Gurleyville Cemetery – Mansfield Historical Society

Tag: Gurleyville Cemetery

Gurleyville Cemetery

William F. Chaffee

Posted on November 4, 2022November 4, 2022 by Amanda Rutha

William F. Chaffee was a resident of Mansfield on August 11, 1862 when he enlisted as a Private in Co. D of the 21st Regiment Connecticut Volunteer Infantry. He was discharged for disability February 2, 1863.

The descriptive muster roll for the 21^st Regiment Connecticut Volunteer Infantry lists his age as 41 and his occupation as farmer. He is described as 5’8” tall with a fair complexion and light hair and blue eyes. His marital status is single.

He was born May 17, 1822 in Ashford to Frederick and Catherine Spring (Knowlton) Chaffee, Jr. In the 1860 U.S. census in Mansfield, he is a 38 year old farmer in the household of Frederick Chaffee. William married Soviah P. Simonds on August 31, 1862 in Mansfield, just a couple weeks after he enlisted in the army. There are no known children. After his Civil War service, he returned to Mansfield and resumed farming.

On December 20, 1869, he applied for an invalid pension, No. 151,388 that was granted under certificate No. 112,448. According to the list of pensioners on the roll in 1883, he was receiving $8 per month for a wound to his abdomen.

William F. Chaffee died on March 21, 1888 and is buried at the Gurleyville Cemetery in Mansfield.

David P. Knowlton

Posted on November 1, 2022November 9, 2022 by Amanda Rutha

David Palmer Knowlton was a resident of Mansfield on November 4, 1862 when he enlisted as a Private in Co. I of the 5th Regiment Connecticut Volunteer Infantry. He was transferred to Co. B, 20th Regiment of the Veterans Reserve Corps on December 12, 1863; he was discharged on July 20, 1865.

He was born November 16, 1833 in Ashford to Palmer A. and Harriet E. (Conant) Knowlton. In the 1860 U.S. census in Mansfield, he was a 26 year old farmer and head of household. David Knowlton married Elmira J. Simons/Simonds on February 28, 1853 in Mansfield. Children include: Adelaide Knowlton, born September 5, 1855; John E. Knowlton, born April 22, 1862 and Edith C. Knowlton, born January 22, 1867. His wife, Elmira died on March 18, 1867, less than two months after the birth of Edith. David Knowlton was a farmer.

On July 17, 1866, he applied for an invalid pension, No. 112,014 but he died before it was granted. A guardianship pension application was filed under certificate No. 111,006 on October 27, 1869 that was granted under 144,258. According to the list of pensioners on the roll in 1883, the minors of David P. Knowlton were receiving a pension of $10 per month.

David P. Knowlton died of consumption in Mansfield on July 17, 1869; he is buried at the Gurleyville Cemetery in Mansfield.

Willard R. Moulton

Posted on November 1, 2022December 2, 2022 by Amanda Rutha

Willard R. Moulton was a resident of Mansfield on April 25, 1861 when he enlisted as a Corporal in Co. D of the 3^rd Regiment Connecticut Volunteer Infantry; he was captured July 21, 1861 at the First Battle of Bull Run, Virginia, paroled June 2, 1862 and discharged July 6, 1862.

He was born about 1842 in Mansfield probably to Harvey and Anna (Turner) Moulton. In the 1850 U.S. census in Mansfield, he is believed to be the Rufus W. Moulton, 19 in the household of Anna Moulton; he was a factory laborer. It is possible that he was the Willard R. Moulton who enlisted as a 1^st Sergeant in Co. K of the 4^th New York Regiment Volunteer Cavalry on October 30, 1862. That soldier was transferred to Co. D of the 20^th Regiment Veteran Reserve Corp on May 19, 1864.

The Mansfield death record does not list a place of death and stated that he was 33 and was married; the name of his wife was not provided and no pension record has been located for him.

Willard R. Moulton died of consumption on April 2, 1865 and is buried at the Gurleyville Cemetery in Mansfield.

Elijah Simons

Posted on October 25, 2022October 25, 2022 by Amanda Rutha

Simons/Simonds

Elijah Simonds was a resident of Worcester, Massachusetts on September 15, 1861 when he enlisted as a Private in Co. A of the 25th Regiment Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry; he was a 39 year old Boot crimper at time of enlistment and was discharged for disability on September 16, 1863.

He was born on December 1, 1921 in Mansfield to Asa and Keziah (Conant) Simonds. Charles Simons/Simonds, one of his brothers, served in a Connecticut regiment in the Civil War. Elijah Simonds married Eunice E. Walker on November 5, 1848 in Mansfield. He moved to Worcester, Massachusetts about 1851. Children include: Elijah Simonds, born about April 1850 in Connecticut; Henry D. Simonds, born about 1851 in Connecticut and Lloyd E. Simonds born on April 27, 1869 in Worcester, Massachusetts. Eunice (Walker) Simonds died on April 21, 1872 in Worcester. Elijah Simonds married, second, Isabella H. (Hamilton) Dadman on April 20, 1873 in Worcester; there are no known children from this marriage.

After his Civil War service, he returned to Worcester, Massachusetts and worked as a letter carrier. Between 1873 and 1880, he moved to Oxford, Massachusetts. Isabella (Hamilton) (Dadman) Simonds died on May 10, 1893 in Oxford.

On October 10, 1863, he applied for an invalid pension, No. 34,681 that was granted under certificate No. 23,419.

Elijah Simonds died on May 26, 1917 and is buried at the Gurleyville Cemetery in Mansfield.