Civil War soldier, furnace laborer, and long-term resident of Lawrence County, Ohio
Isaac Heading (c. 1817–1900) was a Union soldier, furnace laborer, and long-term resident of Lawrence County, Ohio. His life is documented through military records, census data, and pension files that together trace his service, family, and community over time.
Overview
Life and Historical Context of Isaac Heading
This site uses a document-card structure so every major claim can be tied to a specific source card. At present, the strongest combined evidence places Isaac Heading, also seen as Hedding in some records, in Company A of the 1st Ohio Heavy Artillery, with service beginning in 1862, discharge in 1865, and residence in Washington Township, Lawrence County, Ohio, in June 1890, while some records preserve conflicting artillery designations.1890 Veterans ScheduleOhio Roster
Why this site matters
Isaac Heading is important as a Civil War veteran, furnace worker, and long-term resident of Lawrence County, whose family records also document his daughter Lucinda’s later marriage to Hamilton McGarvey. That places Isaac within a broader family network shaped by Union military service and postwar life in Lawrence County, while still preserving his biography as a documented story in its own right.1890 Veterans Schedule1898 Pension
Working name forms
The record trail currently supports the name form Isaac Heading, though some searches may need to include Heading and Hedding as alternate spellings. This is common in nineteenth-century records and should remain part of all future research on the family.
Biographical Narrative
Life of Isaac Heading
The life of Isaac Heading can be reconstructed through census records, military documents, pension files, and county records that together trace his movements, family structure, and occupation across southern Ohio during the nineteenth century.
Isaac Heading was born about 1817, though the documentary record preserves conflicting evidence regarding his birthplace. Early census records suggest Pennsylvania, while later records identify Ohio, and a Civil War draft registration records Kentucky, reflecting the fluid and sometimes inconsistent nature of nineteenth-century reporting.1850 Census1863 Draft Registration
By 1840, Isaac appears in Lawrence County, Ohio, newly married and establishing an independent household. The timing and location align with a marriage recorded in Scioto County on January 19, 1840, marking the beginning of a long-term family partnership that continued for the rest of his life.1840 CensusMarriage Record
Through the 1850 and 1860 census records, Isaac is consistently documented in Lawrence County, working as a laborer and living with his wife and children. These records establish both continuity of residence and the early structure of his household prior to the Civil War.1850 Census1860 Census
This continuity was interrupted by the Civil War, when Isaac entered Union service in 1862.
During the Civil War, Isaac entered Union service in 1862 and served through 1865. His own pension declaration provides a rare first-person account of the physical demands of that service and the lasting impact it had on his health.
“While crossing Cumberland Mountain… [I] received a rupture… caused by hard marching and heavy lifting on the march from Chattanooga to Knoxville.”
He further stated that he later “contracted chronic diarrhea” while stationed at Knoxville, Tennessee, conditions that he reported continued to affect him after the war and limited his ability to perform manual labor.1877 Pension Declaration
These statements provide direct evidence of the physical strain experienced during service and its lasting effects after the war.
After the war, Isaac returned to Lawrence County and resumed work connected to the iron industry, appearing in records as a laborer and later as a collier. The 1880 census confirms his continued residence in Washington Township, reflecting long-term stability within the same regional community.1880 Census
By 1890, Isaac was recorded in the Veterans Schedule as a Union veteran residing in Washington Township. This record confirms both his service and his continued presence in the same locality decades after the war.1890 Veterans Schedule
Isaac Heading died on March 27, 1900, in Lawrence County, Ohio. A county burial record documents his death, occupation, and status as an indigent veteran, indicating that his family lacked the means to pay for funeral expenses.Burial Record
Conclusion: The record presents a consistent life trajectory rooted in Lawrence County, Ohio, shaped by labor in the iron industry, Civil War service, and long-term family continuity, with only limited but explainable conflicts in birthplace and naming.
Military Service
Union Service in the 1st Ohio Heavy Artillery
Isaac Heading served as a Union soldier in Company A of the 1st Ohio Heavy Artillery from 1862 to 1865. His service reflects the transition of his regiment from infantry to heavy artillery and its role in guarding railroads, constructing fortifications, and maintaining Union control across Kentucky and Tennessee.
This section brings together narrative history, unit context, timeline reconstruction, and source analysis to present the most complete interpretation of Isaac Heading’s military service based on the surviving record.
Military Service
Union service in the 1st Ohio Heavy Artillery
Isaac Heading served as a Union soldier during the Civil War, with the strongest combined evidence placing him in Company A of the 1st Ohio Heavy Artillery. His service reflects both the administrative structure of Union regiments and the operational demands of maintaining control across Kentucky and Tennessee.
