William O. Morgridge was born on October 15, 1843, in Corinth, Maine, perhaps in Franklin County or Kennebec County, probably the son of Lorenzo (b. 1819) and Vienna (b. 1811).
Maine natives Lorenzo and Vienna (?) were married, presumably in Maine where they resided for some years. By 1850 William was attending school with his siblings, one of whom, his older brother John, would also join the Third Michigan in 1861, and living with his family in Parkman, Piscataquis, Maine. Lorenzo took his family and left Maine sometime after 1851 and eventually settled in western Michigan. By 1860 William was working as a farm laborer and living with the Hiram Darling family in Paris, Kent County. (Just several houses away lived Lorenzo and probably his second wife, Canadian-born Mary.)
He was an 18-year-old farmer living in Paris, Kent County when he enlisted in Company B (joining his older brother John) on December 12, 1861, at Grand Rapids for 3 years, and was mustered December 23 at Detroit. William was absent sick suffering from “debility” in the hospital at Bottom’s Bridge, Virginia in late June of 1862, and was in the Regimental hospital from August of 1862 through December when he was probably transferred to New York. He was sick at the hospital at David’s Island, New York harbor in January of 1863 when he was discharged for consumption on January 18, 1863, at David’s Island.
William returned to Kent County and worked for Hiram Darling until the fall of 1863 when he moved to Crystal Lake, Montcalm County, where he learned the trade of carpenter.
He was living in Montcalm County where he married Canadian-born Selina M. Gee (1844-1876) on February 1, 1866, and they had at least three children: Myrtle “Myrtie” M. (1868-1879), an infant daughter (d. 1876) and a son William F. (b. 1879).
By 1870 William was working as a druggist and living with his wife and daughter in Crystal, Montcalm County. In 1871 or 1872 he moved to Boulder, Colorado where he continued to work in the druggist business as well as in the jewelry business, probably with one Isaac Bond. Selina probably died in childbirth; in any case their infant daughter died six weeks after Selina. By 1881 he was living in Boulder, and by 1882 he was living with his wife on North 12th Street in Boulder and in 1883 at 2417 12th Street.
In 1878 he applied for and received a pension (no. 222188). He was a member of the GAR Nathaniel Lyon Post in Boulder, Colorado.
By 1880 William was listed as a widower and working as an apothecary and living with the Alvin Sawyer family in Boulder, Boulder County, Colorado.
He eventually married his second wife, English-born Henrietta M., Ferry on June 28, 1881, probably in Colorado, and he had at least one child: William F. (b. 1882).
William died of consumption on March 26, 1883, in Boulder, and the funeral services were held under the auspices of the GAR Lyon Post in Boulder, as well as by the minister of St. John’s Episcopal church in Boulder. He was buried next to his first wife and two daughters in Columbia (Pioneer-IOOF) cemetery in Boulder: C-026-2 NW (see photos G804-806).
In 1883 his widow applied for and received a pension (no. 202924). She married to a Mr. Hathaway and was probably living in Boulder, Colorado when, as guardian she applied for and received a minor child’s pension (no. 241087), drawing $12 per month by 1887. By 1900 William was living with his aunt and uncle, Joel and ella Eastman, in Boulder, Colorado (his aunt was apparently his father’s sister).
Showing posts with label Colorado. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Colorado. Show all posts
Tuesday, December 01, 2009
Thursday, July 31, 2008
Albert Durfee - updated 16 Aug 2016
Albert Durfee was born in 1841 in Bloomfield, Oakland County, Michigan, the son of Vermont native Nathan (b. 1795) and Canadian Louisa (b. 1810).
Albert’s parents settled in Michigan by 1840. By 1850 Albert was attending school with his sister Alice and living with his family in Cascade, Kent County. In 1850 Albert was attending school with his sister Alice and living with his family in Cascade, Kent County (the family lived near John Laraway, who would also enlist in Company A).
By 1860 Albert was a farm laborer living with his family in Cascade, Kent County where his father had a substantial farm. Albert stood 5’6” with blue eyes, black hair and a dark complexion and was 20 years old and probably still living with his family in Cascade when he enlisted with his parents’ consent in Company A on May 13, 1861. On November 9, 1861, he was discharged at Fort Lyon, Virginia, for “asthma of several years standing but the attacks have been more frequent since he entered the service, occasioned by exposure to the night air and heavy rains.”
