My 2nd Great Grandfather Charles Kingsbury Drury was born on September 29, 1842 in Chelsea, Massachusetts but he was raised in Wayland, MA. His Parents were Aaron Kingsbury & Abigail (Kirkpatrick) Drury and he was one of 3 children including 1 older brother, Elijah Granville Drury and 1 younger sister, Lizzie Nichols Drury. But sadly Charles lost his Father, Aaron when he passed away from consumption on October 6, 1858 in Wayland, Massachusetts leaving Charles' Mother, Abigail a widow with a 2 year old daughter, Lizzie to raise. When Charles' Father, Aaron passed away, Charles was 16 and his brother, Elijah was 18. ❤

But then the Civil War broke out on April 12, 1861, Elijah enlisted with the 1st Massachusetts Infantry on May 24, 1861, he would be away with the Union Army for 3 years and he saw action at the 1st & 2nd Battles of Bull Run, Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, Gettysburg, the Wilderness and Spotsylvania. Charles probably also wanted to enlist but Abigail made him stay home but no sooner did Elijah come home after his regiment was mustered out on May 25, 1864; Charles enlisted with the 61st Massachusetts Infantry on August 26, 1864 and he was at Petersburg and the Union Breakthrough on April 2, 1865 where his Regiment helped capture Fort Mahone which was located on the Jerusalem Plank Road. Then later Charles and his regiment were placed in charge of some Confederate Prisoners including Gen. Richard Ewell. He would remain with the Union Army until he was discharged on June 4, 1865 and he had achieved the rank of Sergeant-Major. ❤

Then after the war he married my 2nd Great Grandmother Mary Ann Sherman on November 16, 1870 in Newton, Massachusetts and they would have 3 children including my Great Grandfather Alfred Kingsbury Drury. The other children were 2 girls, Minnie Adelaide and Edith Louise but sadly, Minnie died at infancy. ❤

Also, after the war, Charles went to work as an Oil Dealer for the Standard Oil Company where he eventually achieved Vice-Presidential Status which is why he was able to afford such a beautiful home in Washington Park which was a wealthy neighborhood located in Newtonville, which is a village in Newton, Massachusetts. I even found his house on Google Maps and like I said it is beautiful. I just wonder what happened to all that wealth because it never made its way down to me. He was also a member of the Freemasons at the Dalhousie Lodge in Newtonville, MA. ❤

Anyways, Charles & Mary Ann lived comfortably together in Newtonville until Charles passed away on June 13, 1902 at the age of 59. I often wonder if it was the war that finally caught up with him or could it be because his only son, my Great Grandfather ended up breaking his heart. Alfred turned out to be a Deadbeat Husband and Father and he eventually abandoned his family in 1906 right after my Grandfather Paul H. Drury was born and he lived in Boston until he died in October of 1950. After Charles died, Mary Ann moved to Jamestown, New York to be closer to their daughter, Edith and her family who were living in Toronto, Canada at the time but then while visiting with Edith, Mary Ann died from complications from Chronic Nephritis on January 31, 1914. Now both Charles & Mary Ann are buried together at the North Cemetery in Wayland, MA. ❤

Here are some pictures I would love to share with you. I wish I had pictures of Charles & Mary Ann but I have had no luck and I don't think I will ever find any but I did find a description of Charles from his Civil War record where he had Gray Eyes, Dark Hair with a light complexion and was 5' 7" tall. ❤