Levi Eckerson Bamber - Man in Motion

The "FAN" approach to ancestral research (Family, Associates, & Neighbors) teaches us to widen the net in gathering information.  Studying people beyond our direct ancestors can often yield clues to the puzzle.  And, making the effort always adds a richness and texture to the story, when learning about family members in the context of a certain time and place.   

I had put aside the family of Mary Eckerson Bamber, daughter of my direct ancestor, Levi Eckerson, when the trail went cold many years ago.  Picking up the threads of her story again, I was fascinated by the journey taken by her son, Levi Eckerson Bamber.  I am frankly unsure how I would ever have followed his trail, without having learned to use the variety of digitized and indexed sources that are now available online.

Looking at the events in the lives of Levi E. Bamber and his family, one can imagine that being on the move probably took a toll.  I wonder whether they all moved together, or did the family break apart permanently at some point.  Did his wartime experience have an impact on his emotions?

I created this table to remind me how much more there is to a family tree, besides just going backwards in time.  

LEVI ECKERSON BAMBER - MAN IN MOTION

Date	Location	Comment
17 July 1850	Franklinville, Cattaragus Co., NY federal census	Age 5.  Living with parents John & Mary Eckerson Bamber, and siblings.
1855	Nora Twp., Jo Daviess Co., IL state census	Age bracket of 10-20.  Living with parents John & Mary Eckerson Bamber, and siblings.
27 July 1860	Centre, Lafayette Co., WI federal census	Age 14.  Living with parents John & Mary Eckerson Bamber, and siblings.
25 Dec 1861	Enlistment, age probably no more than 16.  Living in Darlington, Lafayette Co., WI	Enlisted in Company I, Wisconsin 16th Infantry Regiment.  Regiment raised in Madison, WI. Musician.  Regiment saw service at Battle of Shiloh (TN) and many others.
Winter, 1864-1865	Camp Joe Holt Hospital, Clarksville, Indiana	20 years later, an army comrade sought Levi Bamber’s address, indicating they met here about this time.
13 April 1865	Jeffersonville, Clark, Indiana.  Directly across the river from Louisville, KY	Married (1) Mary J. Mitchell.  Did this marriage officially end, before his second?  Was it a wartime romance, which ended with his departure from the area?  Did she die shortly after the wedding?
12 Jul 1865	Louisville, KY	Mustered out (two months after his wedding in the vicinity)
4 July 1869	Kane Co., IL	Married (2) Josephine Peck
19 August 1870	Plato, Kane Co., IL federal census	Age 24 - Farmer & Dentist.  With wife and 1 child.
27 February 1873	North Plato, Kane Co., IL	Appointed postmaster (new postmaster assigned 1877).
1 November 1876	Alameda Co., CA great register of voters	Age 29 (1847?).  Clearly registered as “Bamber, Levi Eckerson.”  Nativity, New York.
1 November 1876	Alameda Co., CA great register of voters (another print version).	As above.
7 July 1879	Twp. 3, Amador Co, CA great register of voters.	Age 31 (1848?).  Nativity, New York.
11 June 1880	San Rafael, Marin Co., CA federal census	Age 34 – Dentist.  With wife and 5 children, all living with brother-in-law, Edgar Peck.
1882	Denver, Colorado	Listed in city directory as dentist.
1883	Denver, Colorado	Listed in city directory as dentist.
1 June 1885	El Paso County, Colorado state census.	37 – Dentist.  Described as a “bachelor” and divorced.  Living alone.
17 July 1887	Colorado	Filed for pension.
1887-1890	Steamboat Springs, Ruott Co., CO.  Death presumably took place in this area during this time.  Unsourced genealogy forum posting states he died crossing the Colorado River on horseback.	There is a listing for an L.E. Bamber in the Steamboat Springs Cemetery, per FindaGrave.com.  No dates.  Probably about 45 years of age at time of death.
1890	St. Michael, Madison Co., MO	Widow Josephine listed on Civil War pension enumeration.