ATWOOD-L Archives
Archiver > ATWOOD > 2000-12 > 0976567264
From: <>
Subject: Re: [ATWOOD] Elijah Francis Atwood
Date: Mon, 11 Dec 2000 15:41:04 EST
Elijah Francis Atwood's parents:
The source of this information is most likely Dan Atwood.
Charles Marshall Atwood was born 24 Oct 1841 on a farm near Pottsdam NY and
came with the family to WI. He walked from the farm near Sextonville
(Richland Co WI) to Madison (Dane Co WI) to enlist and was a Private in
Company B of the 20th Wisconsin Infantry in the Civil War. At Prairie Grove
Arkansas, while picking berries in the woods for the camp mess, a
sharp-shooter at an outpost saw flashes reflected by the sun on his pail, and
began shooting at him. He had the end of his thumb shot off and a bullet in
the calf of his leg and played dead until dark, then returned to camp. He
lost his original discharge papers and a new one was issued to him Nov 28,
1893, when he wished to apply for pension. On November 22, 1866 at Richland
Center, Richland County, WI, he married Elizabeth Ann Davis, born November
12, 1850 on a farm 9 miles south of Delphi IN and died 23 January 1921 in
Rockton IL, and is buried in Oakwood Cemtery in the MEAD lot in block 2, lot
15, grace 5 at Beloit WI.
Charles and Elizabeth lived at Whitehall, Wisconsin, then at Trempealeau,
Wisconsin, where Lillie was born (29 Nov 1867), then moved to Osage, Iowa,
where Marvin was born (7 Feb 1870). There was some lumbering goint on there
at that time. They separated in 1871 (the year that Elijah Francis was born
(9 Nov 1871)). It is not known if they separated before after Elijah's
birth (my guess would be before). Elizabeth returned to her parents who had
moved to Spring Valley Filmore Co MN and Charles went back to Posdam NY.
They were divorced later at Richland Center, Richland Co WI. The children
were adopted: Lillie by S.C. Thayer, Marvin by a McCann Family and Elijah
Francis (Frank) by a Stevens family.
In 1892 Charles took a claim at Gettysberg SD, which he sold and took another
in 1898 in Bossko Township SD near Sisseton, where he farmed alone until he
sold out in 1909. He no doubt had a Bounty Land Warrent, being a soldier,
for one of these claims. In 1910 he bought lots in Sisseton and built a
house and barn and lived there with his son Elijah Francis (Frank), during
the winters for the rest of his life. During summers he traveled by covered
wagon trading and doctoring horses. In 1916, by covered wagon he went to
visit his cousins in Kansas, and then to visit the old battle fields of
Civil War Days. He became ill (acute liver ailment) at Fayetteville Arkansas
and at his request the sheriff sold his personal goods and put him on a
train for the Battle Mountain Sanitarium (government hospital) at Hot Springs
SD, where he died three days after entry 23 January 1917 and is buried there
in section 5, row 1, grave 6. He was a Methodist in his younger days, but a
Freethinker in later life.
Later I will send what I have on William Harrison Atwood and his wife
Charlotte Thankful Reynolds. This being the grandparent of Elijah Francis
(Frank) Atwood.
Happy Digging
Catherine Leinbach
This thread: