Stephen Decatur Tuttle

(November 17 1839 - February 11, 1908)

Stephen D. Tuttle was born in Euclid, Cuyahoga County, Ohio to William S. Tuttle and his second wife Lucy Parmelia Gray.  His mother died when Stephen was about two years old and his father subsequently married Hannah Brown in about 1842. The family moved to Auburn, Fond du Lac County, Wisconsin in 1848 when Stephen was about eight years old.  His father and Hannah had 15 more children while living in Wisconsin. 

Stephen grew up on his father's farm in Fond du Lac County Wisconsin.  On December 28, 1956, he married Louisa Antoinette Stephens in Ashland Wisconsin.  They had at least two children William and Alice born before Stephen left to fight in the Civil war.  He enlisted in the organization known as Briggs Rifles, which was assigned to the  6th Infantry Regiment of Wisconsin on June 18, 1861.  In December of 1862, Stephen was wounded in the right shoulder at the Battle of Fredericksburg and was off duty for six weeks.   While stationed in Belle Plaine, Virginia in January of 1863, Stephen deserted and returned to Ashland. 

We can not know what motivated his actions, but to keep them in context, one has to realize that warfare in the Civil War era was very different than that what we now think of as war.  The troops often fought little if at all in the winter and yet the soldiers remained encamped where there were stationed.  The soldiers were poorly fed and housed in tents.  They were most likely cold, bored and concerned about their families.  Stephen was apprehended in August of 1863 at his home in Ashland.  He reenlisted in his unit in December of 1863.  In his second term his actions helped to salvage the damage he had done to his image by deserting.

Stephen was wounded at Petersburg, Virginia in June of 1864 suffering a shell wound to the right thigh.  After the battle of Yellow Horse, Virginia in August of 1864 he became ill from severe sunstroke.   In December of that same year he was promoted from the rank of corporal to sergeant.  Stephen suffered a shell wound in the left hip during the battle of Hatcher's Run in October of 1864.  In February of 1865 he was promoted to the rank of 1^st Sergeant. 

General Grant issued special orders to the commanders that those soldiers seen as doing the best fighting should receive a furlough of 30 days.  Stephen Tuttle was the recipient of one of these furloughs for conspicuous conduct at the battle of Hatchers' Run.  He was discharged July 14, 1865 and returned to Ashford.

 He homesteaded in Mayville, Clark County, Wisconsin from 1874 until 1877, when he moved his family to Newton Kansas for a period of three years.  He then returned to Clark County in 1880 and resided there until 1884 when he moved to Plover.

Stephen and Louisa had 8 children born in the following order: William P., Alice Adele, Marion H., Ellsworth, Edwin D., Silas, Grace B., and Charles A.  In 1886 only Alice, Ellsworth, Grace and Charles were living.  By 1889 Alice too had died.

Stephen and Louisa divorced in 1899 and he remarried Elizabeth Lyness on March 3, 1902 in Dunn County, Wisconsin.  They resided in Glenwood City in St. Croix County.

 Stephen died on November 11, 1908 and is buried in Evergreen Cemetery in Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin.

In the 1900 Census Stephen's son Charles Tuttle and his mother Louisa were living in Hoard Township in Clark County. Charles then married Agnes Hoverson, the daughter of Andrew J. and Mary Hoverson long time residents of Clark County.  Andrew's name appears on a list of pioneers settlers in the area north and west of Curtiss.  The 1880 plat of Hoard shows the Hoverson land.  It is interesting to note that Edwin R Tuttle, son of William S. Tuttle lived nearby.  Andrew and Mary Hoverson are buried in St. Paul Norwegian Cemetery in Curtiss, Wisconsin.

The 1910 Census shows Charles and wife Agnes living in Hoard Township with their son Louis age 9, daughter Alice age 7, son Wallace age 1 and Charles' mother Louisa age 72.

The Hoverson family consisting of Andrew, his wife Mary and children Oscar, Hobart and Alice are listed on the same page.  Louisa lived with Charles and his family until her death on December 11, 1911.

Charles moved his family to North Dakota for a few years in the 1920's.  He returned to Wisconsin and in the 1930 Census was living in Weirgor, Sawyer County, Wisconsin where Charles worked in the logging industry.  Charles and Agnes lived there until their deaths in 1953 and 1954 respectively.

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                         Charles & Agnes Tuttle

Family

  WILLIAM S.⁸ TUTTLE (RENSSELEAR⁷, BOSTWICK⁶, SAMUEL⁵, EZEKIEL⁴, EPHRAIM³, NATHANIEL², WILLIAM¹) was born 02 Jan 1816 in New York, and died 03 Jan 1882 in Appleton (Outagamie Co) WI.  He married (1) LUCY ANN HERRIMAN 27 Dec 1835 in Cuyahoga Co, OH.    He married (2) LUCY PARMELIA GRAY Abt. 1838 in Cuyahoga Co, OH.  She died 1842 in Euclid (Cuyahoga Co) Ohio.  He married (3) HANNAH BROWN Abt. 1842.  She was born 01 Jan 1817 in Sussex Co, VT, and died 12 May 1896 in Appleton (Outagamie Co) WI.

