Most of the able-bodied men in my family living during that time served. Here is a little info on my great grandfather, Francis Owen Cheney, who is the ancestor I honored by joining DUVCW.
Francis Owen Cheney
Co. B, 192nd Ohio Volunteer Infantry
Francis Owen Cheney was born on October 25, 1847 in McLean County, Illinois. His great uncle, Jonathan Cheney was the founder of the town, Cheney’s Grove in McLean County. Many of the Cheney family, including William and Rebecca (Love) Cheney followed Jonathan to Illinois. Three of their eight children were born there before they made their way back to Ohio where they remained for the rest of their lives.
On May 20, 1869, Francis, who was known as Frank, married Martha Jane Uncapher in Marion County, Ohio. She went by her middle name, Jane. She was the daughter of John M. Uncapher and Barbara A. Rimmel and was born on February 2, 1851 in Indiana County, Pennsylvania. Her family was Pennsylvania Dutch and she spoke their German dialect fluently.
Francis and Jane had nine children, Una Belle, Elizabeth Etta, Hillis Ray, Emma O., Silas, Haymond William, Elmer Albertus and Francis Elzie, who were twins, and my grandfather, Earl J. Cheney.
After the war, Francis lived most of his life in Allen County, Ohio but he lived in Marion County, Ohio for about two years and in Morgan, Cooper, Lafayette, and Benton Counties in Missouri for four years. Francis and Jane lived in Missouri shortly after they married. They probably went there because land was cheap. Either they were homesick or they did not prosper in Missouri because they returned to Ohio by 1872 where they moved to Allen County and remained.
While on duty at Harper's Ferry, Virginia, in March, 1865, Francis, a private in Co. B, 192nd O. V. I., was disabled by disease of the lungs, heart, fever, and pleurisy and treated at the hospital in Harper's Ferry. He was discharged at Winchester, Virginia on September 21, 1865.
In 1891, he was a resident of Allentown, German Township, Allen County, Ohio. He was 5' 9" and had a fair complexion, light hair, and hazel eyes. He weighed 145 pounds. In 1899, when he was a resident of Shawnee Township, Allen County, Ohio, he was 5'7". He applied for a veteran’s pension and received $8 a month. He was still a resident of Shawnee Township in 1902 and remained there until his death. In 1912, his pension was raised to $13.50.
Francis died on November 20, 1912. After his death, Jane moved into the home of her son, Francis Elzie Cheney, in Lima, Ohio. She died on November 27, 1931. Francis and Jane are buried together, a few feet away from his parents, in Shawnee Cemetery, Allen County, Ohio.
If you enjoyed this post, you may enjoy the posts listed in the Ohio Civil War Ancestors category and the 3/17/2013 post in the Women's History category and my February and March, 2013 articles on Family History Daily. These can all be found through the sidebar on this page. Happy reading!