David was born October 14, 1843, at Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin, son of Ezekiel and Ruth Tainter. On November 19, 1917, he was found dead in his bed and it was determined that he had committed suicide with a rife four days previous. At the time of his death he was aged 74 years, 1 month and 1 day. His remains were buried in Woodlawn Cemetery at Birchwood. His military style gravestone is inscribed "David L. Tainter, Company A, 5th Wis. Inf." David had been a hermit for about 31 years and was the caretaker for the Buck Hunting Club of Ladysmith located in Wilson township, Rusk County, Wisconsin.
David's brothers and sisters were: Andrew, Sarah Ann, Emeline, Eliza, Mary, Jeremiah Burham, Martha, Harriet, Emily, Louis, Ellen M., Marilla and Stephen Gorham Tainter. In 1850 he lived with his parents in Utica, Crawford County, Wisconsin. In the summer of 1860, his parents moved to Menomonie, Dunn County, Wisconsin. However, he spent the summer working for the family of Alonzo A. Pelton at Prairie du Chien, but later joined his parents in Menomonie, Wisconsin, where he was drafted during the Civil War.
David was a Civil War veteran of Company A, 5th Wisconsin Infantry. He enlisted December 30, 1863 at Menomonie, Dunn County, Wisconsin, to serve three years as a Private in the 5th Wisconsin Infantry. On February 6, 1864, he was received at the Draft Rendezvous at Madison, Wisconsin. On February 12, 1864, he was mustered into Federal service with Company K at Madison, Wisconsin. At that time he received $13.00 advance pay and $60.00 of his $300 enlistment bounty and was listed as a 21 year old, 5'7½" tall laborer with dark brown hair, hazel eyes and a fair complexion, born in Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin. On March 28, 1864, he was sent on his way to join Company K in the field at Brandy Station, Virginia, where he reported April 5, 1864..
On July 13, 1864, David was transferred to the new reorganized Company A where he served the rest of his time in Federal service. On the muster roll of July/August, 1864 it was noted that he owed the sutler $6.00.
On July 11, 1865, David was mustered out of Federal service at Jeffersonville, Indiana. On the muster out roll it was noted that he was due $120 of his enlistment bounty, owed $5 to the sutler and retained arms and equipment which cost him $6.00. Usually this meant that he had retained his musket and accourterments.
David probably returned to the home of his parents in Menomonie, Wisconsin, after his discharge. Later he was known to have lived in Rice Lake, Mikana and Chetek, all in Barron County, Wisconsin. The last years of his life were lived in Birchwood, Washburn County, Wisconsin.
OBITUARIES
DAVID TAINTER
DIES BY OWN HAND
After spending 31 years in the woods alone, not seeing only a chance wayfarer, and going to town only when it was absolutely necessary, having his provisions brought to him at different intervals, David L. Tainter, an old soldier, 74 years old, met death by his own hand, using a rifle to do the deed. Just when the suicide occurred is not known definitely, but no doubt happened on Thursday morning, Nov. 15th. He was found dead in his bed on Monday, Nov, 19th by V. Zalabak, the man who has been taking provisions to him. Mr. Tainter always marked his calendar to keep track of the date the last date marked was the 14th.
He resided in the Town of Wilson, Rusk County and had charge of the Buck Hunting Club of Ladysmith, property. The weapon used was a rifle and from appearances, he had shot his dog before turning the gun on himself; the bullet entered the neck and went through the head, badly disfiguring, one side of his face. Perhaps the saddest part of the tragedy was that Mr. Tainter was an infidel, and many express their belief that that was the reason why he did the terrible deed.
Ezra Dakins said that Mr. Tainter was in the same company, the famous Iron Brigade, with him in the Civil war, so we can perhaps honor his memory in that respect and believe that, from the monotony of being alone, he was temporarily insane at the time of his suicide. Old timers tell how he has stopped many wayfarers and made them stay and talk with him, even at the point of a gun, and used to find much delight in making everyone who came his way, dance, a little wild west practice, seemingly. One informer, tells how Mr. Tainter, was at one time, a very religious man, had even taught a Sunday School class, and that he turned suddenly to just the opposite. He used to read the bible and then swear at the teachings and call it all lies, even tearing out the pages and burning them.
