(NOTE: James T. Dudley probably never had his portrait taken prior to the Civil War. However, during the 10 months he was stationed in the Nashville, Tennessee area in 1862-63 with the 86th, James, like most of the boys, almost certainly took the time to sit for a portrait, not only to send to the loved ones he left behind, but also to swap with his tentmates, messmates and friends in his company. This picture would have come in one of several forms. It would have been printed in the form of what was called a "dagerreotype", a "tin type", or, more often, in a new fangled form of what was called a "CDV." This was a paper picture glued to a heavier card stock about the size of a modern day baseball card that was easily reproduced so that dozens of copies could be made. Almost all the boys had some of this style made.

Then James, though badly wounded, survived the war and lived, at least, late in the 20th century. Through the years James must have had more pictures taken. There must be a number of pictures of John out there scattered among the family. If there are, I would love to see copies of them added to his Find A Grave Memorial, even ones of him as an old man that may show his wounds and if he did sit for a portrait while he was in uniform and in Nashville, there may be several copies out there as well. Everyone in the family and many others with an interest in seeing a picture of James would be grateful to the person that has a picture of James that can get it scanned and added to his Memorial. Can anyone help me with pictures of James? Thanks, Baxter)

Sergeant JAMES T. DUDLEY, Co. F, 86th Illinois

James T. Dudley was born on ___________ __, 183__ (c. 1837/39) in ____________, Ohio, the son of George Washington Dudley and Abby Ann (Jackson) Dudley. One site on the internet has James T. Dudley's middle name as Telemaceua. George Washington Dudley was born in Vermont in 1810 to Peter Dudley and Ruby Soule, who were married in 1798. Ruby (Soule) Dudley was born on October 1, 1777, he daughter of Joshua Soule and Mary (Cushman) Soule. Joshua Soule was one of the many Great Great Grandchildren of George Soule, who came to America on the Mayflower.

George Washington Dudley was married to Abby Ann Jackson. A family site of familysearch.org states that James Telemaceua Dudley was born on April 18, 1837 in Ohio and that Abbey Ann Jackson was born on March 3 or 12, 1809 in Goshen Township, Orange County, New York, the daughter of Jonathan Horton Jackson and Mary (____________) Jackson. Jonathan Horton Jackson was born on 1 Jan 1784 in Orange County, New York and died on 1 Apr 1863 in Stark County, Illinois. His mortal remains were laid in the Lafayette Cemetery in Lafayette, Goshen Township, Stark County, Illinois. See his Find A Grave Memorial #41529640.

The Dudleys came west to Illinois sometime before 1843, settling near LaFayette in Stark County, Illinois. At least six children were born to George and Abby, one of them, Ruby, who was born in June or July of 1843/44 in Lafayette, Stark County, Illinois, was later to marry Adna T. Sanger, who was to serve in Co. C of the 86th Illinois.

George Washington Dudley died before 1847, probably in Stark County and Abby Ann (Jackson) Dudley was then married 2nd to Charles W. Todd in Stark County on April 4, 1847.

One more daughter was born to George and Abbie Ann (Jackson) Dudley Todd;

1. Henrietta Jackson, born c. 1848

Henrietta (Jackson) Cragan died on 14 May 1930 in Colfax, Iowa. Her mother and father are listed as Charles W Todd and Abbie A Jackson and her husband as Peter Cragan.

At the time of the 1850 census of Stark County, Illinois, Ruby, her brothers and sisters, and their mother, now Abby Ann (Jackson) Dudley Todd, are found residing in the household of Abby's parents, Jonathan H. & Mary Jackson in Stark County, but no Charles W. Todd is in the household;

Jonathan H Jackson M 66 New York

Mary Jackson F 69 England

Abba A Todd F 41 New York

Mary C Dudley F 17 Ohio

Joshua S Dudley M 15 Ohio

James S Dudley M 13 Ohio

George W Dudley M 11 Ohio

Sarah E Dudley F 9 Illinois

Ruby J Dudley F 7 Illinois

Henrietta Todd F 2 Illinois

At the time of the 1860 census, Abby Ann (Jackson) Dudley Todd and her family are found in Goshen Township, Stark County, Illinois;

Charles W Todd M 51 Maryland

Abby A Todd F 52 New York

Henrietta Todd F 12 Ills

George W Dudley M 21 Ohio

At the time of the 1870 census, Abby and her family are found in Goshen Township, Stark County, Illinois;

Charles W Todd M 59 Maryland

Abbie A Todd F 59 New York

Emmet Ellsworth M 8 Illinois

At the time of the 1880 census, Abby and her family are found residing on Timber Street in the village of LaFayette, Goshen Township, Stark County, Illinois.

