Civil War Veterans Buried In Washington State - William Spoor

35^th NEW JERSEY VOLUNTEER INFANTRY
Organized: September/October, 1863 Flemington, NJ
Mustered In: 10/13/63 Flemington, NJ
Mustered Out: 7/20/65 Alexandria, VA

REGIMENTAL HISTORY:
 

The 35^th, a three year western theater regiment, was recruited chiefly from the counties of Essex and Hunterdon. Receiving Federal Muster in September, 1863 shortly thereafter it departed the state for Washington City. From there it was transferred south.

In February, 1864 the regiment participated in the Meridian Expedition. During thirty two days the unit skirmished with the enemy and lost a few men. Following this experience it moved into the campaign to capture Atlanta, GA.

 Combat actions for the 35^th while moving towards Atlanta included Resaca (5/13 – 15/64), Dallas (5/26 – 6/1/64) and New Hope Church (5/25 – 26/64). During this period the regiment was almost continuously engaged on the skirmish line.

The regiment next marched to Kennesaw MT (6/27/64). It then suffered one killed and sixteen wounded plus two officers and thirty seven enlisted men missing at Decatur (10/26 – 29/64). Actions at Marietta (6/9 – 7/3/64) and Big Shanty preceded the capture of Atlanta (7/22/64). The "march to the sea" and the surrender of Savanah followed.

In early, 1865 the 35^th began marching northward through the Carolinas. With the surrender of Rebel forces commanded by Confed. Gen. Joseph E. Johnston, the regiment moved on to Washington City where it received new Zouave uniforms. Final muster came a short time later.

REGIMENTAL LOSSES:

Officers Killed Or Mortally Wounded: 1; Officers Died Of Disease, Accidents, Etc.: 2; Enlisted Men Killed Or Mortally Wounded: 24; Enlisted Men Died Of Disease, Accidents, Etc.: 132.

SOLDIER:
Residence: Coxsackie Greene Co., NY   Age: Ca. 19 yrs.
Enlisted/Enrolled: Inf. Not Avail. Rank: Pvt.
Mustered In: 9/11/63
Mustered Out: 7/20/65 Alexandria, VA
Highest Rank: Cprl.
Rank At Discharge: Pvt.

PERSONAL/FAMILY HISTORY:*

 William Henry Spoor was born in 1844. No birth month or date is available. His place of birth was Coxsackie Greene Co., New York.

Parents of William were Richard (b. 4/2/04 Athens Greene Co. NY - d. 3/28/68 Coxsackie Greene Co., NY) and Christina (nee Vosburgh b. 3/24/06 West Copake Columbia Co., NY - d. unknown) Spoor. The Spoors were a farming family.

Based on available U.S. Census data, William was the seventh of nine Spoor children. Siblings older than he were Comfort (b. 1830), Alida (b. 1832), Bernhard (b. 1834), Abram (b. 1838 **), Helen (b. 1839) and John Isaac (b. 1841). Younger than he were George (b. 1845) and Mary Jane (b. 1850). All birth years are estimates.

In September, 1863 William joined the U.S. Army. Without the availability of his military  records  all we really know about his period of service is that he rose from the rank of private to that of corporal, but had returned to being a private by the time of his being mustered out and discharged.

It appears William was residing on his parents' farm when he entered the military. With his return to civilian life he also returned to the family farm.

Post-Civil War, the next we learn about William is that on 3/29/80 in Spring Lake, Ottawa, MI he married. His bride was Sarah A. Gray (b. 8/17/52 MI). After their marriage the couple settled in Michigan. Exactly where is not documented.

William and Sarah produced four children: Dama (b. 2/9/81 MI), Varian/Verian (b. 7/14/82 MI), Helen M. (b. 9/25/84 MI) and George (b. 1891 Denver, CO).

As noted by the birth states of the Spoor children at some point in time between the birth of Helen (1884) and that of George (1891) the Spoors quitted Michigan and removed to Colorado. Exactly when and why the move was made is not known.

From Colorado the family moved to the Puget Sound region of western Washington Terr. /State. Once again, the when and why for the move are not documented. In the Pacific Northwest they settled in or near the Snohomish County community of Granite Falls. 

William H. Spoor, whose occupation was brick making, died on 2/27/99. He was 55 years of age. Death came to him at home in Granite Falls. No information is available pertaining to his passing. Burial was/is in the Granite Falls American Legion Cemetery.

After her husband's death Sarah remained in Granite Falls. She died there on 11/10/14 and was/is buried beside William in the American Legion Cemetery.

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* This "By Request"-style birth - to - death biographical profile was written in April, 2020 during the Covid 19 virus medical pandemic. Because the National Archives in Washington, D.C. were closed, it was created without the benefit of military, pension and other veteran-related files. Those files will be obtained and pertinent information found in them added to the biography at a later time.

** Abram Spoor enlisted in the U.S. Army on 9/11/63. He served in the same regiment and company as William. He survived the War and was mustered out on 7/20/65 at Alexandria, VA.

Buried at American Legion Cemetery-Granite Falls