Montpelier Brothers in Civil War Service – the Lambersons
By Pamela Pattison Lash
Our first Civil War veteran and resident of Montpelier, Williams County, Ohio descended from a Revolutionary War soldier. He was one of three sons who served in the Union Army and took great pride in his Infantry service of 1 Year 4 Months and 26 Days. The soldier entered the war as a private in Company K of the 38th Ohio Volunteer Infantry, mustering in on 16 February 1864 in Ohio and mustering out on the most common day for this unit, 12 July 1865 in Louisville, Tennessee. He later applied for a CW pension as an invalid on 3 July 1876, suffering from injuries to his right shoulder, and upon his death due to paralysis of the heart, his widow was granted his pension on 14 June 1915.
William Whitfield LAMBERSON, the fourth child of nine and the third son of Edward S. Lamberson and wife Charity Ely, was born on 24 June 1843, probably in Northumberland County, Pennsylvania. Through his maternal lineage he traced back to his Revolutionary War veteran great-grandfather, Colonel George Ely of Hunterdon Co, NJ, DAR #A038190. This lineage is also applicable for both Asher and James Lamberson.
William’s family can be found in the federal census records of 1840 Rush Twp, Northumberland Co, PA, 1850 Roaring Creek, Montour Co, PA, and 1860 Cardington, Morrow Co, OH. His father, Edward S Lamberson, was born on 9 July 1818 in Northumberland Co, PA. He was the son of Edward Lamberson and Mary Ann Quick; both were buried in the Presbyterian Chapel Cemetery at Rushtown, PA. Edward S married Charity Ely in Northumberland Co, PA on 1 September 1836. Charity, the daughter of Caleb Ely and Jeanette Campbell, was born on 29 February 1820 in Northumberland Co, PA. Together they had the following children:
(1) Samuel Ely (1837-1841),
(2) Asher Ely (10 Dec 1839 PA – 21 May 1925, Jackson Co, MI, m Margueritte Ely, 2 Mar 1864, Lenawee Co, MI, both buried in Pleasant Union View Cemetery, Fayette, Fulton Co, OH), second subject,
(3) Elizabeth Jane (1840 – 1841),
(4) William Whitfield, our main subject,
(5) Harriet Ann (1843 – bef 1850),
(6) James Wesley (27 Jan 1847 – 22 Nov 1923 Montpelier, OH, m Rebecca Ann Mehrling, 25 Dec 1867, Williams Co, OH, both buried in Riverside Cemetery, Montpelier), third subject
(7) Joanna “Annie” (6 Oct 1853 – 6 Feb 1940, m Thomas J Merritt, 17 Aug 1872, Hillsdale Co, MI),
(8) Semira “Myra”(28 Mar 1855 – 31 Jan 1918, Jackson Co, MI, m Levi Merritt, 25 Mar 1875, Hillsdale Co, MI,
(9) Maxwell Boggs (1857 – 15 June 1933, Elkhart Co, IN, m Caroline Malala Fetterhoff, 12 Aug 1883, Steuben Co, IN.
Father Edward S Lamberson died on 19 Dec 1884 in Fayette, Fulton Co, OH and was buried there in the Pleasant View Union Cemetery. Mother Charity Ely Lamberson passed away on 25 Apr 1886, also in Fayette, and was buried beside husband Edward.
William married Margaret Adelina Coleman on 3 December 1865 in Williams County, Ohio. Margaret, the daughter of William Coleman and Maria Lutz/Lutes, was born in Blissfield, Coshocton Co, OH on 27 May 1851. They are found in the following federal census records: 1870 Cardington, Morrow Co, OH, 1880 NW Twp, Williams Co, OH, 1890 Veterans Schedule for Superior Twp, Williams Co, OH, and the 1900 and 1910 Montpelier, Superior Twp, Williams Co, OH, where his occupation was driving a grocery wagon. The couple had five children, 3 sons and 2 daughters. The children are:
(1) Lillian (16 Apr 1866, Coshocton Co, OH – 17 Apr 1866, Coshocton Co, OH),
(2) Abraham Ellsworth (13 Feb 1868 Coshocton Co, OH – 8 July 1939, Toledo, Lucas Co, OH, m Nellie Tressler, 20 Sept 1892, Williams Co, OH), hardware merchant,
(3) George Johnson (18 Nov 1870, Morrow Co, OH – 23 June 1953 near Archbold, Fulton Co, OH, m1 Gertie J Kernys, 9 Mar 1893, Hillsdale Co, MI; m2 Elizabeth “Libbie” Huffman, 19 Nov 1899, Williams Co, OH), farmer and custodian of Park and Lincoln Schools in Bryan,
(4) Bertha Charity (3 Nov 1873 Coshocton Co, OH – 15 Oct 1940 Ann Arbor, Washtenaw Co, MI, m1 Fred Chapman, 1891; m2 John S Smith, 1895; m3 Eli Stockwell, 1910),
(5) Harley Winfred (18 Oct 1883, Montpelier, Williams Co, OH – 17 June 1936 Toledo, Lucas Co, OH, m Mary Pacholski).
