Civil War Soldiers at Glenwood

September 21st, 1836 – February 10th, 1904

Section 4 Lot 122

Timothy Edwards Ellsworth was born in East Windsor, Connecticut in 1836.  He attended local schools before attending Rochester University.  He graduated in 1857 and was admitted to the bar association the following year.  He moved to Lockport in December of that year and began working as a clerk at the law office of Hiram Gardner & Lamont.  There, he studied law until the Civil War began.  He gave instantaneous indication of his qualities of leadership by helping raise a group of mounted cavalry which was connected to the Seventh New York Regiment, in which, he held rank of captain.  The regiment was eventually disbanded after difficult finding enough horses to mount all the soldiers.   In March 1862, he joined the staff of General James S. Wadsworth.  One event that marked his level of bravery occurred during the Battle of Gettysburg.  The general sent a courier to order a division of the army to fall back but the courier was killed en route.  Ellsworth was dispatched to deliver the letter but his chances were no better than the first courier.  He out the spurs into his horse’s flanks, dashed down the valley, crossed the ravine and was climbing the hillside when he beheld the gallant General John Fulton Reynolds fall from his horse.  “Giving only a passing glance at the dying general as he lay gasping in death's last struggle the courier dashed on amid flying bullets, which came thick and fast like swiftly driven hail, but on he went while the hour resounded with bursting shells and groans of dying men.” 

After the war, Ellsworth returned to Lockport to continue practicing law and formed a partnership with Judge George Lamont.  From 1870 to 1878, he was Collector of Customs at the Lockport Suspension Bridge.  He was a staunch Republican, serving as State Senator from the old Thirtieth District in 1880 and 1883.  In 1885, he was elected again as Senator from the Forty-fifth District, covering Niagara, Orleans and Genesee counties.  In 1897, he introduced the much debated "Press Gag" bill in the State Senate, which did not pass.  Some notable cartoons were published referring to the Senator and his measure, and he became known as "Press-Gag" Ellsworth.  The Central Labor Union opposed the measure strongly.  Many of the Senator's own party ridiculed his attitude.

Locally, Ellsworth was president of the National Exchange Bank and vice president of the Niagara County Bank of Lockport and president of the State Bank of North Tonawanda.   He served as director in a dozen manufacturing, including Holly Manufacturing Company, The Niagara Paper Mill, The Trader’s Paper Company and the Hartford Paper Company in Middleport, NY.  He was at the head of the Niagara Falls Transfer Railway Company, one of the organizers of the Holland Patent Realty Company just incorporated.  

Ellsworth’s death in February 1904 was a major event in the city of Lockport.  All business was suspended from one o’clock until five o’clock and all public, and many private, buildings draped their doors with black mourning cloths.  A special train was run from Albany to Lockport in order for almost 60 state officials to attend the funeral of Timothy Ellsworth.  Clarence O. Lewis stated, “I well remember that funeral, the largest in every particular ever held in Lockport before or since.  A great man was laid to rest in Glenwood Cemetery that wintry day.”  

Died 1879

Section 2 Lot 32

First Lieutenant George W. Rector Jr.
Died October 29th, 1864
Section 5 Lot 117 Grave 6

Died at the age of 21. Enrolled, August 12, 1862, at Lockport; mustered in as second lieutenant, Co. F, One Hundred and Twenty-ninth Infantry August 12, 1862 (which became the Eighth Artillery, December 19,1862), commissioned second lieutenant, September 10, 1862, with rank from August 12, 1862, original first lieutenant, February 10, 1864, with rank from January 25, 1864. To serve three years; mustered in as first lieutenant, February 22,1864; wounded, October 27, 1864, at Hatcher Run, Va.; died of such wounds, October 29, 1864.

1843-1926

Section 8

Seth Lovell was born in Ithaca on April 17, 1843, the son of Moses and Mercy Swick Lovell. His family moved to Newfane when Seth was a young boy. They later moved to Lockport where Seth attended the Old Union School. Seth joined the 43nd New York Volunteers at the age of 19. He served

the Union Army during nearly the entire duration of the Civil War. He was wounded at the battle of the Wilderness and was captured by the Confederates when his comrades were forced to retreat from the field. He was held as a prisoner of war at Andersonville prison for eight months, at which time he was released in broken health. He later served with the 140th New York Volunteers. After the Civil War he recounted many interesting stories connected with Confederate prison life on the lecture platform. A newspaper article published in 1903 reads: Each year for ten years past Col. Seth M. Lovell of this city, Capt. L. B. Manning of

Brockport and Private Grove D. Whitney of Pavilion, N. Y., with their wives, have met once a year in a sort of reunion, the three veterans

having been members of Co. A , 140th N. Y. Vol. infantry, and gone arm in arm, figuratively speaking, through the whole of the Civil War. They swap stories of the war days and enjoy a most pleasant day once a year, at the home of one and another of the trio. This year they will

meet on August 18th at Capt. Courtney's home in Brockport.

