When looking up family history I keep running into family with the same name.  The most recent is Edwin Littler.  Edwin Littler is my g-grandfather a few generations ago – Mary Ann Littler (wife of Edward Corbly)’s father – his son is also Edwin Littler. 

In Stearns Cemetery is the tombstone for Edwin Littler with no birth or death information.  It does include information about Civil War Service though.

Edwin Littler (the son) – 1843-1862  can be found in the Illinois Civil War Muster and Descriptive Roll Database .

Edwin is listed as being in the 125th Il US Infantry which matches his tombstone.  He joined August 11,1882, mustered September 3, 1862 and was declared dead on November 25, 1862 at Bowling Green, KY.  It includes that he was 19, with black hair, light complexion, dark eyes, and was 5’8″.

Not knowing a lot about the battles in the civil war I am lost as far as cause of death.  According to a civil war driving tour write up:

By late 1861, Bowling Green became the heart of the Confederacy’s efforts in Kentucky. The new year brought serious worries to the Confederate occupation force. A Union victory at Mill Springs in Eastern Kentucky, on January 19, 1862, and General Grant’s victories at Forts Henry and Donelson to the west, made Bowling Green untenable for the Confederates. Union General Don Carlos Buell advanced his Army of the Ohio southward from the Green River. Under the command of General Ormsby Mitchel, Bowling Green was bombarded from across the Barren River. The Confederate army evacuated the city, and by mid-February 1862, the city fell into Union hands. Federal troops controlled Bowling Green and Kentucky for the rest of the war. By 1864, there was a vigorous effort by the federal government to recruit and enlist slaves in Kentucky. Bowling Green and seven other military camps were designated to receive and protect those recruits. Source

This makes me wonder if there was a push in November by the Confederate army to take back Bowling Green, or possibly Edwin was sent out with troops to take more ground and wounded in battle – returned to Bowling Green for care and to ultimately pass away.

Edwin’s father, also being named Edwin was more difficult to find in history.  He had moved from Ohio, bringing the young Edwin as a child, and set up residence in Vermilion County. Some database records have him recorded as Edward also, making identification a more difficult task. Currently I’ve identified Edwin the father in the 1840 and the 1850 census files.

Verifying that ancestors with the same name and place can be difficult.  When in doubt I have been linking information to both individuals and editing later.  Not the most ideal, but definitely helpful to keep from losing information.  Original sources are critical also.