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Doctor Lewis David Carson was born August 11, 1834 in Orangeburg, Orangeburg County, South Carolina, the son of Abednego Carson (1800-1842) and Dorcas Carn (1798-1883). When Lewis was a young man his family moved to Colleton County, Georgia, where his father was a planter (owning 21 slaves in 1840). Abednego died in 1842 and on the 1850 census Dorcas still owned 6 slaves.
Abednego and Dorcas had at least two other children, daughters Mary Louise and Laura. Mary wed John W. Summers (1819-1885) and Laura married John Thomas Michaux. In the mid-1850s all three families made the move to Liberty County. On the 1860 census Dorcas and Lewis are living in the home of Mary & John Summers, and Lewis lists his occupation as Physician, although when and where he received his medical training is unknown.
When the War Between the States begins, Lewis goes to Apalachicola, Florida and joins Dunham's Company, Florida Light Artillery (Milton Light Artillery). He served with Battery A for six months and was then assigned as the Assistant Surgeon (and promoted to the rank of Sergeant). As an Assistant Surgeon his official command changed to the “General and Staff Officers, Corps, Division and Brigade Staffs, Non-com, Staffs and Bands, Enlisted Men, Staff Departments, C.S.A.”. He continued to serve with the Florida Light Artillery, which fought at St. Johns Bluff and in several engagements around Jacksonville. In 1863 Lewis's unit also fought at Lake City, Cedar Run, and Milton.
Lewis's son-in-law, John Thomas Michaux fought with the 5th Battalion, Calvary, and his grandson, Jacob A. Summers, fought with the same unit as Lewis (Florida Light Artillery).
Lewis was granted a furlough on April 9, 1865 and was home in Liberty County when General Lee surrendered at Appomattox.
On November 15, 1866 Lewis married Virginia Oregon Johnson (1850-1931), the daughter of Columbus and Susan Johnson. The Johnson family moved to Liberty County from Thomas County, Georgia just prior to the Civil War.
Lewis and Virginia had seven known children, all born in Liberty County. Robert Steven Carson (1867-1873); Lucious A Caron (1870-1916 est), married Carrie Augusta Lee Munns; Susan D. Carson (1872-1918), married Frank A Hentz; Lewis Abdenego Carson (1873-1884); Thomas Sidney Carson (1875-1898); Eva L Carson (1872-1956), married Carl Baker, and an infant daughter born in 1880 who died at birth. Most of the family is buried at Lake Mystic Cemetery in Bristol.
Pension Application Nr. A00253 (Click to search and view at the Florida Memory Project)
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