The Kingrey family immigrated to north Louisiana in 1859. Their 2nd son, Abram, enlisted in the LA 8th Infantry soon after Louisiana seceded from the Union. There is no record that he remained with his regiment after January 1862. Joseph Jackson “J.J.” followed his older brother into the CSA infantry a few months later in 1861. His service records indicate that he was a private in LA 16th Infantry Company K, the “Big Cane Rifles”. This unit fought in major battles in both eastern and western theaters during the war. JJ was captured during the Battle of Nashville in 1865 and paroled shortly after. The oldest brother, Daniel, enlisted after the mandatory draft in 1862. He was stationed in Vicksburg and died shortly after the Battle of Chickasaw Bayou.

At some point during the war, the Kingrey family moved to Barnes Creek, LA. This area was part of the region known as “No Man’s Land”. Although there were some minor skirmishes in southwestern Louisiana, this part of the state was relatively untouched by battle. Northern Louisiana and the eastern border along the Mississippi River were occupied by some combination of Federal troops, Confederate regiments, or roaming gangs of outlaws during the entire war. Presumably Abram returned to the family after he went AWOL. Seaborn and Rebecca would have hidden their son from Home Guard militias.

A homestead patent was issued to Seaborn Kingrey in 1879 in Allen Parish. JJ Kingrey received a land patent in 1890.

Rebecca Kingrey died in 1880. Seaborn Kingrey died in 1882. They are buried in Kingrey cemetery in Reeves, LA.

Abram moved to Westlake and lived there until 1889. His obituary indicates that he lived in Bagdad, an unincorporated area between Westlake and Sulphur.

JJ Kingrey became a business owner in Kinder, LA. He served as Justice of the Peace and Mayor. At the time of his death in 1916, he owned two dry goods stores in town.

The fourth Kingrey son, Joel Taylor Kingrey (1848-1921), was a land owner in Allen Parish, LA. His 2nd daughter was Winnie Rebecca Kingrey (1871-1936), Daniel Airhart’s mother. JT Kingrey is buried in Creel Cemetery at Camp Pearl.

 

Statement about “The Lost Cause” interpretation of the Confederacy