Birth: October 12, 1848
Death: May 29, 1916
Location: Lot 25, Section 1, Row 2, Old Cemetery – SW
Co. K, 8th Ohio Cavalry
Born 12 Oct 1848, Delaware Cnty, Ohio. Son of William C. HARPER and Elizabeth POLAND.
Married Lucinda Jane GANO, (parents unknown) on 26 Aug 1868 at Lane, Illinois
Children: Emma (Gottlieb) RIESLAND, Samuel David (Fanny Jane NORTH), Nora Mae (Ira) BRUNNER, Bertha Ion (Andrew) STONE, John Edward (Hester HOON). All buried at Wood River Cemetery, Wood River, Nebraska.
Military service: Co. K, 8th Ohio Cavalry
Date enrolled with location: 23rd day of Feb. 1864, Springfield, Ohio, commanded by Captain J. Allen. Mustered out; July 30, 1865.
Battles in which participated? “From Dyer’s Compendium”
8th Regiment Cavalry.
Organized from the 44th Ohio Infantry January 4, 1864. Regiment organizing at Camp Dennison, Ohio, January to May, 1864. Six Companies moved to Cahrleston, WV, April 26, and balance of Regiment to same place May 8, 1864. Attached to 1st Brigade, 2nd Cavalry Division, Army of West Virginia (a detachment at Beverly, WV, July to Devember, 1864), to December, 1864. Reserve Division, West Virginia, Beverly and Clarksburg, WV, to April, 1865. 1st Brigade, 1st Division, West Virginia, to July, 1865.
Service:
March to Lewisburg May 29. Hunters Raid to Lynchburg May 29-July 1, 1864.
Action at Lexington June 11. Buchanan June 13. New London June 16. Diamond Hill June 17. Lynchburg June 17-18.
Retreat to White Sulphur Springs June 18-25.
Liberty June 19. Buford’s Gap June 20. About Salen June 21. Moved from White Sulphur Springs to Beverly, WV, and duty there till January, 1865.
Action near Huttonsville, August 5, 1864.
Incidents: “On or about Aug. 7, 1864, at or near Morfield (?) Valley, I received a gunshot wound of the left knee for which I was treated in Hospital at New Creek Station.
Physical description at enlistment:: Height 5 feet, 7 inches; complexion, fair; color of eyes, blue; color of hair, light.
Places of residence since leaving the service: Springfield, Ohio until 1867, then went to DeWitt County, Illinois until 22 Feb 1883, then to Wood River, Nebraska 25 Feb 1883
Died 29 May 1916 at Grand Island General Hospital, Grand Island, NE.
Member of GAR post: Bradley Post 134, Wood River, Hall County, Nebraska and of Methodist Church
Federal pension file number: 438.681
Obit with from “The Wood River Sunbeam, June 4, 1916”
John William Harper
THE already sadly depleted ranks of the old soldiers of this community suffered another loss this week in the death of Comrade John Harper who passed away at the General Hospital in Grand Island, Monday of this week from bowel trouble, he being taked to that place for an operation Tuesday of last week following an acute attack of illness the Sunday before, aged 68 years, 7 months and 17 days. The wife and children were at the bedside at the time of dissolution.
The remains were brought to Wood River on the same day and funeral services were held at the home Wednesday afternoon at 2:30 o’clock, conducted by Rev. H. G. Clair in the presence of an unusually large gathering of neighbors and friends, the services being in charge of Bradley Post No. 134, G.A.R., of which the deceased was an honored member, and the following old soldiers bearing the remains to their last resting place in the Wood River Cemetary: E. Kunz, C. E. Towne, J. A. Morgan, Geo. Fredericks, Joseph Ross, and Samuel Hall.
John Harper was born October 12, 1847 in Delaware, Ohio, where he grew to manhood. On February 26, 1863 he responded to his country’s call and enrolled in Co. K, Eighth Regiment of the Ohio Cavalry and served until July 30, 1865 when he received an honorable discharge at Clarksburg, West Virginia.
Returning home, he remained about a year when he moved to Illinois and was united in marriage to Lucinda Jane Gano, August 26, 1868 and to this union two sons and three daughters were born, who together with the wife survive as follows: Mrs Gottlieb (Emma) Reisland, Lincoln; and Samuel Harper, Mrs. Ira (Nora) Brunner, Mrs. Andrew (Bertha) Stone and J. E. (John Edward) Harper, all of Wood River. One brother and two sisters still living in Catawba, Ohio also survive, as well as 12 grandchildren and 1 great-grandchild.
He came to Nebraska in 1883 and farmed in Cameron tp until about 20 years ago when he came to Wood River where he has since resided, devoting himself to general teamwork and driving the hearse for the last 18 years.
John Harper was a man well liked and highly esteemed in the community. He was a hard worker, honest in his dealings, ever a devoted husband and father and a great patriotic citizen. As his old soldier comrades, with uncertain step and bent form, escorted his remains to their last resting place and did honor to his memory, it brought a special tinge of sadness in the knowledge that the living actors of the Grand Army of the Republic will soon be with us no more.
Source:
http://www.usgennet.org/
usa/ne/topic/military/CW/bios/necwbsh.html