BERDAN, WILLIAM (1841-1900). Private, 9th New York Infantry, Company F. A native New Yorker, he enlisted there on April 23, 1861, as a private. On May 4, he mustered into the 9th New York Infantry where he served until he mustered out at New York City on May 20, 1863. He applied for a pension in 1898, application 1,204,374. He died from a pistol shot in Paterson, New Jersey. His last residence was on Trenton Avenue in Paterson. His widow, Susanna A. Berdan, applied for and was granted a pension in 1904, certificate 596,430. Section 52, lot 9286.
BERGEN, ADRIAN VANDEMEER (1841-1893). Major by brevet; first lieutenant, 139th New York Infantry, Companies G and D; private, 3rd Regiment, New York State Militia, Company B. Born in Flatbush, Brooklyn, and employed as a clerk, he first served for three months in the 3rd Regiment in 1861. He re-enlisted as a second lieutenant at Brooklyn on September 9, 1862, and mustered into Company G that day. Bergen was promoted to first lieutenant on October 18, 1863, effective upon his transfer to Company D, and was discharged for disability on August 24, 1864. His regiment participated at numerous engagements in Virginia including: Williamsburg, Baltimore Cross Roads, Charles City Court House, Drewry’s Bluff, and Cold Harbor. At some point, he served as assistant provost marshal at Hampton and Fortress Monroe in Virginia. He was brevetted to major on October 24, 1868, “for gallant and meritorious services.” He and his siblings, Cornelius (see), Robert (see), and Rebecca (see), share a family gravestone that is inscribed with their service histories. His last residence was on Sixth Avenue in Brooklyn. Section 79, lot 813.
BERGEN, CORNELIUS J. (1834-1873). Captain, 56th Regiment, New York State National Guard, Company C; first sergeant, 13th Regiment, New York State National Guard, Company H. In 1862, he enlisted at Brooklyn on May 28, mustered into the 13th Regiment (Heavy Artillery) as a first sergeant that day, and mustered out at Brooklyn on September 12. He re-enlisted at Brooklyn as a captain on July 11, 1864, was commissioned into the 56th Regiment’s National Guard on August 2, and mustered out on November 6 of that year at New York City. Adrian (see) and Robert (see), his brothers, served in the War as did his sister, Rebecca (see). Bergen died from tuberculosis. His home in Brooklyn was at 87 Willoughby Street. Section 79, lot 813.
BERGEN, JOHN G. (1814-1867). Metropolitan Police Commissioner during the New York City Draft Riots. A Brooklyn native, he was a member of the New York State Assembly in 1854 and later was an active supporter of the Republican Party. When the Metropolitan Police Department was established in 1860, Governor Edwin D. Morgan appointed him to the Board of Police Commissions, of which he was elected treasurer. At that same time, Thomas Coxon Acton was also appointed police commissioner and John Kennedy assumed the position of superintendent. Bergen is listed as police commissioner in the Brooklyn Directories from 1862-1864. During the July 1863 New York City Draft Riots, Superintendent Kennedy was severely injured by the mob during an inspection tour on July 14, 1863, necessitating that Bergen and Acton assume command. Bergen oversaw the police in Staten Island and Brooklyn while Acton took control of police and military forces in Manhattan. According to The Metropolitan Police, Their Services During Riot Week, Their Honorable Record by David M. Barnes (1863), “He was almost constantly at headquarters during the period of tremor and excitement, and exhibited, to a marked degree, his peculiarities of coolness, prompt conclusions, and steady perseverance.” Bergen remained in his position until his death and was praised as “always prompt, indefatigable and conscientious in the performance of his duties.” Upon Bergen’s death, Kennedy ordered that flags at all precincts be lowered to half-staff until his burial. His funeral was one of the largest gatherings of police personnel at that time. One of his brothers, Peter Bergen, was a judge; another brother, Teunis Bergen, was a U.S. Congressman. In addition, Bergen was one of the founders of the Union League Club. He last lived at 38th Street near Third Avenue in Brooklyn where stomach problems caused his death. Section 43, lot 267.
BERGEN, REBECCA T. (1824-1893). Volunteer nurse, Union Army. Bergen’s family headstone lists Rebecca Bergen as serving as a volunteer nurse in 1861. Other siblings who served in the War include Adrian (see), Cornelius (see), and Robert (see). She ministered to the needs of soldiers at a hospital in Georgetown in Washington, D.C. An anecdote about her life recounts her introduction to President Abraham Lincoln who upon hearing her name said, “Why I have a plow called the Bergen Self-Sharpening Plow; it is the best plow that I have ever used or have ever seen! Do you know that gentleman? He was a Long Islander.” He was delighted to learn that the Bergen in question was Rebecca’s father. Bergen belonged to the Women’s Relief Corps, an arm of the Rankin Post #10 of the G.A.R. On March 5, 1893, she fractured her hip after slipping on the ice and died eight days later. She last lived at 73 Sixth Avenue in Brooklyn. Section 79, lot 813.
BERGEN, ROBERT G. (1832-1870). Sailor, United States Navy. Bergen was a sailor in the Navy during the Civil War. According to the inscription on the family gravestone, he served aboard the USS Vanderbilt from 1862-64. His brothers, Adrian (see) and Cornelius (see), and sister, Rebecca (see), served in the War. He died from tuberculosis. His last residence was at 67 Willoughby Street in Brooklyn. Section 79, lot 813.
Bergen Family Lot Green-Wood Cemetery, Brooklyn NY
BERGEN, VAN BRUNT MAGAW (1839-1865). First lieutenant and adjutant, 131st New York Infantry, Company E; corporal, 13th Regiment, New York State National Guard, Company G. A Brooklyn native and an engraver by trade, his maternal grandfather (Colonel Van Brunt Magaw) and great-grandfather (Robert Magaw) served in the Revolutionary War. Bergen enlisted at Brooklyn as a corporal on May 28, 1862, mustered into Company G of the 13th Regiment, and mustered out at Brooklyn after three months on September 12. He re-enlisted at New York City on August 28, 1862, and was commissioned into the 131st New York as a first lieutenant on September 6, 1862. Initially, the 131st was sent to Annapolis, Maryland, where they guarded 10,000 Confederate prisoners. In December of 1862, the regiment became engaged in the battles of the Louisiana Campaign including: Baton Rouge, Donaldsonville, Brashear City, on the Teche, Franklin, Vermillion Bayou, Alexandria, on the Red River and Port Hudson. At Brashear City, he was an assistant quartermaster and assistant inspector general of the La Fourche District. From there, he was sent as an ordnance officer to the Shenandoah Valley under Sheridan’s command. He was promoted to adjutant of his regiment on March 6, 1864. After contracting a cold that eventually settled in his lungs, Bergen returned home to restore his health in December 1864, was discharged for disability on March 10, 1865, and ultimately died of consumption on June 8, 1865, at his residence on Third Avenue and 18th Street in Brooklyn. Section 43, lot 272.