Charles Todd Self M 60 Maryland Tailor

Abby Ann Todd Wife F 60 New York

Samuel Todd Brother M 75 Maryland Retired Merchant

Abbie Ann (Jackson) Dudley Todd died on 16 March 1885 in Lafayette Township,Stark Co.,Illinois and her mortal remains are believed to have been laid in the LaFayette Cemetery in LaFayette, Goshen Township, Stark County, Illinois.

Now to continue with what we know about James T. Dudley;

At the time of the 1860 census, a James Dudley is found working as a farm hand in Lynn, Knox County, Illinois;

Wm A Reed M 68 Conn.

Amy Reed F 63 Conn.

Elias Reed M 24 Conn.

Cordilia Reed F 26 Conn.

Flora Reed F 3 Ill

James Dudley M 23 Ohio

At the time of the 1860 census, the woman we believed that James T. Dudley would later be married to, Elizabeth Jane "Lizzie" Sellick, is found in Nebraska Township, Livingston County, Illinois with her family;

Ira Selliak M 37 Canada W

Hannah Selliak F 24 Canada W

John Selliak M 11 Canada W

Elizabeth J Selliak F 4 Canada W

Wm Selliak M 2 Ills

Priscella Selliak F 7/12 Ills

Now to continue with what we know about James T. Dudley;

Now to continue with the biography of Cournel B. Atwood;

On August 5, 1862, James T. Dudley volunteered at Maquon, Illinois to serve in a company which was being raised in Maquon, Illinois by a local Carpenter, Contractor and Businessman by the name of James L. Burhalter.

ILLINOIS CIVIL WAR DETAIL REPORT from

The Illinois State Archives;

Name DUDLEY, JAMES T

Rank CPL Company F Unit 86 IL US INF

Personal Characteristics

Residence MAQUON, KNOX CO, IL Age 23 Height 5' 8 Hair BROWN

Eyes HAZEL Complexion FAIR Marital Status SINGLE Occupation FARMER

Nativity OH

Service Record

Joined When AUG 5, 1862 Joined Where MAQUON, IL

Joined By Whom J L BURKHALTER Period 3 YRS

Muster In AUG 27, 1862 Muster In Where PEORIA, IL

Muster In By Whom N/A Muster Out JUN 22, 1865

Muster Out Where QUINCY, IL Muster Out By Whom CPT BARNES

Remarks PROMOTED SERGEANT SEVERELY WOUNDED IN FACE

When Burkhalter had about 100 volunteers, he led the Maquon company into Peoria, Illinois, where they went into camp at Camp Lyon, near present day Glen Oak Park. There on August 27, 1862, Burkhalter was elected by the men of the Maquon company to be their Captain and Captain Burkhalter and 93 of his volunteers were mustered in as Co. F of the 86th Regiment of Illinois Volunteer Infantry. James T. Dudley was elected by the men to serve as 2nd Corporal in Co. F.

On September 7, 1862, the men of the 86th Illinois marched out of the gates of Camp Lyon, Capt. James L. Burkhalter leading Co. F, through the streets of Peoria, with much fanfare, down to the railroad depot. There they were joined by the men of the 85th Illinois, who had been mustered into service at Camp Peoria. Together, at the depot, the men of the 85th & 86th Illinois boarded trains bound for Camp Joe Holt, located in Jeffersonville, Indiana across the Ohio River from Louisville, Kentucky. Three weeks later, the men of the 85th & 86th were in the field in Kentucky as part of Col. Daniel McCook's Brigade, in pursuit of Confederate troops. On Oct. 8, 1862, the men of McCook's Brigade were engaged with those troops in the Battle of Perryville, Kentucky, the 86th Illinois suffering their first casualties. There would be many more in the coming years. After the Union victory at Perryville, the Confederate Army withdrew from Kentucky and McCook's Brigade marched on to Nashville, Tennessee, where they went into winter camp.

During the next two years, Corporal James T. Dudley would serve faithfully with the 86th in Kentucky, Alabama and Georgia and was a 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 Chickamauga, Georgia; Resaca, Georgia; Rome, Georgia and Kennesaw Mountain, Georgia, where the men of McCook's Brigade would suffer more than 500 casualties in less than an hour, more than 100 coming from the 86th Illinois. Sometime during this two years, as a sign of his military bearing and his dedication to his country, the service and his company, Corporal James T. Dudley was promoted to Sergeant. This may have occurred after the Battle of Kennesaw Mountain, where they were so many casualties.

