Notes for Charles Theodore Chandonia

Notes for Charles Theodore Chandonia

Obituary of C. T. Chandonia in South Bend Tribune, Monday June 19, 1916:
C. T. Chandonia is dead at age of 76. Served as a captain during the Civil War. Former South Bend Man wil be Buried at Soldiers' Home Cemetery at Marion, Indiana. Charles Theodore Chandonia died last night at the Soldiers' home, Marion, Indiana. The body will be buried there in the soldiers' cemetery. General debility was the cause of death. The deceased was born in South Bend Sept 15, 1839. He came of historic stock. His father, (article says Charles Benjamin Chandonia...but we know it was Jean Baptiste Chandonia), was a famous scout, guide and soldier in the early wars with the Indians and British centering about Detroit,. He served under Gen. Cass and Gen. William Henry Harrison. His body lies in City Cemetery. Charles Theodore was a soldier like his father and rendered valliant service to his country in the Civil War. He enlisted as a private in the 48th Indiana volunteer infantry and for gallantry and efficiency was succesfully promoted to sergent, lieuntenant, and captain. He served four years and three months. After the war Capt. Chandonia was assocated with Joseph and Hiram Turnock in the plastering trade, subsequently taking a position in the office of the Coquillard Wagon Works, where he remained 15 years until the industry was sold and move to Henderson, Kentucky. Capt. Chandonia is survived by two sons and one daughter, Charles H., and Edward, and Mrs. Charles Mikesell, all of South Bend.

Family Notes:
Charles was Catholic, and so were his parents and grandparents. Charles and Emma were divorced in about 1890 and he married "Mame". Charles was baptised by Father Badin at the old log cabin church on the grounds of Notre Dame in South Bend, according to the Baptismal Record of the church in the archives at the University of Notre Dame. Charles T. was known to have been 6'4", very military with jet black hair to the day he died. He spoke both French and English and worked variously for the Colquillard Wagon Works keeping the ledgers in Frech languaage and money and a comparable set of books in English. This last was imparted to me by a family who admired his skill in keeping books in two languages and the fact that he wrote a beautiful hand. This same comment has been made about Jean Baptiste Chandonnet, his grandfather. Reference is made to the handwriting of Jean Baptiste in Ogelsby's "History of Michgian City". Charles T. married Emma DeGraff of Vermont, died at and buried at Kingsley Michgian June 24, 1930, born Syracuse N.Y. Nov. 25, 1843.

[Brøderbund WFT Vol. 25, Ed. 1, Tree #0369, Date of Import: Jun 20, 1999]
Charles Theodore was born in South Bend, Indiana on September 20, 1839. His father was Charles B. Chandonia and his mother was Lucy Pellitier. Charles Theodore was James Edward Bresette's best friend. He also lived an interesting life. During the Civil War, Charles enlisted with James Edward Bresette and they were both privates. During his 4 years spent fighting, he was promoted from private to sergeant, to lieutenant, and finally to captain. See James Bresette's biography for the movement of the 48th Regiment.

Thomas Howell's book titled "History of St. Joseph County" lists the following:
"About the first of April, 1876, the wife of Charles Schaeffer, of South Bend, died leaving an infant child about four months old. A sister of the deceased, Miss Kate Fleck, then came to keep house for Mr. Schaeffer, and attend to the motherless one, receiving as compensation the sum of $2 per week. On Wednesday, July 5, she demanded an increase of wages to $2.50 per week. Mr. Schaeffer told her he could not afford it, and if she was not satisfied with what he was paying her, he would have to hire some one else.

The following morning Schaeffer arose at an early hour, went down to his shop and returned to the house at his usual breakfast hour. Instead of finding the meal prepared, he found a note from Kate as follows: "Charley:--Hunt me and your baby on the other side of the railroad bridge in the river." Search was at once instituted, but no trace could be found of the bodies, and it was thought the letter was an idle threat, a mere blind, and that she had gone elsewhere, probably to her father's house, near Plymouth.

