I have compiled a wealth of information on the Veterans of the various wars in our Country. My focus included the Veterans who came to Colusa County, and for the most part stayed until death took them.

The preface to my unpublished work is included here:

It occurs to me that possibly that these brief biographies of Colusa County’s Early Military Veterans became the first Colusa County Pioneers.

These brief biographies in this information book on the War of 1812, Blackhawk War, Sommerville Campaign, Indian War, Bear Flag Revolt, Mexican – American War, Civil War & Modoc Indian War have never been told before.

This is the first time “their stories” will be told and their contribution to the agricultural, government and personal growth of Colusa County.

These brief biographies need to be told and as history is made with exceeding rapidity in a comparatively new community, it has been deemed wise to undertake once again the recording of the events that have made the history of the county, bringing the account down to date and leaving the facts on record, so that future historians may take up the brief biographies and carry it along, in order that it may be kept continuous.

These brief biographies are “their stories” as their history of yesterday becomes the history of today. 

John L. Morton

Colusa County Historical Researcher

The persons mentioned in the Index below can be found on the linked Sections ~ The following Wars and Veteran burials are contained in the 'Misc War' Section: 1812, Bear Flag, Black Hawk, Indian, Mexican, Modoc, Somervell & Will S Green Park. The rest of the Veterans can be found in the Cemetery Sections: Arbuckle, College City, Colusa Community & Catholic Holy Cross, Grand Island, Lodoga, Maxwell, Princeton, Sites, St John's District Cemetery, Stonyford, Wilbur Springs & Williams.

Each Section is a fully searchable pdf file. In addition to being searchable, the individual pages may be copied by using the “Copy and Paste” method.

There is no copyright to this book, I have donated all of the data to the Colusa County portion of the CAGW. A set of references and acknowledgements is included. This material is meant for private use only. Please do not re-publish this material anywhere else.

I have also written brief Histories of various Veteran’s Associations and Organizations:

Brief History
Of the
Grand Army of the Republic

In early 1866, the United States, now a securely one nation again, was waking to the reality of recovery from war, and this had been a much different war. In previous conflicts, the care of the veteran warrior was the province of the family or the community. Soldiers then were friends, relatives and neighbors who went off to fight, until next planting or harvest. It was a community adventure and their fighting unit had a community flavor.

By the end of the Civil War, units had become less homogeneous, men from different communities and even different states were forced together by the exigencies of battle where new friendships and lasting trust was forged. With the advances in the care and movement of the wounded, many who would have surely died in earlier wars returned home to be cared by a community structure weary from a protracted war and now also faced with the needs of widows and orphans. Veterans needed jobs, including a whole new group of veterans, the colored soldier and his entire, newly freed family. It was often more than the fragile fabric of communities could bear.

But probably the most profound emotion was emptiness. Men who had lived together, fought together, foraged together and survived, had developed an unique bond that could not be broken. As time went by, the memories of the filthy and vile environment of camp life began to be remembered less harshly and eventually fondly. The horror and gore of battle lifted with the smoke and smell of burnt black powder and was replaced with the personal rain of tears for the departed comrades. Friendships forged in battle survived the separation and the warriors missed the warmth of trusting companionship that had asked only total and absolute commitment.

With that background, groups of men began joining together, first for camaraderie and then for political power.

Emerging most powerful among the various organizations would be the Grand Army of the Republic (GAR), which by 1890 would number 409, 489 veterans of the “War of the Rebellion.”

The Grand Army of the Republic (GAR) was founded in Springfield, Illinois in April 1866, was the largest organization of Union Veterans of the Civil War. Organized under the leadership of Dr. Benjamin F. Stephenson, a former army surgeon, the GAR, sought to promote comradeship among veterans, to extend pension rights, to provide relief for war widows and orphans, and to maintain homes for old soldiers. In 1868, GAR Commander-in-Chief, John A. Logan, inaugurated the observance of Memorial Day in honor of fallen soldiers. Membership in the organization peaked at more than 400,000 in 1890.

