Winnie Davis Camp No. 108 UCV Records from Membership Register   Robert H. Harkey Elected to Camp May 1894 Enl Conf Serv Jan 1, 1862, 4th Cpl Co E 14th Tex Cav; elected Capt Oct. 1862; present at Corinth, Miss., Richmond, Ky., Murphreesboro, Chickamauga, Tenn., Jackson,. Miss. Atlanta, Altoona Hills, Ga., Franklin and Nashville. Robert H. Harkey was born in North Carolina in 1835, eighth child of Martin Harkey and Catherine Condor.  The family moved to Georgia in 1836, settling near Atlanta until 1854 when they moved to  Upshur County, Texas.  Both parents died there, the father in 1865 and the mother in 1868. When 18, Robert Harkey set out on his own and was a farm worker for three years before coming to Upshur County, Texas.  He taught school for less than a year before returning to farming.  and worked as a carpenter, helping erect some of the first houses in Pittsburg, Texas.   He joined Co. E, 14th Texas Cavalry, CSA, and served east of the Mississippi River.  When the regiment was reorganized he was elected Captain and was with General Smith in his Kentucky campaign.  When in winter quarters in Knoxville, after the battle of Richmond, he was detailed to return to Texas for clothing.  During 1865 the regiment were in the battles of Chickamauga, Murfreesboro, with Gen. Johnson in his retreat from Rome to Atlanta, in the battle there and detailed with his division to fall to the rear of Sherman's army.  During this time, Capt. Harkey was in the battlesof Altoona Hills, where he was in command - the only officer left in Ector's division.  He later participated in the battle of Franklin and was in command of the brigade at Nashville.  He was offered the office of Colonel but refused.  After the battle of Nashville, he went on to Memphis where his command remained until it was ordered to North Carolina and he returned home on furlough.  His father was very ill and died about the time of Lee's surrender and Captain Harley never returned to the army. After the war he farmed and also had a blacksmith and wagon shop for a time.  He came to Ellis County in 1870 where he owned considerable farm acreage. Harkey married Miss Elizabeth A. Crigler in 1859, a daughter of Columbus C. Crigler and Malinda Warren, natives of Missouri and early Texas settlers.  His wife died in 1885 and in 1887 he married Mrs. Fannie M. May, a daughter of Jackson Penn and Mattie Kennerly, Virginia natives.  [Source: A Memorial and Biographical History of Ellis County, Texas,  Lewis Pub. Co. Chicago, 1892]   Copyright © 2003-2016, Ellis County TXGenWeb. All Rights Reserved. This page was last modified: Thursday, 01-Jul-2021 13:18:55 MDT