THE SEBEWA RECOLLECTOR Newsletter from Sebewa; Sebewa Township, Ionia County, MI. 
April 2007, Volume 42, Number 5.  Submitted with written permission of Editor Grayden D. Slowins:

SURNAMES:  SNYDER, ZANTO, SHAY, SLOWINS, NEWTON, BROWNELL, LEHMAN, SLOWINSKI, SCHNABEL, STEINBERG, HILL, ENNGEMANN, DEHN

ORANGE HOTEL – 1875 Plat Map – the Orange Hotel and 69 acres in the NW ¼ Section 31 Orange Township, along what was known as the BELLEVUE Road, were owned by William SNYDER and Mary SNYDER, his wife, and operated as a Stagecoach Inn, sometimes called a Tavern.  The upstairs was divided off into rows of small rooms about 7’ x 9’ containing a single or double bed, a chair, a small commode with a chamber pot, pitcher and bowl, plus a row of nails on the wall to hang clothes.

   1937 Plat Map – Louis and Mary ZANTO owned the farm and buildings, beginning sometime soon after the 1906 Plat Map was made.

   1955 Plat Map - Glenn ZANTO, son of widow Mary, had bought out his brothers and sisters to become sole owner of the place now consisting of 180 acres.

   1984 Plat Map – Kenneth and Virginia CHRISTIANSEN had purchased the full 180 acre farm from the estate of Glenn ZANTO.

   1990 Plat Map – Christiansens had sold off ten acres with the buildings and several owners have had that portion since.  Some of the back portion of the house has been torn off and considerable remodeling has been done on the rest.

EPHRAIM SHAY’S DIARY – 1861-1863      Continued:

   Monday May 26^th – Usual camp duties, pickets firing continually.  Tuesday 27^th – picket firing continues brisk.  Wednesday 28^th – orders received to be ready to make an advance on the enemy, at about 10 AM commenced skirmishing, planted three batteries and shelled the woods and a house heretofore occupied by Secesh.  Drove them out, then advanced to a ridge and took position, shelling the retreating rebels.

   They returned the fire of our cannon by an occasional shot from what sounded to be a single gun.  One shell came close to my Co., a piece falling within a few feet.  We held the ground gained without opposition until about 4 PM, when a Brigade made a charge on our advance troops through an open field.  Our batteries opened fire on them, which sent them back in a hurry; at dark we commenced to throw up fortifications and worked all night, finishing them by daylight.  Thursday 29^th – the morning found a formidable breastwork, where not eighteen hours before rebel pickets were exchanging shots with our men.

   Day spent in watching the enemy.  At dark fell back to a small ridge and pitched tents.  Friday 39^th – cars were heard very busy all night, in fact there seemed to be many trains econtinually leaving.  Shortly after daylight we heard a succession of explosions for which no reason could be assigned, except that they had evacuated and blown up their magazines.  Accordingly Genl M. L. SMITH took up my Regt and the 34^th Ohio out to ascertain.

   We were off in a twinkling and soon reached the rebel outposts occupied by them yesterday, now vacated.  A little farther brought us in full view of the rebel embankment, now apparently deserted.  Trees had been fallen for half a mile to the front, making a network of brush, which would make it an impossibility to march through.  On nearer approach, we saw their guns had been taken away.  On coming upon fortifications, they appeared very slight in comparison with ours.

   A man could scale them at a bound, the ditch being on the inside.  The camps appeared as camps usually do when left in a hurry.  Cooking utensils & food scattered in all directions.  On coming to the Depot, we found both depot buildings and several store houses in flames, also a quantity of cotton was burning.  We passed on, taking the track of the retreating enemy, capturing 40 prisoners.  By this time orders for artillery and infantry to follow had been given and they commenced to arrive.  Taking a good position about three miles from the Depot, we sent cavalry ahead to ascertain the position of the enemy.  They reported them ahead some three miles occupying a commanding position on the bank of a deep creek, the bridge they had burnt.  They opened fire on our cavalry with artillery wounding one man and injuring three horses.  Returned to our camp by dark.  Other Regts & commands took our place.

