Carlos William Colby, a farmer’s son, was born in 1837 in the small town of Hopkinton, New Hampshire. He moved with his family from New Hampshire to a farm near Alton, Illinois in 1850. Carlos enlisted in the Union Army in September of 1862, in Company G, 97th Illinois Infantry, mustered in as a second corporal.
He received a Congressional Medal of Honor in 1896 “…for most distinguished gallantry in action at the battle of Vicksburg, Mississippi.” His letters home survive, many of which were published by his great-grandson John S. Painter under the title of “Bullets, Hartack and Mud: A Soldier’s View of the Vicksburg Campaign” (Journal of the West, Vol IV, No. 2, 1965).
Medal of Honor Recipient: COLBY, CARLOS W.
Rank and Organization: Sergeant, Company G, 97th Illinois Infantry.
Place and Date: At Vicksburg, Miss., 22 May 1863. Entered Service At: Madison County, Ill.
Birth: Merrimack, N.H. [actually Hopkinton, Merrimack Co. NH]
Date of Issue: 31 January 1896.
Citation: Gallantry in the charge of the “volunteer storming party.”
When the Civil War ended, Carlos Colby returned home, married Anne E. Rowe, farmed and raised a family. Carlos Colby died, aged 85, in 1922, and is buried at Cress Hill Cemetery in Hillsboro IL. Note: Carlos Colby is my cousin, through his LONG family line (see LONG family tree link below, in the genealogy section).
Janice
-Descendants of Carlos W. Colby-
–Grave Site of Carlos W. Colby–
–Inventory of Carlos W. Colby Papers, 1821-1937, bulk 1861-1865-
–Men of NH Who Served During Civil War in Units Not in NH–
–Medal of Honor Recipients, from the Battle of Vicksburg–
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***COLBY FAMILY GENEALOGY***
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Anthony Colby (1605-1660) and Martha (c1610-?)
Thomas Colby (1650-1691) and Hannah Rowell (1653-1707)
Thomas Colby (1675-1741) and Frances Willoughby (1672-1778)
Ezekiel Colby (1699-1761) and Mary Elliot (1699-1761)
Elliot Colby (1735-1811) and Judith Sargent (1739-1782)
John Colby (1767-1850) and Sarah Flanders (1774-1837)
James Colby, son of John & Sarah (Flanders) Colby was b. 9 January 1798 in Warner, Merrimack Co. NH and d. 19 Jan 1852 in Upper Alton, Madison County IL, aged 54 years. He married 15 Feb 1826 to Abigail Bailey Long, dau of Dr. Moses & Lucy (Harriman) Long, by Rev. Mr. Hatch. She was b. 11 May 1794 at Hopkinton NH, and d. 19 Feb 1859. They resided in Warner NH for about 10 years, then moved to Hopkinton NH, to the old Long homestead where they lived until 1850. (He purchased farm from Moses Long & Stephen H. Long on East slope of Emerson Hill, 3 miles West of Hopkinton, NH). In 1850 Mr. Colby and his family moved west with his family, settling in Alton IL. (He purchased a farm at Alton, lived near B.F. Long & G.W. Long). James Colby died 19 Jan 1852, aged 54 years. Abigail B. (Long) Colby died 19 Feb 1859.
[ALSO SEE Long genealogy]
Children of James & Abigail B. (Long) Colby:
1. infant son, b. abt 1828 Hopkinton NH; died in infancy
2. Lucy Long Colby, b. 21 Apr 1829 Hopkinton NH; m. 12 Nov 1849 to Theodore Alexander Stout; res. Princeton NJ
2. George H. Colby, b. 31 March 1831 Hopkinton NH; res. Alton IL
3. Sarah Lyman Colby, b. 11 Aug 1832 Hopkinton NH; teacher in the Missouri School for the Blind, St. Louis MO
4. Caroline Maria Colby, b. 14 Aug 1834 Hopkinton NH; m. 1856 to Charles H. Thomas; died at Alton IL Dec 1864
5. +Carlos William Colby; b. 15 May 1837 Hopkinton NH; res. North Alton IL, soldier during the war of the Rebellion
Carlos William Colby, son of James & Abigail B. (Long) Colby, was b. 15 May 1837 in Hopkinton, New Hampshire. He died 19 May 1922 in Peoria, Peoria Co. IL. He married 20 Dec 1866 in Alton, Madison Co. IL to Anne Elizabeth Rowe. She was b. 29 March 1844 in Alton IL and d. 18 Dec 1899 in Butler, Montgomery Co. IL. He was awarded the Medal of Honor in 1863 for gallantry in the charge of the “volunteer storming party” at Vicksburg on May 22, 1863.
[SEE rootsweb family tree] [Also see descendants of Carlos William Colby link above]
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American Civil War Soldiers
Name: Carlos Colby ,
Residence: Godfrey, Illinois
Enlistment Date: 11 Aug 1862
Enlistment Place: Madison County, Illinois
Side Served: Union
State Served: Illinois
Birth Date: 15 May 1837
Death Date: 20 May 1922
Service Record: Promoted to Full 1st Sergeant.
Enlisted as a Corporal on 11 August 1862.
Enlisted in Company G, 97th Infantry Regiment Illinois on 11 Aug 1862.
Mustered Out Company G, 97th Infantry Regiment Illinois on 29 Jul 1865.
Promoted to Full 2nd Lieutenant on 1 Aug 1865.
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U.S. Census > 1870 United States Federal Census > Illinois > Madison > Township 5 Range 10
Colby, Carlos A. 33 M W Farmer 6000/500 NH
Colby, Anni E. 28 F W House Keep Illinois
Colby, Charles W. 10/12 M W Illinois Sep
Rowe, Elizabeth 64 F W North Carolina
Grover, Alice 18 F W Servant New York
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U.S. Census > 1880 United States Federal Census > Illinois > Madison > North Alton > District 24
Colby, Carlos W. W M 43 Farmer NH NH NH
Colby, Annie E W F 35 Illinois England NC
Colby, Charles W. W M 10 IL
Colby, Florence I W F 7 IL
Colby, Carlos F W M 1 IL
Rowe, Elizabeth W F 74 IL [should be NC]
Allen, Mary Ann W F 21 IL
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Children of Carlos W. & Anne “Annie” Elizabeth (Rowe) Colby:
1. John Rowe Colby, b. 10 May 1868 Alton, Madison Co. IL, d. young in 1869
2. Charles Willis Colby, b. 9 Oct 1869 ALton, IL; m. Mamie McRenolds
3. James Rowe Colby, b. 3 July 1871 Alton IL, died young in 1871
4. Florence Mae Colby, b. abt 1873 Alton IL
5. Cora Lee Colby, b. 24 Dec 1875 Alton IL, died young in 1879
6. Carlie Faye Colby, b. 19 July 1878 Alton IL, d. 1945 unmarried
7. Stella Long Colby, b. 31 Dec 1881 Alton IL, d. 1899
8. Henry Hastings Colby, b. 21 Jan 1885 Butler, Montgomery Co. IL; m. 1911 Ida C. Miller; had issue b. in IL. He d. in Houston TX; had issue
