Question about Missouri soldiers

[Keiri]

Hi folks. My ancestor, Charles Cointin ( have seen it as Quanty and Quentin), was born in 1825 and in 1860 was living in Saint Louis, where he lived until he died in 1905. As he was between 35-45 at the time of the war it's possible he served. All along I've been searching union records and only today it hit me he might have been CSA since he was in MO. But either way I do not find him in draft documents, which means he either enlisted, was too old? or was exempt. And I've checked a lot of the exempt documents in MO, without much luck. I need some insight - Assuming he was CSA, he would have left home and been .. where? I don't know anything about what fort/state/etc they would have moved the confederate volunteers to from Missouri. Was he too old at this point? He lists himself as a laborer in 1860, and I have no reason to believe he was exempt.

Secondly, if he was union volunteer, he wouldn't re-sign the draft papers when they came around, right? I seem to remember seeing people writing "already enlisted, suchandsuch regiment". Basically even browsing through enlistment and draft records I can't locate him. I've tried every spelling I can think of. Any thoughts?

 

[Dave Wilma]

One place to check is pension records. Union vets got pensions from the U.S. I don't know if CSA vets received a pension from the state of Missouri. If he died in 1905 he would have been remiss in not applying for a benefit.

 

[bdtex]

Hi folks. My ancestor, Charles Cointin ( have seen it as Quanty and Quentin), was born in 1825 and in 1860 was living in Saint Louis, where he lived until he died in 1905. As he was between 35-45 at the time of the war it's possible he served. All along I've been searching union records and only today it hit me he might have been CSA since he was in MO. But either way I do not find him in draft documents, which means he either enlisted, was too old? or was exempt. And I've checked a lot of the exempt documents in MO, without much luck. I need some insight - Assuming he was CSA, he would have left home and been .. where? I don't know anything about what fort/state/etc they would have moved the confederate volunteers to from Missouri. Was he too old at this point? He lists himself as a laborer in 1860, and I have no reason to believe he was exempt.

Secondly, if he was union volunteer, he wouldn't re-sign the draft papers when they came around, right? I seem to remember seeing people writing "already enlisted, suchandsuch regiment". Basically even browsing through enlistment and draft records I can't locate him. I've tried every spelling I can think of. Any thoughts?

I searched all 3 variations of his name in fold3.com and drew a blank.

 

[Keiri]

No luck with the pensions, but I'm wondering if CSA pensions were done in a separate file on Fold3, I'll look.

 

[Keiri]

Yeah, thanks for trying. I paged through huge swathes in the past looking too. Let's assume he isn't anywhere for a moment. Is there any realistic reason to believe that a man, about 40 years old, a laborer, did not get required to sign the draft books, didn't enlist in either army, and wasn't exempted? that seems entirely impossible to me, am I wrong?

 

[4th-MSM]

Hi folks. My ancestor, Charles Cointin ( have seen it as Quanty and Quentin), was born in 1825 and in 1860 was living in Saint Louis, where he lived until he died in 1905. As he was between 35-45 at the time of the war it's possible he served. All along I've been searching union records and only today it hit me he might have been CSA since he was in MO. But either way I do not find him in draft documents, which means he either enlisted, was too old? or was exempt. And I've checked a lot of the exempt documents in MO, without much luck. I need some insight - Assuming he was CSA, he would have left home and been .. where? I don't know anything about what fort/state/etc they would have moved the confederate volunteers to from Missouri. Was he too old at this point? He lists himself as a laborer in 1860, and I have no reason to believe he was exempt.

Secondly, if he was union volunteer, he wouldn't re-sign the draft papers when they came around, right? I seem to remember seeing people writing "already enlisted, suchandsuch regiment". Basically even browsing through enlistment and draft records I can't locate him. I've tried every spelling I can think of. Any thoughts?