David Lowery Tainter, was born in Prairie du Chien, on Oct. 14th, 1843, and has always been single. He was a brother of Capt. Tainter, deceased, who old settlers will remember of the Tainter & Stout Logging Co., of Menomonie.
He was buried Wednesday in the Woodland Cemetery. A. Lenmark of Ladysmith being the undertaker. Mr. Tainter had some money in a bank at Ladysmith, which is in charge of his administrator, Mr. Carow of that place. We understand he left $500 to an old lady, who was a childhood friend and also some money to "The Truth Seeker" a newspaper published in New York City for "Free Thinkers."
Thursday afternoon, J. B. Tainter of Menomonie, Wis., the only brother living arrived and was much put out because he had not been notified. He read of the suicide in a Milwaukee paper. From all we could learn of the matter, the administrator did not know another brother was living.
Mr. J. B. Tainter in company with D. C. Bird of Colfax, Wis., went out to the Tainter house last night and from there may go to Ladysmith to interview the administrator. [Unknown newspaper and date. Clipping found in David's pension file.]
* * * *
The Rice Lake Chronotype of Wednesday, September 11, 1974, printed their centennial edition which included the above obituary. In addition Mrs. H. H. Chappelle, a Rusk county historian, added the following comments from Allison Stout, whose father, Frank D. Stout, knew Dave very well:
Lowry Tainter was the tenth child in a family of 13 born to Ezekiel Tainter, nine of them were girls. Is it any wonder that he preferred to live in the wilderness away from women?
We invariably went on one of our family picnics over to see him on Calista's birthday, August 1st. Several times each fall F. D. would take me over there partridge hunting as this was prime country and the open tote roads made hunting easy and pleasant.
But to get back to the family picnics, we would stop and make a fire where the old tote road crossed Tainter creek and make coffee and eat our lunch, arriving at Lowry's shortly after. We might stay an hour or so, leaving in time to get home before dark. We had gone by boat to lower Hemlock where Fred Boetcher and Gus Boll met us with the team and carriage from the Lower Stout Farm.
I have quite a clear mental picture of the old boy; about 5 ft. 11, rather stocky, bright blue eyes and a wild looking head of hair, white beard of heroic proportions. I'm sure he was well educated as he came from a good family.
Lowry delighted in going off on one of his religious blasts as he was a self styled atheist or agnostic. He would fizz like a Bromo Seltzer at anything to do with religion. Nature was perhaps his religion, he was positive that nature was being brutally raped by humans and who can say he was wrong in that attitude? Though a nature lover, Lowry was a top grade deer hunter, he lived almost entirely on deer meat and fish which he could catch almost from his house. He smoked the deer shoulders and such as well as drying "Jerky" in the sun (this is about as tough as a shoe sole).
Lowry always insisted on paying for anything brought to him, invariably in gold. We often took in large boxes of rifle shells. At least once a year we brought out a bale of furs, mostly wolf, coyote and fox and some of the more valuable varieties plus a package of scalps for claiming the bounties paid by the state. These matters F. D. took care of for him, evidently trusted him to that extent. It brought enough to make a very impressive stack of $20 gold pieces. Must have amounted to far over $1,000. Far beyond his needs for a year's supplies.
Lowry was pretty smart and his inventiveness surely is shown by his "Free and Easy" which was a sheepskin tanned with the wool on it. About an eight inch hole was cut in the center. This handsome hide hung on two nails on the wall near the stove pipe from his cast iron kitchen stove. In cold weather when he felt the call of nature, he took it down nice and hot from its nails, folded it carefully four ways, tucked it under his arm and departed for the frigid outhouse." End of Allison's story.
Joe Zalabak, the adopted son of Mr. and Mrs. Jim Zalabak, was a small boy who often went with his Dad to call on Tainter. The old man was quite fond of him and would take him on his knee and tell stories about the war and how some of his fingers had been shot off.
On a November morning they went over to see how Dave was doing. They found the dog which had been shot. Little Joe hurried into the house ahead of his Dad and this is what he saw, as told by Joe.
