A fun discovery today

[John Winn]

I'm currently researching all the CW vets in a local historic cemetery and I found one today who was in the navy and was on the USS Minnesota when it was grounded at Hampton Roads.

He's only the second naval vet I've found here. The other guy was on ironclads and mortar rafts on the Mississippi and is mentioned in Admiral Porter's memoirs.

Great day for me !

 

[Sheltowee]

For our knowledge, could you post some biographical info?

 

[John Winn]

For our knowledge, could you post some biographical info?

Well, I'm just getting started. Attached is his obituary. It has his enlistment year incorrect: he enlisted April 1861 and served until April 1864. On the 1860 census he's living a bit south of where he was born working as a shoemaker. I've not found him on the 1870 census yet but he and his parents moved to Kansas and they're all there in 1880 and 1900. He worked as a salesman in a farming implement store and farmed. I've not found him in 1910 yet but by 1920 he was in Medford, Oregon working as a truck farmer. He died in 1923. So, nothing startling other than his service in the war.

 

[Sheltowee]

Good stuff- thanks. So a New Hampshire whaler lives for decades in Kansas.

Westward movement, following the war, brought some interesting results. Great story.

 

[John Winn]

Good stuff- thanks. So a New Hampshire whaler lives for decades in Kansas.

Westward movement, following the war, brought some interesting results. Great story.

So far what I think is that he initially apprenticed as a shoemaker but along the way decided that wasn't so great and became a mariner (where he was born is on a river near a major port). When the war came along he had experience that the Union needed so joined up. After the war many saw opportunity in the west as the homestead act had passed and so they packed up and moved to Nebraska, Kansas, and Iowa. After a few years in one or more of those places the next moves were often to California or Oregon or Washington. More often the ones that ended up in Oregon went to California first. Probably because it was just better known than Oregon. But once in California I think competition was a problem and they heard about Oregon and that land was available so they just followed opportunity.

I think it's amazing that a guy who was on whaling ships out of New Hampshire would end up in Medford, Oregon. You have to realize how "out there" southwest Oregon was then. A good story methinks.

 

[Story]

Very cool.

Two FindAGrave entries

Loami C. Pillsbury - Find a Grave Memorial

www.findagrave.com

Loami Goodell Pillsbury (1835-1923) - Find a Grave...

ILaomi was born in what was then known as Great Falls, New Hampshire (since renamed) and in his youth spent time on whaling vessels. Laomi joined the navy in Boston, Massachusetts 18 April 1861 and served on the ship USS Minnesota. He was on the ship when it was grounded in the battle of...

www.findagrave.com

 

[lupaglupa]

Good for you @John Winn ! Research can be so rewarding - ordinary people sometimes have very interesting lives!

 

[John Winn]

Very cool.

Two FindAGrave entries

Loami C. Pillsbury - Find a Grave Memorial

www.findagrave.com

Loami Goodell Pillsbury (1835-1923) - Find a Grave...

ILaomi was born in what was then known as Great Falls, New Hampshire (since renamed) and in his youth spent time on whaling vessels. Laomi joined the navy in Boston, Massachusetts 18 April 1861 and served on the ship USS Minnesota. He was on the ship when it was grounded in the battle of...

www.findagrave.com

Yeah, I've reported the duplicate.

 

[John Winn]

Copyrighted material deleted

Thanks. I do have most of that but hadn't got the 1870 census yet. I spent some time looking at newspapers in Kansas. I may see if there's an historical society or two I could contact. There's lots of "stuff" out there that's not available on line.

 

[lupaglupa]

There's lots of "stuff" out there that's no available on line.

@Fairfield would be the first person to agree with you on that!

 

[13 IL Cav & 64 GA Inf]

I'm currently researching all the CW vets in a local historic cemetery and I found one today who was in the navy and was on the USS Minnesota when it was grounded at Hampton Roads.

He's only the second naval vet I've found here. The other guy was on ironclads and mortar rafts on the Mississippi and is mentioned in Admiral Porter's memoirs.

Great day for me !

Good find, @John Winn!