When I get a chance, I'll see if I can find something out for you. Two possibilities come to mind right away though. It's possible that he was enlisted in either the Enrolled Missouri Militia (E.M.M. for short) or was in a home guard unit (both were on the Union side). All Missouri citizens who met the age and physical qualifications were required to enlist in the E.M.M. (if they were not already serving in another unit) though many tried to find ways around it (especially if they were pro-Southern). Neither militia kept very good records, and if I remember correctly, service in either did not qualify for a pension. Both the E.M.M. and the home guards were not "active duty" so to speak, because units were only called into action if there was a threat operating nearby. For example, one of my GGG-Grandfathers was enlisted in the E.M.M. for several years, but was only called to serve for 35 days. This was typical of the E.M.M. St. Louis was strongly pro-Union during the war, so I would think it would be less likely that he was in the State Guard or a Confederate unit, but definitely not impossible.

Sorry for the quick reply, I'm a little short on time right now, but when I get a chance I'll try to look into it more.

 

[bdtex]

Yeah, thanks for trying. I paged through huge swathes in the past looking too. Let's assume he isn't anywhere for a moment. Is there any realistic reason to believe that a man, about 40 years old, a laborer, did not get required to sign the draft books, didn't enlist in either army, and wasn't exempted? that seems entirely impossible to me, am I wrong?

An ancestor of mine who served in the 18th TX Inf enlisted at the age of 37 in 1864.

 

[Keiri]

After further research I think you are on to something. I believe he might be from the 85th E.M.M. - but there doesn't seem to be the roster online. The search on the MO SOS site isn't producing much. I found that there are books, and it would be in vol. 11 of a set, but it's $28 per book.

When I get a chance, I'll see if I can find something out for you. Two possibilities come to mind right away though. It's possible that he was enlisted in either the Enrolled Missouri Militia (E.M.M. for short) or was in a home guard unit (both were on the Union side). All Missouri citizens who met the age and physical qualifications were required to enlist in the E.M.M. (if they were not already serving in another unit) though many tried to find ways around it (especially if they were pro-Southern). Neither militia kept very good records, and if I remember correctly, service in either did not qualify for a pension. Both the E.M.M. and the home guards were not "active duty" so to speak, because units were only called into action if there was a threat operating nearby. For example, one of my GGG-Grandfathers was enlisted in the E.M.M. for several years, but was only called to serve for 35 days. This was typical of the E.M.M. St. Louis was strongly pro-Union during the war, so I would think it would be less likely that he was in the State Guard or a Confederate unit, but definitely not impossible.

Sorry for the quick reply, I'm a little short on time right now, but when I get a chance I'll try to look into it more.

 

[Borderruffian]

No luck with the pensions, but I'm wondering if CSA pensions were done in a separate file on Fold3, I'll look.

State of Missouri paid state pensions to CS veterans,records are file at lest partially at the Missouri Secof State Solider search site.

 

[Borderruffian]

days. This was typical of the E.M.M. St. Louis was strongly pro-Union during the war, so I would think it would be less likely that he was in the State Guard or a Confederate unit, but definitely not impossible.

Sorry for the quick reply, I'm a little short on time right now, but when I get a chance I'll try to look into it more.

Well several early war units in the MSG were from St Louis, among them The St Louis Blues and the St Louis Greys and Guibors Battery and a few other Companies.But after Lyon's antics it became more staunchly Union.

 

[Bob Shive]

Hi folks. My ancestor, Charles Cointin ( have seen it as Quanty and Quentin), was born in 1825 and in 1860 was living in Saint Louis, where he lived until he died in 1905. As he was between 35-45 at the time of the war it's possible he served. All along I've been searching union records and only today it hit me he might have been CSA since he was in MO. But either way I do not find him in draft documents, which means he either enlisted, was too old? or was exempt. And I've checked a lot of the exempt documents in MO, without much luck. I need some insight - Assuming he was CSA, he would have left home and been .. where? I don't know anything about what fort/state/etc they would have moved the confederate volunteers to from Missouri. Was he too old at this point? He lists himself as a laborer in 1860, and I have no reason to believe he was exempt.

