Sergeant JAMES LOCKHART HAYSLIP, Co. I, 86th Illinois

James Lockhart Hayslip was born on August 30, 1816 in West Union, Ohio, the son of John Hayslip II, who was born on December 10, 1781 in Virginia, and Margaret (Lockhart) Hayslip, who was born on January 7, 1781 and who died on January 14, 1817 in Adams County, Ohio. John and Margaret were married on March 23, 1806 in Botetourt, Virginia.
James Lockhart Hayslip was married to Sarah Ann Saunders (or Sanders) on July 4, 1840 at __________, __________. Sarah was born c. 1821 at ___________, Ohio, the daughter of John W. Sanders and Priscilla (Fox) Sanders.
Twelve children are believed to have been born to James Lockhart Hayslip and Sarah Ann (Sanders) Hayslip. Here is what is known about them;
1. Elizabeth Fox "Betty" Hayslip, born April 13, 1840 in Ohio; married on August 20, 1865 to Daniel Hutchinson in Schuyler County, Illinois; Daniel was also a member of Co. I of the 86th Illinois having served with James Lockhart Hayslip; Betty died on ___________ __, 1927 and her mortal remains were laid in the Burchard Cemetery in Burchard, Pawnee County, Nebraska.

2. James L. Hayslip, born c. 1841/42 and may have died young.

3. John W. Hayslip, born c. 1843/44 in Ohio and may have died young.

4. Matilda A. Hayslip, born c. March 5, 1845/46 in Ohio; married to David M. Smith on December 24, 1861 in Tazewell County, Illinois; This David Smith is believed to be the David Smith who also served in Co. I of the 86th with James Lockhart Hayslip; Matilda and David are believed to have had three children.

5. Oscar M. Hayslip, born c. 1848 and believed to have died young.

6. Thomas Winchester Hayslip, born July 9, 1849 in West Union, Adams County, Ohio; After his father's death in 1864, Thomas tried several times to enlist in the Union army, lying about his age. He once wrote that "I had to git in that war. When my papa got killed, my blood just boiled at those Johnny Rebs. I had to git me a gun and go kill a mess of 'em." However, Thomas was only 15 when his father died from his wounds and he was a "puny" 15 at that and no one believed he was 18, when he lied and said he was. He tried several places, but was never able to get in the service; Thomas was married 1st to Charlotte Petty and they had seven children, Warren Wilmer, Mabel Grace, Myrtle Luella, Nora Matilda, Clarence William, Thomas Allen & James Aaron; Thomas was married 2nd to Ada Fox, no children; Thomas died July 5, 1926 in Canton, Fulton County, Illinois; buried in the Lancaster Cemetery, near Glasford, Peoria County, Illinois.

7. Cary Charles Hayslip, born c. November 13, 1850/51 in Ohio; died in Colorado.

8. Mary Anzonette "Anzy or Anzo" Hayslip, born c. June 24, 1853 in Ohio; after her father's death in 1864, Anzy went back east with her aunt, Mary Ann Hayslip, in West Union, Adams County, Ohio; Anzo was married to William Packard on December 16, 1873 in Fulton County, Illinois and they had at least two children, which can be seen below in the 1880 Pawnee County, Nebraska census; Anzo was later married John Curtis; Anzy is believed to have died on September 12, 1936.

9. Alonzo Hayslip, born February 17, 1854 on Ohio; Alonzo is found residing with his brother-in-law and sister, Daniel S. & Elizabeth Hutchinson in Timber Township in Peoria County at the time of the 1870 census; Alonzo is believed to have been married to Betty "Bettie" Moore and they are believed to have had two daughter, Opal and Lois.

10. Rollin Mason Hayslip, born February 27, 1855, possibly in Fayetteville, Indiana; Rollin was married to Mary N. ___________ (1865 - 1948) on ___________ __, 18__; Rollin died on __________ __, 1946 and his mortal remains were laid in the Ansley Cemetery in Ansley, Custer County, Nebraska.

11. Alice Luella Hayslip, born April 23, 1857/58 in Ohio; Alice Louella Hayslip was married to Christian Neff (1844 - 1920) on November 13, 1875 in McDonough County, Illinois; Christian Neff was a member of Co. K of the 7th Illinois Volunteer Cavalry during the Civil War; They had children, Lyman M Neff (1877 - 1971), Clarence Edgar Neff (1880 - 1956), Cary C Neff (1885 - 1953) and Minnie M Neff Thompson (1890 - 1916); Alice and Christian lived in Cuba, Illinois; Alice died on October 10, 1941 and her mortal remains were laid in the the Cuba Cemetery in Cuba, Fulton County, Illinois.