After the Confederate troops fell back from the fortifications on Kennesaw Mountain, the men of McCook's Brigade, who were part of the army commanded by General William Tecumseh Sherman, continued their drive toward to prized city of Atlanta. On July 19, 1864, the men of McCook's Brigade were involved in fighting around Atlanta at what came to be called the Battle of Peach Tree Creek, Georgia. During this battle, Sergeant James T. Dudley was seriously wounded in the face. Sergeant Dudley was sent north, where he would undergo, probably several surgeries and would spent the next 11 months in Union Army Hospitals. Sergeant James T. Dudley was finally discharged from the service on June 22, 1865 from the U. S. General Army Hospital at Quincy, Illinois, probably disfigured.

Sergeant James T. Dudley was granted an Invalid Pension on May 30, 1870.

Some people believe that this James T. Dudley was married to Lizzie Jane Selleck in the early 1870's. Lizzie was born on 14 Jan 1855 in Canada. I have yet to see any proof of this union though.

At the time of the 1870 census, Elizabeth and her family are found in Ward 1 of the city of Minonk, Woodford County, Illinois;

Vanna Selleck F 36 Canada

John Selleck M 21 Canada

Elizabeth J Selleck F 14 Canada

William Selleck M 11 Illinois

Priscilla Selleck F 8 Illinois

James Selleck M 6 Illinois

David Selleck M 4 Illinois

Sarah Dawson F 45 Pennsylvania

Those people believe that James and Elizabeth had two children;

1. Arthur Leroy Dudley, born 11 May 1874 in Minonk, Woodford County, Illinois. Arthur died on March __, 1969 and his mortal remains were laid in the Brookview Cemetery in Rising Sun, Cecil County, Maryland. See his Find A Grave Memorial #91172408.

2. Abbie Dudley, born 7 May 1876 in Illinois. Abbie was married to Edwin A Noyes 1874–1959. Abbie died on 10 Sep 1911 in Otter Tail County, Minnesota and her mortal remains were laid in the Oak Grove Cemetery in Fergus Falls, Otter Tail County, Minnesota. See her Find A Grave Memorial #57142144.

I have yet to find James T. Dudley in the 1870 census. If this marriage occurred between our James T. Dudley and Lizzie Jane Sellick, then they must have been divorced sometime before 1880. Lizzie went on to marry Reuben F. Moulton. Lizzie Jane (Selleck) Dudley Moulton died on 20 Aug 1906 and her mortal remains were laid in the Oak Grove Cemetery in Fergus Falls, Otter Tail County, Minnesota. See her Find A Grave Memorial #61974216.

At the time of the 1880 census, Elizabeth and her two children are residing with the aunt and uncle in Nebraska Township, Livingston County, Illinois;

William Selleck Self M 22 Illinois, United States

Elizabeth Dudley Sister F 25 Canada

Arthur Dudley Nephew M 6 Illinois, United States

Abbie A Dudley Niece F 4 Illinois, United States

James T. Dudley's youngest sister,Ruby Dudley was married to Adna T. Sanger, who also served in the 86th Illinois during the Civil War, having served in Co. C from the Chillicothe, Illinois area of Peoria County. At the time of the 1880 census, James T. Dudley is found, divorced, and residing with his sister and Brother-In-Law, Ruby & Adna T. Sanger, who was also a member of Co. C of the 86th Illinois. Interestingly, James is Divorced and working as a Farm Laborer on Adna T. Sanger's farm in Center Township, Cloud County, Kansas. So James T. Dudley, must have been married sometime after the war and to have been divorced by the time of the 1880 census. James' father and mother are listed as having been born in Vermont and New York, respectively;

Self Adna T. Sanger M 44 New York

Wife Ruby J. Sanger F 35 Illinois

Daughter Abbie E. Sanger F 15 Illinois

Son Thaddeus N. Sanger M 12 Illinois

Daughter Elisabeth H. Sanger F 10 Illinois

Daughter Ada S. Sanger F 5 Illinois

Son James M. Sanger M 2 Kansas

Brother-in-law James T. Dudley M 43 Ohio

After that 1880 census, nothing is known for certain about Sergeant James T. Dudley. James is believed to have eventually moved on to San Francisco, California. The last mailing address that the surviving members of the 86th Illinois had for him was in 1891, when he was residing in San Francisco, California. He is believed to have died out there in the late 1800's or early 1900's.

My hope is that someday, a descendant of the Dudley who knows more about Sergeant James T. Dudley and enlighten us about the post was years of Sergeant Dudley.

by Baxter B. Fite III