I only have two ancestors who fought in the Civil War. I have not yet found the time to concentrate on the men who were siblings of my ancestors - the sons of the mothers in my line who watched them leave. Some, I'm sure, did not return home and one of these years, it will be my research goal to concentrate on their stories.
THE LAST DAY IN THE LIFE OF HIRAM HANCOCK (Prequal)
I suspect the photograph was taken around the time of his marriage to Lavina Counts in 1853. There are no known photographs of any of their children at a young age, which is not necessarily proof as they could have been lost to time. It would have seemed likely that a family portrait would have been taken, rather than two separate ones of Hiram and Lavina. However, Hiram's tiny tie dates to the late 1840s so I am doubtful this is an 1863 photograph.
The photographs were presented to me at my parents' 50th anniversary party by a distant cousin whose name I cannot recall, on a floppy disk. Does anyone remember those? Lol! (I will definitely give credit when I figure it out, I am soooooo grateful for ancestral pictures.)
The photographs were presented to me at my parents' 50th anniversary party by a distant cousin whose name I cannot recall, on a floppy disk. Does anyone remember those? Lol! (I will definitely give credit when I figure it out, I am soooooo grateful for ancestral pictures.)
THE LAST DAY IN THE LIFE OF HIRAM HANCOCK (Prequal)
27 JUNE 1864
From Champaign County, Ohio to Kennesaw Mountain, Georgia
113th Ohio Volunteer Infantry (OVI)
Hiram Hancock was born 11 MAY 1823 in Champaign County, Ohio, the son of Major Hancock (that was his name, not a title, and many men in the family carried the name). Hiram's mother was Elizabeth Fuson. They came to Ohio about 1814 with many members of her family who became pastors, as did Major. Most of the Hancock family left Virginia at about the same time s the Fusons and traveled to Indiana to visit members of their mother's family where she is said to have died unexpectedly. Her name was Nancy but her maiden name is in dispute.
The children and their families then traveled southward to the Kentucky-Tennessee border area and family stories say that Father Benjamin died enroute, buried in the middle of the road so that wild animals could not scavenge for the body. There are Hancock families still in the area today, in Wayne County, Kentucky and Fentress County, Tennessee where I was blessed to live for a year or so.
The children and their families then traveled southward to the Kentucky-Tennessee border area and family stories say that Father Benjamin died enroute, buried in the middle of the road so that wild animals could not scavenge for the body. There are Hancock families still in the area today, in Wayne County, Kentucky and Fentress County, Tennessee where I was blessed to live for a year or so.
Hiram married Lavina Counts from neighboring Shelby County and they had four children. He had a farm in the 1860 census in Harrison Township and three of his four children had been born by that time. His 1863 address for enrollment in the Draft Registration papers was Adams Township, immediately to the west of Harrison. Lavina and children had a Quincy address (Logan County) by the time she was trudging down the trail of obtaining a pension.
Hiram Hancock, Civil War Draft Registration Record dated June 1863. This does not mean men were drafted, but that they fit the parameters to be drafted.
He was dead a year later.
Pension papers for wife Lavina lists Hiram's enlistment as 21 January 1864. I have been unable to find why, exactly, our 40+ year old ancestors enlisted. In my family, all were farmers, perhaps the bounties being offered helped bring in extra income although Union payments for goods to feed men and horses were pretty good. Perhaps it was the endless newspapers articles about the upcoming draft, and at that time, it was somewhat of a stigma to be drafted, or more than likely, a combination of many things.
This appeared in the March 3rd issue of the local newspaper for Urbana. I could not find one earlier for the year although there were numerous articles about the impending draft. I am somewhat curious about the lack of ads considering what I've seen in other newspapers in other parts of the state. Perhaps Champaign County had already met their quota?
We are extremely fortunate that a man from Hiram's unit sent regular letters to the local newspaper, and in 1881 was asked to write the official unit history: Every-day soldier life, or A history of the One hundred and thirteenth Ohio volunteer infantry by McAdams, F. M. (Francis Marion). This book is available online at archives.org and if you are like me and like to read books in book form because it's easier to snuggle up to, there are many places that sell reprints.
At any rate, Hiram and others who enlisted at the same time boarded a train in Urbana and rode about two hours to Columbus to Camp Chase. On Page 63, Mr. McAdams states that on February 22 "The 113th has only nine companies in the service. For some months, a number of men have been recruiting for the tenth company, and today a number of the new men arrived in camp, and were temporarily quartered with the other companies."
Both McAdams and Hiram were in Company K though, and it is likely Hiram was in the group that just arrived. It was not unusual to enlist and go home an take care of affairs. until a group of men could be accumulated.
The 113th was part of the Atlanta Campaign. Hiram debarked at Chattanooga and was taught to march, participate in drills, and served picket duty. He was a private, the rank of the average fighting man, and the author of the book was a Sergeant, two steps above him.
He was dead a year later.
Pension papers for wife Lavina lists Hiram's enlistment as 21 January 1864. I have been unable to find why, exactly, our 40+ year old ancestors enlisted. In my family, all were farmers, perhaps the bounties being offered helped bring in extra income although Union payments for goods to feed men and horses were pretty good. Perhaps it was the endless newspapers articles about the upcoming draft, and at that time, it was somewhat of a stigma to be drafted, or more than likely, a combination of many things.
We are extremely fortunate that a man from Hiram's unit sent regular letters to the local newspaper, and in 1881 was asked to write the official unit history: Every-day soldier life, or A history of the One hundred and thirteenth Ohio volunteer infantry by McAdams, F. M. (Francis Marion). This book is available online at archives.org and if you are like me and like to read books in book form because it's easier to snuggle up to, there are many places that sell reprints.
At any rate, Hiram and others who enlisted at the same time boarded a train in Urbana and rode about two hours to Columbus to Camp Chase. On Page 63, Mr. McAdams states that on February 22 "The 113th has only nine companies in the service. For some months, a number of men have been recruiting for the tenth company, and today a number of the new men arrived in camp, and were temporarily quartered with the other companies."
Both McAdams and Hiram were in Company K though, and it is likely Hiram was in the group that just arrived. It was not unusual to enlist and go home an take care of affairs. until a group of men could be accumulated.
The 113th was part of the Atlanta Campaign. Hiram debarked at Chattanooga and was taught to march, participate in drills, and served picket duty. He was a private, the rank of the average fighting man, and the author of the book was a Sergeant, two steps above him.
NEXT: THE LAST DAY OF HIRAM HANCOCK -- Storming The Dead Angle.
Comments
Post a Comment