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NAME: Roger Conant
REGISTER #: 11413

Military History

RANK/CO/UNIT: Pvt./C Co./14th NY S. Mil
ENLISTMENT: 1861/04/18 Brooklyn, NY
DISCHARGED: 1861/07/29 Washington, DC, EOS
RE-ENLISTMENT: 1863/06/20 Brooklyn, NY
RNK/CO/UNIT: Pvt./G Co./13th NG Inf Brooklyn
DISCHARGED: 1863/07/21 Brooklyn, NY, EOS
RE-ENLISTMENT: 1863/09/08 New York, NY
RNK/CO/UNIT: Pvt/G Co/17th NY Inf
DISCHARGED: 1865/04/05 Com Sgt. New York, NY, EOS
DISABILITY: Vision, Hernia, Chronic Cystitis, Arterio Sclerosis, Cardiac Hypertrophy

Domestic History

BORN: ME (1833?)
AGE: 79
HT/CMP/EYE/HR: 5'9"/Fr, Gr, Gr/Literate
RELIGION: Protestant
OCCUPATION: Attorney
RESIDENCE: Santa Cruz
MARRIED SINGLE Married
NEXT OF KIN: Mrs. Helen M. Conant (wife) Rtd3 Box 33 Santa Cruz

Home History

PENSION AMOUNT: $30
ADMISSION: 1912/08/05
DISCHARGED:
DATE OF DEATH: 1915/10/19
CAUSE OF DEATH: Senile Dementia

General Remarks

PENSION CERT: 299,307
EFFECTS: Pension $10, $9.20 cash, .50 Personal property
HOW DISPOSED OF:
BURIAL INFO: Section 24, Row G, No 8

Santa Cruz Sentinel (June 27, 1912)

Judge Conant, now in his 80th year, and who fell down in his back yard the other day is improving slowly.

Santa Cruz Sentinel (July 27, 1912)

Goes to Old Soldiers' Home

Roger Conant, an old soldier past 80 years of age, a former Justice of the Peace, was on Friday afternoon taken to the Old Soldiers' Home at Sawtelle to spend his remaining days. He is quite feeble.

Santa Cruz Sentinel (October 27, 1912)

C.J. TODD Sawtelle LETTER

Roger Conant was sent out to a company some time ago; have seen him but twice since. His mind seemed rapidly failing, and his friends conducted him to the dining hall and back to quarters.

Santa Cruz Sentinel (October 21, 1915)

Roger Conant, Old Veteran Passes Away

Roger Conant, Civil War veteran, an old resident of this city, at one time a justice of the peace here, died Tuesday night at the old soldier's home at Santa Monica, where the funeral and burial will take place.

The deceased was a remarkable character in many ways and is known by most of the people of this city. He was a member of Wallace-Reynolds Post, G.A.R., and in all of the gatherings of the old vets he always took a great deal of interest and pleasure. The deceased, like most old veterans, was a dyed-in-the-wool Republican, always interested in politics. His home in this city was on North Branciforte Ave. where he had resided for many years, coming to this City shortly after arriving in the state in 1868. He was 81 years old, being born in Waterville, Me., and June 27, 1834.

Mr. Conant was one of the early members of the local Congregational church. He was the first person to be baptized by immersion in the baptistery of Plymouth Church in Brooklyn by Rev. Henry Ward Beecher. A wife survives the deceased. Several years ago she was stricken with paralysis and now lives at the home of Mrs. E.M. Cook, 23 Caledonia

Editor's Note: Helen Conant died in November 1915, and her remains were sent back east for burial.

Editorial Notes from Robert L. Nelson (February 2000)

Roger Conant was born in Maine in 1834. During the Civil War he enlisted in Company C of the 14 New York "Brooklyn" Militia Infantry. Later it was incorporated into the 84th Regiment of Infantry. Upon completion of his military service Roger Conant came to Santa Cruz in 1868 and engaged in newspaper work subsequently becoming editor of the Pajaro "Times". It was during this period that he affiliated with the G.A.R. and was subsequently assigned as "Mustering Officer" for the Soquel Post when it was installed on July 4, 1870.

Conant settled in the township of Branciaforte and in 1874 was married to Helen Merwin a widow (?) who came from the east for her health. Roger Conant was subsequently elected as Justice of the Peace (possibly after the departure of Justice Schafer), and continued to be re-elected and served until he retired 1910/11(?).

While in the area he remained active in the Grand Army of the Republic and served at various times as Senior vice Commander, Chaplain, Quartermaster and delegate to the Department Encampment.

He was one of the original members to leave the Wallace Post in 1885 in order to create the Reynolds Post, and one of the members of the Reynolds who opposed reunification. It appears, based upon letters to the "Sentinel", that he strongly disliked Al Weeks a leader in the Wallace Post.

Roger Conant was highly thought of as Justice of the Peace, and was apparently on very friendly terms with F.A. Hihn and other leaders of the community, although partialities or improprieties in relation to his position never surfaced.

Date of Birth: 1834-06-27

Date of Death: 1915-19-10

County: Los Angeles

Cemetery/City of Burial: Los Angeles National

Plot: 27/C/10

Mortuary: SH

Cause of Death: Age/Related

Date of Marriage: 1874/

Spouse: Merwin_ Helen

Occupation: Judge OP

Religion: Co

Height: 5'11

Complexion: Lt

Eye Color: Gr

Hair Color: Gr

Last City: (CA Sawtelle 13)

Native of: ME

Enlisted: 1863/09/08

Discharged: 1865/04/05

Military Unit: NY_ 17 Inf_ Co G

Rank: Sgt

Military Notes: E-NYC_ QtrMstr

GAR#: R98

Available records used to obtain information:
Cemetery records
Santa Cruz County death records
Military records
Santa Cruz and Monterey newspapers
Voter Records
Sawtelle Soldiers Home records

CW Reference: JFR 1886 Roster