Francis Marion Harmon (1835 - 1862)

Born 8 Feb 1835 in Boone County, Indiana, United States

Ancestors

Died 1 Jun 1862 at age 27 in Shiloh, Hardin County, Tennessee, United States

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Anne Langley [send private message]

Biography

Francis Harmon served in the United States Civil War.
Side: USA

Military

Civil War Union Enlistment Date: 10 Oct 1861;Enlistment Rank: Private Muster Date: 18 Nov 1861; Muster Place: Iowa, Company F, 15th Infantry Regiment; Casualty Date: 6 Apr 1862, Shiloh, Tennessee; Severely wounded in hand; Muster Out Date: 1 Jun 1862; Division Hospital; died of disease.

Research Notes: Died of disease. February 2023 US Civil War Challenge: The Battle of Shiloh April 6th and 7th. Buried in Shilo National Cemetery in Shiloh Methodist Church.

Research notes: Francis M. Harmon, whose residence was Glenwood, Iowa, enlisted 10 Oct 1861, as a Private, in Company F, 15th Infantry Regt, Iowa. He gave his age as 26 and was mustered in on 18 Nov 1861. He was severely wounded in the hand on 6 April 1862 at Shiloh, Tennessee and died of typhoid fever at the division hospital on 1 Jun 1862. He is buried at Pittsburg Landing, now Shiloh National Cemetery - a picture of his grave marker is on their website. The 15th Iowa Regiment Organized at Keokuk, February 22, 1862, and mustered in on March 14th. It left the State, 1,038 strong, on March 19th, stopping at St. Louis where it was armed and equipped, and on the morning of April 6th arrived at Pittsburg Landing just as the battle of Shiloh was commencing. It had been previously assigned to Prentiss's Division, but being unable to find that command, Colonel Reid ordered the regiment into line, and it fought in McClernand's Division. Though entering a battle with so little preparation, it rendered efficient service and acquitted itself creditably. Its loss at Shiloh was 21 killed, 156 wounded, and 8 missing; a total of 185, out of 760 engaged. At the battle of Corinth the Iowa Brigade was commanded by Crocker, and fought in McKean's Division; the Fifteenth, Colonel Belknap commanding, sustained the principal loss in the brigade, its casualties amounting to 11 killed, 67 wounded, and 8 missing, out of "about" 350 engaged.

1850 Census, District 7, Boone Co

Living with his married sister Mary Shaw and her family. His parents both deceased - he was 15.

1860 Census. Lyons Twp, Mills Co, Iowa. Hh 300 [next door to her parents]

F. M. Harman, age 25, b. IN. Manerva, 25, b. IN

Fielding, age 2, b. Iowa. Sarah A., 9/12, b. Iowa.

Note: the Harmon manuscript in the Lebanon library listed the children as Oscar and Mary Emma, born in Iowa - this would not agree with the 1860 census. In the letter below, it seems that there were more children born after 1860.

Posted By: Lynnea Dickinson

Subject: Utterback/Harmon Civil War letters

Post Date: August 23, 2001 at 16:21:05

Message URL: http://genforum.genealogy.com/utterback/messages/339.html

Forum: Utterback Family Genealogy Forum

Forum URL: http://genforum.genealogy.com/utterback/

A while back, I offered to post Civil War letters from Francis Marion Harmon, husband of Minerva (Utterback) Harmon and Addison Utterback, brother to Minerva. I will begin today with the first letter. A little background: Francis Marion Harmon was born 8 Feb 1835 in Boone Co., IN. His parents were James & Philadelphia (Dickerson) Harmon. Minerva Utterback was born 19 Jan 1835, the daughter of Fielding and Sarah (Terhune) Utterback. Francis and Minerva resided in Mills Co., Iowa.

