They Drowned.

In the olden days it was a sad fact that many of our ancestors drowned. There were many reason for these drowning floods, sinking of a ship, swimming. Many of these men drowned while in the service of their country.
There is not a lot of family information here but in my hopes of founding as many surnames as I can I place their names here less they not be forgotten. If you find a ancestor here you may find something about them you never knew. This information is just little leads and may lead you in a new direction. If you find a family mumber here and would like to add some informaion to help others in their hunt you may do so at the following: dsegelquist1@cox.net

Note. This information comes from Memorials, Petitions and Bills, which are housed at the Library of Congress and The official records of the war of the rebellion which is housed at Ohio State University.

1. John Adams' Diary

1777. Sept. 18. Thursday.
The violent N.E. Storm which began the Day before Yesterday continues We are yet in Philadelphia, that Mass of Cowardice and Toryism. Yesterday was buried Monsr. Du Coudray, a French Officer of Artillery, who was lately made an Inspector General of Artillery and military Manufactures with the Rank of Major General. He was drowned in the Schuylkill, in a strange manner. He rode into the Ferry Boat, and road out at the other End, into the River, and was drowned. His Horse took fright. He was reputed the most learned and promising Officer in France. He was carried into the Romish Chappell, and buried in the Yard of that Church.

MS (MHi). Adams, Diary (Butterfield), 2:263.

2. Charles Gouler, late a private in company F, ninth regiment New Hampshire volunteers, who was drowned in the Delaware river October 24, 1864, while absent from the hospital on leave, his widow is E. M. Gouler.

3. In 1856, Henry J. Paul, late a lieutenant in the navy, who was drowned in the Gulf of Mexico, his mother was Alison Logan.

4. 42D CONGRESS, 2D SESSI0N.
H. R. 2484

AN ACT

For the relief of Elizabeth Zluhan.

Whereas Jonathan Zluhan, late a private in the Ninety-third Regiment of Pennsylvania Volunteers, in his lifetime, established his right, under act of June seventeenth, eighteen hundred and seventy, to an artificial arm, by reason of the loss of the left arm in the service of the United States, and, under the provisions of section two of said act, elected, instead, the commutation in money provided in said section: and Whereas the Acting Commissioner of Pensions, on the eighth day of May, eighteen hundred and seventy-one, directed the pension-agent at Philadelphia to pay said commutation to said Zluhan; and Whereas said order has never been paid, and the officers of the Government refuse to pay Now, therefore, Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the Commissioner of Pensions be, and he is hereby, Authorized and directed to pay, or cause to be paid, to Elizabeth Zluhan, widow of said Jonathan Zluhan, the sum of fifty dollars, commutation-money as foresaid, to which said Zluhan was entitled in his lifetime.

Passed the house of Representatives April 24, 1872.

5. In 1813, Margaret Arundel, widow of Robert Arundel, late a sailing master in the navy, stating that her late husband was severely wounded in an engagement with the enemy on the lakes, and was afterwards knocked overboard and drowned.

6. In 1809, Levi Bates, of the State of Massachusetts, was drowned while building a public pier on Plymouth beach, in the State aforesaid, he leaves a wife Mrs. Lucy Bates.

7. In 1828, Gabriel Alexander, of Harrodsburg, in the State of Kentucky, drowned near that place.

8. In 1822, Robert Wright son, Major Clinton Wright, was drowned whilst descending the Flint river.

9. In 1854, Walter S. Chandler of the army, was drowned while in the discharge of his duty, his mother was Margaret Chandler.

10. In 1866, Julius Himpelman, private company H, 46th regiment New York volunteers, was drowned at Cincinnati, Ohio, on the 22d of March, 1864, while absent from the general hospital on a furlough, his wife was Sabina Himpelman.

11. 1848, Emily Maria Pinkney, father was a naval officer who was drowned while in the discharge of his duty.

12. In 1818, Hanson Catlett, a surgeon in the army of the United States, had a negro slave, who was drowned while attending him as a servant, during the late war with Great Britain.

13. In 1866, William Laughlin, of company C, third Maryland cavalry, was drowned by the sinking of the United States steamer North America in the month of December, 1864, while absent from his regiment on furlough, on account of sickness contracted in the service, his wife was Mrs. Agnes W. Laughlin.

14. In 1846, The memorial of Sarah Ann Hart, widow, and Monmouth B. Hart, Joel Kelly, and William Close, sureties of Benjamin F. Hart, deceased, a purser in the navy, who was drowned at sea

15. In 1834, A petition of John Hall, of the State of Georgia, praying to be paid the value of a negro man owned by him, which negro man was drowned while in the service of the United States engineer department, and while engaged in public works on the Appalachicola harbor.

16. In 1847-1850, A petition of Lieutenant David D. Porter, in behalf of Eliza Bache, window of the late Lieutenant George M. Bache, praying remuneration for the property and money of her late husband, which was swept overboard from the United States brig Washington, when he was drowned.

