General Abel D. Streight and the Mystifying Mist
by About Civil War General A. D Streight and an unusual occurrence at his grave site. Includes photos.
General Abel. D. Streight was a book and map publisher. He joined the Union army in 1861 as a colonel in the Fifty-first Indiana Infantry. He was captured and was a prisoner of war for 10 months at Libby Prison in Richmond. He and 107 other soldiers escaped from the barracks by digging a tunnel under the prison grounds.
His wife, Lovina, accompanied him on his campaign nursing the wounded. She was captured three times and traded twice for war prisoners.
His campaigns were disappointing because the budget didn’t allow for him to have horses so he and his troops went to war on mules. His battles were unsuccessful.He retired a brigadier general and became a senator for Indiana.
His wife had him buried on the front lawn of their home and then arranged a yearly reunion of the Fifty-first regiment. Soldiers would camp on her lawn. When she died, she was buried at Crown Hill Cemetery with full military honors. Abel Streight was exhumed from the front lawn of the family home and buried beside her.
Relatives contested her will stating she was not of sound mind and body when she signed it. “Evidence” of her lack of mental stability was her practice of picnicking at her husband’s gravesite, wearing bright clothes, and dancing with the neighborhood children. She had also embraced spiritualism and would have lengthy conversations with Abel at his gravesite. A jury agreed that she was not of sound mind, and her will stipulating that her property and possessions be used for the purpose of establishing a home for elderly women was declared invalid.
To be honest, the mysterious mists by the General’s grave have made me feel that it wasn’t the general. I can’t say why, it just felt that it might be from another source. Upon reading this information about his wife, Lovina, I feel it more likely that if the mist is to be attributed to anything or anyone in a spiritual sense, it would be her. She sounds to me like the type of personality to be hanging around in such a way.
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Post CommentJim
On April 29, 2009 at 6:32 am
A great story full of historic content and photographs – good work
Tony
On October 9, 2010 at 10:41 am
Jill that is a very interesting story. I like it. i came across this article doing research….see my great great great uncle is Abel D. Streight. my name is Tony Streight. i was just wandering if you have any other info youve found on Abel (other than accounts refering to his time in the union army) i can find everything on that but not much on him and his wife or there son John. anything you may have found with names of more family and dates i could really use. im trying to do some geneology research to find where we hail from and try and find some family that may still be out there. again thank you for any info you can give.
Tony S.
A Jill Gaebel
On October 27, 2010 at 6:58 am
Tony, I didn’t see this until today, Oct. 27. I don’t know if you will be checking back here or not and you didn’t leave me another way to get in touch with you. If you return here, check out this link. http://www.absoluteastronomy.com/topics/Abel_Streight
It may give you a little more information on where Abel Streight started out. I hope it helps. I’m glad you found my article on him and Lovina interesting. The only other thing I know is that their last home here was at near downtown East Washington St. in Indianapolis. I don’t know of it’s exact location or if it’s still standing. Thought it would be interesting to see if it’s still there. Good luck with your search. Jill