Service timeline
Sept 1862: Organized as 117th Ohio Infantry at Portsmouth, Ohio
1862–1863: Fortification construction at Covington and Newport, Kentucky
Aug 1863: Reorganized as 1st Ohio Heavy Artillery
1863–1864: Guard duty across Kentucky (Paris, Lexington, Camp Nelson)
Feb–Mar 1864: March over the mountains to Knoxville, Tennessee
1864: Railroad guard duty and defense operations in Tennessee
Summer 1864: Actions at Athens, Sweetwater, Strawberry Plains, and pursuit operations into North Carolina
Fall 1864: Gillem’s Expedition into southwestern Virginia
Winter 1864–65: Foraging expeditions in eastern Tennessee and North Carolina
1865: Participation in Stoneman’s Campaign and final duty in East Tennessee
Unit designation
Company A, 1st Ohio Heavy Artillery
Earlier: 117th Ohio Volunteer Infantry
Rank: Private
Service type: Infrastructure defense and field operations
Command structure:
Colonel: Chauncey D. Hawley
Lt. Colonel: Fordyce M. Keith
Majors: William G. Dickson Robert W. Caldwell Timothy S. Matthews Henry L. Barnes
As a private in Company A, Isaac Heading served within this established command structure, under officers such as Colonel Chauncey D. Hawley and Major Robert W. Caldwell, whose leadership shaped the regiment’s operations and the daily experiences of its soldiers.
The regiment originated as the 117th Ohio Volunteer Infantry in 1862 and was reorganized into heavy artillery in 1863. This transition expanded its size and shifted its mission toward fortification construction, garrison duty, and the protection of critical infrastructure such as railroads and supply lines.NPS Unit History
Following reorganization, the unit constructed defensive works in northern Kentucky before being dispersed across multiple locations for guard duty. These assignments placed soldiers in a continuous cycle of movement, security operations, and labor supporting Union control of the region.
In early 1864, the regiment undertook a demanding march over mountainous terrain to Knoxville, Tennessee, followed by extended service guarding railroads and participating in expeditions across Tennessee, Virginia, and North Carolina. These operations formed a critical part of Union logistical and regional strategy.NPS Unit History
Isaac’s service record reflects the regiment’s reorganization in 1863 rather than separate enlistments. A transfer recorded on August 12, 1863 marks the formal transition of the regiment into heavy artillery service.Unit Analysis
His 1877 pension declaration provides direct insight into the physical demands of this service. He reported suffering a serious injury during a march through mountainous terrain and later experiencing chronic illness while stationed at Knoxville, Tennessee.1877 Pension
“Not treated in hospital… I received a rupture in the groin from hard marching and heavy lifting.”
The regiment suffered relatively few combat deaths but was heavily affected by disease, losing 171 men during its service. This reflects the broader Civil War pattern in which illness and exposure posed a greater threat than battlefield engagement.Unit History
Conclusion: Isaac Heading’s military service represents a continuous and physically demanding role centered on infrastructure protection, movement, and regional control. His experience reflects the essential but often overlooked contribution of heavy artillery units to Union success.
Interpreting the Regiment and Its Service
Military Unit Analysis
Unit Reorganization: 117th Ohio Infantry to 1st Ohio Heavy Artillery
Fold3 preserves Isaac Heading’s service under two related Union unit designations: the 117th Ohio Volunteer Infantry, Company A and the 1st Ohio Volunteer Heavy Artillery, Battery A.Fold3 Record Rather than indicating separate individuals or enlistments, these records reflect a single continuous period of service during a regimental reorganization.
Earlier designation
Regiment: Ohio 117th Volunteer Infantry (Union)
Company: Company A
Enlistment: September 15, 1862, Ohio
Discharge from infantry designation: August 12, 1863
Status: Transferred
Later designation
Regiment: Ohio 1st Volunteer Heavy Artillery (Union)
Battery: Battery A
Enlistment date shown: July 28, 1862, Ohio
Mustered in as heavy artillery: August 12, 1863
Final discharge: June 20, 1865, Knoxville, Tennessee
The key date linking these two designations is August 12, 1863. On that date, Fold3 records Isaac as discharged from the 117th Ohio Volunteer Infantry with the notation Transferred, and simultaneously records him as mustered into the 1st Ohio Volunteer Heavy Artillery. This supports a unit conversion rather than a break in service.
In practical terms, Isaac entered service under the infantry designation and continued in the same military body after it was reorganized as heavy artillery, explaining why his record appears under both titles.
