Civil War Veterans Buried In Washington State - Oliver Silvey

48^th INDIANA VOLUNTEER INFANTY
Organized: Fall, 1861 Goshen, IN
Mustered In: 1/28/62
Mustered Out: 7/15/65 Louisville, KY

REGIMENTAL HISTORY:

   The 48^th, a three year regiment, left for Fort Donelson, TN immediately after federal muster. Arriving the day after surrender of the fort, the unit then moved to the siege of Corinth, MS. Shortly thereafter, at the battle of Luka (9/19/62) it lost 116 killed and wounded.

   1863 found the regiment in the trenches before Vicksburg and taking part in the 5/22 assault on that city. Here it lost 38 killed and wounded. In August the 48^th moved to Memphis, TN and thence to Chattanooga where it was engaged at Tunnell Hill

   In Jan. 1864 at Huntsville, AL the 48^th re-enlisted as a veteran organization. In mid ’64 the regiment moved to GA where it hunted guerillas and protected railroad communications before joining Union General William T. Sherman in Atlanta for his “March to The Sea.” Rounding out its career was 1865 participation in the Campaign of the Carolinas which culminated in the surrender of Confederate Gen. Johnston’s army.

  After a march to Washington for the grand review the 48^th was transferred to Louisville, KY where it saw final muster. 

SOLDIER:
Residence: Inf. Not Avail.   Age: 17.8 yrs.
Enlisted/Enrolled: 1/11/62 La Porte, IN   Rank: Pvt.
Mustered In: 2/12/62 Paducah, KY
Discharged/Mustered Out: 7/15/65
Highest Rank: Pvt.

PERSONAL/FAMILY HISTORY:

NOTE:  The original birth – to – death biographical profile of Oliver Silvey was created during the early years of the Civil War Veterans Buried In Washington State project. As a result, it was limited in both size and the availability of research resources.

The biography which follows was written in May, 2019. Although more detailed than its predecessor it still lacks the depth of more recent additions to this website which draw heavily upon veteran-related military, pension and other documents housed in the National Archives in Washington, D.C.

***********************************************************************************************************************************************

  Oliver P. Silvey was born 5/15/44 in Ohio. His parents were Thomas Piner Silvey (b.1809 Scotland or NC) and Hannah (nee Milner b.1820 OH). The Silvey family was a farm family that, during the 1850 U.S. Census tally was residing in My Division located in Marshall County. 

  Thomas and Hannah produced three children of which Oliver was the youngest.  Older than he was Brother John F. (b. 1833 IN)   and Sister Margaret Ellen (b. 3/28/41 IN).  No information is available on Oliver’s childhood or early teen years

 In 1862 Oliver – a 17.8 year old farmer - joined the U.S. Army as a musician. No details are known about his musical status, i.e. drummer, fifer, bugler, bandsman, etc. While Private Silvey’s regiment was to see an exceptional amount of combat; there are no indications of his being wounded.
 

  However, in 1863 during actions around Vicksburg, MS Oliver was to receive combat - related injuries, which would not only result in his immediate hospitalization, but also create health problems which would plague him for many years. A 9/78 pension application noted that he “was detailed to assist in a mortar boat shelling the town and while so engaged was attacked with hemorrhage of the lungs by over exertion, and the effects of the shelling…  concussion, from which disability he continues to suffer.”  Despite Private Silvey’s physical trials and tribulations, in early 1864 he re-enlisted and finished the war with his unit. He would later be granted the U.S. Government disability pension requested because – at the time of his death – he was receiving a stipend of $20 per month.
 

 After leaving the military Oliver apparently returned to Indiana.  In 1870 he was living in or near the Marshall County community of Green. His occupation at the time was “day laborer.”
 

In April, 1872 Oliver married.  His bride was Martha Burden (b. 1854 IN).
 

 Oliver and Martha divorced after producing two girls and one boy: Cora A. (b. 6/24/73), Lora Elbert A. (b. 9/8/74), and Daisy L. (b. 11/1876).  All of the children were birthed in Indiana.

On 6/14/92, in Denver, CO, Oliver remarried. The second Mrs. Oliver Silvey was German-born, and previously wed, Anna “Annie” T. Gaston (no nee b.2/4/48). She brought no children to the union and she and Oliver did not produce any of their own.

 By 1898 the Oliver and Annie were residing in Missoula, MT. What had drawn them there and when they had made the move is not documented.
 

  As of 1910 Oliver and Annie had moved west to Washington State. Their community of residence the Ludwig (District) of Snohomish County near Snohomish City.  Again, when and why the move to the Puget Sound region of the Pacific Northwest had been made is not known.
 

On 1/2012 after living in “Everett and Snohomish County for many years,” 67.8 year old Oliver died. His newspaper obituary stated that at one time he had been connected with the Everett Police Department. No further details were given.
Burial was/is in the Grand Army Of The Republic (G.A.R.) Cemetery in Snohomish, Snohomish Co., WA.
 

 The 9/15/13 Everett Herald newspaper noted: Mrs. Annie Silvey died yesterday at her home at 137 Maple Street… after a short illness… She was a prominent worker in the G.A.R.” She was/is buried in the Snohomish G.A.R. Cemetery beside Oliver.

Buried at Grand Army of the Republic Cemetery Snohomish
Row: 16
Site: 5

Dennis O’Neil
Concrete, WA