David Salter (1833-1862)

When one walks among the resting places of the Salter family buried in the first row of Salter's Grove cemetery, one young couple quickly catches your eye.

David Salter, died 10 - 5 -1862 aged 29 yrs. 5 mos. 26 days

Elizabeth, wife of David Salter, died 3-2-1856 aged 18 yrs. 10 mos. 24 da.

Here is part of their story:

David Salter, youngest son of Capt. Paul and Elizabeth (Cubberly) SALTER, was born in New Jersey. He was a 17-year-old, still living with his parents, at the time of the 1850 census. ~ On Dec. 24,1854, David married 16-year-old Elizabeth Edwards in Henderson Co., IL. March 2, 1856 (less than a year and 3 months later) Elizabeth died at the tender age of 18. As David grieved for his young wife, he must have also rejoiced - for she left him a gift - their baby son. The following Dec., David married Laura "Lucy" Barnett. Together they had two little girls - Allie (Alice), born abt. 1858, and Lizzie (Elizabeth), born abt. 1859.

Perhaps unbeknownst to them, the seeds of discontent were stirring in parts of our nation. Soon the nation would be at war - the Civil War.

David, now the father of three, enlisted with the Union Army as a Sergeant on November 27, 1861. On December 20, 1861, David became a part of Company H, Unit 238, of the 11th Cavalry Regiment of Illinois. The 11th Illinois Cavalry was involved in the Battle of Shiloh (near Savannah, TN on April 6-7, 1862). On Oct. 3rd and 4th, 1862, David's Regiment was also in a 3-day battle at Corinth, Mississippi. David survived these battles. But the following night, 9 miles from Corinth, (near Kossuth, MS.), David's life was ended by a Confederate shot. His body was brought home, so he could be buried in the family plot at Salter's Grove cemetery (Henderson Co., IL.)

The 1870 census shows that David's widow, Lucy, was still living in the neighboring Warren Co., IL. With her were Thomas, Allie, and Lizzie. So, now we know that dear Lucy kept the young Thomas with her. She was, after all, the only mother he ever remembered.