Curtis C. Sleeper (Pvt, Co. C, 2nd Vermont Volunteer Infantry)

Curtis C. Sleeper was born on February 26, 1842 in Waterbury, Vermont to Timothy and Ruth (Flanders) Sleeper. He married Fanny Richardson in 1872 and they had at least 5 children - Mary, Effie, Samuel, Mabel, and Hattie. They later divorced, and she died in 1911.

He enrolled at Montpelier, Vermont on February 25, 1862 for three years with Company C, 2nd Vermont Infantry. He said he was 5'11", had a sandy complexion, blue eyes, sandy-colored hair, and that he was a 19-year-old farmer.

He was captured at Savage Station, Va June 30, 1862, and confined at Richmond. He was released August 3rd and admitted to the hospital at City Point with rheumatism and loss of right index finger due to a missile ball hitting his right hand during the battle of Savage Station. He was given a medical discharge on November 10, 1862 in New York City. On March 1, 1865, he re-enlisted and served in Company E, 22nd Regiment of New York until mustered out August 1, 1865 at Winchester, Virginia.

After his final discharge, he returned to Waterbury. Five years later, he moved to Massachusetts where he met and married his wife and raised his family, living in Hardwich, Worcester, and Hudson over the next 30 years. By 1907, he was back in Waterbury, which is where he died on January 4, 1915.

Curtis is buried in Old Waterbury Center Cemetery in Waterbury, Vermont. A white Civil War Veteran marker commemorates his service with the 2nd Vermont Infantry. There is also a GAR Post 32 flag holder.

SOURCES: Soldier's Certificate #111182 Pension Records
U. S. Census Data for Vermont
Vital Statistics Records from Vermont
VAN ESSEN GENEALOGY

David D. Sleeper (Pvt, Co. E, 11th Vermont Volunteer Infantry)

David D. Sleeper was born on April 11, 1834 in Vershire, Vermont to Timothy and Ruth (Flanders) Sleeper. He married Elizabeth C. Hill around 1858. Their first two children died very young, but the next five (Carrie, Cora, Frank, Lucy, and Edward) survived into adulthood.

While living in Waterbury, David enrolled at Stowe in December of 1863 for a three-year enlistment in the 11th Regiment which later became the 1st Heavy Artillery. He described himself as 5'11" in height with dark complexion, blue eyes, brown hair, and said he was a 29-year-old farmer.

He saw action at Cold Harbor, where he was wounded in the foot. He was also hit in the groin, as he testified in a claim filed in 1885: "…at the Battle of Cold Harbor, Va., June 12th, 1864, I was wounded by a minnie ball, which passed through my cartridge box which I had at the time round in front & over in front of my right groin - and struck me in front & just above my right groin & it knocked me down - it broke the skin so that the blood started a little … it has troubled me ever since that time … and in 1870 or 1871 it broke through and I now have a breach …. He had other problems as well: … sometime in the fall of 1864 I contracted the Chronic Diarrhea while the regiment was near Wincheaster and it has troubled me ever since….

His unit was joined with Company A around June of 1865, and he was mustered out from that unit on August 25 in Washington, DC.

After the war, he returned to Waterbury and at the end of November, 1865, he moved to Wolcott, Vermont, where he spent the rest of his life. In 1873, his wife Elizabeth died shortly after giving birth to their son, Edward. David remarried a few years later to Maria H. Webster. Family scuttlebutt says that Maria didn't treat her stepchildren very well and they left home as soon as they were able to. One daughter, Carrie, married a son of James K. Gardner in 1880 and moved to Iowa with their extended family.

David's health wasn't the best after the War. He died March 2, 1892 at age 57 years, 10 months and 21 days from erysipelas, which is "an acute infectious disease of the skin or mucous membranes characterized by inflammation of the skin accompanied with fever; it is caused by any of several kinds of streptococcus."

David is buried in Old Waterbury Center Cemetery in Waterbury, Vermont. A six-foot tall granite obelisk is inscribed with the names, dates of death. and age at death of David and his wife, Elizabeth. A white Civil War Veteran marker commemorates his service with the 11th Vermont Infantry. There is also a GAR Post 32 flag holder.