BERGEN, WILLIAM H. (1839-1862). Private, 69th Regiment, New York State National Guard, Company B. After Bergen enlisted as a private at New York City on May 26, 1862, he mustered into the 69th Regiment, and mustered out three months later on September 3 at New York City. He died two weeks later on September 18. Interment at Green-Wood was on September 13, 1868. Section 43, lot 267.
BERGER, ANTHONY (or ANTONE) (1825-1906). Corporal, 132nd New York Infantry, Company H. Born in Germany, Berger enlisted at New York City as a corporal on July 26, 1862. The following October 4, he mustered into the 132nd New York and mustered out at Salisbury, North Carolina, on June 29, 1865. A locksmith by trade, his last residence was 542 Greene Avenue in Brooklyn where his death was caused by senility. Section 165, lot 27767, grave 2.
BERGH, SAMUEL N. (1831-1869). Regiment commissary, 13th Regiment, New York State National Guard, Company H. He enlisted as a private at Brooklyn on May 28, 1862. On that same day, he was commissioned into Company H and detailed as regiment commissary. He mustered out at Brooklyn on September 12, 1862. Bergh died from heart disease. His last residence was in Rhode Island. Section 45, lot 3996.
BERGMANN, AUGUST (1820-1897). Private, 15th New York Heavy Artillery, Companies M and A. Bergmann, who was born in Germany, enlisted as a private at New York City on December 17, 1863, and mustered into Company M of the 15th New York Heavy Artillery the same day. Sometime during his military service he was transferred within his regiment to Company A. On March 27, 1864, he was listed as absent due to sickness. Other details of his military record are not known. His last residence was on West 17th Street in Manhattan. Section B, lot 11005.
BERGMANN, AUGUST (1836-1879). Corporal, 7th Regiment, New York State National Guard, Company H. Although a gravestone memorializes him and his widow is buried there, no cemetery records indicate his presence at Green-Wood. He enlisted at New York City as a corporal on May 25, 1862, mustered into Company H of the 7th Regiment, and was discharged after serving for three months on September 5 at New York City. His widow, Therese Bergmann, applied for a pension from Germany in 1912 and received it, certificate 753,443. Section 183, lot 19610.
BERIER, FRANCIS EUGENE (1819-1895). Major by brevet; captain and commissary, United States Army Commissary Department. Born in New York, Berier enlisted as a captain on October 14, 1861, and was immediately commissioned in the United States Commissary Department as a captain and commissary. He was promoted by brevet to major on March 13, 1865, and mustered out of service on November 15, 1866. Berier died from nephritis. His last residence was on Shore Road and 3rd Avenue in Brooklyn. Section 147, lot 21192, grave 1.
BERLEY, WILLIAM (1841-1896). Sergeant, 11th Regiment, New York State National Guard, Company K. Originally from Germany, Berley enlisted as a sergeant at New York City in 1863 and served in the 11th Regiment when it was activated that year for 30 days. He was discharged at the expiration of his enlistment. Berley died from cirrhosis. His last residence was 209 East 74th Street in Manhattan. Section 64, lot 4071, grave 225.
BERMINGHAM, JOHN J. (1843-1886). Private, 172nd New York Infantry; 6th New York Heavy Artillery, Company N; 7th Veteran Reserve Corps, Company D. After enlisting as a private at Anson, New York, on September 5, 1862, he mustered into the 172nd New York (unknown company) the same day, and transferred into the 6th New York Heavy Artillery on December 4 of that year. After he transferred into the 7th Veterans on February 1, 1865, he mustered out on June 30, 1865, at Washington, D.C. Although Barber last lived on Willoughby Street in Brooklyn, he died at the Insane Asylum on Ward’s Island, New York City. Section 202, lot 31442.
BERMINGHAM (or BIRMINGHAM), WILLIAM (1834-1899). Corporal, 182nd New York Infantry, Company A. Bermingham enlisted as a corporal on September 17, 1862, at New York City, and mustered into the 182nd New York on November 17. On September 22, 1863, he was reduced in rank to private. After being captured as a prisoner of war at Boydton Plank Road, Virginia, on November 17, 1864, he was paroled on an unstated date, and mustered out of service on July 15, 1865, at Washington, D.C. He died from erysipelas (acute bacterial skin infection). His last residence was on East 122nd Street in Manhattan. Section A, lot 8100, grave 938.
BERNABO (or BERNADO, BARNABO), JOSEPH (or GUISEPPE) (1835-1881). Corporal, 4th New York Cavalry, Company K; private, 39th New York Infantry, Company C. Originally from Italy, he enlisted as a private on January 1, 1862, at Washington, D.C., mustered into the 39th New York that day, and was discharged for disability on September 18, 1862, from Camp White at Harpers Ferry, West Virginia. He re-enlisted as a corporal on October 27, 1862, at New York City, mustered into the 4th Cavalry on November 15, but was dropped from the rolls on an unstated date. Bernabo died from pneumonia. He last lived in New York. Section 2, lot 5499.
BERNARD, ALEXANDER (1839-1904). Private, 24th New York Cavalry. Born in Canada on Prince Edward Island, Bernard was a private in the 24th New York Cavalry. There are no further details about his service. Bernard died from nephritis. His last residence was 447 60th Street in Brooklyn. Section 203, lot 26453.
