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Sunday, June 30, 2013

HENRY FISKE BLANCHARD and SUSAN JANE NORCROSS








Henry Fiske Blanchard
2nd great grandfather
Birth 20 Aug 1838 in Rumford, Maine
Death 14 Mar 1917



HENRY F BLANCHARD m 1st May 1 1859 Julia A T Griffith in Mexico who dies Nov 19 1861 and 2nd April 20 1864 Susan J Norcross in Augusta
CHILDREN by Julia
·        Ernest W b Feb 3 1860 d Nov 23 1883
CHILDFREN by Susan
·        Harry H b Aug 6 1867
[HISTORY OF RUMFORD - FROM ITS FIRST SETTLEMENT IN 1779 to approx 1890 BY WILLIAM B LAPHAM]

SPOUSE #1
Julia A T Griffith
Birth unknown
Died 19 Nov 1861
Marriage 01 May 1859
No more information found for her
CHILD Ernest Wilder Blanchard
Birth 3 Feb 1860
Death 23 Nov 1883 (23 years old) Find A Grave Memorial# 29999781

SPOUSE #2
Susan Jane Norcross
2nd great grandmother
Birth 1844 in Augusta, Maine
Marriage:  20 Apr 1864 Augusta
CHILD Harry Herbert Blanchard great grandfather





TIMELINE

Family moved to Boston 1840 When quite young the family moved to Boston, and his early education was received in the public schools of that city. HISTORY OF RUMFORD



HENRY F BLANCHARD, son of Benjamin H and Mary P (Berry) Blanchard, was born in Rumford, April 26, 1838.  When quite young the family moved to Boston, and his early education was received in the public schools of that city.  He then came to Kent’s Hill (wikipedia.org Kents Hill School (KHS) is an independent college-preparatory school (boarding and day) located in Kents Hill, Kennebec County, Maine, outside of the state capital of Augusta)  and fitted for college.  He entered the college at 18 years of age (1856), but did not take the college course.  He taught school winters from the time he was 16 (1854)  until he was 19 years of age (1859), when he entered the law office of McCunn and Moncrief of New York City.  He also studied in the office of Hon F E Hoppin of Providence RI. He was admitted to the bar while a student in the office of Wm W Bolster in Dixfield (.wikipedia.org Dixfield is a town in Oxford County, Maine, United States) opened an office at Rumford Point in 1859 and practiced there until the breaking out of the war of Rebellion. He enlisted and served nearly 3 ½ years. In 1872 he settled in Augusta (Augusta is the capital of the US state of Maine, county seat of Kennebec County) and became a member of the firm of Weeks and Blanchard Attorneys at Law and Claim Agents in which he is still engaged/ (this was published in 1890) [HISTORY OF RUMFORD - FROM ITS FIRST SETTLEMENT IN 1779 to approx 1890 BY WILLIAM B LAPHAM]


Residence 1850 Age: 12  Mexico, Oxford, Maine 

Occupation 1854 -1859 Age: 16  taught school winters (HISTORY OF RUMFORD)

Entered College 1856 Age: 18  Kents Hill, Kennebec, Maine, USA  He then came to Kent’s Hill and fitted for college. He entered the college at 18 years of age (1856), but did not take the college course (HISTORY OF RUMFORD)

Marriage to Julia A T Griffith -BLANCHARD 1859 1 May Age: 20 --- Rumford, Oxford County, Maine: Town History

Occupation 1859 Age: 21 New York, New York he entered the law office of McCunn and Moncrief of New York City (HISTORY OF RUMFORD == not sure of date)
Admitted to the Bar 1859 Age: 21 Dixfield Maine and Rumford Point Maine He was admitted to the bar while a student in the office of William W Bolster in Dixfield (Dixfield is a town in Oxford County, Maine, United States), opened an office at Rujmford Point and practiced there until the breaking out of the war of Rebellion



THE CIVIL WAR YEARS



THE CIVIL WAR YEARS

ENLISTED 1861 31 Oct Age: 23  Rumford, Maine, USA  US CIVIL WARD RECORD..... Enlisted in Company G, Maine 1st Cavalry Regiment on 10 Oct 1861. Mus Oct 31st as corp.


PRISONER EXCHANGE 9 Jun 1863 About U.S., Adjutant General Military Records, Q.M. Sergeant. age 24. Prisoner June 9. exchn'd;sick [in gen hosp]

BATTLE OF GETTYSBURG 1863 01-03 Jul Age: 24  Gettysburg, Adams, Pennsylvania, USA Was not a participant was in hospital recovering from being a prisoner but was one of the contributors to it's building



RETURNED TO COMPANY 1863 17 Oct Age: 25 after hospital stay.

INJURED IN FALL FROM HORSE 1863 18 Oct Age: 25  sent to Washington-- rejoined company 01 Dec 1863

RE-ENLISTED AND PROMOTED 1863 31 Dec Age: 25 re-enlisted December 31, 1863 , and was promoted to Second Lientenant == Original data: William Berry Lapham. History of Rumford, Oxford County, Maine. ME, USA: 1890.



