USA > Maine > Knox County > Camden > History of Camden and Rockport, Maine > Part 27
USA > Maine > Knox County > Rockport > History of Camden and Rockport, Maine > Part 27
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A. B. MAGRUDER, Judge-Advocate.
In response to this communication the Navy Department promulgated the following general order :
It appears from the testimony taken in Captain Armstrong's case that William Conway, an aged seaman, doing duty as quarter- master in the Warrington (Pensacola) Navy Yard at the time of the surrender, when ordered by Lieut. F. B. Renshaw to haul down the national flag, promptly and indignantly refused to obey the order.
The love and reverence thus impulsively exhibited for his country's flag in the hour of its peril is not the less worthy of being called noble and chivalric because displayed by one in an humble station. It is the more deserving of commemoration, for subordinates in the service are not usually expected to set exam- ples of patriotism and fidelity, but to follow them.
The Department deems it no more than strict justice to William Conway that this testimonial from the court in his behalf
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A NAVAL HERO
should be made known throughout the service. It is, therefore, directed that this general order be publicly read as early as prac- ticable after its receipt by the commanders of all naval stations and all vessels in the navy in commission, in the presence of the officers and men under their command.
GIDEON WELLES,
Secretary of the Navy. 1
Mr. Conway died in the Naval Hospital at Brooklyn Navy Yard, Nov. 30, 1865, at the age of about 60 years. It is said that he was buried with naval honors, followed to his grave by four commodores of the United States Navy. Time, however, has blotted out the memory of his burial place, and even his heroic action was for a time almost forgotten. But there are deeds that cannot die, and William Conway's noble act shines today with renewed luster, and he will ever be remembered as one of the bravest of our many humble heroes. 2
Wherever their resting places may be, for such as he,
" Soft sigh the winds of heaven o'er their grave,
While the billow mournful rolls, And the mermaids' song condoles, Singing glory to the souls Of the brave !"
In this year's annals we record the death of Cornelius Thomas who died Jan. 21, Royal Munroe who died June 5, and Job Ingraham who died Dec. 17.
Cornelius Thomas was a native of Camden and was 66 years of age at the time of his death. He was the son of Jesse Thomas one of the early settlers of Camden, who came here from Friend- ship and settled the Isaac Pendleton farm now owned by Mrs. Harriet B. Borland and others. Capt. Pendleton had settled the Joseph B. Crane farm on the Hope road and shortly afterwards Pendleton and Jesse Thomas exchanged farms and the latter made his home on the Crane place during the remainder of his
1. For the foregoing letters, order, etc., see Official Records of Union and Confederate Navies on the War of the Rebellion. Series I, Vol. 4, Pages 55-57.
2. Mr. Conway died with the rank of Boatswain, having been promoted to that position after the episode at Pensacola.
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HISTORY OF CAMDEN AND ROCKPORT
life. Cornelius Thomas was a farmer by occupation and was an intelligent and active man. He was greatly interested in town affairs and served his town as Town Clerk, Selectman and in other positions and was a candidate for Representative to the Legisla- ture. He married Lydia McIntire of Frankfort, by whom he had the following eight children : Albert, Sarah J., (who married Thomas Kirk), Alexander M., Ellen E., (who married Z. A. Taylor), C. Woodbury, Emma, (who married E. F. Bartlett), Susan and Hannah.
Royal Munroe came from Hanover, Mass., to Camden about the year 1800. He was a joiner by trade, and lived in the house on Elm street now occupied by Mrs. Marion Paine. About the year 1820 he moved to Lincolnville. He married Frances Hig- gins and had seven children, William, Ezekiel D., Thomas, Henry, Joseph, Albert and Rebecca, He is the ancestor of the Munroes of this section of the state.
