Thomas Smith / Shay-go-nay-be was born 14 Mar 1840 in Saginaw county, Michigan, son of William Smith. [From enlistment papers and death certificate]
Smith, Thomas. Isabella. Enlisted in company K, First Sharpshooters, 18 May 1863, at Isabella, for 3 years, age 23. Mustered May 26, 1863. Sergeant March 1, 1865. Discharged at Detroit, Mich., Aug. 11, 1865.
Muster In Roll - Thomas is listed on line 55. [From Archives of Michigan]
Service records and hospital cards:
Muster in thru Oct 1863
Nov 1863 - Apr 1864
USA General Hospital, Fairfax Seminary, Virginia - May-Jun 1864
Service Muster and Hospital Muster - Sickel Barracks, Virginia - Jul-Aug 1864
On 4 Aug 1864 admitted to Second Division General Hospital from Washington Hall in Alexandria, VA - pneumonia
Furlough to City Point dated 7-8 Apr 1865
Jan-Jun 1865. Promoted 1 Mar 1865.
Hospitals - From Lincoln Hospital to Armory Square in D.C. to Harewood in D.C. to Union Hospital in Philadelphia to Harper Hospital in Detroit.
Hospital muster Aug-Oct 1865
Muster out cards
Undated description of faithful duty.
Muster out roll [Archives of Michigan]
Thomas applied for a pension in 1865
Certificate of disability
Thomas' list of hospitals
Marriage - Isabella county 20 Jun 1875 to Nancy Penugo-ging
1880 Federal Census Isabella township, Isabella county
Smith, Thomas, 40, farmer, inflammation sore eyes, married
Nancy, 24, wife, keeping house, married
Johnstons, Julia, 74, so--d mother, keeping house, widowed
Thomas is listed in the 1888 Veteran Census as living in Calkinsville [Rosebush].
Dr Shaw physician's affidavit after 1888
1890 Federal Census - veterans schedule line 6 - Smith, Thomas, private, Co K, 1 Mich Inf served 18 May 1863 to 11 Aug 1865, 2 years 3 months 13 days, blind from inflammation caused by war
Pension papers - 1890
Affidavit from Amos Chamberlin and George Corbin
Surgeon's statement 1891
Affidavit from Amos Chamberlin 1891
Affidavit from Thomas Smith 1891
1892 Marcus Otto confirms Thomas' identity
1893 Affidavits from James Jackson, James Quoboway and physician:
1894 Affidavits from Elijah Pelcher and Mark Neyome:
Thomas is listed as living in Isabella Township, Isabella County in the "United States Soldiers of the Civil War Residing in Michigan, June 1, 1894" census.
1896 - Pension granted and corrected:
1900 Federal Census Isabella Township, Isabella County
Smith, Thomas, head, b. Mar 1840, age 60, married 25 years, no occupation given, Sha-qwon-a-bey, Thos., Chippewa
Smith, Nancy, wife, b. Sep 1850, age 49, married 25 years, no children born, She-baw-ge-zhig-o-quay, Nancy, Chippewa
1903 Pension increase declaration
1904 Affidavit from Jacob Tip-si-coe
Thomas died on 22 Apr 1909 from pneumonia.
He is buried in Bissing Cemetery in Rosebush [also called Nippissing Indian Cemetery]
From the Flint Journal 1 May 1909:
From the Bay City Times 1 May 1909
Nancy applied for a widow's pension on 26 Apr 1909
1910 Federal Census - Union township, Isabella county
Smith, Nancy, head, 59, widowed, no children born, speaks English, no occupation
Nancy died 12 May 1910 in Union township.
Link to service records
Link to pension records
Copyright (C) 2017 Vicki Wilson
I transribed one of the newspaper obituaries to make it easier to read & share:
ReplyDeleteGOOD INDIAN DIES
"Blind Tom" Did Valiant Service in Civil War
Enlisted in Year 1863
Was Leader Among Redmen of Isabella County.
Contracted Erysipelas in the Army That Resulted
Later in Loss of Sight.
Mt. Pleasant, Mich., May 1 [1909] -- While the
white men are in controversy over the Mt.
Pleasant Indian school and the Michigan senate
is weighing its adoption as a home for
crippled children, the Indian race of Isabella county
is rapidly solving al[sic] problems of Indian
education.
The death of "Blind Tom" which occurred at his
home near Mt. Pleasant April 22, removes one
of the Indian landmarks of Isabella. Many a
resident will miss the poor blind Indian
veteran, who for 45 years had been a familiar
figure in this section.
Thomas Shay-Go-Nay-Be, alias Thomas
Smith, a member of the bands of Chippewa of
Swan Creek and Black river of Michigan was
born 69 years ago. In his youth he
acquired a common school education, which
gave him prominence in the councils of his people.
Fought to Save the Union.
On May 18, 1863, Shay-Go-Nay-Be enlisted as
a soldier in the Civil War and was enrolled in
Company K, First regiment, Michigan Volunteer
sharpshooters, a company which was made up
entirely of Indians. Here Thomas'
education was appreciated, and he was appointed first
sergeant of the company, a very responsible
position requiring tact and executive ability.
Although the Indian sergeant had but one
hand, having been born without a hand for the
right arm, he made a brilliant record as a
soldier. His regiment took part in the great
battles of the Wilderness and Spotsylvania court
house, Va. At Spotsylvania the Indians did
heroic service. Being terribly pressed by the
furious confederate soliders, they valiantly
held their ground and with each volley from
their rifles sent a bloodcurdling warwhoop
of defiance.
Shay-Go-Nay-Be followed the fortunes of
his regiment to the close of the war at
Appomattox and was honorably discharged
by "general order" at Detroit August 11, 1865.
Upheld Rights of His People.
At the close of the war he returned to the
Indian reservation in Isabella county, where,
in 1873, he married an Indian maiden, Nancy
Pay-Me-Go-Gin.
But the soldier wsa not to live a life of comfort
and happiness. The brave struggle which he
had made for the victory of an alien people
had disastrous effects. Shay-Go-Nay-Be
contracted erysipelas during his years of
service in the army, and after his return to
Mt. Pleasant, he lost both eyes as a result of
the disease.
In spite of the helpless condition which gave
Shay-Go-Nay-Be the epithet "Blind Tom," the
Indian did not lead a life of idlenss. In the
councils of his people he advocated their
rights with vigor, intelligence and insistence.
For years he was an influential member
of the "Indian business committee." In later
life he was recognized by his people as a
minister and conducted an Indian mission
church.
Faithful Wife Ray of Sunshine.
Throughout the poverty and affliction
of Shay-Go-NayBe's life there was always
one ray of sunshine that penetrated the
darkness -- the faithful devotion of his wife
Nancy. She was his constant attendant.
This week, for the first time, Nancy
made her trip to town alone.
"Well, Tom left me," she said to a Mt.
Pleasant man, as she looked into his
store.
"That's too bad. Where did he go?"
inquired the other.
"Oh, we buried him last Saturday."
The merchant, on hearing the news, at
once turned philosopher.
"Well," he said comfortingly,m "I'm
sorry. But poor Tom is better off. He
was quite a care for you."
"Ah," wailed the Indian woman,
"but it ain't home no more to me."
And Nancy turned turned back toward the
little cottage where for so many years
she had made baskets to piece out the
$12 pension and care for Blind Tom.