"Old Dave on the bed, the rifle beside him, his big toe caught in the trigger, the muzzle of the gun under his jaw. he had pulled the trigger with his toe and his brains were hanging from the ceiling."
David Lowry Tainter had become tired of living.
* * * *
David's brothers and sisters were: Andrew, Sarah Ann, Emeline, Eliza, Mary, Jeremiah Burham, Martha, Harriet, Emily, Louis, Ellen M., Marilla and Stephen Gorham Tainter. In 1850 he lived with his parents in Utica, Crawford County, Wisconsin. In the summer of 1860, his parents moved to Menomonie, Dunn County, Wisconsin. However, he spent the summer working for the family of Alonzo A. Pelton at Prairie du Chien, but later joined his parents in Menomonie, Wisconsin, where he was drafted during the Civil War.
David was a Civil War veteran of Company A, 5th Wisconsin Infantry. He enlisted December 30, 1863 at Menomonie, Dunn County, Wisconsin, to serve three years as a Private in the 5th Wisconsin Infantry. On February 6, 1864, he was received at the Draft Rendezvous at Madison, Wisconsin. On February 12, 1864, he was mustered into Federal service with Company K at Madison, Wisconsin. At that time he received $13.00 advance pay and $60.00 of his $300 enlistment bounty and was listed as a 21 year old, 5'7½" tall laborer with dark brown hair, hazel eyes and a fair complexion, born in Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin. On March 28, 1864, he was sent on his way to join Company K in the field at Brandy Station, Virginia, where he reported April 5, 1864..
On July 13, 1864, David was transferred to the new reorganized Company A where he served the rest of his time in Federal service. On the muster roll of July/August, 1864 it was noted that he owed the sutler $6.00.
On July 11, 1865, David was mustered out of Federal service at Jeffersonville, Indiana. On the muster out roll it was noted that he was due $120 of his enlistment bounty, owed $5 to the sutler and retained arms and equipment which cost him $6.00. Usually this meant that he had retained his musket and accourterments.
David probably returned to the home of his parents in Menomonie, Wisconsin, after his discharge. Later he was known to have lived in Rice Lake, Mikana and Chetek, all in Barron County, Wisconsin. The last years of his life were lived in Birchwood, Washburn County, Wisconsin.
OBITUARIES
DAVID TAINTER
DIES BY OWN HAND
After spending 31 years in the woods alone, not seeing only a chance wayfarer, and going to town only when it was absolutely necessary, having his provisions brought to him at different intervals, David L. Tainter, an old soldier, 74 years old, met death by his own hand, using a rifle to do the deed. Just when the suicide occurred is not known definitely, but no doubt happened on Thursday morning, Nov. 15th. He was found dead in his bed on Monday, Nov, 19th by V. Zalabak, the man who has been taking provisions to him. Mr. Tainter always marked his calendar to keep track of the date the last date marked was the 14th.
He resided in the Town of Wilson, Rusk County and had charge of the Buck Hunting Club of Ladysmith, property. The weapon used was a rifle and from appearances, he had shot his dog before turning the gun on himself; the bullet entered the neck and went through the head, badly disfiguring, one side of his face. Perhaps the saddest part of the tragedy was that Mr. Tainter was an infidel, and many express their belief that that was the reason why he did the terrible deed.
Ezra Dakins said that Mr. Tainter was in the same company, the famous Iron Brigade, with him in the Civil war, so we can perhaps honor his memory in that respect and believe that, from the monotony of being alone, he was temporarily insane at the time of his suicide. Old timers tell how he has stopped many wayfarers and made them stay and talk with him, even at the point of a gun, and used to find much delight in making everyone who came his way, dance, a little wild west practice, seemingly. One informer, tells how Mr. Tainter, was at one time, a very religious man, had even taught a Sunday School class, and that he turned suddenly to just the opposite. He used to read the bible and then swear at the teachings and call it all lies, even tearing out the pages and burning them.
David Lowery Tainter, was born in Prairie du Chien, on Oct. 14th, 1843, and has always been single. He was a brother of Capt. Tainter, deceased, who old settlers will remember of the Tainter & Stout Logging Co., of Menomonie.