Job Ingraham was the son of Job Ingraham, one of three brothers who came from Scotland and settled at Ingraham's Hill, South Thomaston, these three brothers being the ancestors of the Knox County Ingrahams. The Camden and Rockport people of that name are principally descendants of the first Job. The subject of this sketch was born about the year 1795 and when a young man came into the western part of Camden and finally settled at West Camden, where he traded for a number of years, and in addition carried on a farm, burned lime, etc. From him that part of the town is to this day known as "Ingraham's Cor- ner." In 1839 he moved to Rockport village where he burned lime, surveyed land, and carried on a blacksmith business. His name appears frequently on the town records and he was an active and valuable citizen. He was twice married, his first wife being a Miss Crandon of Cape Cod, by whom he had one son, Otis. For his second wife he married Nancy Young of Matinicus, by whom he had nine children, one of whom died in childhood. The others are as follows : Rufus, Margaret (who married Jotham
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A NAVAL HERO
Shepherd) Joseph, Royal, Benjamin, Nancy, (who married Eben H. Loring) Job W., Henry J. and Amariah K.
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HISTORY OF CAMDEN AND ROCKPORT
CHAPTER XLI.
THE CONFLICT DEEPENS.
1862. The civil war was now being waged in dead earn-
est. The original idea that the southern uprising could be crushed in a few weeks, had been abandoned, and the notion that first obtained among the volunteers that their trip to the south was to be in the nature of a pleasure excursion, had changed to a knowledge of the grim fact that they were going to face the best soldiers and the most determined and desperate resistance that the world had ever known. With a clear percep- tion of what must now be done to preserve the union, the public mind had settled down to the conviction that years would be necessary to subdue the south, and to the determination to continue the conflict at whatever cost, that the free institutions established by our forefathers might be maintained, and the blot of slavery be removed from the nation's escutcheon.
Maine had already raised fifteen regiments of infantry, one of cavalry and six batteries of mounted artillery, but many disas- ters to the union army already in the field made more troops necessary and requisitions were made upon the state which in the spring and summer of 1862 resulted in the Sixteenth, Seventeenth, Eighteenth, Nineteenth and Twentieth Regiments being raised. Volunteering was prompt and these regiments were filled very quickly, but before the organizations were completed, the President on the 4th of August, called for 300,000 militia to be raised for
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THE CONFLICT DEEPENS
nine months service. 1 This call was followed by the organiza - tion of eight more regiments composed exclusively of volunteers, notwithstanding the call of the President authorized the 300,000 men to be raised by draft. 2 Camden furnished its quota for these regiments as we shall see, while other citizens of the town joined some of the old regiments. Eli McCusick joined the Fourth Regiment this year, but died in July. Ellis B. Fuller joined the Eighth, Alonzo H. Cleveland the Ninth, Abiezer Veazie, Jr., the First Cavalry ; Morrill J. Meservey and Warren Ott, the Second Battery, and when the Sixth Battery was organ- ized it was joined by Samuel F. Dunton, Wm. C. Arey, Leroy Jackson, Moses H. Richards, Thomas W. Thorndike and James Walden of Camden.
Camden's quota for the Nineteenth Regiment was recruited by Gershom F. Burgess at Rockport, and on July 31 a great meeting was held in that village to encourage the soldiers who had enlisted. A large delegation from Camden village, accom- panied by the Camden Band, attended and eloquent and patriotic speeches were made by T. R. Simonton, Wm. H. Washburn, David Talbot, H. B. Eaton, Geo. Estabrook, N. T. Talbot, Dr. Haven, P. J. Carleton, Jos. Andrews, Geo. R. Palmer and G. F. Burgess. The soldiers then left for Bath which was the rendez- vous of the regiment.
Heroism did not die with the Spartan mother, who said to her son when he departed for the wars, "With thy shield, my son, or upon it," for the same spirit dwelt in the hearts of our northern women during the days of the civil war. Inspired by a nobler sentiment than influenced the Greek mother, thousands of American mothers and wives freely laid upon the altar of their country, the greatest sacrifice that could be offered. On the occasion of the recruiting in Camden for the Nineteenth Regi- ment a grand and touching incident occurred when Mrs. Thorn-
