Civil War Veterans Buried In Washington State - John Banks

25^th IOWA VOLUNTEER INFANTRY
Organized: Summer, 1862 Camp McKean Mount Pleasant, IA
Mustered In: 9/27/1862 Camp McKean Mount Pleasant, IA
Mustered Out: 6/6/1865 Washington, D.C.

REGIMENTAL HISTORY:

The 25^th Iowa was a three year infantry regiment. It served in the western theater of the American Civil War (ACW).
 

Leaving the state in November, 1862 the unit proceeded to Helena, AR where it remained for four weeks. It then accompanied the forces of Union General W.T. Sherman towards Vicksburg, MS. During this period it was engaged with the enemy at Chickasaw Bayou (12/26 -29) but was not in the main charge, so suffered only a slight loss.
 

Next came the capture of Arkansas Post, AR (1/9 - 11/1863). That conflict cost the 25^th sixty men. About another thirty were lost during the initial attack on Vicksburg (5/19/1863). After the surrender of that city (7/4/1863) the 25^th joined the second Union movement against Jackson, MS. It then went into camp at the Big Black River until September when it embarked for Memphis, TN.
 

From Memphis, the regiment marched to the relief of Chattanooga, TN. There, it was in action at Lookout Mountain. In November it was engaged with the enemy at Ringgold, GA (11/27/1863). It then moved into Alabama for winter quarters.
 

During the 1864 campaign to capture Atlanta, GA the 25^th saw action at Resaca (5/13 -15), Dallas (5/26 - 6/1), Ezra Church (7/28), Jonesboro (8/31 - 9/1), Lovejoy's Station (8/20) and around Atlanta itself. Upon the fall of that city the 25^th marched to Savannah and the sea.
 

The early months of 1865 found the 25^th marching northward through the Carolinas. After the surrender of Confederate troops under General Johnston it marched to Washington, D.C. where, in May, it took part in the Grand Review. Final muster came in that city during June.
 

REGIMENTAL LOSSES:
Officers Killed Or Mortally Wounded: 2; Officers Died Of Disease, Accidents, Etc.: 2; Enlisted Men Killed Or Mortally Wounded: 63; Enlisted Men Died Of Disease, Accidents, Etc.: 207.

SOLDIER:
Residence: Mount Pleasant, IA   Age: 29.1 yrs.
Enlisted/Enrolled: 8/13/1862   Rank: Pvt.
Mustered In: 8/13/1862
Discharged For Disability: 4/14/1863 St. Louis, MO
Highest Rank: Pvt.
Rank At Discharge: Pvt.

PERSONAL/FAMILY HISTORY:

NOTE: The birth - to - death biographical profile of John Banks was completed in December, 2021 during the Covid-19 medical pandemic. It contains less depth of detail than many other biographies within this website because military service, pension and other veteran-related files housed in Washington, D.C.'s National Archives were not available. At a later time those documents may be obtained and the data contained therein added to the narrative which follows.
________________________________________________________________________________________________John Gossard Banks was born 6/22/1833. His birthplace was Franklin County, PA.

Parents of John were Charles Henry Banks, Sr. (b. 1/24/1807 MD - d. 3.26.1889 Delta Fulton County, OH) and Sarah (nee Gossard b. 2/14/1811 Franklin County, PA - d. 4/26/1874 Mansfield Richland County, OH) Banks. The Banks family were farmers.

Based on available U.S. Census tallies and other documentation, John was one of sixteen children born to Charles and Sarah. Only thirteen are identified in available documentation.  Older than he was Malinda Banks (b. 11/29/1829 Franklin County, PA). Younger than he were:  Mary Annabell Banks (b. unk), Elizabeth Banks (b. 8/19/1836 PA), Anna “Annie” M.  Banks (b. 1838 OH), Catherine Banks (b. 1840), George Washington Banks (b. 9/8/1842 OH), William Banks (b. 1844), David Aaron Banks (b. 1845 OH  ), Hiram Banks (b. 1847 OH), Emeretta “Emma”  Banks (b. 1849  OH),  Isabella Banks (b. 1852 OH ) and  Charles H. Banks (b. 1856 OH).

On 3/15/1852, in Richmond Jefferson County OH John married. His bride was Elizabeth (nee Smith b. 2/3/1826 Jefferson Co. OH). How when and where the two had met are unknowns. The marriage would be the first and last for both parties. The couple then settled down in Ohio and began their family.
 

During their years together John and Elizabeth produced thirteen children. Nine were living at the dawn of the twentieth century. The Banks children were: James Irwin Banks (b. 2/7/1853 Jefferson Co. OH), Charles W. Banks (b. 3/19/1855 Henry County, IA), Mary Annabelle Banks(b. 10/12/1856 Henry County, IA), Lillian Banks (b. 10/28/1858 Ft. Madison Lee County, IA), Jessie Estella Banks (b. 2/7/1858 IA), Thomas Edwin Banks (b. 12/6/1861 IA), Sarah Bertha Banks (b. 10/2/1863 IA), John Elsworth Banks (b. 10/14/1864 IA) and Josie May Banks (b. 4/24/1866  IA).

As noted by the birth states of their children, at some point in time following the 1853 birth of James and that of Charles in 1855, the Banks family quitted Ohio and moved to Iowa. There, they apparently took up farming in in or near the Henry County community of Mt. Pleasant.
 

In August, 1862 John left Mt. Pleasant, his wife and children to join the U.S. Army. His unit was the 25^th Iowa Infantry.

 Private Banks enlisted for a period of three years, but was unable to fulfill the entire enlistment. He was discharged on 4/14/1863 because of a disability. Without access to his military service and medical records the nature of the disability remains unknown, but whatever it may have been, it was serious enough for him to begin receiving a disability pension stipend as early as 8/12/1863.  More on the pension, later.
 

It appears that upon exiting the military service John returned to Mt. Pleasant, IA. He was found there by the census of 1870. His occupation at that time was noted as "stone mason."
 

1880. Another decade. Another U.S. Census. That population tally found the Banks family farming in Bow Creek Rooks County, KS. What had drawn them to Kansas and when they had arrived there are unknowns.
 

At the dawning of the twentieth century - 1900 - John and Elizabeth had quitted the mid-west and were residing in Port Angeles, Clallam County, WA. What had lured them to the Pacific Northwest and when they arrived here are more unknowns. As for occupation, in 1900 John was a retired “pensioner."
 

On 11/22/1904 former Private Banks's pension was updated. He began receiving   seventeen dollars per month based on infirmities which traced back to his days of Civil War soldiering. By that time his debilities were said to be disease of the spine and lungs.
 

Elizabeth Smith Banks died on 1/10/1907 at the age of eighty years and eleven months. As of this writing all that is known about her passing is that she died in Washington State. She was/is buried in the Ocean View Cemetery located in Port Angeles Clallam County, WA.
 

John Gossard Banks died on 1/20/1906, not in Port Angeles, WA, but in Marshalltown Marshall County, IA. Although it is not documented, likely he was on a visit to the region when death visited him. His earthly remains were transported back to Port Angeles where they were interred in the Ocean View Cemetery beside Elizabeth.
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* During the American Civil War George served in the 163^rd Ohio Infantry. He survived the conflict.

** During the American Civil War William served with the 25^th Ohio Infantry and the 12^th Ohio Light Artillery. He survived the conflict.

Buried at Ocean View Cemetery GAR Section Clallam Co.