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Note: egiment, Company E. (See the "Journal of the Kosciusko Guards" by William S Hemphill for a daily account of his 1st year of service in the civil war, written by a comrade.) At time of enlistment Conklin was described as 5 feet 8 inches, blue eyes and light hair Oct 1861- while on a march to Hagerstown, Maryland by the Potomac River he lost most of his hearing in his right ear, due to cold from exposure. This seems to have gotten even worse over the years. May 1862- Washington DC - President Lincoln himself addressed the 12th & 16th Indiana Regiments. 19/28 May 1862- honorably discharged in Washington DC 1 year later- mustered out a private. 25 July 1862- Reenlisted with 12th Regiment Indiana Infantry, this time with Company F, for a total of 3 years. 30 Aug 1862- Battle of Richmond, Kentucky. Regiment was mostly captured, and then paroled on the same day. They were then sent to Indianapolis, Indiana for reorganization. So Conklin was a prisoner of war for about one day. 31 Oct 1862- He became a Sergeant Feb 1863- Suffered from Typhoid fever and was hospitalized in Grand Junction, Tennessee. He was ill for about 3 months and it took the lives of many soldiers. This disease was the cause of many health problems (mostly of his digestive organs)for the rest of his life. There are many affidavits in his war pension file that state that he could only do " half the labor as an able-bodied man" and could not perform "hard labor" after the war. He also suffered from headaches. Before the war he was a perfectly healthy man, but the Civil War cost him his health for the rest of his life. One person said that a he would often have to sit down and rest while working in the fields. Unfortunately, during the last years of his life, he was totally dependent on his wife Maria to take care of him. 15 Nov - Dec 10 1864- On Sherman`s march to the Sea 8 June 1865- Honorably discharged in Washington DC 1867- moved from Indiana to Missouri. 27 Dec 1868 married Maria Dome in Utica, Livingston County, Missouri. 1880 - listed on Census as still living in Utica. 10 May 1882 - arrived Dakota Territory in late spring in a covered wagon. They had a team of horses, a cow, 2 hens and a rooster which they brought with them from Missouri They lived on a homestead near Conde, in Spink County and farmed on the prairie. It took them 7 weeks to make the trip by covered wagon with their 5 children: Charles, Harry, Frances, Eva and Laura. (Frances is our ancestor.) According to the homestead file, the Conklins built a frame house 14x16 on the NE corner of the homestead and a sod barn of 22x70 with a hay roof. They had about 135 acres worth about $1000 at that time. The home had a shingle roof, was 1 story, 3 rooms, 4 windows and 3 doors. There was also a cellar. Francis dug a 28 foot deep well. The house cost about $100.00, the stable was $75 and a well cost $75.00. Maria hung the milk and butter in the well to keep it cool in the summer. Francis and his boys farmed the land (mostly wheat but some oats, corn, potatoes & barley) and rented extra land. Soon they had 3 horses, 5 oxen, 3 cows, 3 yearling cattle, 7 hogs and 35 chickens. Their home was furnished with 3 beds with bedding, a table, a cupboard, 1 sewing machine, 2 stoves, 1 safe, 7 chairs, a kitchen and "table wares" according to the Homestead file. They had 3 more children (Stella, Florence and Bessie). (Some of this info is obtained from "Spink County in the Making" by Dana D. Harlow) Dec 15th 1892- newspaper clipping in Kosciusko County, Indiana reads "Francis M Conkling, who left this county 24 years ago for Missouri, but who for the past 10 years has been a resident of Redfield, Spink County SD, returned to the scenes of his boyhood days this morning. During the war, he was a member of Comp F of the writer`s (Reub William`s) regiment- the 12th Indiana Infantry- and was a brave a gallant soldier. 24 years have made a great many changes in this vicinity, and Mr. Conkling thinks Center Lake a great deal smaller than when he last saw it. He met his old captain, Samuel Boughter, on the train and has succeeded fairly well in wheat farming in the Northwest." 2 June 1900- filed for Civil War pension benefits. From all the paperwork it appears that at some point, he had to fight the government a bit to receive a pension, and had to prove with many affidavits from doctors and friends how service during the Civil War caused the decline in his health. On top of his other health problems, he began to have heart problems and arthritis as well 1904 - sold home and returned to Utica, Livingston County, Missouri. In 1917 after their children were all married, they again sold their home and moved to Pomona California, where several of their children lived. 10 Feb 1926 died in Pomona, California- death cert. states he died from "enlarged prostate, general debility and myocarditis." 27 Sep 1928 Maria Dome Conkin was struck and killed by an automobile in Pomona Both Francis and Maria are buried at the Pomona Cemetery. Courtesy of Anderson-Vriese Family website
Note: April 1861- enlisted in Civil War, as a private with the 12th Indiana Infantry R
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