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Civil War Blog

A project of PA Historian

Death and Funeral of Capt. Richard Budd

Posted By on March 28, 2012

DEATHS AND FUNERALS

CAPTAIN RICHARD BUDD

LYKENS, 22 January 1904.— The great, well-known, patriotic, generous Capt. Richard Budd of Williamstown, passed away at 11:30 a.m. Tuesday, after a lingering illness.  About two years and a-half ago he suffered a fracture of the right ankle from which he never recovered, and this, together with the death of his son George Budd, on whom he greatly relied, and his advanced age, no doubt hastened his death.  The funeral will be held this morning, with solemn requiem mass at the Church of the Sacred Heart, Rev. Father Kennedy officiating.  Interment in the Williamstown Catholic Cemetery.

Born in Queens County, Ireland, in the early 30’s, he was a son of Benjamin Budd and Mary Lawrence Budd.  His father dying when Richard was seven years of age, his mother with a large family depending upon her disposed of her small holdings, and about 1839, with her children sailed from Liverpool on the ship Roshes and after a tempestuous voyage landed in New York,.  After landing, the family went immediately to Pottsville, and thye located at York Tunnel, where not long after the mother died.  Richard with his brother and two sisters remained at the Tunnel, near Otto Colliery, until he removed to Mt. Pleasant, where he engaged in manufacturing lumber under contract with a Philadelphia firm.  He was there when the Rebellion broke out and although he had been acting with the Democratic Party, so did thousands of others who thought and acted as he did in the face of bitter opposition he commenced raising men for the army.  Casting aside his business, with heart and soul he entered into the work in hand and in a short time had recruited and brought into the camp on Lawton’s Hill a fine body of men, who on the 23 September 1861, as Company K, 96th Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteers [96th Pennsylvania Infantry], he being its commanding officer, was duly mustered into the service of the United States for three years.

With this organization he served, taking part in the Peninsula Campaign of 1862; the Fredericksburg and Gettysburg Campaigns and thereafter until 21 August 1863, when he was, for disability on account of disease contracted in the service, honorably discharged.

Returning home, he again engaged in the lumber business in Schuylkill County.  In the spring of 1864 he removed to Williamstown, then a struggling village, at the instigation of his old regimental friend Col. Z. P. Boyer, who was then Superintendent of the Williamstown Colliers, which was then being started, and through him, was enabled to furnish the lumber for the big breaker then about commencing.  At this point he had remained ever since, contracting under Maj. Joseph Anthony, Col. E. G. Savage and others, until the present time.  Through Boyer, Anthony and the captain many of the old soldiers of the 96th and kindred regiments were placed in and about the collieries of the valley.

For the last 30 years he has been an active advocate of temperance and belonged to the Sons of Temperance, Good Templars, and to Chester Post, No. 280, G.A.R., of Williamstown.  He was a member of Sacred Heart Catholic Church, but was exceedingly liberal in his belief, and most conscientiously.

He was twice married, first to Miss Fanny Robinson, at New Mines in 1852.  Twelve children came by this marriage, nine sons and three daughters; of these there remains but five sons – Christopher Budd, John Budd, Andrew Budd, Richard Budd, and Allen Budd.

His second wife was Mrs. Eliza Shoemaker of a Schuylkill Haven family.  No children came through this marriage.

Three sisters survive him, Mrs. Dora Brennan [Dora Budd] of Philadelphia, Mrs. Eliza Gribbin [Eliza Budd] of Shamokin, and Miss Rebecca Budd of Williamstown.

By the death of Capt. Budd, the 96th P. V. Association is bereft of one of its staunchest members and most active supporters, and all his old comrades will miss him.  But three of the original captain of the 96th now remain – Col. W. H. Lessig of Chicago, Maj. P. A. Filbert of Pine Grove, and Capt. T. J. Boyle of Pottsville.  But five of the original lieutenants are left, and about 150 of the file.  The field and staff are all gone, and but a corporal’s guard of the new officers survive.

