Two decades after the end of the Civil War, Union veteran Oliver Wendell Holmes, gave a Memorial Day address in Keene, New Hampshire. “The generation that carried on the war has been set apart by its experience,” spoke Holmes evoking his own memories and experiences, and those of his fellow soldiers, reminiscing that “Through our great good fortune, in our youth our hearts were touched with fire." Holmes’s speech was published as Dead, Yet Living: An address delivered at Keene, N.H., Memorial Day, May 30, 1884. These photographs are a series of carte-de-visites (a type of photograph) of veterans of the Civil War. The photographs show members of Hanover’s Joseph E. Wilder Post #83 of the G.A.R. (Grand Army of the Republic) which held its opening ceremony in the Town Hall on April 29, 1869.
Charles D. Barnard was born on the Island of Nantucket.
He was working as a harness maker and living in New Bedford when he enlisted at the age of twenty-two on October 1, 1861. He was an Artificer in the Fifth Battery of Massachusetts Light Artillery and was wounded at Gaines’ Mill, Virginia on June 27, 1862. He was discharged for wounds on November 15, 1862. Not much is known about Mr. Barnard since the family name is not listed in the 1910 Hanover Genealogy, but, he is listed as a member of the Hanover Joseph E. Wilder Post No. 83 GAR*, as well as of the Norwell D. Willard Robinson Post NO. 112 GAR*, which was chartered on November 1, 1869. He resided in Norwell at the time of changing over to the Norwell GAR* Post.
He Passed away on November 11, 1914.
Charles L. Tower was born in Braintree on April 6, 1831, the son of Isaac Tower.
He was working as a shoemaker and living in Hanover when he enlisted at the age of thirty-one on March 4, 1862. He was a Private in Company D of the 2nd Massachusetts Infantry Regiment but was discharged for a disability on November 8, 1862. He enlisted again with Company K of the 2nd Massachusetts Cavalry on January 5, 1864, and was discharged with disability on June 15, 1865. He married Rebeckah M. Stetson, daughter of Samuel Stetson, on September 28, 1851. They had two children and resided in Hanover Center at the Junction of Hanover and Center Streets. He was a member of the Joseph E. Wilder Post No. 83 GAR*.
He passed away on December 14, 1895. Rebeckah died on December 25, 1907.
Everett N. Mann was born in Hanover on June 24, 1847, the son of Benjamin and Lydia Waterman Mann.
He was 18 and residing in Abington when he enlisted on December 2, 1863. His occupation was listed as shoemaker. He was a Private in Company D of the 56th Massachusetts Infantry Regiment and was wounded at Bethesda Church, Virginia, on May 31, 1864. He was mustered out of service on July 12, 1865, after nineteen months of service. He married Henrietta Gardner, daughter of Horatio Gardner of Norwell on the Fourth of July 1868. They had eight children and resided in Hanover in his father’s house at the corner of Whiting and Webster Streets. He was a member of the Rockland Gen. George Hartsuff Post No. 74 GAR* and was a Commander of that Post.
He died on February 20, 1920.
Henry B. Whitman was born in Pembroke on July 28, 1838, the son of Charles and Mary Delano Whitman. He was drafted at the age of twenty-five on July 14, 1863.
He was working as a shoe cutter, residing in Middleboro, at the time he was drafted as a Private into Company F of the 12th Massachusetts Infantry Regiment. He was wounded on May 6, 1864, at Wilderness, Virginia, and transferred to Company B of the 39th Massachusetts Infantry Regiment on June 25, 1864. He was mustered out May 15, 1865. He married Ruth E. Thomas of Middleboro, daughter of Azel Thomas. They resided for a time in Hanover at the Four Corners where he worked as a Harness Maker. They later resided in Duxbury, Pembroke, and Stoneham. There is no reference to him belonging to either the Hanover, Rockland, or Norwell GAR* posts.
He was still alive at the time of the writing of the 1910 Hanover History and Genealogy.
Horace S. Tower was born in Hanover on May 11, 1847, the first son of John and Nancy Sylvester Tower.