The final Encampment of the Grand Army of the Republic was held in Indianapolis, Indiana in 1949 and the last member, Albert Woolson, died in 1956 at the age of 109 years. The Grand Army of the Republic was dissolved in 1956.

Colusa has the honor of having a Grand Army of the Republic, General John Franklin Miller Post #110, that was organized on March 31, 1886. They held their meetings at the old I.O.O.F. Building at 546 Market Street, then moving to the old Colusa Town Hall at 427 Market Street (old city fire dept, now Richies Florist). The roster had plenty of Union Veterans, not only from Colusa County, but also from Sutter, Glenn, Tehama & Yolo Counties.

The last Union Veteran to pass away in Colusa County was Thomas Jefferson Lowe – Private, Company D, 137th United States Colored Infantry, on April 23, 1941.

Grand Army of the Republic

General John Franklin Miller
Post #110, Colusa
Organized: March 31, 1886

Members:

1) William Washington Banning – Private, Company D, 25th Ohio Infantry

2) John Bowes – Private, Company B, 39th Illinois Infantry

3) Albert Burton Butler – Private, Company A, 8th Iowa Infantry

4) Frank Buettel, Sr. – Private, Company A, 73rd Pennsylvania Infantry

5) Joseph A. Brady – Private, Company C, 58th Illinois Infantry

6) Charles Cushing Bailey – Corporal, Company G, 39th Massachusetts Infantry

7) Jacob James Bradley – Private, 131st Ohio Infantry

8) William Caldwell – Private, Company G, 156. Illinois Infantry

9) Joseph S. Dubois – Sgt Major, 21st Iowa Infantry

10) James S. Duncan – Private, 2nd Iowa Light Artillery

11) William W. Duffield – Lt Colonel, 4th Michigan Infantry

12) Russell DeLappe – Private, Company C, 50th Illinois Infantry

13) John Von Einsidel – Corporal, Company H, 132nd New York Infantry

14) Samuel E. Faxton, Jr. – Quartermaster Sgt, Company B, 3rd Michigan Cavalry

15) Charles H. Garner – Captain, Company I, 15th New York Cavalry

16) Louis B. Gardner – Private, Company F, 8th Illinois Cavalry

17) George B. Graham – Private, 1st Kentucky Infantry

18) Andrew Jackson Hankins – 1st Sgt, Company A, 15th Maine Infantry

19) William G. Henneke – Musician, U.S. Army Band

20) Michael O'Hair – Private, Company D, 7th Iowa Cavalry

21) Wiliam Hathaway – Private, Company E, 5th Massachusetts Light Artillery

22) Richard C. Hamilton – Private, Company F, 10th Michigan Cavalry

23) John H. Harpham – Private, 1st Colorado Cavalry

24) William W. Herron – Private, Company G, 134th New York Infantry

25) M.W. Herron – Private, Company A, 7th Kentucky Infantry

26) John F. Herren – Private, Company A, 4th Michigan Cavalry

27) Solomon Keffer – Cass Colorado Guards

28) Augustus M. Kurtz – Private, Company E, 132nd Pennsylvania Infantry

29) John H. Liening – 1st Lt, Company D, 1st California Cavalry

30) Samuel B. Littlepage – Asst Surgeon, 12th Kentucky Cavalry

31) Washington F. Landers – 2nd Lt, 17th Indiana Artillery

32) Ernest H. LeGross – Captain, Company B, 1st California Cavalry

33) John S. Malsbury – Private, Company A, 4th Ohio Cavalry

34) Isaac Miller – Private, Company G 120th Pennsylvania Infantry

35) Curtis P. Moon – Private, Company C, 105th Illinois Infantry

36) David B. McCallum – Private, Company K, 7th Missouri Cavalry

37) Oscar Platt – 2nd Lt, Company K, 2nd Connecticut Heavy Artillery

38) Jonathan L. Poulson – Private, Company G, 178th Ohio Infantry

39) Martin Luther Rice – Private, Company I, 21st Iowa Infantry

40) Edward Riley – Private, Company I, 9th Illinois Cavalry

41) Randall D. Rice – Private, Company A, 94th New York Infantry

42) William H. Richter – Private, Company C, 29th Massachusetts Infantry