As of 1962, the original letters were in the possession of Ernest A. Harmon of Zionsville, IN. Addressed to: W. A. Harmon & J. D. Harmon & N. S. Harmon & Charles Harmon & all the rest

November the 8th [1861]

Glenwood Iowa Camp Balden

Dear brother and sister

i take the pleasure and opportunity to inform you my helth which is good. I have been in Camp one week today. We received order day before yesterday to march to Davenport Iowa to be mustered in the U. S. servis. we are a packing up today. we expect to start early tomorrow morning. this Comopany is made up to go to Ft of Leavensworth Kansas but it is uncertain wher we will go. it makes no deference with me where we go. i feel it my duty to do something for my cuntry. we have not yet learned what Company this is nor what regiment we will get in. it will be the 14 or 15. it is a very sivel Company. there 17 of my neighbors with me. Adison Utterback Minervas brother and Snyder Utterback Charles Utterback boy. i have left Nerva with her father wher she will be taking care of. She has as good a mother as any body else. She has another girl. we call ___ Mary Emma. Nervas folks take care of my things. her father keeps 2 of my horses and them 2 pigs i bought. tell Jay that they will weigh over two hundred a piece and money would not buy them. i want you all to write to me as son as you find out what Company and Reigment i belong to and i will do the same. you must excuse my bad writing. if i had some i would throw this away and write another but i have not time. i will have to quit. remember me and i will remember thee.

F. M. Harmon

Another of the letters from Minerva:

Addressed to:

Mr. W. H. Harmon

Zionsville, Ind.

James & Martha Harmon

 

June the 30th, 1862

Dear brother and sister

It is with great sorrow that I try to write you a few lines. My companion has departed this life and gone home to heaven. O, it is a hard tryal to bear but a debt we all must pay wheather we are prepared or not. I have no feares but what Marion was prepared for death. it is a great consolation to me to know that Marion was a Christian man and tryed to live right. I feel bound to meet him in heaven one day and I hope that day is not far off. I know that I have done wrong many times but I want you to try to meet Marion in heaven as he always thought so much of you and all his brothers and sisters. he said you was so him. I have good parents to live with and brothers and sisters and plenty to live on but they all cant fill the place of a companion. Marion died at the Hospital at or near Corinth. he died the first day of this month. he had typhoyed feavor. the last letter I got from Marion was dated April the 25th. he was not very well then but others around here got letters from their friends in the army and they always wrote that Marion was better till they wrote he was dead three weeks before I heard the bad news.

I would like to hear whear Charles is. Elizabeth wrote to me some time ago that he had volunteered. I never heard whear he went. I would like to hear from Robert John. I would be glad if some of you could come and see me and the children. I want all to writ to me as often as you can for I would like to hear from you all. Mother is sick. Oscar is not very well. my babe is not very well.

I hope this few lines will find you all well. write soon.Yours affectionately untill death

Minerva Harmon

• Fact: Residence (1850) Boone county, part of, Boone, Indiana, United States
• Fact: Residence (1860) Lyons Township, Mills, Iowa, United States
• Fact: Military Service Francis M. Harmon, whose residence was Glenwood, Iowa, enlisted 10 Oct 1861, as a Private, in Company F, 15th Infantry Regt, Iowa. He gave his age as 26 and was mustered in on 18 Nov 1861. He was severely wounded in the hand on 6 April 1862 at Shiloh, Tennessee and died of typhoid fever at the division hospital on 1 Jun 1862. He is buried at Pittsburg Landing, now Shiloh National Cemetery - a picture of his grave marker is on their website.
• Fact: Burial Shiloh Methodist Cemetery, Shiloh, Hardin, Tennessee

Sources

• "Family Tree," database, FamilySearch (http://familysearch.org : modified 10 August 2023, 09:58), entry for Francis Marion Harmon (PID https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/4:1:K2XM-Q52 ); contributed by various users.
• The National Archives in Washington D.C.; Record Group: Records of the Bureau of the Census; Record Group Number: 29; Series Number: M653; Residence Date: 1860; Home in 1860: Lyons, Mills, Iowa; Roll: M653_336; Page: 36; Family History Library Film: 803336
• Historical Data Systems, Inc.; Duxbury, MA 02331; American Civil War Research Database
• Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/83748713/francis-marion-harmon: accessed 14 February 2023), memorial page for Pvt Francis Marion Harmon (8 Feb 1835–1 Jun 1862), Find a Grave Memorial ID 83748713, citing Shiloh Methodist Church Cemetery, Shiloh Battlefield, Hardin County, Tennessee, USA; Maintained by Helen (contributor 46831582).