Stone Gardens: Replanted Virginia Confederate soldier died in 1910 stump blasting accident in Prairie Grove
- Dennis McCaslin
- 10 hours ago
- 3 min read
Over a century ago, on March 10, 1910, the small community of Prairie Grove in Washington County lost one of its most respected residents, Abraham Lincoln Maupin, a Confederate veteran of the Civil War.
.Born in 1845 in Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley, Maupin’s journey from a young soldier in the Civil War to a beloved farmer in Arkansas offers a window into the challenges and triumphs of the post-war South.
Abraham Lincoln Maupin was born on June 24, 1845, in the Linville’s Creek area of Albemarle County, Virginia, to Dr. William S. Maupin and Mary Elizabeth Lincoln of Rockingham County.
His name carried historical weight--his mother’s lineage traced back to the same Lincoln family as President Abraham Lincoln, through their shared ancestor, “Virginia John” Lincoln. Maupin’s grandfather.
Col. Abraham Lincoln, had served in the War of 1812, instilling a tradition of service in the family.
Raised in the fertile hills of Virginia, Maupin grew up in a prominent family surrounded by the rhythms of rural life. But by the early 1860s, the Civil War fractured the nation and Virginia itself, setting the stage for Maupin’s entry into one of history’s defining conflicts.
In 1863, at age 18, Maupin enlisted as a private in Company E of the 10th Virginia Infantry, a unit of the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia. The 10th Virginia fought in major campaigns, including Chancellorsville, Gettysburg, and the Wilderness, enduring brutal combat and grueling conditions.
Maupin’s individual service, though sparsely documented, placed him in the heart of the war’s eastern theater, where his unit played a critical role in defending Richmond and Petersburg during the conflict’s final years.
The 10th Virginia surrendered at Appomattox Court House on April 9, 1865, marking the end of Maupin’s military service. At 19, he returned to a devastated Virginia, where Reconstruction brought economic hardship and social upheaval.
Like many veterans, Maupin faced the daunting task of rebuilding his life in a transformed South.
Maupin's life was deeply intertwined with his devoted wife, Emma Campbell Maupin (1849–1931), and their four children.
Settling on the J.E. Mock farm, one mile north of town, he established a homestead called “The Oaks.”
Their children--Mary Rebecca Maupin Cummings (1875–1960), Roberta Maupin Campbell (1877–1903), Richard Lee Maupin (1879–1911), and Lincoln Edward Maupin (1881–1965)--reflected both the joys and sorrows of their era.
Mary and Lincoln lived long lives, carrying the Maupin name into the 20th century, while Roberta’s early death at 26 and Richard’s passing at 32, just a year after Abraham’s, underscored the family’s encounters with loss.
There, he built a life as a farmer, earning a reputation for his tireless work ethic and generosity. Historical accounts describe Maupin as a man of warmth, particularly fond of children and animals, whose Virginia upbringing shone through in his courteous demeanor.
In just five years, Maupin became a cherished figure in Prairie Grove, blending Southern traditions with the grit required to thrive in Arkansas’s rugged Ozark
On March 10, 1910, Maupin’s life was cut short in a catastrophic accident. While clearing land on his farm by blasting stumps with dynamite, a premature explosion killed him instantly at age 64
The incident, described by the Prairie Grove Herald as a “shocking accident,” stunned the community. Dr. McCormick, alerted by the women of Maupin’s household, was the first to confirm the tragedy at the scene.
Maupin’s funeral, held on March 11, 1910, at “The Oaks,” drew a large crowd, including members of the Prairie Grove Camp of Confederate Veterans and the Prairie Grove Chapter of the Daughters of the Confederacy.
Rev. J.E. Wylie of the Southern Cumberland Church led the service, delivering a sermon based on Philippians 1:6, which spoke to Maupin’s faith and hope in eternal life.
The Confederate Veterans conducted the graveside rites, honoring their comrade with solemn respect.
Maupin was laid to rest in the Prairie Grove Cemetery just a few yards off current Arkansas State Highway 156, approximately two miles west of the Prairie Grove Battlefield State Park.
