Wainwright, William A., 1832-

Captain William A. Wainwright was an acting quartermaster in the United States (U.S.) Army immediately after the Civil War.

William Alonzo Wainwright (1832-1904) worked as a clerk for Levi P. Morton, future Vice President under President Benjamin Harrison, in his hometown of Hanover, New Hampshire, and in a dry goods store in Concord. After moving to Noblesville, Indiana, in 1853, Wainwright operated a hardware, tin and stove business. Here he also married and had three children.

During the Civil War, Wainwright enlisted in a number of army units, including the 6th Indiana Regiment, Company J (April-August 1861), the 39th Indiana (August 1861-February 1862) and the 75th Indiana Volunteer Infantry (July 1862-December 1863). Wainwright, a captain and Assistant Quartermaster, was transferred to the Engineers Department, Department of the Mississippi, until he was moved to the Department of the Cumberland in June 1864. He served as the Chief Assistant Quartermaster in Knoxville, Tennessee, from December 1865 to 1869, when he was transferred to the Quartermasters Department in Brownsville, Texas. Here he supervised the building of Fort Brown as a permanent military base. He was honorably discharged as a brevet major in 1870.

Resuming his hardware business in Noblesville, Indiana, Wainwright purchased a half interest in an abstracting business owned by Thomas E. Boyd and John H. Butler in 1878. Boyd sold his interest to E.K. Hall and the business became Wainwright and Company, later the Wainwright Trust Company. Wainwright was a member of the Grand Army of the Republic, the Masons, and the Odd Fellows.

Sources:

Davenport, Elizabeth Pettit. “Fort Brown.” Handbook of Texas Online. Accessed August 3, 2010. http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/qbf07.

Southard, Stewart. “William Alonzo Wainwright (1832-1906). United States (Union) Assistant Quartermaster Records, 1861-1870.” Tennessee State Library and Archives. Accessed August 3, 2010. http://www.tennessee.gov/tsla/history/manuscripts/findingaids/ths729.pdf.

William Alonzo Wainwright (1832-1904) worked as a clerk for Levi P. Morton, future Vice President under President Benjamin Harrison, in his hometown of Hanover, New Hampshire, and in a dry goods store in Concord. After moving to Noblesville, Indiana, in 1853, Wainwright operated a hardware, tin and stove business. Here he also married and had three children.

During the Civil War, Wainwright enlisted in a number of army units, including the 6th Indiana Regiment, Company J (April-August 1861), the 39th Indiana (August 1861-February 1862) and the 75th Indiana Volunteer Infantry (July 1862-December 1863).

Wainwright, a captain and Assistant Quartermaster, was transferred to the Engineers Department, Department of the Mississippi, until he was moved to the Department of the Cumberland in June 1864. He served as the Chief Assistant Quartermaster in Knoxville, Tennessee, from December 1865 to 1869, when he was transferred to the Quartermasters Department in Brownsville, Texas. Here he supervised the building of Fort Brown as a permanent military base. He was honorably discharged as a brevet major in 1870.

Resuming his hardware business in Noblesville, Indiana, Wainwright purchased a half interest in an abstracting business owned by Thomas E. Boyd and John H. Butler in 1878.

Boyd sold his interest to E.K. Hall and the business became Wainwright and Company, later the Wainwright Trust Company. Wainwright was a member of the Grand Army of the Republic, the Masons, and the Odd Fellows.

Sources:

Davenport, Elizabeth Pettit. "Fort Brown." Handbook of Texas Online. Accessed August 3, 2010.http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/qbf07.

Southard, Stewart. "William Alonzo Wainwright (1832-1906). United States (Union) Assistant Quartermaster Records, 1861-1870." Tennessee State Library and Archives. Accessed August 3, 2010. http://www.tennessee.gov/tsla/history/manuscripts/findingaids/ths729.pdf.