He was buried Wednesday in the Woodland Cemetery. A. Lenmark of Ladysmith being the undertaker. Mr. Tainter had some money in a bank at Ladysmith, which is in charge of his administrator, Mr. Carow of that place. We understand he left $500 to an old lady, who was a childhood friend and also some money to "The Truth Seeker" a newspaper published in New York City for "Free Thinkers."
Thursday afternoon, J. B. Tainter of Menomonie, Wis., the only brother living arrived and was much put out because he had not been notified. He read of the suicide in a Milwaukee paper. From all we could learn of the matter, the administrator did not know another brother was living.
Mr. J. B. Tainter in company with D. C. Bird of Colfax, Wis., went out to the Tainter house last night and from there may go to Ladysmith to interview the administrator. [Unknown newspaper and date. Clipping found in David's pension file.]
* * * *
The Rice Lake Chronotype of Wednesday, September 11, 1974, printed their centennial edition which included the above obituary. In addition Mrs. H. H. Chappelle, a Rusk county historian, added the following comments from Allison Stout, whose father, Frank D. Stout, knew Dave very well:
Lowry Tainter was the tenth child in a family of 13 born to Ezekiel Tainter, nine of them were girls. Is it any wonder that he preferred to live in the wilderness away from women?
We invariably went on one of our family picnics over to see him on Calista's birthday, August 1st. Several times each fall F. D. would take me over there partridge hunting as this was prime country and the open tote roads made hunting easy and pleasant.
But to get back to the family picnics, we would stop and make a fire where the old tote road crossed Tainter creek and make coffee and eat our lunch, arriving at Lowry's shortly after. We might stay an hour or so, leaving in time to get home before dark. We had gone by boat to lower Hemlock where Fred Boetcher and Gus Boll met us with the team and carriage from the Lower Stout Farm.
I have quite a clear mental picture of the old boy; about 5 ft. 11, rather stocky, bright blue eyes and a wild looking head of hair, white beard of heroic proportions. I'm sure he was well educated as he came from a good family.
Lowry delighted in going off on one of his religious blasts as he was a self styled atheist or agnostic. He would fizz like a Bromo Seltzer at anything to do with religion. Nature was perhaps his religion, he was positive that nature was being brutally raped by humans and who can say he was wrong in that attitude? Though a nature lover, Lowry was a top grade deer hunter, he lived almost entirely on deer meat and fish which he could catch almost from his house. He smoked the deer shoulders and such as well as drying "Jerky" in the sun (this is about as tough as a shoe sole).
Lowry always insisted on paying for anything brought to him, invariably in gold. We often took in large boxes of rifle shells. At least once a year we brought out a bale of furs, mostly wolf, coyote and fox and some of the more valuable varieties plus a package of scalps for claiming the bounties paid by the state. These matters F. D. took care of for him, evidently trusted him to that extent. It brought enough to make a very impressive stack of $20 gold pieces. Must have amounted to far over $1,000. Far beyond his needs for a year's supplies.
Lowry was pretty smart and his inventiveness surely is shown by his "Free and Easy" which was a sheepskin tanned with the wool on it. About an eight inch hole was cut in the center. This handsome hide hung on two nails on the wall near the stove pipe from his cast iron kitchen stove. In cold weather when he felt the call of nature, he took it down nice and hot from its nails, folded it carefully four ways, tucked it under his arm and departed for the frigid outhouse." End of Allison's story.
Joe Zalabak, the adopted son of Mr. and Mrs. Jim Zalabak, was a small boy who often went with his Dad to call on Tainter. The old man was quite fond of him and would take him on his knee and tell stories about the war and how some of his fingers had been shot off.
On a November morning they went over to see how Dave was doing. They found the dog which had been shot. Little Joe hurried into the house ahead of his Dad and this is what he saw, as told by Joe.
"Old Dave on the bed, the rifle beside him, his big toe caught in the trigger, the muzzle of the gun under his jaw. he had pulled the trigger with his toe and his brains were hanging from the ceiling."
David Lowry Tainter had become tired of living.
