Dutchman
03-25-2015, 06:49 PM
Share your family's Civil War stories below....
One of the mysteries in my family tree is the circumstances surrounding Elias Garvin (my great-great grandfather maternal side). He was born in Winchester, Virginia in 1845. His father was Samuel Garvin, the shoemaker, and mother Malinda Johnson. The entire Johnson family were diehard Confederates. They lived in Highview of Hampshire County, Virginia, later to be West Virginia.
The mystery of Elias lies in the fact that in the 1860 census, he is 15 yrs old, he resides in Enon, Clark County, Ohio with the family of Reverend Benjamin Siever. Among the family are two teenage girls last name Hyatt and one Catherine Johnson age 72. Now Johnson is the name of Elias' mother so at this point I'll assume her to be related somehow. Malinda, Elias' mother, dies in 1850 age 36. Samuel remarries Mary Lafollete, who's first born daughter in 1862 is named Malinda.
The how and why of Elias living with this family is the mystery, but this did explain why Elias named his first born son Benjamin Siever Garvin (1870-1945).
In 1861, at age 16, Elias joins the Ohio 16th Battalion Field Artillery and for the next 4 years survives combat to include the siege of Vicksburg, Mississippi. In 1865, age 20, he musters out of the 16th Ohio and joins the 5th United States Veteran Volunteers as a sergeant. He serves one year of garrison duty and musters out in 1866. In 1867 he is in Cedar County, Iowa marrying Clarinda Diltz. How he got from Ohio to Iowa.....? Unknown. Where he met Clarinda.....? Unknown. They settled in Red Oak, Montgomery County, Iowa where in 1877 my great-grandmother was born, Grace Mae Garvin, who died in 1961 in Southern California. (my first family funeral.)
Diltz family: Originally hailing from Bedford County, Pennsylvania where they migrated to circa 1790 from Hunterdon County, New Jersey. Palatine Germans. Clarinda's father, George (1810-1894), was a master wheelwright, wagon maker and postmaster of Morrisons Cove. There were 3 Diltz familes there at the time and they all migrated to Tipton, Cedar Co, Iowa in 1857. The older brother, William, was a blacksmith. The first Diltz in Cedar County, Iowa was Peter Diltz, the eldest brother, in 1836. The George Diltz family consisted of 10 children.
Elias was great-grandson of Henry Garvin (1750-1807) & Sarah McKee. Henry was in the 6th Pennsylvania Brigade and 7th Continental Line 1776-1783. He was at Valley Forge. Henry was an indentured servant prior to enlisting. He was born in County Down, Ireland. Sarah was born County Antrim, Ireland.
I first received these photos from a cousin in SoCalif just a couple years ago. The picture of the young couple couldn't be later than 1870. They both look so young yet Elias was a combat veteran of 5 years of very ugly warfare. I thought Clarinda was a babe.
http://images41.fotki.com/v1526/photos/2/28344/2133622/Elias_Clarinda2-vi.jpg
Elias died in 1897 at age 52 from tuberculosis. Clarinda in 1924 age 74. Both are buried in Chester, Thayer Co, Nebraska where they migrated shortly after 1880. I've visited their graves. Some of my Lasby relatives from Ontario, Canada had settled in Chester in the late 1870s which is why they all ended up there. Grace Mae Garvin married Martin Lewis Lasby and they moved to Ithaca, New York where my mother was born 1926. My maternal grandmother was born in Chester in 1899.
http://images55.fotki.com/v1617/photos/2/28344/2133622/Elias_Clarinda1-vi.jpg
Its hard to know the character of a man so long after he walked this earth. Pictures are nice but they don't tell as much as you want to know. Family stories may exist but they also fade away after a couple generations. Too often the last word on a man is his obituary:
A Good Man Gone
Elias R. Garvin Passes To His Long Home.
End Came suddenly on Friday afternoon,
September 19, 1897, at 2:50 o'clock.
Mr. E.R. Garvin is dead, and now his spirit is soaring with those who have passed o'er death's
river and mingles with the loved ones who have passed on before.
The end came suddenly though not unexpectedly. For months before he died he and his family have been waiting and watching for that end which was fast hastening on. He was a victim of that dread disease, consumption, and while he had been very low at times, he had rallied there from and on the morning of his death left his home in bright and buoyant spirits, whistling and singing on his way to town. About 10 o'clock he went into Frank Donnell's and got shaved, and then to Lasby's meat market. While sitting in the back room he was taken with hemorrhage of the lungs. The doctors not being in town D.A. Kopp, druggist, attempted to stay the flow of blood and had partially succeeded when Dr.Mosshart arrived, and as soon as possible the sufferer was conveyed to the home of his son-in-law Lewis Lasby. Soon after arriving hemorrhage again set in and continued until the end came. He was conscious and peaceful to the last, and passed away conscious in the belief that it was only a day before his loved ones would follow. His wife and children, Will, Ed and Grace were with him when the end came.
