For Veterans Day this year, while wars are raging and innocent civilians are dying, let's go back to see some ancestors who survived their battles...starting with the Civil War (which wasn't always civil actually).
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On my ancestor's blog, I recently shared about GG Uncle RAG...Sgt. Richard A. Gee, married to my GG Auntie Fanny Gee, sister of my GG grandmother. I can't get used to the new terms of grand aunt and grand uncle. Just too old to learn new tricks.
Sergeant Richard A. Gee (Rag = his initials). His wife was Fanny Witty Gee (1850-1923) sister of my GG Grandmother Eugenia Witty Booth (1852-875) on my mother's side of my family tree,
Richard Albert Gee was a Sergeant in the Confederacy, and thus had a veterans grave marker when he died in 1930 at age 96. He entered the Civil War in 1861 as a Corporal in Parson's Mounted Volunteers, 12th Regiment of Texas Cavalry, Company A. He discharged with the rank of Sergeant.
Having survived the Civil War, he lived many more years, and it wasn't until 1927 that he applied for Veterans Benefits. His wife Fanny had died in 1923. And Rag only had these benefits until he died in 1930.
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| One of these men is Richard Albert Gee. I think it's the older looking one. Rag only had one brother, John O. Gee, born in 1844, so about 11 years younger than Richard (born in 1833!) |
Richard Albert "Rag" Gee, (1833-1930) He's also buried in Covington Cemetery, TX.
I spoke more about him on my Ancestry site Three Family Trees.
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I have many other ancestors who fought on the Confederate side of that conflict. But let's look at one of the ones who fought for the Union.
William D. James is another GG Grand Uncle, whose wife was a GG Grand Aunt. She was the sister of my GG Grandfather, Capt. Alexander G. Swasey. (Post about him HERE) Her name was Ruth Ann Swasey James.
They lived in Massachusetts most of their lives, then William took part in the gold rush to California in 1849. They moved to Visalia CA later after the Civil War.
William D. James cir. 1900
There's an interesting story about his enlistment to serve in the Union Army. Apparently he almost got conscripted into the Confederacy in Mobile AL, where he was working.
(NOTE: in the following description the details are about Ruth's father, Captain Alexander Swasey)
A recap of the time of his arriving in California. Apparently his return in 1853 followed his marriage to Ruth Swasey in 1851.
The above article appears in "A Memorial and biographical history of the counties of Fresno, Tulare and Kern, California" published by Ancestry DOT com.
There are a couple of errors in the reporting which I've noticed, but much of it is verified by other records.
His time at the end of the Civil War was not spent in Libby Prison, but as part of a final battle at Fort Stedman, where the following describes his imprisonment:
| Imprisonment Date | 25 Mar 1865 |
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| Imprisonment Place | Fort Stedman, Virginia |
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| Muster Out Date | 26 May 1865 |
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| Muster Out Information | Mustered Out |
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So at the end of the battle he was mustered out of the Union Army, where he had been in the infantry and a carpenter. His enlistment was:
| Enlistment Date | 18 May 1861 |
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| Enlistment Rank | Private |
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| Muster Date | 22 May 1861 |
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| Muster Place | Massachusetts |
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| Muster Company | D |
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| Muster Regiment | 29th Infantry |
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| Muster Regiment Type | Infantry |
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| Muster Information | Enlisted |
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The Fort Stedman battle apparently included some soldiers pretending to defect during the night prior to the battle, so as to be inside and disarm their guards at the beginning of hostilities. I read the Wikipedia description but admit to not being able to keep track of which general was on which side.
These Army records state that William Davenport James, was a private in the 36th Regiment, Massachusetts Infantry, Company D.
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All descendants of the Swasey line from Alexander G. Swasey Sr. are eligible to join the Daughters (or Sons) of the American Revolution (DAR) according to the lineage book Vol. 086. Again, another veteran, this time of the Revolutionary War. Mrs. Lewellyn James Nickerson was William James' daughter, as described below.
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Lt. Jerathmel Swasey was my Great times 4 grandfather, as shown above. I've posted a bit about him before:
Jerathmel Bowers Swasey
Birth 10 May 1752 in Somerset, Bristol, MA
Death 4 Feb 1826 in Somerset, Bristol, MA
married to: Sarah Hellon born: 1752
I don't know that much about Jerathmel. But Somerset MA became a town in 1790, during his lifetime. It had been settled as early as 1677 on Shawomet lands. It is on a river, and was a major seaport.
The Swasey's did have a nautical connection, with his son Alexander G. Swasey "a wood carver by trade but engaged for many years in command of ship to the coast of China." There are others (probably my relatives) who compiled a publication about the Swasey family.
"Geneology of the Swasey Family" 1910 by Benjamin Swasey, an ebook that is available on line.
The booklet gives more information on Jerathmel's father which is also of interest. He was also a veteran!
Joseph Swasey, shipwright, Bapt(ized) in Boston, Mass. Aug. 12, 1714; died in Somerset, Mass; bef. 1801; married daughter of Jonathan & Ann Sylvester Bowers, of Swansea, Mass. She was of Spanish descent. (?!!) Joseph, removed with his family to Salem, where he lived until 1749. He followed there the trade of hatter. In that year he bought (in) Swansea of John Palmer, 10 acres of land on Taunton River for which he paid ~1300 O.T.
He put up a set of buildings, including a hat shop, built a wharf & engaged in shipbuilding, floating his craft down to Fall River. The dwelling house occupied by the family for 3 generations was taken down several years ago. The old cellar & the broad stone step still remain to mark the site. The "Swasey burying ground" occupied about an acre of the original lot, upon which are many tombstones that mark the resting place of his descendants.
In 1758-9, he (Joseph Swasey) was a private in his Majesty's service from the Province of Massachusetts, in Capt. Stephen Whipple's Co; Col. Jonathan Bagley's Regt; for the reduction of Canada. In 1801, his estate was divided among his heirs which included the widow, sons Jerathmel & Joseph heirs of his son Samuel, & daughter Hannah.
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| 323 Main St, Somerset, MA (according to the ebook about the Swaseys) |
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In considering Veterans Day today, November 11, 2023, I am also aware of many other relatives and friends who have been active in defending democracy in the United States against various foes. I honor them all today (and every day) though I personally am a pacifist. This is my choice in hoping the world will move someday to being a peaceful place between all peoples, no matter what their background or geography.
Wendy Johnson, Gardening At the Dragon's Gate: Working in the Wild and Cultivated World.