He was living in Hanover and a ‘scholar’ of eighteen years old when he enlisted as a Private in Company L of the 4th Massachusetts Cavalry Regiment on February 1, 1864. He was promoted to corporal on November 1, 1865, and mustered out on November 14, 1865, as Company K (presumably Company L was disbanded at that time). He married Helen A. Barker, daughter of Lot P. Barker of Hanson (or Pembroke) in 1870 when she was only eighteen, and they had two children, one of whom died at less than four months old. They lived at the junction of Washington Street and Oakland Avenue at the Four Corners in a house that he constructed by himself. He was a long-time Associate Editor of the Rockland Independent Newspaper, his father John being the long-time Editor of the same paper until his death in 1900. He was a member and Commander for many years of the Hanover Joseph E. Wilder Post No. 83 GAR*.
He died on August 30, 1920.
Isaac M. Bishop Jr. was born in 1844 in Durham, Maine.
He was living in Maine when he enlisted as a Private in Company D of the 25th Maine Infantry Regiment and fought in the Civil War. We have no further records of Mr. Bishop’s war service since he was from Maine. On June 17, 1899, at the age of fifty-five, he married Carrie J. Bosworth Reed, widow of Frank A. Reed, and daughter of Henry Bosworth of Pembroke. She had two children from her first marriage, and they resided on Elm St. in her home. He is listed as a member of Hanover Joseph E. Wilder Post No. 83 GAR*.
It appears that both Isaac and Carrie were still alive at the time of the publication of the 1910 Hanover Genealogy.
Joshua R. Barker was born in Charlestown, Massachusetts.
He was living in Charlestown and working as a boiler maker when he enlisted at the age of twenty-three on September 4, 1862. He was a Private in Company E of the 47th Massachusetts Infantry Regiment and was mustered out after almost a year of service on September 1, 1863. Little else is known about Mr. Barker since he is not listed in the 1910 Genealogy. However, he must have lived on the South Shore since he was a member of the Hanover Joseph E. Wilder Poste No. 83 GAR* and was once a Commander of that Post. His photo has a notation that he was also a member of the Charlestown Abraham Lincoln Post No. 11 GAR*, which was chartered on April 23, 1867. The Post was located in a mansion at the base of the Bunker Hill Monument and was one of the most exclusive and prestigious Posts in the State of Massachusetts. His name cannot, however, be found among the list of GAR* members for Post 11, but it is likely was a member there, as well as Hanover, since that was his hometown.
He died on October 14, 1925.
Josiah W. Chamberlain (lin) was born in Hanover on December 8, 1843, the first son of Josia W. and Melinda S. Cox Chamberlain (lin).
There are other records which indicate that Josiah Warren Chamberlain (lin) was born in South Scituate not Hanover. He was employed as a laborer and most likely residing in Hanover when he enlisted at the age of twenty-one as a Private in Company I of the 4th regiment of Massachusetts Heavy Artillery on August 15, 1864. He was mustered out of service on June 17, 1865, after ten months of service. He married Mary A. Prouty, daughter of Elijah Prouty of South Scituate, on November 11, 1866, and he had four children born in Hanover, two of whom died in infancy. He is listed as a member of the Hanover Joseph E. Wilder Post No. 83 GAR*.
He died on August 28, 1920.
Martin S. Poppy was born in Randolph in 1823.
He was working as a carpenter and living in Randolph when he enlisted at the age of thirty-nine on June 10, 1862. He was a Private in Company I of the 3rd Massachusetts Cavalry Regiment but was discharged for a disability after only five months service on November 29, 1862. Very little is known about Martin Poppy since he is not listed in the 1910 Hanover Genealogy record. He must have lived in the area since he was a member of the Hanover Joseph E. Wilder Post No. 83 GAR*.
He passed away on December 10, 1910.
Melzar C. Bailey was born in Hanover on August 17, 1839, the son of Melzar C. and Charlotte Waterman Bailey.
