John A. Sheffield - G.A.R., Bishop Post

John A. Sheffield, born March, 1840, was born in either Ohio or New York, depending on the source. His family came from the Lawrence County, New York group that migrated to the county. He lived in Townsend, Huron County, Ohio, at the time of his enlistment into the Union Army on June 6, 1861.  Company A, 24th Ohio Volunteer Infantry, welcomed him into their midst where he served three years and two months, before being discharged at Chattanooga, Tennessee, on June 22, 1864, at the expiration of his service.

The 24th regiment began its duty in West Virginia, but soon moved into Kentucky, Tennessee and Georgia.  Sheffield was in the major battles of Shiloh, Corinth, and Chickamauga before his release.
On the 1890 Veterans Census, he reported his disabilities caused by his service: vertigo, headaches, heart disease as a result of sunstroke, and rheumatism.

With a farm in Noble Township, Defiance County, secured, John Sheffield married his love, Emma Langdon, on April 21, 1869.  Emma B. was the daughter of Lyman Langdon, a well known early citizen of Defiance County.  Ten years younger than John, Emma was born on October 1, 1850.  John and Emma had children:
William Henry, June 19, 1870 - September 1, 1873
Lyman Langdon- June 3, 1872 - ?
Fanny S. - Oct. 3, 1878 - June 11, 1960  (married Lyman C. Moon)
John Edgar - Mar. 29, 1884 - May 21, 1971

Sadly, their first child, little Willie, died at the age of 3 of cerebral meningitis.  Emma was no doubt worried about her other little boy, Lyman, at that time, too.

The censuses noted that John farmed in Noble Township, Defiance County, for many years.  In the 1880 census, he had taken in John M. Goodrick, a cousin from New York and hired him as a farm laborer.

In 1900, just Fanny, 21, and John E., 16, were home with John and Emma.  Fanny worked as a stenographer, while John attended school. (Both he and Lyman would become dentists.)  Fanny married Lyman Moon of Washington Township on February 1, 1905.  Their daughter, Louise Lalliny Moon, was born on August 8, 1905. By the 1910 census of Noble Township, Fanny was divorced and living at home with Emma and John and her daughter, Louise, 4.

John and Emma Sheffield seemed to be connected with the Pomona and Banner Granges, and John was active in the G.A.R.  At one point, he was nominated by the Populist party to represent his district in the state legislature.

Many changes occurred in the life of James Sheffield over the next ten years.  On August 9, 1913, his beloved wife, Emma, died in Norwalk, Ohio. Her obituary explained the situation:

"EMMA B SHEFFIELD

The body of Emma B. Sheffield, wife of John Sheffield, who died at her home in Norwalk Saturday, was brought to the city this morning and interred in Riverside, Rev. C. E. Shields of the First Presbyterian church officiating at the service.

Mrs. Sheffield was born in Noble township, the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Lyman Langdon and was about 70 years of age.  She was married to John Sheffield and until October 1912, the family resided in Noble township.  They went to St. Cloud, Florida where they expected to make their home, but last March, Mrs. Sheffield was stricken with paralysis and in April, returned to Ohio locating at Norwalk.

Besides her husband, she is survived by one daughter, Mrs. Fannie Moon of Norwalk, and two sons, Dr. Langdon Sheffield and Dr. John Sheffield of Toledo and four sisters: Mrs. Charles Herzer of Santiago, California, Mrs. J. W. Reid of Decatur, Illinois, Mrs. Oren A. Sisco of Alva, Oklahoma, and Mrs. John Bridenbaugh of Toledo.

Mr. Sheffield is a past commander of Bishop Post G.A.R. and Mrs. Sheffield was a member of the W.R.C.  She was well known throughout Defiance county and held in esteem by all who knew her."

So, in all likelihood, Fannie took care of her mother in her illness. After his wife's death, John, at some point, met the widow, Abbie (nee' Dexter) Morse.  Abbie was the widow of Daniel Sanborn/Sandborn Morse who was twenty years older than Abbie.  Daniel was a former teacher who then studied law, and worked on the law circuit in Chicago with Abraham Lincoln.  They married in 1885 when he was 47 and she was 27 and settled in Vermont. Daniel died in 1910.   

The how and why of how this couple - John Sheffield and Abbie Morse - met is unknown, but they were married in Los Angeles on June 25, 1919.  In the 1920 census, they rented at 6608 Estrella Avenue, Los Angeles.  John was 79 and Abbie, 70. 

 BUT, prior to that, John was admitted to the National Home for Disabled Veterans in Sawtelle, Los Angeles County, California on November 17, 1917.  Records from the home noted his military service and his many disabilities, including artero schlerosis, cardiac hypertrophy, chronic constipation, prostrate hypertrophy and defective vision.  He was 77 when admitted and described as 5'3", fair skin, hazel eyes, and gray hair - a widowed farmer.  His nearest relative was Lyman Langdon Sheffield of 141 North Delaware Street, Toledo, Ohio.  He had the generous pension of $40 a month, and he was discharged on February 10, 1918.

The couple moved to St. Cloud, Florida, John's original plan for a home with Emma, sometime before his death in 1928.  He passed away on April 17, 1928, of old age.  John A. Sheffield was brought back to Defiance from St. Cloud to be buried on April 20 at Riverside Cemetery, Lot 22, Block B, Grave 3,  

Only this brief obituary could be found in the Defiance Crescent-News of April 23, 1928, p. 3:

"John A. Sheffield, who died Wednesday in St. Cloud, Fla., were held Saturday at 2 p.m. in the Mausoleum Chapel with burial in Riverside Cemetery.  Rev. A. L. Benze, Lutheran minister of Toledo, was in charge.  The G.A.R. took part in the service."

His second wife, Abbie, lived a long life back in California.  From the Los Angeles Times, March 9, 1950:

"WOMAN PASSES AWAY 7 MONTHS AFTER 100TH BIRTHDAY

Mrs. Abbie K. Sheffield, who celebrated her 100th birthday last August 29, died last night at the home of her niece, Mrs. Flora Faulkner, 994 N. Hoover St.

Seriously ill for the past week, Mrs. Sheffield had been in poor health since shortly after her 100th birthday.  At that time, she had fulfilled an ambition to reach the century mark.

Mrs. Sheffield came to Los Angeles in 1915 with Mrs. Faulkner.  Except for 13 years' residence in Florida, she has lived here since then.

A native of Franconia, N.H., Mrs. Sheffield had been an artist and schoolteacher.

Besides Mrs. Faulkner, Mrs. Sheffield leaves another niece, Mrs. E. W. Smith, and a nephew, W. E. Stephens, both of Los Angeles, and a grandniece, Mrs. L. G. Munion of Grass Valley.  Funeral arrangements will be announced later by Forest Lawn Mortuary."

 

   (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!)