Area 20 – Civil War Burials

Civil War Burials

James Pamment (1843-1863)

James Pamment was born in Canada in 1843 to an English father, William, and an Irish mother, Elizabeth. With his parents and two younger siblings, he emigrated to Chili, NY about 1851. In 1860 he was employed as a farm laborer in Chili. On August 12, 1862, James enlisted in Rochester for a term of three years. A strapping blue-eyed, dark-haired six-footer, he mustered in as a corporal to the 6th Company, 1st Battalion, New York Sharpshooters on September 13, 1862. He was killed in action on April 18, 1863 during the Siege of Suffolk, VA and was buried in plot 15 at Rapids Cemetery. By 1865, his family had moved to Henrietta, NY, where his father was engaged in farming. His mother applied for a survivor’s pension in 1882. Of the known Civil War veterans buried at Rapids Cemetery, James Pamment is the only one to have been killed in battle.

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Thomas Poppino (c. 1821-1874)

Thomas Poppino was born about 1821 in York, Livingston Co., NY. The family surname was originally Papineau but over time was Anglicized to Pappino and Poppino. He married Mary Ann Pierce on 23 May 1848 in the Town of Gates and they lived near the Rapids where Thomas worked as a boatman and laborer. They had four children, only one of whom is known to have survived to adulthood. On 22 August 1862, Thomas enlisted in the 140th NY Volunteer Infantry for a term of three years and was mustered into Company E as a private on 13 September. He was 40 years old, of fair complexion with light hair and blue eyes, and stood five feet eight inches tall. It is not clear if Thomas was with the regiment at the major battles in the Eastern Theater, but he was noted as sick and in the hospital at one point. On 14 January 1864 he was transferred to Company F, 6th Regiment, Veteran Reserve Corps. This may have been due to his age and ongoing health issues. Thomas returned to the Rapids but was plagued by poor health. A neighbor’s deposition in support of the widow’s pension application stated that from the time Thomas was discharged up until his death, he suffered from chronic diarrhea and became continually weaker. He died at his home on 30 October 1874. A headstone was ordered from the US government in 1879 but apparently no longer existed at the time the new military markers were requested in 1960.  At an unknown date, Thomas’ remains were moved to Mount Hope Cemetery. Mary Ann survived her husband by 30 years, died on 3 March 1910 and was buried in Mount Hope Cemetery. It is likely that Thomas and Mary Ann’s three young children are buried here in the family plots. Other relatives possibly buried in this cemetery are Jesse Poppino who died in 1855 and William Poppino who died between 1875-1880. Their exact relationship to Thomas is not known.

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John H. Rider (1839-1889)

John H. Rider was born about 1839 in Albany Co, NY or Rensselaer Co, NY, the son of Samuel and Malissa Rider. By 1860 he had married Maria Rogers and was working as a laborer in Parma, NY. On 24 July 1862 he enlisted in Company H, 108th New York Volunteer Infantry and mustered in as a private on 18 August. At that time, he was described as standing five feet eight inches tall, being of light complexion with blue eyes and brown hair. The 108th were in action at Antietam in September and after the battle, Captain Francis Pierce wrote in a letter that “We were in plain sight of a Rebel battery and were severely shelled…. Quite a number were killed and it was awful… I can’t tell half that I saw or heard or describe the agony I was in for two hours we were shelled.” The regiment was subsequently engaged at Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville and Gettysburg. John deserted from Finley Hospital in Washington DC on 4 August 1863. He must have returned to the regiment as his military record indicates he spent several months in hospital from late 1864 into early 1865. After the war he returned to farm labor at Parma until about 1871 when he moved to Rochester. There he was employed as a teamster and driver for the remainder of his life. On the evening of 24 July 1889, John’s wife found him hanging in the cellar of their home. He had complained of ill health about a year previously and had been unable to work the week prior to his death. The Coroner’s jury found that “the deceased had committed suicide while laboring under temporary aberration of mind, caused by long continued illness.” A post-mortem examination discovered serious organ damage including one lung adhered to the chest wall, dilation of the heart, and enlarged spleen and liver. The doctors concluded that “there was sufficient disease present to cause death without strangulation and gave the opinion that the immediate cause of death was heart disease.” John was buried at Rapids Cemetery where two of his brothers-in-law were plot owners. One of these, Hiram Rogers, is also buried here. John’s widow Maria died in 1931 and was buried at Riverside Cemetery in Rochester. George Bass died at his grandmother Maria Rider’s home on 14 August 1896, aged four years It is possible that he is also buried in Rapids Cemetery.

