Here's a little video from our trip to Gettysburg this past May 1 with friends Mannie and Virginia. We had a blast -- but then with those two you can't experience anything else!
Wish you were there,
Steve
Saturday, July 14, 2007
Wednesday, July 11, 2007
Francis Henry Barlow
Francis Henry Barlow was born 1826 in Rome, Oneida County, New York.
In 1820 there was one Francis Barlow living in Western, Oneida County, New York, and in 1830 there was one Elisha Barlow living in Rome, New York.
In any case, Francis was married to Canadian-born Caroline L. “Carrie” (Beebe) on July 3, 1847, in Oakfield, Genesee County, New York, and they had at least three children: Ellen “Nellie” Jane (b. 1851, Mrs. Glenn Buchanan), Mary Louisa (b. 1854, Mrs. Marshall Daggett) and Effie Carrie (b. 1857, Mrs. Silas Barrows).
According to one of their daughters, the family was living on St. Helena island in the straits of Mackinac when Ellen was born and on Thunder Bay island on Lake Huron (13 miles offshore from Alpena) when Mary was born in 1854. (Caroline was reportedly attended by only “a half-breed Indian woman as her midwife and nurse.) By 1856 when their daughter Effie was born they were reportedly living in Grand Rapids, Kent County.
Around 1857 they settled in Lamont, Ottawa County, where Francis (known generally as “Henry”) ran a cooper shop. Franklin Tubbs, whose family also lived in Lamont, and who too would in the Third Michigan, claimed in later years that he had boarded with the Barlows at various “intervals prior to 1861.” In fact Mrs. Barlow said later that Franklin did board with them while he attended school, as did one Thaddeus Tubbs. By 1860 “Henry” was working as a cooper and living with his wife and children in Tallmadge, Ottawa County. According to his wife, by the time the war broke out Francis was still running a cooper shop in Lamont. His wife moved her family into Grand Rapids after Francis enlisted.
Francis stood 5’11” with blue eyes, brown hair and a light complexion, and was a 35-year-old mechanic and cooper living in Ottawa County when he enlisted as Corporal in Company I on May 13, 1861. (Company I was made up largely of men from Ottawa County, particularly from the eastern side of the County.) According to Simon Brennan, formerly an officer in Company I, there had been some question about Francis being mustered in with the regiment in June of 1861. In fact, according to Brennan Francis did not leave Grand Rapids with the regiment on the morning of June 13 but left soon afterwards and caught up with the regiment as it was passing through Pontiac, Michigan, and that he was not officially mustered in until the regiment reached Washington.
In any case, Francis soon became quite ill. Brennan thought he had typhoid fever. He noted that Francis “was all run down, very much emaciated from his sickness & could hardly walk.” He thought Francis had been sent to the regimental hospital. Indeed, Francis was discharged for chronic rheumatism on October 12, 1861, at Arlington Heights, Virginia. Apparently there was some problem at first with his discharge. Again, according to Simon Brennan, he remembered Barlow well “because Col. McConnell [commanding the Third Michigan] & Cap Weatherwax [commanding Company I] had quite a row about having him mustered out of service. It was claimed by the Col. that because of some informality about his muster in, he was not entitled to a discharge certificate.”
After his discharge from the army Francis returned home to Michigan, probably to his family in Grand Rapids, where, according to his widow, he attempted to work as a cooper for Elijah Dart, who was then running a cooper shop in the city. However, since Francis was unable to support his family his wife felt compelled to take their children and move to the house of her brother, Levi Beebe, in Morris, Grundy County, Illinois. She left in February of 1862.
Francis meanwhile moved in with his brother John in Paris, Kent County. According to Lansing Rathbun who lived about 1/2 miles from the Barlow brothers, John was a blacksmith and “the shop was large enough so that Henry had his cooper shop in a part of it. However, Francis became increasingly worse and his wife felt compelled to return to Grand Rapids to take care of him which she did in the fall of 1862. The family initially lived on Turner Street before moving to a house on the corner of Third and Broadway Streets.
