Quimby Bible

.ELEVENTH REGIMENT - Company E

Enlisted Epsom Aug. 15, 1862. He was taken prisoner at the Battle of the Wilderness May 6^th 1864 but escaped. He was also taken again in front of Petersburg, VA and got away. Born Apr. 4, 1829 in New Hampton, NH., son of Charles Titcomb Quimby and Harriet Upton. Charles married Frances Mariah Putnam Haynes in Epsom, NH, January 01, 1856. She was the daughter of Caleb Bartlett Haynes and Hannah Sanborn. Together they had six children prior to the war and four after. He was age 33 when he enlisted, a farmer and a resident of Epsom, New Hampshire. His two captures are recorded in the GAR Book of Post 66, but apparently nowhere else, which proved to be a problem later when he applied for a pension. War records give his mustered out date as June 4, 1865 at Alexandria, Virginia.

Following the war the family removed to Allison Street in Concord, NH, where his first wife died May 27, 1873, and he married second in Concord June 05, 1880, Mary E. Stewart, recently divorced in Maine from Thomas F. Wells. A Declaration for an Original Invalid Pension was submitted August 25, 1881. Among other reasons for the request was for chronic diarrhea, contracted in or around Jackson, Mississippi and was treated on a hospital boat from Cairo to Cincinnati. An Officer's Certificate of Disability was filed on his behalf by Capt. Of the regiment, Arthur C. Locke (also of Epsom) and attested by John H. Dolbeer, Epsom Justice of the Peace. Among those who wrote affidavits on his behalf were Thomas M. Lear and D.H. Purrington of Concord who knew Charles for 25 years or more. Another affidavit was written Aug. 25, 1881 by John H. Fife and Benjamin Bickford, citizens of Epsom, NH. A note from the Adjutant General's Office, War Department, Washington D.C., written Dec. 21, 1882, states "the records of this office furnish no evidence of alleged disabilities. Regimental Hospital records are not on file." It also reports that during the time frame of the alleged disability, he was reported as "present", which bares out in regiment documents. The Department of Interior Pension Office was not able, Oct. 24, 1882, to show any proof of disability.

Things were not looking good. A general affidavit of Nov. 27, 1882 states that Charles's personal physician had died some four years earlier, and that the Regimental Doctor (Dr. Ross he thought) was also dead. It relates that Dr. Hayes of the 11^th Regt. NH Volunteers stated that the medical records were lost while going up the Mississippi River, and thus asks that the Department consider the affidavit of Arthur C. Locke, and private J.H. Fife and Benjamin Bickford, previously filed. Additional affidavits were submitted by West Upton, Daniel B. Donovan and Charles A. Chapman on December 29, 1882. All three attested to knowing him and or serving with him, stating his good health at the time of enlistment. Charles filed another general affidavit on February 1, 1883, at age 53, stating his inability to work fully, and complaints of chronic diarrhea, not able to eat some foods, and "very frequent I feel as if I wanted to pass water, and when I attend to it cannot, or pass very little." His case was restated after a visit with Capt. Locke and private William Burnham, where upon his recollections, give the dates as Aug. 6, 1863 to Aug. 14, 1863 as the time he was ill; and at such time he was in the boat and "out of his head" was "dragged away from the boiler at one time by privates Bickford and Burnham."

An Examining Surgeon's Certificate of Nov. 1, 1882, states upon examination that "Judging from his present condition, and from the evidence before it is our belief that the said disability did orgiinate in the service aforesaid in the line of duty." Eventually a pension was given, Case #271472, issued June 30, 1884, mailed July 18, 1884, Rate and Period, $4.00 from Sept. 24, 1881, disability, chronic diarrhea. A general affidavit was filed March 1886 for an increase in pension. This affidavit by John C.W. Moore, assisatant surgeon of the 11^th, who recalled actually treating Charles Quimby as "mentioned in a previous affidavit." At this time he reported that his current condition was weaker, more unable to do manual labor, as his work was light - "he drives (an) express wagon." Mr. Moore submitted a supplemental Physician's affidavit on Dec. 21, 1889 relating the following: (Aug. 1863) He was so feeble that his father came on from NH to Nicholdsville to bring his son home but as at that date 11 NHV were getting ready to leave London, KY and to cross the Cumberland Mts., into East Tenn., ….his father turned back, sick himself. He also stated that "Charles Quimby is a temperate man, a good citizen."

A letter from the U.S. Pension Agency dated Apr. 18, 1896, states that Charles Quimby was last paid $8.00 April 4, 1896, and that he had been dropped because of his death in Concord, NH Apr. 26, 1896

Postscript. On July 17, 1897, Mary E. Quimby, second wife and widow of Charles Quimby, filed a claim for pension. Affidavits filed in her half were given by David Purington, James Hustus, Sarah H. Chase, and Harriet Woodbury. Approved for admission August 1899. An affidavit from the City Clerk of Concord slowed things up, as a latter affidavit stated "I further certify that in making a certificate sometime previous to this, of the death of Lydia S. Quimby, that a mistake was made in the name of the person and date of death. It should have been Frances M. Quimby instead of Lydia S. Quimby." As a result of the earlier error, additional affidavits stating that Charles had only the previous wife prior to his second marriage were given by Sewell D. Batchelder, David Purrington, Ella L. Wells, Isabell Stewart and Mary S. Quimby. The pension for Mary E. Quimby commenced July 17, 1897, issued Aug. 24, 1899, and was dropped Apr. 29, 1916 when she once again married. She married Jan. 14, 1916, spouse unknown.

Photographs of the Bible Charles Quimby carried with him through the war are courtesy of Dee McNeil. They show some of the inscriptions, and a page with locks of hair, possibly that of his young children.

