John C. Govers

He emigrated with his family to New York in 1835. His father George was a painter, and he lived in the family home in New Rochelle until at least 1850, when he was listed as apprentice painter (he was not with them in 1860). At the start of the War he was living in Richmond, and gave his age as 29. The original 2nd Lieutenant, Company E, 15th Viginia Infantry, he was elected First Lieutenant in the reorganization of March 1862, and promoted Captain, on 1 July 1862 (vice St. George Hunter Tucker, promoted).

He married Miss Annie G. Carr of Richmond at St. Peter's Cathedral, on 2 March 1865. He was captured in action at Dinwiddie Court House, VA and held at the Old Capitol Prison, Washington, DC from 3 April 1865. He was transferred to Johnson’s Island, OH on 9 April, and swore an oath of allegiance there on 18 June 1865.

In March 1868, a resident of Washington DC, he was issued a patent for a window roller shade design. He was listed as a painter in Boyd's 1871, 1881, and 1889 City Directories for Washington DC, and was still living there in 1899.

Details above from research by Jim Buchanan1. He cites the National Archives, Record Group 109: Compiled service records of Confederate soldiers from Virginia units ... Marriage information from the Richmond Times Dispatch of 24 March 1865, with family history from genealogist Ann Harmon Govers via Findagrave. Patent detail from the Annual Report of the Commissioner of Patents (GPO, Washington DC, January 1869).

1833 in IRELAND

1900