Bio: Cramer, Lorenzo & Wealtha

Contact:Peter Fadden

Surnames: CRAMER DICKINSON THOMAS GOODRICH CHESLEY BRIGGS HEART AUSTIN PERRY GLEASON

----Source: Family Records

Lorenzo & Wealtha Cramer Family

Lorenzo Cramer, a Civil War Veteran, his wife Wealtha and daughter, Jennie (Cramer) Dickinson and here husband George, are all buried in the Memorial Cemetery, Colby, Clark, WI.  Olive May, the Daughter of Alfred and Edith, is also buried there. Chesley Lorenzo, believed to be the son of Alfred and Edith, is also interred there.

Son Alfred married Edith M. Dickinson who was his sister's Jennie husband George's sister. At the time of Edith's mother's death (Hannah Dickinson), it is believed Alfred and Edith were living in Venice, California. 

Lorenzo was born Aug. 18, 1835, the son of Joseph and Lany (Blasier) Cramer. Aug. 20, 1837, he was christened at the Reformed Dutch Church at Fort Plain, Minden Twp., Montgomery, New York. 

Lorenzo L. Cramer married Wealtha A. Chesley on April 8, 1863 in Gouverneur, St. Lawrence County, NY.

Wealtha was born Dec. 19, 1836 in Oneida County, NY, the daughter of Jacob and Laura/Lorane (M) Chesley.

Lorenzo Cramer died 7/16/1895 and is buried in Colby Memorial Cemetery, Colby, Clark County, Wisconsin.

Wealthy died 8/30/1888 and is buried in Colby Memorial Cemetery, Colby, Clark County, Wisconsin.

Lorenzo and Wealtha lived near Plover, Town of Stockton, Portage County, Wisconsin prior to relocating to Hull.

Family Name: Cramer - 1870     

Town of Stockton Census       
Name    Age     Page   
Lorenzo 34      187A   
Wealthy 33      187A   
Alfred  6       187A   
Jennie  4       187A   
 

Civil War Service
----Source: Lorenzo’s pension file

 
The following is from a copy of Lorenzo’s discharge:

"Know Ye that Lorenzo Cramer, a Corporal of Captain W.M. Thomas’'s Company (D) 60^th Regiment of New York St. Vols. Who enlisted on the Third of September one thousand eight hundred and sixty one to serve for three years is hereby Discharged from the service of the United States this twenty fifth day of October, 1862 at General hospital by reason of Surgeons Certificate of Disability.

Said Lorenzo Cramer was born in Minden, Montgomery Co. in the State of New York, is twenty six years of age, five feet, eleven inches high, dark complexion, Brown eyes, Black hair, and by occupation, when enrolled, a Farmer."

And the oath swearing to his identity:

State of New York, County of Westchester

On this Twenty fifth day of October in the year one thousand eight hundred and sixty-two personally appeared before me the undersigned, a commissioned officer of a above mentioned Lorenzo Cramer who, being duly sworn, declares he is the identical Lorenzo Cramer who was a Corporal in the company commanded by Captain W. M. Thomas in the regiment Sixtieth New York St. Vols. commanded by Colonel Goodrich that he enlisted on the Third day of September1861 for the term of three years and was discharged at the General Hospital on the Twenty Fifth day of October 1862 by reason of Surgeons Certificate of Disability."

Lorenzo and his family moved from Pierrepont or Colton, St. Lawrence County, NY circa 1868 to Wisconsin. In 1870, the family is living in the Town of Stockton, Portage County, Wisconsin according to the census.

It is of interest that in Lorenzo’s Pension Application there are numerous affidavits, some by Colby area residents:
From an affidavit by Herman A. and Martha J. Wilcox of Colby, Clark County, Wisc. 3d day of January 1882
"that they are acquainted with and have known Lorenzo Cramer, …, since the year 1863 when he was discharged from the Army and have lived neighbor to him the greater part of the time from April 8 1863 until the fall of 1868 and again from November 1881 until the present date; ….. (Note in the 1863 thru 1868 time, they were in St. Lawrence County, NY.)

From an affidavit by Edwin E. Cone and Joel L. Briggs of Marathon County, Wisc. 24th day of February 1879
"That he now is, and has been for a period of nearly five years last past been a neighbor of Lorenzo Cramer late a soldier in the 60^th Regt. NY Vols; that while they have been such neighbors they have been well acquainted with said Cramer and have been knowing to the state of his bodily health and physical condition during said time; that his health has been poor during the whole of said time and his physical condition such as to interfere and hinder him from performance of hard bodily labor and at such times incapacitates him performing any manual labor; that such ill health still continues and has so continued since affidavits first became acquainted with said Cramer which was in the Spring of 1874."