43) William Sayers – Private, Company F, 2. California Cavalry

44) Philander Stone – Private, Company E, 84th Illinois Infantry

45) Joseph S. Stewart – Corporal, Company E, 86th Illinois Infantry

46) Owen L. Shroyer – Private, Company A, 32nd Pennsylvania Cavalry

47) Joseph B. Sweet – Captain, 64th Ohio Infantry

48) Pratt M. Taylor – Corporal, Company F, 25th Wisconsin Infantry

49) Eli Nelson Underwood – Major, 13th Tennessee Cavalry

50) George Walker White – Sgt, Company Q 28th Pennsylvania Infantry

Woman's Relief Corps
Auxiliary to the
Grand Army of the Republic

The National Woman’s Relief Corps, Auxiliary to the Grand Army of the Republic, is a patriotic organization whose express purpose is to perpetuate the memory of the Grand Army of the Republic, as we are their auxiliary organized at their request on July 25 & 26, 1883 in Denver, Colorado and incorporated by act of the 87th Congress, September 7, 1962.

Our members cooperate in doing honor to all those who have patriotically served our country in any war. We teach patriotism and duties of citizenship, the true history of our country and the love and honor of our flag. We oppose every tendency or movement that would weaken loyalty to, or make for the destruction or impairment of our constitutional Union. We sustain the American principles of representative government, equal rights and impartial justice for all.

The National Woman’s Relief Corps have established a permanent National Headquarters and erected a Museum as a living Memorial to the Grand Army of the Republic at 629 South – 7th Street, Springfield, Illinois, 62903.

The National Woman’s Relief Corps has the distinction of being the only Patriotic Organization in existence founded solely on the basis of loyal womanhood, regardless of kinship, and through which any woman may render patriotic service to her country.

The badge is a Maltese Cross of copper bronze, with the Grand Army Badge Medallion center; in this center are five outstanding figures, Statue of Liberty, a Soldier, a Boy, a Woman, a Child, and the American Flag, and all encircled in a wreath of stars.

The Soldier means to us Fraternity because the Comrades created our organization as their Auxiliary in 1883.

The Boy is emblematic of the youth and strength of the future life of our nation.

The Woman is emblematic of motherhood, the very source of all civilization throughout the world. She has taught us mercy, kindness, and has extended charity from the beginning of time.

The Child is emblematic of the hope of the world, with our patriotic teachings of loyalty to our nation’s laws and principles, with freedom and justice for future generations yet unborn.

Our motto is, Fraternity, Charity and Loyalty.

Colusa has the honor of having a Woman’s Relief Corps organized on June 24, 1891 with the membership up to fifty members. They had their meetings at the old Town Hall (427 Market Street, now Richies Florist), then moving over to the Odd Fellows Building at 5th & Market Streets. They met on the 2nd & 4th Tuesday at 2 pm every month. The Woman’s Relief Corps was disbanded on January 1, 1895 due to hard times as there was a financial depression at that time.

Woman’s Relief Corps
Post #77
Auxiliary to the
Grand Army of the Republic
General John F. Miller
Post #110
Organized: June 29, 1891

Members:

Sarah St. Maurice  [1893 President]  

Minnie L. Whiting

Fannie Pierce 

Tarissa Spurgeon

Clara Batman 

Grace Batman

Sarah J. Potter           

Alice A. White

Mary T. Dean 

Harriet L. Wilson

Elizabeth C. Riddle     

Mary Gray

Marva Hamilton          

Susan L. Drake

Kate Brooks   

Sarah W. Barrell

Ada Robinson 

Emma Jane Hall [1894 – 1895 President]

