Tuesday, August 19, 2008

William C. Estes

William C. Estes was born 1836 in New York, the son of Andrew P. (b. 1805) and Sarah (b. 1810)

William’s parents were both born in New York but by 1828 were living in Pennsylvania. The family moved from Pennsylvania to New York between 1833 and 1836, and then on to Michigan sometime between 1842 and 1844. By 1850 William was attending school with three of his younger siblings and living with his family in Danby, Ionia County. By 1860 William was working as a farm hand and living with his family in Danby, Ionia County, where his father owned a substantial farm.

William was 24 years old and residing in Ionia County when he enlisted in Company B on May 13, 1861. He was killed in action on May 31, 1862, at Fair Oaks, Virginia. He was presumably buried among the unknown soldiers in Seven Pines National Cemetery.

In October of 1863 John E. Smith, of Portland, Ionia County, was listed as guardian for two of William’s minor sisters: Arvilla age 15 and Celia age 13. In August of 1864 he applied on their behalf for orphan sister’s pension (application no. 59778). He never followed up the application which was eventually rejected as abandoned.

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