1. Varney's Brief History of Maine.
2. Adjutant General's Report, 1862.
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HISTORY OF CAMDEN AND ROCKPORT
dike, widow of Robert Thorndike, came to the recruiting office and enlisted the son of her old age, the youth to whom she had fondly looked to smooth the path of her declining years and guide her aged feet to the end of life's journey, saying that she wished she had ten sons to give to her country. 3
The readiness with which the boys enlisted is shown by the following incident : Capt. Edwin Anderson who had been in Massachusetts, came home on a visit at about this time and going into James Seward's store found eight of his schoolmates discuss- ing the question of enlisting. As he stepped in they all spoke up, saying, "There, I will go if Ned will go." "Go where?" asked Anderson. "Over to Rockport and enlist for the war,"
was the reply. "All right," said Anderson, "let us go." The nine brave fellows at once went to the neighboring village and signed the roll, and in a few days were on their way to Bath.
The Camden men who were thus attached to the Nineteenth Regiment, the most of whom belonged to Company I, according to the Adjutant-General's report for that year, were Lieut., Gershom F. Burgess ; Carter T. Payson, Fife Major; Geo. R. Palmer, Ser- geant ; Geo. E. Sherwood, Albion K. Hewett and Peley Wiley, Corporals ; Edwin Anderson, L. P. Bachelder, Orin P. Benner, Harrison B. Bowley, John F. Carey, Robert H. Carey, James S. Cleveland, George S. Cobb, George N. Farnham, Franklin Fisk, Micah Flagg, Llewellyn Hanson, Calvin Hemingway, John S. Higgins, Harvey C. Joice, Daniel G. Lamb, Alexander Ludwig, Leander S. Mariner, George L. Ogier, Amos B. Oxton, George W. Shepherd, Rufus Shibles, 2d, Wm. H. Shibles, Wm. H. H. Simonton, George Studley, John F. Sumner, Warren B. Thorn- dike, David Tolman, Joseph W. Wilson, A. L. Witherspoon; and Edwin B. Sheldon who joined Company E.
This regiment arrived at Washington, August 29, and was assigned to garrisoning Forts Baker, Davis, Dupont, and Mahan
3. Another Thorndike family-that of Larkin Thorndike of West Cam- den, sent four of its sons to the war, two of whom gave their lives for their country.
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THE CONFLICT DEEPENS
on the Virginia side of the Potomac, where Leander S. Mariner was killed, Sept. 27. Shortly after this the regiment was attached to Howard's Division and during that autumn its members were several times under fire, behaving in the most gallant manner, so that they were warmly thanked and complimented by Gen. How- ard who told them that "they reflected honor upon their native state."
When the Twentieth Regiment was organized at Portland it was joined by the following Camden men : Ephraim L. Sherman, assigned to Company H, and John D. Leach, Sergeant, Aaron M. Andrews, Alward Andrews, Daniel J. Andrews, Findley B. Libbey and Hosea B. Thorndike assigned to Company I. This regiment arrived at Washington, Sept. 7, where it went into camp. A few days later it was marched to the field of active operations in Maryland and attached to Porter's Division. The regiment was under fire for the first time at Fredericksburg. In this terrific battle the men of the Twentieth were under the hottest fire for thirty-six hours and raw recruits though they were, they fal- tered not. For their gallant conduct they received the highest praise from the brigade commanders.
