Ionia County MI Archives Obituaries.....Graham, Marion F. July 12, 1914
************************************************
Copyright.  All rights reserved.
http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm
http://www.usgwarchives.net/mi/mifiles.htm
************************************************

File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Marilyn Ransom mlnransom@chartermi.net July 9, 2010, 3:09 pm

The Carson City Gazette, Friday, July 17, 1914
Marion Graham Passed Away July 12 at His Home at Matherton

Marion F. Graham was born March 10, 1844 in Italy, New York where his boyhood 
days were spent.  When 18 years old he enlisted in the N.Y. Vol. Inf. August 
6, 1862 and it was his lot to participate in some of the hardest fought 
battles of the civil war, never flinching when duty called him where danger 
was severe.  At the battle of Gettysburg it was his lot to be in the thick 
fight that clustered around Old Round Top, and in that terrible struggle, July 
2, 1863 he was wounded by a minute ball striking his left side just above the 
heart, passing through his body just missing his heart but cutting part of the 
heart case.  

He was left on the field for dead but with his remaining strength and 
determined will he refused to succumb and lay on the field until all the 
wounded had been placed in a field hospital.  The nature of his wound was such 
as to forbid a lying position, hence when he regained consciousness, he 
crawled to a tree and bracing himself against it, bravely waited for whatever 
might come, and often as the writer has sat by his sick bed, Mr. Graham has 
told him of that awful carnage.  Fortunately a barn stood near where he was 
injured which was turned into a field hospital and when he received attention 
he was strapped in a sitting position where he was obliged to witness 
amputations on the poor fellows, who like himself were victims of that awful 
conflict.  For twenty-four days he was obliged to remain in his upright 
position until his wound in some measure, healed, and he could get relief in a 
more comfortable position but finally regained a portion of his strength, and 
refused to be discharged and March 15, 1864 he was transferred to the Vet. 
Reserve Crops and stationed at Washington, where he was detailed to guard the 
body of the martyred president, Lincoln, and was the last survivor of that 
famous guard, receiving his final discharge from the U. S. service June 27, 
1965.

Instead of returning to his native state he came to Michigan and settled in 
Bloomer township, Montcalm county where he was married to Miss Agnes Dean, 
July 21, 1867.  In 1871 he came to Matherton and settled on a farm, where 
despite the trouble he continued to work until a few years ago he moved into 
the village of Matherton where he lived until his life went out Sunday morning 
July 12, 1914.  Two children were given to Mr. and Mrs. Graham, a daughter 
dying in infancy; Ruby, growing to womanhood to assist her faithful mother 
care for her father during the nearly two years of his last illness.

The funeral was held at the M. E. church, Matherton, Wednesday, in charge of 
Rev. W. W. Chatfield, and the Hubbardston Post of which he was an honored 
member and his body laid to rest in the East Plains cemetery.  Mr. Graham 
leaves to mourn his loss his wife and daughter and an aged sister, Mrs. James 
Stockman of New York.  He was a good soldier, a good citizen, a man ready to 
do his duty as he saw it; a patient sufferer during the long weeks of his last 
illness, and will not soon be forgotten.


File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/mi/ionia/obits/g/graham6603nob.txt

This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.net/mifiles/

File size: 3.7 Kb