117th Infantry enlistment: Sept. 15, 1862
Infantry transfer date: Aug. 12, 1863
Heavy Artillery muster: Aug. 12, 1863
Final discharge: June 20, 1865
Place of final discharge: Knoxville, Tennessee
Name variants preserved: Heading, Heddings, Headdings, Headings, Heddling, Hedding
Conclusion: Fold3’s listing of Isaac Heading under both the 117th Ohio Volunteer Infantry and the 1st Ohio Volunteer Heavy Artillery reflects unit reorganization within a single continuous military career, not separate individuals or enlistments.
Military Context
Service History of the 1st Ohio Heavy Artillery
The 1st Ohio Heavy Artillery served in the Union Army from 1863 to 1865, originating as the 117th Ohio Volunteer Infantry organized in September 1862 at Portsmouth, Ohio. The regiment was initially deployed to Kentucky, where it performed guard duty and operations against guerrilla forces rather than participating in large-scale engagements.NPS Unit History
In May 1863, the War Department ordered the regiment’s reorganization into heavy artillery, expanding its size and shifting its role toward garrison duty and infrastructure defense. By August 12, 1863, the regiment had been fully reorganized as the 1st Ohio Heavy Artillery, with companies assigned across Kentucky.Hayes Collection
Much of the regiment’s service centered on defensive and support operations. It constructed fortifications around Covington and Newport, Kentucky, and was deployed across the region to guard railroads, supply lines, and key transportation routes.NPS Unit History
In early 1864, the regiment marched into East Tennessee and was stationed in Knoxville, where its companies were dispersed to protect railroads and conduct regional operations. Throughout the remainder of the war, the unit remained engaged in security and expeditionary duties across Tennessee, Virginia, and North Carolina.NPS Unit History
Although the regiment did not participate in major battlefield engagements, it played a sustained role in maintaining Union control through a series of regional operations, including:
Construction of fortifications and defense of Kentucky (1863)
Railroad protection during Confederate cavalry activity in Tennessee (1864)
Operations in East Tennessee and North Carolina
Participation in expeditions such as Gillem’s operations and Stoneman’s campaign (1864–1865)
These duties reflect the typical function of heavy artillery units in the western theater, which often operated as dispersed defensive forces rather than concentrated artillery batteries.
The regiment continued this pattern of service through the final campaigns of the war and was mustered out in July 1865 at Knoxville, Tennessee.NPS Unit History
Conclusion: The 1st Ohio Heavy Artillery contributed to Union success through sustained defensive operations, infrastructure protection, and regional campaigns rather than large-scale battlefield engagements.
Family History
Family Structure and Household Continuity
After his military service, Isaac returned to Lawrence County, Ohio, where records document a stable household centered on him and his wife Lydia.
Marriage and identity of Lydia
Isaac Heading was married to Lydia, though the documentary record preserves variation in how her name was recorded. A Scioto County marriage entry dated January 19, 1840 names the bride as Julia Graham, while Isaac later identified his wife as Lydia in his pension records. These sources agree on the same date and location, strongly supporting a single marriage rather than separate unions.Marriage Record1898 Pension
Lydia’s 1916 death certificate provides critical corroboration, identifying her father as Samuel Graham and her mother as Rebecca Brooks. This confirms the Graham family connection and supports the conclusion that Lydia and Julia represent the same individual recorded under variant names.Death Certificate
Taken together, the evidence supports a single, long-term marriage between Isaac and Lydia, with differences in naming reflecting inconsistencies in nineteenth-century recordkeeping rather than multiple spouses.Marriage Analysis
Children and household continuity
The family structure is documented through both census records and Isaac’s own testimony. By 1860, the household in Washington Township included Isaac, Lydia, and their children, establishing the family prior to the Civil War.1860 Census
Later pension records provide direct confirmation in Isaac’s own words. When asked to identify his living children, he listed them by name, including his daughter Lucinda McGarvey, demonstrating both the continuity of the family and the use of married surnames in later life.Pension Questionnaire
“William Heading… Lucinda McGarvey… Nancy… John… Ed Heading… Mary…”
Correlating this testimony with census and burial records produces the following documented children:
William Heading (born December 24, 1848)
Find a Grave
Lucinda Heading (McGarvey) (born March 2, 1850)
Find a Grave
Nancy Heading (Vickers) (born September 12, 1848)
Find a Grave
Mary Heading (Alban) (born May 31, 1869)
Find a Grave
The close agreement between Isaac’s testimony, census records, and later burial documentation demonstrates a single, continuous household. Minor variations in reported birth dates are typical of nineteenth-century records and do not affect the identification of these individuals as members of the same family.
