Story courtesy of the Historical Wayne Country Missouri Facebook Page.
Pictured in his “Union Blue” uniform (and sporting a nice sized pistol) in 1864, is Bethaven Atnip (1829-1867), a pioneer of Wayne County who lived at rural Patterson, on the west banks of the St. Francis River, on what today is known as the “Hog Eye” road.
Atnip was a son of Jacob & Rachel (Risenhoover) Atnip, born in Tennessee. The family migrated to Wayne County in the 1840’s. On July 22, 1852 Atnip married Matilda A. (Meador) Atnip (1836-1872). She was known as “Mattie”, a daughter of Joel & Amy (Cowden) Meador, born at Patterson.
The couple had three children that lived to adulthood. They were;
- Delana Catherine Atnip (1859-1918), who married John Riley Twidwell;
- India Amy Everlyn Atnip, called “Ever” (1864-1937), who married George Murphy White; and
- John Robert Atnip, called “Johnny” (1867-1951), who married Melissa Jane Ownbey.
On October 23, 1862, at Greenville, he was enrolled as a Corporal in CO G of 68th Missouri Militia, serving under Captain J.E. Davis. On April 13, 1864 he was enrolled as a Sergeant. He later enlisted in the Union Army at Patterson, August 6, 1864. He served in Company A, 47th MO Infantry Volunteers. He was discharged March 28, 1865.
After he came home from the war, he was given to colds and coughs, and died of typhoid and pneumonia on November 26, 1867, at the age of 38. Records of war describe him as 5’7, dark complexion, black hair and blue eyes.
Prior to the war he had received four 40 acre tracks of land, as homesteads, in the years 1856 and 1859. The land, totaling 160 acres was in sections 27, 28 and 29, Township 29-N, Range 5-E.
The Atnip family was among several “Hog Eye” families, who would ford the St. Francis River to attend services of the New Prospect Baptist Church on Bounds Creek. It was there in June of 1858 he was baptized by Elder A.G. Twidwell into the membership of the church. The same day his wife Matilda united with the congregation by letter from Pleasant Grove Baptist Church on Lake Creek.
Bethaven and Matilda Atnip (and some infant children) are buried in unmarked graves in the Meador Cemetery off the “Hog Eye” road, near the Joe Bill Meador place.
A Union military stone has been ordered and sent for Bethaven Atnip. Plans are underway to erect the monument soon. Atnip has hundreds of descendants living in Wayne County today.