While nearly 900 of the volunteers raised to fill the regiment that became the 27th Maine were residents of York County, only 676 (data from the descriptive rolls) were actually born there. 26 were foreign born, over half of those had come from neighboring Canada. Eight of the men in the unit were from Ireland and, with today being Saint Patrick's Day, I thought I'd write a bit about them.
PHILIP BANFIELD was from Cork, Ireland, immigrating here in 1852 or 1856. His residence was listed as Sanford, Maine when he enlisted in 1862. Following his service with the 27th ME, he re-enlisted with the 1st Massachusetts Cavalry and, after the war, also served in the 1st US Cavalry and the 4th US Infantry, leaving in 1871. He may have lived in New York for a short time, but was admitted into the National Soldiers Home system in 1881, transferring between their several branches. He was last at Togus, Maine by 1911, but died while in Boston, MA on 31 Oct 1912. Perhaps he was absent from the Soldiers Home at this time, as he wasn't buried back there, but instead at Tewksbury, MA. I have yet to find his grave location. All records (except for the death rec) show him as single.
JAMES BURNES (BURNS, BYRNES) was born in Ireland, circa 1844-1847. He was living in Biddeford, Maine when he enlisted but, the city having more volunteers than required of their quota, joined on behalf of Kennebunkport. The Veteran Schedule puts him at Boston, MA in 1890, and he filed for a pension from Mass the following year (it was never certified). Considering his address of "36 Northfield St" in 1890, the Boston street directories show a "James F Byrnes" at this location, a plasterer in 1880, and listed from 1882 to 1894 as a mason. A man of that name died in Boston at that same address, on 13 Nov 1893, aged 46 yrs, a plasterer. I believe this is the correct man. His burial place was not listed.
A part of the enlistment sheet from (the future) Company F of the 27th ME, showing the signatures of Michael Carey, James Byrnes and James Kirwan, three Biddeford volunteers who helped fill the quota of Kennebunkport.
MICHAEL CARY (CAREY), born in County Galway in 1843, arrived in Boston, MA in 1855, and was living in Biddeford by the 1860 census. Following his time with the 27th Maine, he reenlisted with the 20th Maine, serving from 30 Aug 1864 to 15 June 1865. He was an inmate of the Togus Soldiers Home from 1879 to 1892, when he was discharged at his own request. He may be the Michael Carrey boarding in Augusta in 1900, and could be the Michael J Carey who died in Sidney on 23 July 1901, aged 54, as it says (in error) that he was born in Biddeford, the son of John. The WPA Maine Veterans Cemetery Records says he was the one who died in 1920 and was buried in Portland, but I believe that to be in error.
PATRICK CRANN (CRAM, CRAMM) was from County Roscommon, Ireland, born in 1829. He arrived in New York City on 15 June 1846, moved soon after to Biddeford, Maine, and became naturalized in 1858. His wife was Catherine Connelly, who he married ca 1858. After his service, he moved with his wife and several children to Fall River, MA, where he worked in a cotton mill. He may have separated from his wife, or went elsewhere for work, as he is not seen with his family in Fall River after the 1870 census (wife Catherine was listed in street directories there until her death in Apr 1889). Patrick filed for a pension in Sept of 1889, from New York state, and is seen in Waterford, NY in the 1892 NY State census and the 1900 census. He died 11 Nov 1906 and is buried in the Waterford Rural Cemetery, with a veteran stone (Find a Grave).
| PATRICK JUDGE, born in 1835 in County Sligo, arrived in New York City on 19 May 1851, and was naturalized in 1858. He was a cotton mill worker, and lived in Biddeford, Maine. He was married first to Bridget Casey, and second to Mary Hackett (in 1873), having at least nine children. He died in Biddeford on 17 Dec 1895, and is buried in the St Mary's Cemetery. |  |
JAMES KERWIN (KIRWAN) was born ca Sept 1845, immigrating here in 1862 (according to the 1900 census). He seemed to only live in Biddeford, ME a short time, as he moved to Lawrence, MA following his return from his 27th Maine service. He reenlisted with the 2nd Mass Heavy Artillery in Nov '63, but deserted a month later while in Providence. He may have just remained in state, as he was living in Lincoln, RI by 1880. He later lived in Central Falls and Pawtucket, the latter place where he died on 15 Sept 1911. He was buried in Mt St Mary Cemetery in Pawtucket. His wife was Bridget Maloney, who he married ca 1867 (33 yrs in 1900). They had nine children.
JOHN MEALY (MALEY, MALIA), though the 27th Maine Descriptive Rolls list him as being born "at sea", was probably born in Ireland, as all other records state. The 1900 census lists his immigration as 1853, and he was in Portland, Maine by 1860. He enlisted from there for the quota of Eliot, Maine and, after returning from his nine-month service, would reenlist with the 32nd Maine Infantry in Feb 1864. He was wounded that summer at Petersburg, VA, but was not discharged until March of 1865.
Census records seem to show that he had a first wife Hannah and several children (the 1910 census does say he was married twice) while in Portland, but he was in Lewiston by 1880 with a wife Bridget (Pendergrast), whom he married ca 1870 and had four children with. They returned to Portland by 1890, and he was living there when he died on 7 Sept 1910. He is buried in Calvary Cemetery, South Portland.
Census records seem to show that he had a first wife Hannah and several children (the 1910 census does say he was married twice) while in Portland, but he was in Lewiston by 1880 with a wife Bridget (Pendergrast), whom he married ca 1870 and had four children with. They returned to Portland by 1890, and he was living there when he died on 7 Sept 1910. He is buried in Calvary Cemetery, South Portland.
THOMAS STEADFAST was born in Bandon, County Cork, Ireland ca 1836, and arrived at New York in April 1843. He was living in Biddeford, ME when he became a citizen of the US in 1858. He moved to Portland by 1862, and was working there as a barber when he enlisted on 14 Oct as a substitute for a Limington, Maine "volunteer". After the war, he moved with his wife Eliza Ann (who was previously married and had a daughter Harriet) and son Thomas to Boston, MA. He died there from heart disease on 25 July 1882, aged 45 yrs. His death was also recorded in Portland, where it said he was buried in Evergreen Cemetery, Deering. Records of that cemetery do not list him (or any other Steadfast).
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