Connection to the McGarvey family
The marriage of Lucinda Heading to Hamilton McGarvey connects the Heading family to another established household in the region. This relationship is supported by both family records and the 1890 Veterans Schedule, which places both men in Washington Township during the same period.1890 Veterans Schedule
Lydia’s final years
Lydia survived Isaac by nearly sixteen years and died on January 28, 1916, in Scioto County, Ohio. Her death certificate records her as a widow and confirms her burial in South Webster Cemetery, while preserving her parental identification.Death CertificateFind a Grave
Conclusion: The combined evidence supports a single, continuous family centered on Isaac and Lydia, with children documented through both census records and Isaac’s own testimony. The agreement across independent sources demonstrates long-term household stability and reinforces the continuity of identity established in the broader documentary record.
Occupational Context
Work and Industrial Labor in Southern Ohio
After the war, Isaac returned to civilian life shaped by the same physical labor that defined his earlier years. His life was closely tied to the charcoal iron economy of southern Ohio. Across census, pension, and secondary sources, he appears as a laborer, farmer, collier, and furnace-associated worker.
Types of work
Farmer in mid-century census records
Laborer in early and burial records
Collier, meaning charcoal maker for furnace fuel
Ore setter or furnace worker in regional industrial context
Furnace communities
Isaac’s life intersected with Olive Furnace and the wider iron furnace belt of Lawrence County and nearby communities. These settlements depended on physically demanding labor tied to timber cutting, charcoal making, ore handling, transport, and furnace maintenance.
Charcoal production was exhausting work. Colliers built and managed slow-burning charcoal pits that supplied the furnaces, while associated laborers moved timber, ore, and iron through a difficult industrial landscape. Isaac’s pension statement about heavy exertion and later chronic illness fits this occupational world.1877 Pension
His occupational path also helps explain the instability visible at the end of his life. The same labor-intensive economy that shaped his working years likely contributed to declining health and the financial hardship noted in the 1900 burial record.Burial RecordWikiTree
Conclusion: Isaac Heading’s occupational history places him firmly within the charcoal iron world of southern Ohio. His labor, movement through furnace communities, and end-of-life circumstances make more sense when viewed through that industrial setting.
Final Years
Death and Burial
The final stage of Isaac Heading’s life is documented through burial records, pension continuation, and cemetery references. Together, these sources confirm his death in 1900, his status as a Union veteran, and his burial in the Olive Furnace community of Lawrence County, Ohio.
Death and indigent burial record
Isaac Heading died on March 27, 1900 in Washington Township, Lawrence County, Ohio. His burial was handled under Ohio’s provisions for indigent Union veterans, indicating that his family could not cover funeral expenses at the time of his death.Burial Record
The county report identifies him as an honorably discharged Union veteran and records expenses for the coffin, robe, hauling, transportation, and cemetery burial.Burial Record
Burial at Olive Furnace Cemetery
Isaac was buried in Olive Furnace Cemetery, a burial ground tied to the old furnace communities of Lawrence County. The burial document provides the strongest direct proof of this location.Burial Record
The Find a Grave memorial offers a useful public-facing cemetery reference, but it is treated here as supplementary evidence rather than primary proof.Find a Grave
Isaac’s death also connects directly to Lydia’s later widow pension record, which confirms the continuation of the federal pension system after his death and helps complete the family’s end-of-life paper trail.Widow Pension
Conclusion: The burial record, widow pension, and cemetery references complete the final chapter of Isaac Heading’s life and anchor his memory in the Olive Furnace landscape.
Document Analysis
Evaluation of Evidence
Identity, continuity, and resolution of conflicting evidence
This section evaluates the documentary record to determine whether all records refer to a single individual and to resolve variations in name, birthplace, and family identity.
Census records from 1840 through 1880 establish a continuous presence for Isaac Heading in Lawrence County, Ohio. Across these decades, the same individual appears with consistent household structure, occupation, and family relationships, providing a stable framework for identification.1840 Census1880 Census
Military records align with this continuity, documenting a single period of Union service during the Civil War. Regimental records place Isaac within the reorganization of the 117th Ohio Volunteer Infantry into the 1st Ohio Heavy Artillery, reflecting a continuous service record within one evolving unit.Unit AnalysisUnit History
Variations in reported birthplace appear in the record, including Kentucky, Pennsylvania, and Ohio. The 1863 draft registration places Isaac in Decatur Township during the war and records Kentucky as his birthplace, while other records differ.1863 Draft Registration These discrepancies are consistent with common nineteenth-century reporting variation and do not conflict with the otherwise stable identity established across census and family records.
