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Civil War Veteran
Efford Franklin Cargill was born September 19, 1838. His parents, Cornelius Daniel Cargill and Sarah Edwards, where from two of the early families of Florida, their families arriving in the early 1830s (Florida attained statehood in 1845). Efford's father was a veteran of both the War of 1812 and the Seminole Wars. After the wars he and Sarah Edwards married in Gadsden County where Efford and his siblings were born and raised.
On May 22nd 1861, Efford's 21 year old younger brother, Cornelius E Cargill, enlisted with Company A, 4th Regiment, Florida Infantry. Less than 3 months later, on August 8, 1961, Efford joined the same company as a Private. For a time 4th Regiment served in Florida, then was assigned to General Preston's, Stovall's, Finley's, and J.A. Smith's Brigade, Army of Tennessee. During December, 1863, it was consolidated with the 1st Florida Cavalry Regiment. The 4th was engaged at Murfreesboro and Jackson, participated in the campaigns of the army from Chickamauga to Nashville, and saw action in North Carolina. On January 12, 1864, Efford was promoted to Full 5th Sergeant. At wars end he returned home to Gadsden County and returned to farming.
He married Julia Goodwin (born 1838 in Georgia) on August 7th, 1868. In November of 1888 Efford is granted 160 acres in Gadsden County as a homestead. In 1900 he and Julia are living in Oak Grove, Liberty County. Efford dies on February 8, 1901 and is buried in Rock Bluff Cemetery. In 1903 Julia, still living in Liberty County, files for a Widows Pension, which she is granted. (Note: For reasons unknown, Efford's widow filed for her widows pension under the surname Caryell, but all other documents use the spelling of Cargill.)
Efford and Julia have no recorded children until the 1900 Census, which lists Hattie (born 1882), and John A Cargill (born 1885). These may be adopted children (possibly children of brother Cornelius) as Efford and Julia have no children on the 1885 Florida state census. No grave for Julia, John A or Hattie has been located in Liberty or Gadsden County.
Pension Application Nr. A11229 (Click to search and view at the Florida Memory Project)
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