Saturday, October 17, 2009

Charles E. Mead - update 9/7/2016

Charles E. Mead was born around 1846 in New York, possibly the son of New York natives Daniel (b. 1815) and Mary (b. 1837).

By 1850 Charles was living with his family in Polkton, Ottawa County, where his father Daniel worked as a laborer. (Next door lived Cornelius Mead and his family, possibly Daniel’s brother.)

Charles stood 5’4” with brown eyes, light hair and a light complexion, and was 18 years old and probably a farmer living in either Muskegon County or in Polkton, Ottawa County when he enlisted in Company E on February 8, 1864, at Grand Rapids for 3 years, crediting Muskegon, and was mustered the same day. (He was possibly related to Henry Mead of Ottawa County who enlisted in Company K in 1861.)

Charles joined the Regiment on February 10, and was reported sick when he was transferred to Company E, 5th Michigan Infantry upon consolidation of the 3rd and 5th Michigan Regiments on June 10, 1864. Charles remained absent sick, possibly in Michigan, until he entered Harper hospital in Detroit, on October 25, 1864, and was discharged from Harper hospital on May 13 or 15, 1865.

After he was discharged from the army Charles returned to western Michigan.

He married Eliza J. Jones (1849-1920) on July 14, 1868, in Polkton, Ottawa County, and they had at least four children: Lillian (1869-1870), William F. (b. 1871), Charles H. (b. 1874) and Freddie E. (b. 1877).

By 1870 Charles was working as a farmer and living with his wife on her family’s farm in Polkton; in 1880 he was working as a shoemaker and living with his wife and children in Coopersville; also living with them was his father-in-law. By 1888 he was living in Coopersville, Ottawa County, and in 1891 he was residing in Allegan, Allegan County.

In 1876 Charles applied for and received a pension (no. 491564).

Charles died on September 22, 1891, presumably in Allegan or possibly in Coopersville, and was buried in Coopersville Cemetery, Polkton Township.

In 1891 his widow applied for and received a pension (no. 377467). In 1919 she was boarding at 1012 W. 3rd Avenue in Flint, Michigan.


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