Family relationships provide additional confirmation. Census records document a consistent household including Lydia and their children, while Isaac’s 1898 pension questionnaire names his daughter Lucinda McGarvey, directly linking the family across independent records.1860 Census1898 Pension
The most significant variation concerns the identity of Isaac’s wife. Early marriage records name the bride as Julia Graham, while later records consistently identify her as Lydia. A compiled marriage record identifies the bride as Lydia (Julia) Graham, and Lydia’s 1916 death certificate confirms her father as Samuel Graham.Marriage CompilationDeath Certificate Together, these sources resolve the variation and support the conclusion that Lydia and Julia refer to the same individual.
No evidence supports the existence of multiple individuals, separate marriages, or distinct family units. Instead, the record demonstrates a consistent identity supported by overlapping and mutually reinforcing sources.
Conclusion: The combined evidence establishes a single individual, Isaac Heading of Lawrence County, Ohio, whose life is documented across census, military, and family records. Variations in name and birthplace reflect normal inconsistencies in historical documentation rather than separate identities, providing a clear evidentiary foundation for the formal proof summary that follows.
Although the overall record is consistent, the identification of Isaac’s wife presents the most complex point of variation. The following section evaluates this evidence in detail and resolves the apparent discrepancy.
Document Analysis
Evaluation of Evidence
Marriage Identity Resolution: Lydia and the Graham Record
The identification of Isaac Heading’s wife presents the most significant variation in the documentary record. Early records name the bride as Julia Graham, while later records consistently identify her as Lydia. The evidence must therefore determine whether these names refer to one individual or to separate marriages.
A Scioto County marriage entry dated January 19, 1840 records the couple as Isaac Hedding and Julia Graham, establishing the date and location of the marriage.Marriage Record Isaac later identified his wife as Lydia in his 1898 pension questionnaire, confirming a long-term spouse under that name.1898 Pension
A compiled marriage record resolves this variation by identifying the bride as Lydia (Julia) Graham and naming her parents as Samuel and Elizabeth Graham. This record directly links the two given names to a single individual rather than separate persons.Compiled Marriage Record
Independent confirmation appears in Lydia’s 1916 death certificate, which identifies her father as Samuel Graham and her mother as Rebecca Brooks. This evidence corroborates the Graham family connection and aligns with the earlier marriage record.Death Certificate
Supporting evidence
Marriage record (Jan. 19, 1840, Scioto County)
Compiled record linking Lydia and Julia
Death certificate confirming Graham parentage
Continuous census record showing a single spouse, Lydia
Explained variation
Alternate given names (Lydia / Julia)
Variation in later-life reporting
Clerical or transcription inconsistencies
All available records point to a single marriage event in 1840 and a single long-term spouse appearing consistently in census, pension, and death records. No evidence supports the existence of a second marriage.
Conclusion: Isaac Heading had one wife, Lydia, whose name appears in records as Lydia and Julia. The combined evidence identifies her as Lydia Graham, daughter of Samuel Graham, and resolves the variation as a matter of naming rather than multiple identities.
Genealogical Proof
Proof of Identity
The identity of Isaac Heading and his wife Lydia is established through a body of direct and indirect evidence drawn from census records, military documents, marriage records, and pension files. Variations in naming and reported birthplace are present but are consistent with nineteenth-century recordkeeping and do not indicate multiple individuals.
1. Reasonably exhaustive research
This analysis incorporates federal census records (1840–1880), Civil War service and draft records, pension files, county marriage records, burial records, and death certificates, providing a broad and sufficient evidentiary base.1850 CensusPension
2. Complete and accurate source citations
All sources are documented and organized by type, distinguishing between original records, compiled sources, and derivative databases.
3. Analysis and correlation
Census records establish a consistent household over time, while pension records confirm family relationships. Marriage records and Lydia’s death certificate independently identify the Graham family, allowing the reconciliation of the Lydia/Julia naming variation.Marriage CompilationDeath Certificate
4. Resolution of conflicting evidence
Variations in naming (Lydia vs. Julia) and birthplace (Pennsylvania, Ohio, Kentucky) are explained by common inconsistencies in historical reporting, including alternate given names, transcription differences, and later-life recollection. These differences do not conflict with the overall identification of a single individual and a single spouse.
