Richard Harrington

Richard Harrington was born in 1837 in Macomb County, Michigan, the son of William (b. 1795) and Mary (b. 1808).

Rhode Island native William and New York-born Mary were married and eventually settled in Michigan where they were living by 1831. By 1850 Richard was attending school with his three siblings and living with his family on a farm in Forest, Genesee County. By 1860 Richard was probably working as a farm laborer and living with the Lyman family in Richfield, Genesee County.

Richard stood 5’6” with hazel eyes, brown hair and a light complexion, and was a 24-year-old farmer possibly living in Shiawassee County when he enlisted in Company B on May 13, 1861; he may have been related to Aaron Harrington also of Company B. He was discharged on June 18, 1862, at Knight Street hospital in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania or in Washington, DC, for a dislocated knee.

He returned to Michigan where he reentered the service as a Private in Company M, Third Michigan cavalry on December 21, 1863, at Forest, Genesee County for 3 years, crediting Forest, and was mustered on January 2, 1864, at Flint, Genesee County. He joined the Regiment on May 30 at Huntersville, Arkansas, and was probably on duty with the regiment throughout 1864.

The regiment eventually moved from Arkansas to Carrollton, Louisiana in March of 1865 and then on to participate in the siege of Mobile, Alabama during March and April. It then moved to occupy Mobile and was subsequently transferred to Baton Rouge, Louisiana and to Shreveport in early June. The regiment marched from Shreveport to San Antonio, Texas, from July 10-August 2 and went into garrison duty at San Antonio. By November of 1865 Richard was serving in the Quartermaster department. He was mustered out with the regiment on February 12, 1866, at San Antonio, Texas, and was discharged on March 15 at Jackson, Michigan.

Following his discharge from the service Richard returned to Michigan.

He was married to Catharine Cole or Macey (d. 1873), on May 14, 1871, and they had at least one child: Stewart (b. 1872).

Richard was probably living in Forest when Catharine died. In any case, he was living in Forest, Michigan when he married New York native Mindwell Hathey or Hawley (1834-1912), on April 15, 1876, in Otisville, Michigan.

For many years Richard worked as a laborer. By 1880 he was working in a sawmill and living with his wife in Forest, Genesee County; also living with him was his brother Wilbur or Willard. He was living in Dodge, Clare County in 1890, in Genesee County in 1894, in Otisville, Genesee County in 1896, and in Pinconning, Bay County in 1907 when he was drawing $12.00 (pension no. 777,889), drawing $15 per month by 1910.

He was a member of the Wheeler GAR Post No. 186 in Otisville.

Richard was a Protestant when he was admitted to the Michigan Soldiers’ Home (no. 4991) on July 31, 1907, and discharged on October 3 at his own request, probably returning to Pinconning. (His wife continued to reside in Pinconning while he was an inmate of the Home.)

He died in Michigan on March 28, 1910.

In any case his widow was living in Michigan, probably in Pinconning, in May of 1910 when she applied for and received a pension (no. 726264).