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- Pvt. William Henry FROSS
Company K, 28th Wisconsin Regiment
by Clark Kidder
- William, his younger brother Stephen, and his sisters Hannah
and Ann,
- were apprenticed to a Shaker community in Watervliet, New
York, at a young age. They are listed among the 82 members of
"The United Society of Shakers," on the 1850 U.S. Federal
Census. This was a common practice during those times, especially
when children were left without a father to provide for them.
Records at the Shaker Heritage Museum, 875 Watervliet Shaker
Rd., Albany, NY, give us the following information:
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- "FROSS, William - Returned to the world on January
1, 1855 (See Journal 328 or 378)
- "FROSS, Ann and Hannah - Returned to the world
in 1853; came back to the Shaker community
- February 1855, and lived with the west family (families were
divided into North, South, East and West)."
-
- According to various sources, William resided in Seymour,
Outagamie Co., WI; DePere, Brown
- Co., WI; Lima, Rock Co., WI; and then Milton Junction and
Milton in Rock Co., WI.
- William answered Abraham Lincoln's call for troops to
- defend the Union, and enlisted as a Private in Captain Ira
MORTON's Company K of the 28th Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry.
He was 25 years old. He enlisted in Bradford, Rock Co., WI, on
August 21, 1862, for three years. He was mustered-out at Brownsville,
TX, on August 23, 1865.
- His discharge papers (at left) give a physical description
of
- him, as follows: At age 26, William stood 5' 3 1/2"
high, had a dark complexion, dark eyes, dark hair, and was by
occupation a farmer.
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- On William's declaration for a pension, dated June 10, 1912,
he states that his places of residence
- were: "Milton Jct., Wis 3 ys - Fort Howard, Wis - 3ys
- Lima, Wis - 8 yrs, Milton, Wis, 33 years."
- In 1892, William applied for an Invalid Pension (No. 477,603).
Various members of the community
- signed affidavits stating that William suffered from a variety
of maladies, including: "sick headaches, disease of the
stomach, rheumatism, heart disease, injury to right eye, disease
of spine and kidneys (W. W. and W. P. CLARKE, retail druggists);
sick headache, rheumatism, and dizzy spells (Charles H. FULLER,
fellow worker); Hart (sic) difficulty (Frank H. GIFFORD,
fellow worker); head ache (sic), due to heart trouble (A. O.
GIFFORD, fellow worker).
- William received Invalid Pension No. 913679, applied for
on June 10, 1907 (his 70th birthday), and
- allowed for by an Act dated February 6, 1907. He was paid
$72.00 per month until his death.
- In August 1922, William applied for an increase in pension.
An affidavit was supplied, signed by G. E.
- CROSLEY, M.D., of Milton, Rock Co., WI. It read as
follows:
-
- "As attending physician I have had occasion to see
William H. FROSS at intervals. That
- during the winter of 1921-22 he suffered from lumbogr
and rheumatism to such an extent that much of the time he was
unable to be about and had to be cared for by his wife. At the
present time he is confined to the bed a part of the time with
a defilation? of the heart with accompanying dyspnorce? and pain
on exertion and as a consequence requires much care. Senile changes
with arterio sclerosis are doubtless an increasing factor in
his condition. His wife is also in poor health, having undergone
a severe operation several years ago and has been very nervous
since that time."
-
- On the 1885 Wisconsin veteran's census, his post office is
Milton Junction, Rock Co., WI. In 1895
- and 1905, his post office is in Milton, Rock Co., WI.
- William and wife, Roseltha (note
GAR membership ribbon on his coat)
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- William and Roseltha lived in the first house west of the
meat market on
- College Street, in Milton, Rock Co., WI. William is remembered
as a very neat man by his KIDDER grandchildren. He built
a board walk from the back door of his kitchen, out to the outhouse.
He and Roseltha kept a pet parrot. The only swear word his granddaughter
Helen KIDDER ever heard him say was "shit,"
and that was when he cut his hand while sawing wood. The following
story was written by Clark Owen KIDDER, and was published
in the Milton Courier, Milton, Rock Co., WI:
- William and Roseltha Fross joined the First Congregational
Church in
- Milton, Wisconsin in 1908, where William was later appointed
"deacon for life." The following extracts are taken
from the church records:
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- September 5, 1908 - "presented letters of recommendation...
and Mrs. Rosa FROSS from the M. E. church of Milton, and
by vote were received into membership of this church. Mrs. Lucy
C. SMITH and Wm. H. FROSS offered themselves as
candidates on their confession of faith, and were examined by
the pastoral committee, and approved by them."
