John Cloud

Pioneers: John Cloud, 1970, Winn Parish, LA.
Submitted by Greggory E. Davies, 120 Ted Price Lane, Winnfield, LA 71483

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From: March 19, 1970 Winn Parish Enterprise-News American

Friend Of Davy Crockett

Soldier of War for Independence Buried on Homesite Near Gansville

by Barry Zander

On his way to the Alamo, probably in 1835, Davy Crockett stopped off near
Gansville to visit with John Cloud, only veteran of the Revolutionary War
known to be buried in Winn Parish.

cloud had been a private in the Georgia Troop during the War for Independence,
moving to what was later named Winn Parish, from Kentucky, after the fighting
was over. Born
Feb. 5, 1740, Cloud died four days before his 100th birthday on his home site,
now owned by John M. Maxwell.

Cloud was a native of North Carolina. He fought with the troops from Georgia
during the war, then moved back to North Carolina where he married Miss Lacy.

Cloud, his wife, family, and Lacy and Folsom relatives went to Kentucky. From
there, they followed a nephew of Edward M. Breckinridge (famous for
Breckinridge Park in San Antonio, Texas) to the northwest portion of Winn
Parish.

Davy Crockett from Tennessee and Ben Milam of Kentucky heard the call of Sam
Houston for troops to defend the Alamo against Mexican General Santa Anna, and
set out to meet Houston at the Prothro Mansion near St. Maurice in Winn
Parish.

the two fighters stopped off to visit with their friend, John Cloud, for a
week of hunting raccoons to be used for, among other things, "coon skin caps."


Cloud had more than just friends fighting for Texas' independence, according
to local historian Harley B. Bozeman, who is the source for most of the
information about Cloud. Joining Davy Crockett's Mounted Volunteer
Sharpshooters to fight in Texas was Daniel Cloud.

Daniel, a young lawyer practicing in Natchitoches (note: I believe this is in
error; letters on file at the Alamo, from Cloud to relatives, indicates he was
camped near Natchitoches, while enroute to the Alamo, and not that he was
practicing law there), took with him marksmanship abilities with a rifle
inherited from his father (note: according to family records, there is no
indication that this Daniel Cloud is a son of John Cloud, but it is believed
that he might have been a nephew). The young Cloud is believed to have died
with Crockett, Jim Bowie, Milam, William B. Travis, James Bonham and the other
famous men who perished at the Alamo March 6, 1836. (According to records at
the Alamo, young Cloud did in fact die at the Alamo).

The last contact between John Cloud and Davy Crockett was a letter mailed by
Crockett from St. Augustine, Tex., dated Jan. 9, 1836.

TRACES REMAIN

Several traces of this part of American history remained in the area long
after John Cloud and Davy Crockett died.

There was a Crockett post office in Ward 10 (in Section 36-13N-5W or about
four miles south of Brewster's Mill [note: Brewton's Mill], about seven miles
southwest of Gansville), named after the famous "Injun' fighter."

Cloud's Crossing between Ward 10 of Winn Parish and Natchitoches Parish is
named after Noah, a son of John Cloud. And descendants of the Revolutionary
War soldier can be found throughout the Gansville area.

Most significant trace of John Cloud, though, is a headstone marking Cloud's
grave. The marker, located in a small graveyard on his property, was erected
by the Shreveport chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution.

John Maxwell moved to the land once owned by Cloud about five years ago. The
lad was purchased by Cornelius Rushing, a great grandson of the original
owner, who bought the site from the McGinty family.

About a mile north of the Maxwells lives Nolan Harper, a fourth generation
descendant of John Cloud.

OLD GRAVEYARDS

Maxwell retired after working for Louisiana Power & Light Co. for 30 years.
He bought the house from Rushing and then cleared out a section of woods that
revealed a two graveyards.

In the small graveyard where John Cloud is buried, there are seven grave
markers, including a monument to Dr. T. A. Wilkinson, Nov. 7, 1848, to Jan 28,
1886.

Cloud's marker reads: "John Cloud, North Carolina Pvt., GA Troops,
Revolutionary War, Feb. 5, 1740-Feb. 1, 1840."

The headstone of Elisha O. McGinty was broken before the Maxwells came, but
the legible part gives the dates 1876-Aug. 22, 1884. Elisha was the son of E.
K. and M. C. McGinty.

Wilber Lee Gatlin was a relative of the McGinty who died in infancy, Sept. 19,
1893, to June 22, 1894. Other markers which are engraved say simply "W. L.
G." and
"E. O. McG".

According to Maxwell, a larger graveyard lied behind the small plot. Buried
there in unmarked graves are Indians and Negroes, Maxwell said.

(Several years ago, I became somewhat obsessed with John Cloud and visited
with several of his descendants. Many say that his grave his not in this
cemetery, but at the old Willard Taylor place a few miles away, Ward 4, Winn
Parish. Also, according to an older citizen of Gansville, and a relative to
Cloud, the grave marker is located on part of what was originally known at the
Hagler Plantation, later owned by the McGinty family, and, at one point in
time many years ago, several small free standing chimneys were located in and
around this small cemetery, which turned out to be chimneys of slave cabins.
I have been fortunate enough to have been granted, in the past, permission of
the current landowner to inspect and photograph the grave site. True to form,
my film did not develop and I have not bothered to go back to take more
photos. Further information received concerning Dr. Wilkinson buried at this
site was that the good doctor committed suicide and was not welcomed to be
buried at the Siloam/Gansville Cemetery nearby, where his family is buried.)