Henry J. (Heinrich) Massoth (1842-1925)
 |
||
The following information comes from research done by Ralph Massoth, Jr., who has done extensive work on his family tree:
- A translated copy of a document about the birth of Henry J. Massoth
- In the year of Christ Eighteen hundred forty two, on the second of June in the morning at eight o'clock was born to the local citizen and farmer, Johann Masoth, in accordance to believeable testimony, by his first wife Christina nee Ofenloch, the seventh child, a son, the fourth son, and baptized on the following day in the afternoon at one o'clock, at which time he was given the name of Heinrich.
Godfather was the local citizen and carpenter, Heinrich Ofenloch, who with the father of the child, and me the minister, who performed the baptism, has signed this document.
- G. Schlink, Minister
- These papers give the following information --
On May 3, 1863, Private Henry Massorth of Co. A of the 73rd Regiment from Indiana was captured at Rome, Georgia/Cedar Bluff, Alabama. He was confined at Richmond, Virginia May 9, 1863, and was paroled at City Point, Virginia on May 15, 1863. He is listed as having reported at Camp Parole, Md., on May 18, 1863, and was sent from there to C.C. O. on May 19, 1863.
Henry Massoth's Civil War Discharge Papers, which read:
To all whom it may concern:
Know ye, that Henry Massoth a Private ot Captain Alfred Fry Company A, 73rd Regiment of Indiana Infantry Volunteers, who was enrolled on the Twenty-sixth day of July one thousand eight hundred and sixty two to serve Three years or during the war, is hereby Discharged from the service of the United States this First day of July, 1865, at Nashville, Tenn. by reason of Instructions from War Detp. dated May.
(No objection to his being re-enlisted is known to exist.)
Said Henry Massoth was born on _______ in the State of Germany, is Twenty years of age, five feet six inches high, light complexion, hazel eyes, Auburn hair, and by occupation when enrolled, a Farmer.
Given at Nashville Tenn., this 1st day of July 1865.
- John N. Morris
Capt. and ACM 1 on 4AC
Co. A 73rd Ind. Vols.
Marriage License of Henry Massoth and Mary Klein which reads:
- Henry Massoth to Mary Klein
Be it remembered, That on this 8th day of September, 1865, the following marriage license was issued, to-wit:
INDIANA, TO-WIT: Lake COUNTY, SS.
- TO ALL WHO SHALL SEE THESE PRESENTS, GREETING:
In testimony whereof, I Frank F. Summers, Clerk of the Lake Circuit Court, hereunto subscribe my name, and affix the seal of said court, this 8th day of September, 1865. Frank F. Summers, Clk.
- By _____________________ [illegible]
Be it further remembered, that on this 9 day of April 1866, the following certificate was filed in my office, to-wit:
INDIANA, To-wit: Lake County.
- This certifies that I joined in marriage as husband and wife Henry Massoth and Mary Klein on the 15 day of September 1865.
- Rev. B. Rachor
Ralph Massoth, Jr.'s records also include that Henry J. Massoth and Mary Klein were married at St John's Church in Cedar Lake. Mary (Maria) Klien was born in 1848 and died Jan. 5, 1924. Henry died March 24, 1925.
Henry Massoth's Application for a Government Pension which was filed in Nebraska in March 1887 included a statement by Peter Joham:
I have been well acquainted with Henry Massoth for 8 years and 2 years respectively, and that of the Battle of Stone River Henry Massoth slept in the water all night and when him and I woke up one half of our Bodies were under water and that _________ _________ we went out for a scout Henry Massoth was there and when we got back to camp we had no tent and it rained all night and ___ we slept all night on _________ only water applicant further states that before those times spoken of when Henry Massoth slept in those rains he was as sound a man as was in the Regiment and after I heard him complaining of Rheumatism and Neuralgia of feet and hands
Henry Massoth's Application for a Government Pension which was filed in Nebraska Feb. 15, 1889, included a statement by Philipp Weinand:
I have been well acquainted with Henry Massoth for 30 years. . . when he went into the service on the 6" day of August 1862, he was a sound able bodied man, able to do all kinds of manual service & had been from the time I first became acquainted with him that during and at the Battle of Stone River on or about the first of January 1863 we were terribly expose[d] by having to lay in water in order to secure any rest and again in the fall of 1864 while on our way home to attend at the election of that fall between Decatur and Athens we were attacked by the Rebels, and were again exposed to rainy and stormy weather and at that time from said exposure & the exposure in 1862 said Henry Massoth commenced to complain of Rheumatism through his entire body complaining mostly of its hurting him in his legs & from the effects of said exposure. I [k]now that he was not up to the fall of 1868 able to do scarcely any manual labor of any kind, and I believed at that time he had Rheumatism permanently fixed in his system & from which he suffered a great deal and was totally unfitted on account of it from performing manual labor, and from the fall of 1868 to this time July 5" 1889 I have not been acquainted with his condition we having been separated since said time the occupation of said applicant during all the time I was with him was that of a farmer.
It is interesting to note that Philipp Weinand had married Henry Massoth's sister Catherine Massoth, so the men were actually borthers-in-law when this was written.
Declaration for Pension filed in Woodson County, Kansas, June 3, 1912, reads in part:
- Henry Massoth, who, being duly sworn according to law, declares that he is 70 years of age, and a resident of Piqua, county of Woodson, State of Kansas; and that he is the identical person who was ENROLLED at South Bend Indianna [sic], under the name of Henry Massoth on the 26th day of July, 1862, as a Volunteer, in A. Co. 73rd Ind. Inf. in the service of the United States, in the civil war, and was honorably discharged at Nashville Tenn, on the 1st day of July 1865. . . .
That he was not employed in the military or naval service of the United States otherwise than as stated above. That his personal description at enlistment was as follows: Height, 5 feet 6 inches; complexion, light; color of eyes, Hazel; color of hair, light; that his occupation was Farmer that he was born June 2nd, 1842 at Germany
That his several places of residence since leaving the service have been as follows: Ind. until 1870 thence to Woodson County, Kansas and has resided here ever since
That he is a pensioner under certificate No 659.531. . . .
That his post-office address is Piqua, county of Woodson, state of Kansas.
Another Declaration for pension, with similar information was filed in Woodson County, Kansas, on Feb. 14, 1924. The reason given for his pension request was "Old age, poor health and widowed."
Return to Civil War Veterans
Return to Three Creeks Monument
Return to Biographies