52 Ancestors: #10 Lawrence Anderson, What Happened to You?

Terre Haute, late 1800's.

I don't know much about my great great grandfather, Lawrence Anderson.  I'm not even sure what his full name is.   His marriage record lists him as "L. L. Anderson."  Other family trees on Ancestry.com have a "Lorenzo Lawrence Anderson" with corresponding family members, but I have no real proof this is his name.

Lawrence Anderson was born about 1867 in Indiana.  His parents were Orin McClure Anderson and Mary Ann Bushnell.  Lawrence had one brother, Charles D., and three sisters, Sarah Elizabeth, Mary L., and Jennie B.  The family lived in Vigo County, Indiana.  In 1871,  Lawrence's father died.  His mother died less than three years later.   I found Lawrence in the 1880 census, aged 13, living in the household of his  brother Charles and his family in Sullivan County, Indiana.

He married Hannah Elizabeth Scroggins on January 1, 1893 in Shelby County, Illinois.  I have a copy of their marriage certificate; this is actually the only record I have for him other than three censuses.  They had five children: John Orin, Mary Olivia, Charles William, Elsie Ellen, and Harlan Hosea (my great grandfather.)  In the 1900 census, Lawrence was a farm laborer in Vigo County.

Then, something happened in 1903 -- Lawrence disappeared.  I don't know whether he died or just left the family.   In the 1910 census, Hannah was remarried.  She had been married to Charles Sharon for 6 years.  I have tried to find Lawrence's death certificate.  The problem is I'm not sure exactly where or when he died.  I've searched for him unsuccessfully on Findagrave.com.

If you know anything about Lawrence Anderson or have any ideas about how to find out more about him, please leave a comment!

52 Ancestors: #2 Orin McClure Anderson, Capt. Co. E

Photo from "The History of the 85th Indiana Volunteer Infantry"

Orin McClure Anderson, my 3 times great grandfather, was born in 1829 in Clark County, Illinois.  On February 28, 1849, he was married to Mary Ann Bushnell in Vigo County, Indiana.  They settled in Prairieton, Indiana.  By 1860, the couple had three children:  Sarah, Charles, and Mary.  

On August 19, 1862, Orin enlisted in the 85th Indiana Volunteer Infantry and was later commissioned as the 1st Lieutenant of Company E.   

The chaplain of the regiment, J.E. Brant, wrote a history of the 85th Indiana.  Below are his thoughts on the formation of the regiment: 

"Those who went out in 1861 were under the impression that the war would soon end, but we who answered to the call of '62, faced an era of dread that the struggle would be long and fearful.  So the separation from loved ones in Camp was one fraught with dire forebodings."  [History of the 85th Indiana Volunteer Infantry, Rev. J. E. Brant, page 8.]

The infamous Libby Prison in Richmond, April 1865.  

After receiving outdated Belgian muskets in Indianapolis, the company traveled to Cincinnati and entered Kentucky, where they camped and drilled for nearly five months.  They then traveled by steamboat from Louisville to Nashville.  Their first battle was at Thompson Station, Tennessee.  They were forced to surrender when they were flanked and surrounded by Nathan Bedford Forrest's cavalry division.  The entire brigade was captured.  They were put into boxcars and "shipped like so many cattle to Richmond." They arrived at Libby Prison on the snowy morning of March 16, 1863. The company was released on March 31 as part of a prisoner exchange.  They had a fortunate escape; Libby Prison is generally regarded as second in notoriety to Andersonville Prison in Georgia. 

Orin was promoted to Captain on September 1, 1864.  He is often referred to in military records and books as "Captain McAnderson," a shortened form of his middle and last names.  The 85th Indiana took part in the Battle of Resaca, the Siege of Atlanta, and Sherman's March to the Sea.  Captain Anderson was mustered out with his regiment on June 12, 1865 at Washington, DC.

After the war, Orin returned home to Indiana and resumed life with his family.  Two more children were born -- Lawrence and Jennie.  Sadly, his daughter Mary died in 1870 at the age of 12.  Orin died the following year on October 23.  The war had likely cut his life short; he was only 42.  He is buried at Woodlawn Cemetery in Terre Haute, Indiana.  My mother and I visited his grave in July 2012.