William McQuinn was born 4 June 1842 in Sackville, NB. He was the son of James M. McQuin (1799 - 1861) and Mary McCormick (1807 - 1845). James was born in Ireland, possibly Armagh or Tyrone.

James emigrated from Londonderry, Ireland in 1818. According to family history, he came over with a brother and they jumped ship in Newcastle, NB because the English were abusive to them. They hid under the floor boards in a barn and when the English came looking for them, they poked their bayonets between the planks and the McQuin brothers had a narrow escape. I'd love to hear more of this story!

James settled in Casillis, near Newcastle, married Mary in 1821, and owned land there until he was burnt out in the Miramichi Fire in 1825. At that time he moved to Sackville. He was a tailor. Religion: Methodist.

William served in the 1st Battalion of the Massachusetts Heavy Artillery, Company C.

My grandfather told me he buried his dog in his civil war uniform!

I have a photocopy of a picture of him in his uniform from someone in a distant McQuinn family. My father has his war medal and ribbons.

My grandfather told me that when his ship docked in the harbour in Saint John, NB when he came back from the war, he was drunk and fell overboard. He had always been a teetotaller.

William was a bootmaker and harness maker and died of blood poisoning, from an injury at work, in 1892. He is buried somewhere in Sackville. I've been searching for this info for many years.

I have no record of William's first marriage. I think it was to an Ellen Outhouse. His second wife was Rachel Morris (1860 - 1945) from Spencer's Island, NS. They were married in 1877.

Children of William are: Clifford F. Sayer, Frank W., James Abraham Garfield, Roy Milton, John Kenneth, Isabelle McNally, and Mary Eliza.

Known siblings of William: John, James, Rebecca, Emily. This info is sketchy. I don't know why William enlisted. Money? Adventure? Marriage gone bad? My grandfather always said he thought William fought on the wrong side!

Regards,
Judy McQuinn
Riverview, NB, Canada
Address #1 or Address #2

I would be very interested in any other Biographies, names or any other information on Canadians in the Civil War or the 2nd Mich. Vol. Inf. I can be contacted at mich2inf@lycosmail.com

If you know of any other British North Americans (Canadians) please advise me.

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