Cumberland County, Maine - William F. Holt
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Biography
William F. Holt
Biographical Review
Cumberland County, Maine
Boston
Biographical Review Publishing Company
1896
Page 448-449


William F. Holt, a well-known farmer residing in the town of Bridgton, is also a
worthy representative of the veterans of the Civil War, from which he brought a
record that he and his descendants can well be proud of. A native of Maine, he
was born September 28, 1841, in the town of Fryeburg, one of the eight children,
four sons and four daughters, reared by his parents, Thomas K. and Eliza
(Brackett) Holt. He was brought up to farming, and was engaged in that peaceful
occupation when President Lincoln called for men to defend the Union. Among the
first to respond was Mr. Holt, who enlisted June 22, 1861, in Company A,
Seventieth New York Volunteer Infantry.

Serving with his regiment in the Army of the Potomac, he participated in many of
the more important engagements of the war. He fought in the battle of Stafford
Court-house, at the siege of Yorktown, in the battles of Williamsburg, Fair
Oaks, Gaines's Mills, Frazier's Farm, in the seven days' retreat to Malvern
Hill, in the battles of Malvern Hill and Bristow Station, and in the second
battle of Bull Run. In this last engagement he received a ball through the left
shoulder and a wound in the left side of his breast. A comrade bore him, as he
supposed, to a place of safety, laying him behind a fence, where, a half-hour
later, four of his ribs were fractured by a bursting shell. The following two
weeks he spent in a Washington hospital, whence he was transferred to
Philadelphia, where he remained in the hospital for three months. On rejoining
the regiment he was made Third Sergeant of his company, after which he shared in
the battles of Chantilly, Fredericksburg, and Gettysburg. At Gettysburg he was
again wounded, a piece of a shell striking him in the left foot, and
necessitating his removal to the hospital at Newark, N. J., where he was under
the doctor's care for three months. Going back to the seat of war, he
subsequently was in the battles of Mine Run, the Wilderness, Spottsylvania
Court-house, in the celebrated charge by which General Johnson and three
thousand rebels were captured, in. the battle of Cold Harbor, and in those
before Petersburg. The three years for which he enlisted having expired, he was
honorably discharged June 22, 1864. He now receives a pension of seventeen
dollars per month. Returning to the place of his nativity, Mr. Holt lived there
until 1881, when he removed to Massachusetts, which was his home for two years.
In 1883 he bought thirty-five acres of his present farm property, and has since
been engaged in agriculture. He has bought other land since that time, his farm
now containing one hundred and ten acres, a goodly portion of which is under
cultivation.

On November 24, 1864, Mr. Holt was united in wedlock with Miss Elmira W. Lewis,
daughter of Iver and Olive P. (Cole) Lewis, who bad six sons and four daughters.
Of the union three children have been born, namely: Cora, the wife of M. M.
Rupert; Alice S., wife of J. C. Buzzell; and William L., who remains on the home
farm. In politics Mr. Holt is a steadfast Republican, and for seven years has
served as Postmaster of Bridgton. He is an esteemed comrade of the Grand Army of
the Republic, and also has affiliations with the Independent Order of Odd
Fellows.