William died on 9 June 1915 in Montpelier and was buried in the Riverside Cemetery there. Margaret used the services of lawyer EE Bechtol to file for his Civil War Pension as his widow for the cost of $10. Margaret continued to live in Montpelier until her death on 20 September 1900. She too was buried in Riverside Cemetery.
Oldest brother Asher Ely Lamberson served in Co I of the 3rd Ohio Infantry as a private, mustering in May 1861. He was soon discharged due to lung trouble. By the Civil War Draft Records for Clinton Twp, Fulton Co, OH Asher in 1863 was unmarried with a notation that he had consumption and had been twice refused to be in military service. Asher is found in the 1890 Veteran’s Schedule as a resident of Gorham Twp, Fulton Co, OH with a muster in date of March 1861 but without a muster out date. Asher and his wife Margaret Ely were parents of a son, Franklin Spencer, born 28 Oct 1880 in Fulton Co, OH; he married Celeste Crawford, 13 Apr 1903 in Fulton Co, OH. Margaret was the daughter of William Ely and Sarah Jane Campbell. She was born in Oh on 27 Oct 1844 and died in Fayette, Fulton Co, OH on 30 Nov 1911. After his wife’s death Asher moved to Leoni, Jackson Co, MI, and lived with his son Frank until his death due to arteriosclerosis. He was listed as a retired barber on his Michigan death certificate.
Younger brother James Wesley Lamberson was also a CW veteran, serving in Co A 142nd Indiana Infantry as a corporal from 20 Sept 1864 to 28 June 1865 when he mustered out at Kendallville, IN. He served 9 Months and 25 Days. He married Rebecca A Mehrling, the daughter of John Mehrling and Lydia Reber. Rebecca was born in Huron Co, OH on 1 July 1848 and died on 12 September 1924 in Montpelier. James and Rebecca were the parents of the following four children:
1. William E (31 Oct 1868, Williams Co, OH – 14 July 1948, Williams Co, OH; m Corda Huntington, 1891),
2. Ada Rose (6 Dec 1871, Morrow Co, OH – 18 June 1946; m William F Carl),
3. Alice M ( Nov 1873, NW Twp, Williams Co, OH – 31 Aug 1887, Montpelier, Williams Co, OH),
4. George Alfred (31 Jan 1876, Williams Co, OH – 12 Aug 1952, Williams Co, OH; m Sylvia Bible, 24 Dec 1899, Williams Co, OH),
James applied for a Civil War pension as an invalid on 10 Apr 1871; his widow Rebecca was granted his pension on 11 Feb 1924.
Reference List
1840 Rush Twp, Northumberland Co, PA Federal Census – Edward Lomason and family
1850 Roaring Cree, Montour Co, PA Federal Census – Asher 11 PA/William 6 PA/ James 3 PA with parents
1860 Cardington, Morrow Co, OH Federal Census – Asher 21 PA/William 17 PA /James 13 PA with parents
1870 Cardington, Morrow Co, OH Federal Census – William 26 PA/Margaret 20 OH
1870 Fayette, Gorham Twp, Fulton Co, OH Federal Census – Asher 33 PA/Margaret 27 OH
1880 Fayette, Gorham Twp, Fulton Co, OH Federal Census – Asher 42 PA/Margaret 35 OH
1880 NW Twp, Williams Co, OH Federal Census – William 37 PA/Margaret 29 OH and James 33 PA/Rebecca A 32 OH
1890 Veterans Schedule, Gorham Twp, Fulton Co, OH Federal Census– Asher’s enlistment/discharge dates/company/rank
1890 Veterans Schedule, Superior Twp, Williams Co, OH Federal Census – William’s enlistment/discharge dates/company/rank
1900 Fayette, Gorham Twp, Fulton Co, OH Federal Census – Asher 63 PA/Margaret 55 OH
1900 Montpelier, Superior Twp, WilliamsCo, OH Federal Census – William 56 PA/Margaret 49 OH and James 53 PA/Rebecca 51 OH
1910 Superior Twp, Williams Co, OH Federal Census – William 66 PA/Margaret 58 OH and James 63 PA/Rebecca A 62 OH
1920 Leoni, Jackson Co, MI Federal Census – Asher 82 PA widower
1920 Superior Twp, Williams Co, OH Federal Census – JW 72 PA/Rebecca 71 OH
“Bryan Democrat” (Bryan, OH), 13 July 1939 p8c6 – E A Lamberson obit
“Bryan Times” (Bryan, OH), 23 June 1953 p1c1 – George Lamberson obit
Civil War Pensions
Civil War Soldiers 1861-1865 M552 Roll 61
Ely, Revell, and Stacey: A Historical Narrative p258, 319
Lupien, David, Boys in Blue, p16, 42
Official Roster of Soldiers of Ohio – muster in and ou dates, company, regiment, rank
Ohio Grave Registratiions for US Soldiers, 1804-1958 – William’s next of kin listed as Eli Stockwell
Superior Twp, Williams Co, OH Cemeteries p141
Williams Co, OH Marriages V3 p465– James Lamberson and Rebecca A Mehrling; V3 p500 William Lamberson and Margaret Lutz
Jackson Co, MI Death Record
Williams Co, OH Death Records
