JOHN HANCE O

John Hance O'Steen - Underwood’s Home Guard under Captain Oscar Underwood. He was enlisted as a Confederate Mail Carrier. He died September 22, 1947 and is bury at Mt. Horeb Baptist Church Cemetery in Gilchrist County, Florida.

If you revere your Southern Heritage and believe in honoring your relatives who wore the Grey then join the members of the John Hance O’Steen Camp 770 in preserving our Southern History.

As with all Sons of Confederate Veterans Camps, membership is open to male descendants, either lineal or collateral, of Confederate Veterans. Membership inquires should be to Adjutant Archie Matthews 386-462-3016 or Commander Clement Lindsey at 352-472-0047 or e-mail cypyroman@Yahoo .com

Monthly meeting every third Tuesday at Bell Community Center, Bell, Florida. Social at 6:30 pm and meeting 7:00 pm

John Hance O’Steen Camp #770 was chartered on January 23, 2003 at Trenton, Florida. The name was elected from John Hance O’Steen the grandfather of Chaplin Arnold O’Steen and Treasurer Allen O'Steen, and great grandsons Wilber O'Steen, Jr., Sam O'Steen and William O'Steen, Jr., who are members of our camp.

Mr. John O’Steen joined the Underwood’s Home Guard under Captain Oscar Underwood, and was subject to military order. He was enlisted as a Confederate Mail Carrier. His duty was to deliver the mail weekly. By mid-May 1865, the Boys of the Captain Underwood Company in the Santa Fe River countryside was disband.

John Hance O’Steen was the youngest Confederate soldier from Florida. He was the second youngest that served for the Confederate States of America. He married Miss Sarah Frances Hines in June 1882.

John Hance O’Steen died September 22, 1947 and is bury at Mt Horeb Baptist Church Cemetery in Gilchrist County.

April 1949 John Hance son Dewey received a letter from the Confederate Stamp Alliance making Mr. O’Steen an Honorary Colonel. The letter read:

In recognition of the Valiant Service performed in the War Between the States, this Alliance is honored in appointing John Hance O’Steen to the Rank of Honorary Colonel.

In the active forces of this Alliance dedicated the Preservation of Southern history as reflected in its Stamps and Postal Stationary.

In Testimony where of: The President and Secretary-Treasurer have signed this Commission at Lexington, Virginia on April 12, 1949 . The Bi-Centennial of Washington and Lee University.

“To you, Sons of Confederate Veterans, we submit the vindication of the Cause for which we fought; to your strength will be given the defense of the Confederate soldier’s good name, the guardianship of his history, the emulation of his virtues, the perpetuation of those principles he loved and which made him glorious and which you also cherish. Remember, it is your duty to see that the true history of the South is presented to future generations”

Lt. General Stephen Dill Lee, Commander General, United Confederate Veterans, New Orleans, Louisiana, 1906