Children of WILLIAM TUTTLE and LUCY HERRIMAN are:

                   i.    LUCY⁹ TUTTLE, b. Abt. 1836, Ohio.

                  ii.    OLIVER TUTTLE, b. 16 Aug 1837, Ohio.

Children of WILLIAM TUTTLE and LUCY GRAY are:

2.              iii.    STEPHEN DECATUR⁹ TUTTLE, b. 17 Nov 1839, Euclid,Cuyahoga Co, Ohio; d. 11 Feb 1908, St. Croix Co, Wisconsin.

                 iv.    LEWIS W. TUTTLE, b. 07 Feb 1842, Euclid,Cuyahoga Co, Ohio; d. 20 Feb 1842, Euclid,Cuyahoga Co, Ohio.

Children of WILLIAM TUTTLE and HANNAH BROWN are:

                  v.    ANDREW M⁹ TUTTLE, b. 18 Jul 1843, Ohio; d. 13 Jun 1881, Ohio.

                 vi.    EDWIN RUTHVAN TUTTLE, b. 13 Dec 1844, Ohio; d. After 1910, Probably Oregon; m. MAGGIE LOUISA GRAFF, 12 Sep 1875, Brown County, Wisconsin; b. 26 Feb 1856, Theresa (Dodge Co)Wisconsin; d. Aft. 1910.

                vii.    LUCY P TUTTLE, b. 03 Oct 1846, Ohio; d. 22 Feb 1883.

               viii.    THOMAS JEFFERSON TUTTLE, b. 10 Jan 1849, Wisconsin; d. after. 1910; m. PRISCILLA TATROE; b. Abt. 1848, New York.

                 ix.    CHARLOTTE MELISSA TUTTLE, b. 30 May 1851, Wisconsin; d. Bet. 1905 - 1910, Wisconsin; m. DELEVAN R. LE GRANT; b. Abt. 1843, Ohio.

                  x.    ALVIRA TUTTLE, b. 11 Feb 1853, Wisconsin; d. 10 Aug 1880; m. CHARLES O. CLINE, 29 Nov 1868, Brown County, Wisconsin; d. Bef. Aug 1880.

                 xi.    THEODORE R TUTTLE, b. 01 Jan 1855, Auburn (Fond du Lac)WI; d. 05 Sep 1856, Wisconsin.

                xii.    HANNAH TUTTLE, b. 23 Jan 1856, Auburn (Fond du Lac) WI; d. 07 Dec 1857, Wisconsin.

               xiii.    WILLIAM S. TUTTLE, b. 02 Jan 1859, Auburn (Fond du Lac) WI; d. 24 May 1934, Clark Co, WI; m. MARY MATHILDA LUCIER, 27 Oct 1883, Clark Co, Wisconsin; b. 26 Mar 1869, Lincoln, Wisconsin; d. Jun 1926, Owen (Clark Co) Wisconsin.

               xiv.    SETH GEORGE TUTTLE, b. 20 Nov 1860, Wisconsin; d. Bet. 1900 - 1910; m. TILLIE CHRISTINA CONRADY, 18 Oct 1879, Outagamie Co, Wisconsin; b. 03 Oct 1862; d. 16 Jun 1921.

                xv.    FLORENCE TUTTLE, b. 20 Apr 1862, Wisconsin; d. 09 May 1938, Portland Co, Oregon; m. HERMAN WILLIAM GOBLER, 08 Nov 1885, Brown County, Wisconsin; d. 23 Jun 1941, Portland Co, Oregon.

               xvi.    IDA JANE TUTTLE, b. 03 Jan 1856, Wisconsin; d. 07 Apr 1900, Emerald, Wisconsin; m. GEORGE WILSON, 01 Jan 1882, Brown County, Wisconsin.

              xvii.    ANNA TUTTLE, b. 11 Apr 1866, Wisconsin.

             xviii.    RUTH TUTTLE, b. 16 Jan 1868, Wisconsin; d. 1957, Clark Co, WI; m. NICK GRIMES, 26 Mar 1892, St. Croix Co, Wisconsin.

               xix.    EDITH TUTTLE, b. 22 Jul 1870, Wisconsin; d. 01 Oct 1947, Owen (Clark Co) WI; m. EDWARD CARTER, 25 Dec 1887, Glenwood , St. Croix Co, Wisconsin.

STEPHEN DECATUR⁹ TUTTLE (WILLIAM S.⁸, RENSSELEAR⁷, BOSTWICK⁶, SAMUEL⁵, EZEKIEL⁴, EPHRAIM³, NATHANIEL², WILLIAM¹) was born 17 Nov 1839 in Euclid, Cuyahoga Co, Ohio, and died 11 Feb 1908 in St. Croix Co, Wisconsin.  He married LOUISA ANTIONETTE STEPHENS 28 Dec 1856 in Ashford (Fond du Lac) Wisconsin.  She was born 11 Feb 1839 in New York, and died 03 Dec 1911 in Wisconsin.

