Peter Sonnet lived in Indiana when the War Between the States broke out. In the 1860 census, he lived in Wayne Township, Allen County, Indiana. Peter Sonnet, it was reported, was born in Bavaria, Germany, was 25 years old and worked on the canal boats. He lived in the boarding house of George and Mary Baker.
In the Fort Wayne City Directory of 1861, Peter was listed as a hostler working at the Main Street Exchange (the former Goodman Hotel) on Main Street. "Good Accommodations at a Reasonable Rate," stated their advertisement. Peter's job was to care for the horses of the hotel's guests.
On June 29, 1862, he married Bridget E. Cantline (Cantlon) in Allen County, Indiana. He enlisted in Company H, 152 Indiana Infantry on February 11 (17), 1865 and served a six month term until his discharge on August 30, 1865 at Clarksburg, West Virginia.
The 152nd Indiana mustered in on March 16, 1865 and two days later, headed for Harpers Ferry. From there, they were stationed in various towns in West Virginia. The company, which consisted of 988 men, lost 48 men to death by disease or accident and 22 from desertion. No one was killed or wounded in action.
By 1870, Peter and his wife, Bridget Ellen (called by both names) had settled in Defiance, Ohio. Peter was employed as a day laborer and they had children: Peter, 3, and Ellen, 8 months. Peter was born in Indiana and Ellen in Ohio, making their move between states probably between 1867 and 1869.
By 1880, Peter, at 43, had a position as a policeman in Defiance. His family had grown to include his wife, Ellen, 35 and children: Peter, 13; Ella, 11; Margaret, 9; Annie, 3; and little Joseph, 4 months. The family lived in what was called the Clinton Street Extension. Unfortunately, the police job did not last a long time.
The Defiance County Express reported the following on May 11, 1882:
Peter would go on to have other work as a street commissioner, as a janitor at the 2nd Ward School and in 1885, he even had a saloon.
In 1900, Peter, then 63, and Bridget lived at 915 Harrison Street. Daughters Margrette (Margaret), 28, who worked as a carriage trimmer, and Anna, 22, who worked as a bookkeeper, were still single and lived at home. In that year, Peter's occupation was listed as janitor on the census.
Peter died on September 21, 1903 and his death was reported in the Defiance Express on that day.
Bridget outlived her husband by almost twenty years, passing away in March, 1923.
(This is part of a series on Civil War veterans of Defiance County who were part of the G.A.R., Bishop Post, that headquartered in the city. Formed in 1879, the post was named after a local man, Captain William Bishop, Company D, 100th Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Army who died as a result of wounds received in battle. The veterans' photos are part of a composite photo of members that has survived. If you have other information or corrections to add to the soldiers' stories, please add to the comments!)
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