TRINITY’S FOUR CIVIL WAR HEROES
FRIEDRICH BOGISLOV UNKE - 1837-1898 (aged 61) Lot #109 TUCC Cemetery
HERMAN HEINRICH SCHATZ - 1843-1908 (aged 65) Lot #101 TUCC Cemetery
JOHN WILLIAMS - 1846-1886 (aged 40) Lot #83 TUCC Cemetery
ROBERT A. KNOLLE - 1849-1931 (aged 82) Lot #133 TUCC Cemetery
Respectfully researched in recognition of Trinity’s 150th Anniversary and in great appreciation for the sacrifices of our four Civil War heroes! Jean Gichert
A special thank you to TUCC historian Bob Rohrig for providing me with the names of our four Civil War heroes and their burial location.
Wisconsin's Response to the Civil War
Between 1860-1861, after 11 Southern states seceded from the United States and Confederate forces attacked the U.S. military base at Charleston, South Carolina (which ignited the American Civil War), Wisconsin residents quickly rallied to support the Union cause. President Abraham Lincoln called for army volunteers and Wisconsin's Republican governor, Alexander Randall, for whom Camp Randall is named, supplied not only one regiment as the federal government requested, but several. Each was accompanied by a state agent who looked after the health and needs of the soldiers.
Early in the war, volunteers were plentiful. While some fought to end slavery, others simply wanted to preserve America's experiment in democracy. Many, though, had personal reasons for joining that ranged from getting away from home, to advancing a military career, or making political use of a Union service record.
In all, Wisconsin provided more than 91,000 soldiers to 56 regiments: 77,375 to the infantry, 8,877 to the cavalry, and 5,075 to the artillery. They fought in every major battle of the Civil War. New recruits were trained in Milwaukee, Fond du Lac, Racine, and Madison. Camp Randall, Wisconsin's major training facility in Madison, also housed Confederate prisoners of war.
After the war, three classifications for receiving a pension were developed: widow; dependent; and invalid.
Sources: (3, 16 & 17).
1. FRIEDRICH BOGISLOV UNKE - 1837-1898 (aged 61)
Born in Prussia (an area now comprised of land in Germany, Poland, Russia, Lithuania, Denmark & Belgium). Immigrated to the United States at the age of 27 on November 21, 1863.
Side: Union
Served: 35th Regiment, WI Infantry
Company: E & I
Date of Enlistment: 11 Feb. 1864 (age 27)
Date of Discharge: 15 Mar 1866 (@ 2 years of service)
Rank In: Private
Rank Out: Private
Friederich Unke filed for U.S. Civil War Pension on May 17, 1890 at the age of 53 (Class-Invalid)
Amelia Bartelt Unke filled for U. S. Civil War Pension 0n Aug. 10, 1898 at age 51 ( Class-Widow)
Occupation listed in 1880 US Federal Census: “Works in Blast Furnace”
Father: Christoph Unke 1796-1855
Mother: Friederica Wilhelmine Raddatz 1807-1890
Spouse: Amelia (Emilie) Louise Bartelt 1847-1917 (aged 70)
Marriage: July 14, 1867 Milwaukee, WI after the Civil War
Children (8): (Three of whom apparently died the year each was born)
1. August Albert 1870-1921
2. Emma Emilie Simerlein 1872-1953
3. Ernst Friedrich Unke 1874-1953.
4. Christoph Julius Unke 1875-1915.
5. Friedrich Ernst Unke 1877-1877
6. Richard Carl Edward Unke 1878- 1878
7. Frank Unke 1882-1882
8. Rosa Augustine Clara Kempe 1884-1944
Sources: (1, 2, 7, 8, 9, 11, 19, & 20)
2. HEINRICH SCHATZ - 1843-1908 (aged 65)
Born in Greifenberg, Germany, Schatz emigrated with his parents to the United States in 1849 at the age of 6 years old. Schatz lived in Watertown, WI, then in Cedarburg, WI, and then finally settled in Brookfield, WI. Schatz operated a hotel and blacksmith shop. During the Civil War, Schatz served as a blacksmith in the Union Army for two years. In 1882, Schatz served in the Wisconsin State Assembly as a Democrat. He died at his home in Brookfield, WI.
Herman Schatz served in the 7th Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry Regiment. His specific date of enlistment and discharge could not be found. The 7th Wisconsin was organized at Madison, WI and mustered into Federal service September 2, 1861. It moved to Louisville, Kentucky, June 16, 1862 and was mustered out July 2,1865. The 7th Wisconsin Infantry Regiment spent most of the Civil War as a member of the famous Iron Brigade in the Army of the Potomac.
Based on the organization date of the 7th Wisconsin Volunteer Regiment and Herman Schatz’s birth date it is estimated that he began service between the age of 18-21 for a total of two years.
Schatz filed for U.S. Civil War Pension on 27 June 1907 at the age of 64 (Class-invalid)
Father’s name: Johann Gottlieb Schatz 1798-1851
Mother’s name: Caroline Louise Hackbarth 1801-1885
Spouse: Frederica Erikson 1850-1898 (aged 48)
Marriage: 1867 after the Civil War
Children (4):
1. Herman Frederich Schatz 1867-1952
2. Louis Johann Carl Schatz 1869-1945
3. Emma Marie Berthas Darkow 1871-1946
4. Amala Bertha Anna Scherta 1873-1935
Sources: (1, 2, 6, 17, 18, 19, 20, & 21)
3. JOHN WILLIAMS - 1846-1886 (aged 40)
His legal birth name: Gerrit Jan Willemsen
Born in the Netherlands.
