PILLOW, Granville A. Jr., (4 Apr 1845 - 9 Jan 1870); Son G.A. & Olive D.; Co. H., lst Tenn. Inf. & Co. G.,
PILLOW, William C., no dates. (16 Oct 1849 - 9 Jan 1870.) "Son G. A. & Olive D." (C.S.A., Gantt's 9th Tenn Cav., Co. G.) Block E
It is sad that three of the four Pillow kin with inscriptions above were for men that were murdered. Granville Sr in 1868 in Clifton Tn (Maury Co.) and Granville Jr & William C Pillow were murdered in Leighton AL (where I WA grew up) in 1870. I can see why because there were lots of old antebellum mansions (or were) around Leighton, Alabama. That I am sure spelled strong support for the Confederate movement. I wonder if they lived in the old Stanley-Streit house (decayed now) in my old neighborhood 4 miles northeast of Leighton Alabama. Maybe not, because Lagrange College is mentioned in the article and that is instead about 4 miles southwest of Leighton Al.
Lagrange College was a training ground young Confederates during the Civil War. It was burned during the federal raids during the war because of that. This was several years before the Pillow murders. Lagrange College was the forerunner of University of North Alabama in Florence Alabama, which is still important in the ROTC (military training of officers) programs.
Remaining there today are historical monuments and cemetery, a beautiful tribute to a place which ended it history so violently.
I wonder if the two young Pillow men were involved somehow in trying to keep that college alive in training young minds for future warfare and the federals put a bounty on their heads, because they were past Confederates. WA 10 Nov 2009.
Young Granville Pillow, had married in North Alabama, and had been living there several years. He was a Confederate soldier and received a wound in the Streight raid on Sand Mountain (Albertville Al.). Willie (William C. Pillow) went to Alabama a year or so ago. It is a sad commentary on the evil days upon which we have fallen, that two such young men should be murdered in cold blood. There is another rumor to the effect that Granville had received that day in town $800 for the rent of his farm, and he was robbed as well as murdered. (Columbia Herald, 14 Jan. 1870.)
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