Beschreibung:

Sixth plate daguerreotype of a young, well dressed man, with penciled notation inside the half case that reads, July 1854/ Remember thy Creator/ in the Days of thy/ Youth/ Sylvester Willey. Accompanied by copy of typed biographical summary of Simon Sylvester Willey, who, at the age of 29, enlisted in the Civil War on September 21, 1864 at Columbus, OH, and mustered in to the Ohio 22nd Light Artillery. His served for the next ten months, apparently on garrison duty, but spent the first four months of his service in the hospital at Knoxville, TN. Willey mustered out with his battery at Camp Chase, OH on July 13, 1865. Although there is no indication in Willey's military records that he was taken prisoner during the war, his daughter claimed he had served time as a POW at Andersonville prison in Georgia. The typed summary notes that she said her father "was half starved and weighed only 94 pounds." However, the 1890 Surviving Soldiers of Noble Co., OH Census states the following in reference to Willey: "Disability: loss of right eye and chronic diarrhea. Was discharged by reason of surgeon's certificate and general order No. 36 of 1862. Was totally disabled from performing military services." No further information has been uncovered regarding Willey's possible time at Andersonville. Condition: Daguerreotype housed in half case, with some light tarnish along perimeter of plate. Few spots on plate.