Side: Union
Regiment Served: 51st Wisconsin Regiment, WI Infantry
Company: B
Date of Enlistment: March 27, 1865 (age 19)
Date of Discharge: August 24, 1865
Rank In: Private
Rank Out: Private
The 51st Regiment, Wisconsin Infantry was organized at Camp Washburn, Milwaukee,WI, March 20-April 29, 1865. Companies “G,” “H,” “I,” and “K” did not leave the State. John Williams was assigned to Company “B,” which was stationed at Carondelet, Missouri and mustered out at Madison, Wisconsin August 16-13, 1865.
Wilhelmine “Minnie” Williams filed for U.S. Civil War Pension on January 6, 1890 at the age of
39 (Class-Widow)
Occupation listed in 1880 US Federal Census: Farmer- Brookfield
Father: Evert Jan Willemsen 1818-1895
Mother : Gerdina Spitsbergen 1819-1891
Spouse #1: Louise Andrea 1849-1870 (died of ‘consumption’-tuberculosis age 21)
Marriage: October 20, 1866 Milwaukee, WI after the Civil War
Children: (1)
Margaret Willemsen 1867-1953
Spouse #2: Wilhelmine “Minnie” Wandschneider 1851-1905 (aged 54)
Marriage: July 24, 1871 Milwaukee, WI. after the Civil War
Children:(9)
Condelia L. “Delia” Williams 1872-1922
Anna Catherine Liska 1874-1946
Jacob Marvin Williams 1875-1943
Jennie (Jane) Williams 1877-1935
Martha D. Jastrow 1878-1945
John Herman Williams 1880-1943
Frank Charles Williams 1882-1948
George Williams 1883-1971
Edward Carl Williams. 1885-1943
Sources: (1, 2, 11, 19, 20, & 21)
4. ROBERT A. KNOLLE - 1849-1931 (aged 82)
Born in Saxony (Sachsen), Germany. Immigration year: 1852 (age 3)
Side: Union
Served: 9th Wisconsin Infantry
Company: G
Date of Enlistment:April 5, 1864 (age 15!)
Date of Discharge: April 4, 1865
Rank In: Musician
Rank Out: Musician
Regiment Served: 9th Wisconsin Regiment, US Veteran Volunteer Infantry (Army)
The 9th Regiment, Wisconsin Infantry was organized at Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and it was mustered in October 26, 1861. It had duty at Little Rock until January, 1866. It was mustered out January 30, 1866.
Most of the really young boys entered the Federal and Confederate Armies as musicians. Robert A. Knolle enlisted at age 15! One source estimates that were places for 40,000 musicians in the Federal Army alone. Many of the younger boys served as drummers and fifers. These instruments were best suited for younger boys. There were many more drummers than fifers.
While much attention is given to drummers, perhaps because they were often the youngest boys, there were also many buglers. Large numbers of buglers were required as the bugler was important in communicating orders in the heat of battle in the years before modern communication. In addition to signaling instructions during battle, buglers were used to denote time of the day, meals, and duties in the camp. A bugler needed to know as many as fifty (50) or more different calls.
Despite searching numerous records, the exact instrument(s) Robert Knolle played was not found.
Robert A. Knolle filed for U.S Civil War Pension on January 13, 1891 at the age of 41 (Class-invalid)
Occupation listed in 1880 US Federal Census: Wagon Maker in Brookfield, WI
Occupation listed in 1900 US Federal Census: Farmer in Menomonee Falls, WI
Occupation listed in 1910 & 1920 US Federal Census: Farmer in Menomonee Falls, WI
Father: Traugott Knolle 1821-1892
Mother: Christine 1820-
Spouse : Catherine Fieldhack 1857-1923 (aged 65)
Marriage: December 31, 1876 after the Civil War in Waukesha, Wisconsin
Children (5):
1. William 1878-
2. Louisa Dettmann 1880-
3. Arnold John 1894-
4. Robert Franklin 1896-1993
5. Herbert Albert 1902-1963
Sources: (1, 2, 3, 4, 11, 12, 13, 14, 19, 20, 21 & 22)
Sources:
1. U.S. Civil War Soldier Records & Profiles 1861-1866
2. Civil War Pension Index: General Index to Pension Files, 1861-1934
3. Catton, Bruce. “This Hallowed Ground.”
4. Miller Delavan S. Drum Taps In Dixie: Memories of a Drummer Boy, 1861-1865
5. National Park Services - U.S. Department of the Interior;Union Wisconsin State Historical
6. State Historical Society of Wisconsin/Wisconsin Domesday Book. Town Studies Volume 1
(1924) pg. 3.
7. U.S. Civil War Soldier Records & Profiles 1861-1865
8. Civil War Pension Index: General Index to Pension Files, 1861-1934
9. U.S. Civil War Soldier Records & Profiles 1861-1866
10. Civil War Pension Index: General Index to Pension Files, 1861-1934 (next page)
11. 1880 U.S. Federal Census
12. 1900 U.S. Federal Census
13. 1910 U.S. Federal Census
14. 1920 U.S. Federal Census
15. The History of Wisconsin vol 2 (Madison: State Historical Society of Wisconsin); Barker,
Brett. Exploring Civil War Wisconsin (Madison: Wisconsin Historical Society Press, 2003);
Gara, Larry.
16. A Short History of Wisconsin. (Madison: State Historical Society of Wisconsin, 1962)]
17. Volunteers’Wisconsin Blue Book 1882.’ Biographical Sketch of Herman Schatz.
Pg. 562
18. ‘Resided Long in Brookfield Hon. Herman Schatz Widely Known. Died there June 28.’
Waukesha Freeman, July 2, 1906.pg.5.
19. Ancestry.com
20. Family Search.org
21. The Blue Book of the State of Wisconsin; Part V. Wisconsin in the War of the
Rebellion pp.822-823.
22. Genealogy Circle - Family History Civil War Research (July 5, 2014).