   Saturday, May 31^st – busy with usual routine of camp duties, heard cannonading in direction of Corinth, also about same time heard a locomotive whistle, have not heard the cause.  Gave to Col KIRBY $35.00 raised by Co. D to be used in purchasing a sword & saddle for M. L. SMITH (Acting Brigadier General).  Sunday June 1^st – usual camp duties.  Monday 2^nd – left camp about 2 PM with two days’ rations.  Sherman’s Division marched through Corinth and down the R.R.  Tuesday June 3^rd – my Regt went four miles beyond Chawalla to repair the (rail)road and clear the track of rubbish, to get some seven locomotives from among the wreckage of as many burnt trains.  Balance of Division remained at Chawalla.

   Wednesday 4^th – bivouacked at front.  Thursday June 5^th – awaiting orders.  Friday 6^th – went into camp on the hill near the station.  Saturday 7^th – in camp, I am busy fixing up the Co. accounts, as my former Captain (G. A. SMITH) is now Acting Col of Regt.  Sunday 8^th – Monday 9^th – Tuesday 10^th – usual routine of duties in camp.  Wednesday 11^th – left Chawalla, marched 18 miles, stopt long enough to fix one bridge 30 feet long.  Thursday June 12 – marched twelve miles, rested in the middle of the day.

   Friday 13^th – marched to Grand Junction, bivouacked on north side of town.  Saturday 14^th – marched to LaGrange and bivouacked SW of town on the bank of a large creek.  Sunday 15^th – change to camp on a hill west of town.  Monday 16^th – spent the day fixing up company papers and at 4 PM left for Holly Springs.  Tuesday 17^th – bivouacked at a plantation 11 miles from Springs last night, arrived in town at 10 AM.  Stacked arms on the common, east of the Depot.  Wednesday 18^th – in camp, left town at 4 PM, camped at creek six miles from town.

   Thursday 19^th – marching 26 miles took several prisoners, one Major, several Lieutenants.  Ten of our cavalry were wounded.  Friday 20^th – received letters from Kate, Ophelia, and Mary BROKAW, answered them, also wrote one to Eph.  Saturday 21^st – usual duties of camp.  Sunday 22^nd – left LaGrange at sunrise, marched 18 miles to Lafayette, camped for the night half mile from the Depot.  Monday 23^rd – this morning one of my comrades died of Typhoid Fever.  He was sick only five days, the second day a congestion chill took him down, from which no relief could be given.  Myself with two comrades made his coffin and at 3 PM we buried him.  Went into camp in a grove on the top of a small knoll.

   Tuesday 24^th – went bathing this morning, spent most of the day strolling about the camp and Depot.  Wednesday 25^th – doing camp duties.  Thursday 26^th – headed for Moscow (KY), arriving at noon.  Friday 27^th – quite unwell, but doing duty.  Saturday 28^th – quite unwell.  Sunday 29^th – went on sick report this morning marked quarters, but worked all day on muster rolls.  Monday 30^th – were mustered for pay, Regt ordered to march en route for Holly Springs.  I remain in camp.  Tuesday July 1^st – finished writing muster rolls – getting better.  Wednesday 2^nd – usual camp duties.  Thursday 3^rd – camp duties.  Friday 4^th – Regt has not returned, very lonesome in camp, nothing going on.  Makes me think of old times, when Fourth of July passed more pleasantly.  A salute of 34 guns was fired at the Depot at midday, the only demonstration made.

   Saturday 5^th – usual camp duties, received letters from Kate and Ophelia, answered them.  Sunday 6^th – usual camp duties.  Monday 7^th – Regt returned to camp, had a hard march.  Tuesday 8^th – usual camp duties.  Wednesday 9^th – usual routine of camp life.  Thursday 10^th – Friday 11^th quite unwell, in fact since we came to Moscow on June 26^th, I have felt unfit for duty.  Saturday 12^th – Wednesday 16^th – quite unwell.  Thursday July 17^th – my birthday, sick in quarters.

   Friday 18^th – left camp at Moscow at daylight, I had to be carried in an ambulance, camped about 7 miles west of Lafayette.  Saturday 19^th – came to a small station west of Germantown, where we pitched tents and staid over Sunday 20^th.  Monday 21^st – marched into Memphis and went into camp in the SW of town.  I am still in hospital.  Tuesday 22^nd – received letters from Kate, Ophelia, Jim, Priscilla, Zella and R. A. B.  I remain about the same, mending if anything, answered all the letters except Jim’s & R.A.B.’s.