Secondly, if he was union volunteer, he wouldn't re-sign the draft papers when they came around, right? I seem to remember seeing people writing "already enlisted, suchandsuch regiment". Basically even browsing through enlistment and draft records I can't locate him. I've tried every spelling I can think of. Any thoughts?

I may touch stuff that's already been mentioned. But might he have enrolled in a nearby state? In this case, Illinois. Or, if he had relatives, the same state as they were in?

The Missouri Archives seems to have a major league collection of info on MO soldiers. But it doesn't look like it's all in electronic form. Don't know where you are; but a trip to Jefferson City may be possible. I've heard tell that mule trains go that direction every so often.

One local author who's written extensively about Missouri CW guerillas is James Erwin. The book of his that I have "Guerilla Hunters in Civil War Missouri" is published by History Press, Charleston (SC), www.historypress.net. It has a pretty extensive bibliography, too big for me to copy. Maybe you contact him through the publisher and get some hints.

Then there are non-military routes. Is there any info in Charles' obituary or on his tombstone? Or maybe in his will?
I may be reaching here; but family stuff sometimes hangs around longer than one would expect.

Good luck!

 

[Keiri]

I definitely appreciate any ideas. I might have to make the trip down, I'm in Madison, Wisconsin. It looks to me like almost all men in the St Ferdinand portion of St Louis went into the Union EMM, with a few very english sounding names (as opposed to cointin, which was French and apparently said something like kwon-tohn) apparently joining the Confederacy. But I've looked into both. Charles' stone is up on Find a Grave, I found it and took photos a few years back. His obit is kinda tiny. There was no GAR marker or anything around his stone. Nothing was mentioned in the French church record of his death (although I've found no other veterans noted in there either.) I haven't found any trace of a will, which doesn't surprise me as I'm actually stunned they had the money for a tombstone. I've tried my damnedest to understand the state provost martial's papers to see if he was exempt, because there was a story passed down in my family about how he worked for the railroad. But the rail papers are just loads and loads of names, and none of them match up. Ugh. If I wasn't having the same amount of trouble with the other side, I'd be less bothered. But I will be checking surrounding states, although I know he went directly from France-->New Orleans-->Missouri so the only reason might be a bounty or something. Anyway you have me thinking about all the bases and I appreciate that.

 

[Keiri]

I went to the archives and spent way too long through the books of EMM, Home Guard, Etc etc names and found two possibilities. One for my guy, one sort of unexpectedly for the other side of my family. I know it's a stretch, but the closest thing I could find to Charles Joseph Cointin (Which I have also seem spelled Quantin, Quanty, etc.) was Joseph Quaintaine a private in 8th Division, 3rd Regiment company D Missouri State Guard Cavalry, CSA. https://familysearch.org/learn/wiki...alry_State_Guard_(8th_Division)_-_Confederate
States there was no regimental history in Crute's book. I'm at a loss at where to go next to determine anything about whether this was my guy or not. Some things don't add up. The regiment was not formed in St Louis County, where he lived. I'm surprised a Frenchman born in France signed up with the CSA. My understanding was that the French and German leaned Union, even in Missouri. I've researched literally ANYONE with his name in Missouri and there's nothing close to him. I'm sure the name was butchered, but was it butchered from my guy's name? Where do I go from here? Any advice is appreciated.

 

[Keiri]

Update -- welp, I don't think he served. He died in 1905 never having become an American citizen.

 

[archieclement]

he wasn't a officer in MSG, don't have enlisted records

don't think being a citizen has ever been a requirement

 

[mofederal]

http://www.civilwarstlouis.com/militia/federalmilitia.htm

Charles Joseph Cointin very easily could have served in the EMM, no real choice as it was more or less mandatory for all men between 16 to 60. Records are not always so complete.