CULLEN THOMAS BRIDGES, A VETERAN OF THE AMERICAN CIVIL WAR
He was assigned to Company D, 2nd Cav. Regt. under the command of Colonel T. E. Woodward at Hopkinsville, Kentucky. Four months later, young Cullen’s cavalry unit had temporarily joined with Morgan’s Raiders and was playing havoc with the railroads in the vicinity. That unit is now recognized as part of the first Kentucky “Orphan Brigade.” In February 1863, Company D. was assigned to Brigadier General Nathan Bedford Forrest and participated in a number of his campaigns in western Tennessee. He saw service at the battle of Fort Donelson, Tennessee, along with his brother William.
Cullen was honorably discharged at Columbia, Tennessee on August 10, 1863 in order to return home to care for his ill and widowed mother. Kentucky was then under the control of the Northern Army and Cullen was immediately arrested and placed in prison. “I reluctantly agreed to take the Oath of Allegiance to the North so I could get out of prison,” he explained.
His brother William lost his life during his service in the Civil War due to disease.
On November 9, 1863, Cullen married Virginia Ann Thomas, daughter of Peyton and Sarah Ethridge Thomas who lived in the Donaldson Creek Valley. In 1868 they went to live with Cullen’s mother in the Maple Grove Community where they spent the rest of their lives.
In his early days Cullen was a teacher in the original log building at the Maple Grove, Kentucky school. He also farmed, made hand-tooled leather items including saddles and saddlebags, repaired gravestones and harvesting machines, and was Postmaster at Maple Grove, Kentucky for the last 40 years of his life. Cullen served as a committeeman and precinct worker for the Democratic party. In 1867-1868 he served as a constable in his magisterial district.
He was a member of the Canton, Kentucky Masonic Lodge # 242 where he served as master and held other offices for 48 years. He also belonged to the Linton Masonic Lodge # 575 for two years after it was organized in 1874.
Cullen and his son Mark Dale enjoyed attending many Civil War Veterans conventions.
Cullen and Virginia were the parents of 10 children; three died young. The seven who grew to adulthood were: Ghent Alford, Ora Agnes (Mrs. Robert H. Thomas), Mark Dale, John T., Rose L. (Mrs. Ell Cunningham), Mollie M. (Mrs. Ben T. Grigsby), and Jesse C.
Cullen’s wife Virginia died on August 30, 1911 and Cullen died on April 15, 1913. Surviving at the time were his seven children and 39 grandchildren. Cullen and Virginia were buried in the Drury Bridges Cemetery in the Maple Grove Community. He was so proud of his service with the Confederate army that he had his record listed on his gravestone. (source: Edison H. Thomas)
Cullen and Virginia's graves are marked with a 7 1/2 foot tall memorial stone which he designed himself. It contains porcelain portraits of him and his wife along with emblems of the Eastern Star, Masonic and Odd Fellows lodges and incriptions citing his service with the Confederate Army.
Cullen and Virginia Thomas Bridges
THE LINEAGE:
(Cullen Thomas Bridges was the twelfth son of William and Mary Thomas Bridges. William is the fourth child of Drury and Charity Cohoon Bridges. Mary Thomas is the fifth child of James and Mary Standley Thomas.)
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