* * * *
David was born October 14, 1843, at Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin, son of Ezekiel and Ruth Tainter. On November 19, 1917, he was found dead in his bed and it was determined that he had committed suicide with a rife four days previous. At the time of his death he was aged 74 years, 1 month and 1 day. His remains were buried in Woodlawn Cemetery at Birchwood. His military style gravestone is inscribed "David L. Tainter, Company A, 5th Wis. Inf." David had been a hermit for about 31 years and was the caretaker for the Buck Hunting Club of Ladysmith located in Wilson township, Rusk County, Wisconsin.
David's brothers and sisters were: Andrew, Sarah Ann, Emeline, Eliza, Mary, Jeremiah Burham, Martha, Harriet, Emily, Louis, Ellen M., Marilla and Stephen Gorham Tainter. In 1850 he lived with his parents in Utica, Crawford County, Wisconsin. In the summer of 1860, his parents moved to Menomonie, Dunn County, Wisconsin. However, he spent the summer working for the family of Alonzo A. Pelton at Prairie du Chien, but later joined his parents in Menomonie, Wisconsin, where he was drafted during the Civil War.
David was a Civil War veteran of Company A, 5th Wisconsin Infantry. He enlisted December 30, 1863 at Menomonie, Dunn County, Wisconsin, to serve three years as a Private in the 5th Wisconsin Infantry. On February 6, 1864, he was received at the Draft Rendezvous at Madison, Wisconsin. On February 12, 1864, he was mustered into Federal service with Company K at Madison, Wisconsin. At that time he received $13.00 advance pay and $60.00 of his $300 enlistment bounty and was listed as a 21 year old, 5'7½" tall laborer with dark brown hair, hazel eyes and a fair complexion, born in Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin. On March 28, 1864, he was sent on his way to join Company K in the field at Brandy Station, Virginia, where he reported April 5, 1864..
On July 13, 1864, David was transferred to the new reorganized Company A where he served the rest of his time in Federal service. On the muster roll of July/August, 1864 it was noted that he owed the sutler $6.00.
On July 11, 1865, David was mustered out of Federal service at Jeffersonville, Indiana. On the muster out roll it was noted that he was due $120 of his enlistment bounty, owed $5 to the sutler and retained arms and equipment which cost him $6.00. Usually this meant that he had retained his musket and accourterments.
David probably returned to the home of his parents in Menomonie, Wisconsin, after his discharge. Later he was known to have lived in Rice Lake, Mikana and Chetek, all in Barron County, Wisconsin. The last years of his life were lived in Birchwood, Washburn County, Wisconsin.
OBITUARIES
DAVID TAINTER
DIES BY OWN HAND
After spending 31 years in the woods alone, not seeing only a chance wayfarer, and going to town only when it was absolutely necessary, having his provisions brought to him at different intervals, David L. Tainter, an old soldier, 74 years old, met death by his own hand, using a rifle to do the deed. Just when the suicide occurred is not known definitely, but no doubt happened on Thursday morning, Nov. 15th. He was found dead in his bed on Monday, Nov, 19th by V. Zalabak, the man who has been taking provisions to him. Mr. Tainter always marked his calendar to keep track of the date the last date marked was the 14th.
He resided in the Town of Wilson, Rusk County and had charge of the Buck Hunting Club of Ladysmith, property. The weapon used was a rifle and from appearances, he had shot his dog before turning the gun on himself; the bullet entered the neck and went through the head, badly disfiguring, one side of his face. Perhaps the saddest part of the tragedy was that Mr. Tainter was an infidel, and many express their belief that that was the reason why he did the terrible deed.
Ezra Dakins said that Mr. Tainter was in the same company, the famous Iron Brigade, with him in the Civil war, so we can perhaps honor his memory in that respect and believe that, from the monotony of being alone, he was temporarily insane at the time of his suicide. Old timers tell how he has stopped many wayfarers and made them stay and talk with him, even at the point of a gun, and used to find much delight in making everyone who came his way, dance, a little wild west practice, seemingly. One informer, tells how Mr. Tainter, was at one time, a very religious man, had even taught a Sunday School class, and that he turned suddenly to just the opposite. He used to read the bible and then swear at the teachings and call it all lies, even tearing out the pages and burning them.
