Swinyer, Alpheus Mitchell
|
MILITARY SERVICE Age: 21, credited to Huntington, VT Unit(s): 7th VT INF Service: enl 12/16/63, m/i 12/24/63, Pvt, Co. A, 7th VT INF, m/o 8/6/64 See Legend for expansion of abbreviations VITALSBirth: 07/30/1843, Hinesburg, VT Death: 05/17/1924 Burial: Lakeview Cemetery, Burlington, VT Marker/Plot: 49 Gravestone photographer: Kathy Valloch Findagrave Memorial #: 141469074 MORE INFORMATION Alias?: None noted Pension?: Yes, 4/24/1882, VT; 6/3/1924, NJ Portrait?: Findagrave College?: Not Found Veterans Home?: Not Found (If there are state digraphs above, this soldier spent some time in a state or national soldiers' home in that state after the war) Remarks: None DESCENDANTS 2nd Great Granduncle of Steve Gillette, Nashville, TN (Are you a descendant, but not listed? Register today) |
BURIAL: Copyright notice   Lakeview Cemetery, Burlington, VT Check the cemetery for location/directions and other veterans who may be buried there. |
A family with a Most Remarkable War Record
Laurence Swiney and His Eight Sons, Who All Fought in the Civil War and Who All are Still Living
It is doubtful if this country can produce another family with the remarkable war record possessed by the one which we illustrate in the above engraving. That eight brothers should have served as Union soldiers in the civil war is astonishing enough in itself, but that all eight should be alive and in good health 43 years after the cessation of hostilities is something which would be incredible if the proof were not so readily available.
In the illustration the place of honor in the center is occupied by Laurence Swiney, of Stocksboro, Vt., the father of the eight warrior sons. Mr. Swiney was a veteran of the war of 1812 and lived to be 82 years old, proud that he could point to eight sons who had fought that their country might remain one and indissoluble.
Of the eight sons four are twins and in order to enter the service it was necessary for some of them to pretend to more years than they had really lived. The heroic father, however, gave each boy his blessing as he marched away to war, though some of them were little more than children.
John Swiney, the oldest of the brothers, is now 82 years of age and is a farmer residing at Huntington, Vt. He enlisted in the Thirteenth Vermont Infantry, a nine-month regiment, part of Stannard's brigade which did such heroic work at the battle of Gettysburg. At the expiration of the term of enlistment, he re-enlisted in the Ninth Vermont and served until the close of the war. That regiment was the first one to enter Richmond.
Lawrence Jr., also a farmer, living at Huntington, Vt., enlisted in the Eighth Vermont and was with Butler at New Orleans. He was afterward with Grant at Vicksburg, where he was wounded. He also served under Sheridan in the Shenandoah Valley, and was wounded the second time at the battle of Winchester. He continued with the Eighth Vermont until the close of the war.
Stephen J., 70 years old, a resident of Danville, Ill., is a lawyer and circuit judge. He enlisted in the Seventeenth Illinois, and was supposed to have been mortally wounded at the battle of Shiloh, or Pittsburg Landing. On recovery he enlisted in the One Hundred and Seventeenth Illinois, and was again wounded during Sherman's march to the sea.
Truman W. and William W. are twins, 64 years old. Truman W. is a merchant at Gibbons, Neb. He enlisted in the Fifth Vermont, one of the regiments of the famous Vermont brigade, and was seriously wounded at the battle of Savage Station, and was discharged by reason of his injuries. Upon recovery, he enlisted in the Seventh Vermont, and served in the Department of the Gulf until the end of the war.
William W., of Vergennes, Vt., enlisted in the First Vermont Cavalry at the age of 16. When the regiment was mustered in, he was rejected, as it was necessary to be 18 years old. In about two hours afterward he enlisted in the Sixth Vermont Infantry, and this time his age was 18, he having gained the two years in two hours. He served with the Army of the Potomac for three and one-half years, and was wounded at the taking of the Weldon Railroad and at Five Forks. He was put on detached duty and was not discharged until about a year after the war closed. [Webmaster's note: while an amusing story, the truth is a bit different; see William's actual biographical sketch]
Alpheus M. and Alfred S. are twins, 62 years old. Alpheus M. resides at Holyoke, Mass., and is a veterinary surgeon. He enlisted in the Seventh Vermont, and served about two years in the Department of the Gulf, being discharged for disability.
Alfred S., a speculator living at Rochester, Vt., was a member of the Seventh Vermont and served in the Department of the Gulf until the close of the War.
James B., the last of the eight brothers, is a machinist at Rochester, Vt., 61 years old. He enlisted in the Seventh Vermont and served two years in the Department of the Gulf.
Source: Utica (New York) Saturday Globe, August 22, 1908, "A Family With A Most Remarkable War Record." Article contributed by Sue Greenhagen, Technical Services Librarian, SUNY Morrisville College Library, Morrisville, NY 13408. Sue is also webmaster of New York State and the Civil War. The photograph from the newspaper article has been replaced with the Library of Congress.
Obituary
THE LATE A. M. SWINYER
The death of A. Mitchell Swinyer occurred Saturday morning at the home of his nephew, A. J. Swinyer at 4 Loomis street, after an illness of several months' duration.
Mr. Swinyer, who was 81 years of age, was one of the eight sons of Lawrence and Harriet Swinyer of Starksboro who served in the Civil War. Only two of them are now surviving. They are his twin brother, Alfred, of Rochester, and Wallace of Vergennes.
In his immediate family he is survived by his wife (Anna McCue) and three sons Wallace of Chicago; Dr. Merrill and Frederick, and one daughter, Caroline of Bayonne, N. J. The funeral was held held at St. Mary's Cathedral at 9 a. m. Monday, May 19, with burial in Lakeview cemetery. The bearers were A. J., A. G., and P. B. Swinyer and Vernon Dumas. Those present from out of town were members of his family from Bayonne, N. J., John Sargent, from Middlebury, Mrs. C. L. Wyman of Vergennes, Miss Mildred Wyman of Winooski, Alfred Swinyer and Mrs. George Swinyer of Rochester, Mr. and Mrs. Vernon Dumas and son, Robert of Bethel; Mr. and Mrs. Alson Swinyer of Cambridge; Mr. and Mrs. Parker Swinyer of Weybridge and Mrs. O. D. Bemis of Jonesville.
Source: Burlington Free Press, May 23, 1924.
Courtesy of Tom Boudreau.