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VAN ESSEN Genealogy - Civil War Veterans |
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Here I have short biographies of two great-great-grandfathers,
James K. Gardner and
David D. Sleeper, and
their four siblings, all of whom served with
the Union Army Vermont Volunteers in the Civil War from 1861 - 1865.
There is a terrific site called Vermont in the Civil War that has lots of information on the people with Vermont connections who were in the Civil War. The Infantry Units in the table, below, are linked to the page for that unit at that site. |
| James K. Gardner, | Pvt, Co. H, | 9th Vermont Volunteer Infantry | (Aug 1864 - | Jun 1865) |
| Levi C. Gardner, | Pvt, Co. H, | 9th Vermont Volunteer Infantry | (Aug 1864 - | Jun 1865) |
| Curtis C. Sleeper, | Pvt, Co. C, | 2nd Vermont Volunteer Infantry | (Feb 1862 - | Nov 1862) |
| David D. Sleeper, | Pvt, Co. E, | 11th Vermont Volunteer Infantry | (Dec 1863 - | Aug 1865) |
| James W. Sleeper, | Pvt, Co. D, | 5th Vermont Volunteer Infantry | (Sep 1861 - | Feb 1863) |
| Tilton T. Sleeper, | Sgt, Co. D, | 2nd Vermont Volunteer Infantry | (May 1861 - | Feb 1863) |
James K. Gardner (Pvt, Co. H, 9th Vermont Volunteer Infantry)
James K. Gardner
began his life on November 6, 1826 in Bartlett, New Hampshire
as the seventh of nine children born to Adam and Rebecca Gardner.
He learned the shoemaking craft from his father, and after marrying
Abigail M. Robbins on September 27, 1848, they moved to the village of
Craftsbury, Vermont to take care of Abba's aging mother.
By the time war broke out in 1861, James and Abba had 5 children -
Octavia, Abba, James, Mary, and Kate. A 6th child, Henry was born in 1870.
James sat out the beginning of the war, but finally enrolled for $100 on August 23, 1864 for a one-year enlistment in Company H, 9th Vermont Infantry. He described himself as 5 feet 8½ inches in height, light complexion, gray eyes, and auburn hair and worked as a shoemaker.
He saw his first major action at Chapin's (Chaffin's) Farm, where his 1882 claim for pension stated "That on the 29th day of September, 1864, on Chapin's farm in front of Richmond, during the battle of Chapin's Farm, a shell burst near claimant and from and because of the attendant concussion claimant became deaf - totally so - in his left ear."
He also had trouble on the transport ship, as his claim stated "That on board the transport Gen. Lyon, going from New Haven, Connecticut, to City Point, Virginia, in September, 1864, the claimant and other soldiers were placed down in the hulk of the ship on transport, and being closely crowded, we were packed right-in, nearly all being compelled to lie down; that claimant was among those compelled to lie down; that claimant was in said position for from (30) thirty to thirty-six hours and because of said compulsory position he was benumbed and almost paralyzed; that he was benumbed or paralyzed in his right leg..."
He served for a short while during the occupation of Richmond, and was there given his final discharge and mustered out on June 13, 1865, whereupon he returned to Craftsbury. The problems with his leg made it impossible for him to sit for any length of time, and he had to give up shoemaking. In 1867, he and his family moved to a farm about four miles from Craftsbury village, where he took up farming.
In May of 1881, he and his extended family (which now included the
spouses of Octavia and James) moved to Buchanan County in Iowa.
In 1885, he and his wife and daughter Octavia and her family were all
living in Royalton, Minnesota (son James and family stayed behind in Iowa
until the late 1890's). By the spring of 1900, the extended family
was once again living together in Crow Wing County, Minnesota.
After the death of his wife, Abba, in September of 1902, James moved the 7 miles to Brainerd to live with his son. He died there on December 27, 1908, survived by children James B. Gardner, Mrs. Abba R. Gray, and Mrs. Kate Follet.
James is buried in Oak Land Cemetery in Crow Wing County, alongside his wife Abba, his Civil War Veteran brother Levi, and his daughter Octavia Hutchins, who had died suddenly of a stroke in May of 1902. In addition to the obelisk marker on the gravesite with his and Abba's birth and death dates, there is also a white Civil War Veteran marker commemorating his service with the 9th Vermont Infantry. There is also a GAR Post 30 flag holder.
| SOURCES: |
Soldier's Certificate #925364 Pension Records U. S. Census Data for Vermont and Minnesota Vital Statistics Records from New Hampshire, Vermont and Minnesota |
Levi C. Gardner (Pvt, Co. H, 9th Vermont Volunteer Infantry)
Levi C. Gardner
took his first breath on August 3, 1832 in Bartlett, New Hampshire
as the youngest of nine children born to Adam and Rebecca Gardner.
He married Lucy E. Chandler on December 14, 1862 in Jackson, New Hampshire.