The largest number of Camden men in any one regiment was in the Twenty-sixth which was organized at Bangor. The Camden company in this regiment was Company F, which was commanded by Capt. Andrew E. Clark of Camden. The other Camden officers and men in the company were as follows : Wm. F. Brown, and Wm. E. Norwood, Lieutenants ; Frank Milliken, Com. Sergeant ; Joseph W. Coombs, John S. Fuller, Hollis M. Lamb, Dennis G. McCarthy and N. Byron Milliken, Sergeants ; Hezekiah H. Buzzell, Wm. S. Codman, Henry Ewell, Jr., Castle- brook Sumner, Ephraim C. Long, Wm. F. Horton, Benjamin J, Simmons and Horatio P. Eaton, Corporals ; Frederick J. Currier, Samuel Annis, Samuel Ayers, Cephas S. Ball, Benjamin O. Bar- rows, Gilman S. Barrows, Minot N. Barnes, Edward S. Blake, Wm. E. Clough, Sumner T. Conant, Sylvanus C. Crockett, Isaac
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HISTORY OF CAMDEN AND ROCKPORT
Clough, Henry A. Cross, Edward Eaton, Francis French, John H. Gardiner, Wilford B. Glover, Seth Heal, Chas. H. Hemingway. Nathan B. Hopkins, Edward J. Hopkins, Elbridge G. Hopkins, Philip A. Horton, George F. Hosmer, John S. Keller, Joseph Z. Keller, Stephen Michaels, Alfred Miller, James Morton, Joseph Morton, Levi Morton, Charles I. H. Ness, James Nutt, Wm. H. Ott, Joseph A. Oxton, John W. Oxton, Samuel E. Packard, Nath'l E. Pendleton, Geo. Prince, Ephraim Reynolds, Philander F. Richards, Osborn Rokes, Cyrus E. Sherman, Rufus Shibles, Geo. A. Simmons, Franklin L. Start, George E. Thorndike, John C. Thorndike, Isaiah Tolman, Simeon C. Tyler, Frederick M. Veazie, Edward H. Walden, Joseph B. Wentworth, Daniel Wentworth, Alexander B. Witherspooon and Richard H. Young.
This regiment left Bangor, Oct. 23 for Newport News where it sailed Dec. 2 in the ships Matanzas and Pocahontas for New Orleans, where it encamped five miles below the city during the remainder of the year.
From the Adjutant-General's report we gather that the fol- lowing Camden men served in regiments of other states up to the year 1862, inclusive : Prince A. Dunton, David Loveland, Fred- erick Walker, Woodbury Thompson, Massachusetts; Webster Thorndike, California; F. A. Wyman, Dennis Andrews, Rhode Island ; Wm. P. Flye, Frederick Herrick, Charles Miller, U. S. Army.
From the same source we learn that the following Camden men served in the United States Navy during the first two years of the war, viz: Joseph Ames, Alexander Annis, Robert H. Chase, William Conway, Alexander Green, Sam'l Hanson, Sam'l Hopkins, Franklin Josselyn, John F. Porter, Robert Trim, Joseph Crane, Lemuel Crane, Edwin H. Hartford, George Lane, James Magoun, Wm. H. Merrithew, Thurston Spear, George May.
In the meantime the Camden soldiers who had joined the earlier regiments and batteries, had been seeing some hard and perilous service. The Fourth Regiment, which formed part of
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THE CONFLICT DEEPENS
Heintzelman's Division, was encamped near Fort Lyon until March 17, when it broke camp and marched towards Yorktown under Col. Walker, who had been promoted to that office on the appointment of Col. Hiram G. Berry to Major General. On the evacuation of Yorktown by the rebels, the regiment advanced towards Williamsburg and thence from point to point until March 31, when it engaged in the battle of Seven Pines, doing good service. After the battle the regiment remained encamped in the vicinity, being employed in picketing and on work of fortifica- tions until June 25, when it engaged in another battle near Seven Pines, holding a most difficult position, in face of the rebel force through the night. On June 28 the regiment held back the rebel force for two hours at Jordan Ford until our force had passed. After engaging in several skirmishes and battles it was employed to support the artillery at Malvern Hill on July 1. In August the regiment found itself on the Rappahannock and on the 29th and 30th engaged the enemy again on the fatal field of Bull Run. It held its ground nobly, but in the end was obliged to withdraw with the rest of the union army which it did, as in the first battle on that field, in good order. From that time during the remain- der of the year, the regiment fought and kept almost continually on the move until December 13, when it engaged in the san- guinary battle of Fredericksburg, fighting bravely and receiving the compliments of Gen. Berry for the admirable conduct of both officers and men. Through all these hardships and dangers, with few exceptions, the Camden men safely passed, two men, F. M. Leach and J. A. Simmons being reported missing.
David B. Hall, the only Camden man in the Seventh Regi- ment, died during the year at Newport News.
