1861 Luther Bingham Newell Photo, 2nd Gettysburg Sharpshooter, 4th VT

#720:

This rare old Luther Newell cabinet card photo was recently found in Keene, New Hampshire. It is a wonderful 1861 image of a 24 year old 2nd US sharpshooter named Luther Bingham Newell. It appears the family had it copied from an earlier CDV, ambrotype or daguerreotype at a later date, around 1880-90. Photographer: The "copy" photographer was Howard Langill of Hanover, Grafton County, New Hampshire. He was a very prolific photographer, also known as Howard Henry Harrison Langill, H.H.H. Langill, or Howard H.H. Langill. Dartmouth College owns much of his work. (his name is often also misspelled as Langhill)

The photo is in black and white, an 1880-90's Cabinet Card photo measuring 4.5 x 6.5 inches, on thick board. His signature is ink signed and reads "Luther B. Newell in 1861." He appears to have a sunburn on his face/nose in this early photo. There is a painted photo studio backdrop behind him.

Luther has a very strong Civil War record below. He enlisted in Brattleboro early, as seen in this photo, as a young handsome 24 year old boy. He went on to become a 2nd USSA sharpshooter.

Found in Public Genealogy Records:
It appears Luther was born in Indiana, and we believe at a young age moved back to the family's original area of New England. He is also part of the Comings, Cummings family line.

Luther Bingham Newell 1836-1910, born Carpenter, Indiana
Father: Jacob Newell 1792-1868, see info below
Mother: Julia Robigne Newell 1799-1858, married in1817 to Jacob Newell

His 1st wife: Adelaide Marie Packard, married in 1862. Sadly, their three children all died in the first year of birth: Georgia A. Newell, Pearl A. Newell and Frederick E. Newell. She is also listed as Mary A. Packard, and they were married in 1862 by Reverend Paul Sparhawk, at about the time of this photo. I believe her actual name was Adelaide Marie Packard Newell, but she is also listed in public records as Mary A. Packard below (possibly Mary Adelaide Packard?) and also as Mary Sarah Packard. She was 16 years old when they married.

She was the daughter of Alanson Packard & Augusta Packard. Her mother is also known in the census as Margaret Augusta Whitney. Margaret was born in 1824 in Boston, the daughter of John H. Sawyer and Hanna Sawyer. She married her first Spouse named Whitney at an unknown date. Her second spouse was Alanson Packard, married in Rutland VT in 1844. He died in 1864 in the Civil War. Her 3rd spouse was William E. Dickerman, whom she married in Stockbridge VT in 1869. She died in 1888 in Vermont. She is also known as Margaret Augusta Whitney Packard Dickerman.

Luther's 1st Marriage in the Vermont, Vital Records, 1720-1908
Mary A Packard (also known as Adda M. Packard, Adda Packard, Addie Packard, Adalaide Packard, Addie M. Newell, Addie Newell)
Birth Date: abt 1846
Marriage Date: 12 Aug 1862
Marriage Place: Stockbridge, Vermont
Marriage Age: 16
Card Type: Bride
Father Name: Alanson E Packard
Mother Name: Augusta A Packard
Spouse Name: Luther B Newell

At marriage Luther was 24, and it appears he had already been off to war. They sadly lost 3 children at very young ages, all dying in the 1860's. The children are buried in the Mount Pleasant Cemetery, in Stockbridge, Windsor County, Vermont. They cannot be found in online records.

Their 3 children's grave Inscriptions are, as follows:
1. "Georgia A. Newell, Died Oct. 14, 1864 AE. 1 Year, 3 Days, Child of Luther B. & Addie M. Newell, born about Oct 11, 1863." (Our note: Sadly, she would have been born and died when Luther Newell was off fighting the Civil War)

2. "Fred E. Newell, Died Sept. 4, 1867, AE. 2 Months. 4 Days. Child of Luther B. & Addie M. Newell, born about June 17 1867."

3. "Pearl A. Newell, Died Nov. 24, 1869, AE. 1 Year, 4 Months, 9 Days. Child of Luther B. & Addie M. Newell, born about July 15 1868."

Note: Addie's father Alanson Packard, along with his son Albert Chitman Packard were also in Luther's regiment: Co. E, 2nd Reg't, U.S. Sharp Shooters, USSS. A few weeks after pulling his son Albert off the battlefield, Alanson died of wounds received at the Battle of Cold Harbor, Virginia. 

She and Luther divorced in September 26, 1872, 3 years after their son Frederick died. He remarried Alma Cheney Newell in December 1872. We will include a scan of the 1901 divorce decree signed by Dexter D. Dow, Clerk in Grafton NH in our scan packet, presumably ordered by Addie Newell at that time.

Luther settled in Hanover, NH with his 2nd wife Alma:
2nd marriage: Alma H. Cheney, married 1872, in Lebanon, New Hampshire.
Name: Luther B. Newell
Birthplace: Jaffrey, Cheshire, New Hampshire
Spouse's Name: Alma H. Cheney
Spouse's Birth Date: 1837
Spouse's Birthplace: Johnson, Lamoille County, Vermont
Spouse's Age: 35
Event Date: 25 Dec 1872
Event Place: Lebanon, Grafton, NH
Father's Name: Jacob Newell
Mother's Name: Julia Newell
Spouse's Father's Name: Levi Thompson
Spouse's Mother's Name: Mary S. Thompson

Luther's Death was in 1910 in Hanover, New Hampshire, at age 74.
Luther B Newell in US Veterans Administration Pension Payment Cards
Beneficiary's Name: Alma H Newell
Event Type: Pension
Event Date: 1907-1933
Form Type: Army Invalid
Death Date: 19 Sep 1910
Buried with wife Alma in Old Lyme Cemetery, Lyme, Grafton County, NH

Luther B. Newell's Civil War Military Service:
Civil War: Enlisted from Ripton, Vt May 02 1861; he was then mustered into service with Co. I 1st Infantry Regiment on May 9, 1861 as a private. He was promoted as a corporal on Jun 29 1861, and mustered out on Aug 15 1861, when the regiment was disbanded. Luther re-enlisted from the town of Ripton, Vermont on Jul 23 1862 and was mustered into service with Co. E, the 2nd U.S. Sharpshooters divison on September 30, 1862 as a private. He was wounded on May 01 1864, but saw service with this regiment at the battles of Antietam, Fredericksburg, Gettysburg, the Wilderness, Cold Harbor, Petersburg, Hatcher's Run and more. He was transferred to Co. G, 4th Vt Vols Infantry Regiment on Feb 25, 1865 and mustered out on Jun 19 1865.

