The men of the Third Michigan were born between 1798 (Rev. Francis Cuming) and 1850 (Jacob Rebhun), and not including the five men for whom we have no date of birth, with more than three-quarters of the total 1411 enrolled born after 1830 and one in five born after 1842:

• 30 were aged between 11 and 16 years old
• 257 were aged between 17 and 19 years old
  
• 826 men were in their 20s
  
• 202 men were between 30 and 39
  
• 71 were 40 and over
  
• 10 men more were over 50
• 3 were 60 or over: Isaac Hall, Rev. Francis Cuming and the Rev. Joseph Anderson
  

If we combine the numbers of all those men under 30, that group comprised nearly 80% of the total enrolled in the Regiment (1411).

Birthplace

Nearly 24%, or more than 1 out of every five men who served in the Old Third were not born in the United States: 9% came from Germany alone (like theodore Castor and his father), and of that number nearly half came from Baden, Bavaria, Prussia and Wurtemberg.

Only about 18% were born in Michigan and the other so-called western states, and of that number only 21 men were born in Kent county (the point of origin for the regiment).

The overwhelming number, (more than 38% of reported birthplaces), were born in New York state and 110 from Ohio. Indeed, more than half of the total reported birthplaces came from New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania and New England combined.

Occupation before the war

At least 797 (or more than 56%) of the reported occupations were directly related to the farm, and if one adds the 162 laborers, 68% of the men who joined the Old Third were either farmers or common laborers (and quite often both).

The next highest represented occupation was carpentry with 60 men who had worked in that trade before the war, followed by 59 in the lumber industry, 34 clerks, 23 blacksmiths and 23 shoemakers.

If we add the farmer/laborer group to the next five occupations, more than 82% of the regiment fell into seven occupational categories. List

Height

Of the nearly 900 reported physical measurements, we know that four men were five feet tall or under: Tommy Byers, John McPherson, Albert Pelton and Jacob Rebhun. Two men were five feet one inch: Louis Napoleon/Passineau and Ben Parker. Four men were five feet two inches tall: Conrad Benter, Henry Brown, George Stevens and Fred Teadt.

Of the rest:

• Five feet three: 9
• Five feet four: 3
• Five feet five: 7
• Five feet six: 101
• Five feet seven: 101
• Five feet eight: 156
• Five feet nine: 107
• Five feet ten: 119
• Five feet eleven: 74
  

At the other end of the spectrum George Kasten was six feet ten, George Randall and Robert Swart were both six feet six, Sam Aldrich and Ben Waite were six feet four, Alex French, Calvin Wilsey six feet three. Another 85 men were six feet or over.

Relationships

At least 933 men were married either before, during or after the war. Of that number:

• 232 men married a second time
  
• 32 married a third
  
• 7 men married a fourth time
  
• 96 divorces or separation
  
• 8 were divorced twice
  
• 3 men were divorced three times
  

Some 256 men were reported at death as widowers, and at least 15 of whom were widowed twice.

At least 813 men had children, 127 men had 6 or more and 16 men had 10 or more children. Andrew Kirschman, Theodore McClain and Elam Moe held the record: each man had at least thirteen children. In Elam's case, two of his sons, Daniel and Robert also served in the Third Michigan. All three survived the war.

Of the 1,411 men who enrolled in the regiment, at least 285 were probably related in one way or another.

There were at least 10 father-son known combinations:

Baker-Almon Borden
James-Daniel Birdsall
Hiram-Henry Bateman
Peter-Henry Lawyer
Elam-Daniel Moe
Carlton-Oscar Neal
Silas-Albert Pelton
Joseph-Joseph Rounds
Hosea-Nathan Tracey
John-Charles West

In addition, there were at least 2 uncle-nephew combinations (Lowing and Guernsey) and some 154 brother combinations, which included 5 Austins, 3 Barnhards, 3 Carpenters,, 3 Hamblins, 3 Nestels, 3 Shattucks, 4 Taylors (plus a second set of two brothers), 3 Tousley and 3 Waites.

Education

In fact we know that at least 38 men were illiterate but that 678 men could read and write; both numbers were probably higher. We also know that 38 men attained “higher education” degrees in architecture, law, medicine, educattion and the ministry.

Religion

In religious matters the men were probably overwhelmingly Protestant, although this remains speculation.

Of the 113 reported religious preferences we know that 82 were Protestant, 27 Catholics, (1 who converted from Protestantism to Catholicism, August Heyer), 2 Universalists, and 1 Jewish.

Veterans Groups

Of the 971 men who survived the war, at least 327 (and possibly as many as 362) became members of the Third Michigan Michigan Infantry Association, a fraternal organization which existed from 1870 to 1927. More