Edwin C. Thomas (1847 - 1933)

Born 22 Feb 1847 in Ausable Chasm, Au Sable, Clinton, New York, United States

Died 20 Jul 1933 at age 86 in Ludlow, Hampden, Massachusetts, United States

Biography

Edwin Thomas served in the United States Civil War.
Enlisted: Aug 22, 1862
Mustered out: June 13, 1865
Side: USA
Regiment(s): Company K, 118th New York Infantry

Edwin was born in 1847 the son of Jane (___________). He passed away in 1933.

The following story comes from the Clinton County, NY, Civil War Records 1861-1865 Facebook Page:

CAME HOME WITH A BULLET IN HIS HEAD - At seventeen years and six months of age, and 5’ 3 ½“ tall, Edwin C. Thomas enlisted in the 118th Infantry as a fifer. He was born near AuSable Chasm and was personally recruited by Captain John Stone to be in his Company K as its youngest soldier.

For two years, Edwin was with the regiment in Washington and Virginia until he was wounded in the head at Chaffin’s Farm in October 1864. He was still in hospital in February 1865, but managed to muster out with his company on June 13th. He came home with the bullet still in his head.

In 1867, Edwin applied for an Invalid’s Pension and received it until he died in 1933. By 1870, he had established himself in Springfield, MA, and, remaining unmarried and living in boarding houses, worked for the city until he retired about 1920. He was buried at 86 years of age in the Island Pond Cemetery in Ludlow, MA, about ten miles to the east.

Sources

• Rosters Of The New York Infantry Regiments During The Civil War
• (New York) Thomas, Edwin C - Unit: 118th Infantry, Company: K - Enlistment Rank: Fifer, Discharge Rank: Musc
• Battle of Chaffin's Farm
• "United States Civil War and Later Pension Index, 1861-1917", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:NHZN-T28 :24 March 2016), Edwin C. Thomas, 1909.
• "United States Census of Union Veterans and Widows of the Civil War, 1890", FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:K8SK-6LG :Sun., Nov 12 11:36:45 UTC 2023), Entry for Edwin C Thomas, 1890.

• Find A Grave: Memorial #130333573
• "United States Census, 1850", FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MCTB-65P :Wed., Oct 04 14:34:32 UTC 2023), Entry for Peter Forngar and Oliver Robure, 1850.

• "United States Census, 1910", FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M2JB-KM6 :Fri., Oct 06 01:25:58 UTC 2023), Entry for Edwin C Thomas, 1910.

• "United States Census, 1930", FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XQGZ-SSN :Wed., Oct 04 15:20:33 UTC 2023), Entry for Edwin C Thomas, 1930.