Co. K, 8th Reg., IL Vol.
Born as Francis REED, he served in the Union Army under that name for 19 months during the Civil War. He served in Co. K, 8th Reg., IL Vol., an infantry unit. He deserted after having been in the battles of Donelson and Shiloh. After deserting, he changed his name to Tom Doyle and lived out the rest of his life under his created name.
His first language was French. He was illiterate, and his English was never the best.
He first married Permelia PAYNE, of Danville, Illinois. They had two children before their marriage ended. Permelia moved to another state with the two boys and built a new life.
He second married the widow of Solomon Roderick, Lucy PETERSON. By Lucy, he had four more children.
After Lucy died, he was married briefly to Elizabeth HARBAUGH, and then even more briefly to Sarah Elizabeth. No children were born to his 3rd or 4th marriages.
He worked in the coal mines, and he died destitute in the state asylum for the insane in Kankakee. He arrived at the asylum on November 30, 1915; he died there on February 8, 1916. That asylum is known to have been extremely grim. It's where the octogenarian spent the final two months and one week of his life.
One wonders if, as an old man near death, he attempted to tell people that his real name was "Frank Reed." If so, that alone might have had people believe he was insane. Also, if he battled dementia in the last months of his life, he may have forgotten that he had lived years as "Tom Doyle," and he may have remembered only the man of his youth.
This man did not have an easy life.
PATERNAL HAPLOGROUP:
R-S660
NOTE: great-grandfather of page creator
Co. K, 8th Reg., IL Vol.
Born as Francis REED, he served in the Union Army under that name for 19 months during the Civil War. He served in Co. K, 8th Reg., IL Vol., an infantry unit. He deserted after having been in the battles of Donelson and Shiloh. After deserting, he changed his name to Tom Doyle and lived out the rest of his life under his created name.
His first language was French. He was illiterate, and his English was never the best.
He first married Permelia PAYNE, of Danville, Illinois. They had two children before their marriage ended. Permelia moved to another state with the two boys and built a new life.
He second married the widow of Solomon Roderick, Lucy PETERSON. By Lucy, he had four more children.
After Lucy died, he was married briefly to Elizabeth HARBAUGH, and then even more briefly to Sarah Elizabeth. No children were born to his 3rd or 4th marriages.
He worked in the coal mines, and he died destitute in the state asylum for the insane in Kankakee. He arrived at the asylum on November 30, 1915; he died there on February 8, 1916. That asylum is known to have been extremely grim. It's where the octogenarian spent the final two months and one week of his life.
One wonders if, as an old man near death, he attempted to tell people that his real name was "Frank Reed." If so, that alone might have had people believe he was insane. Also, if he battled dementia in the last months of his life, he may have forgotten that he had lived years as "Tom Doyle," and he may have remembered only the man of his youth.
This man did not have an easy life.
PATERNAL HAPLOGROUP:
R-S660
NOTE: great-grandfather of page creator