Civil War soldiers database & NARA files

[Peggy]

Having done a spot of volunteering for the project, I'd like to point out that The National Park Service has a database of Civil War soldiers.

The information about each soldier is minimal, but the site also provides a history of the regiment, and a list of members of each regiment. If you find your man, you can order pension and/or military files from the National Archives. These can provide a wealth of information: copies of marriage and death certificates, lists of children, physical description, etc. I learned that my ancestor had his pay docked for 49 cartridges and a screwdriver!

[Geoffers]

[Having done a spot of volunteering for the project, I'd like to point out that The National Park Service has a database of Civil War soldiers at http://www.itd.nps.gov/cwss/]

Excellent website, very quick - thanks for posting the URL.

[If you find your man, you can order pension and/or military files from the National Archives. These can provide a wealth of information: copies of marriage and death certificates, lists of children, physical description, etc. I learned that my ancestor had his pay docked for 49 cartridges and a screwdriver!]

The file I have includes a certificate of baptism from Buxton, Norfolk, where John Lowe (Private 'A' Co, 157th NYSV) was born. For anyone who hasn't applied for these documents though, be warned that it does take a l-o-n-g time to arrive.

Geoffers
Charlbury, Oxfordshire

[Geoffers]

For anyone researching Civil War Soldiers from New York State, there are a couple websites I have found useful.

My own interest is specifically in Madison County, for which a list is available
http://www.morrisville.edu/library/local_history/sites/mad_bury/master.html
recording: Name, age, where from, rank, unit, dates and cemetery

This has links to the 'NYS and the Civil War' website:
http://library.morrisville.edu/local_history/sites/

Geoffers
Charlbury, Oxfordshire

[MichaelD]

Hi Geoffers,

You seem to have your finger on the pulse for soldiers in New York State. My grand father was an Australian who joined the US Army and served in an artillery unit at West Point. I have photographs of him which have been dated around 1907:

I have forwarded his particulars to NARA but have come up negative. Can you advise of a URL which may identify what artillery unit was attached to West Point around 1906/7.

Regards:

[Geoffers]

My grand father was an Australian who joined the US Army and served in an artillery unit at West Point. I have photographs of him which have been dated around 1907.....Can you advise of a URL which may identify what artillery unit was attached to West Point around 1906/7. Regards:
Sorry to say that my limited knowledge is not that specific. I'd suggest asking the West Point Museum to see of they have any record. They can be contacted via:
http://www.usma.edu/Museum/

If I think of owt else, I'll let you know
Good luck

Geoffers
Charlbury, Oxfordshire

[Stephen M. Kohler]

Peggy,
Thank you. From my standpoint your work was worth it. The National Park Service database of Civil War soldiers is outstanding. I've used it for research on many occassions. I've also been very successful finding information on ancestors serving in both armies. BTW, all those Clifford, Reed, Pride sailors and soldiers from New England and the Taylor, Sanders, Stack, Cato, and Lott soldiers from the Carolinas - they are mine. :0)

/R

Stephen
Washington, DC

[Peggy]

You're most welcome, Stephen. :)

I worked on only a tiny % of them, but did get batches from states on both sides. The contrasts were fascinating, and just looking at the reference cards would have told you who won the war. You'd go from working on a batch for the [warning - making these up to illustrate] 126th PA Volunteer Infantry, to doing a batch for Butler's Horse, combined with the remnants of Smith's Cavalry, and with units of the 2nd Alabama. . . .

Btw, I just finally found (through a contact from B-G Forums!) relatives who fought for the CSA. I was sure I'd have some on both sides of that war too.

Best,

Peggy

[mjn1968]

Pension files for Union Civil War Soldiers are available from the National ARchives and are a wonderful source. Those who have never seen a pension can view scans of sample documents.

There are also links to addional resources and finding aids.

Michael

[Dragonfly]

Interesting link Peggy, I have quickly used it to find some info, after using John Coliers "American Civil War Grave sites in Britain & Ireland".

Thanks.

[ppod]

I have " lost" JOB STUCKEY in england between 1858 and 1871. I have done numerous searches on British sites to no avail. I have just come across this link by chance and entered a search and lo and behold up comes a Job Stuckey, Private, 52 Ilinois Infantry, Union Side, Company B, film M539 roll 88.

My knowledge of American history is sadly lacking so could anyone tell me if there is any chance that this could be my Job ( born 1829 Somerset, England) and if so how I go about finding out more.

Thank you.

Pat

[Geoffers]

I suggest trying the 1860 American census to see if you can locate your chap there.

If you know his home parish in England and have a rough idea when he may have emigrated, try the records created as a result of the Poor Law Amendment Act 1834, these are held at the National Archives (TNA) at Kew, in document class Mh12.

On the American side, try locating his record of service in the Amercian Civil War. There is this link on the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) which gives some information
http://www.archives.gov/veterans/military-service-records/pre-ww-1-records.html

[Mike_E]

My knowledge of American history is sadly lacking so could anyone tell me if there is any chance that this could be my Job ( born 1829 Somerset, England) and if so how I go about finding out more.