The Eighth Regiment now found itself under the command of Col. John D. Rust of Camden, Col. Rust having been promoted on the resignation of Col. Strickland, while the regiment was at Port Royal, S. C., where it was engaged during the early part of the year in throwing up breastworks, repairing vesse s, etc. After-
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HISTORY OF CAMDEN AND ROCKPORT
wards the regiment bore an important part in the bombardment of Fort Pulaski, and when the fort surrendered, Gen. Benham, as a compliment to the gallantry and superior behavior of the Eighth, ordered its colors to be the first raised upon the fort. During the remainder of the year the regiment was used to guard plantations from rebel incursions, and to do advance picket duty. In the last part of the year it was stationed at Beaufort, S. C., Col. Rust commanding the post and acting as Brigadier General.
The Second Battery of mounted artillery also saw hard ser- vice. During its campaign in Virginia its history is much the same as that of the Fourth Regiment. It participated in the battles of Cross Keys, Cedar Mountain, Rappahannock Station, Thoroughfare Gap, Bull Run, Chantilly and Fredericksburg, besides sundry skirmishes. In the meantime, Capt. Davis Till- son was promoted to Major of Artillery, and Lieut. James A. Hall of Damariscotta succeeded him as captain of the Battery which was afterwards frequently known as "Hall's Battery." The Battery gained, in the engagements of the year, a brilliant repu- tation for promptness, discipline and courage which it sustained during its entire term of service.
The Sixth Battery served during the year in Maryland and was one of the coolest, bravest and most efficient organizations in the field. At the battle of Cedar Mountain on Aug. 9, the bat- tery held an important position and was the last troop to leave that bloody field. It lost four men killed, and nine wounded. Among the killed at Cedar Mountain was Wm. C. Arey of Camden. Again at Bull Run the Sixth Battery was the last to leave the field during the retreat.
Thus the second year of the great conflict passed away and while our army had suffered many reverses the end of the year did not leave the north discouraged. While cast down at the great sacrifice of blood that must be offered, the people at home were buoyed up by the magnificent valor displayed by the green troops they had sent forth. Among other communities the peo-
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THE CONFLICT DEEPENS
ple of Camden felt that they had every reason to be proud of the deeds of their citizen soldiers and to believe that their names shall
-- stand the example of each distant age, And add new lustre to the historic page."
:
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HISTORY OF CAMDEN AND ROCKPORT
CHAPTER XLII.
AFFAIRS AT HOME.
1862. While their sons and brothers were fighting brave- ly in the south the men remaining at home were as bravely en- deavoring to carry forward their own work and that of those who had gone to the front.
It was just as necessary as ever to till the farms, keep the mills and shops running, and perform all the other many duties of citizens and bread winners and while many went about their work with hearts heavy with grief and apprehension ' for their absent friends and threatened country, they continued to ply their various vocations with the hope that the war clouds might soon be lifted, and the sun of peace again illuminate a reunited and undivided land.
The business of the town also went on as usual, and in addition to the ordinary routine the voters were called to consider important questions in connection with the war, and the care and support of the families of those who were fighting in the south.
At the annual town meeting held March 17, B. J. Porter was elected Town Clerk : J. H. Curtis, Wm. H. Washburn and Otis Ingraham, Selectmen : and Christopher Young, Jr., Treasurer. It was voted "That the bills contracted by order of committee for supplies furnished families of Camden volunteers during the past year, be audited by last year's board of selectmen and paid." It was.also voted "That the selectmen be authorized to furnish
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AFFAIRS AT HOME
supplies to the families of volunteers resident in Camden, and that the amount to be furnished be left discretionary with said selectmen," and "That the sum of. two thousand dollars be raised to pay the past and present years' bills for support of families of volunteers resident in Camden and that the town treasurer be authorized to procure that sum by loan." It was voted to purchase the whole of the Wm. Hall farm for $1000 and that the selectmen select a suitable portion of it for a burial ground for Rockport village, and dispose of the rest to the best advantage possible.
