Edward H. Romans

Edward H. Romans was born on August 1, 1836, in New York, the son of Peter Milo (1804-1878) and Harriet Ruth (Woodward, 1808-1888).

New York natives, Peter and Ruth were probably married in New York sometime before 1833 and resided in New York for many years; by 1840 Peter was probably living in Mendon, Monroe County, New York. Sometime between 1846 and 1848 they moved to Michigan and by 1850 Edward was living with his family and attending school with five of his siblings in Bedford, Calhoun County. By 1860 Edward (listed as “Edwin”) was working as a farmer and living with his family in Bedford, Calhoun County.

Edward, or Edwin, may have been living in Battle Creek, Calhoun County when he became a substitute for Isaac Rouse, who had been drafted on February 10, 1863, for nine months from Yankee Springs, Barry County. Edward joined the Regiment on March 10 at Camp Pitcher, Virginia, and had his left forefinger shot off, probably on May 3, 1863, at the battle of Chancellorsville, Virginia. He was absent sick in the hospital through October and was either discharged in the field on November 3, 1863, or mustered out at Detroit on November 8, 1863.

Edward may have returned to Michigan and possibly settled in Barry County. (His parents, Peter and Ruth, were still living in Bedford, Calhoun County in 1870 where his father owned $4000 worth of real estate.) In any case, Edward eventually moved to Illinois where he (probably) married Illinois native Joanna J. (b. 1845). By 1870 he was working as a farmer (he owned $2000 worth of real estate) and living with his wife and the Connery (?) family in Drummer Township, Ford County, Illinois. By 1880 Edward was working as a butcher and living with his wife in Ashland, Jackson County, Oregon (his mother was living as a widow in Bedford, Calhoun County, Michigan in 1880).

Edward eventually returned to Michigan and he was possibly a widower when he married his second wife, Michigan native Irene Jenny Davis (b. 1866), probably in Michigan; they had at least two children: Peter M and Millie M. He was living in Nashville, Barry County in 1888, but by 1890 had settled in White Cloud, Newaygo County, and worked as a farmer.

In 1871 he applied for and received a pension (no. 131821).

He was probably living in Wilcox, Newaygo County when he died of sunstroke on August 2, 1894.

Edward was reportedly buried in section A of Prospect Hill cemetery in White Cloud.

In 1895 John Bailey filed a pension application in Michigan on behalf of a minor child (no. 614175) but the certificate was never granted.