Thomas Foulds Ellsworth was born on November 12, 1840, the son of Benjamin Noyes Ellsworth (1812-1902) who was appointed the lighthouse keeper by Abraham Lincoln and served in that post for over 40 years.
Thomas Foulds Ellsworth was one of four soldiers who earned the Medal of Honor for heroism during the Battle at Honey Hill, South Carolina, on November 30, 1864. Under a heavy fire he carried his wounded commanding officer, who had become trapped under his horse, saving his life and preventing him from being captured.
Captain Ellsworth was selected to serve as an officer of a company in one of the first regiments made up of “colored soldiers” in the Union Army, the Massachusetts 55th infantry, which along with the 54th Infantry was referred to as the ‘overflow unit’ for the infamous 54th of “Glory’ fame.
Brig. Gen, A. S. Hartwell was rescued by Captain Ellsworth, the act for which the medal was awarded. He later wrote a letter Ellsworth (partially copied below):
“Concerning your leaving the service for disability incurred in the line of duty, I desire, with my wishes for your future and my thanks for your valuable services. Since you left the ranks of the 2d Massachusetts infantry, and, with a fine name for bravery and good conduct entered the 552nd infantry as a second lieutenant,you have faithfully discharged every duty, and in addition to your regular promotion, have been promoted out of order for gallant and meritorious conduct in battle. It is impossible to express the gratitude I feel to you for doing what few men would, or could do for another, and for saving me, at the least, from being left to the rebels- I am deeply thankful that my safety was not bought at the cost of life or limb to you. I remember your words when I said something to you about leaving me: `I will die first.’ I thought then you would, but I saw from your looks there was no use in arguing the point.”
In another incident during the Civil war in which a volunteer was needed to manage a dangerous river crossing, Ellsworth’s fellow soldiers called out, “Ellsworth can do it– he was born in a boat!” After the war, Ellsworth worked as an officer of the Boston Custom House. In the 1890s, he moved to Pasadena, California where he and his son ran a contracting business. The Medal of Honor was awarded to Ellsworth in 1895.
The President of the United States in the name of The Congress takes pleasure in presenting the Medal of Honor to
ELLSWORTH, THOMAS F.
Rank and Organization: Captain, Company B, Massachusetts Infantry.
Place and Date: At Honey Hill, S.C., 30 November 1864.
Birth:, Mass.
Date of Issue: 18 November 1895.
Citation: Under a heavy fire carried his wounded commanding officer from the field.
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The Lord-Ellsworth farm - The Ipswich Public Safety Facility Committee has reached an agreement with the Boston Catholic diocese to purchase four to five acres of church-owned land at the intersection of Pine Swamp and Linebrook roads that was originally a hay field across from the old Eben Lord farm.
The Ipswich lighthouse - In 1881, a 45-foot cast iron lighthouse was erected at Crane Beach, replacing an earlier structure. By 1913, the sand had shifted so much that the lighthouse was 1,090 feet from the high water mark. Use of the light was discontinued in 1932 and in 1939 the Coast Guard floated the entire lighthouse to Edgartown on Martha's Vineyard.
Thomas Foulds Ellsworth - Thomas Foulds Ellsworth grew up in the Ipswich Lighthouse Keeper's house, and was one of four soldiers who earned the Medal of Honor for heroism during the Battle at Honey Hill, South Carolina, on November 30, 1864.
6 Hovey Street, the Thomas Foulds Ellsworth house (1866) - Captain Thomas Ellsworth built this house after purchasing the old Mansfield lot in 1866. He sold the property to Howard C. Dodge in 1887.
38 Summer Street, the William M. and Jennie Ellsworth house (1881) - This house was built by William Merrill Ellsworth and his wife Jenny (Lord) Ellsworth. Two similar houses side by side are on the same lot in the 1910 map, owned by Mrs. Jennie Ellsworth. Categories: People
I would great appreciate if anyone coudl tell me where Captain Thomas Foulds Ellsworth of 55th MA (Infantry) went to college, if anywhere.
Paul E. Mawn
Captain US Navy (Ret.)
Chairman – Advocates f r Harvard ROTC
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Yes, There are several of us. He was brother of my gg grandfather Wilbur Fiske Ellsworh. Benjamin Noyes Ellsworth is my ggg grandfather. Wilbur’s daughter Lucy Mary Ellsworth married Augustine Heard Peatfield Jr. Both born and raised in Ipswich. They had 11 children and lived in Georgetown, MA . I am descended from their 9th child Carolyn Heard Peatfield who married George Granville Short Sr. and lived in Newbury, MA. Their eldest son George Jr was my father.
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It would be wonderful to find living relatives of Thomas Ellsworth living anywhere. His 3 sons eventually followed him to California. Herbert and Elmer had no children. Herbert and his wife adopted my grandmother. They moved permanently to Pasadena in 1903. After loosing several babies, my grandmother and grandfather adopted my mother in 1924. Although Thomas died in 1911, he was a much loved presence during my childhood in the 50’s. A Civil War tintype of him was displayed prominently in my grandmother’s living room. That tintype plus other Civil War artifacts were featured in an exhibit at the Pasadena Museum of History. Those artifacts were given by me to the museum.
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Can anyone tell me if there are any living relatives of this Ellsworth family who still live in Ma?
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