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- Feb 5, 2017
Is there any sort of separate list or data bases to know who hired substitutes and who were substitutes by state perhaps?
Is there any sort of separate list or data bases to know who hired substitutes and who were substitutes by state perhaps?
If he had the money paying the $300 exemption fee may have been the quickest way to go.Does anyone know if anything detailed like this exists for NH regiments? I'm wondering if my great-grandfather David Newton Butterfield hired a substitute or because he ran a huge farm and a business wasn't drafted?
If he was actually called up there should be a record of him paying the exemption fee or paying for a substitute – try the state archives. In North Carolina, there were exemptions at least until 1864 for those who were better able to aid the war effort outside the army, but I'm not aware of being able to buy an exemption. You could pay for a substitute in the early part of the war, but by 1864, virtually all able-bodied white males of age were at least in the reserves. If the name is known, it is fairly easy to find a service record here, even for a Home Guardsman.But wouldn't there had been a record of that transaction somewhere?
The AGO reports for Maine clearly list substitutes as well as the name of the man who hired them. I believe that every state put out reports by its Adjutant General and many of these are available online.Does anyone know if anything detailed like this exists for NH regiments? I'm wondering if my great-grandfather David Newton Butterfield hired a substitute or because he ran a huge farm and a business wasn't drafted?
According to the records of draft registration on Ancestry, he did register for the draft (if he was the David N. Butterfield, b. c. 1838, from Hillsborough County). He may have hired a substitute but it is also possible that he simply wasn't called up.But wouldn't there had been a record of that transaction somewhere?
Yep, he was the one. As president, he was rather unfriendly toward Union veterans which was a real sore point for them.Didn’t a future president employ a substitute , cant exactly recall which one Grover Cleveland springs to mind.
I'd go through the Adjutant General's report for Illinois. A tedious process if Rockford had a lot of soldiers because it is necessary to go regiment by regiment--but you can probably narrow it down to 1863. An easier way might be to approach the local historical society (which probably maintains files on high profile residents). Or your local library for old biographies. A hint that I've not tried (but as it comes from the state's genealogical librarian it is probably good) is to scan the collections pages of Illinois' largest library--then the "help" link. Or check the online genealogical pages put out by the Illinois secretary of state (a long shot).Hello, I am interested in this topic because I am conducting tours at the Tinker Swiss Cottage in Rockford IL. The person who built the cottage Robert Tinker became a prominent person in town ie the Mayor of Rockford. The staff there told me during my training that he hired a substitute and that person came through the war alive. Where would I find information on this? Was it socially acceptable during and after the war to avoid service this way?
Thank you I emailed the Executive Director, who spoke about this on her tour yesterday. It sounds like they are facing this bit of unpleasant history head on by including it in tours. She must know the source of the information. I have started reading about the practice of hiring substitutes and it seems that it was acceptable in some cases if the person doing the hiring had some kind of important homefront service to provide. Rockford IL provided a patriotic and enthusiastic response to calls for service so I'm guessing those who took this route kept it fairly quiet.I'd go through the Adjutant General's report for Illinois. A tedious process if Rockford had a lot of soldiers because it is necessary to go regiment by regiment--but you can probably narrow it down to 1863. An easier way might be to approach the local historical society (which probably maintains files on high profile residents). Or your local library for old biographies. A hint that I've not tried (but as it comes from the state's genealogical librarian it is probably good) is to scan the collections pages of Illinois' largest library--then the "help" link. Or check the online genealogical pages put out by the Illinois secretary of state (a long shot).
Ouch--just checked: over 1260 men altogether.
Was it "socially acceptable"? In Maine it was acceptable--that's all. One young man hired a substitute who died in Andersonville; the two families never spoke again--in fact, the hirer's family left town. But an aging man who had signed up for the draft, probably out of some burst of patriotic fervor, also hired a substitute when his name was called--and people seem to have believed that he was being sensible.
Another thought--which should have been my first : go back to the staff member and ask him or her.I'd go through the Adjutant General's report for Illinois. A tedious process if Rockford had a lot of soldiers because it is necessary to go regiment by regiment--but you can probably narrow it down to 1863. An easier way might be to approach the local historical society (which probably maintains files on high profile residents). Or your local library for old biographies. A hint that I've not tried (but as it comes from the state's genealogical librarian it is probably good) is to scan the collections pages of Illinois' largest library--then the "help" link. Or check the online genealogical pages put out by the Illinois secretary of state (a long shot).
Ouch--just checked: over 1260 men altogether.
Was it "socially acceptable"? In Maine it was acceptable--that's all. One young man hired a substitute who died in Andersonville; the two families never spoke again--in fact, the hirer's family left town. But an aging man who had signed up for the draft, probably out of some burst of patriotic fervor, also hired a substitute when his name was called--and people seem to have believed that he was being sensible.
Should have been my first also. I think the people running these historic sites are doing research all the time. I was prevented from really doing tours at this place by covid and never heard about this angle when I was training there before. As part of my training yesterday she also said some people ask if the Tinkers owned slaves. (no, they had paid household staff in Rockford IL) I guess I should expect to hear anything and everything. I'll post whatever answer I get about this question.Another thought--which should have been my first : go back to the staff member and ask him or her.
You will! I docent at a Victorian mansion that has an interior passage (as so many Victorians do)--I've been asked if the house was, therefore, a part of the underground railway (the sign outside clearly states "built in 1894") or (even worse) if the passage was a priest hole!I guess I should expect to hear anything and everything