Capt. Benjamin Loomis
Capt. Benjamin LoomisBenjamin served in the Civil War, Co. K, 22nd Regt. Conn. Inf. as Capt. The 22nd was organized at Hartford and mustered in September 20, 1862. Left State for Washington, D.C., October 2. Attached to 2nd Brigade, Abercrombie's Division, Military District of Washington, and 22nd Army Corps, Dept. of Washington, to April, 1863. 1st Brigade, 3rd Division, 7th Army Corps, Dept. of Virginia, to May. 1863. 2nd Brigade, 2nd Division, 4th Army Corps, Dept. of Virginia, to July, 1863.
SERVICE.-Picket duty at Langley's, Va., on Washington and Leesburg Turnpike, Defences of Washington, D.C. till October 22, 1862. At Miner's Hill till February 12, 1863. Expedition to intercept Stuart's Cavalry December 20-30, 1862. Fatigue duty, building Fords Craig, McDowell and McClellan, Defences of Washington, till April 14, 1863. Moved to Suffolk, Va., April 14-16. Siege of Suffolk April 16-May 4. Siege of Suffolk raised May 4. Moved to West Point, York River, Va., May 5, and duty there till June 9. Reconnoissance to the Chickahominy June 9-10. Left Yorktown for home June 26. Mustered out July 7, 1863.
Regiment lost during service 20 Enlisted to disease.
CAPT. BENJAMIN TURNER LOOMIS
Excerpts from BIOGRAPHY AS RECORDED IN:
COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD OF TOLLAND
AND WINDHAM COUNTIES CONNECTICUT.
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES OF PROMINENT AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS AND OF MANY
OF THE EARLY SETTLED FAMILIES.
PUBLISHER: J.H.BEERS & CO., CHICAGO; 1903 P. 423
CAPT. BENJAMIN TURNER LOOMIS, an honored veteran of the Civil War, and an inventor of note, is now living retired at Tolland, Tolland county, in the same house in which he was born, March 7, 1838.
Sylvanus Loomis, the grandfather of Capt. Loomis, lived in Mansfield, Conn., where he followed the occupation of a farmer. Both he and his wife, who in her maidenhood was Olivia Turner, of Mansfield, lived unusually long lives, and she drew close to the completion of ninety-five years. They were both devoted members of the Congregational Church. Two of their children lived to mature years: Leonard, mentioned below; and Stephen T., who went West and located at Painesville, Ohio, where he died (he was quartermaster in the same regiment with James A. Garfield, and was always a staunch friend of that eminent Ohio statesman).
Capt. Benjamin T. Loomis received his education in the Tolland schools, continuing there until just before his sixteenth year, when he began to paint with his father. In 1855 he began teaching, his first school being in Willington, the following winter in Coventry, and the winters of 1857-58 and of 1861-62 in Tolland, working during the summer time at painting. Early in the spring of 1858 he went to Meriden, to learn the burnisher’s trade and the following year removed to New York to work at burnishing solid silver for Wood & Hughes, where he remained until Jan. 1, 1861.
As Woods & Hughes sold their goods very largely in the South, they were compelled to shut down, and Mr. Loomis returned to Tolland to resume the occupation of teaching for a time. In 1862 he raised a company in Tolland, and went into the nine months’ service as captain of Company K., 22nd Conn. V.I. The regiment was largely engaged in picket and guard duty around Washington, and in Virginia, and saw but little actual fighting. Nevertheless the service was very exhausting, and when Capt. Loomis was mustered out with his command in Hartford, after being in the war about a year, his health was greatly impaired. When he had somewhat regained his strength he again sought work with friends in New York, and was engaged for
a time with William Gale & Sons, silversmiths, and then entered the offices of the Grover & Baker Sewing Machine Co., where he was employed for five years as shipping clerk and overseer of the export trade, having full charge of the out-put of the factory and the firm’s dealings with the custom house. After his connection with the Grover & Baker Co. had ceased, Mr. Loomis was employed for two years with F.A. Ross, manufacturer of sewing machine wood-work, and when that gentleman died his business was given up. Mr.
Loomis then came back to Tolland, and for about one year was engaged with Lorenzo Winter in the hotel business. In the fall of 1879 he went to Baltimore to put on the market a valuable water filter, which he had invented. Mr. Loomis has had peculiar success as an inventor. While in New York he thought out and perfected and invented a “tap†for cutting threads on castings, which invention he sold. He also invented a fire escape and a self-adjusting caster. Mr. Loomis was engaged in the manufacture of his water filter in Baltimore until 1896. In April, of that year, he sold out his business to the Loomis-Manning Filter Co., who have their main office in Philadelphia, and branches all over the world. The United States Government
makes large use of this filter, and it is regarded as a very valuable invention, and has proven most profitable to the inventor.
Capt. Loomis retired in 1896, and made his home on a farm in Tolland, which he bought in 1893, and which is known as the old “toll-gate place.†He has been very successful in his business life and is a self-made man. In 1859 he joined the I.O.O.F., in New York, and the F.&A.M. in 1870. A Jeffersonian Democrat, he has never been a politician or an office seeker. Capt. Loomis is a pleasant and genial gentleman, and his hospitality is but one of his many good traits. A firm believer in cremation, he has built a splendid mausoleum on his farm in which is deposited the ashes of his deceased daughter. It is made to receive his own ashes when the time shall come for his incineration, as well as those of other members of his family.
A beautiful grove on his farm is improved with swings, stands, tables, and other conveniences for picnic parties, which is at the free command of the community.
Reproduced by:
Linda D. Pingel – great-great granddaughter of Cyrus White of Rockville, Ct.
Organized by L. Kimmel [a distant cousin]
Web Posts
08-08-2011 12:27am
Unbelieveable I found this site. In response to Mr. Reardon's post below, I am the one the Mueseum is purchasing the Sword from. My friend in Tenn. at Mid. Tenn. Relics handled the sale for me. I will be shipping it to the Mueseum as soon as I can get it properly packaged next week. Pictures of his Sword can still be seen at my Civil War Website at http://www.richmondcivilwarrelics.com . I am very pleased that this Sword will get the proper displayal and respect it deserves. I was just out of curiosity, searching for information on Capt. B.T. Loomis to see what his pre and post Civil War History was, when I came accross this site. I was just also interested in this Gentlemans life and accomplishments. I hope the New England Mueseum and the people of Ct. will enjoy having this Sword back amongist their History. Sincerely, Robert M. Blackwell
07-27-2011 8:14pm
I checked my database. I can find no Loomis's descended from this guy. It seems his line, for now, stops at Lake County, OH [his brother], Baltimore, MD or somewhere in CT. The late 1800's and early 1900 records are all in the local court houses.......if any. I was lucky to find anything on him on the net in the first place. Finding his sword is really something.
07-25-2011 11:05pm
I'm looking for descendants of Loomis interested in attending a press conference. The New England Civil War Museum in Rockville, CT had just obtained his sword and scabbard that he used while in command of Co. K, 22nd Connecticut Regiment.