Gabriel D. Pruden

Gabriel D. Pruden was born in 1828 in Romulus, Seneca County, New York.

In 1830 there was one John Pruden living in Romulus, New York and in 1840 one J. Pruden in Romulus.

In any case, Gabriel left New York and settled in western Michigan by 1860 when he was working as a farm laborer and/or living with the Fitch family in Sparta, Kent County.

He stood 6’1” with blue eyes, brown hair and a light complexion and was a 33-year-old farmer possibly living in Kent County when he enlisted in Company I on March 8, 1862, at Grand Rapids for 3 years, and was mustered the same day.

He was reported in the hospital from May 28 through August, and allegedly deserted on September 21, 1862, at Upton’s Hill, Virginia. In fact, he was discharged on September 25, 1862, at Fort McHenry, Maryland for “hypertrophy of the liver.”

After he left the army Gabriel apparently returned to western Michigan where he probably died. He was buried in South Casnovia cemetery, Muskegon County, next to Rachel and Philander Thompson. (Rachel Pruden, probably Gabriel’s sister, was born in 1829 in Seneca County, New York, married P. A. Thompson, born in 1829 in Pennsylvania, in 1850, possibly in New York. In any case, Philander settled in Casnovia, Muskegon County in 1853 and apparently lived out the rest of his days there as did Rachel.)

There is no pension available.