17. In 1870 a Bill stated, Whereas on the night of Sunday, January 2, the American schooner Statesman was wrecked on Rockaway Beach, Long Island, and in a heroic and successful attempt to rescue the crew of said vessel, Frank Abrams, of Rockaway, one of the crew of the life-boat from the government life-saving station on that beach, while in the actual effort to snatch from death a sinking fellow-man, fell overboard and was himself drowned, leaving a wife and one child in straitened circumstances; and whereas similar instances of gallant self-sacrifice in the cause of humanity have heretofore occurred on the coasts of Long Island and New Jersey, where these life-saving stations are located: Therefore, Be it resolved, That the Committee on Invalid Pensions be, and they are hereby, instructed to inquire into the expediency of reporting a bill granting a suitable pension to the widow of the said Frank Abrams during the continuance of her widowhood; and also further to consider the propriety and advisability of a general bill granting pensions to all such members of the crews of life-saving stations, on the said coasts, as shall hereafter lose their own lives in similar efforts to save the lives of others.

18. In 1873, A petition of Margaret C. Bell, widow of the late Rear-Admiral H. H. Bell, drowned in Osaka Harbor, Japan.

19. In 1842, A petition of citizens of Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, praying that suitable provision be made for the widow of David Ross Crawford, a passed midshipman, who was drowned in attempting to save the life of a seaman.

20. In 1840, A petition of Sarah Ralston, of Charleston, in the State of South Carolina, praying remuneration for the loss of two slaves, who were drowned while in the employment of the United States, in the year 1839.

21. In 1871, A Bill Authorizing the payment of a sum of money to the widow of Henry C. Fillebrown, a civil engineer, who lost his life by drowning in the Coosa River, in the State of Alabama, when engaged in the service of the United States.

22. In 1832 it was announced the death of Charles C. Johnston, one of the Representatives of the State of Virginia, which took place at Alexandria, in the District of Columbia, on the 17th instant, by drowning.

23. Battle on Elk Creek, Creek Nation, July 17, 1863.
At. 11 p. m. on the 16th instant. There privates of Company F, Second Regiment Indian, home Guard, Brigade, were drowned while attempting to swim the Arkansas river- Privates Huston Mayfield, Key Dougherty, and To-cah-le-ges-kie.

24. Fort Craig, N. Mex., May 9, 1865.
GENERAL: It is my melancholy duty to report that a serious accident occurred here yesterday afternoon. After much labor we succeeded in getting a good, substantial rope across the river just below the post, and had commenced crossing Company F, First New Mexico Volunteers, Lieutenant George H. Pettis commanding. The company had successfully crossed, together with Lieutenant Pettis' family, when, on the second trip of the boat, she sank forward and went down. On board were Captain D. B. Haskell, First Veteran Infantry California Volunteers; Lieutenant John S. Crouch, same regiment; Lieutenant A. B. Johnston, acting commissary of subsistence; Mr. John Hubbell, brother of Judge Hubbell; Doctor Strachn, of Albuquerque; Wagon-Master John Mull, from Albuquerque, and a number of the men and laundresses of Company F, First New Mexico Volunteers. Captain Haskell, Mr. John Hubbell, and some eight men of Company F, First New Mexico Volunteers, were drowned.

25. STEAMER NEW YORK,
Annapolis, Md., February 5, 1863.
Lieutenant-Colonel SANGSTER,
Commanding Post, Annapolis, Md.
SIR: In compliance with your request I have the honor to report the following in regard to an accident which occurred to paroled (Federal) prisoners while on their way from their prison to the railroad for City Point to meet flag-of-truce steamer New York, January 27, 1863. The detachment of 800 paroled (Federal) prisoners left the prison at about 4. 30 a. m. and on their way to depot while crossing the canal bridge, an iron structure over which 1,000 of our men had passed the day before, gave way and precipitated about 100 men into the canal. Private George Epart, Company H, Thirtieth Indiana Volunteers, and Private David Lampa, Company K, Thirtieth Indiana Volunteers, were drowned.

26. May 12, 1864, Captain [Thomas G.] McClelland drowned yesterday in crossing White River.

27. January 7, 1864, Sergeants Matthews and Jones, Corporal McKinley, Privates McKinley, Connor, J. and F. Secrist, Thomas Wadsworth, James Seaborn, May, Mcneley, Walton, A. C. Johnson, Hines, Gibson, Copeland, and Howell; George M. Bowie has not been found, but no doubt he was drowned

28. CAIRO, ILL., April 20, 1862.
President LINCOLN:
Governor Harvey, of Wisconsin, was drowned last night about 11 o"clock at Savannah, on the Tennessee River, while passing from one boat to another. All search for his body had proved fruitless up to the time dispatch left.