William A. Orrill

ORRILL, HUMPHREYS, BROOKS, GREEN

Posted By: Donald Bedwell (email)
Date: 2/11/2005 at 21:28:39

William A. Orrill was born in King & Queen Co. Virginia. Some sources show his birth as late as 1819 but most are in the range 1811 to 1813. He was a farmer and moved to Madison, Jefferson Co. Indiana with his relatives. He married Lucinda Jane Humphreys in Jefferson Co. Indiana Sept. 8, 1831. Lucinda was born in Garrard Co. Kentucky. July 14, 1812 and was the daughter of Cornelius Thomas Humphreys and Elizabeth Brooks. Service records for William shows that he worked as a mechanic and had dark eyes, gray hair, light complexion and stood 6 feet two inches tall. Census records show him as a farmer and miller. After the birth of one daughter, Elizabeth K. in Jefferson Co. Indiana in 1832, the family moved to Illinois where two daughters Lucinda H. born 1840 and Henrietta A. born 1844 were born. His first son William H. (Harry) was born about 1846 in Illinois. William and family then moved to Iowa in 1847. In 1848 they are found in Locust Grove Township, Jefferson Co. Iowa where their second son Winfield Sylvester was born September 26, 1848. In 1850 census they were in Monroe Township, Mahaska Co. Iowa, where their third son and last child Adonbeck E. (Don), sometimes listed as John E. on some early records, was born May 19, 1850.
William owned and operated a mill just outside of New Sharon Iowa. When the Civil War started the Union Army took over the Mill and the town that grew up around this mill became known as Union Mills Iowa. William enrolled and joined for duty as Sixth Corporal June 1, 1861 in Company H, 3rd Regiment of the Iowa Infantry on May 31, 1861 in Keokuk Iowa for a period of three years. Records show his residence as Indianola, nativity Virginia. Mustered June 8,1861. He is listed as absent on furlough in the June-Oct. 1861 Muster Rolls. The reason for this furlough must be due to the fact that his first wife Lucinda Jane died September 12th 1861. Her burial is in the Indianapolis Cemetery in Indianapolis, Monroe Township, Mahaska County, Iowa. During Williams furlough the 3rd Regiment participated in its first engagement at Blue Mills Mo. 9/18/1861. The Nov-Dec Muster Rolls show William as being sick in quarters in St. Louis Missouri. It is known that many men became ill from drinking tainted water from the river, William must have been one of these men. Dec.1861 through Oct. 1962 he is listed as present. On April 6, 1862 William was slightly wounded in the left groin/hip at Pittsburg Landing, Tennessee, which was the opening of the Battle of Shiloh . The Regiment fought at Metamora Oct. 5th, 1862 and suffered heavily. William was promoted to Fifth Sergeant 21 Nov. 1862. On the way to join General Grant before Vicksburg, the Third was attacked by guerrillas with the result of fourteen men wounded. The Regiment then participated in the operations at Vicksburg. Williams Regiment then went into battle at Johnson Ms. with 241 men, and lost 114 killed, wounded and missing. It was noted that on Oct 1863 William was on daily duty as Ordinance Sergeant. The Nov-Dec Muster Rolls shows that he was absent in Iowa Recruiting Service on 21 Nov 1863 by Special Order No. 263 from General McPherson. William reenlisted in Davenport Iowa 27 Feb 1864 to serve three years in Company I, 2nd Regiment. William is shown on detached duty in Louisville, Kentucky since 17 Aug 1864 by order of Secretary of War. William was discharged on 4 Jan 1865 to receive a promotion to 1st Lieutenant and appointment to the 122nd U.S.C.T. ( United States Colored Troops) Company D in Louisville. William married Sophia E. Green on 11 July 1865 in Louisville her maiden name is unknown (she was born in Sweden and previously married to Jacob Green, and she had a daughter from this marriage by the name of Amanda Green). William Mustered-out the next day 12 July 1865. William then became a policeman in Louisville. William resided at 822 E. Jefferson in Louisville until his death on 23 June 1875. William’s burial is recorded as being in Eastern Cemetery in Louisville. Sophia filed for a widow’s pension 17 July 1890 in Kentucky Application #437345 and Certificate #372487. Sophia died 16 Apr 1922 and is buried in the Evergreen Cemetery, Chicago, Cook Co. Illinois.