5. Soundly reasoned conclusion
The combined evidence demonstrates that Isaac Heading of Lawrence County, Ohio, Civil War soldier and laborer, is the same individual across all records. He was married once, to Lydia, whose maiden name is best supported as Graham, and together they maintained a continuous household documented across census and pension records.
Final Conclusion: The identity of Isaac Heading and Lydia Graham is established through converging documentary evidence, with all apparent conflicts resolved through standard genealogical analysis.
Document Archive
Primary Sources and Supporting Records
These document cards collect the key records used throughout the site. Use the buttons below to filter by topic or sort the records by year.
National Park Service Unit History
Government Record
National Park Service, 1st Regiment, Ohio Heavy Artillery
This National Park Service unit history provides a detailed federal summary of the organization, assignments, and movements of the 1st Ohio Heavy Artillery, including its origin as the 117th Ohio Infantry and its later reorganization into heavy artillery.
The record documents the regiment’s service across Kentucky and Tennessee, including fortification construction, railroad defense, mountain marches to Knoxville, and participation in operations such as Gillem’s Expedition and Stoneman’s Campaign.
Letters of Captain Robert H. Caldwell, 21st Ohio Volunteer Infantry
This collection of Civil War letters written by Captain Robert H. Caldwell provides firsthand insight into the daily experiences of Ohio soldiers in the field. Caldwell later served as an officer associated with Ohio artillery units, offering valuable contextual evidence for the conditions faced by men like Isaac Heading during their service.
The letters describe extended marches, difficult terrain, supply challenges, and the physical exhaustion of soldiers operating in Kentucky and Tennessee. These accounts closely align with Isaac’s own pension statement describing injury during heavy marching in mountainous conditions.
This regimental history, published in The Union Army (1908), provides a detailed narrative of the organization, movements, and service of the 1st Ohio Heavy Artillery. It traces the regiment from its formation as the 117th Ohio Infantry through its reorganization and later operations across Kentucky, Tennessee, Virginia, and North Carolina.
The account includes key details such as the regiment’s expansion to 1,839 men, construction of fortifications at Covington and Newport, and its winter march through snow and extreme cold over the mountains to Knoxville. It also documents participation in campaigns, foraging expeditions, and operations against guerrilla forces.
This compiled roster provides a structured listing of officers and enlisted men of the 1st Ohio Heavy Artillery, organized by field staff and company designations. The site draws on 19th-century adjutant general reports, the Official Records, and published regimental histories to reconstruct unit membership and leadership.
While some company records are incomplete, the roster is valuable for identifying officers such as Major Robert W. Caldwell and for confirming the regiment’s reorganization from the 117th Ohio Infantry into heavy artillery service in 1863.
Type: Compiled roster database
Focus: Personnel and unit structure
Coverage: Civil War service period
Research use: Officer identification and unit verification
Rutherford B. Hayes Presidential Library, 1st Ohio Heavy Artillery
This Hayes Presidential Library collection provides regimental context for the 1st Ohio Heavy Artillery, including information on organization, early service, and the regiment’s broader role in Union military operations. It is valuable as a contextual source for interpreting the unit’s history beyond Isaac Heading’s individual record.
1st Ohio Heavy Artillery Regiment – Operational History
This compiled regimental history provides a detailed account of the movements and assignments of the 1st Ohio Heavy Artillery, including fortification construction, railroad guard duty, mountain marches, and participation in late-war campaigns across Kentucky, Tennessee, Virginia, and North Carolina.
The source is particularly valuable for reconstructing the regiment’s day-to-day operational role, including extended guard duty assignments, expeditions, and campaigns such as Gillem’s Expedition and Stoneman’s Campaign.
This Fold3 record preserves Isaac Heading’s Civil War service under both the 117th Ohio Volunteer Infantry and the 1st Ohio Heavy Artillery. The record documents enlistment, transfer, and discharge details, including the key reorganization date of August 12, 1863.
It also preserves multiple name variations, reflecting inconsistencies common in nineteenth-century military records and providing additional evidence linking these entries to a single individual.
Type: Military service record (compiled database)
Focus: Enlistment, transfer, discharge
Coverage: Civil War (1862–1865)
Research use: Unit identification and service continuity
Conflicting 1840 Marriage Entry, Scioto County, Ohio
This 1840 marriage entry is an important but disputed document. It appears to associate Isaac Heading with Julia Graham in Scioto County on January 19, 1840. However, Isaac later stated in his 1898 pension questionnaire that he married Lydia on that same date and in that same county.
Interpretation: This record should not be presented as settled proof of a separate long-term marriage. At present, it is best treated as conflicting evidence to be weighed against Isaac’s later first-person pension testimony naming Lydia.