By February of 1864 he was living in Grand Rapids when he applied for a pension (application no. 40611, cert. no 873024).
According to his wife since his return from the army Francis had been treated by Dr. Woodruff, Dr. Hempel (a German physician), Dr. Carpenter, Dr. Maynard and Dr. Garlock. Francis claimed in his sworn statement that “During the latter half of September of 1861, owing to cold from exposure while on picket and guard duty, and uncomfortable camp accommodations, straw for bedding . . . tents thin, and duty constant at Arlington Heights, he took cold, which settled in his lungs, and also rheumatism in his knee, hip, ankles, shoulders and his left side generally, and in consequence was discharged.”
And his wife claimed years afterward that upon his return home he suffered from an inflammatory rheumatism in his hips which caused him to go around on crutches. “He also had a terrible cough, then, had gatherings in his throat, and raised a good deal of corruption from his lungs. He complained of great pain in his side and was never able to work enough to earn his board, after he came home from the war.”
Francis died of tubercular consumption, at his home on Broadway between Third and Fourth Streets in Grand Rapids on June 14, 1864, and his funeral was held at the Presbyterian church on the west side of the Grand River (the same church to which James Bennett, formerly of Company B, belonged); the service being read by Rev. Platt the Presbyterian minister. According to his widow Rev. Platt had visited Francis a number of times before he died. Allen Durfee was reported to be the undertaker in charge of the arrangements (in fact it was quite probably a Mr. Judd was then the leading undertaker in the city and for whom Durfee was working at the time).
According to his widow Francis was buried in Oak Hill cemetery in Grand Rapids. Another source reported that he was in fact buried in the Soldiers’ Lot in Valley City cemetery. Lansing Rathbun of Paris, Kent County, testified in 1894 that at one point after Francis died he “was talking with his brother John about his death . . . and he couldn’t tell just the location of the grave. He knew he was buried in the Valley City cemetery, in the Soldiers’ lot, but he couldn’t tell which was the grave as it was not distinguished by any mark.” This was in fact most likely the area presently known as the Watson GAR Post lot where the majority of interments are presently marked as unknown.
His widow applied for and received a pension (no. 399541). In July of 1864 Caroline remarried Marshall Barrows. According to Olive Cook, a friend of Caroline’s, she “was quite surprised when I heard of her remarriage so soon [five weeks] after her first husband’s death.” (Caroline’s sister Jane Waycott and her own brother Levi Beebe were both reportedly equally surprised to hear she had remarried so soon after Francis had died.) By 1870 they were living in Grand Rapids’ First Ward (they had two children: Myrtle, b. 1867 and Jenny, b. 1869).
After Marshall’s death in 1891 Caroline was living in Michigan when she applied for and received a pension (no. 399541). In 1895 a pension was also granted on behalf of a minor child, Michigan resident Ellen J. Buchanan (no. 444263).
In 1894 Caroline was keeping a boarding house at 499 Canal Street in Grand Rapids.
In 1820 there was one Francis Barlow living in Western, Oneida County, New York, and in 1830 there was one Elisha Barlow living in Rome, New York.
In any case, Francis was married to Canadian-born Caroline L. “Carrie” (Beebe) on July 3, 1847, in Oakfield, Genesee County, New York, and they had at least three children: Ellen “Nellie” Jane (b. 1851, Mrs. Glenn Buchanan), Mary Louisa (b. 1854, Mrs. Marshall Daggett) and Effie Carrie (b. 1857, Mrs. Silas Barrows).
According to one of their daughters, the family was living on St. Helena island in the straits of Mackinac when Ellen was born and on Thunder Bay island on Lake Huron (13 miles offshore from Alpena) when Mary was born in 1854. (Caroline was reportedly attended by only “a half-breed Indian woman as her midwife and nurse.) By 1856 when their daughter Effie was born they were reportedly living in Grand Rapids, Kent County.
