Johannes Saam (1822 - 1870)

Born 9 May 1822 in Hesse-Cassel (Germany)

Descendants

Died 1870 at about age 47 in Houghton, Houghton, Michigan, United States

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Steve Kline [send private message]

Biography

John Saam served in the United States Civil War.
Enlisted: Sep 10, 1861
Mustered out: Jan 30, 1866
Side: USA
Regiment(s): Company A, Ninth Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry, 1 Jan 1864: Trans. to Co. C, Trans to Reorg. Co. A

Before 1857: His brother Bernard went to the US before John and settled first in Eagle River, Michigan. John was apparently a farmer in Germany. (1)

1857: Johann arrived in New York on 08 Sep 1857 from Bremerhaven on the ship Meta (6, 7) with his wife and 4 children after 57 days on the ocean. Traveled from New York City to Sheboygan, WI via railroad, canals, and lakes. They lived there on rented land until after the Civil War started (1).

1861: The Wisconsin Ninth Infantry "...was organized at Camp Sigel, Milwaukee, and was recruited among the German population of the State." (11) Senior Officer was Col Fredrick Salomon (3, 11) who was called upon by Wisconsin Governor Randall to organize the 9th Wisconsin Regiment (13).

10 Sept 1861: Johann and the family were living in Herman, WI (3, 4). He enlisted in Company A, Ninth Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry. He served until the close of the conflict (1, 3, 4). He was a Corporal from time of enrollment. (4)

29 Aug to 31 Dec 1861: Per Company Muster Roll, Johann was "present". (11) I do not know why he would have been shown as present before he joined, but perhaps that was normal, or an error.

22 January 1862: The Ninth "...left the State to report at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas." (11)

28 January 1862: The Ninth was "...assigned to take part in the " Southwestern Expedition," projected by General Jim Lane, the troops for which were to concentrate at Fort Scott." (11)

26 Feb 1862: Per Co. Muster-out Roll, Johann was reduced to the ranks. The Co. Muster-out Roll of 3 Dec 1864 recorded this information. His commanding officer was Col Salomon. (4)

30 April 1862: Per Company Muster Roll, Johann's Present or absent status was, "not stated". (4)

27 May 1862: The Ninth left Fort Scott and "...marched by way of Humbolt, Kansas, and Indian Mission, to Spring River, and encamped. (11)

13 June 1862: The Ninth "...moved to the vicinity of Baxter's Springs. While stationed here, frequent expeditions were sent out against the rebels, two of whose camps, at Cowskin Prairie, were attacked and destroyed." (11)

28 June 1862: The Ninth "...commenced its march to Fort Gibson..." (11)

30 June 1862: Per Company Muster Roll, Johann was "Absent sick at the Fort Scott Hospital" (4). Johann's illness is unknown. The length of time he was sick at Fort Scott is unknown. Perhaps he was at Fort Scott from 27 May to 11 August.

3 July 1862: "...a force of rebel Indians was routed and dispersed. Several skirmishes with other predatory bands took place, resulting in success to the Union arms." (11)

9 July 1862: "The expedition arrived at Flat Rock Creek, fifteen miles from Fort Gibson..." (11)

11 August 1862: The Ninth arrived at Fort Scott. (11)

22 September 1862: The Ninth arrived in Sarcoxie in Jasper County, Missouri having marched from Fort Scott (11).

29 September 1862: Some elements of the Ninth were sent to reconnoiter Newtonia, fifteen miles from Sarcoxie. (Johann"s company, A, was not involved in the resulting battle.) The balance of the Ninth attempted to get to the battle but did not receive reinforcements and returned to Sarcoxie. (11)

3 October 1862: The command made another advance on Newtonia, which was evacuated by the rebels. (11)

7 December 1862: The Ninth was apparently under General Blunt, at Cane Hill. "Here it was found the enemy had gained the rear, and was advancing on Rheas' Mills, when the Ninth was ordered back to protect the trains." (11)

10 December 1862: "...the Ninth returned to Rheas' Mills, and resumed its former occupation of making flour and supplying bread. A raid was made to Van Buren, Ark., the regiment marching 60 miles in two days, aud returning to Rheas' Mills. From this time till the 20th of February, the regiment was engaged in marching to various points, performing a sort of patrol duty, when they went into winter quarters at Stahl's Creek, 36 miles west of Springfield, Mo." (11)

8 July 1863: "...they moved, by railroad, to St. Louis, where they were engaged in guard duty until the 12th of September, 1863" (11)

10 October 1863: "They then marched to Little Rock, and went into winter quarters, about the 1st of November." (11)

1 Jan 1864: Transfered to Co. C (3). Voluntary Enlistment states, "Mustered in as Veteran Volunteer..." and that he had grey eyes, dark hair, dark complexion, and was 6 feet 1 inch tall." He enlisted for 3 more years for $2 per month (4).

