Civil War Veterans Buried In Washington State - Noah McNaught

94^th ILLINOIS VOLUNTEER INFANTRY
Organized: 10/20/62 Bloomington, IL
Mustered Out: 7/17/65 Galveston, TX

REGIMENTAL HISTORY:

  The 94^th, a three year "western theatre" regiment had its organization during the magnificent burst of patriotic enthusiasm that greeted U.S. President Abraham Lincoln's summer of '62 call for additional volunteer troops. In several instances a father and two or three sons enlisted together.  Overall, the enlistment response was so great that two companies raised for the 94^th were later mustered into other organizations.  Composed entirely of residents of McLean County, IL the 94^th was usually called the "McLean Regiment." An interesting twist to the unit's formation was that besides providing a $500 stand of colours to the regiment, county authorities also paid each enlistee a $50 bonus, an unusual practice for the early war years.

  The 94^th left Illinois 8/25/62 bound for St. Louis, MO. It first saw action on 12/7/61 at Prairie Grove/Fayetteville, AR where it lost l killed and 26 wounded.  In June, 1863 the regiment was sent down the Mississippi River to Vicksburg, MS to assist in the Union siege of that city. By the time Vicksburg surrendered on 7/4/63 the 94^th had lost only one man killed and one wounded. 

  Following Vicksburg the 94^th moved to Texas where it remained for several months. It was then called upon to participate in the siege of Ft. Morgan, AL.

  During the spring of 1865 the unit, still in Alabama, participated in the siege and capture of Spanish Fort and Ft. Alexis outside Mobile. These actions lead to the fall of that city.  A move back into Texas at Galveston for garrison duty preceded final muster. When it returned to Bloomington on 8/9/65 the regiment received a "superb ovation."

  Despite the number of severe actions faced by the 94^th during its period of service, its loss percentage was very small. This was attributed to two factors. Firstly, regimental leadership took care of its men, thus preventing their unnecessary exposure to harm while in combat. Secondly, the 94^th's very efficient medical staff was constantly on the alert to ensure the best sanitary conditions while in camp s well as being  very assiduous  in caring for the sick and wounded. Total regimental losses: 175 officers and enlisted men.

SOLDIER:
Residence: Lexington, IL Age: 18.9 yrs.
Enlisted/Enrolled: 2/3/64 Rank: Pvt.
Mustered In: 2/3/64
Discharged: 7/17/65 Galveston, TX
Highest Rank: Pvt.

PERSONAL/FAMILY HISTORY:

  Noah F. McNaught was born in Lexington, IL to George (b. 1814 IN) and Nancy (nee Franklin b. 1822 IN) McNaught. It appears he was the third of seven McNaught children: John S. (b. 1839 IN), James W. (b. 1841 IL), Noah F. (b. 5/31/45), M.T. (b. 1847 IL), William N. (b. 1848 IL), George Wesley (b.1850 IL) and Joseph F. (b. 1854 IL). According to both the 1850 and 1860 U.S. census, the senior George was a farmer.

  In 1850 the McNaught family resided in Mackanaw, McLean Co., IL. In 1860 they were still in McLean Co., but residing in Money Creek. As of this writing no information is available pertaining to Noah's childhood, formative or early teenaged years. However, from the data above he was almost certainly raised a farm boy.

  In early February, 1864 young Noah enlisted in the U.S. Infantry. Although his military service records have not been consulted, apparently his Army time was benign as, later, his pension documents reflect no incidents of illness or wounding.  

  Discharged from the service the former private returned to Lexington, IL.   Sometime, likely in early 1866 Noah married Mary Louisa Brooks (b. 1846 IL).  The couple's first child, George Lowell was born on 2/24/67 (IL). Two additional children followed: Beede Alice (b. ca. 2/19/2/70 IL) and Bert Franklin (b. ca. 1/12/76 IL) In 1870 Noah’s occupation had been noted as “farmer,” so his children, as he had been previously, were brought into this word in an agricultural environment.

  At the time of the 1880 U.S. census Noah and Mary were apparently in the process of ending their marriage. That year Noah was listed both as the head of he and Mary's Lexington household and as a boarder in the Tallula, Menard Co. IL home of William S. Bell. At that time his occupation was noted as "stock buyer."

  By 1886 Noah and Mary Louisa had divorced as on 3/13 of that year he remarried to Mary Susan Bell (b. ca. 12/40 Coffee Co., KS) in Carrollton, IL. (Note:  While there is no documentation connecting William S. Bell to Mary Susan, it is very possible the two were relatives and it was through Mr. Bell that Noah met his future bride.)There is an indication that Noah and Mary may have initially settled in Kansas, but if so the stay was short as it appears they likely moved to Seattle, King County, Washington Territory in 1887. If they didn’t move westward to Seattle in 1887, they were definitely documented as being in that city and county in May of1889. Noah’s occupation was then noted as “real estate.”

  As U.S. census records for 1890 were, for the most part, destroyed in a fire, it is not known what Noah's movements and activities were for the period between his removal to Seattle and 1893. However, in that year he and Susan moved to British Columbia, Canada likely first settling in Caribou, B.C. and, later, Silverton, B.C.  Although initial reasons for the move are not known, likely it was because of  mining operations in the region  as by mid 1903 when the 5'10", blue eyed  Noah applied for a U.S. Government pension  based on his Civil War soldiering, he listed his occupation as "miner." 

  At some point during the first decade of the 1900s Silverton was devastated by fire. During this period the McNaughts moved back to Washington State and for a time lived in the Whatcomb County city of Anacortes.  They then returned to Silverton where Noah lived out his life.

  Noah F. McNaught died 5/10/11 in Silverton, B.C., Canada. Cause of death was noted as paralysis (stroke). At death Noah was only days shy of his sixty sixth birthday. His obituary commented that he was a wealthy man because of his mining interests in British Columbia. Although Noah never lived in Everett, WA, his wife's family was quite prominent in that city, so he was well known both in Everett and the greater Snohomish County region. Because of this familial tie to Everett, Susan and her brother, Judge Walter Bell, transported Noah's remains southward from British Columbia for burial in Everett's Evergreen Cemetery.

  Mary lived until 1951 when she died in Ganges, British Columbia, Canada on November 29th approximately two weeks short of her ninety first birthday. Her remains, too, were transported to Everett and buried at Evergreen beside those of her late husband. 

Buried at Evergreen Cemetery Everett
Row: 22
Site: 80

Rich Bell
Everett, WA