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Marquis Barton “Mark” Streeter (1841-1877)

Marquis Barton “Mark” Streeter, son of Hiram Streeter and Eliza Ann Oakley, was born on 2 October 1841 in the hamlet of Henpeck, Monroe Co, NY. By 1850 the family was living in Mount Morris, NY before moving to the Rapids neighborhood in 1855 where father Hiram worked as a boatman. Hiram died in February 1858. In 1860, Mark was living with his widowed mother and three siblings at the Rapids. His occupation was listed as that of musician. Mark married his cousin Virginia, daughter of William Streeter and Sarah R. Bullard, probably about 1861. On 26 July 1862, 21-year old laborer Mark enlisted in the 108th NY Volunteer Infantry at Rochester. He mustered in as a private to Company “C” on the 18th of August. At the time of his enlistment he was described as having hazel eyes, brown hair, a dark complexion and a height of 5-feet, 6-inches. The 108th participated in all the battles of the Second Army Corps from Antietam to the surrender at Appomattox, having been actively engaged 28 times. Mark reached the rank of corporal and mustered out with his company on 28 May 1865 at Bailey’s Crossroads, VA. Mid-June of 1865 found Mark living in Rochester Ward 4 with his wife and a three-year old girl named Ada, presumed to be his daughter. The enumerator listed his occupation as fiddler, in quotation marks. In July 1870, Mark was employed as a boatman and was living in Rochester Ward 12 with wife Virginia, and three children, Ada, William and George. By 1875, Mark was back living at the Rapids with his mother Eliza and brother Hubbard. He was still employed as a boatman but was now listed as a single man so perhaps the marriage to Virginia had ended. She remarried to a George Henry Miller, but the date of marriage is unknown. On 3 December 1877, Mark was paid off when the canal boat he had been working on docked in Rochester. He and his brother Byron visited a series of drinking establishments and became very intoxicated. They returned to the boat early on the morning of the 4th and tried unsuccessfully to persuade the boat’s captain to join them. Mark then went up on deck alone and a short time later splashing was heard. Aided by passersby, the captain finally managed to retrieve Streeter from the water but efforts to resuscitate him were fruitless. The subsequent Coroner’s jury returned a verdict of accidental drowning. During the inquest it was determined that Streeter was subject to seizures which may have contributed to his falling from the boat. Marquis Streeter was buried in plot M5 at Rapids Cemetery. Family members known to be buried in Rapids Cemetery: infant brother Hiram Dewitt Streeter, died 1846; father-in-law William Streeter, died 1852; sister Lovisa Jane (Streeter) Willis, died 1894. Family members believed to be buried in Rapids Cemetery: sister Nancy Eliza Streeter, died 1856; father Hiram Streeter, died 1858; mother Eliza Ann (Oakley) Streeter, died 1901.

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James P. Willis (1845-1883)

James P. Willis was born in Monroe County NY about 1845, possibly on 17 December, the youngest known child of Ira Willis Sr. and Clarissa Poppino. Both his parents having died, on 28 July 1862 James petitioned Monroe County Surrogate’s Court to have William H. Andrews appointed as his general guardian. The petition was granted. The intent in naming a guardian was so that Andrews could sign the consent for James to join the military. The following day James enlisted in Company C, 108th New York Volunteer Infantry, the same company that Marquis Streeter had joined just three days before. James, employed as a boatman, was described as standing five feet 5 inches tall, of dark complexion with brown hair and hazel eyes. He was never mustered in as he had not yet reached age 18. James relocated to Michigan where several married sisters lived. On 15 February 1865, he enlisted in Company B, 10th Michigan Cavalry at Allegan and was mustered in as a private. He joined his regiment at Knoxville TN on 16 March. Within days, the regiment departed as part of Stoneman’s Raid through Tennessee, Virginia and North Carolina. Reported as taken prisoner at Asheville NC on 26 April, James returned to his regiment on 21 April. He subsequently deserted on 7 August at Sweetwater TN. He returned to Michigan and farmed there before marrying his brother William’s widow, Jane Streeter Willis, in December 1874. The couple lived in the Rapids neighborhood where James worked as a boatman and laborer. He died at his home on 23 November 1883 of tuberculosis and was buried on 25 November. Family members of James buried at Rapids Cemetery include brother William H. Willis, sister-in-law Matilda Hulin Willis (STOP 13), and cousin Luana Maria Willis Burne. Also believed to be buried here are his father Ira Willis Sr., sister Harriet Willis Streeter, and cousins in the Poppino and Streeter families. Lovisa Jane Streeter was born in Monroe County NY on 3 Oct 1838, daughter of Hiram Streeter and Eliza Ann Oakley. She married William H. Willis in her mid-teens, lived at the Rapids and together had five children that survived to adulthood. William died in late 1873 and Jane married his younger brother James on 29 December 1874 in Columbia MI. Jane died of cancer on 22 August 1894 and was buried in Rapids Cemetery, likely in the plot with her first husband William. Relatives of Jane known or believed to be buried here are daughter Clarissa Willis Streeter, brothers Marquis Streeter (STOP 20) and Hiram DeWitt Streeter, sister Nancy Eliza Streeter, parents Hiram and Eliza Ann, and cousins in the Streeter, Oakley and Day families.

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