History of Luther B. Newell Regiments:

1. Newell, Luther B.: BATTLE UNIT NAME: 2nd Regiment, US Sharpshooters (Regular Army) SIDE: Union COMPANY: E SOLDIER'S RANK IN: Private SOLDIER'S RANK OUT: Private ALTERNATE NAME: "L.B. Newell"

2. Newell, Luther B.: BATTLE UNIT NAME: 1st Regiment, Vermont Infantry SIDE: Union COMPANY: I SOLDIER'S RANK IN: Private SOLDIER'S RANK OUT: Corporal.

3. Newell, Luther B. BATTLE UNIT NAME: 1st Regiment, Vermont Heavy Artillery SIDE: Union COMPANY: H SOLDIER'S RANK IN: Private SOLDIER'S NOTES: See also 2 U.S.S.S. (USSS sharpshooters)

4. Newell, Luther B. BATTLE UNIT NAME: 4th Regiment, Vermont Infantry SIDE: Union COMPANY: G SOLDIER'S RANK IN: Private SOLDIER'S RANK OUT: Private NOTES: General Note - See also 2nd U.S.S.S. (USSA=United States Sharp Shooters)

Extensive Genealogy info is available on this family. Luther's father Jacob Newell was a drummer boy major (drum major) in the War of 1812. See below:

Title: The Cummings Memorial, a genealogical history of the descendants of Isaac Cummings, an early settler of Topsfield, Massachusetts (Volume 2) by George Mooar 1830-1904, Published in New York by B.F. Cummings (History of the Cummings family: Isaac Cummings, 1601-1677): "Julia Robigne Newell, born Apr. 12, 1799; married, 1817, Jacob Newell. She died May 2, 1858. He was born in Jaffrey, N.H., in 1792; a carpenter by trade, at Plattsburg, N.Y.; in the war of 1812 was drum major, and received a wound, the ball passing under his nose and making a flesh wound to the bone of the cheek. After marriage he lived in Plainfield, Vt., for a few years and then at Jaffrey N.H. On account of the continued ill health of the mother, the children were sent to be cared for by friends; Sarah to James Sperry's at Claremont, N.H,., Benjamin and Julia to Benjamin Comings's, and Harriet to Smith's, at Cornish. The next removal was to Ripton, Vermont, where Mr. Newell lived till 1857. He then came to Lyme, N.H., where he lived with his son, Benjamin. His wife died May 17, 1859. After about five years he took up his residence with his daughter, Sarah and died at Cornish, Aug. 16, 1868. Both were buried at the cemetery on Lyme Plain.  
Children of Jacob Newell and Julia Newell:
1. Mary Jane Newell, born Nov. 27, 1824; unmarried; died while on a visit to her brother, Benjamin Newell, at Jafifrey, Nov. 27, 1856.
2. Benjamin Comings Newell, born July 15, 1827; married Nov. 5, 1853, Eliza D. Dimmick Newell of Lyme, and had three children: Katie C Newell, born April 18, 1856, and died April 17, 1859; Chester C Newell, born Jan. 26, 1861, and died Sept. 17, 1874; Hettie S. Newell, born Nov. 27, 1867; died July 25, 1874. Their mother died April 3, 1873. He married, second, April 15, 1879 toSarah Jane Warren.
3. Harriet Atwood Newell, born Dec. 6, 1829, in Jaffrey. Lives in Lyme; unmarried.
4. Julia Robigne Newell Maby, born November 1831, married Maby, of Ripton, Vt. Children: Mary, who died March 25, 1864, aged 6 years; Benjamin, born 1862, and now living in Ripton. Mollie, died May 25, 1864.
5. Sarah S. Newell Wyman, born March 11, 1834; married, June 1861, Edward N. Wyman, of Cornish. He died March 21, 1882. Left a son, Leander Wyman, born February, 1872, who lived in Wentworth, N.H. Mother lived in Lebanon, N.H.
6. Luther Bingham Newell, born May 9, 1836; married Adda M. Peck, (incorrect: Adda M. Packard) April 12, 1862. One child, died young. He married second. Alma H. Cheney, of Hanover, N.H. He enlisted in 1862 as a sharpshooter in U.S. Army and served three years. He is a carpenter.
7. Joseph Smith Newell, born March, 1845, in Ripton; unmarried. Resided in Thomaston, Conn., occupation was a Wheelwright. Enlisted in U.S. Army and served out.

This is a beautiful photo with much New England history, of a young Vermont soldier with extensive Civil War military experience. Rare, one of a kind. His proud family had a copy made of an earlier CDV photo in the 1890's.

Size: 4.5 x 6.5 inches
       Note: The original is sold, but you may still purchase large, detailed and intimate 300 dpi high resolution scans of front and back, sent immediately via email. Please check our site carefully, as many may be related to each other that we are unaware of. Click scan to place in your cart. Thank you, enjoy! ~debra (please also join me at Ancestorville Genealogy on facebook. contact info on top bar)