Henry M. Stranahan

Name: Henry M. Stranahan Company: A Discharged for disability.
Birth Date: April 1837 Place: New York	Mustered In Date: March 15, 1862 Rank: Private Age: 24 Residence prior to military service: St. Lawrence County, New York; Leon Township, Goodhue County, Minnesota Vocation prior to military service: farmer
Death Date: June 16, 1915 Place: Rice County, Minnesota	Mustered Out Date: October 6, 1862 Rank: Private Age: 25 Residence following military service: Leon Township, Goodhue County, Minnesota; Northfield, Rice County, Minnesota Vocation following military service: farmer, carpenter

Henry M. Stranahan Biography and Civil War Narrative

Henry M. Stranahan was born April 1837 in New York (St. Lawrence County?). He was the third child and second son of James K. and Permelia A. (Reynolds) Stranahan. His siblings included sister Ann E. (born April 26, 1832, in Stockholm, New York), brother Oscar L. Stranahan (born March 6, 1834 in St. Lawrence County, New York), sister Sarah J. (born about 1841), brother Charles Horace (born February 12, 1845, in Potsdam, St. Lawrence County, New York), sister Marybeth (born October 10, 1847 in Potsdam, New York), brother William G., (born about 1850 in New York), and J. F. (born November 16, 1851, in Michigan; died February 12, 1854).

In July 1855, Henry and his family arrived in the area of Cannon Falls, Goodhue County, Minnesota. At the time of the 1860 U.S. Census, 23-year-old Henry lived and farmed with his parents in Leon Township, Goodhue County, five miles from Cannon Falls.

Henry enlisted in the 5th Minnesota Volunteer Infantry Regiment on March 15, 1862. His older brother, Oscar, had enlisted on February 12. A William O. Stranahan (possibly a cousin of Oscar and Henry's) had also enlisted on December 28, 1861.

In a letter dated May 7th, 1862, Martin Webster of Stranahan's Company A tells his wife in Hastings, Minnesota, that he will send her money "by Mr. Stranahan," but he doesn't specify the Mr. Stranahan to which he refers. From May 10 to 24, Company A was transported to Mississippi, where they reported to General John Pope near Corinth. Private Henry Stranahan served in Company A until October 6 of the same year when he was discharged for disability. During the time of Private Henry Stranahan's active service, the 5th Regiment participated in the Siege of Corinth (May 26-30), the Battle of Iuka, Mississippi (September 19), and the Battle of Corinth (October 4).

Following his service in the 5th Minnesota, Henry Stranahan returned to Leon Township, Goodhue County, Minnesota. About 1864, Henry married a young woman named Thankful, born April 1838 in Ohio to parents who had been born in Massachusetts. At the time of the 1870 U.S. Census, Henry and Thankful lived and farmed next to his parents in Leon Township. They had three children, all born in Minnesota: daughter Effy M. (age 5), son Francis (age 3), and son Earnest (age 1). By 1880, the Henry and Thankful Stranahan family had moved to Northfield, Rice County, Minnesota, where Henry worked as a carpenter. Only two children, however, now lived with them: 15-year-old Effie and 10-year-old Earnest; Francis had apparently died. In 1900 Henry and Thankful continued to live in Northfield, and Effie and Ernest still lived with them. Effie was now 35 and worked as a Clerk. No occupation was listed in census records for 30-year-old Ernest. In 1910, daughter Effie worked as a manager in an insurance office, while son Ernest worked as a clerk in a cigar store. Henry and Thankful were now in their 70's and had been married 47 years.

Henry W. Stranahan died on June 16, 1915, in Rice County, Minnesota. His wife, Thankful, died almost two years later on March 17, 1917, also in Rice County.

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