The Savannah Civil War Experience

Laurel Grove North cemetery is located at 802 West Anderson Street in Savannah, Georgia. The cemetery is on land that was originally a part of Springfield Plantation. A rice plantation owned by the Stiles Family. Joseph Stiles (1758-1838) was the original owner of the plantation, his wife was Catherine Clay Stiles (1775-1823) Catherine was the daughter of Joseph Clay, a Revolutionary War hero and politician from Savannah. Together Joseph and Catherine had five. One of which was Joseph Clay Stiles (1795-1875) a Yale graduate and famous American preacher. Joseph Clay Stiles was very dedicated to taking the gospel to slaves and served under “Stonewall” Jackson preaching to his men during the Civil War. Another son, William Henry Stiles, would also graduate from Yale. William would become a well known politician. He served in the U.S. House of Representatives, the Georgia State House, and as the US Foreign Minister to Austria. He was a member of the 1860 Democratic National Convention and served as a Colonel for the Confederate Army during the Civil War. William is buried at Laurel Grove North but most of the family is buried at Colonial Cemetery in Savannah.