Saturday, January 29, 2011

Hosea H. and Nathan O. Tracy

Hosea H. Tracy was born in 1823 in Ontario County, New York.

Hosea was married to Connecticut native Jane A. (b. 1826), and they had at least five children: Nathan (b. 1845), David (b. 1846), Sarah (b. 1849), Austin E. (b. 1853) and Betsey J. They moved to either Pennsylvania or Ohio before 1845, then probably from Ohio or Pennsylvania to Illinois between 1846 and 1849. By 1850 Hosea and his family were living on a farm in Northville, LaSalle County, Illinois. Hosea then took his family and settled in Michigan where by 1860 he was working as a carpenter and living with his wife and children in Crockery, Ottawa County.

He stood 6’1” with blue eyes, dark hair and a dark complexion and was 38 years old and probably still living in Chester (in section 10) when he enlisted in Company I on May 13, 1861, along with his son Nathan. (Company I was made up largely of men from Ottawa County, particularly from the eastern side of the County.) On May 3, 1862, one of his company officers, Captain Stephen Lowing, wrote that during an engagement with the enemy, a “shell struck within four feet of Mr. Tracy of Nunica who was moving logs in the yard, but did not explode and he was unhurt.” Hosea was on detached service in General Heintzelman’s headquarters in July of 1862, and absent sick in the hospital from August until he was discharged on November 4, 1862, at Arlington, Virginia for “an injury to the left elbow joint caused by the passage of a wagon over him while intoxicated.” It was also noted on his discharge paper that “He is totally unfit for duty. No case for a pension.”

Apparently Hosea returned to his home in Ottawa County after his discharge from the army. In March of 1863 he applied for a pension (no. 658334), but the certificate was never granted.

Hosea probably died at his home in Ottawa County, in 1867, and was buried in Crockery cemetery, Ottawa County, next to his son, Nathan.

His widow was living in Crockery in 1890.

Nathan O. Tracy was born in 1845 in Portage County, Ohio or in Pennsylvania, the son of Hosea and Jane (see Hosea’s biography above).

His parents moved to either Pennsylvania or Ohio before 1845, then probably to Illinois between 1846 and 1849. By 1850 Nathan was living with his family on a farm in Northville, LaSalle County, Illinois. The family eventually moved to Michigan and by 1860 Nathan was attending school and living with his family in Crockery, Ottawa County.

Nathan stood 5’11” with blue eyes, brown hair and a light complexion and was 16 years old and probably still living with his family in Crockery (possibly section 10) when he enlisted in Company I on May 13, 1861, along with his father Hosea. (Company I was made up largely of men from Ottawa County, particularly from the eastern side of the County.) Nathan was sick in the hospital in April of 1863, again in June, and in November and December, and was discharged for consumption on January 5, 1864, at Douglas hospital in Washington, DC.

After his discharge he returned home to Nunica, Ottawa County. In August of 1864 he applied for and received a pension (no. 34057.

He was probably living at his home in Ottawa County where he died, probably of consumption, on December 12, 1864, and was buried in Crockery cemetery; his father Hosea was buried next to him in 1867.

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