Civil War Veterans Buried In Washington State - Edward Dockendorff

7^th MAINE VOLUNTEER INFANTRY
Organized: 8/22/61 Augusta, ME
Mustered In: 8/22/61 Augusta, ME
Mustered Out: 9/5/64 Augusta, ME

1^st MAINE VETERAN VOLUNTEER INFANTRY
Organized: Charles Town, West Virginia 8/21/64
Mustered In: Charles Town West Virginia. 8/21/64
Mustered Out: June/1865

REGIMENTAL HISTORY: (7^th)

   The 7^th Maine, a three-year regiment, left the state two days after Federal muster and immediately joined the Army of The Potomac.  It was with that army during the spring ’62 Peninsula Campaign and that fall at South Mountain and Antietam, MD.  In the latter action the 7^th lost 11 officers and 100 enlisted men out of 15 officers and 166 enlisted men present. With these and other losses the regiment had been so reduced in number that it was sent home to Portland, ME to recruit.

   1863 found the remanded 7^th active in storming enemy works on Cemetery and Marye’s Heights near Fredericksburg, VA and, a short time later, at Chancellorsville.  During the Pennsylvania Campaign it participated in the battles of Rappahannock Station, Locust Grove, Mine Run, and numerous skirmishes.

   In 1864 the regiment was with Grant in the Wilderness, at Spottsylvania, Cold Harbor and during the attacks on the Weldon Railroad.  In mid year it returned to Washington D.C. to assist in the defeat of the enemy on his nearest approach to the capital. When the 7^th’s term of service expired in August, 1864 the unit’s reenlisted men and new recruits were consolidated with battalions of the 5^th and 6^th Maine to form what shortly became the 1^st Maine Veteran Infantry.

   Over a month later, however, this was changed to the 1^st Maine Veteran Infantry.  The unit soon engaged the enemy at the battles of Winchester, Charlestown, Fisher’s Hill and Cedar Creek, VA, plus all the other marches and actions of Union Gen. Phil Sheridan which chased the rebels from the Shenandoah Valley.  The regiment then marched to Washington, to City Point and on to Patrick Station before fading into the annals of history.  

REGIMENTAL HISTORY: (1^st)

When original enlistments had expired, reenlisted men and recruits of the 7^th were combined with members of the Fifth and Sixth Maine to form a regiment which was initially designated the 7^th, but  on 9/20/64 was changed to the 1^st Maine Veteran Infantry.

By the 19^th of September the regiment was engaged with the enemy at Winchester, VA. Actions a Charlestown, Fisher’s hill and Cedar Creek followed shortly thereafter. 

Rebel activity in Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley having been crushed, the 1^st was moved to Petersburg. The 1^st
remained there until the War’s end.

Regimental Losses: Officers Killed or Mortally Wounded: 6; Officers Died of Disease, Accidents, etc.: 0; Enlisted men Killed or Mortally Wounded: 40; Enlisted Men Died of Disease, Accidents, Etc.: 40.

_SOLDIER:
Residence: Fremont Plantation, Bangor, ME   Age: 22 yrs
Drafted: 12/18/63   Rank: Pvt.
Transferred: 8/21/64 (1^st ME)
Discharge: 6/29/65 Philadelphia, PA
Highest Rank: Pvt.
 

SOLDIER: (1^st)
Residence: Fremont Plantation, Bangor, ME   Age:
Transferred In: 8/21/64   Rank: Pvt.
Mustered Out: 6/27/1865
Highest Rank: Pvt.

PERSONAL/FAMILY HISTORY:

Ed. Note: The original birth to death profile of Edward Dockendorff was written during the early years of the Civil War Veterans Buried In Washington State project. As such, it was limited in both size and in terms of research sources. The biography which follows was created in September, 2018. While it draws upon much more research material than did the original, it still lacks the in depth detail featured in more recently written bios found within this website.

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  Edward H. Dockendorff was born in Maine on April 23^rd, 1841.  His father’ was Jacob Dockendorff (b. 7/1/1800 Windsor, Kennebec Co., ME). His mother was Lucinda (nee Hodson b. 1810 Bucksport Hancock County, ME).  As best as can be determined Edward had one older sibling and one younger.  Older than he was a brother named Walter (b. 2/28/39 Burlington Penobscot Co., ME). Younger was Brother William Orren (b. 1846 ME).

 in late 1863 both Edward and his older brother Walter were drafted into the U.S. Army for a period of one year.  Both served with the 7^th Maine Infantry until that unit became the 1^st Maine Veteran Infantry.  Shortly thereafter both brothers reenlisted in and completed the War with the 1^st.  The only documented notation on Edward’s service record is that in March and April, 1865 he was “absent, sick.”

   Returning to Maine, on 3/18/66 Edward married Nancy Cochran (b. 12/5/44), a young woman of Scottish decent born in Maine, but residing in New Brunswick, Canada.  The couple would produce six children: the names of only five of which are documented:  Clarence E. (1/23/67) Adeline “Addie” (b. 1868) Walter (b.5/7/74), May (1/1/79), and Samuel (9/12/82). All of the Curtis children were birthed in Aroostook County, Maine. 

In 1870 Dockendorff family was farming in or near the community of Easton located in Aroostook County, Maine. A decade later, in 1880, they were still in Aroostook County, but living in or near Caribou

 By 1890 the Dockendorffs were residing in Fifield, Wisconsin.  It was there the now 49-year-old vet began the application process for a government pension based on his Army service claiming a continuing inability to partially earn a living because of “piles, chills and fever”. At some point a pension was granted as at the time of his death Edward was receiving a $15 monthly stipend. 

 1900. A new century a new decade and a new census. The 1900 population tally located the Dockendorffs   in Iron River Bayfield County, Wisconsin. As of that time Edward listed his occupation as “woodsman.”

 As of 1910 they had moved again and were residing in the city of Everett, Snohomish County, Washington. When and why they had quitted Wisconsin and moved to the Puget Sound area of Washington State is not clear. Perhaps the why was to be near the families of their adult children. In that year’s census Nancy noted that she had given birth to six children of whom only four were still living. 

 Edward H. Dockendorff died at his home in Everett, Washington 1/17/12 at the age of 70 years 10 months. Cause of death was lobar pneumonia and general arteriole sclerosis.  Although the home address was apparently inside the city itself, the death certificate entry regarding occupation read: Farming. Burial was/is in the Grand Army of the Republic Cemetery located in the community of Snohomish some miles east of Everett in Snohomish County.

  Nancy lived to be ninety one years of age. She followed her husband in death on 3/14/36.  She was/is buried beside Edward in Snohomish.

Buried at Grand Army of the Republic Cemetery Snohomish
Row: 22
Site: 6

John Strand
Seattle, WA