William H. Lee was born in 1839 in Michigan.
By 1860 William was working as a shoemaker for Riordan & Kaiser, and living in Grand Rapids’ First Ward.
William was 22 years old and probably still living in Grand Rapids when he enlisted in Company F on May 13, 1861. He was promoted to Corporal on May 8, 1862, and in May and June of 1862 he was reported as sick in his quarters. In July and august he was listed as absent and serving as Acting Regimental commissary Sergeant with the supply train. He was promoted to Sergeant on August 12, 1862. On February 25, 1862 William was promoted to First sergeant, replacing Milton Leonard who was promoted to Second Lieutenant. William was listed as absent sick at Alexandria, Virginia, from June 12, 1863, and was reduced to Sergeant on or about July 1. He was still absent sick at the convalescent Camp in Alexandria, in September and October of.
On October 2, 1863, Charles Wright of Company A, wrote home to his sister that Lee had helped him and another man acquire boots from Grand Rapids. “I received three pair of boots from your city this week,” wrote Wright. “Three of us sent to Reardon's for boots; William Lee, sergeant of my Regiment is here, is a brother-in-law to Reardon, and proposed sending for three pairs, one pair for himself and one for Sergt. Long and one pair for myself. They were sent by express and came through safe. They cost us eight dollars per pair here. They are heavy calf and was exactly what I wanted. There were square toes and look so odd. The boys here all laugh at us and one fellow the other day asked me how long since I came from the Old Country, and pointed at my square toes. At any rate I am told that they are all the go at the north now. That is to say they are fashionable, . . .”
William remained absent sick, probably at Alexandria, until he was transferred as a Sergeant to the Veterans’ Reserve Corps on April 28, 1864, at Washington, DC.
It is not known if William survived the war or if he did survive whether or not he returned to Michigan. No pension seems to be available.
In 1868-69 there was a William H. Lee who was working as a sawyer for Nelson, Comstock & Co. in Grand Rapids, and in 1894 there a civil war veteran named William H. Lee residing in Harbor Springs, Emmet County.
Monday, July 13, 2009
Sunday, July 12, 2009
Robert Lee - updated 3/22/2015
Based on a review of pension records:
Robert W. Lee was born in 1832 in Ireland.
Robert married Mary E. on February 11, 1858, in Plymouth, Michigan, and they had at least two children: Benjamin (b. 1859) and Margaret (b. 1860).
The family eventually settled in Kent County.
Robert stood 5’4” with blue eyes, light hair and a light complexion, and was 29 years old and residing in Sparta, Kent County when he enlisted in Company C on May 13, 1861. He was discharged on December 16, 1861, at Camp Michigan, Virginia, for chronic rheumatism.
According to his wife, after his discharge Robert returned to his home in Sparta, where he died on March 2, 1862. He was supposed to have been interred in Myers cemetery, Sparta, although no record of his burial exists.
In 1862 his widow Mary was living in South Lyons, Oakland County, when she applied for and received a pension (no. 75777). She eventually remarried to a Mr. Shook or Shooks and, as a result a pension was filed on behalf of at least one minor child (no. 106583).
In 1870 Benjamin E. Lee and Margaret Lee were living with their mother Mary Shook and her husband J. in Deerfield, Livingston County.
Robert W. Lee was born in 1832 in Ireland.
Robert married Mary E. on February 11, 1858, in Plymouth, Michigan, and they had at least two children: Benjamin (b. 1859) and Margaret (b. 1860).
The family eventually settled in Kent County.
Robert stood 5’4” with blue eyes, light hair and a light complexion, and was 29 years old and residing in Sparta, Kent County when he enlisted in Company C on May 13, 1861. He was discharged on December 16, 1861, at Camp Michigan, Virginia, for chronic rheumatism.
According to his wife, after his discharge Robert returned to his home in Sparta, where he died on March 2, 1862. He was supposed to have been interred in Myers cemetery, Sparta, although no record of his burial exists.
