Tuesday, September 12, 2017

A New Bit of Evidence in an old Research Problem

I have come across an item that gives a place for a "possible relative" during a time frame that he was formerly "missing" from.

I was looking at the Indiana State Archives online  records the other day and, of course came across the entries in the Civil War records for gggf Aaron Crail and his older brothers, Sylvester and John. Also shown was a record for a George B. Crail. George is the "unconfirmed brother" of Aaron, Sylvester and John.

Accession #1938001:
CRAIL, George B. - age 19
Enrolled: 12 July 1863 - Regiment 107 - Company D
Discharged: 20 July 1863 - Indianapolis, Indiana
Reference #CIV041329

The 107th Indiana Infantry was a state militia regiment mustered in a precaution against Morgan's Raid. Brig. Gen. John Hunt Morgan's Confederates staged a raid on Kentucky, Southern Indiana and Ohio from 11 June - 26 July 1863.

The members of the 107th were all from Indianapolis. Once Morgan entered Ohio, the threat to Indiana was over and the regiment was disbanded.

George B. Crail's service was only 8 days. He was 19 in 1863, placing his birth in 1843 or 1844. According to Crail's death certificate, he was born 19 Feb 1843. George would have been 20 at the time the 107th was mustered in. A one year difference in age here is not a major concern. Aaron Crail's age fluctuates from record to record during the war.

Sylvester served with the 79th Indiana [1862] & the Veterans Reserve Corps [1864], while John & Aaron enlisted with the 124th Indiana in the spring of 1864.

The main item of interest in George's case is the fact he was an Indianapolis [Marion Co.] in 1863. Aaron, John and Sylvester moved back and forth between Marion and Hamilton Counties between about 1855 and their deaths [1868, 1898 and 1907]. Sylvester spent the last year of his life at the State Soldiers' Home in Lafayette, IN.

If George was the brother of the other three and was in Indy in 1863, does that mean he was living with his / their elusive parents [James B. Crail, Jr. & Mary A. Jones]? At 19-20, George was old enough to be on his own or to be living at home with the folks.

The mystery continues!

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