   Wednesday July 23^rd – received a letter today from Jane (HENDERSON – his future wife, sister of Jim), feel better today (!) moved camp out on the road, came into town in about three miles, a pleasant place.  Thursday 24^th – not so well today, answered Jim’s and R. A. B.’s letters.  Jim made me a proposition in his letter to go into partnership with him.  Friday 25^th – feel quite good.  Had a great dinner today, we presented Genl SMITH with a full uniform, a splendid saddle, a fine sword, and an elegant pair of pistols.  Sgt JACKSON made the presentation speech.  After dinner many extempore speeches were made.  Tailor’s battery and Willard’s old battery boys were present and others, the time passing very pleasantly.  Saturday 26^th – answered a letter from Priscilla received on the 24^th.  I am getting better quite fast.

   Sunday July 27^th – do not feel so well today, as usual nothing going on in camp.  Monday 28^th – some better.  Tuesday 29^th – about the same, my medicine changed from a prescription of brandy & Quinine to three grains Quinine three times a day, the aim is to stop my night sweats.  I am also using an ointment of Iodine for the Goiter or swelling in my neck.  I feel somewhat stronger, have a fair appetite, rainy afternoon.  Wednesday 30^th – cloudy morning, feel quite well this morning.  Thursday 31^st – cloudy forenoon, feel about as well I did yesterday……

   Friday August 1^st – pleasant day, feel about the same as yesterday.  A quarrel in Co. F this morning, one man stabbed in the bowels – wound considered dangerous.  Saturday 2^nd – changed hospital from tents to a house, feel quite well.  Sunday 3^rd – feel about as usual, no change, a swelling of the Thyroid Gland.  Monday 4^th – no change.  Tuesday 5^th – feel weak, no apparent change.

   Thursday 7^th - ……….I have a good appetite, which serves to keep me around.  Friday 8^th – getting weaker, have pains through my bowels.  Received a detail by Genl SHERMAN’S order to report myself as clerk for D. W. HARTSHAM, Division Surgeon.  Regt received their long expected uniforms this afternoon.

   Saturday August 9^th – I rode down to Genl SHERMAN’S Hdqtrs in an ambulance and reported as ordered, feel weak but gaining.  Sunday 10^th – making out a weekly sick report of Division, very unsettled today.  Monday 11^th – busy all day in office, feel better again.  Tuesday 12^th – feel quite well, diarrhea is less violent – busy in office – very warm day.  Wednesday 13^th – am much better, busy making out Consolidated Monthly Reports of sick and wounded, etc.

   Thursday 14^th – busy in office.  Friday 15^th – Monday 18^th – all pleasant days busy as usual office business.  I am getting stout and healthy again, and if marching don’t start my old complainte, I will be as well as I ever have been.  Tuesday 19^th – pleasant day, have been writing for a General today, besides doing my usual work.  Wednesday 20^th – pleasant day, doing the usual business of the office.

   Thursday 21^st – Thursday 28^th – at work attending to usual business, was up to the Co. this afternoon, nothing new transpiring of much consequence.  A Brigade was sent out in reconnaissance towards Holly Springs, merely as a check on the enemy.  Friday 29^th – Sunday 31^st – occupied in making weekly reports and attending to other business of the office.

   Monday September 1^st – usual office duties.  Tuesday 2^nd – Friday 5^th – ordinary routine of business, a command of 179^th Cavalry Company Sixth Illinois Regt. commanded by Lieut GRIERSON, went on a reconnaissance.  Saturday 6^th – busy making out a monthly report.  Quite a sensation created by a report brought in by a sergeant of the command which went out yesterday, that it had all been captured.  Just now a detachment of it came in with a number of prisoners and a report that the Lieutenant who commanded them was killed by Guerillas firing from ambush.

   Part of the prisoners escaped, two were killed, one private and the Lieut.  A small command went out and laid the whole country waste around where the attack was made, burning several dwellings and killing two men who were of the party of Guerillas.  Genl HULBERT’S Division left with all their camp equipage for a point unknown just past 1 o’clock PM.  Sunday 14^th – busy at the duties of the office.  Monday 15^th – Saturday 20^th – nothing unusual, ordinary routine of work.

