Frederick Spinte

Frederick Spinte was born on October 29, 1829, in Volsfolde, Kingdom of Brunswick, Germany, son of William and Minnie.

About 1841 his parents immigrated to America, settling first in Illinois.

Frederick (also known as William) was 26 years old and possibly living in Muskegon County, Michigan, 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 reported as having deserted on July 29, 1861, at Arlington, Virginia, and returned to the Regiment on July 31 at Hunter’s Farm, Virginia. He was absent sick in the hospital from October 11, 1862, probably until he was discharged and transferred to the Third company, Second Battalion, Veterans’ Reserve Corps on November 23, 1862 at Washington, DC.

According to a statement Frederick made in 1888, he was sent to the hospital shortly after being wounded at the battle of Chantilly (in September of 1862). Apparently he was struck in the head by a piece of shell, and he was rendered blind for some six months. He was sent to Carver hospital in Washington, DC., where he remained for those six months and then where he was treated at the Eye and Ear Infirmary in Washington. When he recovered he was apparently offered the opportunity to transfer to the cavalry which he did, enlisting (or being transferred to) the Fifth U.S. cavalry. However he “never saw the regiment or company being taken worse while in the recruiting camp and was taken back again to the hospital.” From there he was transfered to the Second Battalion, VRC. He was eventually discharged from the service on June 8, 1864.

After his discharge from the army Frederick returned to Michigan where he lived briefly before moving on to Illinois.

He was living in Woodford County (?) when he married Wisconsin native Mary Drum (b. 1856) on June 4, 1874, at Viroqua (or perhaps Springville?), Vernon County, Wisconsin. They had at least seven children: Addie (b. 1875), Minnie E. (b. 1878), Henry (b. 1880), William (b. 1883), Cora (b. 1885), Grace (b. 1889), and Edna E. (b. 1895).

Frederick worked most of his life as a farmer, and for some two years they lived in Wisconsin. They were living in Minnesota in 1875 and 1878, although ometime in 1876 they moved to Polk County, Nebraska where they lived for many years. By 1880 he was working as a farmer nad living with his wife and children in Valley, Polk County, Nebraska. By 1888 he was living in Osceola, Polk County, Nebraska when he applied for a pension. In 1907 Frederick was residing in Columbus, Platte County, Nebraska, and he eventually moved to Grand Island, Nebraska where they were living at 1623 W. 4th Street in 1915.

In 1888 he applied for and received a pension (no. 754135).

He and his wife were admitted to the Soldier’s Home in Burkett, Nebraska.

Frederick died on January 14, 1918, at Burkett, and was buried on January 15 at the Soldier’s Home cemetery in Burkett.

His widow was residing in Burkett in September of of 1918 when she applied for and received pension no. 869,889.