BERNARD, EDWARD (1830-1898). Captain, 65th New York Infantry, Company I; first lieutenant, 7th Regiment, New York State Militia, Company B; 11th New York Infantry, Company I. Bernard was born in New York. He was 5′ 8″ tall with black hair, black eyes and a dark complexion. After enlisting at New York City as a second lieutenant on April 17, 1861, he mustered into the 7th Regiment nine days later, was promoted to first lieutenant on May 10, and was discharged after 30 days on May 25, when he re-enlisted in the 11th New York and mustered in on June 4. Bernard fought at Bull Run, Virginia, in July 1861 before he resigned his commission on October 1 and enlisted and was commissioned into the 65th New York as a captain. In Virginia, Bernard fought in the siege of Yorktown and at the following battles: Williamsburg, Fair Oaks, Seven Pines, and the Seven Days’ Battle. Wounded in the left leg at Malvern Hill, Virginia, on July 1, 1862, the bullet shattered the bones below his knee. He was carried to the beach of the James River and placed on a U.S. gunboat, the Delaware, before being transferred to the State of Maine, a hospital ship, at Harrison’s Landing and taken to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. From there he was put on a train and sent to New York City, arriving on July 11, 1862, where doctors found that the muscles of his leg had retreated and the wound had abscessed. After an operation to repair the muscle damage, Bernard recuperated for many months at the home of his sister, but the damage to his leg was permanently disabling. The wound remained open and continued to ooze, needing on-going care. He resigned that December and was officially discharged October 27, 1863, after being mentioned in official orders. In 1874, he applied for and received an invalid pension, certificate 137,247. At that time, he worked as a clerk and weighed 200 pounds. Dr. Lewis Sayre, in his supporting documentation, wrote that much bone was lost in his left tibia and fibula ultimately shortening that leg by half an inch. Sayre wrote of Bernard’s original wound “with one or two exceptions the largest amount of pus I ever saw contained in a single abscess….” He went on to say that the bone fragments removed from the injury site filled “an ordinary teacup” and that a small piece of bone still remains that oozes and needs continual attention resulting in a permanent disability. In further support of Bernard’s application for the invalid pension, Robert B. Scott, a first lieutenant in the 65th wrote an affidavit testifying that he witnessed Bernard’s injury at Malvern Hill. “I saw him fall in the field. I detailed two privates from the company to take him off the field. The army retired and left him behind in their charge….It is within my personal knowledge that his wound was very severe and that he was confined to his house for a long time and that his wound is still unhealed…” According to the 1880 census, he was employed as a hardware clerk; his death certificate notes that he was a manager. The Veterans’ Census of 1890 confirms his military service. His death attributed to apoplexy, he last lived at 520 Monroe Street in Brooklyn. A descendant, who researched the family’s genealogical records, discovered that he left his personal estate valued at $1,360 to his sister, Elizabeth Marshall. Section 65, lot 1621.
BERNET (or BRENT), ERNST (or ERNEST) OTTO (1828-1897). Captain, 20th New York Infantry, Company E. Of German birth, he came to the United States in 1848 sailing from Antwerp, Belgium, aboard the Lady Arabella. In 1857, he was employed in the liquor business at 132 Essex Street in Manhattan. He enlisted at New York City on May 3, 1861, and was commissioned into the 20th New York as a captain three days later. In February and March of 1862, he was assigned to Camp Hamilton, near Fortress Monroe, Virginia. Also known on the rolls as Ernest Brent, he resigned on July 10, 1862. Remaining active in military affairs, he was promoted to major of the 96th Regiment, New York State Militia, in 1866. In civilian life, he was the proprietor of the Terrace Garden, an establishment that presented Sunday concerts and daily musical and dramatic performances (in German) at East 58th Street and Lexington Avenue in Manhattan according to advertisements in The New York Herald in 1869 and 1871. In March 1878, Bernet became an American citizen. The 1880 census and local directory listed him as a clerk in a wine store at 295 Bowery in Manhattan. On October 21, 1881, he joined the G.A.R. At the time of his application for a passport in 1895, he was 5′ 6″ tall with a high forehead, blue eyes, gray hair, a moustache and a fair complexion. In 1896, he applied for and was granted an invalid pension, certificate 933,005. At the time of his death, he lived at 435 East 116th Street in Manhattan. Section 166, lot 24683, grave 2.
BERRIAN, WILLIAM H. (1845-1886). Private, 5th New York Veteran Infantry, Company K. Born in New York State, Berrian enlisted at New York City as a private on April 6, 1865. On that date he mustered into Company K of the 5th Veterans from which he was discharged at Hart’s Island, New York Harbor, on August 21, 1865. Berrian died from heart disease. His last address was on Bailey Avenue in the Bronx. Section 85, lot 6830.
BERRIE, JAMES H. (1826-1896). Private, 13th Regiment, New York State Militia, Company B. A native of Scotland, Berrie served as a private for three months in the 13th Regiment in 1861, mustering out at the termination of his enlistment. In 1892, he applied for and received an invalid pension, certificate 652,766. He joined the G.A.R. on September 9, 1887. His last residence was 148 Tillary Street in Brooklyn where his cause of death was listed as old age. Shortly after his death in 1896, Ann E. Berrie was granted a widow’s pension, certificate 490,031. Section 135, lot 14964, grave 804.
BERRIEN, THEODORE (1843-1886). Private, 56th New York Infantry, Company F. A Brooklynite by birth, he enlisted as a private at New York City on March 30, 1865, mustered into the 56th New York on that date, and mustered out on October 17, 1865, at Charleston, South Carolina. He died from tuberculosis. His last residence was 506 West 125th Street in Manhattan. Section 105, lot 6916.
BERRY, ABRAHAM J. (1797-1865). Surgeon, 38th New York Infantry; assistant surgeon, 47th New York Infantry. According to a descendant, Berry was born in 1797 although other sources list 1799 as his birth year. He was renowned for his heroism as a physician during the 1832 cholera epidemic in Kings County. The first mayor of the independent city of Williamsburg, he initiated a proposal that resulted in Williamsburg’s consolidation into Brooklyn in 1855. In addition, he established ferry connections to New York City. During the Civil War, he enlisted as a surgeon when he was in his 60’s at New York City on June 17, 1861, and was commissioned into the 38th New York’s Field and Staff two days later. The descendant possesses two letters from Dr. Berry to his 12-year-old grandson, Berry Egan, describing conditions from Camp Scott, near Alexandria, Virginia, on July 17, 1861, an excerpt of which follows:
… there is a great difference, my boy, in seeing soldiers marching through the streets with every comfort around them than seeing them as I do every day and night, obliged to eat just what is portioned out to them, exercised and tossed about, rain or shine, ready at all times to meet a foe, who at a moment may send them into another world. I have seen them, my son, after marching and getting wet, lay down in their tents, wet and on the bare ground and hungry at that. And, when they are sick they have no mother to nurse them and when they die they have no one but their comrades to close their eyes and they alone follow them to their resting spot, a hole dug in some remote corner of a field they may be located in for the time, accompanied with the solemn muffled drum and left alone after a volley is filled over their graves….
In a second letter, dated October 22, 1861, from Camp Scott, he wrote:
I send you this flag for it is the emblem of Union, and it is to restore it throughout the Country where it has been desecrated and trampled underfoot that your Grandfather left you and all the comforts we once enjoyed together to sleep in a tent in Virginia so that he could take care of the poor, wounded and sick soldiers who may have a little boy he has left far away and who may never see him again. You must think now hard it is for men to make such sacrifices for you-such a little boy that you may have a home when you may one day be able to protect those who have watched over you with so much care….
In July 1862, he was in charge of more than 300 patients at White House, Virginia, when General McClellan retreated to Harrison’s Landing. During a period of confusion when the Army left that area, the injured and Berry were left behind. He then led the effort to move the sick and convalescents to the James River. He was discharged on December 9, 1862. After re-enlisting at Brooklyn as an assistant surgeon on June 17, 1863, he was commissioned into the 47th New York’s Field and Staff, and mustered out at Brooklyn after serving for 30 days on July 23. He died of exhaustion at his home in Brooklyn at 85 South 9th Street. A street and playground in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, are named for his family who were among the first settlers of that neighborhood. Section 123, lot 3622.
