William W. Caine misc. collection

Creator: Caine, William W., 1836-1913

Date: 1889 Jan.-Feb.

Level of Description: Coll./Record Group

Material Type: Manuscripts

Call Number: Misc.: Caine

Unit ID: 46909

Biographical sketch: Farmer; of Wiscoy Township, Winona County, Minn.

Abstract: 2 A.L.S., Witoka [Minn.], to F. G. Adams, Kansas State Historical Society, Topeka, Kan., containing reminiscences of William W. Caine's activities in the Kansas-Missouri border troubles of 1855 and 1856. He came to Osawatomie, Kan., in 1855 and took active part on the antislavery (free-state) side in the "Wakarusa War," the battles of Middle Creek (Kan.) & Osawatomie, and other skirmishes; his letters tell of ambushing an Alabama man.

Space Required/Quantity: 2 items (1 folder)

Title (Main title): William W. Caine misc. collection

Titles (Other):

Caine, William W.
Letters : A.L.S., Witoka [Minn.], to F. G. Adams, Kansas State Historical Society, Topeka, Kan.
William W. Caine papers

Biography

Biog. Sketch (Full):

William W. Caine was born 2 August 1836 or 22 August 1837 (sources differ) in Boston to Thomas and Mary (Callister) (d. 1868) Caine. They had six other children including Thomas, John (d. 1863), Abigail (later Jeffries), and Robert.

William went to school in Boston but at the age of twelve joined the workers on board a ship, a job that lasted two years. He then worked as a farm hand near Chester in Dodge County, Wisconsin, from 1852 until 1855. At that time he moved to Anderson County, Kansas, where he settled on 160 acres of land. During the Kansas territorial period he served with John Brown's military company in Osawatomie.

He returned to Dodge County, Wisconsin, prior to the Civil War and married Mary Cowell (d. 1917) on 2 September 1860. When the War started, he served in Company D, 3rd Wisconsin Infantry Regiment, where he participated in the battles of Antietam, Maryland (1862); Chancellorsville, Virginia (1863); and Gettysburg, Pennsylvania (1863). The Regiment was later sent to New York City for a month to suppress the draft riots there. Afterward, he fought in engagements at Resaca, Georgia (1864), where he was wounded; Dallas, Georgia (1864); Kenesaw Mountain, Georgia (1864); and the Atlanta Campaign (1864). He accompanied General William T. Sherman on his march through the Carolinas. Caine was promoted to corporal. He was discharged in August 1865.

He returned to Dodge County but did not stay long. In October he moved to Winona County, Minnesota, and farmed there. He and Mary had five children: Mary E. (later O'Brian or O'Brien), Belbert, Elsie (later Harvey), Alice, and Annie. William, a Republican, served as county assessor for twelve years and a school clerk. He was a member of the Grand Army of the Republic and the Odd Fellows.

In 1910 William attended the dedication of the Battle of Osawatomie battlefield, now the John Brown Museum State Historic Site. He was the last surviving member of Brown's military company.

He died 11 March 1913 at home and was buried in Woodland Cemetery in Winona, Minnesota.

Scope and Content

Locators:

Locator	Contents
008-08-03-04	William W. Caine misc. collection

Bibliography

Finding Aid Bibliography:

"William Caine," Find a Grave website: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/search?firstname=William&middlename=&lastname=Caine&birthyear=1836&birthyearfilter=&deathyear=1913&deathyearfilter=&location=Winona+County%2C+Minnesota%2C+United+States+of+America&locationId=county_1394&memorialid=&mcid=&linkedToName=&datefilter=&orderby=r (accessed 28 June 2021).

"William W. Caine," The History of ... the Third Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry website: https://3rdwisconsin.com/william-w-caine/ (accessed 28 June 2021).

Index Terms

Subjects

Creators and Contributors

Caine, William W., 1836-1913

Adams, F. G. (Franklin George), 1824-1899

Kansas State Historical Society

Notes

General Note: Collection (Misc.: Caine). Items arranged chronologically.