Seeking records about Assistant Surgeon General William Okie

Monica,

Here are some things I found. Please copy and paste any links into your web browser.

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/92202118/william-thompson-okie

Civil War General Index Pension Record:

Hope this helps,

Elliot Schneider

above is a photo of Dr. Okie

There is some Okie family history in the book "History of Virginia" found on googlebooks.com on page 387

History of Virginia - Google Books

So Sorry...it might be out there but did not find anything about his time as a civil war surgeon.

Alice Lane

Research Volunteer

Dear Ms. Okie,

Thank you for posting your request on History Hub! 

We searched the National Archives Catalog and located Carded Records Relating to Civil War Staff Officers which includes the file Okie, William T. -- Acting Assistant Surgeon and Letters Received, 1863 - 1917 which includes the Consolidated Military Officer's File of Surgeon William T. Okie. Both record series are in the Records of the Adjutant General's Office, 1762  - 1917 (Record Group 94).  Additionally, we located Property Account Records of Civil War Surgeons and Assistant Surgeons, 1861 - 1865; Papers Relating to Civil War Surgeons, 1861 - 1865; Station Cards of Acting Assistant Surgeons, 1862 - 1901; and Records of Civil War Surgeons and Assistant Surgeons, 1861 - 1865 in Record Group 94 that may have records relating to him. Plus, we located Registers of the Arrival of Medical Officers of the Regular Army, 1848 - 1889; Military Service Cards of Medical Officers, 1860 - 1917; Name and Subject Indexes to Letters Received, 1862 - 1889; List of Officers, 1818? - 1892; and Registers of Military Service of Medical Officers, 1806 - 1902 in the Records of the Office of the Surgeon General (Army) (Record Group 112) that may mention him. In addition, there may also be a pension file for him. For more information about these and other Civil War-era U.S. Army records, please contact the National Archives at Washington, DC - Textual Reference (RDT1) at Archives1reference@nara.gov.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and pursuant to guidance received from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), NARA has adjusted its normal operations to balance the need of completing its mission-critical work while also adhering to the recommended social distancing for the safety of NARA staff. As a result of this re-prioritization of activities, you may experience a delay in receiving an initial acknowledgement as well as a substantive response to your reference request from RDT1. We apologize for this inconvenience and appreciate your understanding and patience.

Next, we searched online and located his name in the following publications available through Google Books:

• Official Army Register. United States. Adjutant-General's Office 1866. Page 98, indicating that he resigned June 29, 1865.
• The Army Surgeon's Manual .. By William Grace · 1864. Page 9 and 45.  The former page lists him as an assistant surgeon with the equivalent  rank of first lieutenant of the US Army as of July 1, 1864.  The second references his appointment to assistant surgeon on February 3, 1862.
• General Orders of the War Department, Embracing the Years 1861, 1862 & 1863 Adapted Specially for the Use of the Army and Navy of the United States. Chronologically Arranged ... with a Full Alphabetical Index · Volume 1 By United States. War Department, Oliver Diefendorf, Thomas M. O'Brien · 1864. Page 268. T
• Military Record of Civilian Appointments in the United States Army Volume 1 By Guy Vernor Henry · 1869. Page 102. This gives his name as William F. rather than William T, however it appears to be a mistake.  The information given about William F. Okie is consistent with that we located elsewhere for William T.
• The Medical and Surgical History of the War of the Rebellion. (1861-65). By United States. Surgeon-General's Office, Joseph K. Barnes, Joseph Janvier Woodward, Charles Smart, George Alexander Otis, David Lowe Huntington · 1879. Page 231
• The American Medical Times Being a Weekly Series of the New York Journal of Medicine · Volumes 8-9 1864. Pages 48 and 288
• The War of the Rebellion: Formal reports, both Union and Confederate, of the first seizures of United States property in the Southern States (53 v. in 111) By United States. War Department, Robert Nicholson Scott · 1985. Page 38 (indexed page 1393)
• Catalogue of the Medical Section of the United States Army Medical Museum. Prepared under the Direction of Surgeon General, U. S. Army, by J. J. Woodward. By J. J. Woodward · 1867. Page 30.

Finally, the National Museum of Civil War Medicine and the U.S. Army Medical Department, Office of Medical History may be able to assist you in researching persons and topics related to Civil War medicine.

We hope this is helpful. Best of luck with your family research!