Charles Bannister
Surnames: Lackey, Lawrence, Morrow
Regions: Wampsville, Madison Co., NY; Mukwonago, Waukesha Co., WI
Troy Center, Walworth Co., WI; Eagle, WI
Military: 28th Wisconsin Infantry and Company E, 46th Wisconsin Infantry
Source: Soldiers' and Citizens' Album of Biographical
Record
Containing Personal Sketches of Army Men and Citizens Prominent
in Loyality to the Union. Also a Chronological and Statistical
History of the Civil War and A History of the Grand Army of the Republic
With Portraits of Soldiers and Prominent Citizens.
Chicago, Illinois, Grand Army Publishing Company, 1890
Copyrighted by H.O. Brown and M. A. W. Brown, 1888; Page 201
Charles Bannister, Troy Center, Walworth Co., Wis, a member of G.A.R. Post, No. 171, at East Troy, was born Nov. 8, 1845, in Mukwonago, Waukesha Co., Wis., and is the son of Dr. Charles B. and Maria W. (Lawrence) Bannister. His father was born at Bennington, Vermont, in 1816, and was reared to manhood in his native State where he studied medicine with his father and removed to Eagle, Wis., in 1842, where he became a pioneer farmer and physician. He is still living and engaged in the practice of his profession. The mother of Mr. Bannister was born April 11, 1822, in Wampsville, Madison Co., New York, and was married to Dr. Bannister when she was 19 years old and accompanied him to Wisconsin. Her ancestors were natives of the Empire State.
In 1866 the family removed to Eagle, where she died June 21, 1878. Of their three chldren only Mr. Bannister of this sketch is living. Emma died in 1864, aged 16 years, and Verona died some years later.
Charles was reared as the son of a pioneer on a farm in Mukwonago, and when 17 years old enlisted in the 28th Wisconsin Infantry, but parental authority prevented his departure with the command, although every influence was brought to bear to that effect. When he was 19, Feb. 10, 1865, he enlisted in Company E, 46th Wisconsin Infantry, for one year or during the war. He was mustered at Madison, went to Louisville, and thence to Athens, Ala., where he was occupied until his discharge in camp and guard duty on the Nashville & Decatur railroad. He contracted malarial fever, from which he was in the hospital several weeks, and also found entertainment in chasing guerrillas.
Sept. 27, 1865, he received honorable discharge and returned to his home, where he operated on the farm about two years. Since that date he has been occupied in an important position by the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul railroad corporation.
He was married Sept. 18, 1870, to Esther Morrow, a native of the North of Ireland. Her parents, Thomas and Mary (Lackey) Morrow, were of the race of Scotch-Irish, coming to this country when their daughter was five years old, and she was the fourth in order of birth of their five children. They located in Walworth, and the father died in 1863; her mother is still living in Troy. Mr. and Mrs. Bannister have four sons, born and named as follows: Harvey, Aug. 24, 1871; Byron B., Aug. 10, 1875, Charles B., July 6, 1880; Harry H., April 27, 1882. Mr. Bannister is a prominent citizen of Troy Center and is a member of Royal Arch Masons at Elkhorn, Wis.