Woman’s Relief Corps
Post #77
Places of Burial

Brief History
Of the
United Confederate Veterans Association

The United Confederate Veterans Association was established in 1889 as a benevolent, historical, social and literary association. It was active from 1889 to the mid 1940’s. It’s mission was to “unite in a general federation all associations of Confederate Veterans, soldiers and sailors, now in existence or hereafter to be formed; to gather authentic data for an impartial history of the War between the States; to preserve relics or mementos of the same; to cherish the ties of friendship that should exist among men who have shared common dangers, common sufferings and privations; to care for the disabled and extend a helping hand to the needy; to protect the widows and orphans and to make and preserve a record of the services of every member and as far as possible of those of our comrades who have preceded us in eternity.”

Leon Jastremski, a member of the Association of the Army of Northern Virginia (AANVA), Louisiana Division, claimed to have suggested to E.D. Wilett, President of that association, the idea that led to the organization of the United Confederated Veterans Association (UCV). Planning began with conversations among E.D. Wilett, Fred S. Washington and Fred Ober and other members of the AANVA. They were joined by J.A. Chalaron and D.E. Given of the Association of the Army of Tennessee (AAT), and in February 1889, AANVA joined with the AAT and Confederate States’ Cavalry in formally endorsing a plan for a general meeting of Confederate Veterans. More than 500 of the 1,885 UCV local camps previously existed independently or as members of other societies. The total membership in the UCV may have approached 160,000 or 25 percent of the southern soldiers who survived the Civil War.

A group of Confederate Veterans from Colusa gathered together and organized Camp Pap Price, Post #1360, named after Confederate General Sterling Price. The post was organized on August 6, 1901 and Major John B. Moore was elected as the first Post Commander. They met at the Odd Fellows Building, 141 – 5th Street. The last Confederate Veteran to pass away was Captain John Lowery Jackson, Company A, 1st Battery, Missouri State Guard, on May 11, 1940, thus closing out the UCV in Colusa County.

United Confederate Veterans
Camp Pap Price
Post #1360
Organized: May 11,1901

Members:

1) Thomas B. McCollum – Private, Company D, Searcy’s Battalion of Missouri Sharpshooters

2) Jim Miller – Private, Company B, 9th Arkansas Cavalry

3) James Polk Smart – Private, Company K, 7th Tennessee Infantry

4) John Fletcher Rich – Private, Company B, 51st Virginia Infantry

5) John Roach Terrill – 1st Lt, Company G, 12th Missouri Cavalry

6) Stephen Cooper – Private, Company L, 2nd Missouri Infantry

7) Dr. Joseph West – Lt, Norfolk Virginia, Light Artillery Blues

8) John W. Watson – Private, Company E, 5th Missouri Cavalry

9) Thomas L. White – Private, Company A, 10th Missouri Infantry

10) Thomas Lewis Singleton – Sgt, Company D, 10th Missouri Cavalry

11) Robert Todd Powell – 1st Lt, Company B, 1st Northeast Missouri Cavalry

12) Oscar C. Todd – Private, Company I, 10th Kentucky Partisan Rangers Cavalry

13) Charles Sterling Allen – 2nd Lt, Company C, 6th Missouri Cavalry

14) Leeland Davis Lane – Private, Company A, 3rd Missouri Cavalry

15) William Dement Tolson – Private, Company H, 22nd Texas Cavalry

16) Jo. C. Ward – Private, Company H, 43rd Georgia Infantry

United Confederate Veterans
Camp Pap Price
Post #1360 

Colusa Confederate Veterans receiving the Southern Cross of Honor from the Albert Sidney Johnston Chapter, Daughters of the Confederacy, San Francisco, California on November 3, 1901.