David Lowery Tainter, was born in Prairie du Chien, on Oct. 14th, 1843, and has always been single. He was a brother of Capt. Tainter, deceased, who old settlers will remember of the Tainter & Stout Logging Co., of Menomonie.
He was buried Wednesday in the Woodland Cemetery. A. Lenmark of Ladysmith being the undertaker. Mr. Tainter had some money in a bank at Ladysmith, which is in charge of his administrator, Mr. Carow of that place. We understand he left $500 to an old lady, who was a childhood friend and also some money to "The Truth Seeker" a newspaper published in New York City for "Free Thinkers."
Thursday afternoon, J. B. Tainter of Menomonie, Wis., the only brother living arrived and was much put out because he had not been notified. He read of the suicide in a Milwaukee paper. From all we could learn of the matter, the administrator did not know another brother was living.
Mr. J. B. Tainter in company with D. C. Bird of Colfax, Wis., went out to the Tainter house last night and from there may go to Ladysmith to interview the administrator. [Unknown newspaper and date. Clipping found in David's pension file.]
* * * *
The Rice Lake Chronotype of Wednesday, September 11, 1974, printed their centennial edition which included the above obituary. In addition Mrs. H. H. Chappelle, a Rusk county historian, added the following comments from Allison Stout, whose father, Frank D. Stout, knew Dave very well:
Lowry Tainter was the tenth child in a family of 13 born to Ezekiel Tainter, nine of them were girls. Is it any wonder that he preferred to live in the wilderness away from women?
We invariably went on one of our family picnics over to see him on Calista's birthday, August 1st. Several times each fall F. D. would take me over there partridge hunting as this was prime country and the open tote roads made hunting easy and pleasant.
But to get back to the family picnics, we would stop and make a fire where the old tote road crossed Tainter creek and make coffee and eat our lunch, arriving at Lowry's shortly after. We might stay an hour or so, leaving in time to get home before dark. We had gone by boat to lower Hemlock where Fred Boetcher and Gus Boll met us with the team and carriage from the Lower Stout Farm.
I have quite a clear mental picture of the old boy; about 5 ft. 11, rather stocky, bright blue eyes and a wild looking head of hair, white beard of heroic proportions. I'm sure he was well educated as he came from a good family.
Lowry delighted in going off on one of his religious blasts as he was a self styled atheist or agnostic. He would fizz like a Bromo Seltzer at anything to do with religion. Nature was perhaps his religion, he was positive that nature was being brutally raped by humans and who can say he was wrong in that attitude? Though a nature lover, Lowry was a top grade deer hunter, he lived almost entirely on deer meat and fish which he could catch almost from his house. He smoked the deer shoulders and such as well as drying "Jerky" in the sun (this is about as tough as a shoe sole).
Lowry always insisted on paying for anything brought to him, invariably in gold. We often took in large boxes of rifle shells. At least once a year we brought out a bale of furs, mostly wolf, coyote and fox and some of the more valuable varieties plus a package of scalps for claiming the bounties paid by the state. These matters F. D. took care of for him, evidently trusted him to that extent. It brought enough to make a very impressive stack of $20 gold pieces. Must have amounted to far over $1,000. Far beyond his needs for a year's supplies.
Lowry was pretty smart and his inventiveness surely is shown by his "Free and Easy" which was a sheepskin tanned with the wool on it. About an eight inch hole was cut in the center. This handsome hide hung on two nails on the wall near the stove pipe from his cast iron kitchen stove. In cold weather when he felt the call of nature, he took it down nice and hot from its nails, folded it carefully four ways, tucked it under his arm and departed for the frigid outhouse." End of Allison's story.
Joe Zalabak, the adopted son of Mr. and Mrs. Jim Zalabak, was a small boy who often went with his Dad to call on Tainter. The old man was quite fond of him and would take him on his knee and tell stories about the war and how some of his fingers had been shot off.
On a November morning they went over to see how Dave was doing. They found the dog which had been shot. Little Joe hurried into the house ahead of his Dad and this is what he saw, as told by Joe.