(The following affidavit relates to the time spent in Portage County, Wisconsin. It also is what leads me to believe that the Chesley L. Cramer buried in Colby is Alfred’s Son.)

From an affidavit by John P. and Marietta Chesley of Portage County, Wisc. 10th day of February 1879
"that from the time of the discharge of Lorenzo Cramer from Co. D, 60^th Regiment New York Volunteers until the Spring of 1874 they were acquainted with and were neighbors of the said Lorenzo Cramer and during a portion of said time lived in the same house with him; …..

From an affidavit by Lorenzo Cramer, Clark County Wisc. 2^nd day of January 1882
"that while in the service of the U.'s in the late war of the Rebellion affiant was attacked with Typhoid Fever and was sick with said disease ad with inflammation of the lungs which appeared to be brought on by said disease until the date of affiants discharge; that affiant has never recovered from the effect of having inflammation of the lungs at that time and his health has been greatly injured thereby and it is that reason he claims himself entitled to a pension.

That the Physician who attended this affiant after his discharge and doctored him for said difficulty being one Dr. Austin of Canton, St. Lawrence Co. NY is now dead and affiant is unable to furnish his affidavit of the treatment by said Dr. Austin. Affiant generally treated himself by buying medicine for his lungs at the drug store and did not employ other physician and this for the principal reason that he has been too poor financially so to do besides being resident some little distance from where any good physicians reside.

That the only physician since Dr. Austin who has treated or prescribed for affiant is Dr. Freeman of Colby Wisconsin;
That affiant is unable to tell who the physicians were that attended affiant in the Army prior to his discharge having forgotten their names;

That the Post Office address of the following named parties whose affidavits are on file in this case are as follows:
Joel L. Briggs, Colby Clark Co. Wis.
E. E. Cone, " " " "
John P. Chesley, Plover Portage Co. Wis. (PJF Note: Brother of Wealtha)
Martha Chesley, " " " "
Wm. Perry, Canton, St. Lawrence Co. NY
Julius H. Heart, " " " " " "

From an affidavit by Lorenzo Cramer Clark County Wisc. 23^rd day of May 1879

"that prior to his being sick and while with his Regiment in Virginia he was detailed as nurse in Regimental Hospital and was performing duties as such at Sulphur Springs Virginia at the time he was taken sick with the fever alleged in his petition or claim for a pension; that affiant was examined at Bealton Station in Virginia and removed from there to Carver Hospital in Washington; that at the time of leaving Sulphur Springs the Regiment moved from Sulphur Springs to the Rappahannock and that the affiant was taken sick on said date and removed to Bealton Station aforesaid; that on account of such removals affiant was not treated for the fever by the Surgeon or Assistant Surgeon of the Regiment to which affiant belonged; and this affiant further sys that he has no knowledge of and does not know the name of the person who made an examination of his case at Bealton Station aforesaid before affiant was sent to Washington."

From an affidavit by Lorenzo Cramer Clark County Wisc. 13th day of July 1882

"that for a period of two years before his enlistment he resided at Canton in St. Lawrence County State of New York; that after his discharge from the Army he returned to Canton and resided there for a period of about one year and then moved to the Town of Colton adjoining said Town of Canton and in the same county and State and there resided until sometime in the fall of 1866 or 1867 where he removed to the Town of Stockton in Portage County in the State of Wisconsin where he resided until the Spring of 1874 when he removed to the Town of Hull in Marathon County in the State of Wisconsin where he has since resided and still continues to reside;

That for two years prior to affiants enlistment he was a farmer by occupation and that since his discharge he has been following the same occupation so far as he was able.

That affiant was first taken sick in the month of August 1862 with Typhoid Fever at White Sulphur Springs Virginia and shortly after was sent to a Hospital at Washington CE situate on Malvern Hill and which affiant thinks was called Carver Hospital; that while there the affiant was doctored for said disease by the Physician attending the inmates of said hospital but does not remember the name of such Physician or know his whereabouts or whether or not he is living; that affiant remained in such hospital at Washington for the period of about two weeks as near as he can determine during which time he was considerably affected in his lungs but got some better and was removed to the Hospital at David's Island New York where he remained until discharged and for a period of several weeks; that at the time of being removed to the Hospital at David's Island affiant had a relapse and was treated for his disease by the Physician in charge of said hospital but that his name or where he lives or whether living or dead this affiant is unable to state; that after such relapse affiants lungs were more affected than ever and he was troubled with inflammation of the same and that ever since said time his lungs have been and now are weak and at frequent intervals he is troubled to considerable extent by inflamation thereof; that whenever affiant catches a cold or has a cough his lungs are very badly troubled and cause him a great deal of pain and that at times he raised blood to a considerable extent; that after being discharged from the Army affiant was under care of + treated for his trouble aforesaid by one Dr. Austin who then resided in Canton New York and who doctored him during the period of about 6 or 8 months succeeding affiants discharge at the end of which time said Austin removed to Philadelphia where he died; that since said time affiant has not been doctored by physicians but, has tried and used various medicines purchased at the Drug Stores and this account of not living near physicians in whom affiant had confidence and also because affiants pecuniary condition was such as to not permit his going away to be doctored or employing such physicians as he had reason to believe could render him help.