Although Levi lived in New Hampshire, he came to Vermont to enlist in the Volunteers with his brother, James. He enrolled at Craftsbury, Vermont for a $100 bounty on August 30, 1864 for a one-year enlistment in Company H, 9th Vermont Infantry. He described himself as 5 feet 11 inches in height, fair complexion, gray eyes, and dark hair and that he worked as a carpenter. He declared himself to be age 32 years and one month.
He and his brother saw action at Chapin's (Chaffin's) Farm in September, 1864. In April of 1865, according to a claim filed in his later years, he suffered a rupture (hernia) on his left side while assisting in loading a cannon onto a vessel at Manchester, opposite Richmond, Virginia. He served for a short while during the occupation of Richmond, and was there given his final discharge and mustered out on June 13, 1865,
After the War, he returned to Bartlett. He and Lucy were enumerated in
the 1870 census for Bartlett. They had no children at that time.
He was a carpenter by trade and worked as such for most of his adult life.
Of the four children born to Levi and Lucy, two died at birth and two others,
named Elizabeth and Mary, died in early childhood. Levi and Lucy later moved
to Osage, Mitchell county, Iowa, where they divorced in 1880.
In the 1880 census, he was living in Benson, Swift county, Minnesota, enumerated as Levi "Gardener". In the 1885 census, he was living in Chengwatana township in Pine county. In 1886 he married Rachel Crawford in Grantsburg, Wisconsin. They separated around 1894, but were never officially divorced. He lived in Crow Wing township in Crow Wing county from 1902 on. In his old age he was cared for in the rural home of Mrs. Julia Stillings, who filed a claim for re-imbursement after his death on September 22, 1920.
Levi is buried in Oak Land Cemetery in Crow Wing County, alongside his brother James (also a Civil War veteran), and James' wife and daughter. The grave is marked only with a white Civil War Veteran marker commemorating his service with the 9th Vermont Infantry (His first name is mis-spelled as "Leevi" on the marker). There is also a GAR Post 30 flag holder.
| SOURCES: |
Soldier's Certificate #864058 Pension Records U. S. Census Data for New Hampshire and Minnesota Vital Statistics Records from Minnesota |
Curtis C. Sleeper (Pvt, Co. C, 2nd Vermont Volunteer Infantry)
Curtis C. Sleeper
was born on February 26, 1842 in Waterbury, Vermont
to Timothy and Ruth (Flanders) Sleeper. He married Fanny Richardson in 1872
and they had at least 5 children - Mary, Effie, Samuel, Mabel, and Hattie.
They later divorced, and she died in 1911.
He enrolled at Montpelier, Vermont on February 25, 1862 for three years with Company C, 2nd Vermont Infantry. He said he was 5'11", had a sandy complexion, blue eyes, sandy-colored hair, and that he was a 19-year-old farmer.
He was captured at Savage Station, Va June 30, 1862, and confined at Richmond. He was released August 3rd and admitted to the hospital at City Point with rheumatism and loss of right index finger due to a missile ball hitting his right hand during the battle of Savage Station. He was given a medical discharge on November 10, 1862 in New York City. On March 1, 1865, he re-enlisted and served in Company E, 22nd Regiment of New York until mustered out August 1, 1865 at Winchester, Virginia.
After his final discharge, he returned to Waterbury. Five years later, he moved to Massachusetts where he met and married his wife and raised his family, living in Hardwich, Worcester, and Hudson over the next 30 years. By 1907, he was back in Waterbury, which is where he died on January 4, 1915.
Curtis is buried in Old Waterbury Center Cemetery in Waterbury, Vermont. A white Civil War Veteran marker commemorates his service with the 2nd Vermont Infantry. There is also a GAR Post 32 flag holder.
| SOURCES: |
Soldier's Certificate #111182 Pension Records U. S. Census Data for Vermont Vital Statistics Records from Vermont |
David D. Sleeper (Pvt, Co. E, 11th Vermont Volunteer Infantry)
David D. Sleeper
was born on April 11, 1834 in Vershire, Vermont
to Timothy and Ruth (Flanders) Sleeper. He married Elizabeth C. Hill
around 1858. Their first two children died very young, but the
next five (Carrie, Cora, Frank, Lucy, and Edward) survived into adulthood.
While living in Waterbury,
David enrolled at Stowe in December of 1863 for a three-year enlistment
in the 11th Regiment which later became the 1st Heavy Artillery.
He described himself as 5'11" in height with dark complexion,
blue eyes, brown hair, and said he was a 29-year-old farmer.
He saw action at Cold Harbor, where he was wounded in the foot. He was also hit in the groin, as he testified in a claim filed in 1885: "...at the Battle of Cold Harbor, Va., June 12th, 1864, I was wounded by a minnie ball, which passed through my cartridge box which I had at the time round in front & over in front of my right groin - and struck me in front & just above my right groin & it knocked me down - it broke the skin so that the blood started a little ... it has troubled me ever since that time ... and in 1870 or 1871 it broke through and I now have a breach .... He had other problems as well: ... sometime in the fall of 1864 I contracted the Chronic Diarrhea while the regiment was near Wincheaster and it has troubled me ever since....