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DEATHS AND FUNERALS

LYKENS, 29 January 1904. — The funeral of the late Capt. Richard Budd of Williamstown was held last Friday at 10 o’clock and was largely attended.  As the funeral cortege proceeded on its way to the church all the store windows had drawn blinds, and an expression of sorrow was visible on the countenances of all the people.  The procession was headed by the Williamstown Band playing a funeral dirge, followed by Chester Post, G.A.R., and members of posts from other places, and a firing squad under the charge of H. H. Poticher.  Services were held in the Church of the Sacred Heart, when solemn requiem mass was sung by Rev. Father Kennedy.  Although the weather was unfavorable quite a number from a distance attended the funeral, among which were the following:  Andrew Robertson Esq., Pottsville; Holden Chester, Shamokin; D. W. Evans and son Benjamin Evans, Minersville; Sydney Challenger, Philadelphia; Dr. Ira A. Keiter, Col. J. J. Murphy, Wiconisco; Dr. J. M. Baker, W. T. Evans, J. S. Reiff, H. F. Bueck, M. F. Moyer, Thomas Whitty, Lykens; Thomas Challenger, Tower City; Dr. Clinton Keiter, Elizabethville; Prof. Kopp, Anthony Fisher, Harry Wigmore, Tremont and many others unknown to the writer.  The pallbearers were John Higgins, Charles Shoemaker and David Thompson of Tower City, who served under Capt. Budd in the 96th Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteers [96th Pennsylvania Infantry], Michael Ganly of Tower City, William Williams of this place, Elias Grim and Robert Pennel of Williamstown.

Rest comrade, rest, ‘tis thy last sleep;

Though o’er thy grave in sorrow now we weep,

Thy deeds while here shall never pass away;

Thy help was always ready, night and day.

But thou art gone, thy face we’ll see no more

Until we met on the eternal shore.

——————-

The above articles appeared in the Lykens Standard on the dates indicated.

Previously on this blog, several articles have featured information on Richard Budd.  They are as follows (click to go to article):

Capt. Richard Budd – 96th Pennsylvania Infantry.

Williamstown-Williams Township Civil War Exhibit and Project.

Sacred Heart of Jesus Church and Cemetery, Williamstown.

Soldiers Monument of Schuylkill County – Parade.

96th Pennsylvania Infantry – Pennsylvania Memorial at Gettysburg.

Click on picture to enlarge.


Both the Gratz Historical Society and the Williamstown-Williams Township Historical Society have extensive files on the military record and life of Richard Budd but additional information such as family stories and pictures is always sought.  Contacting either historical society (or both) would be greatly appreciated.  The original, framed portrait of Richard Budd (shown above) is on display at the Williamstown-Williams Township Historical Society.

 

 

Isaac Holland – Military & Masonic Funeral

Posted By on March 27, 2012

 

ISAAC HOLLAND GIVEN MILITARY & MASONIC FUNERAL

LYKENS, 23 November 1928. –Isaac William Holland, 84, Civil War Veteran, was buried in Wiconisco Monday with military and Masonic rites.  He died Thursday at Huntsville, Alabama, where he resided with a granddaughter for the past two years.  His body was brought to Wiconisco Sunday.

Services were held at 2:30 o’clock at the residence of a niece, Mrs. Anzella Dodd, with further services at the Wiconisco Methodist Episcopal Church, the Rev. Howard A. Brettle officiating.

The body was borne from the home to the church on a caisson draped with the American flag.  In the cortege was a contingent of John Yonascak Post American Legion with color bearers, Woman’s Relief Corps, mounted escort from the Governor’s Troops, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, Wiconisco Band, a firing squad, members of Ashland Lodge, F. & A. M., of Lykens, the children of the Wiconisco schools and scores of friends.

The school children saluted as the body was carried from the church and the band rendered “Nearer, My God, To Thee.”  As the body was borne form the church the band played “Rock of Ages.”  The procession moved to the Wiconisco Cemetery where, after the Masonic rites were performed, a volley was fired and taps were sounded.  The Rev. Mr. Raebuck, pastor of the Evangelical Church of Wiconisco, offered a prayer.

Born in Lynchburg, Virginia, in 1844, Mr. Holland enlisted twice in the Federal forces, first in the 21st Cavalry [21st Pennsylvania Cavalry] and then in the 99th Pennsylvania Volunteers [99th Pennsylvania Infantry].  After the war he came to Wiconisco where he married Miss Harriet Workman in 1868.  His wife died 18 years ago.

Mr. Holland directed the construction of the old road from Millersburg to Williamstown.  For forty-six years he was a section foreman of the Pennsylvania Railroad, being retired by the company.  He was a member of Perseverance Lodge, No. 21, F. & A. M. Harrisburg, and of the Methodist Church, Wiconisco, Pennsylvania, for 53 years.

Surviving are two sons, Clarence Holland, Wiconisco, and Edward Holland of Wheeling, West Virginia, a sister, 94 years old in Maryland, and a step brother George Myers, of Manheim.  His son Clarence Holland is a retired naval officer.

