These guys were one of the most prominent families in Monroe County before during and after the war, but for some reason they didn't leave a historical footprint. Patiriarch David William Major Oct. 3, 1799 (Va.) to April 1, 1869 (Mo.).
Three oldest sons served the Confederacy during the war
Elliott David (E.D.) Major
William H. Major
James I./P. Major
Elliott D. Major made headlines when he got captured, released, violating parole, recaptured, released. Was sentenced to death in 1862, ended up being exchanged and playing a role in north central Missouri events during the summer of 1864.
While most wealthy Confederate families in that area suffered significantly financially, the Major family bucked the tide and went from $6000 worth in 1850 to $28,240 worth in 1860 to $32,000 worth in 1870.
Elliott D. Major, born June 12, 1837, ended up in San Luis Obispo, California as the city marshal in the mid-1870s; he died July 21, 1879 and is buried in San Luis Obispo. I haven't found him in the 1870 census.
Elliott served in Porters command in 1862, and in Perkins command in 1864. The SOS cards on Elliott D. Major and brother James Major show them as officers in "Sharpshooters" in 1865. Any idea what this unit was?
I am finding nothing more than a brief newspaper blurb here and there on Elliott after the war--bureaucratic reports to the San Luis Obispo City Council regarding his tax collections, and then a brief few word mention of his death in San Luis Obispo and in Missouri. And a mention that the first time a historic San Luis Obispo fire bell was rung was at his funeral. No obit on him, no obit his father. Even though these guys were big in Monroe County and NEMO. And Elliott was also big in San Luis Obispo. But nothing substantial on them, nothing in the History of Monroe County, nothing on the Monroe County biographies.
Future Governor Elliott Woolfolk Major is buried nearby in Pike County. I'm assuming a family relationship, but can't sort anything out there either.
I'm hoping to put together something on postwar Elliott David Major besides one sentence blurbs relating to city tax collections. Any help would be appreciated.