Genealogy research by Mark Humphrys.
Genealogy research by Mark Humphrys.
Edward Francis Cashel,
Emigrated to America:
He went to America in 1860 or earlier.
He is
listed
in [US Census, 1 June 1860]
as living with his uncle
William Kickham
and family in
Georgetown,
Washington, D.C.,
he is listed as a "miller".
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Fought in American Civil War, 1861-65:
Edward was living in Washington, DC (capital of the Union, the North) when American Civil War broke out Apr 1861. He signed up to fight for the North. See Edward Francis Cashel military record. He enlisted as a private in the Regulars. He was in Company G (also called Battery G) of the 2nd Regiment, US Artillery (U.S. Horse Artillery Brigade). He enlisted at Washington, DC, 8 May 1861, age 20 (right at start of war, he was volunteer, no conscription at this time). Listed as blue eyed, brown haired, with ruddy complexion, height 5 ft 10.5 in. Though later military record says 5 ft 9 in. Enlistment incorrectly states Georgetown as his birthplace. Rather it was where he was living. Enlistment lists his occupation as a "miller". Says he was age 22 but baptism shows he was younger. An estimated 200,000 Irish fought for the North, and 30,000 fought for the South. He was only a private, but was in an important Federal unit, which saw action in many of the biggest battles of the war. See Civil War battles of Edward Francis Cashel, July 1861 to Nov 1863.
The North's campaign did not start up again after winter 1863-64 until May 1864.
He wrote a
letter on 20 May 1864 to his father George Cashel
in Ireland.
The war is still on,
but his 3 years are up:
"I have just returned to Georgetown from the Army in which I served 3 years. I was sworn in for 5 years, but Congress passed an Act that all persons who enlisted in 61 were to serve only 3 years".
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Stayed in army after war, 1865-70:
Edward deserted for one day, July 31, 1865, and was apprehended August 1, 1865. He was restored to duty without trial. The 2nd Regiment, US Artillery, was assembled at Fort McHenry, Baltimore, Maryland, in August, 1865, and sailed from there for California via the Isthmus. The 2nd Regiment arrived San Francisco Sept 1865. Set up headquarters at the Presidio, San Francisco [Simpson, 1896]. Battery G were based at Alcatraz Island, San Francisco. Edward was promoted to Corporal (just above Private), 1 Jan 1867. He was honorably discharged from his 3 years service on July 27, 1867 at Alcatraz Island, San Francisco. He immediately signed up for another 3 years service, July 27, 1867, at Alcatraz Island, again with Battery G. He was promoted to Sergeant 1 Sept 1867.
Goes to Alaska, 1868:
Alaska background:
Edward served at Kodiak under Eli Lundy Huggins.
Leaves army 1870, stays in Alaska:
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Edward
mar 4 Sept 1870
to
Marre-a Olgin
[Marre-a Alexandrova Olgin,
thus spelt in [Cashel family bible]].
She is possibly Ol'gin,
think NOT Mare-a or Maria or Mariia,
think NOT Alexandrovia or Aleksandrovno.
She was a Russian settler in Alaska.
She was
born 30 Mar 1848
(18 Mar according to the Julian calendar
used in Russia)
in Kodiak,
dau of Aleksandr Vasil'iev Olgin
(or Aleksandr Vasil'Evich Ol'gin)
and
Irina Platonova Bushkovskii
(or Irena).
Native American ancestry:
Her grandmother was apparently
Aleut
(Native Alaskan).
[Marti Murray] says
she had the designation
"Creole",
which would mean a combination of Russian and Native.
Some Russian settlers left after America bought Alaska,
but many stayed.
Marre-a was
Russian Orthodox.
They married in the
Russian Orthodox church.
[Marti Murray]
lists Edward as "Protestant", but think this is not true.
He was born Catholic.
He had his children baptised in the Russian Orthodox church though.
[Russian Orthodox church records]
say they mar
23 Aug 1870
according to the
Julian calendar.
This is 4 Sept 1870 new style.
NOT 25 Sept.
Church record
says they mar in
Kodiak Island parish
(this is probably the
Church of the Holy Resurrection,
Kodiak, Alaska).
Mar cert is apparently in Russian.
They
possibly married
on
Spruce Island
in Kodiak parish.
Edward and
Marre-a
lived on
Unga Island
(the largest of the
Shumagin Islands),
Alaska,
20 May 1871 - Apr 1874 [pension records].
They lived Kodiak, Apr 1874 - 1878 [pension records].
They (and later just he) lived Unga, 1878 to at least 1907 [pension records].
Edward worked as an agent for the
Western Fur and Trading Company
(estab 1877).
He is
listed as a "Storekeeper" in Unga for them
[Reeve].
He later worked as an agent for the Alaska Commercial Company
(which purchased the
Western Fur and Trading Company
1883).
He was their agent as at 1884.
Gold was discovered on Unga Island in 1884
and there was a boom for many years.
Marre-a dies, 1884:
Marre-a died 12 April 1884,
Unga Island
[pension records],
age 36 yrs.
[Russian Orthodox church records]
say "Mariia Keshal"
died
1 Apr Julian
(which is 13 Apr new style).
They say she died
in Belkofski
parish.
Belkofski is just W of Unga
(see
map).
Belkofski parish might include Unga.
After his wife died 1884, it looks like Edward failed to give the children a proper education.
He was able to read and write himself,
but his children Sarah and Edward are both listed as illiterate
in the 1900 census.
[Reeve]
lists Edward as "well educated" and "hard drinker".
He applied for U.S. Army pension, 31 July 1893.
He applied
for U.S. Army pension, May 24, 1895.
From
here.
He applied for U.S. Army pension, April 8, 1898.
See US army pension record.
From
here.
Filed 24 May 1898, and 18 Oct 1907,
[NA.US] T289.
He is
listed
at Unga in
[US Census, 1900],
lists him as "trader",
former occupation "miller".
It
incorrectly states he was born D.C.
He was a pensioner on the U.S. Army pension roll, #1037181, living Unga,
as at 1907.
Edward dies, 1909:
He died Dec 1909, age 69 yrs,
on Simeonof Island, Shumagin Islands, Alaska
[Reeve],
[Nancy von Konsky],
think NOT Unga.
Edward and Marre-a
had issue:
Edward in 1860 U.S. census, living with his uncle
William Kickham
in Georgetown, D.C.
See full size.
Extract from Edward's U.S. Army
enlistment of 8 May 1861.
See full size.
Alcatraz Island, San Francisco.
Photo 2006.
From here.
See terms of use.
See also satellite view.
Eli Lundy Huggins, Cashel's commander at Kodiak 1868-70.
From here.
Map of Unga Island from
2006 plan.
Note locations of Apollo mining camp and Unga village.
See modern
satellite view
of the abandoned
Unga village in the SE.
 "Edouard Cashel" (born 1881). |
 Left to Right: "Maria Cashel" (born 1871), "Agnia Cashel" (born 1873), "Sarah Cashel" (born 1876). |
Blen Cashel
made an extraordinary (for anyone not rich) trip to America in 1870 to try to find his brother Edward.
It is almost certain that they never saw each other again.
In 2002, 132 years later,
the Internet brought the two sides of the family together again.
Snapshot of
my website in 1999.
For many years, this was all the family in Ireland knew about Edward.
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![[Cashel family bible]](Alaska/bible.other.jpg){kind=link}
![[Cashel family bible]](Alaska/bible.front.jpg){kind=link}
