The image above is a tintype in the Liljenquist Family Collection of Civil War Photographs. The man pictured is Abram M. Carhart. This is his story, as told in Heroes of Albany by Rufus Wheelwright Clark (1867).
ABRAM M. CARHART
OF GUILDERLAND
Abram M. Carhart was the oldest son of SANFORD and SOPHIA CARHART, of Guilderland, in which town he was born August 19th, 1844. Like most boys, he spent his early days at the district and Sabbath schools. Nothing of interest to those out of his own family transpired until his fifteenth year, when, while a member of the "State Road Bible Class," and as the result of faithful instruction, he was led, during a session of gracious outpouring of the spirit, to give his heart to God. he united with the M. E. Church, of which he ever remained a consistent member.
When the war first broke out, he desired to enlist, but the love of his mother kept him back. At last love yielded to duty, and, with his parents' consent, he enlisted October 18, 1862, in Company C, of the Tenth New York Militia, which was subsequently mustered into the United States service as One Hundred and Seventy-seventh N. Y. Vols.
Before the regiment left, however, he was attacked with fever, and was, by the advice of the surgeon, left behind in the care of his family, to report when fit for duty. On Tuesday, December 16th, his regiment left Albany to join BANKS' expedition. January 11th, it reached Bonnet Carre, La., where, in April, having fully recovered, he joined it. A Christian Association having been formed, he united himself with it on his arrival, maintaining, in camp, the same manly Christian deportment that characterized him at home.
On May 7th he started with the regiment, by way of the Amite river, to Baton Rouge; thence to Port Hudson, passing nearly through that memorable siege, shrinking from no danger or duty, and always at his post.
On the 7th of July, about 10 A. M., with two comrades, JESSE DENNISON and JAMES H. BECKWITH, he went down to the Mississippi to bathe, BECKWITH alone being able to swim. After remaining in the water a few minutes, Beckwith came out and commenced dressing, when his attention was arrested by a cry from DENNISON. Turning around, he saw ABRAM's hands just above the water. He dashed in, but it was too late. ABRAM had sunk to rise no more.
They left the river with sad hearts, and on their way were greeted with shouts of joy. News had come that Vicksburg had fallen. The next day the body drifted on shore, probably raised by the firing of salutes in honor of the capture of Vicksburg. Some of his company went down and buried him in his blanket on the shore, when, as they turned to go back, one shout, long and loud, was heard in camp. Port Hudson had fallen. Thus, on the eve of victory, was this faithful soldier of his country called to his rest, and while his comrades were shouting the cry of victory below, he was, as a soldier of Jesus, singing the song of victory on high. Several months after, his remains were disinterred, brought home, and now repose in the family lot in Prospect Hill Cemetery.
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| Muster Roll Abstract of Abram Carhart |
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| "Nellie Carhart, Annie Mead, and Lizzie Palmer, sisters" |
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| A Genealogical Record of the Descendants of Thomas Carhart |
Abram's brother Robert (born 1846) married Eliza J. Vine and died in 1888. Eliza would ultimately be the mother of eight children, at least five of whom were daughters, but the oldest was born in 1871.
Charles Carhart (born 1851) died of diptheria at the age of 36, leaving only one child, and Perry (born 1856) Carhart moved to Illinois with his wife Ida and had one child, a son.
When I saw this 1850 census with three Carharts in a row living in Guilderland, New York, I started to wonder if the sisters might have been Abram's cousins. But the girls listed in this census - such as Elisa J., born around 1846 - would be too old to be the girls in the picture.
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| 1850 US Federal Census |
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| 1860 US Federal Census |
1. Were the sisters really "sisters," or were they possibly sisters-in-law?
2. Was Carhart the maiden name of all the sisters?
3. WHO WERE THEY?
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| Grave of Abram M. Carhart (Source) |
- Robert Carhart (1784-1872) m. (1) Catherine Rowe (1785-1850) in 1807; (2) Hannah (1794-)
- Peter Carhart (1808-) m. (1) Catharine Vedder in 1835; (2) Abigail Taylor
- Richard Carhart (1836-1874) m. Lucinda A. Smith
- Cora B. Carhart (1865-)
- Everest L. Carhart (1867-)
- Louis P. Carhart (1868-1872)
- Charles Albert Carhart (1870-)
- George T. Carhart (1871-)
- Archibald McBean Carhart (1873-1877)
- Annie Maria Carhart (1837-)
- William Taylor Carhart (1859-)
- Margaret Carhart m. Cornelius Van Derzee
- Elizabeth Van Derzee (1833-) m. Dr. Barney Wood
- Catharine Ann Van Derzee (?-1855)
- Eliza Carhart m. Henry Carhart in 1839
- Sanford Carhart (1822-1888) m. Catherine Sophia Mead (1825-1885) in 1848
- Abram Mead Carhart (1844-1863)
- Robert R. Carhart (1846-1888) m. Eliza J. Vine (1850-1928)
- Ada Newton Carhart (1871-1911)
- Irene S. Carhart (1877-)
- Ida May Carhart (1880-)
- Grace M. Carhart (1882-1973) m. Jacob W. Blessing (1880-)
- Edith Carhart (1886-1929)
- Charles E. Carhart (1851-1887) m. Kate Vine
- Perry Mead Carhart (1856-) m. Ida K. in 1882
- William H. C. Carhart (1884-)
- Garretson Lyon Carhart (1824) m. (1) Martha Boyland bancroft (?-1868) in 1850; (2) Elizabeth Dickson Spearman
- George Bancroft Carhart (1852-1863)
- Martha Eunice Carhart (1856-)
- Robert Benjamin Carhart (1866-1868)
- William Garretson Carhart (1875-)
- Elma Carhart (?-1872) m. Charles Weaver in 1852
- Catharine Weaver
- Annie Weaver
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