Civil War Soldiers

         Because it is almost Memorial Day and we are celebrating the 150th Anniversary of the Civil War I thought I would do a post about Soldiers who died during the Civil War who are buried in Bayside or have a stone with their name at Bayside even though they are buried in another cemetery (There are at least four who have stones here who are buried in other cemeteries). Most of the soldiers who died and are buried here died of disease.

The first to die was Marshall L. Wood who was born Aug 4 1834 to Liberty Wood. Marshall died at Yorktown, Va of Disease on May 20, 1862.

Gravestone of Marshall and his father

   The next soldier to die was Samuel Marsh. He was born Mar 11 1818 or 19 in Vermont. During his time in Potsdam he was a physician and teacher, but for a year or so he was a lay preacher at the Potsdam Methodist Church. When the war started Marsh enlisted in the 16th NY Inf who elected him as Lt. Colonel. During the Battle of Gaines Mills he was wounded. On July 4, 1862 he died at Harrison's Landing. The Local GAR and auxiliary were named after him

       Samuel Marsh's funeral was one of the largest in Potsdam's history. It was held in the Brick Potsdam Methodist Church (There have been three buildings in the church's history the first one was a white clapboard building at what is now the fire station, the second was constructed out of brick and is where the current one is now). Marsh was first buried in Elderkin Cemetery and then moved to Bayside. His wife Hannah, Mother-in- Law Caroline Ayers and son Frank T are buried with him. The Methodist Church and people from the town and village of Potsdam paid for his monument. In the Narthex of the Potsdam United Methodist Church (which his son Rev. William D. Marsh helped dedicate) there is a stained glass window dedicated in memory of him and his wife Hannah.

Samuel Marsh's Grave

   The next one who died has a centoph here. Allen Bump was born Nov 23, 1828 to Joseph and Marcia Field Bump. Allen married Charlotte Wood. He enlisted as Corp in Co C. of the 92nd NY Inf on Oct 10, 1861. Mr. Bump died of Typhoid Fever at Carver Hospital in Washington D.C. on Jul 26, 1862. He was buried at the Soldiers National Cemetery in Washington D.C.

Grave of Charlotte and J. Dayton Bump with Allen's name on it

  The next one is also a centoph. Luther Priest was Capt of Co E. of the 106th NY Inf. Luther died of Typhoid Fever in Martinsburg VA on Mar 14, 1863. He is buried in Parishville.

Elizabeth Priest's grave with Luther's name on it

    The next one is Stephen W. Brown. Stephen was born Sept 30, 1814 in Vergennes, VT. He married Melissa Austin. He enlisted on Jan 2, 1864 in the 14th NYHA. Stephen died just a few days later on Jan 23 in Elmira, NY. I have seen two different causes of death for him. In John Austin's great resource about Civil War Soldiers from St. Lawrence County says he died of Typhoid Fever while information I found on Ancestry.com says he died of Cerebro Spinal Meningitis.

Stephen, Melissa, and Mary Brown's grave

   The next two are centophs for two cousins Hamilton and Sylvester Dayton. Hamilton was born Jul 25 1845 to George and Catherine Parkill Dayton. He enlisted Dec 7, 1863 in Co C 11th NY Cav. Hamilton died of Disease at St. Louis Hospital in New Orleans on Sept 2, 1864. He was buried in Grave 4766 in Chalmette National Cem in New Orleans.

Hamilton's name on his parents grave

      Sylvester Bacon Dayton was born Sept 19 1842 to Lyman and Martha Dayton. He enlisted in Co K of the 11th NY on Jan 2, 1864. Sylvester died of disease just 19 days after his cousin at the same hospital. He is also buried close to him in Chalmette National Cemetery (where he is buried in plot 5224)

Sylvester Dayton's Centoph

    The last one is Henry Harrison Fuller who was born Mar 10 1838 or 9 to Ludolphicus and Maria Stoughton Fuller. Henry enlisted Oct 10 1861 as a Serg in Co C. of the 92nd NY Inf. He was wounded near Petersburg, VA on Jun 20 1864. Henry H. Fuller was killed Sept 29, 1864 at the Battle of Chapin's Farm VA.

