Joseph Partee - Bishop Post, G.A.R.

Joseph Partee was one of a host of Partees in Williams and Defiance County.  Born on May 17, 1844, in Williams County to Lawrence and Rachel (Webb) Partee, Joseph was one of the youngest children in the family.  

He and his older brother, Obadiah, both enlisted in the Civil War.  At just 17, Joseph signed up on April 17, 1861, as a private into Company F, 48th Ohio Infantry, where he served until he transferred into Company E. 83rd Ohio Volunteer Infantry.  He advanced himself to Corporal, spent 7 months as a prisoner of war from April 1861 - November 1861, and was injured in battle.  Joseph served patriotically until his discharge on May 9, 1866.

When Joseph returned home from the war, he married Rachel L. Cook in Defiance, Ohio, on September 16, 1866.  In 1870, the census enumerator found them in Defiance Township.  Joseph, 26, was farming, and Rachel, 23, was keeping house and caring for two small children - Mary, 3 and Jessie, 1.  With them were James Dellett, 22, an engineman, and Daniel Smith, 8.  The relationships, if any, are unknown.

The family moved into Defiance City on Perry Street by the 1880 census.  Joseph and Rachel had daughters, Mary L., 13; Jessie I., 11 and Milo, son, 8.  Joseph and his next door neighbor, brother George, both worked in the spoke factory.  

Rachel Cook Partee died in July 1899, at about age 52,  Her obituary appeared in the Defiance Daily Crescent on July 29, 1899, page 2.

"DEATH OF MRS. JOS. PARTEE

A Good, True and Kind Woman Passes to Her Reward

Death last evening come to the relief of Mrs. Joseph Partee, who has been a sufferer for the past four years, a part of which time she was perfectly helpless from the effects of paralysis.  Mrs. Partee was a lady of a very generous disposition and was ever ready to assist her neighbors and friends and was greatly beloved by all who knew her and highly esteemed in the community.  She was a kind and affectionate mother and loving wife and her presence will be greatly missed by all who knew her.  The death occurred last evening at 6:30 o'clock at her home in South Defiance.

Deceased was born in Columbiana county, O., near Salem, in 1847 and was therefore 52 years old.  She was two years old when her parents moved to Defiance county where she has since resided.  Her maiden name was Jessie Cook and her parents settled in Washington township.

The funeral services will be held Sunday afternoon at 2 o'clock at St. Paul's M.E. church and will be conducted by Rev. A. Edwin A. Smith.  The remains will be interred in Riverside Cemetery."

Joseph remarried to Ella Phillipps Hudson, daughter of George and Ella (Howel) Phillips.  At the time of the marriage, Ella, a widow, was 38 and Joseph was 56.  The bride's residence was Bryan, but the couple married in Defiance on May 16, 1900.  

They settled in at 1143 Emery Street, Defiance, where they were enumerated in the 1900 census.  Joseph and Ella were there with Nellie Knudson (Hudson), 5, step-daughter and Hary W. Knudson, 3, stepson.

Ella was born in Indiana and by 1910, the family had moved back to Anderson, Madison County, Indiana. In the 1910 census, they were found at 2629 Jackson Street.  Joseph, 66, worked in a factory there, while Ella kept house and cared for Floyd Hudson, 18; Neiley (Nellie) Hudson, 16, and Harry W. Hudson, 19 (13).  Ella reported she had had seven children and all seven were living.  

The family could not be found in the 1920 census, but Joseph's second wife, Ella, died in Anderson, Madison County, Indiana, on February 18, 1927.  Hence, it seemed likely that the family remained at their same home as in 1910.

Ella was 68, born on March 8, 1858.  She was buried in Maplewood Cemetery there.

"RECEIVES WORD OF DEATH OF MOTHER

Word has been received by John Hudson, 420 Hoyt Ave. of the death of his mother, Mrs. Ella Partee, of Summitville.  Mrs. Partee is survived by three daughters, Mrs. Roy Dunlap and Mrs. Joe Wisenfraund of Chicago; and Mrs. Sam Barke of Oklahoma; six sons, George and Arzie Hudson of Indianapolis, Harry, Floyd, and Ernest Hudson of Anderson, and John Hudson of Muncie.  Funeral services were held at Sells Brothers chapel in Anderson at 2:30 today.  Burial took place in the East Maplewood Cemetery."     Muncie Evening Press, Muncie, Indiana, February 21, 1927, p. 2

At some point after Ella's death, Joseph moved to Wyandotte, Michigan, to live with his daughter, Jessie Partee McTaggart.  He was enumerated there in the 1930 census with his son-in-law, George McTaggert, head, 61, who owned a home worth $7000, and worked as a superintendent at the Alkali No. 2 factory.  Jessie, 60, his wife; Ethel Miller, 38, single, step-daughter, a teacher and Joseph Partee, 85, father-in-law, makes hoops, Civil War veteran, joined the McTaggerts.

Joseph died in Wyandotte, Michigan on March 18, 1931, and he was brought home to Defiance for burial with Rachel.

His obituary appeared in the Defiance Crescent-News on March 19, 1931, on page 1:

"JOSEPH PARTEE TAKEN BY DEATH

The body of Joseph Partee, 86 year old Civil War veteran who died Wednesday at the home of his daughter, Mrs. G. D. McTaggart, Wyandotte, Mich., will be brought to Riverside Cemetery Saturday for burial.   The body is expected to arrive at the cemetery at 1 p.m. Saturday when members of the Grand Army of the Republic will conduct services.

Mr. Partee served in the 48th O.V.I. during the Civil War.

He was a native of Defiance and had lived in the vicinity until about 20 years ago.

Besides the daughter, Mrs. McTaggart, he leaves seven grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.

Dr. F. M. Swinehart, pastor of the St. Paul's Methodist Episcopal church here, will be in charge of the services at the grave.

Joseph's son, Milo William Partee, born April 23, 1872, in Defiance County, served in the Spanish American War.  He enlisted on May 16, 1898 and was discharged in May, 1899.  He preceded his father in death on January 25, 1917.

Joseph's daughter, Jessie, married four times - to John Sontchi, Persey Bessey, John Miller and finally, George McTaggert.  Born in 1869, she passed away on January 23, 1962, at the age of 92.  Her sister, Mary, born in 1867, has yet been found in the death records.

(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!)