Thomas Bedford Jett is The Ancestor Detector’s 3rd great-grandfather!

Blog no. 11

Thomas Bedford Jett was born on March 12, 1841, in Cocke County, TN to Edward Lee Jett and Nancy Davis. He had many siblings.

Thomas had married 3 different times. His first wife was Martha J. Vaughn. His second wife was Talitha Kirkendall, my third great-grandmother. His third wife was Elvira Akins/Eakin. He had 4 children with Martha, 7 children with Talitha, and no children with Elvira.

On August 1, 1861, during the Civil War, Thomas enlisted in the 24th Tennessee Infantry, Company K. His father, Edward, later that month enlisted into the same infantry and company as Thomas and went on to fight with Thomas in the Battle of Shiloh. During the Battle of Shiloh, Thomas’ ring finger was shot off by an enemy soldier. Thomas was also wounded in the head and was close to death until his father Edward found him and helped nurse him back to health. He had a constant ringing in his head the rest of his life.

One of Thomas’ brothers, George Washington Jett, fought in the Civil War also. He fought in the same infantry and company as Thomas and their father, Edward, but he had a different story. During the battle of Shiloh, George was also wounded, but was able to continue on. At the Battle of Chickamauga, George was taken as a prisoner of war until he was exchanged for another prisoner in Louisville, Kentucky almost a month later. 

Sadly, on March 8, 1921, in Lewisburg, Marshall County, TN Thomas died of heart disease. He was buried at Bethbirei Cemetery in Marshall County, TN. The Bethbirei Presbyterian Church, connected to the cemetery Thomas is buried in, is the oldest church in Marshall County and outdates Marshall County by 26 years. The church was established in 1810.