Henry Fuller's Grave

Drowning 2

I have found two other drowning victims.

The first one is Prentiss Deming son of O.E and S.D. Deming. He drowned Aug 17, 1855.

Prentiss's Grave

The other one is Frank Ives. Son of Martin Van Buren and Sarah Benson Ives. Frank drowned in 1877.

Here is the transcription of the article I found in the Dec 13, 1877 issue of the Potsdam Courier and Freeman:

Sad Case of Drowning- We are pained to announce that at about 2 p.m. last Saturday Frank W., the only child of Mr. and Mrs. M.V.B. Ives, of this village, a bright and promising lad of 9 years, was drowned in the Racket, about a third of a mile above the bridge. Little Frank and the three little boys of Capt. E.C. Knapp were sliding down hill, near the old cemetery lot, on Pierpont Avenue, the west side of which borders on the river. While thus sliding another boy came along and told them that the ice on the river was sufficiently strong to hold, when Frank and the two oldest Knapp boys, aged about 9 and 12, went out on to the river and proceeded to the head of "Snake Island," a little island about 20 rods from the shore. Around the head of the island there is an eddy and in consequence it is supposed that the ice there was thinner and weaker than between the island and shore. They turned around to go back to the shore, the Knapp boys being ahead, when the youngest Knapp boy broke through the ice but got out. Then the eldest Knapp boy fell in and he did not succeed in extricating himself, so Frank and the other Knapp boy went to his rescue, one taking hold of one arm and the other taking hold of the other, and tried to lift him out. While thus at work, the ice gave way and let all three in. The younger Knapp boy succeeded in getting out again, while the older one clung to the ice and Frank want down. The little boy who got out went to the shore and sent his younger brother, who was standing on the shore, for his father, Capt. Knapp, who was at his home, some 100 rods away. Upon notifying Mr. Knapp, the Captain hastened to the spot with all possible haste and found his oldest boy still in the river, clinging to the ice. By means of a ladder laid out on the ice he soon got him out and then made a search for little Frank and found him laying about four feet under the water, evidently held there by a scarf tied around his neck, one end of which had become fastened to the ice. He took him out at once and immediately carried him to his home, near by, where every effort was made by physicians, the family and neighbors to resuscitate him but to no avail. It is thought Frank must have been in the water from 20 to 30 minutes. Mr. and Mrs. Ives are buried in grief at this sudden and sad bereavement, for little Frank was fondly cherished and idolized by them. They have the fullest sympathy of this entire village and community in this hour of their severest affliction. The funeral occurred at their residence, on Pierpont Avenue, on Monday, Dr. J.S. Lee, of St. Lawrence University, officiating.

Frank Ives' Grave

The USS Susquehanna

       This post is about a ship instead of a certain person or family. The reason I am doing a post on the  Civil War ship USS Susquehanna is because there are four sailors who served on it buried in Bayside.

        The Susquehanna was a sidewheel steam frigate. She was launched Apr 5, 1850 and commissioned Dec 24, 1850.

        It was the flagship of the East India Squadron from 1850 to 1855. The first captain was John H. Aulick. In 1852 it was Commodore Matthew Perry's flagship when he entered Tokyo.

       1856-1861 was part of the Mediterranean Squadron.

USS Susquehanna on the left (Wikipedia)

Civil War

        In 1861 the Susquehanna was assigned to the Atlantic Blockading Squadron. It participated in the capture of Forts Clark and Hatteras.In September 1861 it captured 2 British schooners and 2 Confederate schooners. From October 1861 to the spring of 1862 it was part of the South Atlantic Blockading Squadron. It mostly served in blockading Charleston, SC. On Apr 3, 1862 the Susquehanna took another British schooner.

        April 27, 1862 the Susquehanna was ordered back to the North Atlantic Blockading Squadron. On May 8, 1862 the Susquehanna was among five Union warships that bombed Confederate batteries at Sewell's Point, Virginia.