Around 1857 they settled in Lamont, Ottawa County, where Francis (known generally as “Henry”) ran a cooper shop. Franklin Tubbs, whose family also lived in Lamont, and who too would in the Third Michigan, claimed in later years that he had boarded with the Barlows at various “intervals prior to 1861.” In fact Mrs. Barlow said later that Franklin did board with them while he attended school, as did one Thaddeus Tubbs. By 1860 “Henry” was working as a cooper and living with his wife and children in Tallmadge, Ottawa County. According to his wife, by the time the war broke out Francis was still running a cooper shop in Lamont. His wife moved her family into Grand Rapids after Francis enlisted.
Francis stood 5’11” with blue eyes, brown hair and a light complexion, and was a 35-year-old mechanic and cooper living in Ottawa County when he enlisted as Corporal in Company I on May 13, 1861. (Company I was made up largely of men from Ottawa County, particularly from the eastern side of the County.) According to Simon Brennan, formerly an officer in Company I, there had been some question about Francis being mustered in with the regiment in June of 1861. In fact, according to Brennan Francis did not leave Grand Rapids with the regiment on the morning of June 13 but left soon afterwards and caught up with the regiment as it was passing through Pontiac, Michigan, and that he was not officially mustered in until the regiment reached Washington.
In any case, Francis soon became quite ill. Brennan thought he had typhoid fever. He noted that Francis “was all run down, very much emaciated from his sickness & could hardly walk.” He thought Francis had been sent to the regimental hospital. Indeed, Francis was discharged for chronic rheumatism on October 12, 1861, at Arlington Heights, Virginia. Apparently there was some problem at first with his discharge. Again, according to Simon Brennan, he remembered Barlow well “because Col. McConnell [commanding the Third Michigan] & Cap Weatherwax [commanding Company I] had quite a row about having him mustered out of service. It was claimed by the Col. that because of some informality about his muster in, he was not entitled to a discharge certificate.”
After his discharge from the army Francis returned home to Michigan, probably to his family in Grand Rapids, where, according to his widow, he attempted to work as a cooper for Elijah Dart, who was then running a cooper shop in the city. However, since Francis was unable to support his family his wife felt compelled to take their children and move to the house of her brother, Levi Beebe, in Morris, Grundy County, Illinois. She left in February of 1862.
Francis meanwhile moved in with his brother John in Paris, Kent County. According to Lansing Rathbun who lived about 1/2 miles from the Barlow brothers, John was a blacksmith and “the shop was large enough so that Henry had his cooper shop in a part of it. However, Francis became increasingly worse and his wife felt compelled to return to Grand Rapids to take care of him which she did in the fall of 1862. The family initially lived on Turner Street before moving to a house on the corner of Third and Broadway Streets.
By February of 1864 he was living in Grand Rapids when he applied for a pension (application no. 40611, cert. no 873024).
According to his wife since his return from the army Francis had been treated by Dr. Woodruff, Dr. Hempel (a German physician), Dr. Carpenter, Dr. Maynard and Dr. Garlock. Francis claimed in his sworn statement that “During the latter half of September of 1861, owing to cold from exposure while on picket and guard duty, and uncomfortable camp accommodations, straw for bedding . . . tents thin, and duty constant at Arlington Heights, he took cold, which settled in his lungs, and also rheumatism in his knee, hip, ankles, shoulders and his left side generally, and in consequence was discharged.”
And his wife claimed years afterward that upon his return home he suffered from an inflammatory rheumatism in his hips which caused him to go around on crutches. “He also had a terrible cough, then, had gatherings in his throat, and raised a good deal of corruption from his lungs. He complained of great pain in his side and was never able to work enough to earn his board, after he came home from the war.”
Francis died of tubercular consumption, at his home on Broadway between Third and Fourth Streets in Grand Rapids on June 14, 1864, and his funeral was held at the Presbyterian church on the west side of the Grand River (the same church to which James Bennett, formerly of Company B, belonged); the service being read by Rev. Platt the Presbyterian minister. According to his widow Rev. Platt had visited Francis a number of times before he died. Allen Durfee was reported to be the undertaker in charge of the arrangements (in fact it was quite probably a Mr. Judd was then the leading undertaker in the city and for whom Durfee was working at the time).
