Henry M. Whiteford

Henry M. Whiteford was born in 1840 in Ohio.

(There was one Henry M. Whitford or Whiteford, born about 1840 in Michigan, probably the son of Linus (b. 1835) and Anna (b. 1820). New York natives both Henry M.’s parents were married sometime before 1838 by which time they were already living in Michigan. In 1845 Linus was living in York, Washtenaw County. And in 1850 Linus had settled the family on a farm in Paris, Kent County where Henry attended school with his siblings. Henry M. was married to New York native Mary (b. 1842), and they had at least three children: Mary A. (b. 1860), Flora (b. 1862), James (b. 1866) and Emma (b. 1867). By 1860 he was working as a farm laborer living with his wife and daughter Mary in Paris, Kent County. Henry eventually returned to Michigan after he was discharged. Henry M. was living on a farm in Paris with his wife Mary and four children in 1870. His father was living in Gaines, Kent County in 1870. He was still living in Paris in 1880.)

Henry was probably 20 years old and possibly living in Kent County when he enlisted (apparently with the consent of the Justice of the Peace) in Company K on May 13, 1861. Henry was reported as a teamster in July of 1862, a saddler in August, a teamster in September, and a saddler from October through December of 1862. He was a saddler with the Brigade wagon train from January of 1863 through May, a teamster in June, and serving with the ambulance train, probably as a teamster in July.

He was a teamster in the ammunition train from August through September, on detached service with Third Brigade in October, and at Corps headquarters in November (probably driving wagons). He was a teamster in the ammunition train from December of 1863 through January of 1864, a teamster at Brigade headquarters from February through May and was mustered out on June 20, 1864, at Detroit.

Henry eventually returned to Michigan.

He was married Ohio native Clara or Clarissa (b. 1846), and they had at least five children: Harriet (b. 1866), Lillian (b. 1868), Charles (b. 1872), Betsey (b. 1875) and Richard (b. 1879).

By 1870 Henry C. was working as a farmer and living with his wife and children in Rutland, Barry County; also living with them was 58-year-old Ohio native David Whitford. Henry eventually settled in Berrien County, and by 1880 he was working as a farmer and living with his wife and children in Niles’ Second Ward, Berrien County; he also worked as a mechanic and laborer.

(Curiously Berrien County death records lists two Henry “Whitfords”, as having died by drowning in May of 1882: one is age 43, a mechanic born in Ohio, died in Niles City, of accidental drowning, on May 9, 1882, and the other is a laborer, also born in Ohio, who died in Niles on May 18.)

In 1879 he applied for and received a pension (no. 295096).

He was probably living in Berrien County when he died of drowning on May 18, 1882, and was buried in Silverbrook cemetery, Niles, Berrien County: block 8, no. 8 (city addition).

Clara remarried to one Mr. Millard and was living in New Buffalo, Berrien County in 1890, the same year she applied as a guardian for a minor child pension (no. 486212). By 1908 she had probably been widowed again and was living in Illinois when she applied for a pension (no. 909302).