Charles M. Culver

Name: Charles M. Culver Company: B Musician; discharged for disability.
Birth Date: October 1, 1849 Place: Dryden, Lapeer County, Michigan	Mustered In Date: January 17, 1862 Rank: Private Age: 12 Residence prior to military service: Dryden, Lapeer County, Michigan; Chatfield, Fillmore County, Minnesota
Death Date: July 14, 1943 Place: Fillmore County, Minnesota	Mustered Out Date: March 16, 1863 Rank: Age: about 16 Residence following military service: Chatfield, Fillmore County, Minnesota Vocation following military service: General Store Merchant

Charles M. Culver Biography and Civil War Narrative

Charles Marian Culver was a drummer boy for Company B of the 5th Minnesota. It was he who, at Captain Marsh's command, sounded the long roll when news of the uprising at the Yellow Medicine Agency was taking place, calling the company to receive their orders. Charles was the son of First Lieutenant and Captain Norman K. Culver of Company B. On March 16, 1863, Charles was discharged from the regiment for disability.

Charles was born in Michigan to Norman K. and Eliza J. (Lane) Culver in October 1849. He had one brother and six sisters: Amy Jane (born September 6, 1838, and died July 14, 1840, probably in New York), Louisa Jane (born Feburary 14, 1842 in New York; married Solon A. Trescott, Sergeant in Company B of the 5th Minnesota; married Isaac Lindsey; died February 7, 1906 in Hammond, Tangipahoa Parish, Louisiana), Charlotte Maria (born August 20, 1843; died October 19, 1852), Harriet Eliza (born February 23, 1846, in Michigan; married Weldon J. Freeman; died August 13, 1933, in Fillmore County, Minnesota), Laura Minerva (born June 23, 1847; died September 27, 1852), Hellen Augusta (born October 3, 1852, in Michigan; married Henry C. Jennings, a Minister; died February 5, 1933), and George Warren (born October 18, 1854; died August 18, 1856).

Sometime before 1860, Charles' family moved from Michigan to Chatfield, Fillmore County, Minnesota. At the time of the 1860 U.S. Census the Culver household included Charles, his parents, N.[orman] K. (working as a Millwright) and "Mrs. Culver", his sisters Harriet (student, age 15), [Helen] Augusta (age 6), and Louisa (age 18 and married), as well as Louisa's husband Salon (farmer, age 24), and their two daughters: Effie (age 2) and Ellie (age 1).

After the war, Charles continued to live with his parents in Chatfield, Fillmore County, Minnesota. At the time of the 1880 U.S. Census, 30-year-old Charles Culver worked as a clerk in a store.

On June 9, 1886, Charles married Cora Augusta Russell in Chatfield. Cora had been born in July 1859 in Massachusetts. In May 1888, a daughter, Lena, was born to Charles and Cora. She was followed by two sons: Russell Marion (born August 30, 1889, in Chatfield) and Harry L. (born November 6, 1891, in Chatfield). In 1900 Charles and Cora lived in Chatfield with their three children ages 12, 10, and 8; Charles worked as a Merchant. In 1920, 28-year-old son Harry still lived with Charles and Cora in Chatfield and worked as a Clerk in a Clothing store. Seventy-one-year-old Charles continued to work as a Merchant in a General Store, and son Harry worked as a Clerk in the store.

Cora died April 18, 1940 in Fillmore County. Charles died three years later on July 14, 1943, in Chatfield, Fillmore County.

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