Mr. Holland was the last surviving Civil War Veteran from Wiconisco and one of the best known residents of the valley.  A gallant soldier, a loving character, and Christian gentleman.

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MILITARY AND MASONIC RITES FOR WAR VET

WICONISCO, Nov. 28 – Isaac William Holland, 84, Civil War veteran was buried here yesterday with military and Masonic rites.  He died Thursday at Huntsville, Alabama, where he had gone two weeks ago to visit a niece.  His body was brought here Sunday.

Services were held at 2:30 o’clock at the residence of a niece, Mrs. Auzella Dodd, with further services at the Wiconisco Methodist Church, the Rev. Howard A. Brettle, officiating.

The body was borne from the home to the church on a caisson draped with the American flag.  In the cortege were a contingent of the American legion with color bearers, the Wiconisco Band, a firing squad, members of Ashler Lodge, F. & A. M., of Lykens, the children of the Wiconisco schools and scores of friends.

The school children saluted as the body was carried from the church.  The procession moved to the Wiconisco Cemetery, where, after the Masonic rites were performed, a volley was fired and taps were blown.  The Rev. Mr. Roebuck, pastor of the Evangelical Church here, offered a prayer.

Born in Lynchburg, Virginia, in 1844, Mr. Holland enlisted twice in the Federal forces, first in the 21st Cavalry [21st Pennsylvania Cavalry] and then in the 99th Pennsylvania Volunteers [99th Pennsylvania Infantry].  After the war he came to Wiconisco where he married Miss Harriet Workman in 1868.  His wife died eighteen years ago.

Mr. Holland directed the construction of the old road from Lykens to Williamstown.  For thirty-seven years he was a section foreman of the Pennsylvania Railroad, being retired by the company.  He was a member of Perseverance Lodge, No. 21, F. & A. M., Harrisburg, and of the Methodist Church of this place.

Surviving are two sons, Clarence Holland, of this place, and Edward Holland, of Wheeling, West Virginia, a sister, 94 years old, in Maryland, and a step brother, George Myers, of Manheim.  His son, Clarence Holland, now a retired naval officer, was the youngest member of the Navy, having enlisted at the age of 14.

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Isaac W. Holland is buried in Calvary United Methodist Cemetery, Wiconisco, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania.  The following information was provided in a previous post:

Isaac W. Holland (1844-1928).  Some sources give the birth year as 1845,  He first served in the 21st Pennsylvania Cavalry, Company G, as a Private for a six month term from 15 July 1863 to 20 February 1864.  Then he joined the 99th Pennsylvania Infantry, Company C, as a Private, mustered in 6 March 1864, promoted to Corporal on 1 Mar 1865, and discharged on 1 July 1865.  Isaac married Harriet Workman in 1869.  He lived in Lykens and Wiconisco where he spent most of his working years as a track foreman for the Summit Branch Railroad.  Toward the end of his life he became senile and his family could not take care of him so he was sent to live in a Veteran’s Home in Hampton, Virginia.

Pennsylvania Veterans’ Index Card entries for Isaac W. Holland are shown below:

For his Civil War service, Isaac W. Holland applied for an received a pension as indicated on the Pension Index Card shown below.  Pension Index Cards are available through Ancestry.com.

The record sheet from the Veterans’ Home in Hampton, Virginia, 1914,  gives information about Isaac W. Holland‘s military service and physical ailments:

Click on document to enlarge.

Since Isaac W. Holland was discharged from the Veterans’ Home years before his death, there is no information on the sheet indicating how and when he died.  For veterans who died at Soldiers’ Homes, cause of death and place of burial are often included on the record.  The Veterans’ Home records are available through Ancestry.com.

Alabama death certificates (1908-1959) for the early part of the 20th century area available through Ancestry.com.  The death certificate for Isaac W. Holland is shown below, indicating the cause of death as “senility.”

Click on document to enlarge.

In recognition of his Civil War service, Isaac W. Holland was named on the Lykens G.A.R. Monument:

The obituary and funeral information from local newspapers was provided by Sally Reiner of the Lykens-Wiconisco Historical Society from her collection of newspaper clippings on the history of the Lykens-Wiconisco area. Additional information about Isaac W. Holland from his pension files is available at the Gratz Historical Society.  However, more information is sought, and readers are invited to contribute.  Of particular interest is Harriet [Workman] Holland and her relations, including the possibility that she was related to Sallie [Workman] Keiser, the wife of Henry Keiser who was very active in the G.A.R. in Lykens and who has been the subject of several previous blog posts.

