William Massengale

William Massengale (June 22, 1863) was a Union soldier from Scott County who died during the Civil War. He may have been killed in action.

See Also: Scott Countians killed in war

Biography

There were two young William Massengales living in Scott County when the 1860 census was taken. It’s not clear which, if either, of them fought and died in the Civil War. One was a 17-year-old in 1860, living in the household of 64-year-old William Massengale. The other was 16 years old in 1860, living in the home of 30-year-old Henry T. Massengale.

It should be noted that there was a Jordin (Jordan) Massengale who also enlisted in the Union army on Dec. 5, 1861, and was also assigned to Co. G, 2nd Tennessee Infantry — the same date and regiment as William Massengale. Jordan Massengale fell ill with rheumatism at the Cumberland Gap in 1862 and was later captured by the Rebel army. He was the son of the William Massengale who was 64 years old in the 1860 census, and the brother of the William Massengale whose age was listed as 17 in the 1860 census. When the 1850 census was taken, however, William’s age was listed as 10 — which would line up with him being 21 when he enlisted in the Union army in 1861.

Based on this information, it seems likely that William Massengale was the son of William Massengale and Mary “Polly” Duncan of Smokey Creek, and that his siblings included Susannah, Matthew, Jordan, Priscilla, Mary, Sabra, and Celina. His mother died sometime between 1850 and 1860.

Civil War

According to historian Paul Roy, in Scott County in the Civil War, William Massengale joined the Union army on Dec. 5, 1861 at the age of 21, and was assigned to Co. G, 2nd Tennessee Infantry.

He died in Somerset, Ky. on June 22, 1863. According to Roy, there were multiple reports of his death: one showing that he died from wounds received in battle, and the other showing that he died of pneumonia.

Roy’s information was taken from a regimental roster compiled by David A. Mathews of Cincinnati, Oh.

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