In Honor of All
Civil War Cass County, Michigan
Veterans

We Salute The Military Men and Woman of Cass County, Michigan We are what they fought for.

This Cass County Genweb page was intitiated on September 24, 2006 in honor of the Men and Women of Cass County, Michigan who served their county without pause or question. In the following months and years we will add veterans to the of the Civil War from Cass County .

Wonderful link can be found for the Grand Army of The Republic - Department of Michigan

Donated Soldier Information:

Philo Brown who served during the Civil War.

Philo was born 6-15-1847 in Cohocton, Steuben Co, NY.
    When he was about 12, the family moved to Cass Co, Michigan where he lived for the rest of his life.
    On 12-15-1863, Philo enlisted into company K of the 1st MI cavalry at Volinia. He was only 16 so he needed his father’s permission to join.
  Philo was described as 5’9” with a fair complexion, black eyes and brown/auburn hair. Unlike some of his older brothers, Philo could both read and write.
    Philo mustered in at Mt. Clemens, MI on 12-29-1863. From his muster-in until 2-9-1864, he was sick in the hospital at Gresboro Point. During 1864, the regiment was in Virginia and southern Maryland. He was sick again from 12-31-1864 through the spring of ’65.
   On 3-31-1865 he was wounded by a Minie Ball at Petersburg, VA. The gun shot wound affected his left fore-arm at the middle third. He was then in the hospital at Chestnut Hill, Philadelphia, PA until he was finally discharged for disability on 8-3-1865.
    In 1870, Philo was living with his brother, Abner, in Volinia, but the census says Philo had $3000 worth of real estate.
    On 4-21-1872, Philo married Zelia Frances Cox (born 11-9-1852). They had 10 children, but only 6 of them survived to adulthood. In 1880, Philo, Zelia, Alton, Lilly and a Russian laborer were living on a farm in Newberg twp. In a mere 8 years, they had lost four of their six children.
    In 1884, Philo applied for a government pension and received it. His case was probably easy to decide as he was wounded in action. Unfortunately, I have been unable to find his pension application file. It is not at NARA or the Dept. of Veteran’s Affairs.
    In 1890, they were still living in Newberg. In 1900 the family was living in Calvin twp on a farm that they owned free of a mortgage. They were still living in Calvin twp in 1910, but by 1920, Philo and Zelia had moved in with daughter Rose and her husband Bert Lillie in Newberg twp.
    On 10-16-1923, Philo died of “softening of the brain” according to the MI death record. Philo had outlived all of his siblings. He was buried in Little Fish Lake cemetery in Wakelee. After his death, Zelia applied to receive Philo’s pension which she was granted. Zelia died after 1930.
Contributed by: Sonja Hunter at - sgschmidt@hotmail.com

Jacob Ekenberger (son of John and Hannah Ekenberger) enrolled in Company D of the 11th regiment of the Michigan Volunteer Infantry on 25th of August 1862, and was commanded by Capt. Frank Lane. He was honorably discharged on 19th of June 1865 in Detroit, Michigan.
   He was taken as a Prisoner of War at Chickamauga, GA on 20th September 1863. While a POW in Richmond, Va. he suffered from small pox in winter of 1864. He was returned to the Reorganized Michigan Regiment on 15th April 1865. - Information contributed by: Lori Eckenberger Cook at mljacook@insightbb.com
A tombstone was ordered for Jacob Ekenberger on Dec 5, 1898 and sent to Lakeview Cemetery in Decatur, Michigan.

Cornelius Fuller; served from IN, he also lived in Cass Co. after 1880, died there and is buried in Union Cemetery.
Private in Co. B, 15th IN. infantry from 6/04/1861 -8/18/1865 ( from special schedule, S.D. 4, E. D. 88, Minor Civil Division Porter Township Cass Co. MI.)
War Soldiers Record about Cornelius Fuller Name: Cornelius Fuller , Residence: St Joseph County, Indiana Enlistment Date: 14 June 1861 Distinguished Service: DISTINGUISHED SERVICE Side Served: Union State Served: Indiana Unit Numbers: 564 564 Service Record: Enlisted as a Private on 14 June 1861 Enlisted in Company B, 15th Infantry Regiment Indiana on 14 June 1861. Deserted Company B, 15th Infantry Regiment Indiana on 06 October 1862 in Springfield, KY, also Unit Numbers: 567 Service Record: Enlisted as a Private Mustered out Company A, 17th Infantry Regiment Indiana on 08 August 1865 in Macon, GA - contributed by: Benjamin Kinsey .