BERRY, ALPHONSO (or ALPHONZO) H. D. (1848-1900). Private, 84th Regiment, New York State National Guard, Company B. Berry served for 100 days with the 84th National Guard in 1864. In 1896, he applied for and was granted an invalid pension, certificate 934,441. His death attributed to nephritis, he last lived on 99th Street and Fourth Avenue in Brooklyn. Christina Berry, who is interred with him, received a widow’s pension, certificate 574,912. Section 136, lot 28307.
BERRY, CLINTON (1835-1862). Captain, 82nd New York Infantry, Company G. In 1853, Berry, a native New Yorker from Williamsburg, Brooklyn, was appointed as a cadet to the United States Military Academy at West Point. The census in 1860 listed him as a clerk. After enlisting as a second lieutenant on June 1, 1861, he was immediately commissioned into the 82nd New York. He quickly rose to first lieutenant on October 22, and to captain on January 1, 1862. An article in The New York Times dated December 28, 1861, noted that Berry was with the regiment at Poolesville, Maryland, and had fought at Bull Run and Edwards’ Ferry, Virginia. On June 16, 1862, he died of typhoid fever at Baltimore, Maryland, but last resided at 29 East 37th Street in Manhattan. Section 178, lot 14068.
BERRY, LLOYD W. (1834-1909). First lieutenant, 11th New York Infantry, Company E. A native New Yorker, Berry enlisted there as a second lieutenant on April 20, 1861, was commissioned into the 11th New York that day, was promoted to first lieutenant on October 4 of that year, and mustered out at New York City on June 2, 1862. In 1903, his application for an invalid pension was granted, certificate 1,080,043. He last lived on Samsone Street in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. His widow, Ella Berry, received a pension in 1909, certificate 691,718. Section 11, lot 2654.
BERT, JOHN (1835-1879). Sergeant, 11th Regiment, New York State National Guard, Company F. Originally from Germany, Bert enlisted at New York City as a sergeant on May 28, 1862, mustered into the 11th Regiment on that date, and mustered out after three months on September 16 at New York City. His last residence was 27 West 56th Street in Manhattan. Section 106, lot 10043.
BEST, CHARLES H. (1834-1884). Private, 10th New York Infantry, Company B. Born in New York, Best enlisted as a private at New York City on October 10, 1861. On February 13, 1863, he was discharged for disability at Convalescent Camp, Virginia. In 1872, his application for an invalid pension was approved, certificate 255,726. Living in New York City in 1880, the census recorded him as working as a varnisher and polisher. Best died from heart disease. His last residence was 60 Division Street in Manhattan. Amelia Best applied for a widow’s pension in 1884, application 314,625, but there is no evidence that it was certified. Section 13, lot 19694, grave 30.
BESTOW, MARCUS P. (1834-1885). Colonel, lieutenant colonel and major by brevet; major, United States Volunteers Adjutant General’s Department; first lieutenant, 26th Ohio Infantry, Company A. Bestow is not buried at Green-Wood; the cenotaph in his family’s lot honors his memory. Born in Coolville, Ohio, he moved to Cincinnati in 1853 where he was employed as a clerk in a dry goods store eventually becoming chief salesman. He was a lawyer at the onset of the Civil War. He enlisted as a second lieutenant on July 31, 1861, and was commissioned into the 26th Ohio that day. The 26th was part of Hascall’s Brigade, Wood’s Division. He was promoted to first lieutenant on June 23, 1862, and was discharged for promotion on December 23 of that year when he was commissioned into the United States Volunteers Adjutant General’s Department as a captain and assistant adjutant general. Brigadier General Thomas J. Wood, his commanding officer, cited Bestow twice for his cooperation; first on September 29, 1863, for his performance of duties during the “arduous campaign at Chickamauga,” and then on November 24, 1863, for his gallantry and intelligence noting that he was slightly wounded by a shell fragment at Mission Ridge, Tennessee. On March 13, 1865, Bestow was promoted by brevet to major, lieutenant colonel, and colonel, for “meritorious service during the war” and for “gallantry at the battle of Nashville, Tennessee, and the subsequent pursuit of the insurgent army under General Hood.” According to his obituary in The New York Times, he was promoted to major in June 1865, and mustered out in 1866. General Wood said of him at the time of his muster out, “Colonel Bestow’s desk duties were performed faithfully, intelligently, and conscientiously. In the field, whether on the march or on the battlefield, he was distinguished for activity, courage, zeal, and intelligence. His personal gallantry was of a high order. He participated with me in the battles of Stone River, Chickamauga, Mission Ridge, and all the affairs and battles of the Atlanta campaign, and in the crowning victory, Nashville. He received three brevets ‘for gallant and meritorious duty.’ His leading traits were an ardent patriotism, a zealous and conscientious sense of the obligation of duty, great personal gallantry, and thorough loyalty to comrades and friends.” After returning to his law practice in Ohio, he moved to Brooklyn four years later where he was admitted to the New York Bar and built up a large and lucrative practice. A staunch Republican, he was a member of the New England Society and the Lincoln Club. His application for an invalid pension was granted in 1882, certificate 452,929. He died suddenly at his father’s house, his childhood home, in Coolville, Ohio, leaving his 13 year old daughter an orphan. His death was attributed to an intestinal illness that he contracted while in service and continued to recur throughout his life. Although his obituary notes that his body would be sent to Green-Wood for burial, that is an error; he is buried at Coolville Cemetery. His daughter, an unnamed minor, received a pension after his death, certificate 266,142. Section 179, lot 14414.
BETTS, THEODORE (1844-1876). Private, 9th New York Infantry, Company A. After enlisting as a private at New York City on April 23, 1861, he mustered into the 9th New York on May 4, and mustered out on May 20, 1863, at New York City. In 1874, he was employed as a clerk. He last lived at 482 Warren Street in Brooklyn where his death was listed as a casualty. Mary Betts, his widow, received a pension in 1891, certificate 337,314. Section 188, lot 15237.
BETZ, LOUIS (1836-1892). Private, 7th New York Infantry, Company B. Of German birth, Betz enlisted as a private at New York City on April 23, 1861, and mustered into the 7th that same day. He was wounded at Antietam, Maryland, on September 17, 1862, and mustered out on May 8, 1863, at New York City. In 1870, his application for an invalid pension was granted, certificate 114,281. He last lived at 323 East 8th Street in Manhattan. Elizabeth Betz, received a widow’s pension after his death from tuberculosis in 1892, certificate 371,826. Section 2, lot 5499, grave 109.
