Eleanor Smith, wife, step-mother, mother, widow and divorcee

Eleanor B. Smith was born aboiy 1814 in Loudon, New Hampshire, the daughter of Jonathan and Hannah (Sleeper) Smith.  Little is known of her childhood in Loudon.  Her father died in 1832, when she was 18 years old.  The entire family appears to left Loudon for Hallowell, Maine by 1838. Several relatives on the Smith side of the family had previosuly settled in Hallowell, Whether it had been the plan for the family to move to Hallowell or parts of Maine, Eleanor arrived with her mother and siblings at that time.

She married 1) John Buswell, November 3, 1839 in Hallowell, Maine as his second wife.  He was born  February 23, 1812 in Hallowell, Maine, the son of Ebenezer and Abigail (Merrick) Buswell.  He was a distant cousin to Eleanor through her great-grandmother, Mehitable (Buswell) Smith.  John Buswell married 1) Mary Tapley, who died in 1839 and they had 5 children with only three living at the time of his marriage to Eleanor.  They would have 5 more children together.  She was now a step-mother and a mother.

In 1850. John Buzzell, age 38, laborer, with a real estate value of $1600 [$63,000 in 2024], was living in Hallowell, Maine with Eleanor Buzzell, age 36; Clara Buzzell, age 9; Albert Buzzell, age 6; Angeline Buzzell, age 4; Elenaor Buzzell, age 2; Laura Buzzell, age 2/12; Hannah Smith, age 63; Olive Blake age 18; Augustus Taylor, age 22, laborer; Charles Runnells, age 19, laborer (USC, p. 203).

John Buswell drowned on November 28, 1850, leaving her a widow.

                                    Kennebec Journal, issue of December 5, 1850

John had accumulated some debts.  Inventory of his estate was taken February 21, 1851.  Guardians were awarded for the four youngest children (Kennebec County Probate).  The Probate of the estate shows that house was sold at public auction, December 2, 1851.  Kennebec County deeds reveal that Eleanor B. Buswell of Hallowell, administrator of the estate of John Buswell, late of Hallowell, deceased, sold for $200 paid by Hannah Smith [her mother] of Loudon, New Hampshire, widow on December 2, 1851 (Kennebec County Deeds vol. 178, p. 267).  Eleanor also sold for $80 paid by Abigail Smith, wife of her brother, Ezra Smith, a lot of land in Hallowell (ibid. vol. 178, p. 373).

Eleanor married 2) Thomas Paine, February 17, 1852 in Hallowell, Maine.  He was born about 1814, son of Joseph and Love Paine.  Ot is not know if she was really in love or if this was a marriage of coveinence.  She was a widow with 5 children under the age of 10 years and 3 step-children and with selling off property to cover herr husband's and family debts, may not have been enough to live a comfortable wife a widow.  

Eleanor B. Paine petitioned for a divorce from Thomas Paine stating that they were married February 18, 1852, but on June 16, 1852, he deserted her and has lived separately from her for more than 5 years, libel dated July 10, 1857.  In the August 1857 term of Court, the divorce was granted (Kennebec County Supreme Judicial Court, vol. 19, p. 569, docket #1250).  She was now a divorcee.

Eleanor B. Paine also petitioned to have her name changed legally by the Maine Legislature to Eleanor B. Buswell on March 18, 1858 (Maine Genealogist vol. 20, [1998] p. 89).

Eleanor died March 13, 1860 in Hallowell, Maine.  The 1860 mortality schedule gives that she died in March 1860 at age 46yrs of consumption.

John and Eleanor are buried in the Village cemetery, Hallowell, Maine.  There are only stones for John Buswell and his daughter Eleanor Buswell in the lot and her mother, Hannah Smith, but burial records show that four people are buried in the lot with Eleanor being there as well.

Andrew Jackson Skinner, a year in the Civil War

 

So often when we are writing about our ancestors beyond our grandparents and no family stories are passed down, we must rely on records to piece together their lives.  Modern technology has helped with so much information being put on line and to easily access records.   These records are only part of the process in creating the stories of ancestors.

I recently received the pension records of my 2^nd great grandfather, Andrew Jackson Skinner and his service during the Civil War.  It provided me with some new information of the various places he lived as well as his health issues later in his life.  The pension and other sources showed me details for almost a year in his life.

Andrew Jackson Skinner was born on March 25, 1828 in Raymond, Maine, the son of Peter and Sarah (Meserve) Skinner.  He remained at home until after 1850.  He removed to Atkinson, Maine where he eventually would become acquainted with his wife, Mary Elizabeth Brown of Exeter, Maine.  They married April 30, 1855 in Bradford, Maine and the birth of their first son, George Washington Skinner followed in 1857 in Stetson, Maine.   By 1860, Andrew was living in Dexter, Maine with his family where he was listed as a carriage maker.  Within a year the Civil War would begin and Andrew would join the cause for the Union.

                                          Bangor Daily Whig, 1862 advertising for volunteers

Andrew enlisted September 10, 1862 as a Corporal in the 22^nd Maine Infantry, Company K.  The duties of corporal were simple and depended on their successful performance mainly on their capacity to control and direct soldiers in the performance of their duty. They took charge of the smaller details for fatigue and police duty in camp and garrison duty; their most important duty was that of "Corporal of the Guard." They frequently succeeded in the responsibilities of sergeants in their absence and should therefore be familiar with their duties.  Andrew must had shown he was able to be a leader before enlistment.  His company consisted of 134 soldiers of various ages; the majority were younger than Andrew’s 34 years of age. Among these young soldiers was an 18-year-old private, John Lawson Pease from Exeter, Maine who was probably familiar with Andrew’s wife’s family, and would play a role in Andrew’s family later in his life.  Andrew would leave his wife and 5 year old son in Exeter and go to War, not knowing if he would return home alive.  

