William A. Minor was born around 1843 in Indiana. He enlisted in the Union army on April 21, 1861, and he mustered in as a private in Company C of the 12^th Indiana Infantry. The regiment mustered out on May 14, 1862. Minor returned to the Union army a year later as a substitute. He enlisted on September 26, 1864, and mustered in as a private in Company C of the 22^nd Indiana Infantry. The army eventually transferred him to the 87^th Indiana Infantry, and he mustered out on June 10, 1865.

 

Minor returned to Indiana after the war. He applied for a federal pension in December 1887 and eventually secured one. He eventually got married, but his wife died sometime before 1915. Minor was admitted to the Soldier’s Home in Danville, Illinois, in December 1915. At the time, he was suffering from chronic constipation, hemorrhoids, chronic rheumatism, and loss of teeth. According to his admission records, he was 5 feet, 6 inches tall, with light hair and blue eyes. He died in Danville on February 9, 1922.

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