Joseph Byron Sherman
: Company A, 64th Regiment, NY State Volunteers. Age 39 years, enlisted Sept. 7, 1861 at Gowanda, to serve three years; mustered in as Private, Co. A on Sept. 20, 1861; wounded in action Dec. 13, 1862 at Fredericksburg, VA; mustered out Sept. 20, 1864.Information from roll call reports and affidavits found in his military and pension files:
January-February, 1862: Present.
March 1862: Injured (hernia), at Edsall Hill, between Alexandria and Manassas, Virginia. Fell into a freshly dug privy vault, at night while on the way back to Camp California after picket duty.
March-April 1862: Absent sick, Fairfax Seminary Hospital.
May-31 October 1862: Present.
13 December 1862: Wounded at the first battle of Fredericksburg. Severe thigh wound (right thigh). Taken to Hammond USA General Hospital, Point Lookout, Maryland.
27 January 1863-August 1863: Fort Wood USA Convalescent Hospital, Bedloe's Island, New York Harbor. Bedloe's Island is now called Liberty Island, and Fort Wood is now the base of the Statue of Liberty (the base is shaped like Fort Wood).
8 February 1864-20 September 1864: Stanton USA General Hospital, Washington, DC.
Feb-March 1864: David's Island, New York, Hospital. Mustered out of service, 10 September 1864. Discharged, 20 September 1864, at Elmira, New York.
Joseph suffered for the rest of his life as a result of the war. He had chronic dysentery, deafness in his right ear, and rheumatism in his right leg.
General biographical information:
Joseph Byron Sherman was born 5 May 1822, in North Collins, Erie county, New York. Parents John and Abigail (Ellis) Sherman. His parents moved from New Bedford (Long Plain/Acushnet), Massachusetts in 1816, to Concord, which became North Collins, at a later date.
Joseph married Lovina Franklin on 27 January 1844, in South Dayton, Cattaraugus Co., NY.
Joseph and Lovina had two children that lived to adulthood:
1) Albert L. Sherman, b. 8 April 1847, in Leon. d. 15 September 1916, in
Bradford, PA.
2) James Wells Sherman, b. 21 November 1848, in Leon. d. 24 September 1927, in
Duluth, Minnesota; m Delinda Hall in Cherry Creek, Chautauqua County.
James and Delinda had five children, all born in South Dayton:
Charles Ellis Sherman, b. 2 May 1874
Clifford Hall Sherman, b. 22 October 1877
Nellie Sherman, b. 29 May 1879
James Otis Sherman, b. 11 August 1886
Benjamin Harrison Sherman, b. 16 March 1889
Joseph died 23 August 1904, in South Dayton, and is buried in the Leon Treat (Union) Cemetery, Leon, Cattaraugus County, NY.
References: "Adjutant General's Report, 1901", and great-great-grandson, Terry Olson .
Photos of Joseph and additional information submitted by Terry Olson. Gravestone photo from Don Stevens.
