McConnell Family Civil War Diaries MS.129

Marisa Ramirez
William H. Hannon Library, Archives & Special Collections, Manuscripts
May 2021
Loyola Marymount University
William H. Hannon Library, Archives and Special Collections
1 LMU Dr.
Los Angeles, CA 90045
special.collections@lmu.edu


Language of Material: English
Contributing Institution: William H. Hannon Library, Archives & Special Collections, Manuscripts
Title: McConnell Family Civil War Diaries
creator: McConnell, John Faust
source: McConnell, Lindsay
Identifier/Call Number: MS.129
Physical Description: 1.04 Linear Feet (1 flat Hollinger box: 12.5 x 9.5 x 3.5")
Date (inclusive): 1863-2000
Abstract: This collections consists of two diaries written by John F. McConnell, a Union soldier during the Civil War. Two booklets created by descendants are included with additional information on the diaries and the McConnell family.

Scope and Contents

This collection consists of two small diaries from the Civil War era. The first is a dark brown unlined notebook containing 231 pages of written text ranging from 1861 to 1865. It is believed to have belonged to at least three different owners. The front inside cover of this notebook has a printed list of the Democratic and Conservative ticket candidates for the 1860 Tennessee elections, and the back cover has a list of the Union ticket candidates. The second diary is a small, black Excelsior Diary for the year 1880 and includes printed pages on astronomical calculations, church dates and cycles of time, and a chart listing U.S. Presidents. Each date is printed at the top of the page followed by lined pages filled out in pencil. The inside cover has the handwritten text, "John F. McConnell - bought at Seymour, Indiana 1880."
H. Victor E. Redfield from Jasper, Tennessee was the first owner of the Civil War diary, writing from January to February 1861. A note on the inside cover reads, "Confiscated August 24th, 1863." That same year, the diary contains a long entry of "Inspector Instructions for 14th Army Corps" from the unnamed second owner of the diary. On November 3rd, 1863, entries from John McConnell begin, the third diary owner. These entries continue until June 11, 1865.
John Faust McConnell was born August 15, 1837. He lived in Scipio, Indiana and served in Company E of the 82nd Indiana Volunteer Infantry during the U.S. Civil War as a mule driver, hauling logs. He mustered into Company E as a private on August 30, 1862, and mustered out June 9, 1865. The diary indicates that he remained in the Chattanooga, Tennessee area until March 13, 1865 when he traveled to Goldsboro, North Carolina to rejoin the 82nd Indiana Infantry on April 9, 1865. The second diary covers his life for the year 1880.
The McConnell Family created two documents providing additional context for the Civil War diary and for the McConnell family. One is titled, "His Civil War Diary" that includes photo copies of each diary page and some contextual information. The other is titled, "For the McConnell Family: Bits and Pieces That May Be of Interest" and provides a history of the McConnell family from the early 1880s through the early 2000s. It is written by Sandra (McConnell) Nelson and Bob Nelson, and includes genealogical information as well as several photocopied images.

Biographical / Historical

John Faust McConnell was born on August 15, 1837 to George McConnell and Mary (Amick) McConnell. He lived in Scipio, Indiana and served in Company E of the 82nd Indiana Volunteer Infantry during the U.S. Civil War as a mule driver, hauling logs. He mustered into Company E as a private on August 30, 1862, and mustered out June 9, 1865. The diary indicates that he remained in the Chattanooga, Tennessee area until March 13, 1865 when he traveled to Goldsboro, North Carolina to rejoin the 82nd Indiana Infantry on April 9, 1865. The second diary covers his life for the year 1880. McConnell married Amelia Ryan (1848-1875) and had a son, George William Bland McConnell (1872-1963). His second marriage was to Mary E. Sharp (1859-1937). McConnell died in 1913.
Lindsay McConnell is a descendant of diary owner John. F. McConnell, donating his writings to Loyola Marymount University in 2019. She graduated from Loyola Marymount University in 2021, double-majoring in English and History, with a concentration in Public and Applied History. She was member of the University Honors Program and received the Academic Excellence in History Award which is given to those with exceptional and distinguished academic achievement in the field of History.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Gift of McConnell Family. Accession number: 2019.8

Conditions Governing Access

Collection is open to research under the terms of use of the Department of Archives and Special Collections, Loyola Marymount University.

Conditions Governing Use

Materials in the Department of Archives and Special Collections may be subject to copyright. Unless explicitly stated otherwise, Loyola Marymount University does not claim ownership of the copyright of any materials in its collections. The user or publisher must secure permission to publish from the copyright owner. Loyola Marymount University does not assume any responsibility for infringement of copyright or of publication rights held by the original author or artists or his/her heirs, assigns, or executors.

Preferred Citation

[Identification of item], Series number, Box and Folder number, McConnell Family Civil War Diaries, MS129, Department of Archives and Special Collections, William H. Hannon Library, Loyola Marymount University.

Subjects and Indexing Terms

United States--History--Civil War, 1861-1865--Personal narratives.
Soldiers' writings, American
McConnell, John Faust
McConnell, Lindsay