Aaron Simeon "S.P.""Sim" SHERBET (Nathan1) was born on December 31, 1828 in Spartanburg District (now County), South Carolina. The following are varient spellings of S.P.'s surname; SHURBUTT, SHERBUT, SHEARBUT, SHURBET, SHERBERT and SHERBETT. All of the spellings have been found for him in various records. According to Mae (nee PIKE) CARR, S.P.'s granddaughter, he didn't like his initials A.S.S. So he made up his own initials S.P., Mae couldn't recall if they stood for anything. He moved to Benton County, Alabama with his parents in 1847.
He married Adaline LITTLEJOHN on December 20, 1853 in Benton (now Calhoun) County, Alabama. She was born on November 28, 1828 in Spartanburg District (now County), South Carolina. Adaline is the daughter of Charles and Vianna Draper LITTLEJOHN. She was also the widow of Nelson CASTLEBERRY. SP and Adaline had six children before the Civil War. The names of these children are: William Nathan "Billy" SHERBET, Vianna Ladora "Viney" SHURBETT, Ruth Caroline SHURBETT, Lucy SHERBET, Willis Monroe SHERBIT and Nancy Jane "Nan" SHERBETT.
During the Civil War "S.P." enlisted as a Private in a Company from Calhoun County commanded by Captain Robert Wilkins DRAPER (Adaline's uncle). He enlisted on May 27, 1862, at Oxford, Calhoun County, Alabama. Dudley SNOW, a local pioneer, was instrumental in the Companies organization. The Company assembled and camped on Mr. SNOW's land while training. On August 11, 1862 at Oxford, Calhoun County, Alabama "The Dudley Snow Rangers" Company, designated "D" Company, and several other Companies formed the 51st Alabama Cavalry "Partisan Rangers" Regiment commanded by Colonel John T. MORGAN of Dallas County, Alabama.
It was ordered to Tennesse to join the Army of the Tennesse CSA. It was placed in the Brigade of Brigader General James HAGAN. HAGAN's brigade was in Brigader General Nathan B. FORREST'S Cavalry Corp of the Army of the Tennessee C. S. A. The Fifty-first arrived in the wake of Bragg's abortive offensive into Kentucky and experienced its first action on November 5, 1862 near La Vergne where they fought well in a Confederate victory.
In mid-November BRAGG reorganized his cavalry, making Joseph Wheeler his chief and sending Nathan B. FORREST to west Tennessee. The Fifty-first were assigned to Major General Joseph WHEELER'S Corp; and over the next month and a half, they engaged Federal troops in the vicinity of Murfreesboro, attacked Union supply trains bound for Nashville, and fought on the Confederate left at the Battle of Stones River [December 31, 1862 - January 2, 1863].
After General BRAGG'S retreat to the Duck River Valley in early January 1863, there followed an extended lull in the fighting in middle Tennessee. Colonel MORGAN declined a generalship in Virginia to stay on the western front. Although, he had command not only of the Fifty-first but also the brigade of which it was a part. The Fifty-first, together with the First and Third Alabama and Eighth Confederate regiments, composed the First Brigade of Brigader General William T. MARTIN'S Division.
The regiment was engaged in frequent skirmishes while protecting Gen'l Braxton BRAGG'S communications. Capatin DRAPER resigned April 20, 1863 for health reasons. First Lieutenant William WHITE was promoted to Captain of the Company. It was in the fight at Shelbyville [June 27, 1863], where nearly half the regiment was killed or captured. Two of SP's brother-in-laws were captured (William and Daniel LITTLEJOHN) and one was killed in action (Robertson LITTLEJOHN). The 51st fought at Tracey City and Chickamauga [September 20, 1863] with few casualties. As was stated in SP parent's article his brother Hosey was killed in action at Chickamauga.
Colonel MORGAN was promoted to Brigader General after Chickamauga. Lt. Colonel Milton L. KIRKPATRICK of Montgomery County, Alabama took command of the Regiment. The 51st was part of the force that made the Sequatchee Raid [October 3 - 5, 1863], in which 1,000 wagons laden with stores were destroyed, and 4,000 mules were butchered. The regiment was part of the force that captured 400 of the enemy at Maryville, Tennessee, and soon after it was part of the investing force at Knoxville [November - December 1863]. On November 1, 1863 SP was sent to Captain COLEMAN'S wagons by Lieutenant Samuel MORGAN of Company D. This may be when he was transferred to "A" Company also from Calhoun County.
During the remainder of the winter of 1863/1864, the 51st was arduously employed in East Tennessee. As the Knoxville campaign wound down, MORGAN assumed the command of William T. MARTIN'S Division. MARTIN in turn took charge of the Confederate cavalry that wintered with LONGSTREET in east Tennessee. It was a miserable winter. The cold, wet weather and lack of food brought great suffering to the troops. MARTIN reported that "a large proportion of my men, and even officers, are ragged and barefooted, without blankets or overcoats." Having received no pay for six months and no winter clothing, the soldiers were "destitute."
The Regiment took its place on General Joseph E. JOHNSTON'S flank in the retreat to Dalton, Georgia (May 1864), and fought nearly every day for three months. At Decatur and Jonesboro they were fully engaged, and lost severely. It moved into Tennessee shortly after, then wheeled about and harassed Major General William T. SHERMAN'S march into the Carolinas (February 1865) with much effect. About a week before (April 19, 1865) the capitulation, the Fifty-first captured the First Alabama Union regiment. As part of Brigader General James HAGAN'S brigade the regiment laid down its arms near Raleigh, North Carolina on April 26, 1865. On May 3, 1865 at Charlotte, North Carolina "S. P." was one of the men paroled in accordance with the terms of a Military Convention entered into on the 26th day of April, 1865, between General Joseph E. JOHNSTON, Commanding Confederate Army, and Major General William T. SHERMAN, Commanding United States Army in North Carolina.
After the War SP and Adaline had another three children. The names of these children are: Josephine Frances "Josie" SHURBETT, Adaline Mariah "Addie" SHERBETT and Samuel R. "Sam" SHERBETT. They continued to live in Calhoun County, Alabama until at least the late 1880s.
They, S.P., Adaline, Willis and Sam, moved to Texas in the late 1880's or early 1890's. Also two daughters, Viney and Nan, and their families moved to Texas. They lived in Hamilton County, Texas until about 1905. In about 1905 they moved to near Iredell, Bosque County, Texas. They lived with their daughter, Nan PIKE. Adaline died on May 11, 1908 near Iredell, Bosque County, Texas. She is buried at the Riverside Cemetery in Iredell. S.P. died about 1912 near Iredell, Bosque County, Texas. He is also buried at The Riverside Cemetery.
Sarah A. SHERBET (Nathan1) was born about 1845 in Georgia. The following are varient spellings found in various records of Sarah's surname SHERBUTT; SHERBET. The last record I have on Sarah is the 10th US Census (1 June 1880)-Post Office Jacksonville, Calhoun County, Alabama. She was living in her mothers home with five other sisters. She was listed as 36 years old (1844), single and born in Georgia.
According to the Calhoun County Marriage Record Book C (1882-1890) page 479 a Sarah SHURBETT and Thomas J. ALEXANDER were issued a marriage license on December 8, 1888. On the marriage certificate, Justice of the Peace J. D. ARNOLD lists them as Sarah SHERBET and Thomas J. ALEXANDER. Now this maybe Sarah, she would have been 44 years old, in those days it was very common for older women to marry widowers.