BEVINS (or BEVIN), WILLIAM IRA (1839-1906). Private, 13th Regiment, New York State Militia, Company E. Bevins, a native of Brooklyn, served for three months in 1861 in the 13th New York State Militia. His pension application was approved in 1906, certificate 1,129,768. Bevins died from heart disease. He last lived at 321 3rd Street in Brooklyn. Mary Ann Bevins received a widow’s pension shortly after his death in 1906, certificate 621,557. Section 136, lot 28070, grave 345.
BEWES (or BEWS), WILLIAM T. (1836-1863). Private, 79th New York Infantry, Company G. Originally from Scotland, he was employed as an accountant at the time he enlisted as a private at New York City on May 13, 1861. He mustered into the 79th New York on May 28, and was discharged for disability at Washington, D.C., on July 29 of that year. On March 25, 1863, he was awarded an invalid pension, certificate 508,122. He died of consumption at his home on Washington Avenue in Brooklyn. Catharine Bewes, his widow, received a pension shortly after his death, certificate 31,417. Section 115, lot 13536 (Soldiers’ Lot), grave 67.
BIBLE, CHARLES P. (1838-1910). Drummer, Confederate States of America. Born in Atlanta, Georgia, he enlisted in Alabama and served as a drummer boy in the Confederate Army. After the War, he was the chief clerk of the Sixth District Municipal Court at 611 Fulton Street in Manhattan. He was also active in the Republican Party and community service organizations. His last residence was 447 9th Street in Brooklyn. He died from injuries resulting from a fall on a sidewalk on his way home from work. Section 135, lot 27263, grave 64.
BIDDLE, GEORGE H. (1801-1884). Colonel, 95th New York Infantry. He was born George Hogg; early in his life, the family changed its name to Biddle. After an early career in the auction business, George Biddle joined the Army at the outset of the Mexican War, served on the staff of General Zachary Taylor as a colonel and fought at Chapultepec and Churubusco. After the war, he returned to civilian life. Early in the Civil War, he was authorized to recruit the 95th Regiment of the New York Infantry (the Warren Rifles) and enrolled on November 16, 1861, at age 59, at New York City. He mustered in as lieutenant colonel on December 20, 1861, and was promoted to colonel on March 6, 1862. Biddle saw action with the Army of the Potomac from Second Bull Run, Virginia, to Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. By December 1862, he was commanding the 2nd Brigade, 1st Division of the 1st Corps. He commanded the 95th in Virginia at the Battles of Fredericksburg, December 11-15, 1862; Pollock’s Mill Creek, April 29-May 2; and Chancellorsville May 1-3; and at Gettysburg on July 1, 1863. On the morning of the first day of the Battle of Gettysburg, he was shot through the lungs near McPherson’s Woods. Taken prisoner, he was freed by Union forces the following day. On October 9, 1863, he tendered his resignation, “for the reason that unmerited attempts have been made and are again set on foot to have me arrested, thereby casting reproach upon a man who has known of no fault excepting to deal mercy with justice, serve his country faithfully and his God.” Biddle was a member of the Grand Army of the Republic and the Loyal Legion. His son, Thomas Biddle, served with the Confederate cavalry in Texas. Another son, George Edgar Biddle, was better known as the actor George Edgar. His daughter married a United States Navy officer. In 1873, his application for an invalid pension was granted, certificate 130,400. His last residence was in Manhattan, at 175th Street and Madison Avenue, and his cause of death was listed as “old age.” Section 106, lot 10499.
BIDDLE, JAMES E. (1844-1873). Private, 56th New York Infantry. A New York native, Biddle enlisted at New York City as a private on April 13, 1865, and mustered immediately into the 56th but was not assigned to a company. He mustered out the next month on May 8 at Hart’s Island, New York Harbor. Biddle’s cause of death was tuberculosis. His last residence was 57 Adelphi Street in Brooklyn. Section 51, lot 11556.
BIDWELL, WILLIAM E. (1843-1894). Sergeant, 16th Connecticut Infantry, Company G. Born in Hartford, Connecticut, and a resident of East Hartford, he enlisted there as a private on July 25, 1862, and mustered into Company G of the 16th Connecticut on August 24. On December 25, 1862, he was promoted to corporal of his company and then became the company’s sergeant on March 6, 1863. On April 20, 1864, he was taken prisoner of war at Plymouth, North Carolina, and was paroled on December 10, 1864. His obituary noted that he was incarcerated at Libby (Richmond, Virginia) and Andersonville (Georgia) Prisons, spending eleven months in confinement. Bidwell was discharged on June 1, 1865. Well-known in the jewelry business as a partner in James H. Hart & Company (which was liquated about six months before his death), he also owned real estate and was a member of the Union League Club. His last residence was 387 Jefferson Avenue in Brooklyn where he died from carbolic acid poisoning. An article about his death in The New York Times stated that he was in financial trouble, was estranged from his wife, and was due to make an accounting for an estate of which he was the executor. It could not be determined if his death was a suicide or an accident. His widow received a pension in 1901, certificate 507,344. Section 148, lot 17636, grave 6.
BIELITZ, CARL F. (1825-1893). Private, 29th New York Infantry, Company A. Born in Germany, he enlisted on May 7, 1861, at New York City, mustered into the 29th New York on June 4, and mustered out on June 20, 1863, at New York City. His muster roll indicates that he was paid $1,026 by New York State for his service. Bielitz died from apoplexy. He last lived at 571 Atlantic Avenue, Brooklyn. Section 86, lot 5229, grave 21.
BILL, AVERY (1821-1876). Private, 7th Regiment, New York State National Guard, Company I. After enlisting at New York City as a private on May 25, 1862, he mustered into his company the same day, and mustered out after three months on September 5 at New York City. When the unit was reactivated a year later, he served for 30 days. He last resided at 144 South Portland Avenue, Brooklyn where he died from heart disease. Section 146, lot 22260.
BILLINGEE (or BILLINGE), BENJAMIN (1817-1865). Private, 7th Delaware Infantry, Company E. Originally from Bristol, England, his 1863 application for a passport described him as 5′ 7″ tall with a high forehead, blue eyes and dark brown hair. He enlisted as a private on an unknown date, mustered into the 7th Delaware Infantry on July 12, 1864, and mustered out the next month on August 12. Section 123, lot 15535.
BILLON, LOUIS (1824-1897). First lieutenant, 83rd New York Infantry, Company B. Originally from Switzerland, Billon was an importer of watches whose business was at 75 Nassau Street in Manhattan according to the Worldwide Masonic Directory for 1860. At age 37, Billon enlisted at New York City as a first lieutenant on May 27, 1861, was commissioned into the 83rd that day, and was discharged on January 7, 1862. According to the censuses for 1870 and 1880, he was employed as a watch-maker. On March 16, 1876, an article in The New York Times described a bold robbery at the Billon’s jewelry store at 576 Hicks Street during which Billon and his wife disregarded the thieves’ orders to remain silent prompting a pistol attack on Mr. Billon who lost much blood in his fierce struggle. The robbers absconded with a tray of gold rings worth approximately $200. Billon died from cancer. His last address was 576 Hicks Street, Brooklyn. Section 193, lot 24878, grave 1.