Marriage to Susan Jane Norcross 1864 20 Apr Age: 25  Aujgusta 


STAFF DUTY 1864 Aug Age: 26 Cavalry Depot City Point acting adjt. Cav, depot, City Point, from Aug’64 to March 18 ’65 == on staff duty as Assistant Adjutant General of the Cavalry depot in 1864 and part of 1865 , and also as Assistant Commissary of Subsistence.==History of Rumford, Oxford Co, ME

DISCHARGED 1865 18 Mar Age: 26 he was discharged for disability, March 18, 1865= . William Berry Lapham. History of Rumford, Oxford County, Maine. ME, USA:

FILED FOR PENSION 1874 14 Apr G 1 MAINE CAV Application # 191865 Certificate #
181897 INVALID After his death Susan Jane applied for the Widows pension



Residence 1880 Age: 42  Chestnut St, Augusta, Kennebec, Maine  Henry (LAWYER), Susan, son Harry (STUDENT)

Residence 1910 Age: 72  Chestnut Street, Jefferson, Lincoln, Maine  Henry (LAWYER), Susan, Granddaughter Helen (SCHOOL TEACHER)

Death 1917 14 Mar Age: 78

Burial 1917 Highland Cemetery, Jefferson, Lincoln County, Maine.




1878 Reunion in Augusta
(from History of the First Maine cavalry, 1861-1865 (1887) Author: Tobie, Edward P. (Edward Parsons), b. 1838)

page 356
Lieut Henry F Blanchard, of Co G, in his oration at the reunion at Augusta, in 1878, thus speaks of the First District of Columbia Calvary: --
In the fall of 1864 the regiment received an accession of strength and of numbers, by the transfer of about eight hundred men from the First District of Columbia Calvary.  In this the old First Maine was truly fortunate. They came to take the places of those men whose term of service had expired, and were shortly to be mustered out.  How well they filled those depleted ranks their history alone can prove. From this time forth their history is the history of the First Maine Calvary.  It is a history that no man of either regiment need blush to read. No braver men, no better or more faithful soldiers, ever stood in a suite of blue. The kindliest feeling ever existed after the consolidation. No rivalries for place or preferment ever marred their intercourse or impaired their usefulness. Together, and in harmony, they moved on in the path of duty. Together they determined to maintain the honor of their regiment and their native state. Side by side they fought at Bellefield, Gravelly run, Hacher’s, Dinwiddie, Farmville, Sailor’s Creek, and Appomattox, and side by side they fell.  On the same roll of honor, headed by the gallant Douty, are inscribed the names of Parkman, Sargent, Mountfort and Comins. Beneath the soil of Virginia are buried the rank and file of both regiments, and there they will rest until the resurrection morn. Their dead are our dead, and their glory is the glory of our common regiment.

Page 296
Lieut. Blanchard of Co G, in his address at the reunion at Augusta, 1878. Thus speaks of St. Mary’s Church: --
How many will remember that summer morning at St. Mary’s church, a morning not soon forgotten.  St Mary’s church, June Twenty-fourth.  Did you think of it, you of mystic tie? It was good St. John’s Day.  A day dedicated by masons to their patron saint.  Who, as he stood in the little grove which surrounded that quaint old quiet church, with its dark weather-beaten sides and decaying steps, with its quiet hallowing thoughts and softening reflections, so like the little church in many a New England town, whither we on many a Sabbath morning had bent our childish steps – who, as he stood in its shadows on the lovely morning, could have dreamed what a conflict would in a few short hours be raging there/
But, comrades. I have said I would not dwell upon any of the battle scenes in which our regiment took a part, and I am unwilling to detain you with the details of this encounter, many of you having participated. Yet be it known that here for twelve long hours we contended in the dust and heat, abandoned by our support, driven from position to position, disputing every inch of ground in the face of terrible odds, with the most obstinate and determined resistance; under a terrible fire of shot and shell from the enemy’s guns, as their missiles came screaming and tearing through the trees, or ploughing up deep furrows through the ground.; charged on front and flank, we are driven, but not routed, beaten but not conquered or dismayed. Slowly and in order we retire from the unequal contest. The dusty, sunburnt cavalry man turns his face backward towards the enemy he is slowly and sullenly leaving behind him’ and though overpowered by superior numbers as he had been – at times almost surrounded – crushed and driven from one position to another, set upon by infantry, cavalry, and artillery, yet be mutters his grim defiance to the foe, and hopes to square up that account on another field.
Out object has been attained and we realize a victory out of our defeat. The one Thousand baggage wagons of Grant’s army have passed safely over from Chichahominy to the James, and the rebels have fought and contended in vain for that coveted prize, but have won an empty victory.  The casualties to the First Maine were sixty-eight officers and men killed, wounded and captured.  Among the many wounded were Col C.H. Smith, afterwards major general; Lieut. Col. J.P. Cilley, afterwards brigadier general; and now our present honored adjutant general of the state. Among the killed were the brave and impetuous Capt. Phillips and gallant Capt. Ellis.




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