Andrew was mustered in October 18, 1862 for service of 9 months at Camp John Pope in Bangor, Maine under Colonel Simon G. Jerrard.  They left for Washington, D.C on October 21^st and arrived on the 24^th.  They remained at Arlington Heights, Virginia until November 3, 1862.  The 22^nd was ordered to Fortress Monroe in Hampton, Virginia to form part of the expedition to New Orleans.  Andrew who probably never left Maine was now in a part of the country different from New England and going to an area vastly different.   His infantry embarked by boat from Newport News, Virginia on December 4^th to New Orleans. They arrived  on the 15^th at Ship Island and then occupied Baton Rouge, Louisiana by the 17^th.   Andrew remained in Baton Rouge through Christmas on 1862 and well into the new year of 1863.

                                        Harper's Weekly drawing of Ship Island from 1862

His infantry participated in the reconnaissance in the rear of Port Hudson March 13th to 16th, and on March 26th formed a part of the expedition up the Atchafalaya to attack the enemy's works in the rear where they moved to Donaldsville, Louisiana, then moved on to Brashear City, Louisiana (now Morgan City).  His infantry took part in the first Bayou Teche campaign to drive back the Confederate forces from Western Louisiana. 

Andrew’s first fighting experience came on April 14th at the Battle of Irish Bend, Louisiana.  The Union side had overwhelming numbers and the Confederate side retreated, the result was 400 men on the Union side dead or wounded.  They defeated the enemy in a sharp engagement at Irish bend and then were garrisoned at Franklin, Loiusiana until the 25th, when they went on to New Iberia, Louisiana. 

                                    Battle of Irish Bend, drawing of  the 22nd Maine Infantry

On May 6th, the infantry moved toward Port Hudson, where it arrived on June 1st, having marched over 500 miles during the campaign. Over the next month, Andrew would see the most fighting and loss of men. The Battle of Port Hudson began May 22nd and lasted until July 9^th.  His infantry arrived on May 28^th and remained engaged until the surrender of the Port on July 8^th.  They participated in two assaults on the works at Port Hudson, June 9 and 14, and after the surrender of that place was quartered inside the works until July 24th.  The Confederates began with 7500 men with 750 of them being killed during the siege and 250 dying of disease.  The Union side with 30,000-40,000 men had 707 men killed, 3,336 men wounded, 319 men went missing and about 5000 men dying from disease.   The 22^nd lost 180 men with only 9 being killed and 171 dying from disease.  If Andrew didn't witnesses soldiers being killed, he certainly was aware of the desease strking soldiers down.

                                    Port Hudson Battery photo

Andrew’s Col. Simon G. Jerrard disobeyed a command during the attack on Port Hudson when he would not order his men over a wall in battle.  His letter of dishonorable discharge of June 22, 1863 stated they Col. Jerrard in the presence of officers and enlisted men had stated to the effect “rather than attempt to lead or put his command over that parapet (wall), he would relinquish his command and go to the rear.”  It is unclear if Andrew and his company felt the Colonel was being brave to stand up and protect his men or cowardice in a time of battle. 

The 22^nd Infantry was ordered home on July 24, 1863.  They took a boat from Louisiana to Cairo, Illinois.  From Cairo they went by train to Bangor, Maine arriving on August 6^th.  

                            Photo of the river and railroad at Cairo, Illinois 1861

The Company was mustered out on August 15, 1863 at Camp John Pope where they had began almost a year earlier.  Andrew’s company lost 11 men in battle, 9 from disease and only 2 were wounded from 134 who started originally.

No stories were passed down about Andrew’s service in the Civil War.  We can only wonder what he thought about the cause, the parts of the country he saw and was stationed at.  The Battles and loss of life from fighting or from disease he witnessed.  How much did it affect him?  We will never know.

Andrew’s pension does mention the many places he had lived from Casco, Biddeford, Saco, Bangor, Dexter to Exeter, Maine.  In 1870, Andrew was living in Casco, Maine as a wheel maker, where his parents and siblings were living. He had had one more son, Myron Leslie Skinner in 1868. By 1880, Andrew had finally settled in Exeter, Maine where he and his wife, Mary inherited her parent’s farm. 

                                      Andrew Skinner and granddaughter Velma, 1905

His neighbor was John Lawson Pease, the teenager from Exeter, Maine who enlisted with him.  John and his wife Mary adopted a girl, Edna Estelle Pease as a child.  She would marry Andrew's son Myron Skinner in 1891 and have four granddaughters for Andrew.

                                                    Mary and John Lawson Pease

Andrew belonged to the G.A.R. [Grand Army of the Republic] from his receipt of paying his dues to the J. Knowles Post in Corinna, Maine in 1889.  

Andrew applied for a pension on  November 14, 1890 claiming disability due to kidney trouble, rheumatism and heart disease.  He was granted $12 a month pension.  He applied again in March 1907 and was granted a pension of $20 a month.   His wife Mary died August 15, 1907.  Andrew died August 23, 1910 in Exeter, Maine and buried in Chamberlain Cemetery. [For more on his gravesite, see blog  Who is buried in the family lot?]