12. Eureka Everett Hayslip, born December 29, 1860 in or near Cuba, Illinois in Fulton County; He appears as Eureka Haslip, a 19 year old farm hand working on the Charles Thompson farm at Willow Branch, Piatt County, Illinois in the 1880 census; Eureka was married to Ella May "Ellen" Baker on October 21, 1891 in Joliet, Will County, Illinois; The Hayslip family was living in Redlands, San Bernardino County, California in 1900. Eureka was 39, his wife Ellen May (Baker) Hayslip was 35 and Ethel was 7, Earl was 4 and Sydney was two months old. Another child, Kenneth, arrived in 1901; Eureka drowned on May 27, 1902 at Long Beach, California and his mortal remains were laid in the Hillside Memorial Park, Redlands, San Bernardino County, California.

At the time of the 1850 census, the Hayslip family is found in Orange, Fayette County, Indiana;
James Hayslip M 33 Ohio
Sarah A Hayslip F 29 Ohio
Elizabeth F Hayslip F 10 Kentucky
James L Hayslip M 8 Kentucky
John W Hayslip M 6 Kentucky
Malinda A Hayslip F 4 Indiana
Oscar M Haylife M 3 Indiana
Thomas W Haylife M 1 Indiana
William Daily M 31 Indiana
Hesekiah Daily F 7 Indiana

In 1854 James, who was a saddle maker, and Sarah decided to leave West Union, Ohio and move west to Illinois following his brother, John Johnson Hayslip, and his family to Fulton County. At the time of the 1860 census, the Hayslips are found in Timber Township of Peoria County, Illinois;
James Haslup M 46 Iowa
Sarah Haslup F 38 Iowa
Betty Haslup F 19 Iowa
Matilda Haslup F 15 Iowa
Thomas Haslup M 12 Iowa
Cary Haslup M 10 Iowa
Anzanett Haslup F 8 Iowa
Rollin Haslup M 6 Iowa
Alice Haslup F 3 Ill

In August of 1862, a well known local businessman and merchantile owner, Allen L. Fahnestock, began recruiting a company of Timber Township/Lancaster area boys for service in the Union Army. On August 1, 1862, Fahnestock's 1st day of recruiting, James L. Hayslip was one of the very first to volunteer to serve in the Timber Township company. At that time, James lists his residence as Lancaster, Illinois in Peoria County.

ILLINOIS STATE ARCHIVES
Illinois Civil War Detail Report

Name HAYSLIP, JAMES L Rank CPL
Company I Unit 86 IL US INF

Personal Characteristics
Residence LANCASTER, PEORIA CO, IL
Age 44 Height 5' 7
Hair DARK Eyes HAZEL
Complexion DARK
Marital Status MARRIED
Occupation SADLER
Nativity WEST UNION, ADAMS CO, OH

Service Record
Joined When AUG 1, 1862
Joined Where LANCASTER, IL
Joined By Whom A L FAHNESTOCK
Period 3 YRS
Muster In AUG 27, 1862
Muster In Where PEORIA, IL
Muster In By Whom
Muster Out
Muster Out Where
Muster Out By Whom
Remarks PROMOTED SERGEANT JAN 5, 1863 DIED IN HOSPITAL AT NASHVILLE TENN AUG 28, 1864 FROM WOUNDS PVTD IN ACTION JUN 27, 1864

