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John M. Amrhine was
born on July 18, 1825 in Pennsylvania. On December 29, 1847,
in a ceremony performed by Rev. Taylor, John married 17 year old Marietta
Watson.Marietta was the second daughter of George Walter and Rebecca (Townsend)
Watson. She was born on June 27, 1839 in West Bloomfield, Ontario County, NY.
Together John and Marietta
had ten children: Harriet (Hattie), Mary Elizabeth, Sarah (Sadie), Estella, Emma Jane,
Claudia, Grant, Minnie, Ernest and Charlotte (Lottie). Mary Elizabeth died at just 8
months old. Estella died just 5 days after her fourth birthday.
Just three months after
Estella's death, when Grant was 9 months old, John enlisted to fight in the Civil War,
Company "C," First Regiment of Michigan Volunteers. He served three years as a
Private under the command of Captain George P. Sanford.
In November of 1861,
unprotected from the inclement weather, John took cold at Annopolis Junction, MD,
resulting in the disease of Chronic Asthma.
On August 29, 1862 while serving as Corporal at the
second battle of Bull Run in VA, John suffered a gun shot wound inflicted by
the enemy. One half of his right ankle was shot away, fracturing the fibula.
He was admitted to the General Hospital, Fairfax Seminary, Ward B, near
Alexandria on September 7, 1862. They operated and part of the bone was
extracted. John was under a surgeon’s care until the time of his discharge
on the 2nd of March 1863. The surgeon was Dr. Clare of Camp Banks,
Alexandria, VA. As a result, the fracture of the fibula produced a slight
curvature, leaving John somewhat lame, with a permanent limp. He suffered
increasing weakness as time passed, including succumbing to rheumatism and
heart disease as a result of his illness and injuries from serving his
country in the war.
John’s occupation was as a carpenter. He received a
pension of $2.00 per month after his discharge. He petitioned for an
increase several times for many years.
On September 9, 1868, John
and Marietta suffered again the loss of a third child, Grant. Grant was only 7 years and 9
months.
On October 20, 1871, in a "Declaration for the
Increase of an Invalid Pension," his brother-in-law, Charles N. Ayres,
signed as a witness. Also signing as a witness was John L. Griffin, another
captain with whom John had served with. On February 7, 1872, John’s
pension as increased to $4.00 per month. It was listed that he was disabled
in the following manner, "one half of the right ankle was shot away, a
running sore most of the time and total incapacitated for manual
labor."
On February 11, 1888, John in a "Declaration of an
Invalid Pension," appoints E. S. Emerine, of Denton as his attorney. We
believe this to be his son, Ernest Stanley Emerine. This document was
witnessed by his nephew, David Lynn (Laura, Marietta’s sister,
son-in-law). It was also witnessed by John’s daughter, Minnie Emerine. (In
this document it was listed when John was 36, his height was 5 feet 5 ½
inches, medium complexion, brown hair and blue eyes.)
Marietta died on February
23, 1890 at the age of 59 years, 6 months and 26 days. Two and a half years later, on
August 24, 1892, John passed away at the age of 67 years & 29 days.
John and Marietta are buried in Denton Cemetery, Wayne
County, MI along with all of their children, except Minnie Emerine Foex.
However, Minnie and George Foex’s son, Teddy is buried next to John’s
grave. Several of John and Marietta’s other grandchildren are there too.
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