          In late May of 1862 the Susquehanna was assigned to the West Gulf Blockading Squadron, where she delivered dispatches for David Farragut to the Gulf of Mexico. During her time in the West Gulf Blockading Squadron she seized one Confederate schooner and one British streamer.

          In the spring of 1863 the Susquehanna was sent back to New York for repairs. On her way she captured the schooner Alabama. The Susquehanna was decommissioned on May 14, 1863 at the New York Navy Yard.

          On July 20, 1864 the Susquehanna was recommissioned and reassigned to the North Atlantic Blockading Squadron. She participated in the attacks of Fort Fisher, NC that failed on Christmas Eve 1864. She was one of the ships that re-attacked it on mid February and that time the Union was successful.  During that time Real Admiral Sylvanus William Godon was in command.

After the Civil War

          From 1866-68 she was part of the Atlantic Squadron. The Susquehanna took American delegates to open up relations with US backed Mexican President Benito Juarez, during the destruction of the Second Mexican Empire. The ship turned back when it was found out that Maxmilian I, who was the acting imperial ruler, was not going to abdicate.

          The Susquehanna's final decommission came on Jan 14, 1868 at the New York Navy Yard. On Sept 27, 1883 she was sold for scrapping.

Sailors Buried in Bayside

           The four sailors who served on the Susquehanna who are buried here are :Moses Chaney, Julius Hand, Merrill Hosmer, and Chester Parkhurst (Ironically the same one I just wrote about in my last post)

Moses Chaney's Grave

       Moses was born in Potsdam on Sept 2, 1829 to Moses and Ruth Chaney. He was a farmer. Moses Jr. enlisted Sept 1, 1864 in Brooklyn for one year. He was mustered in as a private on Sept 1, 1864. Moses Jr. also served on the U.S.S. Savannah. He participated in both attacks on Fort Fisher. In the 1870 US Census he was listed as insane. Moses was married to a lady by the name of Orissa. He died Sept 1, 1875

        

Julius Hand's Grave

Merrill Hosmer's Grave

         Merrill Hosmer was born Sept 16, 1841 to Mr. and Mrs. John S. Hosmer. After attending St. Lawrence Academy,  he was a for a little while a partner with H.K. Baldwin in a grocery and feed store. Afterwards he entered into the shoe business with his father. 

          He enlisted in 1863 and served one year. Mr. Hosmer also served on the Mount Vernon. After the war he entered in the business of buying butter and produce. For 12 years he had a farm near Potsdam. 

          Mr. Hosmer was a Republican. He was County Committeeman for 15 yrs. From 1897-1905 he was Postmaster of Potsdam. He was a member of the Universalist church.

           On Oct 7, 1867 he married Axie B. Sayles. They had four children. Two sons John S. (Helen's father) and Sumner survived him along with with Axie and two sisters Mrs. Susan Hackett and Rose Forbes. He died at his home on Bay Street on Jul 23, 1915.

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Drowning Victims

 One of the causes of death during the summer is drowning. I have found a few people buried in Bayside who drowned. There are at least eight drowning victims buried here. The earliest one was a Francis Austin. Here are transcriptions from newspaper articles I found on the Northern New York Historical Newspaper website. The first article comes from the May 23, 1857 issue of the Potsdam Northern Freeman.

  "On Friday of last week, (just after our paper went to press,) Francis Austin, aged fifteen years, son of Rev. Jehiel Austin, of this village, came to his death in the following manner.  He was rowing a boat up the river, from below the grist mill bridge, with which he was going after some logs.  When near the bridge the boat capsized, and became unmanageable.  Young Austin clung to it till it was too near the dam for him to swim to shore, (which he attempted to do) and was carried over the fall.  The first plunge undoubtedly killed him.  Unavailing attempts to help him were made.  The body has not been recovered, at time of writing this, (Wednesday noon) although continued attempts have been made for that purpose.  Whoever finds the body will be rewarded."

     The next article I found came from the April 2, 1902 Potsdam Courier and Freeman.

Reminiscences No. 4.

[By Josiah L. Brown]

"1857

Friday, May 15th. Jehial Austin's son carried over the dam on the west side of the island and drowned. The body not yet recovered although the river has been dragged thoroughly.