On July 24, a meeting was called to see what action the town would take in regard to paying bounties to soldiers, at which it was voted "That this town shall pay to each person who shall volunteer to make up Camden's quota of the seven thousand men called for by the Governor of this state, the sum of one hundred and twenty five dollars, to be paid to him on his being mustered into the service of the United States,- enlistments to be made within thirty days in order to entitle the person enlist- ing to the said bounty " ; also, "To raise six thousand two hundred and fifty dollars, to pay volunteers agreeably to the fore- going vote, and that the Town Treasurer be authorized to give a note or notes of the town for the same." This was to be, if practicable, a ten years loan.
A month later (Aug. 26) another meeting was held to act on the same subject of bounties at which it was voted "To raise one hundred dollars bounty to each person that volunteers or is drafted," to fill up the town's quota of the 300,000 men called for by the President on Aug. 4. The sum of eight thousand dollars was voted (to be raised by loan) to pay the aforesaid bounties, the money to be paid the soldiers when mustered in. The town also voted to petition the legislature to reimburse the town for the amounts paid out in way of bounties. 1
1. The state af erwards by several legistative acts provided for the pay - ment, « f bounties ont of the state treasury and for the reimbursement of the towns for payment of bounties to their soldiers.
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HISTORY OF CAMDEN AND ROCKPORT
This year the Republicans nominated Abner Coburn for governor while the regular Democratic candidate was Bion Brad- bury, and the candidate of the War Democrats was again C. D. Jameson. The Republican candidate was elected by a majority considerably reduced from the year before and Mr. Coburn became Maine's second "War Governor." The War Democrats who composed the larger wing of the party in 1861, this year were reduced to less than 7000 votes, only about one fifth of the vote cast by the other branch of the party. In Camden, however, the War Democrats cast the larger number of votes, Mr. Jameson re- ceiving 181, and Mr. Bradbury 135, while Mr. Coburn received 259.
For Representative to the Legislature D. H. Bisbee, Repub- lican, received 341 votes and was elected over E. K. Smart, who received 257. After the election Mr. Bisbee's success was celebrated and Wm. Meservey while in the act of firing a gun in the celebration, lost an arm.
This year Megunticoook School District was formed by the union of Dist. No. 2 and Dist. No. 3, for the purpose of establish- ing graded schools for Camden village. The following grading committee was chosen, by the new district : Samuel G. Adams, E. K. Smart, F. P. Chapin, E. M. Wood and T. R. Simonton. This was the begining of the excellent system of graded schools now existing in Camden.
On the morning of Sept. 29, 1862, at half past five o'clock, Bisbee & Marble's powder mill exploded, but fortunately no one was injured by the accident.
, Christopher Young, Jr., died this year. Mr. Young was at the time of his death Treasurer of the town, and on Oct. 7, a town meeting convened to elect his successor at which Sidney A. Jones was chosen to fill the vacancy.
Hon. Christopher Young, Jr., who was one of the most successful of the Camden business men of his day died, Sept. 27, 1862, at the age of 42 years. Mr. Young was born in Union,
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AFFAIRS AT HOME
Maine. He obtained his education at the district schools of his native town, and in turn became himself a district school teacher. He started his business career by going into trade at East Union when a very young man, where he remained until 1845 when he transferred his business to West Camden. He traded there for about seventeen years and was still in business there in company with Mr. Geo. A. Miller at the time of his death. In the mean- time some eight or ten years prior to his death he opened a lime manufacturing and ship building business at Rockport in which he was eminently successful. He built and occupied the store at the Rockport bridge, now known as the Burgess store building, and owned the southerly end of the "Jacobs Farm" including the lime quarries producing the "Jacobs Lime." He also built the large house afterwards known as the "Burgess House " on Union street and moved there from West Camden about 1859 oc- cupying it until his death. Mr. Young took great interest in politics being a consistent Democrat. He represented Camden in the Legislature in 1850, '51 and '52 and was a member of the State Senate in 1854. He was, in 1860,a strong Douglass Democrat, a thorough union man and intensely interested in the success of the union cause, but did not live to witness its triumph. Mr. Young married Christiana, daughter of John Achorn, by whom he had · six children, five of whom died in childhood of diphtheria all with- in a period of a few weeks. The youngest, Arvilla, survived, and married Alfred A. Richards.
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