Rinaldo Kimmel - Civil War Soldier Buried in Farmer Cemetery

Member of the Farmer G.A.R.

Born in Williams County, Ohio, on January 22, 1840, Rinaldo Kimmel experienced more than many men during his war years.  At the age of 21, he enlisted near the beginning of the war on September 19, 1861 into Company E, 21st Ohio Volunteer Infantry.

He was captured at Chickamauga and spent about a year and a half in three different Confederate prisons.  Seven months of that were spent in the worst of the prisons - Andersonville.  Once freed, he found himself on the ill-fated boat, the Sultana, where he saved himself from an almost certain death after it exploded.

In the Defiance Crescent-News of November 2, 1961, an interview was conducted with Mrs. Minnie Fickle Kimmel, then 89, who was then living in half of the Kimmel homestead.  The home that once belonged to her father- in-law, Rinaldo Kimmel, was located "on the road a mile east of Mason beach - gravel pit, northwest of Ney and northeast of Farmer."  Minnie was married to Granger Kimmel, Rinaldo's son, on September 25, 1898.  Minnie had saved in a scrapbook a letter of Rinaldo's, describing his war experiences: 

At the end of the war, the South delivered some of the Union prisoners home via the ship, Sultana.  When the ship exploded, Rinaldo escaped on a raft - basically a stick of wood - and floated down river "where he was rescued by sympathizers who found him nearly chilled to death," Minnie explained.  

Rinaldo Kimmel

In the book, the Loss of the Sultana & Reminiscences of Survivors, Chester Berry, Editor, 2005, this account of Rinaldo's experience was given on page 199:

"Rinaldon Kimmell.  Was born in Williams Center, Ohio, January 22, 1840 and enlisted in the service of the United States at Farmer, Ohio, Septembe 11, 1861, in Company E, 21st Regiment Ohio Volunteer Infantry.  Was captured at the Battle of Chickamauga, September 20, 1863, and confined in the following prisons: Pemberton building, Richmond, Va; Dansville, Va.; Andersonville, Ga., a prisoner for eighteen months and eleven days.

He was on board the 'Sultana' when the boiler exploded, and asleep at the time.  On awakening, called to his partner Dunafin, who was sleeping with him, but received no reply.  Could not swim, and the alternative of burning to death or drowning presented itself.  He chose the latter.  Securing a small board before leaving the boat, he threw it in and jumped after it, managing to get hold of it when it came to the surface; it helped him through.  He was among the first to leave the boat.  Floated down to Memphis, just at daybreak, and was taken from the water nearly lifeless.  Was not in his right mind for several hours.  Left Memphis April 29th.  Dunafin was never heard from."

"This all happened before Granger's birth in 1870.  He was two years old when his parents, Rinaldo and Olive Lord Kimmel, sister of William Lord, purchased the present Kimmel farm."

After the war, Rinaldo filed a claim for money taken from him when he was a prisoner of the Confederates.  He asked for $150 and his claim was approved.
On May 6, 1865, at the end of the war, he mustered out, having served 3 years, 7 months and 18 days.

Rinaldo and Olive settled in Farmer Township after the war and were found there by the census enumerator in 1870.  They had two sons, Granger, 9, and Wilber, 7.  Rinaldo began his farming and by 1878, it was reported that he was building a new house on his land.  

Newspapers reported rather frequently of his illnesses and in 1882, he had an accident that some thought would be fatal.

Defiance Express, July 13, 1882

As it turned out, Rinaldo suffered a broken collar bone, but did survive. However, in 1884, it was reported he suffered from neuralgia of the heart.  It seemed that the physical hardships suffered during his war years continued to plague him throughout his life.

By 1890, the county atlas reported that he owned 140 acres in Section 12 of Farmer Township, but his health declined once again.  In April of that year, a newspaper reported that he was very sick "with little hope for recovery."         

The Bryan Press reported on November 20, 1890:

"Rinaldo Kimmel, an old soldier of the 21st O.V.I., living in Farmer township, was in Andersonville prison 17 months and was on the ill-fated Sultana when she was blown up.  He is one of the greatest sufferers from pain we have ever met.  These pains have been coming on his gradually for many years until at the present time, it seems almost impossible for him to get his breath when he is thus attacked.  Oh! that the men who are responsible for the treatment these men received while in prison could be made to share this comrade's suffering.  It is true, he gets a pension of $24 a month, but this is not enough to even pay his doctor bill, and we understand that a special effort will be made at the next term of congress by the G.A.R. boys, through Hon. M.M. Boothman, to have his pension increased to $72 dollars a month."


Rinaldo died on March 25, 1891, at 51 years old.

Difficult to read.