Howard Frierson VINCENT, Sr.^{[1, 2]}

1927 - 2013  (86 years)

• Name	Howard Frierson VINCENT  [3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9]
  Suffix	Sr.
  Birth	20 Apr 1927	Lynchburg, Lee County, South Carolina   [6, 7]
  Gender	Male
  HIST	Date Published: May 30, 2008 History comes alive in Civil War-era cemetery Man uses Confederate soldier's records in search for grave sites Randy Burns / The Item Howard Vincent explores possible Confederate graves at the Lynchburg Presbyterian Church cemetery. By RANDY BURNS Item Staff Writer rburns@theitem.com LYNCHBURG — Howard Vincent, 81, always knew there were Confederate soldiers buried at the cemetery behind Lynchburg Presbyterian Church on S.C. 341. "I didn't know how many," Vincent said. "And I didn't know where they were." Thanks to a little inspiration from the diary of a Confederate soldier and information provided by the United Daughters of the Confederacy chapter in Bishopville, Vincent recently identified the tombstones of 36 Confederate soldiers buried in the cemetery. Vincent has placed red surveying flags next to the graves. All but one of the soldiers died after the war, Vincent said. Vincent asked the UDC for assistance after reading a Confederate diary that was handed down generation to generation and is now in the possession of Patrick Wylie, a nephew of the author. Wylie has given his permission for copies of the original diary to be made. The soldier, Samuel Catawba Lowry, wrote the diary from 1861 to 1864. It includes a eulogy to Stonewall Jackson, depictions of day-to-day life during the Civil War and Lowry's personal essay on the reasons behind the war. Lowry was killed in July 1864 at the Battle of the Crater in Petersburg, Va. Vincent found the diary to be fascinating. "I am not a reader," Vincent said. "But I have read that diary three times. If I had not read that diary, I would have never gone into the cemetery to find the graves of the Confederate soldiers." Vincent would like for everybody to read the diary. He is convinced people will gain a real appreciation and understanding of the sacrifices these men made if they only would read Lowry's account of the war. For Vincent, locating the Confederate graves was a task that had to be done. "Now I'm not a fanatic about Confederate history," he said. "But I don't think they (Confederate soldiers) have been given the respect they deserve. If I didn't do this, it would not be done." They (Confederate soldiers) were honorable men who did what they thought they had to do for their country, Vincent said. And for these men, South Carolina was their country. Vincent also strikes down the notion that only the poor and the lower-class whites fought for the Confederates. His great-grandfather, Dr. A.H. Frierson, who is buried at the cemetery, was a Confederate soldier. The Confederate army had plenty of doctors, lawyers and rich plantation owners, Vincent said. "Some say that the aristocrats stayed home and sent the poor to fight," Vincent said. "That is not true. They sent everybody. It didn't matter who you were." As Vincent went through the cemetery looking for the Confederate dead, he found two iron crosses next to a couple of tombstones. The iron crosses, signifying the person was a Confederate soldier, were placed by the United Daughters of the Confederacy years ago, Vincent said. The remaining graves had iron crosses at one time, said Vincent, but have disappeared over time. Vincent plans to replace the 36 red flags at the cemetery with iron crosses placed in cement. For about $30 a grave, Vincent believes he will be able to "buy and install" the crosses. Vincent said he believes that a number of Sumter area residences would discover that they have Confederate ancestors buried at the Lynchburg cemetery. Buried at the cemetery are soldiers named Sanders, McLeod, Cole, Miller, Hawkins, Wood, McNeill, Goodman, Wilson, Thomas, Lowry, Commander, Rhame, DesChamps, Shields, McMillan, Frierson, Keels, Joye, McIntosh, Spencer, Crosswell, Kirby, Hickson and Hinson. For a complete listing of full names and for additional information, contact Vincent at (803) 437-2271. Contact Staff Writer Randy Burns at rburns@theitem.com or (803) 491-4533. Howard F. Vincent Howard Frierson Vincent Sr. departed for the life eternal on Saturday, June 22, 2013. The funeral service will be held at 11 a.m., Wednesday at Lynchburg Presbyterian Church and led by the Rev. John E. Holler Jr. The family will receive friends from 5:30 to 7 p.m. today at Layton-Anderson Funeral Home, 4210 W. Palmetto St., Florence, SC 29501. Born in Lynchburg on April 20, 1927, Howard was the son of the late Clarence Aubrey Sr. and Emma Belle Frierson Vincent. He was predeceased by his wife of 60 years, Corinne Coskrey “Dool” Vincent. Howard was the beloved brother of Rosemary Vincent Vassy and the late Clarence Aubrey Vincent Jr. His children and their families were first and foremost in his life, and they, in turn, adored their “Daddy V.” He leaves behind three adoring children: a daughter, Corinne Vincent “Rinne” Sade and her husband, Dr. Robert Sade, Dr. Howard Frierson “Chic” Vincent Jr. and his wife, Judy, all of Charleston, and the Rev. Robert Manigault “Bob” Vincent and his wife, Susan, of Columbia. He is also survived by his seven grandchildren: Elizabeth Sade Conwell and her husband, USAF Capt. Andrew Conwell, of Seattle, Wash., David Bennett Sade and his wife, Lynne, of Charlottesville, Va., Ansley Sade Feussner and her husband, Dr. Derek Feussner, of Nashville, Tenn., Paul Frierson Vincent, Daniel Davis Vincent and Samuel Walker Vincent, all of Charleston, and Bailey Elise Vincent of Columbia. Howard loved his three nieces and four nephews and their families, and especially his brother-in-law and friend, Blaney Ansley “Sonny” Coskrey Sr. of Sumter. Howard attended public schools in Lynchburg and graduated from Riverside Military Academy in Gainesville, Ga., in 1943. He attended the University of South Carolina but left college in 1945 to join the U.S. Navy during WW II. After discharge, he served in the US Naval Reserve. He graduated from USC in 1947 with a bachelor of science in chemistry and was member of the SAE fraternity. He remained an avid USC Gamecocks football fan for more than 70 years, rarely missing a home game. Howard was the sole owner of Peoples Oil and Gas Service Inc. in Lynchburg as well as service stations in other parts of the state. He was a member of the South Carolina Oil Jobbers Association and served as president in 1985. Howard took pride in maintaining his inheritance of past generations’ “family land.” His children would like to thank Martin Durant for being his dear friend and assistant for more than 50 years and Watkin “Sonny” White Jr. for being his confidante and companion during his latter years. Howard served as a long standing Elder of the Lynchburg Presbyterian Church and regularly attended the Mayesville Presbyterian Church. He followed in his parents’ footsteps in his love for Lynchburg Presbyterian Church, and he diligently worked on its preservation until his death. He led the campaign to have the church listed on the National Registry through the South Carolina Department of Archives and History. The campaign succeeded with its listing in 2004. Howard also researched the names of local heroes who had fought in the Civil War, located their burial sites within the Lynchburg Presbyterian Cemetery and permanently placed bronze Confederate medals on each of the grave sites. Howard was instrumental in the founding of the Roy Hudgens Academy, a local private school. He was a charter member of the American Legion Post 140 and Lynchburg Lions Club. He was also a proud member of the Society of Colonial Wars, the Society of First Families of South Carolina and the French Huguenot Society. In his latter years, Howard’s interests turned to studying and documenting his family’s genealogy, and the genealogy chart he created is treasured by ever member of his family. He was an avid quail hunter in his younger days and enjoyed training his dogs for that task. Howard was a member of the Georgetown, SC Veterans of Foreign Wars and greatly enjoyed the time he spent at Belle Isle, outside of Georgetown. In lieu of flowers. memorials may be sent to the Lynchburg Cemetery Association/Building Fund, 520 W. Pine St., Florence, SC 29501. “Well done, good and faithful servant!” Matthew 25:21 Posted in Obituaries on Tuesday, June 25, 2013  [5, 9]
  MILI	He left college in 1945 to join the U.S. Navy during WW II. After discharge, he served in the US Naval Reserve.  [9]
  Religion	he ia a member of Lynchburg Presbyterian Church, Lynchburg, South Carolina  [6]
  _UID	C7B82180A52444E4B0DE9E7AA77C442846E2
  Death	22 Jun 2013
  Burial	26 Jun 2013	Lynchburg Presbyterian Church Cemetery, Lynchburg, South Carolina   [9]
  	Layton-Anderson Funeral Home, 4210 W. Palmetto St., Florence, South Carolina
  Person ID	I112495	Singleton and Related Families
  Last Modified	4 Aug 2017