Children of STEPHEN TUTTLE and LOUISA STEPHENS are:

                   i.    WILLIAM P.¹⁰ TUTTLE, b. About 1858, Wisconsin; d. After 1870, Wisconsin.

                  ii.    ALICE ADELE TUTTLE, b. May 1860, Wisconsin; d. Before 1925, Probably New Mexico; m. WILLIAM SCHULTZ.

                 iii.    MARION H TUTTLE, b. Between. 1860 - 1870, Wisconsin; d. Before 1880, Wisconsin.

                 iv.    ELLSWORTH TUTTLE, b. 30 Apr 1865, Wisconsin; d. After 1930, Michigan.

                  v.    EDWIN D TUTTLE, b. About 1869, Wisconsin; d. Before 19 Jun 1880, Wisconsin.

                 vi.    SILAS TUTTLE, b. Bet. 1870 - 1880, Wisconsin; d. Before Jun 1880, Wisconsin.

                vii.    GRACE BETSY TUTTLE, b. 17 May 1874, Auburn (Fond du Lac) Wisconsin; d. 28 Aug 1955, Wisconsin; m. JOHN LESTER COLLIER, 14 Mar 1899, Hoard (Clark Co) WI.

               viii.    CHARLES ALMOND TUTTLE, b. 18 Jun 1877, Wisconsin; d. Oct 1953, Wisconsin; m. AGNES HOVERSON; b. May 1875, Wisconsin; d. 1954, Wisconsin.

Sources

Historical and Biographical Album of Chippewa Valley Wisconsin, Edited by George Forrester, A. Warner Publisher, Chicago, Illinois,1891-92, p 742-3.

Soldiers and Citizens' Album, A biographical Record of the Army, Men and Citizens.

A Chronological and Statistical History of the Civil War, Grand Army Publishing Co,

Chicago, Illinois 1885, p 685-6.

Pre-1907 Vital Records of Wisconsin.  Wisconsin Historical Society.

Civil War Records of Stephen Decatur Tuttle, National Archives.

U.S. Federal and Wisconsin State Census Records

Responses

 I've found some new evidence that will make a difference to the William S. Tuttle (1817-1883) and 1st/2nd wife Lucy researchers and would like to get in touch with one of your contributors Linda Mottonen who posted the bio on Stephen Decateur Tuttle. I believe I can prove there was only one Lucy and William was only married twice - once to Lucy and then to Hannah. What I would like to know from Linda is her source for Stephen's mother's name. If it's a death record, then who provided the information.


Here's where I'm at -
Many people have tried to make Lucy Ann Gray and Lucy Ann Herriman two different women, but they are one in the same. Some have even mis-named her completely as Lucy Parmelia Gray - The only Lucy Parmelia found was the daughter of William S. and Hannah (Brown) Tuttle.


My evidence that Lucy Ann Gray is Lucy Ann Herriman:
#1 - William's 2nd wife Hannah stated in her application for a widow's pension that William was married only once before prior to their marriage and that was to Lucy Gray who had died previous to her 17 Aug 1842 marriage to William. The pension bureau examiner noted that Lucy Ann Herriman's 1835 marriage and Hannah's 1842 marriage were the only two in the family bible and the bible was of the time and therefore accurate with her statement.


#2 - The 1840 Census in Euclid, Cuyahoga, Ohio for Wm Tuttle lists 2 males under the age of 5 (Wm & Lucy's sons Oliver b.1837 and Stephen b.1839) and 1 male 5-9 (born between 1831-1835) well before Wm's marriage to Lucy Ann Herriman, but consistent with John Van Rensselaer Herriman's 11 Sep 1832 birth.


#3 - John Van Rensselaer Herriman names his mother as Lucinda Gray and his father as not know. He would have been 3 when his mother married William S. Tuttle and 10 when she died, so his father's name wouldn't have been mentioned after that. He was known to his family as Rensy or Ransy.- William Tuttle's father's name was Rennssalaer Tuttle and also known as Rensy. In 1850, Rensy/Rancy Tuttle was still in Licking County, Ohio. William and Hannah were married in Licking County in 1842 (based on her pension application and statements provided by family members including brother Theodore Brown).


#4 - In about 1845, William Tuttle and family relocated to Fond du Loc County Wisconsin There are pages missing from the 1850 Census as only one of William's children (Oliver H.P.) is listed at the bottom of the census page, so his other children (6 at the time) are missing. [John would have been 17/18 and if he migrated with the family, he would have appeared after the last child. He also may have chosen not to relocate and is still undiscovered on the 1850 Census in Ohio] John V.R. Herriman is found in 1855 in Cuyahoga County Ohio, but in 1870 has relocated with his family to Oconto Wisconsin - abutting Brown Count, where he remains until his death in 1914. Sharon Scott