According to his widow Francis was buried in Oak Hill cemetery in Grand Rapids. Another source reported that he was in fact buried in the Soldiers’ Lot in Valley City cemetery. Lansing Rathbun of Paris, Kent County, testified in 1894 that at one point after Francis died he “was talking with his brother John about his death . . . and he couldn’t tell just the location of the grave. He knew he was buried in the Valley City cemetery, in the Soldiers’ lot, but he couldn’t tell which was the grave as it was not distinguished by any mark.” This was in fact most likely the area presently known as the Watson GAR Post lot where the majority of interments are presently marked as unknown.
His widow applied for and received a pension (no. 399541). In July of 1864 Caroline remarried Marshall Barrows. According to Olive Cook, a friend of Caroline’s, she “was quite surprised when I heard of her remarriage so soon [five weeks] after her first husband’s death.” (Caroline’s sister Jane Waycott and her own brother Levi Beebe were both reportedly equally surprised to hear she had remarried so soon after Francis had died.) By 1870 they were living in Grand Rapids’ First Ward (they had two children: Myrtle, b. 1867 and Jenny, b. 1869).
After Marshall’s death in 1891 Caroline was living in Michigan when she applied for and received a pension (no. 399541). In 1895 a pension was also granted on behalf of a minor child, Michigan resident Ellen J. Buchanan (no. 444263).
In 1894 Caroline was keeping a boarding house at 499 Canal Street in Grand Rapids.
Monday, July 09, 2007
Cornelius Henry Barkhuff
Cornelius Henry Barkhuff was born 1817 or 1820 in Montgomery, Orange County, New York, possibly the son of William and Rhoda (Cummings).
If he was the son of William and Rhoda his parents were both born in New York and married sometime before 1812.
In any case, Cornelius married New York native Arvilla J. or G. (1827-1865), possibly in New York, and they had at least five children: Edgar A. (b. 1846) , Casper (b. 1849), William (b. 1853), Martha (b. 1854) and Willard (b. 1859).
Cornelius eventually left New York and by 1846 he had settled his family in Michigan. By 1850 Cornelius and his family were living in Albion, Calhoun County, with the Kesley family and where Cornelius worked as a laborer. By 1860 Cornelius was working as a farmer and living with his wife (who was blind) and children in Prairieville, Barry County.
Cornelius stood 5’7’” with blue eyes, brown hair and a fair complexion and was 46 years old and working as a farmer possibly living in Barry County when he enlisted in Company E on December 18, 1863, at Grand Rapids for 3 years, crediting Barry County; he was mustered on January 5, 1864, at Grand Rapids. Cornelius joined the Regiment on February 10, and was transferred to Company A, Fifth Michigan infantry upon consolidation of the Third and Fifth Michigan infantry Regiments on June 10, 1864, when he was reported absent sick.
According to his military service record, Cornelius was sent back to Michigan to recover his health and was a patient in the Detroit Barracks hospital when he was admitted with chronic diarrhea to Harper hospital in Detroit on October 13, 1864. Although reportedly returned to duty from Harper hospital on November 28, 1864, for reasons which remain unexplained he was in fact transferred to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and remained on the sick list until he was discharged on June 5, 1865 at Satterlee hospital, Philadelphia.
However, Cornelius claimed in 1885 that “after the battle of Spotsylvania [on May 12, 1864] on the march to Coal [Cold] Harbor in 1864 [he] was first sent to hospital at White House Landing, Va. It was a tent or field hospital [and he] was sick from chronic diarrhea and fever. [He] was transferred from there to Washington, DC, Lincoln Hospital [and] from there sent Harwood Hospital ward 7, I think. I was very sick for six weeks or more. I think I was from there sent to Philadelphia . . . to be treated for sore eyes [but] can't tell how long I was in that hospital. But was sent from there to Detroit Mich[igan] and was there treated for sore eyes was in Harpers Hospital think it was ward 4.” He further stated that from Harper Hospital he was returned to Virginia and sent to Camp Distribution, probably near Alexandria. He was again transferred to Harwood Hospital in Washington and back to Philadelphia where he was discharged as noted above.