His unit was joined with Company A around June of 1865, and he was mustered out from that unit on August 25 in Washington, DC.
After the war, he returned to Waterbury and at the end of November, 1865, he moved to Wolcott, Vermont, where he spent the rest of his life. In 1873, his wife Elizabeth died shortly after giving birth to their son, Edward. David remarried a few years later to Maria H. Webster. Family scuttlebutt says that Maria didn't treat her stepchildren very well and they left home as soon as they were able to. One daughter, Carrie, married a son of James K. Gardner in 1880 and moved to Iowa with their extended family.
David's health wasn't the best after the War. He died March 2, 1892 at age 57 years, 10 months and 21 days from erysipelas, which is "an acute infectious disease of the skin or mucous membranes characterized by inflammation of the skin accompanied with fever; it is caused by any of several kinds of streptococcus."
David is buried in Old Waterbury Center Cemetery in Waterbury, Vermont. A six-foot tall granite obelisk is inscribed with the names, dates of death. and age at death of David and his wife, Elizabeth. A white Civil War Veteran marker commemorates his service with the 11th Vermont Infantry. There is also a GAR Post 32 flag holder.
| SOURCES: |
Soldier's Certificate #339089 Widow's Pension Records U. S. Census Data for Vermont Vital Statistics Records from Vermont |
James W. Sleeper (Pvt, Co. D, 5th Vermont Volunteer Infantry)
James W. Sleeper
was born on August 28, 1838, in Waterbury, Vermont
to Timothy and Ruth (Flanders) Sleeper.
He married Caroline B. Guptil on August 14, 1859, in Stowe, Vermont.
They had 3 children -
Charley (who died at age 4),
Walter, and Herbert. Caroline died May 3, 1907.
While living in Waterbury, James enlisted at St. Albans in September of 1861 to serve three years in Company D, 5th Infantry. He described himself as 5'9½", light complexion, blue eyes, and light-colored hair and that he was a farmer.
In his Declaration for Original Invalid Pension, dated June 15, 1880, he said that near the Chain bridge, D.C. in October 1861, he contracted chronic diarrhea and suffered from its results. He was at Camp Griffin, Va. in Nov/Dec 1861 but frequently was "absent, sick" in roll calls.
He received a medical discharge February 5, 1863 at Philadelphia for "Deformity of left arm resulting from Erysipelas in early childhood". But there was no mention of the diarrhea that caused his frequent absences.
James died in Waterbury on April 9, 1918 at age 79, and is buried in Old Waterbury Center Cemetery in Waterbury, Vermont. A four-foot tall granite marker is inscribed with the names, years of birth and death of James and his wife, Caroline. An additional inscription commemorates his service with the 5th Regiment VT Vols.
| SOURCES: |
Soldier's Certificate #272846 Pension Records |
Tilton T. Sleeper (Sgt, Co. D, 2nd Vermont Volunteer Infantry)
Tilton T. Sleeper
was born about 1829 in Vershire, Vermont
to Timothy and Ruth (Flanders) Sleeper. He married Almira Lee in 1854
and they had a daughter, Helen, in 1856. Almira died March 30, 1860.
In 1860, Tilton and Helen were living in Waterbury with Charles Lee
(possibly his wife's brother) and the Lee's 20-year-old domestic help,
Clara A. Cunningham. Clara and Tilton were married on September 2, 1860.
Tilton enrolled at Waterbury, Vermont on May 7, 1861 for three years and joined up with Company D, 2nd Vermont Infantry. He said he was 5'10¾", had a light complexion, blue eyes, dark hair, and that he was a 32-year-old mechanic.
He contracted Camp Fever while at Yorktown, Va., and by February 5, 1863, at Belle Plain, Va., according to his medical discharge, "Sergt. Tilton has been excused from duty most of the time since last June. During the last two months has done no duty whatsoever". He was examined and found incapable of performing the duties of a soldier because of "Chronic Diarrhea of six months standing, (that) has reduced the subject to such an extent that he is totally unfit for any duty and should be immediately discharged to save life".
He returned home to Waterbury, where his wife, Clara, promptly abandoned him
and his daughter, Helen.
He died October 11, 1863 from the dibilating effects of his diarrhea.
Later testimony revealed that Clara had left the state and was thus
declared an unfit mother for her step-daughter, Helen. Custody of Helen
was granted to her maternal grandfather, Jonathan Lee.
Tilton is buried in Old Waterbury Center Cemetery in Waterbury, Vermont. A white Civil War Veteran marker commemorates his service with the 2nd Vermont Infantry (although it gives his rank as Corporal instead of Sergeant). There is also a GAR Post 32 flag holder.
| SOURCES: |
Soldier's Certificate #93954 Minor's Pension Records U. S. Census Data for Vermont Vital Statistics Records from Vermont |
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