SEVENTH GENERATION

436. William Macher COMEY ⁽¹⁾ was born on 10 Feb 1840 in Hopkinton, Middlesex, Massachusetts. He died on 16 Feb 1927 in Norfolk, Norfolk, Massachusetts due to valvular disease. William was a machinist when he enlisted during the Civil War. He enlisted first with Company B, 4th U.S. Artillery on 24 Jan 1861. December 1861 he transfered to Company E, 2nd Regiment, U.S. Infantry. After the Battle of Gettysburg he transfered to Company C, 2nd U.S. Infantry. He participated in the battles of Wilson's Creek, Gaines' Mill, Mechanicsville, Malvern Hill, Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, Gettysburg, 2nd Battle of Bull Run, and 15 other engagements. At Wilson's Creek he was wounded in the right knee. This confined him to Benton Hospital, St. Louis from 1 Aug 1861 until 1 Nov 1861. he received 5 wounds in his left arm and hand at the 2nd battl of Bull Run, Virginia on 30 Aug 1862 causing his detention at the hospital in Philadelphia for 3 months. He was transferred to Company C in March 1863. William was discharged at Catletts Station, Virginia on 24 Jan 1864. On 2 Sep 1864 William enlisted with Company C, 2d Regiment Massachusetts Volunteer, Heavy Artillery for one year. On 16 Dec 1864 he was ordered transfered to Company F, 17th Regiment Massachusetts Volunteer, Infantry. The regiment joined General Sherman's Army at Goldsboro, North Carolina and on 25 Mar 1865 moved to Raleigh. After Johnston's Army surrendered the regiment left for Greensboro, where it performed garrison duty until the close of its' service. William was discharged at Greensboro, North Carolina on 30 Jun 1865. He received $90 per month pension. After leaving the service he settled on a farm. Later he worked as a manufacturere of wire for straw hats. He made wise investments in real estate and owned his mill property, 40 acres in Norfolk, and several tenement-houses. On 29 Dec 1899 William gave this account of an accident he had, "I was driving from Franklin to my home, my horse took fright and ran easterly on Chestnut Street. Just as we reached the high bridge over the railroad, the wheel struck a stone and the tire broke with a sharp crack, which rightened the horse still more. He jumped to the right, the front wheel struck the bridge rail breaking the spokes, at the same instant the shaft on the left side snapped off short and to make it still worse a freight train passed under the bridge and made the horse wild with terror. The road bends to the right and is quite a steep downward grade. I succeeded in keeping the horse on the road until I reached the foot of the hill with the carriage lurching from one side to the other. At this point the other shaft slipped out of the lug and struck the ground. The broken ends of the shafts caught on the frozen ground causing the carriage to take a complete header. After the crash I must have been insensible for sometime for whin I recovered enough to relize anthing I found myself lying partly under the wreck covered with blankets and several people caring for me." He was a Democrate and took an active interest in public affairs. He served as Second Selectman, Secretary of the School Board, Fire Warden, Sexton of the City Mills Cemetery, Justice of the Peace, Notary Public, Chairman of the Board of Health, and Chairman of the Board of Overseers of the Poor. He was also Commmander of Franklin Post, number 60 G.A.R.

He was married to Ophelia H. SCOTT on 7 Mar 1865. William Macher COMEY and Ophelia H. SCOTT had the following children:

610 i. Ethel Ophelia COMEY⁽¹⁾ was born on 30 Nov 1877. She died on 6 Dec 1877 in Norfolk, Massachusetts.
611 ii. Frank Roy COMEY⁽¹⁾ was born on 2 Jan 1880. He died on 13 Mar 1898 in Norfolk, Massachusetts from Adynamie fever.