"Old Dave on the bed, the rifle beside him, his big toe caught in the trigger, the muzzle of the gun under his jaw. he had pulled the trigger with his toe and his brains were hanging from the ceiling."
David Lowry Tainter had become tired of living.
* * * *
David's brothers and sisters were: Andrew, Sarah Ann, Emeline, Eliza, Mary, Jeremiah Burham, Martha, Harriet, Emily, Louis, Ellen M., Marilla and Stephen Gorham Tainter. In 1850 he lived with his parents in Utica, Crawford County, Wisconsin. In the summer of 1860, his parents moved to Menomonie, Dunn County, Wisconsin. However, he spent the summer working for the family of Alonzo A. Pelton at Prairie du Chien, but later joined his parents in Menomonie, Wisconsin, where he was drafted during the Civil War.
David was a Civil War veteran of Company A, 5th Wisconsin Infantry. He enlisted December 30, 1863 at Menomonie, Dunn County, Wisconsin, to serve three years as a Private in the 5th Wisconsin Infantry. On February 6, 1864, he was received at the Draft Rendezvous at Madison, Wisconsin. On February 12, 1864, he was mustered into Federal service with Company K at Madison, Wisconsin. At that time he received $13.00 advance pay and $60.00 of his $300 enlistment bounty and was listed as a 21 year old, 5'7½" tall laborer with dark brown hair, hazel eyes and a fair complexion, born in Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin. On March 28, 1864, he was sent on his way to join Company K in the field at Brandy Station, Virginia, where he reported April 5, 1864..
On July 13, 1864, David was transferred to the new reorganized Company A where he served the rest of his time in Federal service. On the muster roll of July/August, 1864 it was noted that he owed the sutler $6.00.
On July 11, 1865, David was mustered out of Federal service at Jeffersonville, Indiana. On the muster out roll it was noted that he was due $120 of his enlistment bounty, owed $5 to the sutler and retained arms and equipment which cost him $6.00. Usually this meant that he had retained his musket and accourterments.
David probably returned to the home of his parents in Menomonie, Wisconsin, after his discharge. Later he was known to have lived in Rice Lake, Mikana and Chetek, all in Barron County, Wisconsin. The last years of his life were lived in Birchwood, Washburn County, Wisconsin.
OBITUARIES
DAVID TAINTER
DIES BY OWN HAND
After spending 31 years in the woods alone, not seeing only a chance wayfarer, and going to town only when it was absolutely necessary, having his provisions brought to him at different intervals, David L. Tainter, an old soldier, 74 years old, met death by his own hand, using a rifle to do the deed. Just when the suicide occurred is not known definitely, but no doubt happened on Thursday morning, Nov. 15th. He was found dead in his bed on Monday, Nov, 19th by V. Zalabak, the man who has been taking provisions to him. Mr. Tainter always marked his calendar to keep track of the date the last date marked was the 14th.
He resided in the Town of Wilson, Rusk County and had charge of the Buck Hunting Club of Ladysmith, property. The weapon used was a rifle and from appearances, he had shot his dog before turning the gun on himself; the bullet entered the neck and went through the head, badly disfiguring, one side of his face. Perhaps the saddest part of the tragedy was that Mr. Tainter was an infidel, and many express their belief that that was the reason why he did the terrible deed.
Ezra Dakins said that Mr. Tainter was in the same company, the famous Iron Brigade, with him in the Civil war, so we can perhaps honor his memory in that respect and believe that, from the monotony of being alone, he was temporarily insane at the time of his suicide. Old timers tell how he has stopped many wayfarers and made them stay and talk with him, even at the point of a gun, and used to find much delight in making everyone who came his way, dance, a little wild west practice, seemingly. One informer, tells how Mr. Tainter, was at one time, a very religious man, had even taught a Sunday School class, and that he turned suddenly to just the opposite. He used to read the bible and then swear at the teachings and call it all lies, even tearing out the pages and burning them.
David Lowery Tainter, was born in Prairie du Chien, on Oct. 14th, 1843, and has always been single. He was a brother of Capt. Tainter, deceased, who old settlers will remember of the Tainter & Stout Logging Co., of Menomonie.