BILLOTTE, JOSEPH (1843-1894). Private, 5th New York Heavy Artillery, Company C. After enlisting as a private at Brooklyn on January 27, 1862, he mustered into the 5th New York Heavy Artillery that same day, and deserted at East New York on March 11. His death attributed to paralysis, he last lived at 854 Atlantic Avenue in Brooklyn. Section 135, lot 27263, grave 686.
BINGHAM, ALONZO A. (1824-1868). Captain, 152nd New York Infantry, Company I. Bingham was a native of New York. After enlisting as a captain at Mohawk, New York, on October 10, 1862, he was commissioned into the 152nd New York from which he was discharged for disability on December 23, 1863. At the time of his death, he was a resident of the Atlantic Hotel in New York. Section B, lot 11005, grave 269.
BINKS, ALEXANDER (1841-1897). Private, 68th Pennsylvania Infantry, Company A. Born in England, Binks came to the United States in 1852. He enlisted as a private on August 18, 1862, and on that day mustered into Company A of the 68th Pennsylvania. He deserted on July 13, 1863. He also served as a private in the 4th Independent Battery of the New York Light Artillery although the dates of that service are unknown. According to the censuses of 1870 and 1880, he was employed as a chaser or engraver of metals. He last resided at 474½ 7th Avenue in Brooklyn. His widow, Harriet Binks, applied for a pension in 1921, application 1,169,928, but there is no certificate number. Recently, a U.S. box plate belonging to Binks when he was with the 68th Pennsylvania was found by a hobbyist using metal-detector while exploring Civil War sites. Section 135, lot 14964, grave 929.
BINSSE, LEWIS (or LOUIS) JOHN (1833-1900). Captain, 40th New York Infantry, Companies E, B, F, and C; corporal, 38th New York Infantry, Company G; private, 55th New York Infantry, Company E. Born in Paterson, New Jersey, he enlisted as a private on January 27, 1862, and mustered immediately into the 55th New York, also known as the Garde Lafayette. On December 21, 1862, he transferred into the 38th New York, was promoted to corporal on February 1, 1863, and discharged on June 3, 1863. Binsse re-enlisted as a sergeant that same day and transferred into Company E of the 40th New York where he was reduced in rank to private on October 1. He re-enlisted on December 29, 1863, was promoted to sergeant on January 1, 1864, and to first sergeant on May 1 effective upon his transfer to Company B. He rose to second lieutenant on July 7 of that year and became a first lieutenant on September 15 effective upon his return to Company E. When Binsse was promoted to captain on December 21, 1864, he was transferred to Company C from which he mustered out on June 27, 1865, at Washington, D.C. In 1894, he applied for an invalid pension, application 1,158,596, but there is no certificate number. Binsse died from nephritis. He last lived at 235 West 4th Street in Manhattan. Section 204, lot 30190, graves 1-5.
BIRCH (or BURCH), GEORGE I. (1842-1900). Private, 71st Regiment, New York State Militia, Company B. Birch served for three months in 1861 with the 71st Regiment. In 1894, his application for an invalid pension was approved, certificate 985,707. Birch died from cancer. He last lived at 401½ 18th Street in Brooklyn. His widow received a pension, certificate 499,996. Section 115, lot 21040, grave 3.
BIRCH, JAMES (1832-1873). Private, 15th New York Engineers, Company I. Birch, a native New Yorker, enlisted at New York City as a private on May 9, 1861, mustered into the 15th Engineers on June 17, and mustered out after two years on June 25, 1863. His death was attributed to tuberculosis. He last resided at 223 Sullivan Street in Manhattan. Section 115, lot 21040.
BIRCH, STEPHEN (1840-1881). Sergeant, 182nd New York Infantry, Company D; private, 69th Regiment, New York State Militia, Company D. Birch, who was originally from Long Island, New York, first served in Company D of the 69th Regiment for three months in 1861. When the 69th was re-activated for three months the next year, he re-enlisted as a private at New York City on May 26, 1862, and immediately mustered into the same company, now part of the National Guard, from which he mustered out after three months on September 3 at New York City. During his second enrollment in the 69th he was detailed to the Medical Department. On September 7, 1862, he re-enlisted as a private at New York City, mustered into Company D of the 182nd New York on November 17, was promoted to corporal on or about May 15, 1863, and rose to sergeant of his company on March 2, 1864. Birch was discharged from Carver Hospital at Washington, D.C., on June 14, 1865. He died from heart disease. His last residence was in Peekskill, New York. In 1885, his widow, Emily Birch, who is interred with him, received a pension, certificate 346,339. Section 143, lot 23758.
BIRD, GEORGE W. (1832-1864). Private, 65th New York Infantry, Company A. Bird enlisted at Brooklyn on May 14, 1861, mustered into the 65th on June 20, and mustered out on an unspecified date. He re-enlisted on December 25, 1863, transferred out on September 1, 1864, and mustered into the 65th on that date. After being wounded at Cedar Creek, Virginia, on October 19, 1864, he succumbed to that gunshot wound at Baltimore, Maryland, on November 4, and was buried five days later. Section 25, lot 7405.
BIRD, JAMES H. (1836-1899). Private, 12th Regiment, New York State Militia, Company K. A native of New York State, Bird was a stone-cutter, following in the footsteps of his father, according to the 1860 census. He enlisted as a private in 1861 and mustered into the 12th Regiment where he served for three months before mustering out with his company. In civilian life, he was listed as a mechanic on the 1870 census and was a butcher according to the 1880 census. His military service was confirmed on the 1890 Veterans Schedule for Neptune, New Jersey. Bird applied for and received an invalid pension, certificate 958,592, in 1897. His last residence was in Asbury Park, New Jersey. Sarah Bird, who is interred with him, received a widow’s pension shortly after his death from heart disease in 1899, certificate 672,250. Section 21, lot 7974, graves 5 and 6.
BIRD, WILLIAM J. (1841-1893). Private, 119th New York Infantry, Companies A and B. A native of Rochester, New York, Bird enlisted as a private at New York City on June 10, 1862, and mustered into Company A of the 119th New York on September 4. As per his muster roll, he was a machinist by trade who was 5′ 8″ tall with blue eyes, auburn hair and a light complexion. He was discharged for disability on February 27, 1863, at Stafford Court House, Virginia. According to his pension record, he also served in Company B of the 119th New York. The Veterans’ Schedule for 1890 confirms his military service and states that dysentery caused his discharge. He died from tuberculosis at the New York Asylum for the Insane. Emmeline Bird, applied for and received a widow’s pension in 1893, certificate 384,811. Section 206, lot 21347, grave 179.
