Schuyler Atherton (1832-1916)
ATHERTON, HARRIS, DAVIS, WALKER, CALL
Posted By: Ken Wright (email)
Date: 5/22/2012 at 22:35:58
Maquoketa Excelsior-Record, July 4, 1916
Schuyler Atherton was born October 20, 1832, at the village of Alexandria in the township of Ticonderoga, Essex County, New York. Schuyler's father, Cephas Atherton, died when Schuyler was seven years of age. His mother kept their tavern business for a number of years and then the family moved to Fort Ticonderoga, where she operated the Pavilion Hotel, belonging to the Pell brothers of New York City for three years. She then married John Jay Harris and moved to Queensbury with her three children, Archibald, Schuyler and Cornelia, the eldest daughter, Louisa, having married Abixah Davis. Schuyler was confirmed in the Episcopal church. The family lived on the Harris farm until 1851 when Schuyler was married to Julia Call, daughter of Osman Call, author of "Call's Shorthand System of Arithmetic."
In 1855, he with his wife and child, Julia Adelaide, now Mrs. Stephen Walker, came west and settled in the town of Altona, Illinois, where he learned the mason trade. On March 3, 1857, a son Lucius Herbert, was born to them. On August 9, 1862, Schuyler enlisted in Company I, 89th Regiment, Illinois Volunteer Infantry, known as the "Railroad Regiment." On August 24th the regiment went to Lownville, Kentucky, where the campaign against Bragg began. The 89th was brigaded with troops from the Shiloh and Corinth army under the command of Brigadier General Willich, army of the Cumberland, under General Rosencrans until after the Battle of Chickamauga, when the army was reorganized. Willich's Brigade was known as the first brigade, third division, fourth army corps. The first battle the regiment engaged in was that of Stone River. Schuyler Atherton was ill in the hospital for four months and was not in this battle. He rejoined the regiment before Chattanooga and followed its successes and hardships until June 10, 1865, when he was discharged. He took part in the following battles: Liberty Gap, Chickamauga, Missionary Ridge, Chattanooga, Orchard Knobb, Knoxville, Rockyface Ridge, Resaca, Dallas, Pickett's Mills, Lookout Mountain, Kennesaw Mountain, Chattahoochee River, Peachtree Creek, Atlanta, Jonesboro, Lovejoy Station, Franklin and Nashville, where he was a drummer and was injured by dislocation of his left ankle.
After his return from the war he followed the trade of barber for some years, when his general health getting better, he followed his trade as mason. One daughter, Mary Jessie was born in Altona on January 17, 1867. On October 1, 1869, Mr. Atherton moved to Iowa and his brother Archibald, now deceased, worked with him for many years on the farm near Buckhorn church. Two children were born there, Loyal Schuyler on October 25, 1871 and Lucie Herbertie, born May 17, 1876. He had a good home but like all old veterans felt the effect of the hardships of army life. He was one of the first to join the A. W. Drips Post, Grand Army of the Republic.
Loyal, his youngest son, was a soldier of the late Spanish-American War in 1898, and died in camp at Jacksonville, Florida, September, 1898. Mrs. Atherton died in 1906. Schuyler Atherton died June 29, 1916, at 10:30 a.m. at the home of his daughter, Mrs. S. D. Walker, on Vermont street in Maquoketa, at the age of 83 years, 8 months, and 9 days. Rev. D. F. Boomershine gave the sermon at the Buckhorn Church, that Mr. Atherton helped build, and where he was a member of the choir and taught Sunday school classes. Burial was made at the Buckhorn Cemetery.
Schuyler Atherton grave
Jackson Obituaries maintained by Nettie Mae Lucas.
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