Mr. Tovell worked for over twenty five years at the old Rogers and O'Keefe book store on Main Street. He was active in temperance work in Good Templar's Lodge and at one

time was a delegate to the world convention of the Good Templars in Stockholm Sweden. He married Margaretta Glover, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. William Glover of Lockport. The couple observed their golden wedding anniversary on August 11, 1925.

Private Lovell died on Memorial Day 1926 at the age of 83, being one of Lockport's few surviving Civil War veterans at the time. His wife survived him, but she died later the same year. They are buried at Section 8 in Glenwood Cemetery on the same lot with Private Lovell's parents.

1833 – July 29th, 1895

Section 14 Lot 69

Enlisted in Co. F, 14th New York Heavy Artillery on June 10th 1863. Discharged on August 26th 1865 in Washington, D.C.

COL James Dunn Ames

1835 - 1891

Section 9 Lot 32 Grave 1

The following article was published in the Lockport Journal. The exact date is unknown.

Col. James D. Ames of New York, formerly of this city, died in his rooms at the Madison Avenue Hotel at 10:55 last evening. The sad announcement reached here this morning carried surprise and sorrow to a wide circle of attached friends. Although it appears that Col. Ames had been ill for a number of days with the grip and finally pneumonia, very few outside his immediate family, who were at their residence in this city, were aware of the fact. The news of his death
this morning, therefore fell with startling and terrible suddenness upon all, causing universal expressions of sorrow. Mrs. Ames went to New York on a telegram last Thursday night and was therefore present at the time of her husband's death. His daughter, Mrs. Dr. Thomas Norton of Cincinnati was visiting her mother here at the time, being indisposed felt unable to accompany her mother, but with a later and more decided dispatch as to her father's condition, forgetting self, left for New York at midnight last night via Suspension Bridge to Buffalo.

Col. James D. Ames was born at Rush, Genesee County, N.Y., January 26th, 1835. He was therefore 56 years of age at the time of his death. He came as a young man with his family to Wilson, in this vicinity, living on the Randall Road. He attended school at Wilson and Lima. He was married in June 1858 to Miss Helen Allen. He subsequently began the study of law in the office of Gardner & Lamont of this city. While there pursuing his studies the war of the rebellion broke out and Mr. Ames promptly enlisted in the 28th Regiment then being formed here. He went out as a private in Company K in 1861. July 4th of the same year he was made first lieutenant. When he came home with his regiment at the end of the term of his enlistment he was captain of the company. He gallantly participated in all the memorable and hard-fought battles in which the brave 28th was engaged including Winchester, the Shenandoah Valley, Cedar Mountain, Second Bull Run, Point of Rocks, Antietam, and Chancellorville. He was taken prisoner at one time and remained for a season at Libby Prison. His war record as a whole was gallant and brave - a fact not less attested by his rapid advance from private to captain than by the common verdict of his comrades. In his death the country loses one who was one of it's bravest and most conscientious defenders in time of peril. Upon his return home after the war he was made colonel of militia charged with duties on that important position with rare fidelity to every trust.

Twenty years ago Col. Ames accepted a responsible position in the assessor's office of New York city. He has been there ever since and was at the time of his death. The fact speaks volumes for his integrity and fidelity. Local administrations of all parties went and came, but none of them found fault with, or for once even thought of disturbing Col. Ames. He was a republican from principle and was ever ready - though never offensively - to defend and acknowledge his political faith, but his services were held in such high regard that they were recognized as above party interference. Seldom does a public servant receive a more practical and in this case more deserved compliment.

Col. James D.Ames was a noble specimen of manhood in whatever light regarded. He was commanding in appearance; loving by nature; a perfect gentleman; a Christian man. He was a member of St. Batholomew's (Episcopal) church of New York, having taken his first communion there last Easter Sunday. He will be long and pleasantly held in grateful remembrance in all this section where no great portion of his life was passed.

Friends will not soon forget his brave and chivalrous nature; his genial side; his courtly address; indeed, those many magnetic qualities which attract only to bind and rivet one to his fellows. It will be sad indeed for many a one in this city and county to consign all that is mortal of Col. Ames to the tomb, "the quiet haven of us all."

He leaves his wife and one daughter,Mrs. Prof. Thomas Norton; two brothers, Ellworth E. Ames of this city and Taylor Ames of Denver, Col., and three sisters, Mrs. V. W. Ringueberg of Gasport, Mrs. Frank Hamblin and Mrs. Albert A. Williams of Wilson, besides his stepmother, Mrs. Titus Ames. They will all have the sincerest sympathy of friends.

The remains are expected to arrive here Monday noon, when announcement of the funeral will be made.