MARCUS BIDGOOD -- 96th INFANTRYBORN AT THE FRONTIER - In 1850, Marcus Lafayette Bidgood, was living atThe Frontier in the Town of Clinton with his parents, Marcus LafayetteBidgood and Almira Emery, and seven brothers and sisters. The family hadcome from Vermont to farm in the tiny hamlet on the border.On October 8, 1861, Fayette, as he was known enlisted in the 96thInfantry. He was mustered into Captain Hiram Eldridge's Company E onNovember 19th at the Plattsburgh Barracks. The regiment organizedunder Colonel James Fairman who made plans for the 96th to leavePlattsburgh on March 11, 1862, after 4 months of drill.Before they left by train for Washington, Fayette deserted and wenthome. The 1870 Census shows that he and his wife Martha Rabistow had 5children -- three born before he enlisted and two after he came home --all living in the Town of Clinton. By the 1880 Census, he had taken hisfamily and moved to live in Franklin, VT, with 3 additional children.For the next 20+ years, the family lived in Connecticut.In later life, he and Martha went to live with their daughter in Rye,NY. He died in 1919 and Matha died in 1932 and they're buried in theGreenwood Union Cemetery there. One of their sons lived until 1961.Fayette's parents are buried in the Frontier Cemetery just south of theCanadian border in the Town of Clinton.