Compiled Marriage Record
Marriage Records of Scioto County, Ohio (Published Compilation)
This published compilation records the marriage of Isaac Hedding and Lydia (Julia) Graham on January 19, 1840 in Scioto County, Ohio. The entry includes parental information identifying Lydia as the daughter of Samuel and Elizabeth Graham, preserving key family relationships not consistently present in all original records.
Interpretation: This compiled source is especially valuable because it preserves parental names and attempts to reconcile naming variation by recording Lydia as “Lydia (Julia) Graham.” As a derivative work, it should be used alongside original records, but it strongly supports a connection between Lydia and the Graham family.
Federal Census
1840 U.S. Census, Lawrence County, Ohio
The 1840 census places Isaac Headding as a head of household in Lawrence County and provides the earliest known residence anchor.
Filed in April 1900, this county document reports Isaac’s death on March 27, 1900, confirms his status as an honorably discharged Union veteran, and records burial at Olive Furnace Cemetery.
Death Certificate of Lydia Hedding, Scioto County, Ohio
This 1916 death certificate records Lydia Hedding as a widowed woman born on December 27, 1823, in Ohio, and deceased on January 28, 1916 in Bloom Township, Scioto County, Ohio. Most importantly, it identifies her father as Samuel Graham and her mother as Rebecca Brooks, adding strong late-life evidence that Lydia’s family line was associated with the surname Graham.
Interpretation: This record materially strengthens the case that Lydia’s family was tied to the surname Graham, and it should now be weighed alongside the 1840 marriage entry and the later pension record that has been interpreted as preserving Hogan.
Find a Grave Lydia Julia Heading
Cemetery Record
Find a Grave Memorial, Lydia Julia Heading
This Find a Grave memorial provides a public-facing cemetery reference for Lydia Julia Heading, including burial location and memorial details. It is useful as a supporting cemetery reference, but should be read as a derivative source and weighed alongside the 1916 death certificate and widow pension records.
This 1863 Civil War draft registration records Isaac Heading as a white male, age 44, residing in Decatur Township, Lawrence County, Ohio, with a reported birthplace of Kentucky. It provides an important wartime identity record and adds another significant data point to the question of Isaac’s birthplace.
Name: Isaac Heading
Date: July 1, 1863
Age: 44
Race: White
Birthplace: Kentucky
Residence: Decatur Township, Lawrence County, Ohio
Interpretation: This is a strong wartime identity record. It reinforces Isaac’s presence in Lawrence County in 1863 and adds meaningful evidence that his birthplace may have been reported as Kentucky, even though other records give different states.
Pension File
Declaration for Original Invalid Pension, Isaac Heading
Sworn on October 23, 1877, this declaration gives Isaac’s first-person account of service, illness, physical description, and postwar residence.
Date: Oct. 23, 1877
Residence: Elizabeth Township
Unit as written: Co. A, 1st Ohio Light Artillery
Research use: Direct testimony
Occupation: Making Charcoal
Injuries: Ruptured right groin and chronic diarrhea”
Ancestry.com. U.S., Civil War Draft Registrations Records, 1863–1865 [database on-line]. Lehi, UT: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010. Original data: Consolidated Lists of Civil War Draft Registrations, 1863–1865. NM-65, entry 172, 620 volumes. NAID 4213514. Records of the Provost Marshal General’s Bureau (Civil War), Record Group 110. The National Archives in Washington, D.C. Entry for Isaac Heading, Decatur Township, Lawrence County, Ohio, July 1, 1863. (Primary, draft registration record)
Lawrence County, Ohio. Indigent soldier burial record for Isaac Heading, filed April 16, 1900.
National Park Service. “1st Regiment, Ohio Heavy Artillery.” Civil War Soldiers and Sailors System. Accessed 2026. https://www.nps.gov/civilwar/search-battle-units-detail.htm?battleUnitCode=UOH0001RAH.
Ohio. Adjutant General’s Office. Official Roster of the Soldiers of the State of Ohio in the War of the Rebellion, 1861–1866. Vol. X. Cincinnati: The Ohio Valley Company, 1889. Entry for Isaac Hedding, p. 262.
Ohio Death Certificate, Lydia Hedding, Bloom Township, Scioto County, Ohio, January 28, 1916. Recording father as Samuel Graham and mother as Rebecca Brooks. (Primary)
Rutherford B. Hayes Presidential Library & Museums. “Civil War Letters of Robert H. Caldwell, 21st Ohio Volunteer Infantry.” Accessed 2026. https://www.rbhayes.org/collection-items/local-history-collections/caldwell-robert-h-21st-ovi-civil-war-letters/. (Primary manuscript collection)
Scioto County, Ohio. Marriage Records, 1840. Entry associated with Isaac Heading, recording a spouse name as Julia Graham, January 19, 1840. Scioto County, Ohio.