In 1862 his widow Mary was living in South Lyons, Oakland County, when she applied for and received a pension (no. 75777). She eventually remarried to a Mr. Shook or Shooks and, as a result a pension was filed on behalf of at least one minor child (no. 106583).
In 1870 Benjamin E. Lee and Margaret Lee were living with their mother Mary Shook and her husband J. in Deerfield, Livingston County.
Saturday, July 11, 2009
Joseph Ledbeter
Joseph Ledbeter was born on February 6, 1828, in London, England.
Joseph immigrated to the United States, eventually settling in western Michigan. By 1860 he was working as a mill hand and living at the Paddock boarding house in Georgetown, Ottawa County, Michigan, along with: John Finch (who would join Company I), Albert Hayes (Company I), Benjamin Parker (Company I), James Parm (Company I), Thomas Rowling (Company B), Stephen Scales (Company I), Alfred (Company F), William Tate (Company I) and John M. Taylor (Company I).
He stood 5’7” with gray eyes, brown hair and a dark complexion and was 33 years old and listed his place of residence as Wayne County when he enlisted in Company B on May 13, 1861. He was absent sick in the hospital in July and August of 1862, and probably still hospitalized when he allegedly deserted on September 21 at Upton’s Hill, Virginia. He was discharged for dyspepsia and nephritis on December 12, 1862, at Portsmouth Grove, Rhode Island.
After his discharge Joseph eventually returned to Michigan and settled in Caledonia, Shiawassee County, working for many years as a gardener.
He married Vermont native Maria (b. 1839), and they had at least five children: Jonas (b. 1871) Charles (b. 1873), Gracie (b. 1876), Fannie, Thomas and William (b. 1878).
By 1880 Joseph was working as a gardener and living with his wife and children in Owosso’s Second Ward, Shiawassee County. Joseph was living in Caledonia when he was admitted to the Michigan Soldiers’ Home (no. 1352) for the first time on August 27, 1890; and in December of that year he became a member of the Old Third Michigan Infantry Association; he was also reportedly living in Caledonia in 1894.
He was probably a member of the Grand Army of the Republic Quackenbush post in Caledonia. In 1880 he applied for and received a pension (no. 298557).
Joseph was in and out of the Home several times but was not a member of the Home and indeed was probably living in Caledonia when he died of a stroke of paralysis (a result of severe heart disease) at about 12:45 a.m., on September 2, 1896, in Caledonia. Funeral services were held at his home under the auspices of the GAR, the Rev. Marshall officiating. He was buried in Oakhill cemetery in Owosso.
His widow applied for and received a pension (no. 440886).
Joseph immigrated to the United States, eventually settling in western Michigan. By 1860 he was working as a mill hand and living at the Paddock boarding house in Georgetown, Ottawa County, Michigan, along with: John Finch (who would join Company I), Albert Hayes (Company I), Benjamin Parker (Company I), James Parm (Company I), Thomas Rowling (Company B), Stephen Scales (Company I), Alfred (Company F), William Tate (Company I) and John M. Taylor (Company I).
He stood 5’7” with gray eyes, brown hair and a dark complexion and was 33 years old and listed his place of residence as Wayne County when he enlisted in Company B on May 13, 1861. He was absent sick in the hospital in July and August of 1862, and probably still hospitalized when he allegedly deserted on September 21 at Upton’s Hill, Virginia. He was discharged for dyspepsia and nephritis on December 12, 1862, at Portsmouth Grove, Rhode Island.
After his discharge Joseph eventually returned to Michigan and settled in Caledonia, Shiawassee County, working for many years as a gardener.
He married Vermont native Maria (b. 1839), and they had at least five children: Jonas (b. 1871) Charles (b. 1873), Gracie (b. 1876), Fannie, Thomas and William (b. 1878).