Albert eventually returned to Michigan and reentered the service as a Musician in Company G, 4th Michigan infantry (reorganized) on October 1, 1864, either at Lapeer, Lapeer County or Burlington, Calhoun County for 3 years, crediting Marathon, Lapeer County, and was mustered the same day at Pontiac, Oakland County. The “reorganized” 4th was formed at Adrian and Hudson, Michigan and mustered into service on October 14. It left Michigan for Nashville, Tennessee, on October 22 and moved to Decatur, Alabama, on October 28. From mid-December of 1864 until January 15, 1865, the regiment was on picket duty and guarding supply trains; it was subsequently moved to Huntsville, Alabama where it remained on duty until late March.
Although the regiment was reportedly on duty in Tennessee until June when it was moved to New Orleans, Louisiana, in February of 1865 Albert was reported absent sick in the post hospital at San Antonio, Texas. The regiment did not get to San Antonio until September 24, 1865, where it remained on provost duty until May of 1866. By February of 1866 Albert was listed on detached service. He was mustered out of service with the regiment on May 26, 1866, at Houston, Texas, and the regiment was discharged at Detroit on June 10.
Albert may have returned to Michigan after the war. It is certain, however, that he was living in Wisconsin by 1889 when he applied for and received a pension (no. 890865). It is possible that he was living in western Michigan when he became a member of the Old 3rd Michigan Infantry Association in 1895. He was listed as a single man when he was admitted to the National Military Home in Leavenworth, Kansas, on October 13, 1913 and discharged at his request on December 24. (His nearest relative was listed as a nephew Amos McCaul of Grand Rapids, MI.) Upon discharged from the NMH he moved to University Park, CO.
Albert was living in Denver, Colorado, when he died on July 10, 1921, in South Denver, and was reportedly buried in Crown Hill Cemetery in Wheat Ridge (a suburb of Denver).
Albert’s parents settled in Michigan by 1840. By 1850 Albert was attending school with his sister Alice and living with his family in Cascade, Kent County. In 1850 Albert was attending school with his sister Alice and living with his family in Cascade, Kent County (the family lived near John Laraway, who would also enlist in Company A).
By 1860 Albert was a farm laborer living with his family in Cascade, Kent County where his father had a substantial farm. Albert stood 5’6” with blue eyes, black hair and a dark complexion and was 20 years old and probably still living with his family in Cascade when he enlisted with his parents’ consent in Company A on May 13, 1861. On November 9, 1861, he was discharged at Fort Lyon, Virginia, for “asthma of several years standing but the attacks have been more frequent since he entered the service, occasioned by exposure to the night air and heavy rains.”
Albert eventually returned to Michigan and reentered the service as a Musician in Company G, 4th Michigan infantry (reorganized) on October 1, 1864, either at Lapeer, Lapeer County or Burlington, Calhoun County for 3 years, crediting Marathon, Lapeer County, and was mustered the same day at Pontiac, Oakland County. The “reorganized” 4th was formed at Adrian and Hudson, Michigan and mustered into service on October 14. It left Michigan for Nashville, Tennessee, on October 22 and moved to Decatur, Alabama, on October 28. From mid-December of 1864 until January 15, 1865, the regiment was on picket duty and guarding supply trains; it was subsequently moved to Huntsville, Alabama where it remained on duty until late March.
Although the regiment was reportedly on duty in Tennessee until June when it was moved to New Orleans, Louisiana, in February of 1865 Albert was reported absent sick in the post hospital at San Antonio, Texas. The regiment did not get to San Antonio until September 24, 1865, where it remained on provost duty until May of 1866. By February of 1866 Albert was listed on detached service. He was mustered out of service with the regiment on May 26, 1866, at Houston, Texas, and the regiment was discharged at Detroit on June 10.
Albert may have returned to Michigan after the war. It is certain, however, that he was living in Wisconsin by 1889 when he applied for and received a pension (no. 890865). It is possible that he was living in western Michigan when he became a member of the Old 3rd Michigan Infantry Association in 1895. He was listed as a single man when he was admitted to the National Military Home in Leavenworth, Kansas, on October 13, 1913 and discharged at his request on December 24. (His nearest relative was listed as a nephew Amos McCaul of Grand Rapids, MI.) Upon discharged from the NMH he moved to University Park, CO.
Albert was living in Denver, Colorado, when he died on July 10, 1921, in South Denver, and was reportedly buried in Crown Hill Cemetery in Wheat Ridge (a suburb of Denver).
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