1st Lieutenant RICHARD WILSON GRONINGER, Co. I, 86th Illinois

Richard Wilson Groninger was born on November __, 1834 at Milford, Pennsylvania in Juniata County, the son of Jacob Groninger and Sydney (Wilson) Groninger. Jacon GRONINGER
was born on 6 MAR 1797, Milford Township, Juniata, Pennsylvania and died on 26 AUG 1891, Milford Twp, Juniata Co, Pennsylvania. He was married to Sydney WILSON on __________ __, 1832. They had the following children;
Child: Hannah Jane GRONINGER Birth: 22 APR 1833, Port Royal, Juniata, Pennsylvania
Child: Richard Wilson GRONINGER Birth: 9 NOV 1834, Port Royal, Juniata, Pennsylvania
Child: George Wilson GRONINGER Birth: 26 AUG 1836, Milford Township, Juniata Co, Pennsylvania
Child: Samuel A. GRONINGER Birth: 28 SEP 1839, Port Royal, Juniata Co, Pennsylvania
Child: William Heim GRONINGER Birth: 2 APR 1842, Port Royal, Juniata Co, Pennsylvania
Child: Benjamin C. GRONINGER Birth: 5 APR 1845, Port Royal, Juniata Co, Pennsylvania
Child: Euphema C. GRONINGER Birth: 27 JAN 1848, Port Royal, Juniata Co, Pennsylvania
Child: James GRONINGER Birth: 14 APR 1850, Port Royal, Juniata Co, Pennsylvania
Child: Matilda C. GRONINGER Birth: 30 APR 1852, Port Royal, Juniata Co, Pennsylvania

Richard W. Groninger was married to Catherine Notestine on April 27, 1858 in Peoria County, Illinois. Catherine was born on November __, 1840 at __________, Pennsylvania, the daughter of __________ Notestine and __________ (__________) Notestine.
Ten children were born to Richard W. Groninger and Catherine (Notestine) Groninger, seven of whom were still living in 1900. They are;
1. Sidney Groninger, born __________ __, 1859.
2. William Lincoln Groninger, born Jan. 14, 1861; died Aug. 27, 1862; buried in the Penn Ridge Cemetery near Trivoli, Illinois.
3. Labelle Groninger, born c. 1862/63.
4. Allen L. Groninger, born c. 1866.
5. John Richard Groninger, born __________ __, 1868; died __________ __, 1953.
6. Effa Ella Groninger, Born June __, 1870.
7. Herbert L. Groninger, born Apr. 20, 1872/3; Corporal in Company D of the 1st Illinois Infantry during the Spanish-American War; died October 11, 1898; buried in the Penn Ridge Cemetery.
8. Odell M. Groninger, born January __, 1876.
9. Euphemia Olive Groninger, born November 16, 1878; died November 24, 1879; buried in the Penn Ridge Cemetery near Trivoli, Illinois.
10. Cloyd Groninger, January __, 1884.

At the time of the 1860 census of Illinois, the Groningers are found residing in Trivoli Township in Peoria County;
1722 Groncroger Wilson 25 M Blacksmith 1,000 500 PA
1722 Groncroger Elizabeth 20 F PA
1722 Groncroger Sidney 1 M IL
1722 Keely Priscila 7 F IL
1722 Groncroger Sam'l 20 M miller 150 PA

On August 1, 1862, Richard W. Groninger was one of the very first to volunteer to serve in a company which was being raised in the Lancaster, Illinois/Timber-Hollis Township area of Peoria County by a well known business man and Lancaster area merchant, Allen L. Fahnestock, for service in the Union Army.

ILLINOIS CIVIL WAR DETAIL REPORT
Name GRONINGER, RICHARD W
Rank CPL Company I Unit 86 IL US INF

Personal Characteristics
Residence LANCASTER, PEORIA CO, IL Age 27 Height 5' 9 1/2 Hair DARK
Eyes BLUE Complexion DARK Marital Status MARRIED Occupation BLACKSMITH
Nativity MILFORD, JUNIATA CO, PA

Service Record
Joined When AUG 1, 1862 Joined Where LANCASTER, IL
Joined By Whom A L FAHNESTOCK Period 3 YRS
Muster In AUG 27, 1862 Muster In Where PEORIA, IL
Muster In By Whom N/A Muster Out N/A
Muster Out Where N/A Muster Out By Whom N/A
Remarks PROMOTED 2LT

