 years died at his home two miles west of Cookeville, Tuesday night after a sickness of several months. The remains were buried in the Judd Cemetery Wednesday. Mr. Kuykendall leaves his wife and several children among who is Mrs. Sterling Wall.

ADDITIONAL DATA

• Death Certificate: Putnam County, TN (1915) - #137 - W. Jahugh C. Kuykendall
• Death Certificate: Putnam County, TN (1929) - #13625 - Mrs. Susana Caroline Kuykendall
• Union Civil War Pension Application: #818304 - Mrs. Susan C. Kuykendall (listed as Contest Widow)
• Tennessee Convicts, Early Records of the State Penitentiary, Vol. 2, 1850 - 1870 by Charles A. Sherrill - Lists a J. W. Kurkenall who was convicted in Johnson County, TN of larceny. He was incarcerated in 1870 for a term of 5 years.

 

SUBMITTER NOTES

William Jahu Chastine Kuykendall is an interesting character. It appears that he was born Jahu Chastine Kuykendall in North Carolina. He first enlisted in the Confederate Army of North Carolina. Then sometime during the war, he switched sides and ended up serving with his brothers. After the war, he returned home and began living with Sarah E. Osteen. It is unclear if they were ever officially married. They had one child named Rebecca, whom Mr. Kuykendall never knew, because he left NC when Rebecca was only three months old.

Sarah E. Osteen applied for a Union Widow's Pension in 1898 claiming that her "husband" died in a Tennessee prison. She never received a pension and died right after the turn of the century.

Mr. Kuykendall came to Tennessee sometime in the 1870s. He claims that it was February of 1874. Early records of the state penitentiary include a record for a J. W. Kurkendall who was convicted of larceny in Johnson County, TN. This may be Mr. Kuykendall. He changed his name from Jahu to William Jahu about the time he came to Tennessee.

He married Susan Caroline Mathis on 11 July 1875 and remained in Putnam County until his death.

In 1900, he applied for a Confederate pension from the State of Tennessee but was denied, because the War Department could not find his records. On 17 Jan 1911, he applied for a Union Pension from the Federal Government. It was then that he learned that Sarah E. Osteen had applied for a Widow's pension based on his Civil War Service. He claims that he and Sarah were never married. However, several of Sarah's family and friends claim to have been at their wedding.

Eventually, he was awarded a Union pension. After his death, his wife, Susan Caroline Kuykendall received a widow's pension until her death in 1929.