John Peter Scheidt

John Peter Scheidt was born in 1829 in Prussia.

John immigrated to America and settled in western Michigan sometime before the war broke out.

He stood 5’9” with blue eyes, light hair and a light complexion and was a 32-year-old farmer probably living in Allegan County when he enlisted in Company C on May 13, 1861. (Company C was made up largely of German and Dutch immigrants, many of whom lived on the west side of the Grand River in Grand Rapids. This company was the descendant of the old Grand Rapids Rifles, also known as the “German Rifles,” a prewar local militia company composed solely of German troopers.) He was admitted to the Regimental hospital the night of July 22, 1861, following the battle of Bull Run, Virginia on July 21, and he remained hospitalized in Arlington, Virginia until he was discharged for consumption on November 19, 1861, at Fort Lyon, Virginia.

After he was discharged from the army, John returned to Allegan County. He married French-born Catharine Manes (1843-1875), and they had at least two children: Caroline or Helena (b. 1869), John (b. 1870), Margaretta (b. 1871) and Mathias (b. 1874).

By 1870 John was working as a farmer (he owned $1200 worth of real estate) and living with his wife and two children in Salem, Allegan County. Following the death of his first wife he was married to Anna Mary or Amy (1828-1911) on November 19, 1876. By 1880 he was working as a farmer and living with his second wife and children in Salem; also living with them was his step-son John Gillis (?). In fact John lived in (New) Salem from 1865 until his death in 1898.

In 1882 he applied for and received a pension (no. 442,383 drawing $12.00 per month in 1897.

John died of Bright’s disease at Salem, on January 17, 1898, and was buried in St. Mary’s cemetery in Salem on January 20.

His widow applied for and received a pension (no. 510341).