James Adams Ekin (August 31, 1819 – March 27, 1891) was an American officer who served in the Union Army in the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861May 26, 1865; also known by Names of the American Civil War, other names) was a civil war in the United States between the Union (American Civil War), Union ("the North") and the Confederate States of A ...

. He achieved fame as a member of the military commission trying the conspirators involved with the assassination of

President President most commonly refers to: *President (corporate title) * President (education), a leader of a college or university *President (government title) President may also refer to: Arts and entertainment Film and television *'' Præsident ...

Abraham Lincoln Abraham Lincoln (February 12, 1809 – April 15, 1865) was the 16th president of the United States, serving from 1861 until Assassination of Abraham Lincoln, his assassination in 1865. He led the United States through the American Civil War ...

Early life

Ekin was born August 31, 1819, in

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Pittsburgh ( ) is a city in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States, and its county seat. It is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania#Municipalities, second-most populous city in Pennsylvania (after Philadelphia) and the List of Un ...

, to James and Susan Burling (Bayard) Ekin. His mother was a daughter of

Colonel Colonel ( ; abbreviated as Col., Col, or COL) is a senior military Officer (armed forces), officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries, a colon ...

Stephen A. Bayard of the

Continental Army The Continental Army was the army of the United Colonies representing the Thirteen Colonies and later the United States during the American Revolutionary War. It was formed on June 14, 1775, by a resolution passed by the Second Continental Co ...

. He served an apprenticeship as a steamboat builder, which eventually led to his first career as a steamboat builder in Pittsburgh.

Civil War

At the outbreak of the

Civil War A civil war is a war between organized groups within the same Sovereign state, state (or country). The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies.J ...

, Ekin enlisted April 25, 1861 in the 12th Pennsylvania Infantry (a 3-month regiment) as a

lieutenant A lieutenant ( , ; abbreviated Lt., Lt, LT, Lieut and similar) is a Junior officer, junior commissioned officer rank in the armed forces of many nations, as well as fire services, emergency medical services, Security agency, security services ...

and was assigned regimental quartermaster. Ekin mustered out with the regiment on August 5, 1861, at

Harrisburg, Pennsylvania Harrisburg ( ; ) is the capital city of the U.S. commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the seat of Dauphin County. With a population of 50,099 as of 2020, Harrisburg is the ninth-most populous city in Pennsylvania. It is the larger of the two pr ...

. He was subsequently promoted

captain Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader or highest rank officer of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police depa ...

and assistant quartermaster August 7, 1861 and served in the Quartermaster's Department. Ekin and was promoted to lieutenant colonel February 15, 1864, then promoted again to

colonel Colonel ( ; abbreviated as Col., Col, or COL) is a senior military Officer (armed forces), officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries, a colon ...

August 2, 1864. He was brevetted in the regular army

major Major most commonly refers to: * Major (rank), a military rank * Academic major, an academic discipline to which an undergraduate student formally commits * People named Major, including given names, surnames, nicknames * Major and minor in musi ...

, lieutenant colonel, colonel and brigadier general, all on March 13, 1865. In addition to his volunteer ranks, Ekin was made a captain in the regular army March 13, 1863, lieutenant colonel and deputy quartermaster general July 29, 1865.

Lincoln assassination trial

Despite his excellent service in the Army quartermaster department, Ekin is remembered largely for his participation as a member of the

military tribunal Military justice (or military law) is the body of laws and procedures governing members of the armed forces. Many nation-states have separate and distinct bodies of law that govern the conduct of members of their armed forces. Some states us ...

that heard the case against eight conspirators in the

assassination Assassination is the willful killing, by a sudden, secret, or planned attack, of a personespecially if prominent or important. It may be prompted by political, ideological, religious, financial, or military motives. Assassinations are orde ...

of President Lincoln.

Post-war service

Ekin remained in the U.S. Army following the Civil War with the rank of lieutenant colonel and deputy quartermaster general until February 13, 1882, when he was promoted to colonel. He retired from the Army on August 31, 1883.

Posts

Ekin served at Pittsburgh, as acting assistant commissary of subsistence in 1861; at

Indianapolis, Indiana Indianapolis ( ), colloquially known as Indy, is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of municipalities in Indiana, most populous city of the U.S. state of Indiana and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana, Marion ...

, as assistant quartermaster, 1861–1863; at

Washington, D.C. Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly known as Washington or D.C., is the capital city and federal district of the United States. The city is on the Potomac River, across from Virginia, and shares land borders with ...

, as quartermaster of the cavalry bureau, 1863–1864; as chief quartermaster of the Cavalry Corps,

Army of the Potomac The Army of the Potomac was the primary field army of the Union army in the Eastern Theater of the American Civil War. It was created in July 1861 shortly after the First Battle of Bull Run and was disbanded in June 1865 following the Battle of ...

, in 1864; as officer in charge of the 1st division, Quartermaster General's Office, Washington, D.C., 1864–1870; as chief quartermaster of the 5th District, Department of Texas, Department of the South, and Department of Louisville, Kentucky until his retirement.

Family

Ekin married Diana Craighead Walker and together they had five children: James Adams (1844–1847), Nancy Walker (1845–1868), Mary Elizabeth (1847–1934), Susan Bayard (1849), and William Moody (1853–1907). Mary Elizabeth Ekin married Augustus Everett Willson July 23, 1877, who served as the 36th

Governor of Kentucky The governor of the Commonwealth of Kentucky is the head of government of the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Kentucky. Sixty-two men and one woman have served as governor of Kentucky. The governor's term is four years in length; sinc ...

, 1907–1911. William M. Ekin followed in his father's career and joined the U.S. Army, rising to the rank of captain in the Quartermaster's Department. Ekin died March 27, 1891, in

Louisville, Kentucky Louisville is the List of cities in Kentucky, most populous city in the Commonwealth of Kentucky, sixth-most populous city in the Southeastern United States, Southeast, and the list of United States cities by population, 27th-most-populous city ...

and was buried in

Cave Hill National Cemetery Cave Hill Cemetery is a Victorian era National Cemetery and arboretum located at Louisville, Kentucky. Its main entrance is on Baxter Avenue and there is a secondary one on Grinstead Drive. It is the largest cemetery by area and number of buria ...

.Kentucky Death Records, 1852-1953, Jefferson County, 1891, p. 18. Cause of death is given as "gastric ulcer" for nine years.

In popular culture

Eakin is portrayed in the film '' The Conspirator'' (2010) by actor John Deifer.

Notes

References

* Eicher, John H. & David J. Eicher. ''Civil War High Commands'' (Stanford, CA: Stanford University Press), 2001. * Johnson, Rossiter (ed.). ''The Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans'' Vol. III (Boston, MA: The Biographical Society), 1904. ee p. 409.

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Ekin, James A. 1819 births 1891 deaths Union army colonels United States Army officers People of Pennsylvania in the American Civil War People associated with the assassination of Abraham Lincoln Burials at Cave Hill Cemetery Military personnel from Pittsburgh