Alonzo Kenyon was born in New Diggins, Iowa County (which changed to Lafayette County about a year after his birth), Wisconsin. (From the affidavit of birth for Alonzo's son Arthur Ellis Kenyon, submitted by Coila Emilia Gilles, 16 Mar 1942, Santa Cruz, California.) His family moved to Trempealeau County Wisconsin about 1863, where his father, Lyman Kenyon obtained a homestead.

He enlisted as a private on 1 Feb 1865 in Company K, 46th Regiment Wisconsin Infantry. He mustered out on 27 Sep 1865 at Nashville, Tennessee. Alonzo married Helen Utter on 17 May 1874, in Trempealeau, Wisconsin. Helen was the daughter of Charles Utter and Eunice E. (Jones) Utter, natives of New York.

Alonzo and Helen had nine known children, all of whom were born in Wisconsin:

1. Eunice Elizabeth Kenyon, born 23 July 1875, died young.
2. Roy Louis Kenyon - born 15 Mar 1878
3. Fred Lamont Kenyon – born 13 Nov 1879
4. Alonzo M. Kenyon - born 4 Dec 1881, died young
5. Archie Russell Kenyon - born 4 Dec 1881 (twin)
6. Claude Culver Kenyon – born 23 Nov 1883
7. Coila Emilia Kenyon – born 23 Mar 1887
8. Hulbert Elmer Kenyon - born on 23 July 1893, died one month later.
9. Arthur Ellis Kenyon – born 02 Jul 1896

By 1910, Alonzo and Helen lived in Santa Cruz County, California with their sons Arthur and Claude. Their other children, Roy Louis, Coila, and Fred lived in Santa Cruz County.

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Obituary from the Santa Cruz Surf, November 2, 1916,

Veteran Called Away: Alonzo Kenyon is Dead

Alonzo Kenyon, the veteran of the war of the rebellion and a resident of Santa Cruz for the past ten or twelve years, died last night at his home at 58 Walk Circle following an apoplectic stroke that he suffered Monday. Mr. Kenyon had been previously affected by a stroke some years ago, but in the interim had been in good health and spirits. His death was a great shock to his faithful wife, Mrs. Helen E. Kenyon, who today is receiving the condolences of many friends.

The deceased was born in Wisconsin about seventy-two years ago. He served gallantly in the Civil War and is reported to have had a good record as a soldier in that historic struggle. He was a well-known figure in Santa Cruz, having manufactured and sold horseradish to the merchants here for several years.

Alonzo was survived by his wife and five children, which included Mrs. W. Giles, Claude Kenyon, an employee of the San Vicente Lumber Company, and Arthur Kenyon, a student at Heald's College. Two other sons, manufacturers of knocked-down houses and tents, were in business in New York. The funeral will be held from Wessendorf & Staffler's undertaking parlors tomorrow at 2 pm under the auspices of G. A. R. Friends and acquaintances are respectfully invited to attend.

OBITUARY: (Santa Cruz Evening News, Santa Cruz, California, 2 Nov 1916, Thu, Page 5)

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Editorial Notes from Robert L. Nelson (January 13, 2001)

Alonzo Kenyon enlisted as a private in Company K of the 46th Wisconsin infantry on Feb 2, 1865, in Arcadia Wisconsin. Since that was only 3 months after his 17th birthday his parents may have had to agree to let him join. The 46th Wisconsin Regiment of Infantry was organized at Madison, Wis., and mustered into federal service on March 2, 1865. They moved to Louisville, Ky., March 5-10, and were then moved to Athens, Alabama between April 22-24, 1865. While in that area they performed duty along the line of the Nashville and Decatur Railroad (probably as guards) unit on September 27, 1865, when they were mustered out of federal service and discharged. Presumably, Alonzo and the 46th Wisconsin returned home as a unit.

∼Thank you to Dick Nutter for sharing the photo of Alonzo and Helen Kenyon in Santa Cruz, California.