William Holmes Banks
The Montpelier Examiner, Thursday, March 5, 1915, Page 1
ANOTHER PIONEER GONE TO HIS FINAL REST
William H Banks, a Pioneer of the West and Civil War Veteran, Died Tuesday Morning-Came to Bear Lake in 1874
William H Banks of this city, a pioneer of the west and veteran of the civil war, answered the final roll call last Tuesday morning. He had been ailing for some time with stomach trouble, but was confined to his bed only five days.
Mr. Banks was born at Dowsby, Lincolnshire, England on June 18, 1837 and had therefore not quite reached the 78th milestone of life. He grew to young manhood in his native town, and upon reaching the proper age he entered the English army, in which he served for three years and six months. He came to the United Sates in 1859 and located in Pennsylvania. When the civil war broke out he enlisted in the Ninth Pennsylvania cavalry and was soon promoted to the rank of captain. He served three years, during which time he was in some of the hard campaigns of that war. After being mustered out of service, he joined the Mormon colony at Florence, Nebraska, and from there he drove a six mule team across the plains in the fall of 1863.
On September 3, 1864, he was married in Salt Lake to Margaret Jane Armatage. A few years later they removed to Beaver County, Utah. In the fall of 1868 Mr. Banks was elected as sheriff of that county, which office he held for four years. Mr. and Mrs. Banks came to Bear Lake Valley in 1874 and have resided here ever since. In 1899 he was called to serve on a mission in England and spent two years in his native land.
He is survived by his wife, seven sons and one daughter, 13 grandchildren and three great grandchildren. One son and three daughters have preceded him to the Great Beyond, a son and daughter being buried in Utah and two daughters in the cemetery here.
Mr. Banks accepted the Mormon faith in 1849 and had always been a faithful worker in the church. Awaiting the arrival of some of his relatives, his funeral services will not be held until tomorrow morning at 11 o'clock, from the First Ward meeting house.
The death of William Banks leaves just four survivors of the Civil War in Montpelier. They are Steve Staley and Joe McCart, who wore the blue and Thos L Glenn and Dave Stuart, who wore the grey.
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Posted on Find a Grave
A Civil War veteran, he enlisted in, Berrysburg,
Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, September 19, 1861, as "John C. Holmes" because,
he later claimed, he had just deserted the British army and wanted to escape
detection. He mustered into federal service at Harrisburg as a corporal with Co.
B, 9th Pennsylvania Cavalry (92nd Pa). He was promoted to sergeant October 31,
1861, but later reduced to ranks. Hospitalized in Louisville, Kentucky, he
deserted and disappeared.
After he deserted, he moved to Indianapolis, Indiana, for three months, then to
Utah until 1879 when he relocated to Montpelier. Strangely, a discharge date of
May 12, 1863, is mentioned in his pension file, but he was denied a pension
because of the outstanding desertion charge and absence of any valid discharge
date.
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Family of William Holmes Banks and Margaret Jane Armitage