Joseph Harper - Residence Cassopolis MI; 55 years old. Enlisted on 9/26/1861 at Cassopolis, MI as a Captain.
On 12/19/1861 he mustered into "A" Co. MI 12th Infantry He Resigned on 5/7/1862

Henry High enlisted in Cass County at age 21 on the 28th day of August 1861 into Michigan, Co. A. 5th Inf. Reg. Rec. a disability on June 3, 1862 in Philadelphia, PA. Then he enlisted in the 14th Lt Art. Reg. on 3 Sep 1864 and was MO 1 July 1865. Lived in Decatur, Van Buren, MI. Buried in Charleston Cemetery, Violinia Twp, Cass County, MI.

      Darwin Olney: Enlisted as Private - 19 August 1861 age 35 - Commenced service September 7, 1861 - He served in The 1st Mich Cav Co M with a bunch of guys from Cass Co. He came home For at least 30 days when the First was sent on furlough Dec 1863. A child was conceived during that time, thus, three of Almira and Darwin's children were born there in Dowagiac: Ella, Mary and D. Byron. Darwin died a prisoner at Salisbury, NC after getting captured by Mosby according to his role call which we obtained from the archives. Almira then filed affidavits in Dowagiac and in Forestport, Oneida Co, NY. This is where her whole family lived and where she returned soon after she learned of her husband's death. He died as a prisoner of war in February of 1865.   contributed by: Kelly Beach at: kmbeach@comcast.net

Sgt. James M. Savage - - LaGrange e. Oct. 31, 1861 vet. Dec. 25, 1863 m.o. Feb. 15, 1866

Julius Waterstradt (Private) Elisted on 10-22-1864 in Company E, Fifteenth Regiment, Michigan Infantry, at Kalamazoo, for one year. Described as :age 41, eyes Grey, hair Light, height 5'8", occupation Farmer. The service was credited to Marcellus, Cass County, Mich. Source: Records of the Michigan Military Establishment, RG 59-14. - Contributed by: Robert Phelps

Cass County Michigan - Civil War Union Army Ancestors of Keith Graham Harrison

Pvt Thomas H. Higgins Co G, 11th MI Vol Inf GGG Uncle
Capt Joseph S. Harper Co A, 12th MI Vol Inf GGG Grandfather
Pvt Benjamin Higgins Co A, 12th MI Vol Inf GG Grandfather
Cpl John Higgins Co A, 12th MI Vol Inf GGG Uncle
Pvt James P. Higgins Co A, 12th MI Vol Inf GGG Uncle
Pvt Edward Graham Co A, 12th MI Vol Inf GGG Uncle
Pvt Henry C. Graham Co A, 12th MI Vol Inf GGG Uncle
Pvt Charles Cleveland Co A, 12th MI Vol Inf 1st Cousin (4R)
Pvt Elmore F. Lewis Co H, 19th MI Vol Inf GG Grandfather

       Pvt Nathan Pemberton Co H, 28th Mi Vol Inf GGG Uncle

Pvt Francis B. Lewis Co D, 4th MI Vol Cav GGG Uncle

Pvt James H. Lewis Co D, 4th MI Vol Cav GGG Uncle

                            Sgt Burwell Hinchman Co K, 11th MI Vol Cav 1st Cousin (3R)

Pvt Francis J. Patrick Batty A, 1st MI Lt Artillery GGG Uncle

Pvt Isaac S. Pound 14th Michigan Battery GG Grandfather

Pvt Eliphalet Pemberton 14th Michigan Battery 1st Cousin (5R)

The medals below are from the Military Order of Loyal Legion of the United States (which I am a past National Commander-in-Chief), the Grand Army Army of  the Republic
(which many of my ancestors belonged to) and the Sons of the Union Veterans of the Civil War Member badge and Past National Commander-in-Chief badge - which I am also a Past
National Comander-in-Chief.
The MOLLUS was created (by 3 Union officers) in April 1865 and still exists. It was originally composed of Union officer and now is composed of descendants of Union Officers.  The GAR was created in 1866 and in 1881, it created the SUVCW.  The SUVCW is pretty large currently, within Michigan, we have 24 local Camps and a membership of 500 plus.  Membership in the SUVCW is composed of descendants of Union soldiers, sailors , or Marines, regardless of rank. - Keith Graham Harrison

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