As part of Spring Valley’s annual Loyalty Days observance, the Civil War reenactment group known as the “Boys of ‘61” camped in Spring Valley’s Spring Creek Park, and gave demonstrations of practices used by the soldiers during the Civil War. One especially popular part of their demonstrations was the cannon firing. Corporal Jason Grimm explained that he is a member of … [Read more...]
Fillmore County Journal Memorial Day Section 2019
Thanks to our local keepers of history
In this special Memorial Day section, dedicated to those who served in our U.S. military, we honor Fillmore County’s men who served in the War of 1812. Fortunately, we have a wealth of knowledge residing at the Fillmore County Historical Center & Genealogy Library in Fountain, Minn. Her name is Debra Richardson, and she is the FCHC Executive Director. As I visited with … [Read more...]
Daniel Knight Babcock Lanesboro Cemetery
Daniel was born the son of Arnold and Abigail Babcock on 12 Jan 1795 in Cranston, Rhode Island. A cabinet maker and carpenter by trade, Babcock enlisted as a private in Captain William Lampson’s Company of the New York Militia. Auditor’s reports show he served from 7 Sep 1812 to 20 Sep 1812, from 3 Feb 1813 to 19 Mar 1813, and again from 28 Jul 1814 to 21 August 1814. A bounty … [Read more...]
Peter G. Benway Lenora Cemetery
Peter was born 17 Jan 1789 in New York. He never married. While few clues as to his ancestry are obtainable, it appears that his last name of BENWAY may be derivative of the surname Benoit, Benneway, or Bennewe - and likely is of French Canadian heritage. As a 25-year-old, Peter served as a private in Captain Samuel McMath’s Company of the New York Militia, enlisting on 28 Aug … [Read more...]
Nathan Blood Chatfield Cemetery
Nathan was born 26 Jul 1784 in Essex, Chittenden County, Vermont. He served as a teamster with the Vermont Militia. Nathan’s daughter Mary Ann was born in 1815, the last year of the war. By the 1850 Federal census, the Blood Family had settled in the village of Jay, Essex County, New York. With her husband Lyman Case, Mary Ann moved to Minnesota Territory in 1854 to reside … [Read more...]
Alvin Chrissey Chatfield Cemetery
Born in New York 26 Mar 1795, Alvin was one of ten children of Chrissey and Luthena Dutton, who were early settlers of Stamford, Fairfield Coutny, CT. The surname CRISSEY has various spellings, with Crissey and Cressey used interchangeably. The correct pronunciation is “CRESSEY.” On 16 Feb 1813 he enlisted as a private in Captain Charles Edward Tobey’s Company. While with the … [Read more...]
Fountain Veterans Memorial to be dedicated June 9
The City of Fountain invites you to join them on Saturday, June 9, 2018, at 1 p.m. for the dedication of the Fountain Veterans Memorial. The ceremony will take place on County Road 8, across the road from the Fillmore County Museum. Mayor Richard Kujath will welcome guests, followed by words from Rob Gross, Administrator of the State Veterans Cemetery-Preston and John Gustin, … [Read more...]
Isaac Farnsworth Waukokee Cemetery
On an early spring day in March of 1931, Fred Cummings, Carimona Township farmer, set out on a patriotic mission. He carried a hollow tube of metal to Waukokee Cemetery, where as a boy, pioneer Cummings witnessed the burial of War of 1812 veteran, Isaac Farnsworth. Farnsworth, who died Jan. 16, 1857, served in that war as a drummer and was laid to rest in an unmarked grave … [Read more...]
Henry Walton Gates Hesper Cemetery
Not only did Henry Gates’ father serve in the Revolutionary War, Henry is the only one of our veterans whose father, Luther, was a War of 1812 soldier himself – a drum major at the age of 51! A native of Preston, Connecticut, Luther married Ann Brown in Rensselaer County, New York. In 1777, as a lad of 14, he enlisted as a drummer boy to serve three years with Captain Abler … [Read more...]