BIO by B.Bradford 2G granddaughter.
Jason L. Harris died in a POW camp in Asheville, NC and most likely buried in a mass grave. He was a skilled gunsmith / blacksmith / silversmith who saved his friend's life during the Civil War but cost him his life. Jason was born about 1815 in the Bald Creek area of old Buncombe Co., (now Yancey) North Carolina. In 1820s, his family relocated to the Higgins Creek area of Flag Pond, in the southern part of Old Washington Co., Tennessee [now Unicoi]. He was the son of Hugh Harris Jr. and unknown mother and grandson of Revolutionary War veteran Corporal Hugh Harris Sr. On November 16, 1839, Jason married Nancy Hensley, d/o Benjamin Hensley and Louisa Shelton of Flag Pond. Jason was a man of many talents: blacksmith, gunsmith, silversmith, and a maker of violins. During the outbreak of the Civil War, like many of his kin and neighbors of Flag Pond/Coffee Ridge, he was conscripted into service on September 13, 1862, serving as Private for Co. K, 64th Regiment CSA. William E. Tilson was Captain and S.E. Ervin 1st Lt. but the unit dismantled. Jason later joined the Union forces with the Kirk's Raiders serving in Company A, 3rd NC Mounted Infantry. In the summer of 1864, Jason received word that his friend was imprisoned in a Confederate jail in neighboring Madison Co., NC. The crafty gunsmith created a key from a wax impression to open the jail door to set his friend free. But in doing so, Jason was caught by authorities and ended in a Confederate prison in Asheville, NC from July 2, 1864 until his death on January 25, 1865, from "disease and starvation". Therefore, he is most likely buried in a mass grave in Asheville since the war was not over and Nancy was raising 13 children and running a farm on her own and destitute financially. Some claim his body was moved to the Anderson Farm in Flag Pond. Family lore states that Jason discovered a silver mine in the Unaka mountains, however, to date it has not been located. After 22 years of investigation, Nancy was NOT awarded a widow's pension for her husband's service.

Link to Widow's Pension: https://tngenweb.org/unicoi/widows_pension_jason_harris_nancy_hensley.pdf

Transcription of the Affidavit of Colonel George W. Kirk of 3rd NC Mounted Infantry dated November 11, 1869, explaining the recruitment of Jason Harris.

"State of Tennessee ))
County of Washington ))

"On this 11th day of November 1869, personally appeared before me a Clerk of the Court of record in and for the County and State aforesaid, George W. Kirk, whom I certify to be a credible witness who after being duly sworn says: That he is the identical George W. Kirk who was lately Col of the 3rd North Carolina Mounted Inftry Vols. That while in command of said Regiment, on a raid through Washington County Tenn to Camp Vance North Carolina, in the month of June 1864, Affiant recruited Jason Harris into Co. A of said Regiment but he was not regularly enlisted as it was a raid and affiant had no "enlistment papers," But he was sworn into service and did duty with said Regt & Company until about the 2nd day of July 1864 when he was captured by rebels and placed, as affiant is informed, and believes at Asheville N.C. when affiant is informed he died on the 25th of January 1865. Said Harris did his duty as a soldier up to time of capture as above set forth. He left a widow and large family in destitute circumstances. Affiant says he has no interest in her claim.
Geo W. Kirk - Late Col. 3 N.C. Mntd Inft
Sworn to and subscribed before me this 11th day of Nov. 1869
John F. Gresham - Clerk County Court."

NOTE: When Jason died in January of 1865, Asheville was a strong hold of the CSA and not taken by Union forces until June 1965 by General Stoneman. Therefore, I am compelled to believe that when Jason died in the middle of winter, his body was placed in a mass POW grave somewhere in Asheville along with many other soldiers who died on a daily basis in the prison camp. It is highly unlikely that after the war, Jason's body was exhumed and transferred back to Flag Pond as Nancy was struggling to support several young children at the time. Furthermore TN and NC were bankrupt with no resources to exhume, ID and transfer the deceased. Kirk's sworn testimony never explained where Jason was a captured. Family history passed down through the generations explain that during the Civil War, Jason Harris made an iron key and traveled over to Marshall, NC, (the headquarters of the 64th Regiment) to help his friend escape jail and in doing so he was captured, sent to a POW camp and died in prison. Some family descendants claim his was buried on the Anderson Farm however, no one has located his unmarked grave.

They had 13 children: -Joseph Franklin / -Lucinda / -Armstrong "Olmstead" / -David /-Mary L. / -Sarah Jane / -John "Jay" Hugh / -Martha Patty / -William Franklin / -Ataceen Manerva / -Jason Carson / -James Dedrick A. / -Nathan Dempsey.