Schooling of the 1860s

Posted By on March 26, 2012

For general background on schooling during the 1860s, see these articles:

Teachers during this time period were looked upon as having a responsibility to shape the character and souls of their students as well as offer instruction in basic subjects. Teachers also had almost complete latitude as to what to teach and how to teach it. Local school boards might suggest subjects or a curriculum but the actual structure and teaching of the schoolday was left up to the teacher.  The table below was taken from Theory and Practice of Teaching by David P. Page, published in 1858. It shows a suggested school day schedule for mixed grade classes in an elementary school. The students are divided into four groups (A, B,C,D). The Recitations column is the group of students working with the teacher and the Studies column indicates what the other students are working on independently at their seats.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Because of the agricultural nature of most parts of the country, students went to school for a shorter part of the year than now. The school year typically ranged from after the harvest time in the local area in the fall until just before planting time in the spring. Compulsory education laws did not come about until later in the nineteenth century, so students generally went to school for fewer years, and some students did not attend school at all. Parents would keep their children out of school to help with specific chores when necessary, which could range from a couple of days per school year to weekly help with chores such as laundry.

Subjects commonly taught, in the order they were typically introduced:

  • Reading, Spelling and Defining
  • Mental Arithmetic
  • Geography
  • History. “Perhaps no greater mistake is made than that of deferring History till one of the last things in the child’s course,” says Mr. Page.
  • Writing. What we would call penmanship or handwriting  “may be early commenced with the pencil upon the slate… but the writing with the pen may be deferred until the child is ten years of age, when the muscles have acquired sufficient strength to grasp it.”
  • Written Arithmetic.
  • Composition.
  • Grammar, as Mr. Page puts it, “should be one of the last of the common school branches to be taken up. It requires more maturity of mind to understand…”

No doubt other subjects were taken up by certain teachers in certain places based on his or her own interests, knowledge and ideas of what was important.

Death of John Henry Spangler

Posted By on March 25, 2012

DIED

LYKENS, 18 December 1903. — John Henry Spangler, an old and highly respected resident of this place, died at his home on North Second Street, Friday last at 5 o’clock a.m., of gastritis, aged 63 years, 8 months and 24 days.

Deceased was born at Palmyra, Lebanon County, and came to this place in 1850.  He married Miss Rachael Myers of this place in 1861, who preceded him in death nearly 30 years ago.  In 1876 he married Miss Sarah J. Maurer, also of this place, who with the following children survive:  Elmer Spangler, Mrs. Joseph Loudenberger, Mrs. Hallie Messner, Mrs. Emmett Henery, Mary Spangler and Lucy Spangler.  There are nine grandchildren.

During the War of the Rebellion he enlisted in the three months’ service at Harrisburg, 26 April 1861, as a Private in Company F, 10th Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry [10th Pennsylvania Infantry] and was discharged at the expiration of his enlistment in 1861.  He re-enlisted 15 June 1863, as Corporal in Company D, 25th Regiment Pennsylvania Militia [25th Pennsylvania Infantry] which was organized as an emergency regiment, and was honorably discharged 30 July 1863.  He re-enlisted 28 February 1865, as a Private in Company B, 16th Cavalry Volunteers [16th Pennsylvania Cavalry].  He participated in the battles of Dinwiddie Court Hourse, Five Forks, Salor’s Creek, Amelia Springs, Farmville and Appomattox, and was honorably discharged 11 August 1865.  He was a member of Heilner Post, No. 232, G.A.R., Wiconisco Lodge, No. 538, I. O. O. F., Lykens Lodge, No. 106, K. of P., and Lykens Conclave, No. 109, I. O. H., in which he held an endowment policy of $1,000.  All of the above organizations together with the Sons of Veterans and a large number of friends attended the funeral at 2 o’clock p.m. Sunday, which was held from his late residence.  Rev. D. L. Mackenzie, pastor of Zion Lutheran Church, of which deceased was also a member, conducted the services, and interment took place in Odd fellows’ Cemetery.  The choir of the Lutheran Church rendered the music for the occasion.

