Biography of George B. Fleece

Since George B. Fleece has no biography in the National Archives, below is my biography of the man. 

   George Berry Fleece was born in Danville, Kentucky in about 1828. He has not been found in the 1860 Census, but an early post-war letter shows that he was married and he and his wife owned property in Clarksville and Memphis and a plantation in Mississippi. He was twice married, to Agnes DeGraffentied (b1830-1880) and then to Matilida Tunis (b1854-1900). He had no children. He was the Chief Engineer and Superintendent during the construction and opening year of the Memphis, Clarksville & Louisville RR and in the years after the war. He lived in Memphis most of his life, working as a Civil Engineer and was reputed to be one of the most famous railroad builders in the South. Two obituaries claim he was employed as Engineer and General Manager of the Louisville & Nashville RR, both before and after the war; I have found no evidence of such employment. A third obituary states that he was a member of the bar in Kentucky. He died in July, 1899 in Danville.
   With the Louisville & Nashville RR being fought over by the Confederates in Nashville and the Union men in Louisville, Gen. Buckner appointed Fleece to run the Bowling Green Branch (known as the Memphis Branch RR) in conjunction with Fleece's own Memphis, Clarksville & Louisville RR. This arrangement lasted until the local stockholders organized a rump company to run the road. Fleece departed the area on February 15, 1862, the day before the surrender of Ft. Donaldson, and returned to Memphis. He soon moved to his plantation in Mississippi, but headed east, to Macon, when soldiers from the Mississippi River made life impossible on the plantation. He remained in the Macon area until the war was over.
October ?, 1861 Was appointed by Gen. Buckner to run the Memphis Branch RR
NA, RRB 1-22-66
December 23, 1861 The acting Manager of the Confederate Portion of the Louisville & Nashville RR reports on the condition of the Road
NA, N&C 12-23-61
January 2, 1862 Stated the required load and the capacity of the Bowling Green railroads
OR Series 1, Vol. 7,  Page 818
January 7, 1862 Maj. Stevenson acknowledges being reassigned control of the Confederate Portion of the Louisville & Nashville RR and his intention to retain Fleece
NA, L&N 1-7-62
January 10, 1862 It is reported that Gen. Johnston has appointed him Superintendent of the Bowling Green to Nashville part of the Louisville & Nashville RR and continued him in charge of the Memphis Branch RR of the Louisville & Nashville RR
NP, MA 1-10-62
February 6, 1862 Memphis Branch RR stockholders request control of the RR and intend to retain Fleece as Superintendent and Gen. Johnston agrees to the transfer of control
NA, MC&L 2-6-62
NA, RRB 2-6B-62
NA, WD 2-6C-62
February 16, 1862 Leaves Clarksville for Memphis
NA, RRB 1-22-66
Between March and December, 1862 Moves his family and possessions to his plantation in Mississippi, then moves to Macon
NA, RRB 1-22-66
December 16, 1862 Hires out 8 slaves to the C. S. Central Laboratory in Macon
NA, RRB 12-16-62
August 12, 1863 Paid for 4,700 pounds of his sugar impressed
NA, RRB 8-12-63
November 7, 1863 Sells milk to the Government hospital in Macon
NA, RRB 11-7A-63
NA, RRB 12-7A-63
December 23, 1863 Hires out 5 slaves to the C. S. Central Laboratory in Macon
NA, RRB 12-23-63
January 22, 1864 Writes letter that is forwarded to the Secretary of War recommending measures to improve transportation in the western states
NA, SWR 1-22-64
NA, ENG 3-16A-64
August ?, 1864 Paid for the impressment of one of his slaves
NA, RRB 8-X-64
January 22, 1866 Returned to Clarksville. Detailed his war career in an attempt to reclaim his house from the Freedman's Bureau.
NA, RRB 1-22-66

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