Charles Bean Loverin

Charles Bean Loverin was born on September 26, 1838, in (probably) Sutton, Merrimack County, New Hampshire, the son of Timothy (1812-1885) and Julia M. (Wadleigh, 1814-1905).

Both New Hampshire natives Charles’ parents were married in 1835 in New Hampshire and by 1850 Charles was attending school with his older sister Adaline and living with his family in Warner, Merrimack County, New Hampshire where Timothy worked as a cooper. The family left New Hampshire and moved west, eventually settling in western Michigan, probably Ionia County.

Charles was living in Ionia County where he married Michigan native Lois Ann Forman (1839-1924),and they had at least two children: Mrs. Lois Hoyt Estabrook (b. 1860) and Edward (b. 1868). Lois was the sister of Francis and Horace Forman, both of who would also enlist in the Old Third and were also from Ionia County.

By 1860 Charles was working as a carpenter living with his wife in Ionia, Ionia County.

He stood 5’7” with gray eyes, auburn hair and a light complexion and was 22 years old and probably still living in Ionia when he enlisted in Company E on May 13, 1861 -- Company E was composed in large part by men from Clinton and Ingham counties, as well as parts of Ionia County. (Charles is found in the Regimental history and the descriptive rolls for both the Third Michigan infantry and the Engineers and Mechanics; see below.) Charles was probably wounded on August 29, 1862, at Second Bull Run. In any case, he remained absent sick in a hospital from August of 1862, until he was discharged on November 24, 1862, at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, for “chronic nephritis and weakness of back.”

After he was discharged Charles returned to Michigan where he reentered the service in Company E, First Michigan Engineers and Mechanics on December 22, 1863, at Grand Rapids for 3 years, and was mustered on January 5, 1864, crediting Ionia. Charles probably joined the regiment somewhere along the rail line between Decatur and Stevenson Alabama, where elements of the Engineers were repairing and building blockhouses, probably until May of 1864. Charles was sick at Bridgeport, Alabama, from June 24, 1864 through July.

The Regiment was on duty on the Atlantic & Western Railroad building block houses, etc., till September when it was ordered to Atlanta, Ga., September 25. Old members were mustered out October 31, 1864. It remained on duty at Atlanta September 28 to November 15; and participated in the March to the sea destroying railroad track, bridges and repairing and making roads November 15-December 10; in the siege of Savannah December 10-21, in the Carolina Campaign January to April, 1865; in the advance on Raleigh April 10-14, and occupation of Raleigh April 14; in the surrender of Johnston and his army. The regiment then marched to Washington, D. C., via Richmond, Va., April 29-May 20, and was in the Grand Review on May 24. Ordered to Louisville, Ky., June 6; then to Nashville, Tenn. Duty at Nashville July 1 to September 22.

He was mustered out as an Artificer on either April 22 or (with the regiment) on September 22, 1865, at Nashville, Tennessee. The regiment was discharged at Jackson, Jackson County, Michigan on October 1.

Charles listed Ionia as his mailing address on his discharge paper, and in fact returned to Ionia County where he worked for some years on the Ionia & Lansing railway (later renamed the Pere Marquette railroad). (His father was working as a cooper and he and Charles’ mother were still living in Ionia County in 1870.)

By 1880 he was working as a laborer and living with his wife and son in Ionia’s fourth Ward. He lived most of his life in Ionia’s Fourth Ward, indeed for some 50 years he resided in the neighborhood of East Main Street in Ionia; he was living at 637 East Main Street around 1900. In 1920 he and Lois were living in Ionia, Ionia County.

He was a member of the Old Third Michigan Infantry Association and of Grand Army of the Republic William Borden post no. 211 in Ionia, and he attended the 1910 reunion of the First Michigan E & M Association. He was also a Mason. In 1880 he applied for and received a pension (no. 334833).

Charles died a widower, at the home of his daughter, Mrs. Lois Estabrook, in Grand Rapids on March 11, 1930, and the funeral service was held at the Church of Christ, probably in Ionia, at 2:30 p.m. on March 13. He was buried in Highland Park cemetery, Ionia: section 6 lot 69.