SOURCES: Soldier's Certificate #339089 Widow's Pension Records
U. S. Census Data for Vermont
Vital Statistics Records from Vermont
VAN ESSEN GENEALOGY

James W. Sleeper (Pvt, Co. D, 5th Vermont Volunteer Infantry)

James W. Sleeper was born on August 28, 1838, in Waterbury, Vermont to Timothy and Ruth (Flanders) Sleeper. He married Caroline B. Guptil on August 14, 1859, in Stowe, Vermont. They had 3 children - Charley (who died at age 4), Walter, and Herbert. Caroline died May 3, 1907.

While living in Waterbury, James enlisted at St. Albans in September of 1861 to serve three years in Company D, 5th Infantry. He described himself as 5'9½", light complexion, blue eyes, and light-colored hair and that he was a farmer.

In his Declaration for Original Invalid Pension, dated June 15, 1880, he said that near the Chain bridge, D.C. in October 1861, he contracted chronic diarrhea and suffered from its results. He was at Camp Griffin, Va. in Nov/Dec 1861 but frequently was "absent, sick" in roll calls.

He received a medical discharge February 5, 1863 at Philadelphia for "Deformity of left arm resulting from Erysipelas in early childhood". But there was no mention of the diarrhea that caused his frequent absences.

James died in Waterbury on April 9, 1918 at age 79, and is buried in Old Waterbury Center Cemetery in Waterbury, Vermont. A four-foot tall granite marker is inscribed with the names, years of birth and death of James and his wife, Caroline. An additional inscription commemorates his service with the 5th Regiment VT Vols.

SOURCES: Soldier's Certificate #272846 Pension Records

Tilton T. Sleeper (Sgt, Co. D, 2nd Vermont Volunteer Infantry)

Tilton T. Sleeper was born about 1829 in Vershire, Vermont to Timothy and Ruth (Flanders) Sleeper. He married Almira Lee in 1854 and they had a daughter, Helen, in 1856. Almira died March 30, 1860. In 1860, Tilton and Helen were living in Waterbury with Charles Lee (possibly his wife's brother) and the Lee's 20-year-old domestic help, Clara A. Cunningham. Clara and Tilton were married on September 2, 1860.

Tilton enrolled at Waterbury, Vermont on May 7, 1861 for three years and joined up with Company D, 2nd Vermont Infantry. He said he was 5'10¾", had a light complexion, blue eyes, dark hair, and that he was a 32-year-old mechanic.

He contracted Camp Fever while at Yorktown, Va., and by February 5, 1863, at Belle Plain, Va., according to his medical discharge, "Sergt. Tilton has been excused from duty most of the time since last June. During the last two months has done no duty whatsoever". He was examined and found incapable of performing the duties of a soldier because of "Chronic Diarrhea of six months standing, (that) has reduced the subject to such an extent that he is totally unfit for any duty and should be immediately discharged to save life".

He returned home to Waterbury, where his wife, Clara, promptly abandoned him and his daughter, Helen. He died October 11, 1863 from the dibilating effects of his diarrhea. Later testimony revealed that Clara had left the state and was thus declared an unfit mother for her step-daughter, Helen. Custody of Helen was granted to her maternal grandfather, Jonathan Lee.

Tilton is buried in Old Waterbury Center Cemetery in Waterbury, Vermont. A white Civil War Veteran marker commemorates his service with the 2nd Vermont Infantry (although it gives his rank as Corporal instead of Sergeant). There is also a GAR Post 32 flag holder.

SOURCES: Soldier's Certificate #93954 Minor's Pension Records
U. S. Census Data for Vermont
Vital Statistics Records from Vermont

THE PARENTS:
FATHER ;
Timothy Sleeper
Birth: 02 Apr 1799 in Sandown, New Hampshire
Death: 17 Mar 1883 in Wolcott, Vermont
Occupation: Carpenter
Father: David Sleeper b: 23 Nov 1765 in Sandown, New Hampshire
Mother: Rachel Tilton b: 27 Jan 1774 in Sandown, New Hampshire
Married: 29 Sep 1822 in Vershire, Vermont

MOTHER:
Name: Ruth Flanders
Birth: 26 Feb 1803 in Vershire, Vermont
Death: 31 May 1869 in Waterbury, Vermont
Father: Samuel Flanders b: 07 Feb 1773 in Boscawen, New Hampshire
Mother: Hannah Langley b: Abt 1775 in New Hampshire?

Source: JOHN VAN ESSEN

FLANDERS~SLEEPER