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New York, New York City Municipal Deaths
Name William Linn Tidball
Event Date 29 Jan 1893
Event Place Manhattan, New York, New York
Address 302 W. 56 St.
Residence Place New York City, N.Y.
Gender Male
Age 72
Marital Status Married
Race White
Occupation Lawyer
Birth Year (Estimated) 1821
Birthplace Pittsburg, PA.
Burial Date 01 Feb 1893
Burial Place New York City, N.Y.
Cemetery Woodlawn
Father's Name Joseph
Father's Birthplace PA.
Mother's Name Eliza
Mother's Birthplace New Jersey
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Find A Grave Memorial# 150062301
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When he was about six years of age his farther removed to Eichland county Ohio, where at an early age he became an editorial writer for The Shield and Banner, a paper then published by his father, and in 1841 he was editor of The Morning Pennant, a campaign sheet which advocated the election of James K. Polk.

In 1846, after the battles of Palo Alto and Resaca de la Palma, when a call was made for volunteers, he enlisted in the Third Ohio Volunteers, and served under Col. Samuel R. Curtis. Soon after reaching Mexico Mr. Tidball was elected a subaltern of his company and commissioned by Gov. Bartley, of Ohio. At Matamoras he was detailed to act as adjutant to the commander of the post, a place he served in for several months, first under Gen. Clarke, and subsequently under that officer's successors, Col. Curtis and Col. Drake, of the First Indiana Volunteers. Just (before the battle of Buena Vista, when communication was cut of between Gen. Taylor and the sea, he was bearer of dispatches from this commander of the forces in Tamaulipas to Gen. Scott, then at Lobojts Island. He accompanied the troops to Vera Cruz and participated in the siege, bombardment and surrender of that city and its stronghold, the Castle of San Juan de Ulloa. On returning from Mexico, Mr. Tidball entered the office of Hon. Jacob Brinkerhoff, at Mansfield, Ohio, under whose instruction he was qualified for admission to the Bar, and in 1848 he was licensed by the supreme court to practice in all the courts of the state. Removing to Cincinnati he became engaged in the editorial management of The Columbian, a literary paper of wide circulation and great popularity in the west. Returning to Mansfield Mr. Tidball engaged in the practice of law as partner of the late Thomas H. Ford, Esq.

In the fall of 1853 Mr. Tidball came to New York city, where he was associated with Hon. Ogden Hoffman, Peter Y. Cutler, esq., and Judge Flanders, and later removed to Nassau street, where he continued to practice until 1860.

He organized a regiment of volunteers in the spring of 1861, afterward known as the Fifty-ninth Regiment, N. Y. S. V., to the command of which he was commissioned by Gov. Morgan. On his arrival at Washington, Col. Tidball was placed in command of the Second Brigade of Casey's Division at Good Hope, and afterwards of the northern defenses of the city at Tenallytown. When the news of the seven days fights reached the federal capital, he was dispatched, with a brigade, to the support of Gen. McClellan, and reported to that officer at Turkey Bend, with the first reinforcements. He served in the subsequent campaigns in command of his regiment and the brigade to which it was attached, and took part in several engagements, the most conspicuous of which were Chantilly, South Mountain, Antietam and Fredericksburgh.

His health becoming impaired he was transferred to the Veteran Reserve Corps and performed duty in the freedmen's bureau, under Gen. Howard, for two years, and was judge advocate on the staff of Gen. Gillem, at Vicksburg, when mustered out of service in 1808.

On leaving the army Col. Tidball returned to New York city and resumed the practice of law at No. 5 Wall street. Before the war he was an occasional contributor to the columns of The Mercury, The Dispatch, The Leader, The Sunday Times, Putnam's Monthly and other publications. After his return he occasionally wrote short stories for The Chimney Corner and contributions for The Yonkers Gazette. He was a mason of high degree and a Past Master. He was an active member of Charity Lodge, F. A. M., at the time of his death, and also of the Masonic Veterans, Mexican Veterans, Society of G. A. R., Ohio Society, and John A. Rollins Post, G. A. R. Col. Tidball was a genial, finely educated, well read and a complete gentleman in every sense of the term. He died at his residence, 302 West Fifty-sixth street. New York city, on Sunday, Jan. 29, 1893.

Writing to us, from. Washington, D. C, Col. Juan Lewis said of him, " I had known Col. Tidball by reputation long before we met, which was about a quarter of a century ago, and we had many points in common. He was a thoroughly good, broad, wholesome, big-hearted man, an exceptionally competent literary critic, a keen editorial writer, and a practical citizen who made the world better for having lived in it.
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USA Census, 1870
Name William J Tidball
Event Place Connecticut
Gender Male
Age 49
Race White
Birth Year (Estimated) 1820-1821
Birthplace Pennsylvania
Page Number 148
Household
William J Tidball M 49 Pennsylvania
Marsha A Tidball F 38 Connecticut
Fannie Kissam F 18 Connecticut
Marie Kissam F 16 Connecticut
Ellen Mccuin F 17 New Jersey