The following relatives and friends from a distance attended the funeral:  Daniel Rettinger and wife, Philadelphia; Lee Y. Ream and wife, and John Keath of Harrisburg; Daniel Maurer and wife of Gordon; George Myers, wife and daughter of Reinerton; Mrs. Kate Myers, Mrs. Bess Myers and son, Mrs. Alice Travitz, Mrs. Jere Myers, all of Tower City; Mrs. Harry Varnes of Marysvile; Irwin Danbert and wife of Llewellyn.  Cyrus Spangler, George Spangler, Mrs. William Wallace, Mrs. Emma Umberger, brothers and sisters of the deceased, were also present.

Mr. Spangler was employed at Short Mountain Colliery either as a pump-runner or an engineer from the time the slopes were first sunk up to his last illness.  He thoroughly understood this class of machinery and for many years was the hoisting engineer at Short Mountain Slope.  He was a kind and devoted husband and father, and a good neighbor and citizen, and his death is generally regretted.

The family desire to return thanks to the choir, and to all the friends who in any way assisted them during the illness and at the funeral of Mr. Spangler.

The above article appeared in the Lykens Standard on the date indicated.

The three enlistments of John Henry Spangler can be confirmed at the Pennsylvania Archives on the Pennsylvania Veterans’ File Cards for him:

In one case, he is named as “Henry Spangler.”  From the third enlistment, we learn that he was 5′ 6″ tall, had dark eyes, brown hair and a fair complexion.  At the present time, no pictures have been located of him.  He was an engineer by occupation and his residence was Lykens, Dauphin County.  No Pension Index Card has been located at this time.

For his service at Gettysburg as part of the 26th Pennsylvania Infantry, Company D, Emergency Force of 1863, he is named on the Pennsylvania Memorial tablet for that regiment and company:

Click on picture to enlarge.

He is also recognized on the Lykens G.A.R. Monument:

At the death of fellow veteran Daniel C. Hoffman in 1902, John Henry Spangler served as a pallbearer (see post on Daniel C. Hoffman).

The grave of John Henry Spangler, which is located in the I.O.O.F. Cemetery in Lykens, is pictured at the top of this post.

Additional information is sought about the life and service of John Henry Spangler.  Of particular interest are pictures of him and his family, if available.  Contact the Civil War Research Project if willing to contribute.

History of the Dauphin County Civil War Monument – Part 5

Posted By on March 24, 2012

Part 5.  The Dauphin County Memorial to the Civil War is currently located in a park at 3rd Street and Division Streets near William Penn High School and near Italian Lake.  It is now in the Uptown section of Harrisburg, north of what was once the entrance area to Camp Curtin.  The monument stands about 110 feet high and is a single obelisk which resembles a smaller version of the monument to George Washington in Washington, D.C.  The stone of the monument is native to the area and was cut from the banks of the Susquehanna River.

The monument was originally located at the intersection of North 2nd Street and State Streets but in 1960, after years of deterioration, it was cleaned and restored and moved to the park where it presently resides.

While the monument inscription indicates that it was originally erected in 1869, the fact is that it was not completed until 1876 and before its completion, the “pile of stone” was an eyesore and embarrassment in downtown Harrisburg.  The long, difficult struggle to get funding for the monument and complete it in a reasonable amount of time after the war has been discussed in a series of five posts that began on 13 March 2012 and concluded today. The story is told as reported in the Harrisburg Patriot, 25 December 1903.

THE INTERESTING STORY OF THE STATE STREET MONUMENT

How the Great Shaft Was Raised as a Memorial to Dauphin County’s Soldiers and Sailors in the Civil War

Contents of the Corner Stone

Within the stone which was thus laid with such impressive rites were deposited the Act of incorporation of 1867, and a book containing the names of the Executive and other committees of the Soldiers’ Fair, also the autographs of the visitors to the Fair.

A copy of the Alhlmon Rexon, and lists of the officers of the R. W. Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania under whose auspices the corner stone was laid.

Lists of the officers and members of the Board of commissioners.

Lists of the Soldiers of dauphin County who died during the Civil War.

Smull’s Legislative Hand Book for 1869.

A copy of the original muster roll of the Lochiel Grays, one of the first companies raised in Dauphin County.

List of the Municipal Officers of Harrisburg, a map of the city and an impression of the great Seal of Pennsylvania.

A gold dollar and United States silver coins of the denominations of 1/2, 1, 2, 3 and 5 cents respectively.

Specimens of the fractional currency then in use of the denominations of 3, 5, 10, 25 and 30 cents in a sealed jar.

“Sealed jar of the principal hexerage of the ancient inhabitants of Dauphin County.”

Sealed jars of specimens of Dauphin County, wheat, rye, oats and corn.

Specimens of revenue and postage stamps then in use.