BIRDSALL (or BIRDSALLS), SAMUEL S. (1845-1867). Private, 176th New York Infantry, Company I. After enlisting on November 28, 1862, at Brooklyn, as a private, he mustered into Company I of the 176th on December 22 of that year. He deserted on January 4, 1863, at Jamaica, New York. His last residence was 153 Grand Street in Jersey City, New Jersey. Section 173, lot 20552.
BIRNEY, JAMES G. (or GILLESPIE) (1844-1870). Captain and first lieutenant by brevet; captain, 7th Michigan Cavalry, Companies C, A, and D; 1st Michigan Cavalry, Company C. James G. Birney IV was born in New Haven, Connecticut, the son of a lawyer and public servant. His grandfather, an abolitionist, ran for president on the Liberty Party ticket in 1840 and 1844. His family moved to Lower Saginaw, Michigan, around 1850, a wilderness at that time. When the community was organized as Bay County in 1857, both his father and grandfather were prominent citizens; his father was a state senator in 1858 and served for three months as lieutenant governor in 1860. Birney enlisted as a first sergeant at Bay City on October 14, 1862, rose to second lieutenant the next day, and mustered into Company C of the 7th Michigan Cavalry on November 13. The 7th Michigan Cavalry, also known as Custer’s Brigade, was led by Colonel, later General, George Armstrong Custer. During the cavalry charge at Gettysburg on July 3, 1863, Pennsylvania, he took the regiment’s colors after the color bearer was shot dead, rallied his men and used the flag staff as a weapon in hand-to-hand combat after his horse was shot from under him. Birney continued to lead his men until he was slashed in the head by a Confederate’s saber. Severely wounded, he was immediately taken prisoner but escaped after two days of confinement. He rose to first lieutenant on August 1, 1863, effective upon his transfer to Company A, then became captain on March 18, 1864, effective upon his transfer to Company D. In 1864, the brigade was sent to Richmond, Virginia, and Birney was detached as a staff officer for some time. On September 17, 1865, he transferred into the 1st Michigan Cavalry. At that time, General Custer presented him with an engraved sword recognizing his actions at Gettysburg. The troops of the 1st Michigan were sent to Utah where they were engaged in the Mormon “rebellion” that was threatening the territory. When the troops were disbanded on March 11, 1866, Birney was held back, along with nine other captains, disciplined and given a dishonorable discharge. His father, a circuit judge and former lieutenant governor of Michigan, wrote a letter to General Pope, head of the Department of the Missouri, on his son’s behalf. In the father’s letter, he stated that his son was charged with neglect of duty and disobedience of orders for not submitting descriptive lists to his supervisors, but he had not had that responsibility for more than a year. His father, citing his son’s career of exemplary military service, concluded, “I wish if possible to have him reinstated before his return home that he not have the mortification of meeting his friends with such a stigma resting upon him.” It appears that many men were accused of actions that were “dishonorable” so that the Army would not have to reimburse them the costs of their trips home. In response to his father’s entreaty, and threats to involve Michigan’s Senator Zachariah Chandler to bring the case before Secretary of War Edwin Stanton, the War Department issued Special Order 267 on June 6, 1866, “By direction of the President, so much of Special Orders 130, Paragraph 6, issued March 22, 1866, from this office as dishonorably mustered out Captain James Birney, 1st Michigan Veteran Cavalry, is hereby revoked and is hereby honorably discharged the service of the United States as of the date of the aforesaid order…” He mustered out on June 6, 1866, at Salt Lake City, Utah. He was brevetted to first lieutenant and captain on March 2, 1867. Remaining in service, he was commissioned into the 9th Cavalry, United States Army (rank unknown) in 1868, and assigned to Fort Davis, Texas. Fort Davis was home to the “buffalo soldiers,” a name given to African-American soldiers and former slaves by Indians in the region. The buffalo soldiers were instrumental in escorting settlers, railroad crews and cattle herds through the West. He died from typhoid fever in 1870 in Fort Davis, although some questioned those reports and linked his death to alcoholism. His infant son, Newton, who died in Texas at the age of seven months on December 27, 1868, was re-interred and buried with him at Green-Wood. Section 33, lot 6275.
BIRRELL, WILLIAM (1828-1893). Private, 59th New York Infantry; U.S. Army, 12th Infantry. Born in Scotland, he served in the 59th New York (company unknown) and had prior service in the U.S. Army, 12th Infantry. Details of his service are unknown. Birrell died from prostate cancer. He last lived at 78 South 5th Avenue, New York City. Section 115, lot 4196, grave 566.
BISCHOFF (or BISHOP), CHARLES (1841-1925). Private, 6th Connecticut Infantry, Company A. He enlisted as a private on October 19, 1863, and mustered into the 6th Connecticut that day. He was wounded on August 14, 1864, at Deep Bottom Run, Virginia, and was discharged for disability on June 2, 1865. After the War, he was a member of the G.A.R. In 1865, he applied for an invalid pension that was granted under certificate 54,811. His death attributed to heart disease, he last lived at 9434 220th Street in Queens, New York. In 1925, his widow Lisette Bischoff, who is interred with him, applied for and received a pension, certificate 967,972. Section L, lot 18617.
BISHOP, EDWARD A. (1836-1875). Private, 79th New York Infantry, Company A; 63rd New York Infantry, Company C. A native of New York City, Bishop enlisted there as a private on May 13, 1861, and mustered into the 79th New York fifteen days later. He was taken as a prisoner of war on July 21, 1861, at Bull Run, Virginia, was paroled about two days later at an unstated place, and mustered out on May 24, 1862, at Washington, D.C. After re-enlisting on December 17, 1863, at New York City, he immediately mustered into the 63rd New York where he served until he mustered out on December 17, 1863, at Washington, D.C. Bishop died from consumption. He last lived at 270 William Street in New York City. Section 15, lot 17263, grave 849.
BISHOP, GEORGE W. (1830-1898). First lieutenant, 5th New York Light Artillery, Company F. After enlisting at Brooklyn as a first lieutenant on August 15, 1861, Bishop was commissioned three months later on November 7, 1861. He resigned the following year on February 11, 1862. The 1870 census noted that he was a machinist living in Stanford, Connecticut. In 1880, he was living in Brooklyn and was still employed as a machinist. Bishop was also an inventor who had nine patents. In 1891, he applied for and was granted an invalid pension, certificate 886,311. His last address was 868 Dean Street in Brooklyn. His widow, Emaline Bishop, who is interred with him, applied for and received a pension after his death from pericarditis in 1898, certificate 471,801. Section 3, lot 4647, grave 4.
