Memorial service honors soldier, judge
By Staff
Jonathan Willis
Andy Lawler vividly remembers the stories his grandmother shared with him about her father.
For the Richmond, Va., native they were much more than just old history tales, they were history lessons that described the life of a man he was named for.
Lawler, whose full name is Sidney Anderson Lawler, was named after his great-grandfather, Sidney Stokes Anderson.
Anderson was a Confederate colonel during the Civil War and became one of Franklin County's youngest probate judges when he was elected in 1866 at the age of 26.
He fought in the 27th Alabama Regiment and was held as a prisoner of war for some time. He later lost his arm during the battle of Franklin, Tenn.
"I remember my grandmother telling me about him," Lawler said. "He was her father."
Anderson died in 1876 at the age of 36.
"I have the sword he used during the war," Lawler said. "It has been passed down through my family."
Sunday, Lawler traveled to the town where his great-grandfather once lived and is buried.
"This is just unbelievable being here," Lawler said as he stood at what is believed to be his great-grandfather's gravesite in Sadler Cemetery in Russellville.
The trip to Russellville came together quickly and was a surprise to Lawler.
Chris Ozbirn, director of the Franklin County Archives and Research Center, was doing research on former county probate judges a few months ago when she came across some information about Anderson.
"As far as we can tell, he's the only former Franklin County probate judge that served during the Civil War," Ozbirn said. "He was called the 'one armed judge' because he lost his arm in the war."
After digging a little deeper into Anderson's past, Ozbirn learned that he once owned the land that is now Hester Heights subdivision north to what is now Goodsprings Fish and More restaurant.
She then decided to purchase a Confederate grave marker for Anderson's burial site in Sadler Cemetery.
Sunday, Civil War re-enactors joined Ozbirn, Lawler and several county officials and residents for a Confederate memorial service.
"I just don't have the words to describe my gratitude to Chris and everyone else here for making this possible," Lawler said. "My grandmother used to tell me stories about him and now here we are."