When Fahnestock had about 100 volunteers he led his company into Peoria, where they went into camp at Camp Lyon, near present day Glen Oak Park. Fahnestock was elected Captain of the men of the Timber Township company and on August 27, 1862, Fahnestock, and 96 of the other Timber Township volunteers, including Richard W. Groninger, were mustered in as Company I of the 86th Regiment of Illinois Volunteer Infantry. Richard W. Groninger was elected by the men of Co. I to be their 1st Corporal.
The men of the 85th & 86th Illinois marched out of the gates of Camp Lyon on September 7, 1862, with much fanfare, through the streets of Peoria down to the railroad depot, where they boarded a train bound for Camp Joe Holt in Jeffersonville, Indiana, across the river from Louisville. Three weeks later the men of the 85th & 86th were in the field in Kentucky as part of Colonel Daniel McCook's Brigade chasing Confederate troops. On October 8, 1862, the men of McCook's Brigade were engaged with those Confederate troops during the Battle of Perryville, Kentucky, suffering their first casualties. There would be many more in the next few years. After the Battle of Perryville, the Confederate forces withdrew from Kentucky, while the men of McCook's Brigade marched on to Nashville, Tennessee, where they went into winter camp.
In January of 1863, the 2nd Lieutenant of Co. I, Jacob L. Fahnestock, Allen L. Fahnestock's brother, made the decision to resign, most likely because of health issues. An election was held on January 2, 1863 by the men of Co. I to replace Lt. Fahnestock and Richard W. Groninger was elected to be their new 2nd Lieutenant. However, Lt. Groninger was not mustered as such until June 5, 1863.

ILLINOIS CIVIL WAR DETAIL REPORT
Name GRONINGER, RICHARD W
Rank 2LT Company I Unit 86 IL US INF

Personal Characteristics
Residence Age 27 Height N/A Hair N/A
Eyes N/A Complexion N/A Marital Status N/A Occupation N/A
Nativity N/A

Service Record
Joined When JUN 5, 1863 Joined Where NASHVILLE, TN
Joined By Whom GOV YATES Period 3 YRS
Muster In JUN 6, 1863 Muster In Where NASHVILLE, TN
Muster In By Whom N/A Muster Out N/A
Muster Out Where N/A Muster Out By Whom N/A
Remarks PROMOTED 1LT

In the late summer of 1863, the men of McCook's Brigade participated in the Campaign for Chattanooga, Tennessee. On September 19th & 20th of 1863, the men of McCook's Brigade were heavily engaged in the Battle of Chickamauga, Georgia. Of the Battle of Chickamauga, many years after the war, in January or February of 1906, Col. Allen L. Fahnestock, who was the Captain commanding Co. I of the 86th Illinois at the time, was interviewed and the exerpts of this interview appeared in many newspapers, including the PLYMOUTH TRIBUNE newspaper, of Plymouth, Marshall County, Indiana edition of February 8, 1906, under the column "Memories of the War." The column stated, "'There is no question in my mind,' said Colonel A. L. Fahnestock, 'as to who opened the fight at Chickamauga. Our regiment (the Eight-sixth Illinois) went out with Colonel McCook's brigade on the evening of Sept. 18, 1863 to destroy Reed's bridge across the Chickamauga. Companies I and B of the Eighty-sixth were on picket on the right of the Lafayette road, company B, under Captain Worrell, on my left, and twenty men of the Fifty-second Ohio on my right, the much talked of spring lying to the left of Captain Worrell's company.
Lieutenant Groninger, of the Eight-sixth, and myself took charge of our post that night, as I was short of men. I told Private Jacob Petty, of my company, that evening that there would be a fight the next morning, and said to him that he shot a Johnny, I would buy him a plug of tobacco. The next morning, a Confederate cavalryman rode to our front. Petty saw him and asked Lieutenant A. A. Lee if he should shoot. Lee said yes. Petty fired and brought down his man, and that shot opened the battle of Chickamauga.
Soon after Petty's shot, firing began on the left of Company B, at the spring................." Fahnestock concluded the interview by saying, "I claim that our brigade should have the credit of opening the battle of Chickamauga, and I contend that we closed it on the night of the 20th at Cloud Springs, to my mind the key to the Union position. Petty, who fired the first shot on the morning of the 19th, claimed his reward that evening. Lieutenant Lee notified me that Petty had got his man and wanted his plug of tobacco. Tobacco was scarce at the time, but I found a plug, paid $1 for it, and sent it to Petty. The United States is indebted to me for that amount, plus the interest for forty-two years."

After the Battle of Chickamauga, something inside Major Orlando Fountain, of the 86th Illinois, snapped and he became quite intoxicated. For acting in such a disrespectful manner in front of the men, Major Fountain was asked to resign and he did on October 13, 1863. Following the Majors resignation, an election was held and Captain Allen L. Fahnestock, of Co. I was selected to be the next Major. Fahnestock was promoted to that rank on October 13, 1864. Following Fahnestock's promotion, the men of Co. I elected 1st Lt. Abner A. Lee, of Co. I, to be their next Captain and elected 2nd Lieutenant Richard W. Groninger to be their next 1st Lieutenant. Lt. Groninger again was not mustered as 1st Lieutenant until March 1, 1864.

