“Civil War Veteran Drinks Laudanum in New York. Once Boston Real Estate Broker Wife Hurrying to Bedside.”

Question

Hi Wikitreers,

We have U.S. Civil War veteran of the 106th New York Vols Co. C. a Cpl. Sylvester Lacy who was born about 1844 in Ireland and came to the America with the hopes and dreams of so many over the centuries. He was a laborer in earlier sources, but eventually a real estate broker. It appears his financial hardships drove his tragic demise as is seen in the news reports of his day. It appears his wife was the sister of a prominent businessman a Dennis Mahoney. 

I have come across so many a veteran who has ended their lives in this fashion that I think we should consider a category for this exact cause of death?

Does the Mills Hotel No. 2 at Irvington and Chrystie Streets still exist?

He states in his last letters that he was “honorably discharged” and wanted the state to bury him and his pension was $12/month. I am sure as a veteran they assisted with burial?

The saddest most tragic part is how his poor wife in financial dire straits of her own had to deal with the aftermath. What happened to his widow in the years that followed? 

Any collaboration in his genealogy is appreciated as he needs profiles created and connections to be made  

Thank you 

Edit: typo fixed. Chystie st. Not Chrystal. 

Answer 1

Assisted with burial?

I am not sure that was the case. The government offered a "free" military headstone. It would be shipped to the city of the cemetery. If was up to the family, and at their expense, to get the headstone from the depot to the cemetery and installed.

I am not certain their was financial assistance available for the burial. The widow (if she had not remarried) could seek a pension. But if a Civil War veteran died without a widow and without minor children, I have not read of any form of assistance to his estate.

Even as late as WW II veterans the assistance available from the VA at death was very limited. In recent years, we have expanded the assistance available.

Just a tidbit. There was no formal system for notification of the next of kin when a soldier died in service. Fellow soldiers may notify the family. Clara Barton established the Missing Soldier Office to try to pass along information of a soldier's death to his family. The formal notification that we war familiar with did not exist when the Civil War started.

Along that note, that is why I probably see so many incorrect date of death and incorrect cause of death in the Civil War widow pension application. It is not uncommon for the Adjutant General's report to differ from what the widow put in the application. Whenever I come across a pension application that was filed in late 1865 or in 1866 I wonder how long it took for the widow to determine that her husband had died.

Comments

Thank you Norman

This is a great answer regarding the benefits of a veteran during the U.S. Civil War!

This might be why Cpl. Sylvester Lacy specifically asked the state of New York to pay for his funeral expenses as he described his widow penniless as well. It was published so his comrades etc would see his request for assistance.

The widow died a few years later. I’d enjoy reading her obit if available maybe detailing how those years were passed and if she did get assisted.

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Interesting his widow is buried in a different cemetery 

Melrose Cemetery, Brockton, Plymouth County, Massachusetts

See FindAGrave 

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I think she moved to Plymouth County after his death for some reason. I believe this is her in the 1910 census. Joanna Lacy 1910 census

If so, and she was poor, the county may have buried her locally. There are other Mahoney listed in that cemetery. Most are after her, so possible a child of theirs buried her where they were living.  Perhaps she had family in that county.  All speculation on why she moved is the best I can do.

Answer 2

In my humble opinion categories for causes of death other than possibly from hereditary diseases do little to aid researchers in finding family. Just because one person died from a laudanum overdose does not mean you are likely to find relatives who also died from the same cause.

Just my opinion and I am sure many will disagree, but I stand by my opinion.

Comments

Hi David,

Thank you for the response

There is a category for the “taboo word” however could there be a sub category for the civil war veterans who passed in this fashion so those who want to specialize in research of the vets who died in this manner can be easier.

I do agree that just a specific laudanum would not serve a purpose as it can be included in a bio

Edit: I guess another way is to have a free space page of just the 106th New York Vols vets who died in this fashion but I hesitate to create such a free space?

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Hi Andrew. I understand what you are saying but unless there is some specific way of restricting such a category to veterans you might, as an example, end up with vets i.e. veterinary surgeons. (One reason I dislike calling war veterans 'vets') Back in the good old bad old days I am sure many passed though overuse of laudanum as it was so freely available. Kind of the modern fentanyl. One may find such a category flooded out with non-veterans unless very specific and monitored regularly.

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This is really interesting and the vets vs veteran title! I can see how it can get complex!

The use of laudanum as well! I do come across this in many of the 19th century articles. 

A good answer to the question. 

Thank you 

Answer 3

The Mills Hotel No. 2 was one of three hotels intended as residential hotels for single working men and has been demolished.

https://s-media.nyc.gov/agencies/lpc/lp/2424.pdf

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mills_House_No._1

Comments

Thank you Roger

Looks like No. 1 and No. 3 still exist 

Mills House No. 2, with 600 similar rooms, opened a few months later on Rivington Street at Chrystie Streeton the Lower East Side.

I wonder what year No. 2  was demolished as Cpl. Sylvester Lacy died in 1909