Copies of the following newspapers of 9 April 1869:

Morning PATRIOT, daily and weekly.

Pennsylvania Telegraph, daily and weekly.

State Guard, daily and weekly.

Pennsylvania State Zeitung.

Vaterlands Waechter.

Middletown Journal.

Upper Dauphin Register.

The Philadelphia Daily Age and daily Press.

The New York Tribune, Herald, World and Times.

For a short time the work on the monument was brisk, the shaft went up with some trying delays until the inscription was placed, and a few feet above it, some sixty-two feet five inches in all.  Then came calamity.  Henry Brown failed, the money had all been paid over; and the monument with no funds to it was still nearly fifty feet from completion.

Great was the consternation in the county; through no fault of the Commissioners, the great object of the people’s thought and work for so many years, the Soldiers’ Monument, was brought to a standstilll.  There was no money in the treasury and doubtless little heart left in the people to collect more.  For years a shapeless mass of unfinished stone, the butt of strangers’ derision, the subject of sarcastic editorials whenever an editor was short of ideas, and the despair of the men and women who had labored so faithfully for its erection, was all Dauphin County could offer to its dead soldiers.

On 4 May 1869, by an Act of Assembly, the County Commissioners were authorized to subscribe to the Monument Association a sum not exceeding $3,000 for the purpose of completing the work already begun.  Several successive Grand Juries in the next seven years reported favorably on the same, but nothing came of it.

When the Centennial year dawned, the fated stone pile with an inscription on it seemed as far from completion as ever.  Then civil pride came to the rescue.  There would be thousands of strangers in that summer of 1876 to visit the Capital of the State and it behooved the citizens of the county to remove the blot on their fair fame of an unfinished monument to their herioic dead.  The papers again began to thunder, and in March they recorded rumors that the work was about to be resumed, as on 24 January 1876, the Grand Jury had made a definite report authorizing the County Commissioners to pay half the amount necessary to complete the monument.

County Took Up the Work

The Commissioners went actively to work, and by 29 July, the contract was awarded to Jehu De Haven for $4,378  The money was still unraised and on 18 August, a new Monument Committee was appointed, consisting of Henry McCormick, William Calder, W. W. Jennings, A. L. Chayne, James Worrell, while Theodore D. Greenawalt was made chairman of a Finance Committee with T. F. Jordan, H. B. Buehler, J. C. Herman and William H. Egle to help him in soliciting subscriptions.  Mr. Greenawalt announced that he would remain in the house each evening from 18 August to 1 September between the hours of 7 to 9 to receive subscriptions, the money not to be paid until the monument was finished.

Their earnest efforts were rewarded and the citizens of Harrisburg and the county generously came to the rescue.  Mr. DeHaven himself was much interested and succeeded in getting many subscriptions.  Early in October work on the monument was again started and in four weeks the last 48 feet 7 inches was raised, though it was by far the most difficult part of the building.

Sataurday, 4 November 1876, just two months short of eleven years after the movement had been initiated, the Soldiers’ Monument of Dauphin County was finished.  On that day a little girl, the daughter of Edward Curzon, now Mrs. Martin Fager, was lifted in her father’s arms to place a flag in the capstone o’er it was raised into place on top of the plain substantial-looking granite obelisk whose corners mark exactly the points of the compass.

The great undertaking was at last accomplished: the heroes of Dauphin County, no longer remain unhonored, their memory is preserved for future generations by what has proved indeed “a storied urn.”  With 28 December 1876, when the County Commissioners paid out to the Harrisburg National Bank for the Monument Commission $2,500 (the dauphin County Soldiers’ Monument having been accepted by the Commissioners and so certified), its story ends.  The flag for which so many gave their lives waved over the monument’s top, but a few months when it was blown down by a storm and a few years later the shaft itself was struck by lightning and a stone on the upper side displaced.

There are many who do not think that old monument at State and Second Street a thing of beauty; and some who feel it a positive obstruction; but those who ponder on the vicissitudes of its history and on the devotion, both of the men to whom it was raised of the men and women who raised it, will surely feel that while Harrisburg remains that shaft to Dauphin County’s heroic sons should stand on the spot where it was erected after more than a decade of earnest and disheartening effort.

This concludes the five-part story of how the Dauphin County Soldiers’ Monument came to be built.  When the Monument was moved to it present location, a whole new story emerged regarding the moving of it and the location in which it would be placed.  Likewise, the most recent story occurred when the monument had to be restored in 1991.  Those stories will be told here at some point in the future.