Buck Family papers, 1851-1928

Summary

Creator:

Buck family.

Abstract:

Settlers in Englishville, Michigan. Family correspondence, diaries, legal papers, newspaper clippings and other materials relating to farm life, personal affairs, and the Civil War.

Extent:

3 microfilms (1 linear foot)

Language:

English

Call Number:

85839 mf 309c, mf 310c, mf 311c

Authors:

Finding aid created by Michigan Historical Collections staff

Background

Scope and Content:

The Buck family collection includes correspondence, diaries, legal papers, newspaper clippings, and other materials relating to farm life, personal affairs, and the Civil War. Included are letters of Curtis Buck and Andrew Buck relating to the Civil War. Also of interest is a letter of John Bettis, June 10, 1864, regarding his running a saw and grist mill in Chattanooga during the war. Other family members represented in the collection are Charles W. Buck and Myron and Susan Field Buck.

Biographical / Historical:

The Buck family lived in Englishville, Kent County, Michigan. One member of the family, Andrew Newton Buck (of Hillsdale, Mich.) served in Company I, 8th Connecticut Infantry in 1861-1862. He was at home from April to November, 1862 because of illness, then re-enlisted as quartermaster sergeant in Company F, 7th Michigan Cavalry. He was transferred to Company C, 1st Michigan Cavalry in October, 1865, and mustered out at Salt Lake City in 1866. From there he took a stagecoach trip to California before returning home. Another family member, Curtis Buck, served in Battery B, 1st Light Artillery during the Civil War. He was taken prisoner at Shiloh, wounded in action in March, 1865, and confined at Macon and other places for fifty-three days.

Acquisition Information:

The collection was given to the Bentley Historical Library by Roy and Owen Holmes in 1967 (donor no. 844 ).

Accruals:

No further additions to the papers are expected.

Rules or Conventions:

Finding aid prepared using Describing Archives: A Content Standard (DACS)

Related

Additional Descriptive Data:

Partial index to Civil War correspondence

The Buck family papers include the following correspondence related to the Civil War:

1. Fifty-six letters (1861-1866) written by Andrew Newton Buck of Hillsdale, Mich., to his brother, Myron. There are detailed descriptions of camp life(quarters, food, pedlars and sutlers, gambling, foraging, picket duty); comments on officers, slavery, Copperheads, religion, and rebel deserters; an outline of the "Buggy Brigade" plan. He was in several battles (July2-8, 1863) and gives details of the cavalry's part in the battle of Gettysburg under Custer.
2. Forty letters (1862-1864) written by Curtis Buck of Englishville, Mich., to his brother, Myron, from Corinth, Miss., and Rome, Ga. He gives some details of camp life, foraging, scouting and skirmishing, but his chief interest is mail from home.
3. One letter (June 10, 1864) written by John T. Bettis of Alpine, Mich., to Myron Buck in which he tells about running a saw and gristmill in Chattanooga, Tenn. Bettis was an artificer in Company D, Michigan Engineers and Mechanics, 1861-1864.
4. One letter (Sept. 26, 1864) of Watt E. Brown, Company F, 128th Indiana Infantry, written from Decatur, Ga.

Alternative Form Available:

Materials in this collection have been microfilmed and digitized (with online availability); please consult the Contents List.

Subjects

Click on terms below to find any related finding aids on this site.

Subjects:

Farm life -- Michigan -- Kent County.
Farmers -- Michigan -- Kent County.
Farmers -- Religious life -- Michigan -- Kent County.
Soldiers -- Michigan -- Kent County.
Gettysburg (Pa.), Battle of, 1863.
Dwellings -- Ohio -- Toledo.

Formats:

Diaries.
Photographs.

Names:

United States. Army. Michigan Artillery Regiment, 1st (1861-1865). Battery B.
United States. Army. Michigan Cavalry Regiment, 1st (1861-1866). Company M.
United States. Army. Michigan Cavalry Regiment, 7th (1862-1865). Company F.
United States. Army. Michigan Engineers and Mechanics Regiment, 1st (1861-1865). Company D.
Buck family.
Field family.
Buck, Andrew Newton, 1839-
Bettis, John T., 1839-
Buck, Charles W.
Buck, Curtis, 1841-
Buck, Myron.
Buck, Susan Field.

Places:

Englishville (Mich.)
Kent County (Mich.)
United States -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865.
Toledo (Ohio) -- Dwellings.