He was working as a painter and living in Hanover when he enlisted at the age of twenty-three on August 16, 1862. He was a Private in Company D of the 3rd Massachusetts Cavalry Regiment but deserted after ten months in Boston on June 30, 1863. He saw the light (or was found) and “re-enlisted” as a Private in Company E of the First Battalion of Massachusetts Heavy Artillery on August 9, 1864, finally mustering out on June 28, 1865. He married Mary A. Church, daughter of Samuel S. Church of Hanover, on September 2, 1860. They had three children and resided at the corner of Hanover and Washington Streets in a house that he constructed himself. He is not listed as a member of the Hanover Joseph E. Wilder Post No. 83 GAR* or of the Rockland Gen. George Hartsuff Post No. 74 GAR* or of the Norwell D. Willard Robinson Post No 112 GAR*.
It appears from the 1910 Genealogy that both he and his wife Mary were still alive at the time of publication.
Morton V. Bonney was born on March 4, 1841, the son of Ezekiel Bonney of Hanson.
He was living in Hanson and employed as a Shoemaker when he enlisted at the age of twenty as a Private in Company A of the 3rd Massachusetts Infantry Regiment on April 16, 1861. He was mustered out on July 22, 18761 after just more than three months of service. He was twenty-one when he re-enlisted and was promoted to Sergeant with Company A of the 3rd Massachusetts Infantry Regiment on September 18, 1862. His occupation at this time was listed as ‘Assistant Postmaster’. After a little more than nine months of service, he was mustered out as a Captain of the Company on June 26, 1863. He married N. Aurelia Hall, daughter of Benjamin B. Hall of Hanover, on August 1, 1871, when she was twenty-eight and he was thirty. They had no children and resided on Hanover Street near the West Hanover Railroad Station. He was on the School Committee as well as serving as a Selectman and State Representative. He was a member of the Hanover Joseph E. Wilder Post No. 83 GAR* and is listed among the Commanders of that Post.
He died on April 27, 1918.
Nathan Howard was born in Pembroke in 1831
He was employed as a farmer and residing in Pembroke when he enlisted at the age of thirty-one as a Private in Company I of the 4th Massachusetts Infantry Regiment on September 22, 1862. He was captured on June 23, 1863, as a prisoner of war in Brashear City, Louisiana. He was paroled on June 25, 1863, after only two days. He was mustered out of service on August 28, 1863, after eleven months of service. He is listed as a member of Hanover Joseph E. Wilder Post No. 83 GAR*.
He died on July 18, 1908.
Oren T. Whiting was born in Hanover on August 2, 1834, the son of Oren and Mary Jones Whiting.
He was working as a shoemaker and living in Hanover on Whiting Street when he enlisted at the age of twenty-eight on September 18, 1862. He was a Private in Company A of the 3rd Massachusetts Infantry Regiment but was mustered out after only nine months on June 26, 1863. He re-enlisted as a Private in Company E of the First Battalion of Massachusetts Heavy Artillery on August 9, 1864, and finally mustered out as a Corporal on June 28, 1865. He married Lucy J. Hatch, daughter of Ezekiel Hatch of Hanover, on November 25, 1852. They had five children and resided on Whiting Street in his father’s house. He was a member of the Hanover Joseph E. Wilder Post No. 83 GAR* and was the Commander of that Post at one time.
His wife Lucy died March 7, 1906. He passed away on November 26, 1918.
Rodolphus C. Waterman was born in South Scituate on June 16, 1840, the first son of Lemuel C. and Elizabeth R. Goodin Waterman.
He was living in South Scituate and working as a druggist when he enlisted at the age of twenty-two as a Corporal in Company D of the 44th Massachusetts Infantry Regiment on August 29, 1862. He was mustered out of service on July 13, 1863 (to date June 18, 1863) after almost eleven months of service. He married M. Adele Tomlinson, daughter of John Tomlinson of Boston, in July of 1866. They had three children and resided at the corner of Washington and Rockland Streets in a house that he constructed by himself. He was engaged in the tack business at Project Dale with his father for many years before succeeding him upon his death. He was a Selectman as well as a State Representative. He is listed as a member of Hanover Joseph E. Wilder Post No. 83 GAR* and was a Commander of the Post.
