WI 15th Inf Co K. Residence: Glenwood Township, Winneshiek County, Iowa. Born 21 Jan 1846 near Oslo, Norway. Came to America in 1853 with his parents Throne and Ingeborg (Terptad) Steen who settled in Glenwood Township, east of Decorah, Iowa. There were eight Steen brothers and six of them were in the Union Army. Civil War: Unmarried. Enlisted for three years on his 16th birthday, 21 Jan 1862, in Winneshiek County, and mustered at Madison, Wisconsin, 11 Feb 1862. Private. Otto was his regiment’s youngest man. He was promoted to Corporal 1 Jul 1862. He was with the provisions transport from Stevenson, Alabama, in October 1863. Was on recruiting duty in December 1863. Took part in the battles of Perryville, Kentucky, Oct 1862; Stone’s River, 31 Dec 1862 and 1 Jan 1863; Chickamauga, Sep 1863; Missionary Ridge, 1863. Promoted to Sergeant on 1 Apr 1864. Wounded and taken prisoner in the battle at New Hope Church, Georgia, 27 May 1864. Was a prisoner in Andersonville, Georgia, for nine months. When he was liberated on 25 Feb 1865, he was said to be very frail, little more than skin and bones. Mustered out at Madison, Wisconsin, 14 Apr 1865. Post war: He went to Wahoo, Nebraska, and operated a hardware store with his brother, John. He married Emma C. Hough Young [1849-1943] on 22 Jul 1874 at Eldorado, Iowa. They had four children. Emma came into the marriage with a daughter from her first marriage. They moved to Boise, Idaho, in 1916. Otto died 3 Sep 1930 at Boise and was buried at Morris Hill Cemetery in Boise. Emma, born in Norway in 1849, died in Boise in 1943. Sources: (WHS Series 1200 box 76-12; red book vol 20 p14) (Ulvestad p261) (Buslett p643 photo) (DGA) (Ager p221, photo; p319) (“Steen Family History” by Orlando C. Scholl, publ. 1964) ancestry.com) (Obituary, Idaho Statesman, Boise ID, 4 Sep 1830)
