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Ceremony planned at Civil War veteran?s grave

The Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War will hold a dedication ceremony for Adam J. Williams at 11 a.m. Saturday, June 21, at the Block Cemetery, located at the intersection of County Road K and Bear Lake Road in Ogdensburg.

Williams served as a private with Co. F in the 44th Wisconsin Infantry during the Civil War.

He enlisted on Oct. 8, 1964, and died July 6, 1865, of dysentery in a post hospital in Paducah, Ky.

The son of Adams and Elizabeth (Bouck) Williams. he lived in Newfane, N.Y., until his family moved to the town of Gaines near Grand Rapids, Mich.
Prior to moving to the town of Little Wolf in Waupaca County, where he purchased 300 acres, Adam Williams married Mathilda Bloss and had six children named Albert, Charles, Florence, Sarah Jane, Norman and George.

The 44th Wisconsin Infantry was called into service in the autumn of 1864.

The companies were sent to Nashville, Tenn., as fast as they were recruited. Williams left Camp Randall after Oct. 10 and reached Nashville on Nov. 30.  
The five companies of the 44th were under Lt. Col. Oliver Bissell. The regiment was present at the battle of Nashville on Dec. 15 and 16, 1864. They were in the trenches between Ft. Negley and Franklin Pike, a portion of them being detailed to guard prisoners.

The 44th regiment was employed in post and guard duty at Nashville until March 9 when they were sent to Eastport, Miss., to escort some Union prisoners of war. However, the prisoners did not arrive and the regiment returned to Nashville.

The regiment embarked for Paducah, Ky., on April 3, where they were on picket duty until Aug. 28, when they were mustered out of service.
Jean Spiegelberg said Williams’ granddaughter, Leola Spiegelbert, believed his body had not been returned to Wisconsin.

“The Block Cemetery had no stone for Adam, so it was decided in 2006 that we would try to find his gravesite in Paducah, Ky.,” Jean Spiegelberg said.

“After two trips and no luck finding him, we went back to the Block Cemetery to take some pictures of other gravesites. In the process, Leola’s son, Bob, happened to see part of a gravestone next to Mathilda’s. Using a putty knife, he took off a layer of soil and found that the top part of the stone had fallen many years ago and was under the ground. What a surprise.”

The local chapter of the Sons of Union Civil War Veterans subsequently provided a new stone for Adam Williams’ grave.

The Spiegelbergs are seeking family members in the area to participate in the graveside dedication ceremony on June 21. For more information, call Jean Spiegelberg at 920-836-2941.

The ceremony will also be open to the public. 

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