Following his discharge from the army Cornelius returned to Michigan, probably to Barry County. He was probably living in Hastings, Barry County when he married his second wife, New York native Marian Mosher (1834-1917), and they had at least two children, Ada (1867-1939) and Nellie (b. 1869). (His first wife reportedly died while Cornelius was away in the army in 1865.)
By 1870 Cornelius was working as a farmer and living with his wife in Orangeville, Barry County. Also living with them were his two sons William and Willard, as well as two teenage siblings John and Alice Gillespie (possibly the children of Marian).
Cornelius was living in Prairieville, Barry County in 1873, when he testified in the pension claim of another former member of the Old Third, Reuben Babcock (also from Barry County). In 1880 he was reported as married and was living in Prairieville with the family of Jesse Chase, and working as a farm laborer. He resided in Hastings, Barry County where for some years where he worked as a farmer. Cornelius was living in Prairieville, Barry County in 1884 when he attended the Sixth Annual Reunion of the Soldiers and Sailors, at Battle Creek, Calhoun County. Interestingly he is listed with the Fifth Michigan infantry rather than those in the Third.
In May of 1889 Marian divorced Cornelius (she claimed he had deserted her) and he married for a third time, on January 10, 1893, to a widow by the name of Delia A. Thomas McCluer, in Hastings, Barry County.
He resided at various times in Orangeville, Barry County and in 1890 he was living in Richland, Kalamazoo County.
Cornelius was a member of G.A.R. Sackett Post No. 320 in Prairieville. In 1885 he applied for and received a pension (no. 346,844).
Cornelius was back living in Hastings where he died on May 13, 1898, and was buried on May 14, 1898 in Riverside cemetery, Hastings: block L-north, lot no. 74, grave northeast 1/4-1, having been removed from block G, lot no. 33.
His widow applied for a pension (no. 677036) but the certificate was never granted.
If he was the son of William and Rhoda his parents were both born in New York and married sometime before 1812.
In any case, Cornelius married New York native Arvilla J. or G. (1827-1865), possibly in New York, and they had at least five children: Edgar A. (b. 1846) , Casper (b. 1849), William (b. 1853), Martha (b. 1854) and Willard (b. 1859).
Cornelius eventually left New York and by 1846 he had settled his family in Michigan. By 1850 Cornelius and his family were living in Albion, Calhoun County, with the Kesley family and where Cornelius worked as a laborer. By 1860 Cornelius was working as a farmer and living with his wife (who was blind) and children in Prairieville, Barry County.
Cornelius stood 5’7’” with blue eyes, brown hair and a fair complexion and was 46 years old and working as a farmer possibly living in Barry County when he enlisted in Company E on December 18, 1863, at Grand Rapids for 3 years, crediting Barry County; he was mustered on January 5, 1864, at Grand Rapids. Cornelius joined the Regiment on February 10, and was transferred to Company A, Fifth Michigan infantry upon consolidation of the Third and Fifth Michigan infantry Regiments on June 10, 1864, when he was reported absent sick.
According to his military service record, Cornelius was sent back to Michigan to recover his health and was a patient in the Detroit Barracks hospital when he was admitted with chronic diarrhea to Harper hospital in Detroit on October 13, 1864. Although reportedly returned to duty from Harper hospital on November 28, 1864, for reasons which remain unexplained he was in fact transferred to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and remained on the sick list until he was discharged on June 5, 1865 at Satterlee hospital, Philadelphia.
However, Cornelius claimed in 1885 that “after the battle of Spotsylvania [on May 12, 1864] on the march to Coal [Cold] Harbor in 1864 [he] was first sent to hospital at White House Landing, Va. It was a tent or field hospital [and he] was sick from chronic diarrhea and fever. [He] was transferred from there to Washington, DC, Lincoln Hospital [and] from there sent Harwood Hospital ward 7, I think. I was very sick for six weeks or more. I think I was from there sent to Philadelphia . . . to be treated for sore eyes [but] can't tell how long I was in that hospital. But was sent from there to Detroit Mich[igan] and was there treated for sore eyes was in Harpers Hospital think it was ward 4.” He further stated that from Harper Hospital he was returned to Virginia and sent to Camp Distribution, probably near Alexandria. He was again transferred to Harwood Hospital in Washington and back to Philadelphia where he was discharged as noted above.