That ever since affiants discharge from the Army his health has been poor and he has not had the strength to do the work of an able bodied man; that even when the healthiest he has been able to perform about one half as much labor as he could perform prior to his enlistment and not more than one half as much as could be performed by an able bodied man; that at times affiant has been wholly unable to do any labor on account of his difficulties as aforesaid; that during the Spring and Fall of each year since his discharge affiant has been worse than at other times and in nearly every Spring and Fall has been unable to follow his usual occupation; that in the month of April last for a period of two weeks affiant was laid up and unable to do any work for more than two weeks on account of his disease caused as aforesaid; that ion the there of 1879 affiant was so sick as aforesaid and unable to do any work for a period of more than two months and has frequently been unable to do more than his chores; that these instances are not given as representing the whole period of affiants total disability but as illustrations to show the nature of affiants disability; that all other periods of total inability to perform manual labor and to pursue his regular occupation are not given because affiant has not kept any particular account of the times and durations of said periods of disability but knows that the same have generally occurred every spring and fall sometimes lasting only a few days at a time and at other times continuing for a period of several weeks.  That affiant has not suffered from the attack of any acute disease of any kind other than from the difficulties with his lungs her before set forth since having typhoid fever in 1862 as herein set forth.

That affiant has done some of the ordinary work of farming since coming out of the Army but the same has generally been of the light character principally such as driving team and requiring no great outlay of strength and further affiant sayeth not."

From an affidavit by Lorenzo Cramer Clark County Wisc. 29th day of March 1882

"that the grounds on which affiant claims a pension are contracting of Lung Fever while in actual service in the late War of the Rebellion; that said disease permanently affected and injured affiants lungs and that at the present time affiant is afflicted in his lungs on account of his having had said fever; that as near as affiant can determine said trouble is developing into Asthmatic Consumption but as to this latter affiant is unable to state with accuracy"

From an affidavit by Lorenzo Cramer Clark County Wisc. 9th day of January 1879

"That he the said affiant is unable to furnish the testimony indicated by the annexed circular letters other than herewith enclosed for the following reasons;

1^st That at the time said affiant was taken sick the Regiment to which he belonged removed from the place where they had been station to wit White Sulphur Springs in the State of Virginia; that on such removal affiant was not treated in the Regimental Hospital but was sent to Washington DC for treatment.

2^nd That the said last mentioned hospital there was but one member of his said Regiment one Enos Beach and that he is now dead;

3 That affiant does not know the names of the Physicians or Surgeons by whom he was treated while in the hospital at Washington;

4^th That he unable to ascertain the whereabouts of the Surgeon whose name appears on his discharge;
5^th That the Physician who attended him after his discharge Dr. Austin of St. Lawrence County New York State is now dead.

6^th That affiant has tried to furnish the testimony referred to but on account of the facts and circumstances herein mentioned is unable to do so."

From Declaration for Original Invalid Pension dated 24 April 1878

"That since leaving the service the applicant has resided in St. Lawrence Co. NY for 9 years and in Wisconsin for 8 years …" (Note- the 9 years appears to include the time since his enlistment, as 17 years total makes the origin date 1861.)

Additional information in the Pension File:

There are numerous medical examinations in the file; Awarded a 12/18^th 3^rd grade rating for disability Jan. 7, 1885

Notice of Dropping from pension roles due to death at Colby Wisc. July 16, 1895.

It is of note that Lorenzo served with his brother Isaac, who is my gg grandfather and my other gg grandfather Henry Gleason. Henry’s son George Wilmer married Isaac’s daughter Jennie Lillian who were my grandmother, Lora Gladys Erma Gleason Fadden’s parents. Lorenzo in addition to Isaac had two other older brothers, John Henry and Alanson A.

I haven’t been able yet to determine when the Cramer’s relocated from the Minden, Montgomery County and Danube, Herkimer County, NY area to St. Lawrence County area of Pierrepont.

Lorenzo received a land patent issued by the Wausau, Wisconsin Land Office in Section 4, Township 28N (Hull, Marathon County), SE quarter section of 160 acres on January 30, 1877.  Peter J. Fadden

 1885 WI State Census for the town of Hull also shows Lorenzo's family.

CRAMER DICKINSON THOMAS GOODRICH CHESLEY BRIGGS HEART AUSTIN PERRY GLEASON