SANMARK, Aadne "Adam" (1804-1888)

SANMARK, SANDSMARK

Posted By: Hancock Co Genealogical Society
Date: 4/7/2022 at 15:17:10

First Soldier Buried In Britt

Adam Sanmark, Grandfather of Mrs. August Anderson, Died in 1888

Had been a resident of Boone Township only thirty days at death

While we were pausing for a day to pay tribute to the soldier dead, a question arose as to who was the first soldier buried in Britt. It was revealed through family records that Adam Sanmark, grandfather of Mrs. August Anderson and Mrs. Mandus Christensen, was buried in Evergreen cemetery in 1888.

There is an interesting story in this connection. At the time of Mr. Sanmark's death, his discharge papers could not be found and since his wife preceded him in death, there was occasion to enter into the matter further than to have his death and the fact that he was a soldier in the Union Army recorded.

Time went on and the incident was all but forgotten, but in 1929, forty-one years after his death, Mr. Sanmark's discharge papers were found between the studding of the old house being torn down by Mandus Christenson before erecting the house the family now occupies.

These revealed that Adam Sanmark enlisted in the Union Army, a private of Captain John Ingmandson, Co. E, 15th Wisconsin regiment, in 1862 at the age of 58 years. He served until late in 1864 and was discharged at Gland More, Tenn. when he was past 60 years old.

Mr. Sanmark was a native of Norway. His children were born there and his wife died there. He had been in this country but a short time when he enlisted in the cause of freedom. He came to the home of his daughter then living where his granddaughter, Mrs. Mandus Christenson, now resides, in 1888, passing away less than thirty days following his arrival.

We may well understand that the feeling in the early sixties was intense when a newcomer of advanced years was moved to enlist and fight the battles that kept our country united. We would be ungrateful did we not honor the memory of such as Adam Sanmark. Memorial Day has a deeper significance when we dig into the records of that noble Grand Army of the Republic, that reveal so much of unselfish devotion to the cause.

source: Britt News Tribune, Britt, Iowa, 3 Jun 1931, page 1, column 5

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From vesterheim.org: SANDSMARK, Aadne ...WI 15th Inf Co E. Residence: Moscow, Iowa County, Wisconsin. Civil War: Age 56. Widower. Enlisted for three years on 18 Dec 1861 in Iowa County. Mustered 1 Jan 1862 at Madison, Wisconsin. Private. Left sick in hospital at Mississippi River Island No. 10 on 11 Jun 1862. Became unfit for service and was discharged for disability on 16 Jul 1862. The E Company Clerk on 30 Apr 1863 wrote that Sandsmark was “known to have gone home, but no report of his discharge has come to hand and he is dropped as deserter.” Sources: (WHS Series 1200 box 76-7; red book vol 20 p78) (TAR) (Buslett p492) (Ulvestad p327) (Ager p305) (Meeker) “Sandmark, Aadne” “Sandimark, Aadne”

source: Biography entered onto Find-A-Grave memorial #121059859 for Aadne Sandsmark