United States. Census Office. Sixth Census of the United States, 1840. Lawrence County, Ohio. Entry for Isaac Headding.
United States. Census Office. Seventh Census of the United States, 1850. Decatur Township, Lawrence County, Ohio. Entry for Isaac Hedding.
United States. Census Office. Eighth Census of the United States, 1860. Washington Township, Lawrence County, Ohio. Entry for Isaac Hedding household.
United States. Census Office. Tenth Census of the United States, 1880. Washington Township, Lawrence County, Ohio. Entry for Isaac Heading household.
United States. Census Office. Eleventh Census of the United States, 1890. Special Schedule of Surviving Soldiers, Sailors, and Marines. Washington Township, Lawrence County, Ohio. Entries for Isaac Heading and Hamilton McGarvey.
United States. Bureau of Pensions. Declaration for Original Invalid Pension, Isaac Heading, Lawrence County, Ohio, October 23, 1877.
United States. Bureau of Pensions. Army widow pension card for Lydia Heading, certificate dated August 28, 1901.
United States. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Pensions. Pension questionnaire for Isaac Heading, January 15, 1898.
United States War Department. General index card for Isaac Heading or Hedding, Ohio volunteer artillery service card, late nineteenth or early twentieth century.
Secondary Sources
Civil War Index. “1st Ohio Heavy Artillery Soldier Roster in the American Civil War.” Accessed 2026. https://civilwarindex.com/1st-ohio-heavy-artillery.html. (Derivative)
Federal Publishing Company. The Union Army: A History of Military Affairs in the Loyal States, 1861–65. Vol. 2. Madison, WI: Federal Publishing Company, 1908. Regimental history of the 1st Ohio Heavy Artillery. (Secondary)
Rutherford B. Hayes Presidential Library & Museums. “Civil War: 1st Ohio Heavy Volunteer Artillery.” Accessed 2026. https://www.rbhayes.org/collection-items/miscellaneous-manuscripts/civil-war-1st-ohio-heavy-volunteer-heavy-artillery/.
Shoemaker, Caryn R. F., and Betty J. Sisler Rudity, comps. Marriage Records of Scioto County, Ohio, 1803–1860. 1987. Reprint, Baltimore, MD: Genealogical Publishing Co., 2003. Database: Ancestry.com, “Scioto County, Ohio, U.S., Marriage Records, 1803–1860,” accessed 2026. Entry for Isaac Hedding and Lydia (Julia) Graham, January 19, 1840. (Derivative compiled source)
Wikipedia contributors. “1st Ohio Heavy Artillery Regiment.” Wikipedia. Last modified 2026. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1st_Ohio_Heavy_Artillery_Regiment. (Derivative)
Derivative Sources
Find a Grave. “Mary Ann Alban.” Memorial 115991523. Accessed 2026. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/115991523/mary-ann-alban. (Derivative)
Find a Grave. “Edward Heading.” Memorial 140888537. Accessed 2026. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/140888537/edward-heading. (Derivative)
Find a Grave. “Isaac Heading.” Memorial 193287517. Accessed 2026. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/193287517/isaac-heading.
Find a Grave. “John Heading.” Memorial 140891030. Accessed 2026. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/140891030/john-heading. (Derivative)
Find a Grave. “Lydia Julia Heading.” Memorial 254009072. Accessed 2026. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/254009072/lydia-julia-heading. (Derivative)
Find a Grave. “Lucinda McGarvey.” Memorial 269443966. Accessed 2026. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/269443966/lucinda-mcgarvey. (Derivative)
Find a Grave. “Nancy Jane Vickers.” Memorial 167880204. Accessed 2026. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/167880204/nancy_jane-vickers. (Derivative)
Find a Grave. “William Heading.” Memorial 129688747. Accessed 2026. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/129688747/william-heading. (Derivative)
Fold3. “Isaac Heading, Civil War Stories.” Accessed 2026. https://www.fold3.com/memorial/662131154/isaac-heading-civil-war-stories.
WikiTree. “Isaac Heading (Heading-90).” Accessed April 2026. https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Heading-90.
Source Reliability Framework: Primary sources, especially census, pension, burial, and county records, form the foundation of this study. Secondary sources provide contextual interpretation. Derivative sources provide leads and public access points but are not treated as standalone proof.
