Civil War 150th

The American Civil War began on April 12, 1861 and lasted for four years, officially ending on May 9, 1865.  Across the United States commemoration have been held, remembering that 150 years ago our country was torn apart and no aspect of life was untouched.  Many of us had ancestors who fought on one side or the other.  Some of us are fortunate that today we have a detailed record of our ancestors lives during those four years through diaries, letters, photographs and other personal mementos.  Others must piece together what our ancestors lived through by combing enlistment records, newspapers, pension files, and other official records. 

I have four direct ancestors who found in the Civil War, on the Union side:

Alexander Cole (1837 - 1907),  Company I, 140th Ohio Infantry

Jason Linderman (1840 - 1876), Company A, 9th Michigan Infantry

Alonzo John Rutter (1837 - 1910), Company K, 21st Iowa Infantry

Jonathan Shaw (1827 - 1878), Company D, 56th Ohio Infantry

Many of their brothers, brothers-in-laws, cousins, and friends also joined them.  A few distant cousins fought for the Confederacy.  For all of my veterans I needed to weigh through the official records to determine what their experience was like.  Last year I got lucky and a cousin shared a photograph with me of one of my ancestors, Alonzo Rutter, in uniform.

Alonzo John Rutter, ca. 1862

The Rutter brothers' service has long been of special interest to me.  Emerson and Mary (Nichols) Rutter had four surviving children, all boys:

Alonzo John Rutter (1837-1910)

Hollis E. Rutter (1842-1914)

Jubal Adelbert Rutter (1844-1936)

Philip Henry Rutter (1846-1864)

All four brothers fought in the Civil War.  The middle two brothers, Hollis and Jubal, served together in Company I, 2nd Iowa Calvary. The youngest, Philip, was killed in action.  All four brothers would have pension requests filed.  It was in Philip's pension files, first applied by his father, then his mother, that I found some of most amazing records: five original letters written by Philip to his parents.

Finding That Family

Things have been pretty quiet here lately, which I apologize for. Life has a habit of happening, not to mention those shiny and distracting Olympics.

Two films I had orders through the local family history center (otherwise known as SCGS) came in. The first is the 1825, 1835, 1845 Steuben County, New York state censuses and the seconds is the 1855 Allegany County, New York state census. For Steuben County, a few towns seem to be missing. I need to do some research and double check when they were created and what the closest towns are, just in case. The second film got me excited. Most of us have that one family that managed to avoid census enumerators time after time. For me, it's the family of Emerson and Mary (Nichols) Rutter. They were married in August 1832 in Worcester County, Massachusetts.[1] Their eldest surviving son was born in June 1837 in Smithfield, Providence Co., Rhode Island.[2] By 1842 they were living in Cuba, Allegany County, New York (along with several of Mary's siblings).[3] However, they are not in the 1840 and 1850 censuses. I've search every way I can think of, even going page-by-page. Mary's siblings are there, but not the Rutter family. The first census I have them on is the 1856 Iowa state census.[4] According to it, the family has resided in the state 0 years (they don't appear in another census until 1870). The 1856 Iowa state census gave me the hope that the family might have still been in Allegany County, New York for its 1855 state census enumeration. Going line-by-line I went through the town of Cuba. First I found Rufus Nichols and Aaron and Caroline (Nichols) Stone, enumerated one right after the other. Then I literally let out a shriek when I found the Rutter's.[5]

Emerson and Mary are listed with their four sons. According to the census, the family has resided in the town for 17 years and Emerson is a land owner. Someday I'll get to that courthouse to look up records...

Sources              
[1] Affidavit of Marriage for Emerson Rutter & Mary Nichols in Mary E. Rutter, mother's pension application no. 223,150, certificate no. M.O.C. 193,691, for service of Philip H. Rutter (Pvt., Co. K, 12th Iowa Inf., Civil War); Case Files of Approved Pension Applications..., 1861-1934; Civil War and Later Pension Files; Department of Veterans Affairs, Record Group 15; National Archives, Washington, D.C.
[2] Alonzo John Rutter (Pvt., Co. K, 21st Iowa Vol. Inf., Civil War), pension no. Inv. 242-406, Case Files of Approved Pension Applications..., 1861-1934; Civil War and Later Pension Files; Department of Veteran's Affairs, Record Group 15; National Archives, Washington, D.C.
[3] Son Hollis E. Rutter was born 15 Apr 1842 in Allegany Co., NY.
[4] 1856 Iowa state census, Delaware County, Delaware, population schedule, p. 700-701 (stamped), dwelling/family 28, for E. Rutter; digital images, "Iowa State Census Collection, 1836-1925," Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : downloaded 25 March 2007); citing microfilm of Iowa State Censuses obtained from the State Historical Society of Iowa via Heritage Quest, roll IA_52.
[5] 1855 New York state census, Allegany County, population schedule, Cuba, p. 25 (penned), dwelling 196, family 206, Rufus Nichols; FHL microfilm 501952.
     1855 New York state census, Allegany County, population schedule, Cuba, p. 26 (penned), dwelling 197, family 207, Aaron Stone; FHL microfilm 501952.
     1855 New York state census, Allegany County, population schedule, Cuba, p. 36 (penned), dwelling 257, family 304, Emerson Rutter; FHL microfilm 501952.

Backpost 22 October 2007

Today is a day to celebrate. I found my elusive Linderman family. On findagrave.com someone had posted a picture of the family grave stone. It seems all but two children were buried with their parents. Birth and death dates were listed! From there I was able to track them down in the censuses. My ancestor even served in the Civil War. Now I have another pension file to order (which should provide even more information).

Source
Find A Grave, Inc., Find A Grave.com, digital images, (http:/www.findagrave.com : downloaded 22 October 2007); photograph, “gravestone for Jason Linderman (1840-1876), Memorial No. 15899715, Records of the Lenox Centre Burial Ground, Richmond, Michigan;" photograph © Jack Vander-Schrier.