Major John Walter Tench

John Walter Tench was somehow lost from the family records and memories until this author was digging into the 1850 Coweta County Census records. His name was there but none of the family seemed to know anything about him. Finally, one day while visiting the Elder-Linch Cemetery, I meet with  John Linch ( my first cousin, once removed ) and talked with him about John Walter Tench. He remembered he lved somewhere in Florida.

After a lengthy search, first resulting in finding his War Records in the National Archives in East Point, GA, I managed to track down his grandson, my cousin ( second cousin, once removed ), the Honorable Judge Benjamin Montmorenci Tench, retired Chief Justice of the Circuit Court in Gainesville, FL ( Alachua County ).

I learned much from the Judge including the following story about his grandfather.

Prior to the War Between the States, the very prosperous John Henry Tench sent his  son, John Walter, off to school at the University of Virginia. Well it seemed that John Walter and another student had a serious disagreement over some firewood resulting in a pistol duel on the grounds of the campus of the University. As fate would have it, both missed but they were dismissed from the school as a result.

John Walter returned to Coweta County. About this time, the War was starting. John Walter and his brothers James Andrew and Rubin M, enlisted as privates in the Confederate Army in Newnan, GA.

John Walter advanced in the Army rather quickly to the rank of Major in "K" Co. GA 1st Cavalry.

The Judge related to me that the Major, as John Walter became known as, took a slave off to War with him. This was a common practice. John Walter was quite an accomplished musician and took his violin to War with him. This violin is now in the Judge's possession. The Major put the violin away and quit playing on the death of his 8 year old daughter, Carrie Dawkins Tench. The photo shows the violin in the hands of the Judge's daughter, Darby Tench. Darby's sister Rachel, who could not be present when we took these pictures, began playing the violin in honor of Carrie some years ago and is now an accomplished fiddler in northern Florida.

The Judge also told me of a painting that he has in his home in Gainesville, FL, of the Major in his dress uniform. The above photo is from the painting, I took the picture on a Christmas 2004 visit.

He married Nancy Dawkins, daughter of Judge James B Dawkins. They had four children; Dr James Dawkins Lamar Tench, J Harry Tench, Carrie Dawkins Tench, and Benjamin Montmorenci Tench Sr.