Civil War Biographies: Colman-Constantine

Colman was mortally wounded on October 4, 1862, at the Battle of Corinth, Mississippi. On October 13, 1862, Brigadier General David Stanley once again cited him, “In my military family I suffered an irreparable loss in the death of Capt[ain] W[illiam] D. Colman, assistant adjutant-general, a soldier by nature, a man of rare habits of industry … Read more

Civil War Biographies: Cook-Corrigan

COOK, GEORGE F. (1835-1915). Private, 82nd New York Infantry, Company A. A native of New York City, he enlisted there on May 21, 1861, mustered immediately into the 82nd New York, and was discharged for disability at Washington, D.C., on July 20, 1862. He last resided in Manhattan. Cook succumbed to a cerebral thrombosis. Section 83, … Read more

Civil War Biographies: Corson-Culbert

Corson’s obituary notes that he was a wholesale fish dealer in Sheepshead Bay and Coney Island for forty years and had supplied the hotels there for twenty-five years. The census of 1880 confirms that he was a fish dealer in Gravesend, Brooklyn. In 1893, his application for an invalid pension was granted, certificate 863,101. Together … Read more

I Love to Hear a Banjo, album by Roy Smeck, 1964

Roy Smeck, (1900-1994) fondly referred to as the “Wizard of the Strings” was an American musician renowned for his skill on the banjo, guitar, steel guitar and ukulele. His talents earned him countless opportunities to perform on the radio, on television and in film. As an expert in his field, Smeck also designed variations on stringed instruments and wrote arrangements and instruction books. He was posthumously inducted into both the Ukulele Hall of Fame and the National Four-String Banjo Hall of Fame.

Civil War Biographies: Cullen-Decatur

After the Civil War, Cullen gave up the study of engineering in favor of the law and was admitted to the bar in 1867. He is listed as a lawyer in the Brooklyn Directory for 1867-1870; he lived at 116 Montague Street. He joined the practice of McCue, Hall & Cullen which in 1870, was … Read more

Civil War Biographies: Decker-Detweiler

DECKER, HENRY S. (1833-1869). Second lieutenant, 8th New York Infantry, Company G. Decker was born in New York. After enlisting at New York City as a second lieutenant, he was commissioned into the 8th New York on April 23, 1861, and mustered out on August 2 of that year at New York City. The Mortuary … Read more

Civil War Biographies: Deuschle-Dunbar

DEVALL, FRANCIS D. (1835-1869). Second lieutenant, 80th New York Infantry, Company I; private, 20th Regiment, New York State Militia, Company D. Born in Woodstock, New York, he was employed as a farmer, carpenter and machinist. After enlisting at Kingston, New York, as a private on April 23, 1861, he mustered into the 20th New York … Read more

Civil War Biographies: Duncan-Dykeman

DUNCAN, JAMES M. (1820-1864). Commander, United States Navy. A native of Madisonville, Ohio, he was 6′ 2″ tall with brown eyes, brown hair and a light complexion. Duncan entered the Navy as a midshipman on December 8, 1837, rose to master on April 9, 1851, and to lieutenant on December 2, 1851. During 1861, he … Read more

Civil War Biographies: Eadie-Ferriss

EAGLESON, CHARLES (1835-1886). First lieutenant, 84th Regiment, New York State National Guard, Company F; sergeant, 8th Regiment, New York State National Guard, Company F. He enlisted and mustered into the 8th Regiment’s National Guard at New York City on May 28, 1862, and mustered out on September 10 of that year. His next service was … Read more

Civil War Biographies: Ferry-Franz

FERRY, EDWARD (1814-1876). Private, 79th New York Infantry, Company C. According to the census of 1860, he was a laborer who was born in Ireland. After enlisting as a private at New York City on May 13, 1861, Ferry mustered into the 79th New York on May 28. His son, Andrew Ferry, was in the … Read more