SUBMITTED BY: Robin Oldham (edited and vetted by Cheri Todd Molter)
This is a picture of Dr. Edward Buncombe Haughton of Washington County. (Click image to enlarge.) He never married and was a surgeon during the Civil War. My cousin is an auctioneer, and once when I stopped by to give him some family history, I grabbed the photos that he had going up for auction. Most were of family members in Washington County. Here is Dr. Haughton’s story, based on information found in the Find a Grave Biography that is posted. I know he was single because I researched him to see if I could find some descendants.
Dr. Edward Buncombe Haughton was born about 1830 to parents Thomas B. and Eliza Goelet Haughton of Washington County, North Carolina. His father died when he was about two years old. According to census records, in 1840, Haughton lived with his mother at Edenton, Chowan County
11/07/1847 – The date of Eliza Haughton’s Last Will & Testament; she died at Chowan Co., N.C.
09/13/1850 – Student, Tyrrell Co., N.C. (living with Dr. Henry D. Lewis & his family – indexed in the 1850 U.S. Census as Edward B. Haughton)
1852 – M.D. degree, University of Pennsylvania, Medical Department, Philadelphia, PA (Source: Thesis: “Marsh Miasma,” Tyrrell Co., N.C.)
May 27 – June 1, 1857 – Elected lay delegate by St. Luke’s Church, Washington Co., N.C., to the 41st Annual Convention of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the State of North Carolina
July 9, 1860 – Practiced medicine in Washington County, N.C. Edward B. Haughton lived alone. (Source: 1860 U.S. Census)
09/15/1862 – 09/30/1862 – Asst. Surgeon-in-charge, Fair Ground Barracks Hospital, Goldsboro, N.C.
10/14/1862 – Asst. Surgeon, serving a Battalion of N.C. Artillery, Kinston, N.C.
01/22/1863 – As Asst. Surgeon, stationed at Goldsboro, N.C.
03/01/1863 – Asst. Surgeon, 10th N.C. Troops (Artillery), camp near Goldsboro, N.C.
03/28/1863 – Asst. Surgeon, 10th N.C. Troops Artillery), Goldsboro, N.C.
04/21/1863 – Asst. Surgeon, 10th N.C. Troops, Franklin, Virginia
05/14/1863 – Asst. Surgeon-in-charge, Hospital Department, 10th N.C. Troops, Franklin, Virginia
06/11/1863 – Asst. Surgeon, 10th Regiment, N.C. Troops (Artillery), Franklin, Virginia
07/04/1863 – Asst. Surgeon, 10th North Carolina Troops, Spring Bank, near Goldsboro, N.C.
08/11/1863 – Asst. Surgeon, Camp near Goldsboro, N.C.
12/31/1863 – An invoice of Quartermaster’s Stores that was turned over to Capt. E. Harvey, A.Q.M., 10th Regt. North Carolina Troops, Fort Branch, N.C., was written by Asst. Surgeon E. B. Haughton, 10th N.C. State Troops. It includes one ambulance and two horses.
02/13/1864 – Asst. Surgeon: He purchased one pr. pants, one blanket, two shirts, and two drawers for $40.50 from a Quartermaster, Raleigh, N.C.
04/11/1864 – Medical Officer, 10th N.C. Infantry, Fort Branch, N.C.
09/30/1864 – In a note written at Plymouth, N.C., the following was written: “This is to certify that Capt. E. W. Adams A.Q.M, turned over for the use of the Hospital at this place ten packing boxes from which bunks were made for the inmates of the hospital., E. B. Haughton, Asst. Surgeon, P.A.C.S.”
1867 – Practiced medicine, Fairfield, Hyde Co., N.C.
07/14/1870 – Practiced medicine, Coolspring Township, Washington Co., N.C. (living with J. M. Bozeman, Bozeman children and Mary Spruill, a 72-year-old lady. (Source: 1870 U.S. Census)
1872 – Practiced medicine, Fairfield, Hyde Co., N.C.
1877 – Practiced medicine, Creswell, Washington Co., N.C.
12/26/1881 – Died of “paralysis” at St. Vincent Hospital, Norfolk, Virginia
This biographical sketch is from: Hambrecht, F.T. & Koste, J.L. Biographical Register of Physicians Who Served the Confederacy in a Medical Capacity. 05/07/2016. Unpublished database.
Source: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/116637663/edward-buncombe-haughton
The following is a letter from Dr. Edward B. Haughton to the Freedmen’s Bureau representative:
Goldsboro N.C. Oct 25th 1865
Col Whittlesey
Chief of Freedmens [sic] Bureau &c
“Sir:
Will you be kind enough to listen to the following statement and give me your advice on the subject? About a year or more before the late was commenced I bought at an equity sale a piece of land in Washington County — have not paid for it and consequently have received no title for it.
After the federal forces came to Plymouth the county seat of Washington Co finding that I would lose my slave property I removed them to the interior of the state and afterwards went into the Confederate service as an Assistant Surgeon.
After I went into service Mr E. H. Willis of Plymouth acting as Local Agent of the U.S. Treasury Department turned over this land to the U. S. Government, as he says from instructions from the Secretary of the Treasury and by authority of a confiscation law passed by the U. S. Congress in 1862.
I have taken the following oath:
I Edward B. Haughton of Edgecombe County, State of North Carolina, do solemnly swear or affirm in presence of Almighty God, that I will henceforth faithfully support, protect & defend the Constitution of the United States and the Union of the States thereunder; and that I will, in like manner, abide by and faithfully support all laws and proclamations which have been made during the existing rebellion with reference to the emancipation of slaves. So help me God.
Edward B. Haughton
Sworn & subscribed to this 20th day of September A.D. 1865, before
Jno Norfleet J.P.
H. A. Dowd J.P.
I have no title to the land but have been in possession of it all the time—have had tenants on it during the war & now have one on it and expect to get a title as soon as I pay for it. Is anything more necessary than to still hold possession of it; or will I have to apply for pardon to retain it? And if I have to apply for pardon will you give me instructions how to proceed?
The oath you will see was taken in Edgecombe Co as I was a citizen of that County at the time nor did I know that the land was turned over by Mr Willis until a short time since.
I would go to Raleigh & see you about the matter but my funds are deplorably short.
Please address me as early as convenient to the case of Dr E. H. Gorlet, Goldsboro N.C. and greatly oblige.
Very respectfully
Your obt svt
Edwd B. Haughton
P.S. The piece of land alluded to above is only 150 acres — I am not now, nor was I ever worth $20,000.
Source: https://transcription.si.edu/transcribe/12051/NMAAHC-004567401_00257