He died on September 14, 1917.
Samuel Hollis was born on December 8, 1841, in Hanover, the son of Abel and Betsey Pratt Hollis.
He was working as a shoemaker and living in Hanover when he enlisted at the age of nineteen on May 7, 1861. He was wounded as a Sergeant with Company G of the 18th Massachusetts Infantry Regiment at the 2nd Battle of Bull Run in Virginia and discharged on March 23, 1863. He enlisted again on February 29, 1864, and was wounded on May 8, 1864, near Spotsylvania, Virginia. On October 21, 1864, he transferred to the 32nd Massachusetts Infantry Regiment, Company F. Finally, he transferred to the Veteran Reserve Corps on April 24, 1865, and was discharged on August 2, 1865, for disability as of the 2nd Company, 2nd Battalion of the V.R.C. He married Louisa C. Josselyn on November 13, 1864, and they resided in Hanover at least until July 25, 1867, when their son Samuel was born. He was a member of the Joseph E. Wilder Post No. 83 GAR*, which was chartered on April 29, 1869, and is listed as one of the Commanders of the Post.
Louisa died on March 25, 1875. At the time of the writing of the 1910 History of Hanover, Samuel was residing in Pembroke. He passed away on November 25, 1909
Thomas H. B. Whiting was born in Hanover on January 10, 1842, the son of Sylvanus and Lucy Bates Whiting.
He was working as a stitcher and living in Hanover on Whiting Street at his father’s home when he enlisted at the age of twenty on September 2, 1862. He was a Corporal in Company F of the 43rd Massachusetts Infantry Regiment but was mustered out on July 30, 1863. He married Marcia A. Griffin, daughter of George W. Griffin of Plymouth, in 1876. They had one child, Percy L. Whiting, who was born in Rockland, where they resided, on December 19, 1880. He was a member of the Rockland Gen. George Hartsuff Post No. 74 GAR* which was chartered on January 11, 1869.
He passed away on February 21, 1810
Truman E. Niles was born in Middleboro on January 8, 1827.
He was working as a shoemaker and living in Hanson when he enlisted at the age of thirty-five on September 18, 1862. He was a Private in Company A of the 3rd Massachusetts Infantry Regiment but was mustered out on June 26, 1863, after nine months of service. He married Leonora C. Stetson, daughter of Elisa C. Stetson of Hanover, on November 14, 1847, and they had six children (none of them listed in the Hanover genealogy). Leonora died on July 16, 1871, and he married for the second time to Judith Willis Pratt, daughter of Daniel Willis of East Bridgewater, on April 21, 1874. It does not appear that he was a member of the Hanover Joseph E. Wilder Post No. 83 GAR*, the Rockland Gen. George Hartsuff Post No. 74 GAR*, or the Norwell D. Willard Robinson Post No. 112 GAR*.
He died on October 31, 1902.
Warren Fuller was born in Scituate in 1836.
He was employed as a machinist and living in Scituate when he enlisted at the age of twenty-six as a Private in Company F of the 32nd Massachusetts Infantry Regiment on February 22, 1862. He was wounded at Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, on July 2, 1863, and discharged for his wounds after eighteen months of service on August 24, 1863, at Boston, Massachusetts. Little else is known about Mr. Fuller since he did not reside in Hanover. He is listed as a member of the Norwell D. Willard Robinson Post No. 112 GAR*.
William C. Litchfield was born in Scituate. He was twenty-four years of age when he enlisted on August 9, 1864.
He was working as a shoe cutter and residing in Scituate at the time of his enlistment as a Private in Company E of the First Battalion of Massachusetts Heavy Artillery. He was mustered out of the service on June 28, 1865, after more than ten months of service. He was a member of the Norwell Willard Robinson Post No. 112 GAR* and is listed as a Commander of the Post. However, there has been no reference found to him belonging to the Hanover Joseph E. Wilder Post No. 83 GAR*, and he is not listed in the 1910 Hanover Genealogy.
*Grand Army of the Republic