The students of the Radical University: Horatio L. Fillebrown

Horatio Ladd Fillebrown (b. May, 1859; d. March 28, 1926)

Maine.  White.

Occupation: electrician, manager, typewriter dealer, 

Father's occupation: trader

Horatio Fillebrown was born in Maine around 1859 to James S. and Anna L. Fillebrown. In 1850, James and Anna were living in Readfield, ME and James was working as a trader. By 1860, they had moved to Auburn, ME and Fillebrown was working as a hardware dealer.

The father James served in the Union Army during the Civil War. He enlisted in the U.S. Army on May 3, 1861. He began as a lst Lieutenant and Adjutant in the 1st Maine Infantry Regiment. The 1st Maine was reorganized into the 10th Maine Infantry Regiment, and James was made Lieutenant Colonel of the new regiment on October 4, 1861.

James was at both the Battle of Winchester and the Battle of Antietam. He was wounded twice. The first time was while on reconnaissance in the Luray Valley in Virginia. Another soldier's pistol accidently discharged, and the pistol ball struck James in the leg. The second time was at Antietam. Towards the start of the battle, the commanding Colonel's horse was shot by a Confederate sharpshooter. Upon being shot, the horse bolted and ran James over. He was disabled for several days. 

After the Civil War, James and his family moved to South Carolia. By 1870, the family was living in Darlington County and James was working as a trial justice. They had moved Columbia by the mid-1870s. In Columbia, James worked as a clerk in the Auditor's Department of the Comptroller-General's Office.

The son Horatio registered as a student in the sub freshman class at the University of South Carolina on November 21, 1874. However, he spent less than a year at the university. In June, 1875, he left Columbia to attend the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, MD.  His appointment was made by U.S. Congressman Solomon L. Hoge. 

Horatio was admitted to the Naval Academy on June 19, 1875. He attended the academy for five years, completed the academic course with the class of 1880. At graduation, Horatio was ranked 43th out of a class of 61 cadet-midshipmen.

After he'd completed the Naval Academy's academic course, Horatio served in the Navy for two years, as was required of Academy cadets. He served as a cadet-midshipman on the USS Yantic, the USS Tennessee, and in Brooklyn, NY. The Yantic was a 849 ton gunboat, while the Tennessee was a 3,281 ton frigate. After completing his required service, Horatio left the Navy, resigning on July 17, 1882.

By the late 1880s, Horatio was living in Brooklyn, NY and working as an electrician. He had moved to Binghamton, NY by the 1890s. There he worked as a typewriter dealer.  He remained in the city, working in the typewriter sales, for the remainder of his life.

Horatio died in 1926. He is buried in Floral Park Cemetery.

Sources Cited

0) 1850; Census Place: Readfield, Kennebec, Maine; Roll: 257; Page: 395b

0) 1860; Census Place: Auburn, Androscoggin, Maine; Page: 749; Family History Library Film: 803432

1) 1870; Census Place: Whittemore, Darlington, South Carolina; Roll: M593_1493; Page: 629A; Family History Library Film: 552992

2) 1900; Census Place: Binghamton Ward 3, Broome, New York; Page: 11; Enumeration District: 0008; FHL microfilm: 1241009

3) 1910; Census Place: Binghamton Ward 3, Broome, New York; Roll: T624_925; Page: 14B; Enumeration District: 0010; FHL microfilm: 1374938

4) 1920; Census Place: Binghamton Ward 3, Broome, New York; Roll: T625_1085; Page: 8B; Enumeration District: 13

2) Annual register of the United States Naval Academy: 1875, 1876, 1877, 1878, 1879, 1889, 1881.

3) Navy Department Library - Naval History and Heritage Command; Washington, D.C.; U.S. Navy and Marine Corps Registry; Year: 1881, 1882, 1883.

4) Brooklyn, New York, City Directory: 1887, 1888, 1889.

5) Binghamton, New York, City Directory: 1899.

6) "South Carolina News." Yorkville Enquirer, March 25, 1875. p. 2.

5) Columbia, South Carolina Directory: 1875.