1) Major John Brown Moore – Company L, 1st South Carolina Rifles

2) Captain John Tyler Harrington – Company E, 2nd Kentucky Infantry

3) Captain John Lowery Jackson – Company A, 1st Missouri State Guard

4) Captain William Henry Belton – Company E, 1st Mississippi Infantry

5) 1st Lt John Roach Terrill – Company G, 12th Missouri Cavalry

6) 1st Lt Robert Todd Powell – Company B, 1st Northeast Missouri Cavalry

7) 2nd Lt Charles Sterling Allen – Company C, 6th Missouri Cavalry

8) Lt Dr. Joseph Simeon West – Norfolk Virginia Light Artillery Blues

9) Sgt Michael Robinette Blevins – Company A, 1st Indian Territory Cherokee Cavalry

10) Sgt Thomas Lewis Singleton – Company D, 10th Missouri Cavalry

11) Private Luthor Hoy – Company A, 4th Division, Missouri State Guard

12) Private Thomas Benton McCollum – Company D, Searcy’s Battalion of Missouri Sharpshooters

13) Private James Polk Smart – Company K, 7th Tennessee Infantry

14)Private Stephen Cooper – Company L, 2nd Missouri Infantry

15) Private John William Watson – Company E, 5th Missouri Cavalry

16) Private Thomas L. White – Company A, 10th Missouri Infantry

17) Private William Thomas Beville – Company K, 8th Virginia Cavalry

Brief History of the
United Daughters of the Confederacy

The United Daughters of the Confederacy (UDC) is a Southern Heritage Organization consisting of direct and collateral female descendants of the soldiers, sailors and statesmen of the Confederate States of America (1861 – 1865).

The National Association of the Daughters of the Confederacy was organized in Nashville, Tennessee on September 10,1894 with Mrs. C.M. Goodlett as the Founder and Mrs. L.H. Raines as the Co – Founder. When the organization held its second meeting in Atlanta, Georgia in 1895, the name was changed to United Daughters of the Confederacy.

It is the oldest patriotic organization in the United States because of its connection with two statewide organizations which came into existence as early as 1890; The Daughters of the Confederacy (D.O.C.) in Missouri and the Ladies Auxiliary in the Confederate Home in Tennessee. The aims of organization are Patriotic, Memorial, Benevolent, Educational and Historical.

The General Organization is divided into State Divisions, which are further subdivided into Districts and Chapters. 

Colusa County has the honor of having a United Daughters of the Confederacy organized in 1902 as the Winnie Davis Chapter #709 with Mrs. Ann West as the first Chapter President. This chapter united with Camp Pap Price, United Confederate Veterans, Post #1360 in a reunion on October 28, 1903, having reorganized under a charter on June 28, 1903 previously. 

This is the only chapter north of San Francisco, California and is represented by members over a radius of 100 miles and it is the only one in the greater Sacramento Valley. It works in connection with Camp Pap Price, Post #1360, which is the only camp in Northern California and which is also domiciled in Colusa. 

Those eligible for membership are the widows, wives, mothers, sister’s, nieces, lineal descendents of such men as served honorably in the Confederate Army, Navy or Civil Service; or of those men unfit for active duty, who loyally gave aid to the cause; also women and their lineal descendents, wherever living, who can give proof of personal service and loyal aid to the southern cause during the war.

The Winnie Davis Chapter #709 was disbanded in 1913 having lost interest and members passing away.

United Daughters of the Confederacy
Winnie Davis Chapter #709
Organized: 1902

Members:

United Daughters of the Confederacy
Winnie Davis Chapter #709
Places of Burial

In Addition to the above research on Veteran’s Associations and Organizations, John has included a section on the Homes of Veteran’s who lived in Colusa County, he is going to send scans of those from a book entitled “If The Walls Could Talk” by Jane Foster Carter. Those will be added to this Site. For now, here is the listing. John also just found a listing of Veteran’s homes that have been demolished, those will be added in at the bottom of this list.

Civil War Veterans Homes
City of Colusa

Veteran's Homes No Longer Standing:

And, finally, there is a section in the book that contains miscellaneous data that will be of interest to Researchers. The Index below includes the name of the person and the type of document. All of the files can be found here, they are jpeg images.

References & Acknowledgements

References

Acknowledgement’s

Personnel Sources

“The Fine Print”

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