   Sunday 21^st – warm day, remained in camp, do not feel very well, have been to the theatre 4 nights in succession.  The plays were good, 1^st Honeymoon, a farce, 2^nd All Is Not Gold That Glitters, 3^rd Michael Erin as The Maniac Lover, 4^th The Serious Family Monday 22^nd – usual business of the office.

   Tuesday 23^rd – Sunday 28^th – usual routine of office duties.  A few Guerillas have been firing on our boats for the past few days.  Randolph has been burnt, on account of an attempt at that place to capture the S. B. Eugenie (steam boat).  Only one building left, that was a church.  The G. B. (gun boat) Essex had an engagement silencing a battery of 34 guns without any damage to herself.  She also bombarded a town for harboring citizens or Guerillas who fired on a boat load of men going from the gunboat to get supplies.  The President’s proclamation has reached us, freeing all slaves in the states or sections in rebellion on January 1, 1863.  He is going to work now with the gloves off!  For the past week we have had Artillery practice nearly every day, very beneficial to the Artillerists.  Monday 29^th – Tuesday 30^th – usual duties.

   Wednesday October 1^st – Saturday 4^th – office duties quite busy.  Sunday 5^th – Friday 10^th – nothing exciting at this place, pickets bring in the usual number of persons trying to smuggle goods, etc., other departments of the military succeed as usual.  Saturday 11^th – Thursday 16^th – nothing stirring except news of a fight at Corinth.  Also news of a fight in Kentucky and a raid into Pennsylvania by Secesh cavalry.  Friday 17^th – Sunday 19^th – weather getting cool, but it’s dry and healthy, usual office duties.  Surgeon Genl has sent for the specimens of morbid anatomy now in this division.  Today (Sunday) is very quiet.  Genl SHERMAN has gone to review the 1^st Brigade.  Of late he has reviewed his whole Division once a week, generally the 1^st Brigade on Sunday.

   Monday October 20^th – Friday 24^th – very busy in office, have been copying very lengthy court martial proceedings of 25 cases for Genl GRANT.  Have made out a report for Medical Inspector G. T. ALLEN, have much to do.  Received a letter from Priscilla, all well, although Ma and Theodore complaining some.  Saturday 25^th – Friday 31^st – busy with office duties making monthly reports, etc.

           TO BE CONTINUED.

OUR FIFTH TRIP TO FLORIDA by Grayden SLOWINS:

   Monday, February 12, 2007, up at 6:00.  16 degrees with fine snow in the air.  Drove through snow & ice on the roads all the way down MUSGROVE Hwy………arrived at Louisville South KOA Campground, actually Shepherdsville, KY, at 4:00 PM……drove 381 miles today, much of it at 30-35 mph, then 50-59 on dry roads near Louisville.

   Tuesday, February 13………Pelham, AL……3:00 PM………a tornado did touch down to the north and we saw three destroyed houses as we traveled south……drove 366 miles today.

   Wednesday, 14………Daffodils are abundant in Alabama………traveled 418 miles today, 1165 total………

   Thursday, February 22, 49 degrees, sunny & clear………Re-hung the picture of great-great-great-grandmother Elizabeth ZIMMERMAN WENGER’s home and Mennonite Church at Martins’ Corner northeast of Kitchener/Waterloo, Ontario.

   Sunday, February 25………During coffee hour after Church we visited with Brenda NEWTON BROWNELL & husband Jon.  She grew up in Woodland and graduated from Lakewood High School in 1966.  Her father, Vern, was a brother to Gary NEWTON, and her mother, Ruth, was a sister to Emerson LEHMAN, and daughter of Earl LEHMAN, on M-66/South State Road in Sebewa.  We knew them at the Woodland United Methodist Church.  They are no relation to us on Grandma Wilhelmina LEHMAN SLOWINSKI’S side, but in a convoluted way we are related to some of the same people by the marriage of Gary NEWTON’S daughter Bonnie to Timothy ENGEMANN, son of Kathlyn (Katie) HINES ENGEMANN DEHN, daughter of Julia HILL HINES, daughter of Sophia STEINBERG HILL, daughter of Rosanna SCHNABEL STEINBERG, sister of great-great-grandmother Anna SCHNABEL SLOWINSKI.