He was buried Wednesday in the Woodland Cemetery. A. Lenmark of Ladysmith being the undertaker. Mr. Tainter had some money in a bank at Ladysmith, which is in charge of his administrator, Mr. Carow of that place. We understand he left $500 to an old lady, who was a childhood friend and also some money to "The Truth Seeker" a newspaper published in New York City for "Free Thinkers."
Thursday afternoon, J. B. Tainter of Menomonie, Wis., the only brother living arrived and was much put out because he had not been notified. He read of the suicide in a Milwaukee paper. From all we could learn of the matter, the administrator did not know another brother was living.
Mr. J. B. Tainter in company with D. C. Bird of Colfax, Wis., went out to the Tainter house last night and from there may go to Ladysmith to interview the administrator. [Unknown newspaper and date. Clipping found in David's pension file.]
* * * *
The Rice Lake Chronotype of Wednesday, September 11, 1974, printed their centennial edition which included the above obituary. In addition Mrs. H. H. Chappelle, a Rusk county historian, added the following comments from Allison Stout, whose father, Frank D. Stout, knew Dave very well:
Lowry Tainter was the tenth child in a family of 13 born to Ezekiel Tainter, nine of them were girls. Is it any wonder that he preferred to live in the wilderness away from women?
We invariably went on one of our family picnics over to see him on Calista's birthday, August 1st. Several times each fall F. D. would take me over there partridge hunting as this was prime country and the open tote roads made hunting easy and pleasant.
But to get back to the family picnics, we would stop and make a fire where the old tote road crossed Tainter creek and make coffee and eat our lunch, arriving at Lowry's shortly after. We might stay an hour or so, leaving in time to get home before dark. We had gone by boat to lower Hemlock where Fred Boetcher and Gus Boll met us with the team and carriage from the Lower Stout Farm.
I have quite a clear mental picture of the old boy; about 5 ft. 11, rather stocky, bright blue eyes and a wild looking head of hair, white beard of heroic proportions. I'm sure he was well educated as he came from a good family.
Lowry delighted in going off on one of his religious blasts as he was a self styled atheist or agnostic. He would fizz like a Bromo Seltzer at anything to do with religion. Nature was perhaps his religion, he was positive that nature was being brutally raped by humans and who can say he was wrong in that attitude? Though a nature lover, Lowry was a top grade deer hunter, he lived almost entirely on deer meat and fish which he could catch almost from his house. He smoked the deer shoulders and such as well as drying "Jerky" in the sun (this is about as tough as a shoe sole).
Lowry always insisted on paying for anything brought to him, invariably in gold. We often took in large boxes of rifle shells. At least once a year we brought out a bale of furs, mostly wolf, coyote and fox and some of the more valuable varieties plus a package of scalps for claiming the bounties paid by the state. These matters F. D. took care of for him, evidently trusted him to that extent. It brought enough to make a very impressive stack of $20 gold pieces. Must have amounted to far over $1,000. Far beyond his needs for a year's supplies.
Lowry was pretty smart and his inventiveness surely is shown by his "Free and Easy" which was a sheepskin tanned with the wool on it. About an eight inch hole was cut in the center. This handsome hide hung on two nails on the wall near the stove pipe from his cast iron kitchen stove. In cold weather when he felt the call of nature, he took it down nice and hot from its nails, folded it carefully four ways, tucked it under his arm and departed for the frigid outhouse." End of Allison's story.
Joe Zalabak, the adopted son of Mr. and Mrs. Jim Zalabak, was a small boy who often went with his Dad to call on Tainter. The old man was quite fond of him and would take him on his knee and tell stories about the war and how some of his fingers had been shot off.
On a November morning they went over to see how Dave was doing. They found the dog which had been shot. Little Joe hurried into the house ahead of his Dad and this is what he saw, as told by Joe.
"Old Dave on the bed, the rifle beside him, his big toe caught in the trigger, the muzzle of the gun under his jaw. he had pulled the trigger with his toe and his brains were hanging from the ceiling."
David Lowry Tainter had become tired of living.
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