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			Charles Quimby Bible
			.ELEVENTH REGIMENT - Company E Enlisted Epsom Aug. 15, 1862. He was taken prisoner at the Battle of the Wilderness May 6^th 1864 but escaped. He was also taken again in front of Petersburg, VA and got away. Born Apr. 4, 1829 in New Hampton, NH., son of Charles Titcomb Quimby and Harriet Upton. Charles married Frances Mariah Putnam Haynes in Epsom, NH, January 01, 1856. She was the daughter of Caleb Bartlett Haynes and Hannah Sanborn. Together they had six children prior to the war and four after. He was age 33 when he enlisted, a farmer and a resident of Epsom, New Hampshire. His two captures are recorded in the GAR Book of Post 66, but apparently nowhere else, which proved to be a problem later when he applied for a pension. War records give his mustered out date as June 4, 1865 at Alexandria, Virginia. Following the war the family removed to Allison Street in Concord, NH, where his first wife died May 27, 1873, and he married second in Concord June 05, 1880, Mary E. Stewart, recently divorced in Maine from Thomas F. Wells. A Declaration for an Original Invalid Pension was submitted August 25, 1881. Among other reasons for the request was for chronic diarrhea, contracted in or around Jackson, Mississippi and was treated on a hospital boat from Cairo to Cincinnati. An Officer's Certificate of Disability was filed on his behalf by Capt. Of the regiment, Arthur C. Locke (also of Epsom) and attested by John H. Dolbeer, Epsom Justice of the Peace. Among those who wrote affidavits on his behalf were Thomas M. Lear and D.H. Purrington of Concord who knew Charles for 25 years or more. Another affidavit was written Aug. 25, 1881 by John H. Fife and Benjamin Bickford, citizens of Epsom, NH. A note from the Adjutant General's Office, War Department, Washington D.C., written Dec. 21, 1882, states "the records of this office furnish no evidence of alleged disabilities. Regimental Hospital records are not on file." It also reports that during the time frame of the alleged disability, he was reported as "present", which bares out in regiment documents. The Department of Interior Pension Office was not able, Oct. 24, 1882, to show any proof of disability. Things were not looking good. A general affidavit of Nov. 27, 1882 states that Charles's personal physician had died some four years earlier, and that the Regimental Doctor (Dr. Ross he thought) was also dead. It relates that Dr. Hayes of the 11^th Regt. NH Volunteers stated that the medical records were lost while going up the Mississippi River, and thus asks that the Department consider the affidavit of Arthur C. Locke, and private J.H. Fife and Benjamin Bickford, previously filed. Additional affidavits were submitted by West Upton, Daniel B. Donovan and Charles A. Chapman on December 29, 1882. All three attested to knowing him and or serving with him, stating his good health at the time of enlistment. Charles filed another general affidavit on February 1, 1883, at age 53, stating his inability to work fully, and complaints of chronic diarrhea, not able to eat some foods, and "very frequent I feel as if I wanted to pass water, and when I attend to it cannot, or pass very little." His case was restated after a visit with Capt. Locke and private William Burnham, where upon his recollections, give the dates as Aug. 6, 1863 to Aug. 14, 1863 as the time he was ill; and at such time he was in the boat and "out of his head" was "dragged away from the boiler at one time by privates Bickford and Burnham." An Examining Surgeon's Certificate of Nov. 1, 1882, states upon examination that "Judging from his present condition, and from the evidence before it is our belief that the said disability did orgiinate in the service aforesaid in the line of duty." Eventually a pension was given, Case #271472, issued June 30, 1884, mailed July 18, 1884, Rate and Period, $4.00 from Sept. 24, 1881, disability, chronic diarrhea. A general affidavit was filed March 1886 for an increase in pension. This affidavit by John C.W. Moore, assisatant surgeon of the 11^th, who recalled actually treating Charles Quimby as "mentioned in a previous affidavit." At this time he reported that his current condition was weaker, more unable to do manual labor, as his work was light - "he drives (an) express wagon." Mr. Moore submitted a supplemental Physician's affidavit on Dec. 21, 1889 relating the following: (Aug. 1863) He was so feeble that his father came on from NH to Nicholdsville to bring his son home but as at that date 11 NHV were getting ready to leave London, KY and to cross the Cumberland Mts., into East Tenn., ….his father turned back, sick himself. He also stated that "Charles Quimby is a temperate man, a good citizen." A letter from the U.S. Pension Agency dated Apr. 18, 1896, states that Charles Quimby was last paid $8.00 April 4, 1896, and that he had been dropped because of his death in Concord, NH Apr. 26, 1896 Postscript. On July 17, 1897, Mary E. Quimby, second wife and widow of Charles Quimby, filed a claim for pension. Affidavits filed in her half were given by David Purington, James Hustus, Sarah H. Chase, and Harriet Woodbury. Approved for admission August 1899. An affidavit from the City Clerk of Concord slowed things up, as a latter affidavit stated "I further certify that in making a certificate sometime previous to this, of the death of Lydia S. Quimby, that a mistake was made in the name of the person and date of death. It should have been Frances M. Quimby instead of Lydia S. Quimby." As a result of the earlier error, additional affidavits stating that Charles had only the previous wife prior to his second marriage were given by Sewell D. Batchelder, David Purrington, Ella L. Wells, Isabell Stewart and Mary S. Quimby. The pension for Mary E. Quimby commenced July 17, 1897, issued Aug. 24, 1899, and was dropped Apr. 29, 1916 when she once again married. She married Jan. 14, 1916, spouse unknown. Photographs of the Bible Charles Quimby carried with him through the war are courtesy of Dee McNeil. They show some of the inscriptions, and a page with locks of hair, possibly that of his young children.
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