- September 6, 1908 - "Before the morning services, the
following named persons presented themselves for membership of
the church and were examined by the pastoral committed and approved
by them... by vote of the church, Wm. H. FROSS... were
received into membership on confession of faith."
- March 9, 1912 - "on ballot William FROSS was
elected Deacon."
- January 3, 1912 - "Mr. Wm. FROSS was re-elected
Deacon."
- January 2, 1915 - "... and W. H. FROSS were appointed
tellers."
- January 5, 1918 - "... proceeded to ballot for deacon
in place of H. Wh. FROSS whose term of office had expired...
the vote for Deacon resulted in the election of Mr. FROSS
to succeed himself."
- January 3, 1920 - "The ballot for Deacon in the place
of W. H. FROSS resulted in the election of Mr. FROSS
to succeed himself. Mr. BETTS suggested that as Mr. TRACY
was absent and Mr. FROSS and himself were not so young
as they were once, that we elect another Deacon..."
- Financial Report for 1919 - "To W. H. FROSS for
2 weeks janitor work and work at church in November $6.25"
- January 3, 1923 (Annual Meeting) - "Ballots were prepared
for election of Mr. FROSS to succeed himself as deacon.
He was unanimously elected by the church as honorary deacon for
life."
- 1923 Annual Report - "Deaths - April 30 - William H.
FROSS"
-
- William's obituary reads:
-
- William H. FROSS, one of Milton's older citizens,
died at his late home May 22, 1923.
- He was born in Waterford, New York, his birthday being
June 10, 1837.
- When he was fourteen years old he was apprenticed to the
Shakers, a community group
- located not far from his home. He served for seven years
and became proficient in carpentry and broom making.
- Sometime after he was 21 he came to Wisconsin. When Lincoln
called for troops to
- defend and preserve the Union, Mr. FROSS enlisted
at Bradford, becoming a volunteer in the 28th Wisconsin. He served
throughout the war and at its close was honorably discharged.
He was a charter member of the A. D. Hamilton Post No. 60, G.
A. R. His death reduces the number of living charter members
to two, Comrades E. F. WIEGLEF and George W. LANPHERE.
- On July 4, 1870, he and Rosetha D. BABCOCK were
united in marriage, the
- ceremony being solemnized at Utica, then known as Christiana.
Four children were born to them; two of whom are living; Mrs.
Clark KIDDER of Edgerton, and Mrs. Bertha RITCHIE
of Ashland. Mamie died at the age of 13, and Leo at 21.
- Mr. FROSS was a professing Christian who loved
the house of worship and the
- activities of the Christian life. He was a member of the
local Congregational church and an honored deacon.
- His kind, cheery, happy disposition and genial approach
to men won for him many
- close friends. His purpose to live the square life won
the approbation of his acquaintances.
- He is survived by his wife and two daughters. He had no
near relatives living excepting
- two nieces and a nephew.
- The American Legion had charge of the services and assisted
the members of the
- G.A.R. at the burial in Milton cemetery. Rev. Henry N.
Jordan conducted the devotional services at the house. The legion
quartet sang two hymns as a part of the service.
- Those from away who were present at the funeral of the
late W. H. FROSS were Mr.
- and Mrs. Will RITCHIE, Ashland, and their son Russell
of the University of Madison, Mrs. Frank MURRAY, Beloit,
Mrs. U. G. MILLAR, Mrs. Charles MILLAR, Edgerton,
Mrs. William TRUMAN, Miss Effie TRUMAN and her
brother Harry, and Fred TRUMAN, Lima Center."
- William FROSS (front row,
4th from left) was a charter member of A. D. Hamilton GAR Post
No. 60 in Milton.
- This photo was taken on Memorial
Day, 1916.
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-
- The story and photos of William Henry FROSS was
generously shared by his great-great grandson, Clark
O. Kidder.
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