William Googins

William Hayes Googins (August 20, 1838-May 1, 1926) is a Union veteran of the American Civil War. He was one of the people in the 27^th Maine Regiment known for their controversial Medals of Honor.

Medal of Honor

After being ordered to the rear for muster out, over 300 men of the 27^th Maine Regiment agreed to remain beyond their service time in the defenses of Washington DC during the Gettysburg Campaign. The lack of an agreeable list of those who stayed behind in Washington resulted in all members of the Regiment controversially receiving the Medal of Honor. These medals were later purged by Congress in 1917.

Biography

William Googins was born on August 20, 1838 in Old Orchard (now Old Orchard Beach, Maine. He is the seventh child and fourth son of Nathaniel Littlefield Googins (1798-1879) and Lucy Thurston (1803-1870). He spent most of his early life in Old Orchard, Maine.

William Googins enlisted into the volunteer 27^th Maine Infantry Regiment as a private in Company A, and was mustered into service on September 30, 1862. He was one of 300 or so people to remain in battle after their term expired.

After the war, William Googins married Priscilla Libby Prescott (1848-1886)- a descendant of many royal families. Their union produced six children;
*Maude Lucy (December 13, 1869-?) Maude modelled for some of Winslow Homer's paintings.
*Roswell Sumner (April 9, 1871-1966)
*Charlotte Hannah (August 29, 1873-?)
*Lawrence Melville (March 31, 1877-August 6, 1900) Died in the Boxer Rebellion
*Helen Mildred (November 11, 1878-?)
*Priscilla May (May 24, 1886-August 13, 1887)

Bibliography

Pullen, John J. "Shower of Stars"