The 1850 U.S. Census for Oglethorpe County shows both
his parents were born in Georgia. In 1850, Charles is shown
as 10 years old.

In 1860, he is shown as 17 years old. This age difference is
not significant, in my view, given the carelessness of the census
takers in those days. Also, with the threat of war looming on
the horizon, it might have seemed prudent of the father to make
Charles seem younger that he actually was. Whatever the case,
we will probably never know for sure. It is also interesting,
referring to the 1850 and 1860 censuses, to note that Charles
was a triplet. The 1850 clearly shows Richard, Mary, and
Charles as being 10 years old.

In 1860, Mary is probably already married and therefore no
longer  living at home.  As indicated above, Charles and
Richard were probably made to appear younger in order to
forestall any attempt at conscription.

My research points to the very possibility that Charles married
Frances Caroline Tiller shortly before, or shortly after, the
war broke out, in the Spring or Summer of 1861 in time to
get her pregnant, join the Confederate Forces, get shipped to
Richmond, contact some disease, and die on July 27, 1862,
maybe never knowing he had a son. The argument for late
Summer is strongest, since that would have assured the birth
of their son, Charlie, in the Spring of 1862, thus verifying his
age of 8 on the 1870 census.

Charles was in the same unit with Nicholas B. Johnson and,
both being from Oglethorpe County, they were probably good
friends. Nicholas might have even known Frances before the
war. When Nicholas was paroled by the Yankees in 1864, he
came home to Oglethorpe County and married Frances C.
Vaughn in January 1865 who was trying to raise a 3 year old
son on her own.
 
 

The 1850 and 1860 censuses show Frances Caroline Tiller
and Charles C. Vaughn living very close together in
Oglethorpe County, Georgia, and being about the same age.
Indications are that Frances Tiller married Charles Vaughn
and they had one son, Charlie (Charles). Charles contracted
some disease and died in a Confederate hospital in Richmond,
Va in 1862, leaving a widow, Frances C. Vaughn with a small
child. I have secured copies of abstracts of Charles C.
Vaughn's military records, among which is an application by
his widow, Frances C. Vaughn, for any and all pay, clothing,
and other personal effects. She married Nicholas B. Johnson
(as Frances C. Vaughn) in January 1865. On the 1870 Oglethorpe
County, Georgia census, she and Nicholas have a son, Charlie,
age 8, indicating he was born in 1862. Nicholas raised Charlie
(Charles) as his own until Charlie reached age 18. (Also see notes on
Nicholas Johnson and Charles C. Vaughn.)

The 1900 Oglethorpe County, Georgia census indicates that
Frances had birthed 11 children but only 9 were still living at
the time of the census. Charles Vaughn was her oldest, having
been born in 1862 and Sarah was next, born in 1867. Since
both were in their 30s in 1900 and Charles is known to have
been alive in 1920, it is probable that Frances had 2 children
who died in infancy or very young. It is doubtful we will ever
know their names or birthdates.
 
 

In 1850, there is a Charlie Vaughn, age 10, in the household
of William and Nancy Vaughn, living in Oglethorpe County.
In 1860, Charles A. Vaughn, age 17, is still in the household
of William and Nancy Vaughn, living in Oglethorpe County.
I don't feel the age difference or the different initial are
significant, given the carelessness of the enumerators.

Also, with the threat of war looming over the country, it might
have seemed prudent of William Vaughn to makes Charles
appear younger than he actually was in order to forestall any
attempt at conscription by the Confederates.

In 1850, there is a Frances Tiller, age 7, in the household of
Chim(?) Tiller and Nancy J. Tiller, living in Oglethorpe County.
In 1860, Frances Tiller, age 17, is still in the household of
Chemid(?) Tiller and Nancy J. Tiller, living in Oglethorpe
County. Incidently, further research has shown that Frances'
father was named Shimme John Tiller. More on him in his
notes.

On January 5, 1865, Nicholas B. Johnson and Frances C.
Vaughn were married in Oglethorpe County, Georgia.

The 1870 U.S. Census for Oglethorpe County has Nich.
Johnson, age 35; Frances Johnson, age 28 and Charles,
whose age of 8 shows him to have been born three years
prior to the marriage.

The evidence is persuasive that Charles Vaughn married
Frances Caroline Tiller shortly after the Civil War started,
get her pregnant, and went off to fight in the war.

Charles and Nicholas B. Johnson were in the same company
and were probably good friends, both having come from
Oglethorpe County. Nicholas might have even known
Frances before the war. When Nicholas was paroled by
the Yankees in 1864, he came home and married Frances
who by  then was trying to raise her son, Charlie, on her own.
By the 1880 census, Charlie had moved out of the Johnson
home and was living and working in the household of John N.
Burt (Oglethorpe County, GA, Simstown District, Page 22), and had reverted
to his original name Charles Vaughn.

A further search of court records in Oglethorpe County is
warranted to look for evidence that Nicholas adopted Charles.
This is doubly important because in the 1920 Candler County,
Georgia census, I found a Charley C. Vaughn, age 58.

Nicholas and Frances moved to the part of Bulloch County
which would later become Candler County in the early 1900s.
If this is our Charles, indications are that Nicholas did not
adopt him, and Charlie took and kept his  father's name of
Vaughn.
 
 

Linda_Welden@Vaughan-Vaughn.org

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