May 25th. Dry and windy. Jehial Austin's house and barn, one horse and all his furniture burned. It seems to be, a double affliction, as it is but eleven days since his son was drowned and the body has not been found yet. (Mr. Austin lived on Upper Main street on what has later been known as the Jackson place.)

May 28th. Henry Fling found Francis Austin's body about one half mile below the dam. It has been seventeen days since he was drowned. His parents bear up nobly under their affliction."

Francis Austin's Grave

    The next drowning victim was Alex Bellaman. Who drowned on Sept 10, 1865 age 10 yrs. Here is the transcription from the article I found in an issue of the Potsdam Courier & Freeman:

"Drowned- On Sunday last, while Albert (that is what the article says, even through the gravestone says Alex, I believe it's the same person because the article appeared only a few days after Alex drowned, was around the same age, and he is buried in the Austin family lot), adopted son of Mr. Joseph B. Austin, aged about eleven years, was on his way to church in the morning, and while crossing the west bridge, which is being rebuilt, he by some means fell through the loose planking of the bridge and was drowned; and what is very singular, although there were many people before and behind him on their way to church, an inhabited dwelling with a number of inmates but a few feet from where he fell in, and several men in the saw mill just below the bridge, no one happened to see the accident, and not until his foster parents had returned from church in the afternoon and found Albert missing were fears entertained for his safety, Search was immediately made, his cap was found in the millpond, and soon his body was found a few feet below the bridge.

As the circumstances of his death were singular, so were the events of his short life. While the 106th Regt. N.Y.V. were encamped in or near Winchester, Va., Albert, a poor, orphan, friendless boy, found his way to the camp. Being bright and intelligent, he soon became a favorite with the officers and men, accompanied the regiment on several marches', and experienced many of the hardships of a soldier's life. On the return of Lieut. Austin to his home on account of ill health, he brought this lad with him, and although extremely illiterate when he first came to Potsdam, not knowing all his letters, he soon began to thirst for knowledge, and acquired most readily the rudiments of education. He gave promise of great usefulness in the future, was kind, affectionate and obedient. His foster parents loved him as their own child. All who knew him looked upon him as a remarkable boy. While in Virginia he belonged to the poor class of whites: coming North, he would no doubt have become an ornament to society. But alas! "he sleeps the sleep that knows no waking."

Gravestone of Alex Bellaman

Joseph Ledyard Jr was the next drowning victim. The notice in the Jul 11, 1873 issue of the Ogdensburg Daily Journal (which was reprinted from the Potsdam Courier) says the following:

                         "Master Joseph Ledyard, a lad thirteen or fourteen years of age, residing in Pine street, was drowned in the Racket river, just below the railroad bridge, in this village, about four o' clock last Thursday afternoon. Master Ledyard was in bathing with two other and smaller boys. He jumped of the boom or pier with the intention of swimming to shore, but sank and drowned before reaching it. His body was in the water an hour or more before it was recovered. We understand that that he was a member of the Normal School, a dutiful and exemplary boy."

                                         Joseph and his brothers side of the family gravestone.

Next was the Chester Parkhurst family. Chester and his wife Myra and their son Freddie drowned Aug 3, 1878. Chester was 39, Myra was 30 or 31, and Freedie was 3 or 4. It happened at the resort area known as Hollywood. According to Nina Benham Daniels who was an eyewitness, in her article "The Drowing of Chester Parkhurst" Chester could not swim, and nobody was witness to the first part of the tragedy to see how it overturned.

The Chester Parkhurst Family Grave

     On Jul 2, 1933 Horace Arquett (son of William) drowned. Horace was out boating with five girls. The party started out from Coney Island. The boat was leaking a little. When they were just south of Riverside Cemetery (Hannawa Falls) motor problems started. Horace was trying to start the motor when the boat listed and overturned. The girls all swim to safety.

Horace Arquett's Grave

The most recent one I could find was Thomas Snow son of Mr. and Frank E. Snow. He drowned Nov 24, 1981 while duck hunting in Sandy Pond.

                                                           The Snow Family Grave