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A Typical Man of His Time
By Walt Gabennesch
Samuel Templin, Sergeant
Co. C, 7th Kentucky Infantry
1832-1909 |
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Samuel Templin was a man for his time. He was strong, self sufficient, determined,
proud, set in his ways and a survivor. Sam Templin was born in Washington County,
Tennessee on April 2, 1832 of Anglo-German ancestry. His father was John Templin
and his mother Hannah Brown (anglicized from Braun). Samuel Templin's Bayless
family ancestors helped to found the Cherokee Baptist Church in Washington County,
Tennessee and succeeding generations were ministers there. This was the first
Baptist Church in the Tennessee Territory and was organized in 1783.
Sam Templin married Nancy Jane Eutsler on September 22, 1853 in Washington County,
Tennessee. Nancy was born in Port Republic County, Virginia on September 19, 1830.
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When Nancy Jane was about 10 years old she was orphaned and moved to Washington
County, Tennessee to be raised by relatives. Sam and Nancy Jane started their family
soon after their marriage. Their first child died very
young. The second child was Hannah Katherine Templin born in Washington County, on
September 4, 1855.
Samuel Templin is said, by some accounts, to have been strong willed with a quick
temper. He was also a staunch Abolitionist. It seems that shortly after the birth of his
second child he moved with his family to Laurel County, Kentucky. He is known to have
been there by January of 1857, after which the rest of his eight children were born.
Sam bought property there and started farming. He also started construction on a
large stone house that still stands today. It is now used as a Bed & Breakfast.
Sam was an accomplished carpenter and blacksmith. He made furniture for himself
and his sons and daughters; some of it is still in existence. Sam also made all of the
hand farming tools for his family such as hoes, axes, shovels and sickles. Sam
prospered as a farmer with his side trades of blacksmithing and carpentry.
Sam Templin must have had very strong feelings about the war. That is the only way I
can understand his motivation for volunteering to serve the Union at the age of
twenty-nine. He was mustered into the 3rd Ky. Infantry Regiment on September 22,
1861 for a period of three years. Records show he was 6 foot one inch high with fair
hair and complexion. As far as it is known he participated in all of the activities of this
Regiment up until August of 1862 when he was assigned to be a part of the detachment
sent to Lexington, Kentucky for provisions. Sam was captured with this detachment at
the battle of Richmond, Kentucky. His "Memorandum From Prisoner Of War Records"
shows that when captured he was a Sergeant in Company C of the 3rd Kentucky Infantry
Regiment. Since he was captured at Richmond we assume, that when released, he went
with the rest of the detachment to join General Alexander McCook and was at The Battle
of Perryville on October 8, 1862. He was with the detachment when it later joined the
rest of the Regiment that, in the meantime, had made their way from the Cumberland
Gap to the Ohio River. Sergeant Samuel Templin proceeded with this Regiment down
the Ohio River to the Mississippi where he participated in the events, which eventually
led them to Vicksburg. We know from records that he, by this time, was not in good
health. The records show that he was first sick at Milliken's Bend on March 10 and was
listed that way until he rejoined his Regiment (by now called the 7th Ky. Infantry
Regiment) on May 1, 1863. It is not clear in the record, which we have, if he
participated in the action on the 19th of May at Vicksburg. We know that he was present
for duty on that date. What is clear is that he was with his Regiment and "was on the
charge of the 22nd, went with his Regiment to Black River on the 24th and remained
with it until it came to Carrolton. Since which he has been unable for duty."
Sergeant Samuel Templin was given a "Disability Discharge" on January 30, 1864 at
New Orleans, Louisiana. The record shows he was suffering from chronic Rheumatism
to include partial paralysis of the left arm and hand.
Sam Templin returned to Laurel County, Kentucky and resumed his life, often telling his
children and grandchildren of the terrible hardships of the war. He could read and had
a beautiful handwriting. For a time he served as Secretary of the Mount Pleasant
American Baptist Church. His collection of Pioneer Rifles was extensive. Sam Templin's
daughter Hannah Katherine married George W. Watkins on August 4, 1874. They had
several children one was Samuel Riley Watkins who was born September 30, 1882 in the
same log house where his father George W. had been born on August 10, 1844. Sam
and Nancy Jane Templin led the busy lives necessitated by farm life and their large
extended family.
Sam Templin continued to prosper and live a very comfortable life, except for the
chronic Rheumatism. Sam lost his wife Nancy Jane to sickness on November 3, 1895.
He saw the birth of many grandchildren and great-grand children. One of those
great-grand children was Lizzie Belle Watkins born on April 21, 1909. Lizzie Belle
married Walter Stephan Gabennesch in Cincinnati, Ohio on December 31, 1932. Old
Sam answered his final "Bugle Call" on December 30, 1909. He was laid to rest next to
his wife in Landrum Cemetery near his home in Laurel County, Kentucky.
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