On Friday evening the dead body of Kate was seen going over the dam, the arms nearly encircling the head, and the hands above as if fighting the water--the position in which the arms of most people drowned are found. The river was high and the current swift, and the body floated rapidly down stream after emerging from the seething waters under the dam. It kept the middle of the river and passed the iron bridge before a boat could be secured to follow it. Two men finally brought the body to the shore abut 20 rods below the Singer factory.

The action of the current in forcing the body against obstacle had bruised the face and head somewhat, and torn and displaced the clothing so that below the waist the body was bare. The face was discolored slightly from being so long in the water, but otherwise the body presented a very natural appearance.

On the Sunday following, the dead body of the baby was seen floating down the river, and was taken from the water by Theodore Chandonia. The body was bloated and badly discolored. The legs were spread out and bent at the knees, with the knees drawn up toward the shoulders. Around the waist was tied a scarf, the ends of which had been made into a loop, which evidently Kate had put around her neck to keep the child by her that their bodies might be found together. Certain discolored marks around Katy's neck were thus accounted for."

Charles retired and lived at the Soldiers' Home, Marion, Indiana where he died on June 18, 1916. He is buried in the Soldiers' cemetery. General debility was the cause of death.

From The History of St. Joseph County, Indiana by Timothy E. Howard 1907:
pg. 722-724
The 48th Infantry, Indiana, comes perhaps as near to the hearts of the people of St. Joseph County as does any other single regiment, for the reason that as in the case of the 29th, the colnel commanding was a St. Joseph County man, but still more no doubt because so large a portion of all the officers and men were from thid county. No less than theree full cumpanies, B, E, and F. Besides the numbers of other compaines were from St. Joseph County, and their record, together with that of their gallant commander Colnel Norman Eddy, was of so brilliant a character as to enshrine their name and fame in the hearts of all the people.

The 48th was mustered at Goshen, December 6, 1861, and left for Fort Donelson, Feb 1, 1862, where it arrived on the day after the surrender, and then moved on to Paducah and in May went up the Tenessee to engage int he siege of Corinith. It was then engaged int he army of Rosecrars against Price, taking part int he battle of Iuka, Sept. 19, 1862, where it lost 116 men, killed and wounded, out of 420 engaged. The regiment was also in the second battle of Cronith under Rosecrars, Oct. 3-4 1862, losing 26 killed and wounded. In January 1863, after numerous marches, the 48th was at Memphis, where it was assigned to the first brigade, seventh division, of the Seventeenth Army Corps. It was next with Grant, in the rear of Vicksburg, where it took part in the engagements at Fourty Hills. Raymond, Jackson, Champion Hills, and in the assault on Vicksburg May 22, 1863, where the regiment lost 38, killed and wounded. After the surrender, the 48th marched across the country to Chattanooga, and then to Huntsville, where in January 1864 the regiment re-enlisted as a veteran organization. After the veteran furlough, the 48th returned to Huntsville and then joined the first brigade, third division, of the Fifteenth Army Corps, marching with Sherman's Army from Atlanta to Savannah, thence through the Carolinas to Washington. The regiment was mustered out at Louisville, July 15, 1865. The 48th lost in battle during its 4 years of service 213 men, killed and wounded.

The following promotions took place:
Charles T. Chandonai, from first lieutenant to captain.

The 1880 census of St. Joseph County for the Charles Theodore Family states that a Sarah Glidden, age 18 was also living with the family.

On July 18, 1882, James Bresette and his cousin Charles Theodore Chandonia submitted a claim to the government relative to their rights to occupy certain unoccupied lands on the Potawattomi Reservation in Jackson County, Kansas, and to participate in the annuties of the tribe. The claim was denied on March 16, 1883 on the grounds that their names did not appear on the 1861 census roll of Potawattomi Indians.

[Brøderbund WFT Vol. 25, Ed. 1, Tree #0369, Date of Import: Jun 20, 1999]
Charles Theodore was born in South Bend, Indiana on September 20, 1839. His father was Charles B. Chandonia and his mother was Lucy Pellitier. Charles Theodore was James Edward Bresette's best friend. He also lived an interesting life. During the Civil War, Charles enlisted with James Edward Bresette and they were both privates. During his 4 years spent fighting, he was promoted from private to sergeant, to lieutenant, and finally to captain. See James Bresette's biography for the movement of the 48th Regiment.