Civil War Soldiers Record Database

Simund Jensen Hovland was enlisted as Simon Hovland in Company G of the 15th WI by Captain Johan Jensen Hovland also enlisted in Company G. Simon was mustered into Federal service as a Private (Menig) on January 14, 1862, at Camp Randall near Madison, Dane County, WI. At the time he was listed as being 23 years old and not married. His residence was recorded as Orford (later called Orfordville), Rock County, WI.

After about 6 weeks at Camp Randall learning to be a soldier, Private Hovland left there in early March 1862 with the 15th to join the war. Private Hovland was listed as “Present” with the 15th until sometime in September or October 1862. As such he would have participated in the successful siege of Island No. 10 on the Mississippi River in TN and the surprise raid on Union City, TN, in March and April 1862.

Beginning about the middle of June 1862, Private Hovland became sick at Island No. 10 with what was described as “yellow jaundice.” It lasted about 6 weeks, after which he was put on light duty there with Company G for about a month. Shortly thereafter he became ill with diarrhea. In September and October 1862, he is reported to have been in the hospital at Island No. 10. On December 10, 1862, Private Hovland was listed as being in the U.S. General Hospital at Mound City, IL.

On January 10, 1863, Private Hovland was granted a disability discharge from the Army at Cairo, IL. On his Certificate of Disability for Discharge he was listed as “twenty three years of age, five feet, nine inches high, light complexion, blue eyes, white hair, and by occupation when enlisted a farmer.” The Certificate stated that Private Hovland was “entirely unfit to perform the duties of a soldier” due to “chronic diarrhoea and general disability.”

After being discharged Simon Hovland returned to Spring Valley Township near Orford for 3 months. He then moved to Goodhue County, MN, to farm near Lena Junction. There he married his first wife, who died in 1869 during the birth of their 4th child who also died. Their children included Caroline (1865), Jens Oluf (1866), and Johan (1868). Simon remarried 2 years later and eventually had 13 more children. They included: Ida Clara (1872), Albert (1873), Gilbert (1876), Louis (1878), Berthe Christine (1879), Simon (1881), Oscar (1884), Theador (1886), and Josephine (1888).

In 1878 he sold his farm and moved to Lyon County, MN, to farm in Eidsvold Township near Minneota, MN.

In 1890 Simon Hovland applied to the Federal government for an invalid’s pension. His application, signed with an “X”, stated that he was “suffering from Rheumatism, Catarrh Breach and general disability” due to his military service, “totally disqualifying him from performing any manual labor.” Simon was subsequently granted a pension of $12 per month, which was increased to $15 in 1907. Two years later Simon Hovland passed away at age 71 due to “Organic Heart Disease.” The following is from his obituary, which appeared in the Minneota Mascot newspaper.

“He was frank and fearless, honest and outspoken, and it did not appear to make any difference to him what others thought about a proposition; he was willing to abide by his own judgement.”

Sources: Genealogical data from his great granddaughter Barbara Levorsen Quinn; Oppland fylke, Fåberg, Ministerialbok nr. 5 (1836-1854), Fødte og døpte 1838, page 13-14;Oppland fylke, Fåberg, Ministerialbok nr. 6B (1855-1867), Inn- og utflyttede 1857-1858, page 363; Civil War Compiled Military Service Records, Office of Adjutant General of the United States (Washington, DC); Det Femtende Regiment, Wisconsin Frivillige [The Fifteenth Regiment, Wisconsin Volunteers], Ole A. Buslett, 1894, Decorah, IA; Roster of Wisconsin Volunteers, War of the Rebellion, 1861-1865, Volume I, Office of the Adjutant General State of Wisconsin (Madison, Wisconsin, 1886); Evangelical Lutheran Church of America, Records, 1875-1940, p.196; 1880 Census, Roll: 625, Family History Film: 1254625, Page: 485B, Enumeration District: 147, Image: 0499; 1900 Census, Roll: 773, Page: 1B, Enumeration District: 0150, FHL microfilm: 1240773; 1895 MN Census, Roll #V290_74, Line 31.