Following his discharge from the army Cornelius returned to Michigan, probably to Barry County. He was probably living in Hastings, Barry County when he married his second wife, New York native Marian Mosher (1834-1917), and they had at least two children, Ada (1867-1939) and Nellie (b. 1869). (His first wife reportedly died while Cornelius was away in the army in 1865.)
By 1870 Cornelius was working as a farmer and living with his wife in Orangeville, Barry County. Also living with them were his two sons William and Willard, as well as two teenage siblings John and Alice Gillespie (possibly the children of Marian).
Cornelius was living in Prairieville, Barry County in 1873, when he testified in the pension claim of another former member of the Old Third, Reuben Babcock (also from Barry County). In 1880 he was reported as married and was living in Prairieville with the family of Jesse Chase, and working as a farm laborer. He resided in Hastings, Barry County where for some years where he worked as a farmer. Cornelius was living in Prairieville, Barry County in 1884 when he attended the Sixth Annual Reunion of the Soldiers and Sailors, at Battle Creek, Calhoun County. Interestingly he is listed with the Fifth Michigan infantry rather than those in the Third.
In May of 1889 Marian divorced Cornelius (she claimed he had deserted her) and he married for a third time, on January 10, 1893, to a widow by the name of Delia A. Thomas McCluer, in Hastings, Barry County.
He resided at various times in Orangeville, Barry County and in 1890 he was living in Richland, Kalamazoo County.
Cornelius was a member of G.A.R. Sackett Post No. 320 in Prairieville. In 1885 he applied for and received a pension (no. 346,844).
Cornelius was back living in Hastings where he died on May 13, 1898, and was buried on May 14, 1898 in Riverside cemetery, Hastings: block L-north, lot no. 74, grave northeast 1/4-1, having been removed from block G, lot no. 33.
His widow applied for a pension (no. 677036) but the certificate was never granted.
Wednesday, July 04, 2007
Frederick L. Barker
Frederick L. Barker was born 1843 in Oakland, Oakland County, Michigan, son of Jesse A. (b. 1820) and Caroline (b. 1821).
New York native Jesse and English-born Caroline (in Kent) were probably married sometime before 1843, possibly in New York or perhaps in Michigan. In any case they had settled in eastern Michigan by 1843 and Jesse may have been living in Manchester, Washtenaw County in 1845. They moved to the west side of the state, eventually settling in Green, Mecosta County, where Fred grew up on his family’s farm. By 1860 Fred was working as a farm laborer and lumberman and living with his family in Green, Mecosta County.
Fred stood 5’10” with black eyes, light hair and a light complexion, and was 18 years old and living with his family in either Green or in Big Rapids, Mecosta County when he enlisted with his parents’ consent in Company K on May 13, 1861. He reenlisted as a Sergeant on December 23, 1863, at Brandy Station, Virginia, crediting Sparta, Kent County, and was presumably absent on veteran’s furlough in January of 1864. He probably returned to the Regiment on or about the first of February.
Although the details are sketchy, Fred was reportedly treated for syphilis from February 23 to March 5, 1864, and again on March 10, 12 to 21. In any case, he was sufficiently well enough to be on duty with the regiment and was shot in the right arm or shoulder on May 6, 1864, at the Wilderness, Virginia, resulting in the loss of the use of that arm. Fred stated in 1866 that “a musket ball passed through the right lung and shoulder shattering the shoulder blade & cutting the muscles & nerves in such a manner that the right arm hangs perfectly powerless & useless by the side.” He was subsequently admitted to Finley hospital in Washington, DC, on May 26 with a gunshot wound to the right shoulder, and was still absent in the hospital when he was transferred as a Sergeant to Company I, Fifth Michigan Infantry upon consolidation of the Third and Fifth Michigan Regiments on June 10, 1864. He was absent on furlough from June 25.
