- LEVI J. ADAMS, Brodhead, Wis., member of G.A.R. Post No.
90, was born in the town of
- Magnolia, Rock Co., Wis., May 10, 1845. He is fourth in line
of descent from his paternal ancestor in this country, who came
from Germany and settled in Pennsylvania, and whose second son,
G. W., was the grandfather of Mr. ADAMS of this sketch. He was
a cooper and married Catherine BAKER, rearing 13 children. The
survivors are Mrs. Catherine ROGERS, Mrs. Caroline MILLER, Jerry,
John and Jacob. The senior ADAMS is living in retirement at Brodhead
after a useful and busy life as a farmer and mechanic. In the
early portion of the 19th century the grandparents removed from
Pennsylvania, (Harrisburg), to Indiana, and 10 years later went
to Ohio. In 1839 they went to Magnolia, settling on a farm. In
1842 they went to Green county and in 1866 to Kansas, where the
grandfather soon died and the family returned to Wisconsin. The
grandmother died in Green Co., Wisconsin, aged 84 years. During
the stay in Ohio, the senior ADAMS married Sophia SQUIRES, a
native of Steuben Co., New York. They had ten children, of whom
eight are living, whose records is as follows: Mrs. Catherine
REILY was formerly the wife of David E. CASTATOR, who died from
injuries received while serving the 13th Wisconsin Infantry.
Mrs. Mary E. CREGLOW lives in California; Mrs. Hester A. CRALL
lives in Wisconsin; Augustus W. died at Stevenson, Ala., of disease
contracted while serving in the 13th Wisconsin Infantry; Sarah
J. KIRKPATRICK lives in Wisconsin; Levi J. is next in order of
birth; Mrs. Rachel K. ALLEN and Mrs. Addie P. CLEVELAND live
in Wisconsin; Ruth P. died in infancy; John J. lives in Iowa.
The mother died in Spring Valley, Sept. 21, 1858, aged 73 years;
the father is still living in Brodhead.
- Mr. ADAMS was reared on the farm and attended school until
he entered the army. Although but
- 17 years old he connected himself with a command that saw
veteran service throughout its experiences. He enlisted Feb.
27, 1864, in Company D, 36th Wisconsin Infantry, and was mustered
with his regiment at Camp Randall, Madison, and set out for Washington
and the scenes of activity at the front, May 10, 1864. The command
proceeded immediately up the James River, and thence to Belle
Plain Landing. The following morning they pushed on to join the
troops at Spottsylvania and were in the reserve on the 18th of
May. Mr. ADAMS was in the heavy labor of throwing up fortifications
and was in an action on the 23d on the North Anna River. He was
in the fight at Tolopotomy Creek on the 30th and went with his
command to the fight at Cold Harbor, going after the action to
the trenches at Petersburg and after fighting on the 18th until
the third charge, he was wounded in the right arm, and was named
in the dispatches as injured. He was at City Point a week, went
thence to New York and was furloughed July 30th, and returned
to the regiment about the middle of September. He went to David's
Island in New York Harbor and thence to Bedloe's and a week later
went to City Point and joined his regiment in the rear of Petersburg.
He again fought in the trenches until the 24th of the month,
when he was in the fight at Hatcher's Run. February 5th he was
again in action at Hatcher's Run and after the fall of Petersburg
joined in the chase after the rebels and was present when Lee
surrendered, his command dividing their last rations with the
famished rebels and going 36 hours without food. He next went
to Washington where he was in the Grand Review and afterwards
passed several weeks at Jeffersonville, Ind., and was discharged
July 12, 1865.
- He returned to Brodhead and engaged in farming until 1881,
when he left the farm and his calling as
- an agriculturalist, having become quite blind. In 1886 his
sight was wholly gone, the result of his wound, his eyesight
beginning to fail immediately after his injury.
- He was married in Albany, Wis., Dec. 24, 1865, to Martha,
daughter of William and Esther M.
- (GRAVES) GRIFFIN, who were born respectively at Hoosac, Rensselaer
Co., New York, and Greenfield, Mass., the latter being descended
from English parents - William and Martha (GIFFORD) GRAVES).
The daughter was born Jan. 26, 1844, in Hoosac, and came west
with her parents in 1854, the family locating on a farm near
Albany in Green county, where the parents are still resident.
Mrs. ADAMS is the eldest of their nine children, eight of whom
are living. Julia F. married Edwin ATKINSON, a member of the
2d Wisconsin Infantry, and is deceased; the brothers and sisters
are named in order of birth: Mrs. Emily A. PEEBLES; Mrs. Mary
E. STOCK; William A.; Abbie; Mrs. Stella DUNN; George L.; Eugene.
The record of the children of Mr. and Mrs. ADAMS is as follows:
Abbie May, born Feb. 23, 1867, died when seven years old; Willie
W., born Dec. 30, 1870; Jessie G., Jan. 27, 1873; Edith M., March
28, 1876; Sarah E., July 29, 1880; Ida Belle, Aug. 23, 1882.
Mr. ADAMS is a charter member of his Post; and with his wife
belongs to the Wisconsin Grange.
-
- From "Soldiers' and Citizens' Album of Biographical
Record Containing Personal Sketches of Army Men and Citizens
Prominent in Loyalty to the Union" by H.O. & M.A.W.
Brown. Chicago, Grand Army Pub., Co., (c)1890, p. 326.
-
- Courtesy of a transcriber.
|