Josiah Williams: Civil War POW

1820-1886

Josiah's simple military tombstone, Find A Grave, #9435451

      Josiah Williams was born about 1820 in Indiana or Illinois. Williams is a difficult name to track and the identity of his parents and siblings are not known. It appears, though, that his father was born in Virginia and his mother in Pennsylvania. Some researchers have speculated that his parents were Daniel Williams and Mary Kimberlin, but I have seen nothing to confirm this.

      Josiah married Ellen Shand on March 4, 1852, in Dodgeville, Wisconsin. It is not clear whether his early occupation was miner or farmer, since there was a lot of mining activity in Dodgeville. In 1860, he is living immediately adjacent to his parents-in-law, David and Jane Shand. David is a farmer with real estate valued at $1000, but no occupation or real estate value is listed for Josiah. He most likely is farming with his father-in-law. In addition, I know from a third cousin that Josiah worked as a blacksmith.

      On January 23, 1864, Josiah enrolled at Dodgeville for 3 years of service in the Civil War. At the time of his enlistment, he was about 43 years old and had a wife and 4 children: Frank (10), Mary Jane (5), George (4) and David (1). Josiah served as a private in Company F of the 2nd Regiment of Wisconsin Cavalry Volunteers. He was missing in action on December 1, 1864, at Yazoo City, Mississippi, where the company was in action. He became a prisoner in Cahawba Prison, Alabama, where he contracted chronic diarrhea from severe  exposure. In March,1865, he received medical treatment at a hospital near Vicksburg, Mississippi, and was later transferred to Jefferson Barracks Hospital and Benton Barracks Hospital, both in Missouri. On June 7, 1865, he was mustered out at Madison, Wisconsin. While Josiah was missing in action, Ellen appears to have sold a piece of property to get income.

      In 1870, their fifth child, Margaret, was born. Prior to this, Josiah's mother-in-law, Jane Shand, came to live with them after the death of her husband David. In 1877, a sixth child, Nellie, was born, although I wonder if Nellie was actually a granddaughter! By 1880, the family had moved to Allerton, Iowa, where Josiah worked as a butcher and owned a boarding house for a while. For a time, the family also lived in Kansas. Josiah was moving about because he was no longer able to work at farming after his POW experience! I suspect that he had siblings in Iowa and/or Kansas, but have not been able to pin it down.

      In about 1883, Josiah applied for a military pension as an invalid. Affidavits as to his ill health were provided by numerous friends and family members. His physical description was given as 6' 2", fair complexion, auburn hair and hazel eyes. Josiah himself states, "I do not know the names of any of those hospital physicians. My physical condition was such at the time, that I took little notice of my surroundings. I was a stranger and alone not knowing anyone I saw in those hospitals... I am now not able to do any work and have not the means to procure medical treatment". A few years later, on June 2, 1886, Josiah died in Dodgeville, Wisconsin, age 65, after a protracted illness, of dropsy. In 1888, a military tombstone was erected for Josiah in East Side Cemetery in Dodgeville. Dad and I located the tombstone, but at the time, I did not know about his military service and was not sure if that was our Josiah!