Fred returned from furlough on August 17 and although probably still absent wounded, in August he was promoted to First Sergeant, then to Second Lieutenant on August 12, 1864, and commissioned as such August 10, replacing Lieutenant Theodore Hetz. In fact, according to the Mecosta County Pioneer, Fred was promoted sometime in July. “The new Lieutenant,” wrote the paper on July 22, “was quite surprised to hear of his good fortune, as it was entirely unexpected. He has gone to Grand Rapids for the purpose of getting his furlough extended, we believe, as his wound yet entirely disables his right arm although improving.” The editor of the paper added that “We heartily congratulate Lieut. barker on his promotion, as it is an evidence that his services have been such in the army as to merit the compliment.”
In September he was still listed as absent wounded, but was present for duty the following month. In November he was reported as First Lieutenant of Company H, commissioned on October 14, 1864, replacing Lieutenant Winans, and promoted to Captain in February of 1865, near Petersburg, Virginia, commissioned November 7, replacing Captain Wakenshaw. He was mustered out of service on July 5, 1865, at Jeffersonville, Indiana.
In 1865 Fred applied for and received a pension (19296?).
After the war Fred returned to Michigan and attended the Agricultural College in Lansing following which he went to Poughkeepsie, Dutchess County, New York, where he took a commercial course (according to one report his parents sold a cow to help pay his tuition). He was living in Poughkeepsie in September of 1866. Fred quit school however and engaged in various businesses in New York and Pennsylvania.
He eventually returned to Michigan (his parents were living in Green, Mecosta County in 1870), probably in the late 1860s or perhaps early 1870s when he reportedly came to Big Rapids and opened up an iron works which proved to be less of a commercial success, and which failure caused his parents to lose their farm in Mecosta County. They eventually settled with Fred and his family in Crawford County probably in 1877 (he may have moved to Crawford the previous year). Fred eventually became deeply interested in timber lands in northeastern Michigan and was a member of a lumbering firm in Lewiston.
In 1875 he acquired 160 acres of land through the Traverse City, Grand Traverse County, land office and in 1881 another 80 acres through Reed City in Osceola County.
He was married to Michigan native May M. Hoskins (d. 1891) of Lansing on October 11, 1871, in Lansing, Ingham County, and they had at two children, Flora and Helen May (b. 1885).
By 1880 Frederick was working as a surveyor and living with his wife in Frederic, Crawford County. They were living in Frederic in 1885.
According to the Fifth Michigan infantry Regimental history Fred died on November 30, 1888, but in fact was living in Frederic, Crawford County in 1890. His wife May died in April of 1891 in Frederick and Fred was reportedly in Albert, Montmorency County in 1894. During the Twenty-third annual reunion of the Old Third Michigan Infantry Association held on December 20, 1894, it was noted that he had died recently. Indeed, Fred died on October 12, 1894, in Grayling, Crawford County, “by wounds received in service,” noted one source. He was presumably buried in Grayling, or possibly in Big Rapids.
His daughter Helen became the ward of one C. B. Seymour of Crawford County, Pennsylvania (not Michigan). She received a minor’s pension (no. 418553).
New York native Jesse and English-born Caroline (in Kent) were probably married sometime before 1843, possibly in New York or perhaps in Michigan. In any case they had settled in eastern Michigan by 1843 and Jesse may have been living in Manchester, Washtenaw County in 1845. They moved to the west side of the state, eventually settling in Green, Mecosta County, where Fred grew up on his family’s farm. By 1860 Fred was working as a farm laborer and lumberman and living with his family in Green, Mecosta County.
Fred stood 5’10” with black eyes, light hair and a light complexion, and was 18 years old and living with his family in either Green or in Big Rapids, Mecosta County when he enlisted with his parents’ consent in Company K on May 13, 1861. He reenlisted as a Sergeant on December 23, 1863, at Brandy Station, Virginia, crediting Sparta, Kent County, and was presumably absent on veteran’s furlough in January of 1864. He probably returned to the Regiment on or about the first of February.