22 Jan 1864: Per M. and D. Roll of Veteran Volunteers, Mustered in in Little Rock, Ark with effective date of 1 Jan. (4)

January, 1864: "...two hundred and thirty members of the regiment reenlisted, two companies of which, C and K, returned to Wisconsin on furlough, early in February." (11) Since Johann had transferred to Company C, he must have been one of the soldiers included in the furlough.

1864: His wife and family moved to Hancock while Johann was still in the army (1). Still researching why they made the move. It could be because his brother (Saam-57) was in the Upper Peninsula.

30 Jan 1866: Mustered out (3) in Little Rock, Ark (4) and joined his family in Hancock where he had various employment but could not do hard labor due to poor health (1).

John apparently worked on the digging of the Portage Canal and may have died as a result of that work. (10)

1870: Johann died. John Saam's grave can be found at: Forest Hill Cemetery Park Addition Houghton, MI 49931 906-482-3580 Section 7, Lot 5, Grave D, Block 8. (5)

Research Notes

According to his Find A Grave entry (5) he was born in Sieglos, Hessen Kassel, Germany, but no reference was given.

Sources

• (1) A History of the Northern Peninsula of Michigan and Its People, Its Mining, Lumber and Agricultural Industries, Alvah Littlefield Sawyer, 1911, https://play.google.com/books/reader?printsec=frontcover&output=reader&id=ghXiAAAAMAAJ&pg=GBS.PA781

• (2) Wisconsin Historical Society, Wisconsin volunteers, War of the Rebellion, 1861-1865, page 865, http://content.wisconsinhistory.org/cdm/compoundobject/collection/quiner/id/48983/show/48709/rec/1

• (3) Wisconsin Historical Society, Roster of Wisconsin Volunteers, War of the Rebellion, 1861-1865, Volume I, pages 607, 613, 636, http://content.wisconsinhistory.org/cdm/ref/collection/tp/id/35700

• (4) Johann Saam Military Service Records obtained from U.S. National Archives in possession of Kline-879.

• (5) Find A Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com : accessed 22 May 2019), memorial page for Johann Saam (9 May 1822–1870), Find A Grave Memorial no. 58900356, citing Forest Hill Cemetery, Houghton, Houghton County, Michigan, USA ; Maintained by Kent Salomon (contributor 901) . https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/58900356/johann-saam

• (6) Johann Saam, United States Germans to America Index, 1850-1897, Family Search, https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KDWQ-XHN

• (7) Johann Saam, New York Passenger Lists, 1820-1891, Family Search, https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:27RP-3RG

• (8) https://www.geni.com/people/Johannes-Saam/6000000002637969411

• (9) RootsWeb, Saam--Kaiser Family Tree, Entries: 125, Updated: Sat Jan 4 21:19:59 2003, Owner: Brian Saam, http://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=:2363996&id=I511747175

• (10) Memories of Kline-889 as told to him by Kline-888.

• (11) E.B. Quiner's Military History of Wisconsin (Chicago, 1866), 9th Infantry, chapter 17, http://content.wisconsinhistory.org/cdm/compoundobject/collection/quiner/id/16416

• (12) Wisconsin Genealogy Trails, Sheboygan County Wisconsin History, THE CIVIL WAR, CHAPTER X, [Source: History of Sheboygan County, Wisconsin, past and present, Volume 1; By Carl Zillier, S.J. Clarke Publishing Company; Publ. 1912; Transcribed and donated by Andrea Stawski Pack.] http://genealogytrails.com/wis/sheboygan/history_civilwar.html

• (13) Background info on Fredrick Soloman: http://www.28thwisconsin.com/salomon.html

• (14) https://www.nps.gov/civilwar/search-soldiers-detail.htm?soldierId=398660CC-DC7A-DF11-BF36-B8AC6F5D926A