BISSELL, EUGENE (1839-1909). Private, 83rd New York Infantry, Company F. Bissell was born in Suffield, Connecticut, and was a salesman in New York City at the time of his enlistment at Washington, D.C., on June 8, 1861. Sent to the General Hospital in Alexandria, Virginia, in 1862, he was declared unfit for duty due to tuberculosis and remained there until he was discharged for disability on July 28. After the War, he was a wholesale auctioneer and merchant who founded the Hardware Club of New York City. This employment information was confirmed by the censuses of 1870 and 1880. Although his pension record incorrectly cited the year of death as 1910, the information about Bissell’s soldier history is the same as above. He received a pension in 1904, certificate 1,089,172. According to his obituary in The New York Times, he was a member of the Sons of the Revolution, Veterans of the 9th Regiment, and the Lafayette Post #140 of the G.A.R. At the time of his death, he was the proprietor of an auction house that bore his name at 8 Mercer Street in Manhattan. His home was at 210 Berkeley Place in Brooklyn. Section 198, lot 32521.
BLACK, EDMUND (or EDWIN) J. P. (1837-1861). Private, 84th New York (14th Brooklyn) Infantry, Company E. A New Yorker by birth, Black enlisted at Brooklyn as a private on April 18, 1861. He mustered into the 14th on May 23, was accidentally wounded by a gunshot and died on either July 19 or 20, 1861, at Washington, D.C. His name appeared on the bodies in transit list. On May 11, 1867, his father was awarded a pension, certificate 121,445. Section 49, lot 9026.
BLACK, RAMSAY C. (1834-1862). Private, 1st United States Sharpshooters, Company H. Born in New York, he enlisted as a private and served in the 1st United States Sharpshooters. He died in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, of typhoid fever on August 26, 1862. His last residence was at 144 West 29th Street in Manhattan. Section 1, lot 8138.
BLACK, WILLIAM (1825-1890). Corporal, 55th New York Infantry, Companies K and B. After enlisting as a corporal at New York City on August 16, 1861, Black mustered into Company K of the 55th New York on August 28. He was reduced in rank to private on March 30, 1862. Wounded at Seven Pines, Virginia, on May 31, 1862, he was transferred to Company B on October 1, and discharged for disability on November 20, 1862, at New York City. His death attributed to asthma, he last lived at the Soldiers’ Home in Bath, New York. Section 114, lot 8999, grave 210.
BLACKWELL, JOHN (1834-1870). Private, 173rd New York Infantry, Company I. Of Irish birth, Blackwell enlisted on September 27, 1862, at New York City, mustered into the 173rd New York on November 10, and deserted while on board a ship in New York Harbor the next month on December 9. Blackwell died from heart disease. He last lived in Scarborough, New York. Section D, lot 7078, grave 11.
BLACKWOOD, BALTIMORE (1833-1870). Corporal, 52nd Regiment, New York State National Guard, Company D. Blackwood served with the 52nd Regiment for 30 days in 1863. His last residence was on Herkimer Street in Brooklyn. Section 177, lot 13864.
BLACKWOOD, CLINTON R. (1841-1891). Private, 84th New York (14th Brooklyn) Infantry, Company E. A Brooklyn native, Blackwood was living in New London, Connecticut, at the time of the census of 1850. He was 5′ 10″ tall with blue eyes, light hair and a fair complexion. At the onset of the Civil War, he enlisted at Brooklyn as a private on April 18, 1861, and mustered into the 14th Brooklyn on May 23. On August 28, 1862, he was taken prisoner of war at Gainesville, Virginia, and was paroled. He was discharged for disability (rheumatism) on June 8, 1863, at Annapolis, Maryland. A Brooklyn resident according to the 1870 census, Blackwood applied for a patent in April 1874 for a skirt-elevator, a device consisting of cords and rings that combined the waistband and back piece of fabric. He was living in Pima, Arizona, and working as a miner at the time of the 1880 census. In 1890, he applied for and received an invalid pension, certificate 604,326. He was the brother of William E. Blackwood (see) who is buried in the same lot. At the end of his life, he resided at The Leavenworth Home for Disabled Soldiers in Leavenworth, Kansas. He died from tetanus while on furlough from the home on August 12, 1891, and was buried at Green-Wood on November 9. Shortly after his death, Isabella Blackwood applied for and was granted a widow’s pension, certificate 323,884. Section 30, lot 5453.
BLACKWOOD, WILLIAM E. (1839-1863). Second lieutenant, 52nd Regiment, New York State National Guard, Company H. A native New Yorker, he enlisted at Brooklyn on June 19, 1863, as a second lieutenant, was commissioned into the 52nd Regiment the same day, and mustered out after serving 30 days on July 25 at Brooklyn. He died a month later from an abscess of the liver. Clinton Blackwood (see) was his brother. His last residence was at 7 Pineapple Street in Brooklyn. Section 30, lot 5453.
BLADES, JOSHUA H. (1829-1872). Private, 96th New York Infantry, Company A. Originally from Ireland, he was employed as a stevedore according to the 1860 census. He enlisted as a private to serve one year and mustered into his company on April 6, 1865, at New York City. Blades mustered out on February 6, 1866, at City Point, Virginia. In 1870, census data indicated that he was a laborer. He last lived at 28 East Broadway in Manhattan where he died from tuberculosis. Section B, lot 9895, grave 126.
BLAIR, BENJAMIN F. (1837-1915). Captain, 123rd Ohio Infantry, Companies B and K. Born in Constantine, Michigan, 5’7″ tall with a ruddy complexion, and giving his occupation as law student, Blair enlisted as a private on August 18, 1862, and mustered into Company B of the 123rd Ohio Infantry on October 16. On June 15, 1862, he became a prisoner of war in Winchester, Virginia. Blair moved through the ranks from sergeant major (1862-1863), to first lieutenant (1863-1865), to captain on May 27, 1865, effective upon his transfer to Company K on that date. He mustered out on June 20, 1865. In 1907, he received a pension under certificate 1,140,523. He last lived at 246 Washington Street, Glen Ridge, New Jersey. His widow, Mary Louise Blair, who is interred with him, applied for and received a pension in 1915, certificate 797,945. Section 172, lot 20670.
BLAIR, CHARLES DAVID (1840-1920). First lieutenant, 12th Regiment, New York State Militia, Company F. After he enlisted as a private at New York City, his birthplace, on April 19, 1861, he mustered into the 12th Regiment on May 2, and mustered out at New York City on August 5, 1861. When his regiment was reactivated a year later as part of the New York State National Guard, he was promoted to second lieutenant on May 31, 1862, commissioned in on that date, and mustered out at New York City on October 8, 1862. When the 12th was reactivated for 30 days in 1863, Blair was promoted to first lieutenant and commissioned into his company on July 3,