  
  

  Father	Clarence Aubrey VINCENT, Sr.,   b. 18 Mar 1895, Shinnston, West Virginia d. 23 Jun 1988, Sumter, Sumter County, South Carolina (Age 93 years)
  Mother	Emma Belle FRIERSON,   b. 27 Dec 1898, Lynchburg, Lee County, South Carolina d. 14 Mar 1983, Florence, Florence County, South Carolina (Age 84 years)
  Marriage	28 Aug 1918	Lynchburg, Lee County, South Carolina   [7]
  _UID	5C2A8E9EB6A048D290B4CE790A84389003EB
  _UID	5C2A8E9EB6A048D290B4CE790A84389003EB
  Family ID	F170908	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family	Corinne Davis “Dool” COSKREY,   b. 25 Oct 1927, Summerton, Clarendon County, South Carolina d. 17 Dec 2011 (Age 84 years)
  Marriage	16 Mar 1951	Summerton, Clarendon County, South Carolina   [7]
  _UID	096E3E3F8DCD4C8F8C2206E59AA5F81E1753
  _UID	096E3E3F8DCD4C8F8C2206E59AA5F81E1753
  Children	1. Living   2. Living   3. Living
  Family ID	F77703	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
  Last Modified	16 Mar 2010

  
  

• Notes

  His great-grandfather, Dr. A. H. Frierson, is buried at the Lynchburg Presbyterian Church Cemetery (Lynchburg, South Carolina),on S. C. 341 and was a Confederate soldier. [5, 6]

  
  

• Sources

  [S24227] Blaney A. Coskrey Jr. [S25309] Rosemary V. Vassy. [S2827] . [S3358] Elizabeth Coskrey Rollings. [S10585] History comes alive in Civil War-era cemetery - Man uses Confederate soldier’s records in search for gave sites. [S11098] Graves marked with iron crosses. [S13995] . [S17080] Corrine Davis Coskrey Vincent. [S19693] Howard F. Vincent.