The funeral took place Saturday at 2 o'clock p.m., from the Methodist church conducted by Rev. P.C.Johnson, D.D. after which the remains were laid to rest in the Chester cemetery, a large number of friends escorting the remains to its last resting place.
Elias R. Garvin was born at Winchester, Virginia August 7, 1845, and died in Chester, Nebraska September 10, 1897, being at the time of his death 52 years, 1 month and 3 days old. On August 20, 1861 at the age of 16 years he enlisted in the United States Army and served his country faithfully in the war of rebellion until he was honorably discharged, March 25, 1866.
He was married to Miss Clarinda E. Diltz at Tipton, Iowa, December 14, 1867, by whom he had eight children, three having passed on before, his wife, four sons and one daughter survive him. They are: Benjamin S. Garvin of Newfield, Colorado; George M. of St.Louis, Missouri; William R. of St.Louis, Missouri, Edwin A. and Grace M. (Lasby) of Chester, Nebraska.
He moved with his family to Red Oak, Iowa in 1876 and in July, 1883, came to Nebraska and settled upon the home place one mile west of town, where he has built up a beautiful farm home, well worthy the man who has been called hence.
Mr. Garvin was an exemplary citizen and to know him was but to love and respect him. As a husband he was loyal, true and faithful; as a father he was loving, kind and affectionate, and as a citizen he was all that the word implies careful, painstaking, honest, his fellow man trusted him explicitly and no one ever thought to gainsay his word.
He has held several positions of trust in the county. In 1886 he was elected to the office of county commissioner, which office he held for six years, and by his unswerving integrity and strict business principles he carried on the county affairs successfully and satisfactorily.
In 1876 he joined the Methodist Episcopal church, and at the time of his death was faithful and true to his trust. He was a member of the Grand Army of the Republic, that body and the Relief Corp attending the last sad rights in a body.
One of the mysteries in my family tree is the circumstances surrounding Elias Garvin (my great-great grandfather maternal side). He was born in Winchester, Virginia in 1845. His father was Samuel Garvin, the shoemaker, and mother Malinda Johnson. The entire Johnson family were diehard Confederates. They lived in Highview of Hampshire County, Virginia, later to be West Virginia.
The mystery of Elias lies in the fact that in the 1860 census, he is 15 yrs old, he resides in Enon, Clark County, Ohio with the family of Reverend Benjamin Siever. Among the family are two teenage girls last name Hyatt and one Catherine Johnson age 72. Now Johnson is the name of Elias' mother so at this point I'll assume her to be related somehow. Malinda, Elias' mother, dies in 1850 age 36. Samuel remarries Mary Lafollete, who's first born daughter in 1862 is named Malinda.
The how and why of Elias living with this family is the mystery, but this did explain why Elias named his first born son Benjamin Siever Garvin (1870-1945).
In 1861, at age 16, Elias joins the Ohio 16th Battalion Field Artillery and for the next 4 years survives combat to include the siege of Vicksburg, Mississippi. In 1865, age 20, he musters out of the 16th Ohio and joins the 5th United States Veteran Volunteers as a sergeant. He serves one year of garrison duty and musters out in 1866. In 1867 he is in Cedar County, Iowa marrying Clarinda Diltz. How he got from Ohio to Iowa.....? Unknown. Where he met Clarinda.....? Unknown. They settled in Red Oak, Montgomery County, Iowa where in 1877 my great-grandmother was born, Grace Mae Garvin, who died in 1961 in Southern California. (my first family funeral.)
Diltz family: Originally hailing from Bedford County, Pennsylvania where they migrated to circa 1790 from Hunterdon County, New Jersey. Palatine Germans. Clarinda's father, George (1810-1894), was a master wheelwright, wagon maker and postmaster of Morrisons Cove. There were 3 Diltz familes there at the time and they all migrated to Tipton, Cedar Co, Iowa in 1857. The older brother, William, was a blacksmith. The first Diltz in Cedar County, Iowa was Peter Diltz, the eldest brother, in 1836. The George Diltz family consisted of 10 children.
