Willey, Chester Swain
|
MILITARY SERVICE Age: 25, credited to Concord, VT Unit(s): 11th VT INF Service: enl 11/7/63, m/i 11/7/63, Pvt, Co. A, 11th VT INF, pow, Weldon Railroad, 6/23/64, Andersonville, d/prison 11/25/64 (scorbutus) See Legend for expansion of abbreviations VITALSBirth: 11/23/1838, Kirby, VT Death: 11/25/1864 Burial: Andersonville National Cemetery, Andersonville, GA Marker/Plot: H/12156 Gravestone photographer: Tom Ledoux Findagrave Memorial #: 18490191 Cenotaph: Glenwood Cemetery, Littleton, NH Marker/Plot: Gravestone researcher/photographer: Fran Hanchett Findagrave Memorial #: 18490191 MORE INFORMATION Alias?: None noted Pension?: Yes, widow Mary A., 9/27/1865 Portrait?: Unknown College?: Not Found Veterans Home?: Not Found (If there are state digraphs above, this soldier spent some time in a state or national soldiers' home in that state after the war) Remarks: None Webmaster's Note: The 11th Vermont Infantry was also known as the 1st Vermont Heavy Artillery; the names were used interchangably for most of its career DESCENDANTS Great Grandfather of Anne Willey Sanderson, Manchester, NH Great Grandfather of Bruce C. Willey, Manchester, NH (Are you a descendant, but not listed? Register today) |
BURIAL: Copyright notice  Andersonville National Cemetery, GA Check the cemetery for location/directions and other veterans who may be buried there. CENOTAPH:  Cenotaph at Glenwood Cemetery, Littleton, NH Check the cemetery for location/directions and other veterans who may have cenotaphs there. |
Chester Swain Willey.
Chester and Joseph
Biography
Chester Swain Willey was born 23 November 1838 in Newport, Vt., to William and Polly (Reed) Willey of Kirby. His mother died when he was three months old.
Chester and his sister Sophronia were taken back to Kirby and brought up by Albert and Laura Burroughs, and a brother George went to the Horace Burroughs family. Some family references call Chester's caregiver "Uncle Seth Burroughs" in West Concord, Vt.
In 1860, Chester was living in Concord, a farmer, where he married Mary Ann Brown, daughter of Solon and Charlotte (Booty) Brown of that town, on March 15, 1860. Mary Ann had a brother, Joseph Booty Brown.
About 35 men from Concord served in the Civil War, including Chester Willey and his brother-in-law, Joseph.
Chester was living in Guildhall, Vt., in May 1863, when his name was listed on the draft register, a 26-year-old, married, farmer. He enlisted from Concord, and mustered in on 7 November 1863, as a private in Company A, 11th Vermont Infantry. Family records indicate he wrote a letter to Mary on 23 November, from camp in Brattleboro. Joseph followed him about five weeks later, enlisting from Concord on 16 December, and mustering in on 30 December, in the same company as Chester.
A note written by Mary says, "Chester S. Willey, in listed in the war in North. Went out to Washington sometime in December 1864. he was there about a month before Chester J. was born a sad day for me and not only me but hundreds of others that was the same." (Chester J. Willey was born 18 January 1864)
Chester and Joseph were taken prisoner at Weldon Railroad on 23 June 1864. They were at Richmond on 25 June, Lynchburg on 29 June, and finally arrived at the notorious Andersonville prison. Joseph died on 16 October and is buried in grave #11063. Chester was admitted to the prison hospital on 2 November, and died of scorbutus on 25 November. He is buried in grave #12156.
At Glenwood Cemetery, Littleton, NH, Chester S Willey has a marker and a cenotaph, and Mary Ann Brown Willey is buried there in the same lot as their son Chester J Willey and his wife.
Section H, Andersonville National Cemetery
where Chester and Joseph are buried.
Chester Willey's gravestone
Joseph Brown's gravestone.
Chester's cenotaph
Photographs and material from the Revised Roster and Mary Willey's pension application, courtesy of Anne Willey Sanderson, Chester's great-granddaughter.
