Frederick McKinsey Procunier 1838-1907
A Thumbnail Biography by David C. Procuniar
All Rights Reserved Last updated: 31 Aug 2001
Frederick McKinsey Procunier the son & seventh child of Isaac & Amy McCleish Procunier, Isaac was the son of Peter Procunier JR. Frederick was born on November 02, 1838 in Norfolk County, Ontario Canada. Sometime between his birth in 1838 and before his marriage in 1858 Frederick traveled either with his father or by himself south from Canada to the United States.
On January 31, 1858 in Ogle County Illinois at the age of 19, Frederick married Louise E. Gardner aged 15 years and two months. Louise was born on November 02, 1842 in Cumberland, Canada. Frederick and Louise didn't waste anytime having children, because Louise gave birth to their first child just 10 days after she turned 16 years old. Together they had a total of four children.
Louise & Frederick divorced either while Frederick was in the military or right after he returned from his first enlistment in the Civil War. I have no information on Louise after her divorce from Frederick whether she remarried or not? However Louise died February 16, 1906 while living at Fort Mile in Custer, South Dakota. Frederick married second Elizabeth Lancaster on January 01, 1868 in Illinois. Elizabeth's parents were Thomas Lancaster & Elizabeth Benson. There were no children by this marriage and Elizabeth died on February 16, 1906. Frederick married five and one half months after Elizabeth died for his third marriage to Josephine Kellogg on August 09, 1906. Frederick died eight months later at the age of 68 years five months and 11 days on April 13, 1907 in Custer, South Dakota. I have no idea when Josephine died or if she remarried.
Sources:
Elaine Allen Allen RR 1 Box 418 Belle Fourche, South Dakota 57717 Email elainea@mato.com
Jane K. Maurer 2205 EMBE Pasadena, Texas 77502-3902
Joanne Harvey 2420 Newport Drive, Lansing, Michigan 48906 Email harveyfti@webtv.net
Carolyn Shimek Email carash7777@hotmail.com
Children: by first wife Louise Gardner
Retta Procunier born 1860 Illinois married someone named Perry.
William Daniel Procunier born 1862 Illinois
There were no children from Frederick's second or third marriages.
In February 2001 I sent away for the Civil War Records of Frederick McKinsey Procunier son of Isaac & Amy (Annie) McCleish Procunier (Isaac was the son of Peter Procunier JR). I finally received a Xerox copy of Frederick's Military Service Records from the National Archives Trust Fund, Washington, DC 20408 on July 2, 2001. I sent for these war records after receiving email from Elaine Allen in February 2001 saying that Carolyn Shimek sent her email saying she saw Frederick's name mentioned in the URL www.civilwar.com or click here for the Illinois CIVIL WAR VETERANS DATABASE. The website says that Frederick served between the years 1861-1864. Carolyn said that the spelling of Fredericks surname was Prockcunier.
On March 2, 1865 a Captain John Eustace filled out Frederick's Volunteer Enlistment papers and spelling his name as Frederick Brokcunier. However Frederick signed his name frederick m prockcunier (all small letters) about half way down the page. Then someone I presume Capt. Eustace went to the top of the page and crossed out where he had written Brokcunier and wrote in Prockcunier and also put an "M" for Fredericks middle initial. The enlistment papers goes on to say that Frederick was twenty six years, three months of age, born in Canada now living in Reynolds, Lee county, Illinois. Frederick was listed as having Blue eyes, Brown hair and being of Dark complexion, standing five foot eight inches tall and having a tattoo on his right arm. Frederick stated on that same papers that his occupation was a mechanic. The form was standardized for an enlistment for three years but this was crossed out and "one year" was written in above the word three years. Frederick was sworn in at Dixon, Illinois into the Army of the United States of America in Company "E" of the 7th Regiment of Illinois Cavalry. It was rather odd that Frederick enlisted for only one year when the normal term was for three years. It is possible that Frederick had already served a three year enlistment in the civil war between 1861-1864 and was now signing up for a second term, but whoever did the research at the National Archives did not find any paperwork for those years even though I asked for information from 1861-1864. (or they just didn't look for those years) In August just five months after Frederick enlisted he found himself in a Post Hospital very sick while his unit was in Huntsville, Alabama. Frederick never recovered from his illness and was discharged (mustered out by Capt. J. F. Huntington) on September 22, 1865 under General Orders #77 G. S. War Department and sent to Springfield, Illinois with $33.03 bounty paid.
My first thought was "what other family members lived in Illinois about the time Frederick enlisted around 1865?" First to come to mind was Daniel Brecunier, (son of Daniel Brockunier who was the son of Peter Brockunier SR) left Maryland and relocated to Franklin Grove Illinois in May of 1840 about a year before Frederick was born in Canada. Daniel died in February of 1863 & is buried in the Emmert Cemetery just outside of Franklin Grove, Lee County, Illinois. Daniel Brecunier and his family were "Dunkers" and did not believe in serving in the military.
Other Sources:
The Bragonier Family by Georgiana H. Randall 1969.
The Bragunier Family in America by Brittain Bragunier Robinson 1969.
First Reformed Church of Hagerstown Maryland church records on LDS micro-film.
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