Ira Welch Pettibone lived in Winchester at the time of his enlistment, but had been a teacher and principal at the Alger Institute at Cornwall from 1854 until 1859. He married Emily Frances Miner of Cornwall in 1856. Emily’s brother, Robert J. Miner, and brother-in-law, Rev. Jacob Eaton, also served during the war. Pettibone had purchased the Alger Institute from Dr. Wait R. Griswold, who married Cornwall’s Lewey A. Bierce before moving to Durham. Dr. Griswold served during the war as Assistant Surgeon for the 22nd C.V.I. and for the 86th U.S. Colored Regiment.