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Francois Capino Family
of Greenville, ME
Last updated Feb-2009
Francois De Sale Capino
Francois was born 21-May-1821, son of Joseph Thomas Capino & Marie Anne Otondosonne, Abenaki of the St. Francis (Odanak) Reserve in Quebec. He is of Durham, Quebec at the time of his marriage on 3-Dec-1839. In the 1840s he farmed land in Durham originally granted to his grandfather in 1805. He is still found on the Odanak tribal census in 1852, but probably moved his family away from Durham about 1850. A son is born in VT about 1851 and three children are born in Skowhegan, ME between 1854 and 1858. By 1863 they are residents of Greenville ME, where the family remained.
On 25-Aug-1863, at age 42, Francois was drafted into Co. F., 3rd Maine Infantry. He died of disease on 9-Jan-1864 at Brandy Station VA. According to the regimental history, his regiment saw action on 27-Sep-1863 at an unnamed location and again on 9-Nov-1863 at Kelly's Ford VA. We do not know if his company participated in either of these actions.
Marie Josephte Portneuf
(Wife of Francois Capino)
An Abenaki born about 1817 in Quebec. Her name is given as Marie Pournass of Melbourne in the published marriage record. In the baptism record of son Louis, she is identified as Marie Josephte Portneuf. Information concerning her parents has not yet been located, but Portneuf is an Odanak Abenaki family name. She gave birth to 10 children of which 8 have been identified.
She first filed for a widow's pension 10-Mar-1864 and again on 1-Jul-1867. She appears with her son Abram in the 1870 & 1880 Census at Greenville ME. Marie died 24-Jan-1894 at Greenville.
In her first pension application on 10-Mar-1864, she states "... said husband and two sons in service who have given their lives to the country". This statement tells us a couple of things of interest. First, there are two sons that served and died before Mar-1864. Therefore, Daniel Capino of Skowhegan (the 3rd and last Capino found in civil war records), is undoubtedly one of her children. The second thing of interest is that she believes both her sons in the military are dead - however, we discovered her son Thomas was alive as late as 1886. We have to wonder if she was ever properly notified of Thomas' condition, was she perhaps playing dumb to protect Thomas from discovery, or was she simply embellishing a bit on her plight as a poor woman who deserves the assistance of the U.S. government.
Thomas Capino
Thomas was born about 1845 in Durham PQ. He enlisted 23-Dec-1862 at the age of 18 as a Private in Company K, 7th Maine Infantry. His military record describes him as 5'8" with black hair, dark eyes and dark complexion. His regiment saw its first action of 1863 at Liberty Hall, VA on the 15th of February. No further action is reported until May.
On 04-May-1863 Thomas was horribly wounded in the head at the battle of Fredericksburg VA and taken prisoner. He was paroled a couple weeks later on May 16. After his parole, he was sent to the Corps Hospital at Aqua Creek Va, than on 13-Jun-1863 he was moved to Ulisses [sic] Hospital in Washington DC. Here he remained about a week than was moved to Chestnut Hill Hospital, Philadelphia. According to his pension application he remained there until October 1863. According to the government's record, he was officially transferred to the Invalid Corp on 24-August-1863 (but an actual location is not stated), received his pay on 31-Aug-1863, and is reported AWOL shortly after.
His wound is described as follows;
a gun shot wound under the right ear which emerged under the left eye. The ball carried away the palate and back parts of the upper jaw; that he is deaf in right ear has chronic catarrak with frequent ulcers and neurologic conditions of the same; that he is blind in left eye; that the left side of face is swollen and affected.
He filed for a pension on 27-Oct-1876 while living at Rudds Mill, Town of Lincoln, Monroe Co., Wisconsin. His pension was denied and during the process of researching the application the government formally issued "Dishonorable Discharge" papers on 26-Apr-1877 back dated to 31-Aug-1863.
We do not know if he ever contacted his family after going AWOL. In 1864, his mother claims he is dead. We have located him in the 1870 Census in Lafayette, Wisconsin, age 24 with no occupation. He is in the household of William Williams. We are currently trying to locate additional information about Thomas in Wisconsin and locate his gravesite.
Children of Francois & Marie Capino
- Louis Capino b. 7-Nov-1840 in Quebec. Odanak census indicate he probably survived to adulthood, but nothing more is known of him at this time.
- Abraham Capino b. 11-May-1843 in Quebec. He became the head of household at Greenville after the death of his father and brother. He was a trapper, hunter, and sporting guide at Moosehead. While on an extended trip in the dead of winter, he froze both hands and feet. In spite of this severe handicap he was able to pole a canoe, use an axe, and set his traps. He apparently never married.
- Daniel Capino b. abt. 1844 probably at Durham Quebec. He was living in Skowhegan when he enlisted in Co. K, 8th Maine Infantry on 18-Oct-1862 at the age of 18. He died on 6-Dec-1862, cause unknown. Regimental history shows no action during the very short time that Daniel was a soldier, so it is assumed he died of disease.
- Thomas Capino (above)
- Simon Capino b. abt. 1851 in Vermont. He apparently never married. He lived with brother Abraham at Greenville and worked as a guide.
- Catherine Capino b. 14-Jul-1854 Skowhegan, ME. She apparently never married. She lived with her brother Abraham in Greenville. In 1908 she is found as a boarder on Ash St. in Lewiston, presumably working in one of the nearby mills. In 1910 she is back in Greenville with her siblings.
- Ester Capino b. 17-Jul-1856 Skowhegan, ME. She married Newell Miles, an Abenaki, b. abt. 1862 in Canada. Newell was a logger and river driver. In 1910 Ester & Newell are with her siblings in Greenville.
- Frank Capino b. 1-May-1858 Skowhegan, ME. "A skillful and popular guide who died young." He is living with brother Abraham in 1910.
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