About two weeks later, when Fahnestock had about 100 recruits, he led the Timber/Lancaster company into Peoria, Illinois, where they went into camp at what was then called Camp Lyons, near what is today Glen Oak Park. Fahnestock was elected Captain by the men of the Timber/Lancaster company and on August 27, 1862, Fahnestock, and 96 of the other Timber Township volunteers were mustered in as Company I of the 86th Regiment of Illinois Volunteer Infantry. James L. Hayslip was elected to serve as the 6th Corporal by the men of the Timber/Lancaster company.
The men of the 86th Illinois marched out of Camp Lyon on September 7, 1862, with much fanfare, through the streets of Peoria down to the railroad depot, where they boarded a train bound for Camp Joe Holt in Jeffersonville, Indiana, across the river from Louisville. Three weeks later the men of the 86th were in the field in Kentucky as part of Colonel Daniel McCook's Brigade chasing Confederate troops. On October 8, 1862, the men of McCook's Brigade were engaged with those Confederate troops during the Battle of Perryville, Kentucky, suffering their first casualties. There would be many more in the next few years.
After the Union victory at Perryville, the men of McCook's Brigade marched on to Nashville, Tennessee where they went into winter camp. On January 5, 1863, Corporal James L. Hayslip was elected by the men of the Timber/Lancaster company to serve as Sergeant, most likely after the demotion of 1st Sergeant Albert L. Bollinger. Private David Smith, almost certainly James' son-in-law, was elected Corporal to replace Corporal Hayslip's position. During the next year and a half, Sergeant Hayslip would serve faithfully in Co. I as the men of McCook's Brigade were witness to and participants in numerous battles and skirmishes, some of the bloodiest fighting in the Western Theatre of the war, including the Battles of Chickamauga, Georgia; Resaca, Georgia; Rome, Georgia; and Kennesaw Mountain. Georgia. It was during the Battle of Kennesaw Mountain, Georgia on June 27, 1864 where the 86th suffered the most. On that fateful day, over 110 men of the 86th Illinois of the approximate 400 men who made the charge on Cheatham Hill, were killed, wounded or captured in less that 30 minutes. Sixteen men from Co. I were killed or wounded that fateful day. Among the wounded was Sergeant James L. Haysip who was mortally wounded in the right side. He was sent initially to a field hospital on the battelfield, then put on the cars bound for the hospitals in Nashville, Tennessee. Sgt. Hayslip died from his wounds on August 28, 1864 in Nashville, Tennessee. In a letter dated January 14, 1866, Joseph Warren Hayslip, a half brother of James Lockhart Hayslip, wrote the following to his brother, DeWitt Hayslip. "Brother James was wounded at Dalton, Alabama and died from the effects of his wounds in the 28th day of August, 1864 at Nashville, Tennessee. Sister Mary Ann was with him when he died and removed his remains to his home in Illinois for internment in the Lancaster Cemetery in Glasford, Illinois. He was a member and Orderly Sergeant of Company I, 86th Regiment Illinois Volunteer Infantry. I saw him once when I was in the service." So, even though Joseph had the place of James' wounding wrong (the 86th did pass through Dalton, Georgia, not Alabama, on their way to Kennesaw Mountain) at least we know how his body came to be buried in the Lancaster Cemetery in Lancaster, Peoria County, Illinois. The earthly remains of almost every member of the 86th who died during the Atlanta Campaign lie buried in Georgia.
James' death left Sarah with eight children still at home, four of whom were 10 or younger. Mary Ann stayed on for awhile to help Sarah. On July 22, 1866 Sarah Ann (Sanders) Hayslip was married to Jacob Silzel in Peoria County. This was the 3rd marriage for Jacob, his first two wives having died. Among Jacob's many children was Samuel Bulenger Silzel, who was a 15 year old drummer in Co. I, having served with James Lockhart Hayslip during the Civil War.
At the time of the 1870 census, Jacob and Sarah with their combined families are found in ___________ County, Illinois;
Jacob Silzell M 62 Pennsylvania
Sarah A Silzell F 49 Ohio
Rollin Silzell M 15 Indiana
Pierce Silzell M 16 Illinois
Flanville Silzell F 11 Illinois
John B Silzell M 10 Illinois
Albert Hayslipp F 12 Illinois
Eureka Hayslipp F 10 Illinois

Jacob Silzell may have died in the 1870's there in Central Illinois, but at the time of the 1880 census, Sarah is believed to residing in Turkey Creek, Pawnee County, Nebraska, with her step daughter, Anzo. Sarah is listed as widowed, so we know Jacob is dead;
John Curtis Self M 30 Tennessee
Anco Curtis Wife F 26 Indiana
Wm Packard Stepson M 9 Illinois
Manda Packard Stepdaughter F 5 Illinois
Sara Silsall Mother-in-law F 59 Ohio

At the time of the 1900 census, John and Anzo are believed to be in Miles Precinct Burchard village (pt.), Pawnee County, Nebraska. According to this census, they have been married 20 years. Though her place of birth is not correct, her month and year of birth are correct. She is listed as having had a total of 7 children, five of whom are living at this time;
John F Curtis Head M Feb 1851 49 Tennessee
Mary A Curtis Wife F Jun 1853 47 Indiana
Floyd J Curtis Son M 19 Nebraska
Alice M Curtis Daughter F 17 Nebraska

At the time of the 1910 census of Garfield, Nuckolls County, Nebraska, the following Curtis family members are found. This may be John and Anzo;
Dick E Henderson Head M 30 Iowa
John F Curtis Hand M 59 Tennessee
Angs A Curtis Wife F 55 Illinois
Clara M Curtis Daughter F 24 Nebraska

It is not known for certain when Sarah died, but she may very well have died in Nebraska.

by Baxter B. Fite III

(Baxter would enjoy hearing from anyone, especially descendants of the Hayslip family, who might be able to add to the biographical material that we have on James L. Hayslip and the Hayslip family. Baxter would also love to see copies of any photographs of James L. Hayslip that may have survived the years added to his Find A Grave site for all to see.)