By 1880 Joseph was working as a gardener and living with his wife and children in Owosso’s Second Ward, Shiawassee County. Joseph was living in Caledonia when he was admitted to the Michigan Soldiers’ Home (no. 1352) for the first time on August 27, 1890; and in December of that year he became a member of the Old Third Michigan Infantry Association; he was also reportedly living in Caledonia in 1894.
He was probably a member of the Grand Army of the Republic Quackenbush post in Caledonia. In 1880 he applied for and received a pension (no. 298557).
Joseph was in and out of the Home several times but was not a member of the Home and indeed was probably living in Caledonia when he died of a stroke of paralysis (a result of severe heart disease) at about 12:45 a.m., on September 2, 1896, in Caledonia. Funeral services were held at his home under the auspices of the GAR, the Rev. Marshall officiating. He was buried in Oakhill cemetery in Owosso.
His widow applied for and received a pension (no. 440886).
Friday, July 10, 2009
John Le Clair
John Le Clair was born in 1838 in Erie County, Pennsylvania.
John left Pennsylvania and came to western Michigan sometime before the war broke out.
He stood 5’10” with light eyes, sandy hair and a light complexion and was a 23-year-old farmer possibly living in Cascade, Kent County when he enlisted in Company A on May 13, 1861. By late July of 1861 he was sick with consumption, and it was rumored in the company that he would soon be discharged. In fact he was discharged for consumption on July 29, 1861, at Arlington Heights, Virginia.
By early August John had returned to Michigan and was quite likely residing in Cascade where he reentered the service as a Corporal in Company H, Fourth Michigan cavalry on July 31, 1862, for 3 years, crediting Cascade, and was mustered on August 28 at Detroit where the regiment was being organized. The regiment left Michigan on September 26 for Louisville, Kentucky and participated in numerous actions throughout Tennessee during the fall of 1862.
John was sick in a hospital in Nashville, Tennessee, from December 26, 1862, through March of 1863, and he probably remained hospitalized until he died a Private on October 20, 1863, at Chattanooga, Tennessee, of disease. He was buried at Chattanooga National Cemetery.
There was one John Le Clair, living in Illinois in 1915 when he applied for a civil war pension (no. 1523131) based on service in Company A, Thirty-fifth Michigan infantry. There were in fact only thirty infantry regiments (plus an additional three reorganized) of infantry from the state of Michigan. There was also one John Le Clere living in Michigan in the early twentieth century when he applied for and received a pension (no. 698551) based on his service as Sergeant Major and/or in Company F, Eighth U.S. infantry.
John left Pennsylvania and came to western Michigan sometime before the war broke out.
He stood 5’10” with light eyes, sandy hair and a light complexion and was a 23-year-old farmer possibly living in Cascade, Kent County when he enlisted in Company A on May 13, 1861. By late July of 1861 he was sick with consumption, and it was rumored in the company that he would soon be discharged. In fact he was discharged for consumption on July 29, 1861, at Arlington Heights, Virginia.
By early August John had returned to Michigan and was quite likely residing in Cascade where he reentered the service as a Corporal in Company H, Fourth Michigan cavalry on July 31, 1862, for 3 years, crediting Cascade, and was mustered on August 28 at Detroit where the regiment was being organized. The regiment left Michigan on September 26 for Louisville, Kentucky and participated in numerous actions throughout Tennessee during the fall of 1862.
John was sick in a hospital in Nashville, Tennessee, from December 26, 1862, through March of 1863, and he probably remained hospitalized until he died a Private on October 20, 1863, at Chattanooga, Tennessee, of disease. He was buried at Chattanooga National Cemetery.
There was one John Le Clair, living in Illinois in 1915 when he applied for a civil war pension (no. 1523131) based on service in Company A, Thirty-fifth Michigan infantry. There were in fact only thirty infantry regiments (plus an additional three reorganized) of infantry from the state of Michigan. There was also one John Le Clere living in Michigan in the early twentieth century when he applied for and received a pension (no. 698551) based on his service as Sergeant Major and/or in Company F, Eighth U.S. infantry.
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