John P Schoenbeck was born in Sweden on April 16, 1825. He came to Minnesota in 1853. He was working as a farm laborer when the war began. He was 35 years old when he enlisted from Afton in Washington County. he was mustered into the service at Ft Snelling on April 29, 1861. He participated in all the battles in which the regiment was engaged from Bull Run up to Gettysburg. He was wounded at the battles of Antietam and Gettysburg. At Antietam he was wounded in both the left arm. At Gettysburg he was hit twice, in the left hand as well as the right thigh. He was sent to the Chestnut Hill Hospital in Philadelphia to recover. Many other men from the First were sent there as well. While they eventually recovered, and many returned to the regiment, he did not. Schoenbeck received his discharge for disabilty due to wounds on Feb 16, 1864, while still at the hospital. After the war he moved to St Peter, MN, where he farmed. John was a member of the Asgrim K Skaro GAR Post #37. He died at St Peter on July 13, 1892 at the age of 67. He served as a state senator from 1876-7. He is buried at Woodlawn Cemetery (GAR Lot #109, Section A). It is located east of St Peter across the Minnesota River, just outside of town. Sources: Roster of the First Minnesota Infantry, 1910. History of the St Croix Valley, p42. Comrades of Company B, Stillwater Old Settlers Assn files, MHS, St Paul, MN. Collections of the Minnesota Historical Society Collections, Vol XIV, June 1912, p 679. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