ILLINOIS CIVIL WAR DETAIL REPORT
Name GRONINGER, RICHARD W
Rank 1LT Company I Unit 86 IL US INF

Personal Characteristics
Residence Age 29 Height N/A Hair N/A
Eyes N/A Complexion N/A Marital Status N/A Occupation N/A
Nativity N/A

Service Record
Joined When MAR 1, 1864 Joined Where ROSSVILLE, GA
Joined By Whom GOV YATES Period 3 YRS
Muster In MAR 9, 1864 Muster In Where ROSSVILLE, GA
Muster In By Whom N/A Muster Out JUN 6, 1865
Muster Out Where WASHINGTON, DC Muster Out By Whom LT SCROGGS
Remarks N/A

During the next year, 1st Lt. Richard W. Groninger would serve faithfully in Co. I as the men of McCook's Brigade served in Tennessee, Georgia, Alabama, South Carolina and North Carolina. During this time, Lt. Groninger was witness to and a participant in numerous battles and skirmishes, some of the bloodiest fighting in the Western Theatre of the war, including the Battles of Resaca, Georgia; Rome, Georgia; Peach Tree Creek, Georgia; Jonesboro, Georgia, Averysboro, North Carolina; and Bentonville, North Carolina, just to name a few. He also participated in General William Tecumseh Sherman's famous, or infamous, "March to the Sea".
After the war came to a close, the men of McCook's Brigade marched on to Washington City (now D.C.) where they marched down Pennsylvania Avenue on the 2nd day of the Grand Review in May of 1865. On June 6, 1865, 1st Lieutenant Richard W. Groninger was mustered out of the service along with the rest of the surviving members of the 86th at Washington, D.C. Shortly after that, the surviving members of the 86th boarded trains bound for Chicago, Illinois, where they received their final pay and were discharged from the service. Soon after that the surviving members of the 86th Illinois were back home with their families in Central Illinois.

At the time of the 1870 census of Illinois, the Groningers are still found in Trivoli Township in Peoria County;
5 Groninger Richard 36 M farmer 2,000 200 Pennsylvania
5 Groninger Catharine 31 F wife Pennsylvania
5 Groninger Sidney 13 M at home Illinois
5 Groninger Labelle 7 F Illinois
5 Groninger Allen L. 4 M Illinois
5 Groninger John R. 2 M Illinois
5 Groninger Effa Ella 1/12 F deceased Illinois June 1870

At the time of the 1880 census, the Groningers are found in Trivoli Township where Richard is farming for a living;
Richard GRONINGER, Self Birth: PA
Catherine E. GRONINGER, Wife Birth: PA
Labelle L. GRONINGER, Dau Birth: IL
Allen L. GRONINGER, Son Birth: IL
John R. GRONINGER, Son Birth: IL
Effie E. GRONINGER, Dau Birth: IL
Hurbert L. GRONINGER, Son Birth: IL
Odell M. GRONINGER, Son Birth: IL

At the time of the 1900 census, the Groningers are still found in Trivoli Township;
13 Groninger Richard W. Head Nov 1834 65 M 42 Pennsylvania Pennsylvania Pennsylvania Landlord
13 Groninger Catherine E. Wife Nov 1840 59 M 42 10 7 Pennsylvania Pennsylvania Pennsylvania
13 Groninger Odell M. Son Jan 1876 24 S Illinois Pennsylvania Pennsylvania Day Laborer
13 Groninger Cloyd Son Jan 1884 16 S Illinois Pennsylvania Pennsylvania At School

Catherine Elizabeth (Notestine) Groninger died on February 23, 1910 in Trivoli, Illinois. Her earthly remains were laid to rest in the Penn Ridge Cemetery near Trivoli, Illinois. At the time of the 1910 census, Richard W. Groninger is found residing in Trivoli Township.

205 GRONENGER Wilson Head 75 WD Pennsylvania Pennsylvania Pennsylvania English Retired
205 BROOKS Ora Niece 22 S Illinois Illinois Illinois English

1st Lieutenant Richard W. Groninger died on September 17, 1913 in Trivoli, Illinois. His mortal remains were laid next to those of his wife of nearly 52 years in the Penn Ridge Cemetery near Trivoli, Illinois.

by Baxter B. Fite III

(Baxter would enjoy hearing from anyone, especially descendants of the Groninger family, who might be able to add to the biographical material that we have on Richard W. Groninger and the Groninger family. Baxter would also love to see other photographs of Richard W. Groninger that may have survived the years, especially any others showing him in uniform from his days in the service, added to his Find A Grave site for all to see.)