Although the details are sketchy, Fred was reportedly treated for syphilis from February 23 to March 5, 1864, and again on March 10, 12 to 21. In any case, he was sufficiently well enough to be on duty with the regiment and was shot in the right arm or shoulder on May 6, 1864, at the Wilderness, Virginia, resulting in the loss of the use of that arm. Fred stated in 1866 that “a musket ball passed through the right lung and shoulder shattering the shoulder blade & cutting the muscles & nerves in such a manner that the right arm hangs perfectly powerless & useless by the side.” He was subsequently admitted to Finley hospital in Washington, DC, on May 26 with a gunshot wound to the right shoulder, and was still absent in the hospital when he was transferred as a Sergeant to Company I, Fifth Michigan Infantry upon consolidation of the Third and Fifth Michigan Regiments on June 10, 1864. He was absent on furlough from June 25.
Fred returned from furlough on August 17 and although probably still absent wounded, in August he was promoted to First Sergeant, then to Second Lieutenant on August 12, 1864, and commissioned as such August 10, replacing Lieutenant Theodore Hetz. In fact, according to the Mecosta County Pioneer, Fred was promoted sometime in July. “The new Lieutenant,” wrote the paper on July 22, “was quite surprised to hear of his good fortune, as it was entirely unexpected. He has gone to Grand Rapids for the purpose of getting his furlough extended, we believe, as his wound yet entirely disables his right arm although improving.” The editor of the paper added that “We heartily congratulate Lieut. barker on his promotion, as it is an evidence that his services have been such in the army as to merit the compliment.”
In September he was still listed as absent wounded, but was present for duty the following month. In November he was reported as First Lieutenant of Company H, commissioned on October 14, 1864, replacing Lieutenant Winans, and promoted to Captain in February of 1865, near Petersburg, Virginia, commissioned November 7, replacing Captain Wakenshaw. He was mustered out of service on July 5, 1865, at Jeffersonville, Indiana.
In 1865 Fred applied for and received a pension (19296?).
After the war Fred returned to Michigan and attended the Agricultural College in Lansing following which he went to Poughkeepsie, Dutchess County, New York, where he took a commercial course (according to one report his parents sold a cow to help pay his tuition). He was living in Poughkeepsie in September of 1866. Fred quit school however and engaged in various businesses in New York and Pennsylvania.
He eventually returned to Michigan (his parents were living in Green, Mecosta County in 1870), probably in the late 1860s or perhaps early 1870s when he reportedly came to Big Rapids and opened up an iron works which proved to be less of a commercial success, and which failure caused his parents to lose their farm in Mecosta County. They eventually settled with Fred and his family in Crawford County probably in 1877 (he may have moved to Crawford the previous year). Fred eventually became deeply interested in timber lands in northeastern Michigan and was a member of a lumbering firm in Lewiston.
In 1875 he acquired 160 acres of land through the Traverse City, Grand Traverse County, land office and in 1881 another 80 acres through Reed City in Osceola County.
He was married to Michigan native May M. Hoskins (d. 1891) of Lansing on October 11, 1871, in Lansing, Ingham County, and they had at two children, Flora and Helen May (b. 1885).
By 1880 Frederick was working as a surveyor and living with his wife in Frederic, Crawford County. They were living in Frederic in 1885.
According to the Fifth Michigan infantry Regimental history Fred died on November 30, 1888, but in fact was living in Frederic, Crawford County in 1890. His wife May died in April of 1891 in Frederick and Fred was reportedly in Albert, Montmorency County in 1894. During the Twenty-third annual reunion of the Old Third Michigan Infantry Association held on December 20, 1894, it was noted that he had died recently. Indeed, Fred died on October 12, 1894, in Grayling, Crawford County, “by wounds received in service,” noted one source. He was presumably buried in Grayling, or possibly in Big Rapids.
His daughter Helen became the ward of one C. B. Seymour of Crawford County, Pennsylvania (not Michigan). She received a minor’s pension (no. 418553).
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