Clifton's Collectibles Genealogy

CSA Third National FlagConfederate States of America - TennesseeTennessee State Flag

The War Between The States

Henry Jefferson St. John's Flag St. John Guards Flag
By Naola Ruth Cooper Pennington Eggleston
Henry Jefferson St. John joined the Confederate Army in May 23, 1861. He organized and mustered into the provisional army, Company D, 18th Tennessee Regiment at Murfreesboro, Rutherford County, Tennessee.

In 1861 "Uncle Jeff" - Company D, 18th Tennessee Regiment - was taking his company to war.  

Several women made a flag for the company. Upon the stars were the names of the ladies.  The names of the women who made the flag were Mrs. Dr. Wood, Mrs. F. G. St. John, Miss Par Wood, Mrs. St. John, Miss Anne Coleman, Miss Helen Wood, Mrs. Fannie St. John and Miss Jennie St. John.  I cannot place the names of the St. Johns.  I guess Mrs. F. G. St. John was the wife of Frederick Green St. John.  Henry Jefferson St. John was th son of John St. John and his second wife, Margaret Ford St. John.

The flag was captured during the surrender of Fort Donelson by the 9th Illinois Regiment.  Uncle Jeff was in the Union Army prison at Johnson's Island, Illinois. He mentioned that he met several other St. Johns there.  

A soldier in that outfit ( the 9th Illinois Regiment), by the name of Fred J. Schreve took the flag to his home in Mascoutah, Illinois.  It was put in his attic and remained there approximately 40 years.  

Mr. Schreve learned the history of the flag and returned it to the Cannon County UDC.  Now it can be seen in the Tennessee State Museum in Nashville, Tennessee.  

Henry Jefferson St. John later said, "In the latter part of 1863 or the first part of 1864 I was arrested by a "Squad of Yankee Bush Whackers" and was given my choice to take the Oath or be Shot, and of course I took the Oath....but when I got away from them... I felt no  obligation as to the enforced Oath, but I did not violate my Oath".

NOTE:  This information came from my grandfather,  from Judge Brown's "History of Woodbury and Cannon County", clipping  from my Aunt Claudia's scrapbook, article in Nashville Banner, and information from others.

View a wonderful replication of the St. Johns Guard flag

Confederate States of America First National Flag


 Henry Jefferson St. John

Captain, Company D, 18th Regiment
Tennessee Infantry, CSA

Henry Jefferson and Buena Vista St. John
Henry Jefferson St. John with wife, Buena Vista

Henry Jefferson St. John was born in 1831 in Cannon County, Tennessee. He married Buena Vista Stone September 11, 1867 in Woodbury, Cannon County, Tennessee. They had no children.

He was an attorney and in the State Senate.   Many older St. Johns, I mean they were older years ago when I started research, said that "Uncle Jeff" had a large amount of St. John history.  His nephew and namesake - Henry J. St. John - son of H. J.'s brother, Floyd St. John - was still living when I first started this.  He was about 80 years old and lived in Montana.  We corresponded and he was interested in the family history. He had visited Uncle Jeff when he was a boy and he told me Uncle Jeff had a lot of information on the family.  I know my grandfather used to visit him, too.  My Uncle Randolph St. John ( son of John Wood St. John) visited him, too.  Uncle Randy was an attorney.  The last time I saw him, Uncle Randy mentioned that Uncle Jeff had a lot of St. John information.  I have never sent for a copy of his will to see who might have it.  It's possible that whoever was disposing of his property didn't think of it as important and threw it away.  I know (as a result), I tell my son to donate anything I have to a library or Genealogy Society - if he doesn't want it.  

 Henry Jefferson St. John died at Woodbury, Cannon County, Tennessee December 28, 1915. He is buried at Riverside Cemetery, Cannon County, Tennessee.

Henry Jefferson's father, John St. John was the son of George St. John of Cannon County, Tennessee.

Naola Ruth Cooper Pennington Eggleston

The common ancestor of Lassister Neale Clifton and Henry Jefferson St. John is George St. John.of Virginia.


Credits

Our gratitude to Naola Ruth Cooper Pennington Eggleston for much of the information about Henry J. St. John

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Modified 6 January 2006


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