Portrait of Civil War hero a valued artifact
(Photo by Jess Mancini) William Henry Enochs’ honorable discharge medal and his photograph are shown in a case held by Brian Kesterson, a Civil War expert from Wood County. Kesterson acquired the militaria earlier this spring.
(Photo by Jess Mancini) The gutta percha case is remarkably good shape for its age, local Civil War expert Brian Kesterson said. The case contains a photo of William Henry Enochs.
(Photo by Jess Mancini) William Henry Enochs’ honorable discharge medal and his photograph are shown in a case held by Brian Kesterson, a Civil War expert from Wood County. Kesterson acquired the militaria earlier this spring.
(Photo by Jess Mancini) The gutta percha case is remarkably good shape for its age, local Civil War expert Brian Kesterson said. The case contains a photo of William Henry Enochs.
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PARKERSBURG -- Brian Kesterson about 12 years ago was touring Arlington National Cemetery and came across the tombstone of William Henry Enochs.
It caught his attention because the marker said Enochs, a Noble County native, served and commanded the 5th West Virginia Volunteer Infantry in the Civil War.
Kesterson is a Civil War re-enactor, a nationally recognized expert on the Civil War and a teacher of American and West Virginia history at Williamstown High School. Enochs' grave was interesting, but Kesterson at the time was not moved to research the man promoted to general during the war.
That changed this spring at the National Road Military Show in Zanesville, where he came upon a vendor and a box of Civil War discharge medals. He found a medal with Enochs' name and rank engraved on the rim.
"Until then, nothing really piqued my interest in Enochs," Kesterson said.
Enochs was born in 1842 in Noble County. His family moved to Ironton where they were farmers and his teachers noted what a student he was and how he easily understood his lessons. They believed Enochs would go far in life, Kesterson said.
"He was very intelligent," Kesterson said.
Enochs was a teacher for a short while, Kesterson said. War erupted in 1861 while Enochs was a student at Ohio University at Athens. A federal fife and drum corps marched into town to encourage recruits and Enochs joined the 22nd Ohio Volunteer Infantry as a private, Kesterson said.
The Ohio volunteers marched through Parkersburg, Elizabeth and into Calhoun and southern counties primarily in pursuit of the Moccasin Rangers, Kesterson said. Enochs rose to the rank of sergeant.
Discharged after 90 days, the term of his enlistment because everyone thought the war wouldn't last that long, Enochs wanted to re-enlist, but no slots were available in the federal army until December 1861 when Enochs joined the 5th Loyal Virgina Infantry (U.S.), which became the 5th West Virginia Infantry, and was engaged in numerous major battles including the Second Battle of Bull Run and in the Shenandoah Valley, Kesterson said. The 5th and 9th West Virginia Infantry units were consolidated in 1864 into the 1st Veteran West Virginia Infantry, he said.
"He saw a lot of action," Kesterson said.
Enochs rose in the ranks to colonel in December 1864, succeeding Col. Hiram DeVol of Washington County when he was promoted to general, Kesterson said. Enochs was breveted to general in March 1865.
Enochs dreamed of becoming a lawyer and in his spare time during the war studied law, Kesterson said.
"If you can imagine he had the spare time to study," he said.
After leaving the army, he attended law school in 1866 and received a degree, Kesterson said. He practiced law in Wayne County, West Virginia, before returning home to Ironton, Kesterson said.
Enochs' career included serving in the Ohio Legislature starting in 1870, Kesterson said. He was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1890 and served until his death in 1893.
He was highly regarded as an attorney and was known as a decent and honorable man who helped those without the resources to help themselves, Kesterson said. Enochs was a lifelong Republican and supporter of the Grand Army of the Republic, Kesterson said.
Enochs throughout his life believed in duty above everything else and he served America first, Kesterson said.
"I wish more people were like that these days," Kesterson said.
On eBay, Kesterson found an oil painting of Enochs and a gutta percha case with Enochs' photo. The portrait with original frame and the case were in excellent condition, he said.
Kesterson debated over and over with himself about buying the painting. After a while, he made an offer and the seller jumped on it.
"I was very fortunate to get it," Kesterson said.
The painting was by Enoch Wood Perry, 1831-1915, a renowned artist in the time period whose work was in major galleries, Kesterson said. Perry presented the portrait to Enochs' widow in 1893, the year of Enochs' death, Kesterson said.
Enochs' painting was acquired from the estate in the 1930s and it remained in the buyer's possession for many years, Kesterson said.
Kesterson has the portrait with the original gilded frame hanging in a niche in his home where rooms are named after Civil War figures and other eras in history. The portrait and other documents he acquired will be in a book he is writing.
"Something kept nagging me that I better buy the painting," Kesterson said. "I'm glad I did."
Jess Mancini can be reached at jmancini@newsandsentinel.com