M11 Row M, place 11
WILLIAM W. WALLEY
Co. I, 54th U.S. Colored Infantry
Identified in the records; his life not yet written. Revised November 1, 2026.
The stone reads
WILLIAM W. WALLEY
Co. I. 54th U.S.C.Troops
[date line not read]
Transcription as recorded in the plot register from the photograph; square brackets mark letters not legible or below ground. Photograph IMG_1236 (B. Brennan). [1]
Life
William W. Walley lies in grave M11 of the Prescott Post lot. His stone names his unit as Company I of the 54th U.S. Colored Infantry, and gives his death as 1901 according to the PV001 list; the stone's date line has not been read. [1]
No William Walley or Whalley was found in the index for the 54th U.S. Colored Infantry; the spelling on his service record may differ. [2]
A 2022 list of Civil War veterans buried at North Burial Ground gives his death as 1901. [3]
His service record, any pension file, and his life before and after the war have not yet been researched. This page will grow as the records are read.
The records
Headstone photograph (shown above) — Headstone of William W. Walley, grid M11, Prescott Post lot, 2026 (IMG_1236). [1]
What we don't know
- When and where did he enlist, and what did his company do? His compiled military service record (National Archives, RG 94) will say.
- Did he or his widow apply for a pension? The General Index to Pension Files (NARA T288/T289) has not yet been searched for him.
- Where was he born, and how did he come to Providence?
- Where did he live and work in Providence? The city directories and the censuses of 1870–1920 have not yet been read for him.
- Did he marry, and did he leave children?
- When was he buried here, and what does the City's interment record say? The City lot record has not yet been matched.
Sources
- Gravestone of William W. Walley, grave M11, Prescott Post plot, North Burial Ground, Providence, Rhode Island. Photograph by Bernard Brennan (IMG_1236), 2026; transcription as recorded in the plot register.
- National Park Service, Civil War Soldiers and Sailors Database, search for "William W. Walley" (54th US Colored Infantry); accessed October 31, 2026, https://www.nps.gov/civilwar/soldiers-and-sailors-database.htm.
- James Bessel, list of Civil War veterans buried at North Burial Ground (PV001), 2022, entry for William W. Walley.
Help research this man
Do you have a record of William W. Walley — a census page, a pension card, a city-directory entry, a newspaper item, a family story? You can upload it to the project without an account. Please say what the record is, where you found it, and why you believe it is this man. Every contributor is credited on this page.
Credits
Researched by Bernard Brennan. Records courtesy City of Providence, Department of Parks, North Burial Ground. Revised 2026-11-01.