Elias was great-grandson of Henry Garvin (1750-1807) & Sarah McKee. Henry was in the 6th Pennsylvania Brigade and 7th Continental Line 1776-1783. He was at Valley Forge. Henry was an indentured servant prior to enlisting. He was born in County Down, Ireland. Sarah was born County Antrim, Ireland.
I first received these photos from a cousin in SoCalif just a couple years ago. The picture of the young couple couldn't be later than 1870. They both look so young yet Elias was a combat veteran of 5 years of very ugly warfare. I thought Clarinda was a babe.
http://images41.fotki.com/v1526/photos/2/28344/2133622/Elias_Clarinda2-vi.jpg
Elias died in 1897 at age 52 from tuberculosis. Clarinda in 1924 age 74. Both are buried in Chester, Thayer Co, Nebraska where they migrated shortly after 1880. I've visited their graves. Some of my Lasby relatives from Ontario, Canada had settled in Chester in the late 1870s which is why they all ended up there. Grace Mae Garvin married Martin Lewis Lasby and they moved to Ithaca, New York where my mother was born 1926. My maternal grandmother was born in Chester in 1899.
http://images55.fotki.com/v1617/photos/2/28344/2133622/Elias_Clarinda1-vi.jpg
Its hard to know the character of a man so long after he walked this earth. Pictures are nice but they don't tell as much as you want to know. Family stories may exist but they also fade away after a couple generations. Too often the last word on a man is his obituary:
A Good Man Gone
Elias R. Garvin Passes To His Long Home.
End Came suddenly on Friday afternoon,
September 19, 1897, at 2:50 o'clock.
Mr. E.R. Garvin is dead, and now his spirit is soaring with those who have passed o'er death's
river and mingles with the loved ones who have passed on before.
The end came suddenly though not unexpectedly. For months before he died he and his family have been waiting and watching for that end which was fast hastening on. He was a victim of that dread disease, consumption, and while he had been very low at times, he had rallied there from and on the morning of his death left his home in bright and buoyant spirits, whistling and singing on his way to town. About 10 o'clock he went into Frank Donnell's and got shaved, and then to Lasby's meat market. While sitting in the back room he was taken with hemorrhage of the lungs. The doctors not being in town D.A. Kopp, druggist, attempted to stay the flow of blood and had partially succeeded when Dr.Mosshart arrived, and as soon as possible the sufferer was conveyed to the home of his son-in-law Lewis Lasby. Soon after arriving hemorrhage again set in and continued until the end came. He was conscious and peaceful to the last, and passed away conscious in the belief that it was only a day before his loved ones would follow. His wife and children, Will, Ed and Grace were with him when the end came.
The funeral took place Saturday at 2 o'clock p.m., from the Methodist church conducted by Rev. P.C.Johnson, D.D. after which the remains were laid to rest in the Chester cemetery, a large number of friends escorting the remains to its last resting place.
Elias R. Garvin was born at Winchester, Virginia August 7, 1845, and died in Chester, Nebraska September 10, 1897, being at the time of his death 52 years, 1 month and 3 days old. On August 20, 1861 at the age of 16 years he enlisted in the United States Army and served his country faithfully in the war of rebellion until he was honorably discharged, March 25, 1866.
He was married to Miss Clarinda E. Diltz at Tipton, Iowa, December 14, 1867, by whom he had eight children, three having passed on before, his wife, four sons and one daughter survive him. They are: Benjamin S. Garvin of Newfield, Colorado; George M. of St.Louis, Missouri; William R. of St.Louis, Missouri, Edwin A. and Grace M. (Lasby) of Chester, Nebraska.
He moved with his family to Red Oak, Iowa in 1876 and in July, 1883, came to Nebraska and settled upon the home place one mile west of town, where he has built up a beautiful farm home, well worthy the man who has been called hence.
Mr. Garvin was an exemplary citizen and to know him was but to love and respect him. As a husband he was loyal, true and faithful; as a father he was loving, kind and affectionate, and as a citizen he was all that the word implies careful, painstaking, honest, his fellow man trusted him explicitly and no one ever thought to gainsay his word.
He has held several positions of trust in the county. In 1886 he was elected to the office of county commissioner, which office he held for six years, and by his unswerving integrity and strict business principles he carried on the county affairs successfully and satisfactorily.
In 1876 he joined the Methodist Episcopal church, and at the time of his death was faithful and true to his trust. He was a member of the Grand Army of the Republic, that body and the Relief Corp attending the last sad rights in a body.