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Sam Street
 
Terry's Texas Rangers, Company "F"
contributed by Ted Brooke. 

Sam Street  was killed while on scouting duty, near Marietta, GA...
From Fayette County, Texas ... buried in Forsyty County, Georgia...

"This grave is commonly known in this country and is a
remembrance to all of us of those who came from far away to
 water the Liberty Tree."

Probably the most spectacular and exciting episode in Sheltonville
history occurred in 1864, when a group of Federal soldiers came
through Sheltonville and this community. These soldiers were a
band of raiders from General Sherman's army which were fighting the Confederate army
around Marietta and Kennesaw. These raiders came down the McGinnis Ferry Road and
went as far as the Tommy Little place.

When these Yankees came down the road, up at the John Lowe place, six or eight
Confederate soldiers were a hundred or a little more yards down the road to Mt. Zion
Church at an old gin eating dinner, and letting thier horses eat. These Confederate soldiers
were members of the 8th Texas Rangers. When the Federal raiders saw and recognized
them, they began to shoot. The Texans jumped up from their meal trying to get their horses
so they could get away. Two of them were hit. One named Sam Street, was killed. The
other, named Zempleman was severely wounded, being shot through the chest. Mr. Street
was buried in the Shady Grove Church Cemetery. Years later, Mr John Lowe of Duluth,
Georgia, put a tombstone at this grave. The wounded man, Mr. Zempleman, was taken to
the home of Henry and Louisa Rogers. After weeks of constant care and skilled nursing,
Mr. Zempleman recovered from his wound. When he becam fully able to travel, he bade
his benefactora a grateful and fond farewell, and departed for Texas and home, presumably
forever out of the Roger's lives. But this was not quite the case.
At the time this Texan lay wounded in the Roger's home, among the other Rogers children
was a six or eight year old daughter named Kinney. Years later, Mrs. Louisa Rogers died
and not too long after her death, Henry Rogers and the members of his family who were still
at home moved to the Indian Territory, which is now part of the state of Oklahoma.

This daughter, Kinney, moved with her father to their new home and soon married. Still
years later, when she became quite elderly herself, she went down to Texas to a
Confederate reunion. She said there were numerous old veterans at this reunion and that in
talking with them, and moving about and among them, she noticed one old fellow who
watched her constantly and listened at her talk with close attention. Finnally, this old veteran
asked, "Who are you?" She told him giving her married name. He then asked, "Who were
you before you married?" She told him that she was a Rogers from Georgia. He then
asked, "Are you the daughter of Henry and Louisa Rogers of Sheltonville, Georgia?" She
replied that she was their daughter, Kinny. The old man jumped up and hugged and kissed
her and wept for joy on her shoulder, and told her that he was the wounded man that they
nursed back to health and that as a little girl she had brought him food and water, and had
helped make him comfortable. He told her that he had recognized the resemblence of her
mother and father in her, and that is what had attracted his attention. This is related merely
to show how an unhappy and unfortunate incident in Sheltonville history had brought about
a joyous meeting more than fifty years later, and a thousand miles away.

Sam Street is also remembered by Woody Bell's family. You can read the note he sent to
me here.

Note Regarding Sam Street 
My name is Woody Bell. I live near Atlanta and Have found the grave of Sam Street 8th
Texas Calvary, He was killed at the home of John Lowe in July 1864. My great grandfather
saw the battle, he was only 10 years old at the time. Sam Street was a member of Terrys
Rangers and was from Fayette County, Texas.

My great grandfather had told my dad about the battle at his uncles home, this is the same
house where my dad grew up. According to him he was playing under a large poplar tree
when the yankees came down Mcginnis ferry road in north Fulton County. The
confederates were eating beside the old ginhouse which I can remember. My great
grandfather laid down while the fight was going on with guns fireing on each side of him.
Four Yankees were killed and one confederate. Another confederate was wounded and
nursed to health by the family.



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