Were his parents Edward & Margret by any chance?, just found a Job Stuckey on the US 1860 Census in IL, with parents and siblings.

[ppod]

Sadly no. They were John and Ann living in Somerset. He was married and I can track his wife and children in UK

[ppod]

He seems to have been a wanderer!. Born Kingston Seymour, Somerset. Married a Shropshire lass. First child born Wolverhampton, second child in Bristol. Then he disappears! Wife and family in Stoke Staffs in 61 and have been joined by Job in '71.
Im really trying all possibilities to track him down during the missing years.

[Peggy]

Wherever your man was in 1861, he doesn't appear to have been the chap in the 52nd Illinois.

Ancestry is showing that Job as having died on 18 Sep 1864; buried in Marietta (Georgia) National Cemetery. He was probably the one found in Hudson, McLean Co., Illinois in 1860 in this household:

Edward Stuckey 44
Margaret Stuckey 46
James Stuckey 22
Adolph Stuckey 20
Mary Stuckey 18
Job Stuckey 17
Jane Stuckey 14
Thomas Stuckey 8
Anna Stuckey 5

They were all born in England. Relatives? Edward was a farmer. The 1860 census didn't show relationships. I checked the handwritten version, and 17 was indeed the age shown for Job.

[birdlip]

Well, how exciting! I think I may have found several of my New York PHAIR relatives fighting on the Union side. There are 18 PHAIR's listed , three are Confederates, and of the remaining 15 Union soldiers, eight enlisted in various regiments of the New York Infantry. There are a couple of James Phair's, one of which I'm hoping will turn out to be my elusive g-g-grandfather, I've just sent off to NARA for the forms to fill out, so I can request their details.

Thanks so much for posting all this, the website is excellent, and I'd never have thought of looking there.

regards birdlip

[ppod]

Peggy,
Thanks for that. It was really a long shot but worth a try. There were quite a few Stuckeys who went over to America. Edward and family could well have been amongst them.

[Peter_uk_can]

Does anyone know who was responsible for erecting the grave markers for Union Soldiers of the Civil War. We recently vsited the grave of Alexander Chaboillez who is buried on the Red Lake Reserve in Minnesota. Although we traced family descendents in the area, they didn't even know he was buried there. There is no date, just his regiment. The army records show him being discharged, so we know he didn't die whilst in service.

We are still attemtoing to find out what happened to the early records for this graveyard, but had no success yet.

[Leander]

Hi yet again, Mike.

No, I'm not stalking you. :-)

Found a Civil War soldier, Job Stuckey, from Hudson, Illinois. He fought for the Union, of course, being from Illinois. Enlisted as a private on 17-Sept-1861. On 25-Oct-1861 he was enlisted in Company B, 52nd Infantry Regiment Illinois.

Unfortunately, died in the same service on 18-Sept-1864. It would be interesting to see if he died in a battle or, as most soldiers, died of disease (cholera, typhus, and the like killed more soldiers in the war than battles).

[Leander]

Peter,

It looks like Alexander was alive in 1880 when he purchased 160 acres of land in Minnesota (http://www.glorecords.blm.gov/PatentSearch/Detail.asp?Accession=MN0300%5F%5F%2E235&Index=1&QryID=75314%2E37&DetailTab=1)

Hope that link works. If not try here: http://www.glorecords.blm.gov/, then search land patents. The first time through it will ask you for a postal (zip) code. If yours doesn't work, just plug in 12205 and work from there.

I've been unable to locate him after that, but he did live in an isolated area and has a surname that would lend itself to mispellings.

Best of luck!

Deb

[Peter_uk_can]

Hi Leander. We have the land record and the birth date for his children.

Our website also mentions the 22+ variations of the spelling that continue to trouble any and all research. Someone obviously provided these gravemarkers as they are the same for many fallen and ex civil war soldiers.

To date we have not been able to find who was responsible.

Thanks for your reply.

[Leander]

Hi Peter,

Grave markers for veterans are usually placed by historical societies or veterans organizations.

The cemetery was part of an Episcopal church, yes? At one point it was St. Antipas and now there's a St. John in the Wilderness church at Red Lake, which might also serve the reservation. I'd contact the church or the diocese. (http://www.episcopalmn.org/article67785.htm)

Death records probably would be the domain of the church, since most states weren't required to record births, marriages, and deaths until the 1880s, and in some places much later than that.

Another option might be the Red Lake Reservation authorities. Some tribes keep records (I know that many of the Iroquois tribes do).

I couldn't find a Civil War pension application for Alexander, nor a survivor's application. It may not have made any of the online lists.

You have done thorough research and probably know about this already, but just in case....http://www.maquah.net/We_Have_The_Right_To_Exist/WeHaveTheRight_30-Appendix4.html

[Peter_uk_can]

Hi Leander.. I will pusrue the links to the church again.

Obviously someone went to some trouble to have the grave marked, which is a good thing, but I guess for what ever reason, Alex became forgotten by his descendents, who under the name Chaboyea, are buried only a few feet away.

Funny old world eh. Thanks for your efforts, they are appreciated and I will let you know when we progress. I prefer the word "when" to "if"

Peter