Allegheny County PA Archives- Obituaries: Bogner, Louis, and Williams, John, 08 Dec 1937 Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by: Ellis Michaels, , May 2010 Copyright 2010. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/allegheny/ ________________________________________________ Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Thursday, 09 Dec 1937 TWO WHO KNEW CIVIL WAR DIE WITHIN 20 MINUTES Centenian Who Shook Lincoln's Hand, Veteran of Battlefields Pass Away Two Pittsburgh distict men whose years carried their memories back to the Civil war died 20 minutes apart yesterday morning. One was 100 years old and had felt the handclasp of Abraham Lincoln; the other, nine years his junior, had fought for the Emancipator's cause. The Centarian, Louis H. Bogner, was the first to pass - peacefully, at 8:15 a.m., after a five day illness - in the home of his son, Orrin, in Pitcairn. When John W. Williams succumbed to the burden of 91 years and long failing health at his home, 104 Grant avenue, Etna, the "last man" of General George A. Custer Post No. 38, Grand Army of the Republic, was gone. The most cherished token of a gala birthday party last June 22 was a congratulatory message from President Roosevelt who assured him of "my appreciation of your confidence in my personal leadership." Many great changes in America's social, economic and industrial life has been witnessed by Bogner - a successful business man before his retirement many years ago - in the interlude between that day and the November day in 1863, when he shook Lincoln's hand. A young man then, he had walked eight miles from his home to Harrisburg to greet Lincoln on the steps of the capitol when the president stopped there en route to deliver his famous address at the dedication of the Gettysburg Battlefield. Born in Red Hill, Dauphin county, in 1837, Bogner came to Pitcairn many years ago. For 63 years previously he lived in Allport, Clearfield county, where he was in the lumber business and served as justice of the peace and as secretary of the Sunday school of the Allprt Methodist Church, which now stands on land he gave. Born in Pittsburgh, November 26, 1845, but living in Etna since the age of two, Williams for many years was a department head in the Etna and Kittanning mills of the Spang-Chalfant Company. He was also superintendent of the Mount Royal Cemetery. For 21 years, until his retirement six years ago, he was tipstaff in the offices of Judges Thomas J. Ford and William H. McNaugher. A member of the Fifth Pennsylvania Volunteer Heavy Artillery, Williams was a comander of the Etna G. A. R. post of which he was the sole survivor. He was a member of Zaradatha Lodge, No. 448, F. and A. M.; the Pennsylvania Consistory, and Syria Temple. He leaves two daughters, Mrs. Johnston C. Armstrong of Etna and Mrs. W. H. Kekiley of Tulsa, Okla. After military services Saturday afternoon by the Etna Ex-Service Club, burial will be in the Mount Royal Cemetery. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Pittsburgh Sun Telegraph, Thursday, 09 Dec 1937 PITCAIRN TO PAY TRIBUTE AT RITES FOR MAN, 100 Pitcairn tonight will pasy final tribute to its oldest citizen - 100-year-old Louis H. Bogner, who died yesterday. Funeral services will be held at the home of his son, Orrin, 510 Broadway, Pitcairn, at 7 p.m. in charge of the Rev. Lawrence E. Stahl, of the Methodist Episcopal Church, Pitcairn, who served Mr. Bogner communion on his one hundreth birthday June 22. Mr. Bogner will be buried in Allport, Clearfield County, where he lived 63 years, gave the land on which the Methodist Church there stands, and where he was the church's Sunday School secretary 63 years. Mr. Bogner shook hands with President Abraham Lincoln in Harrisburg while Lincoln was en route to Gettysburg to dedicate the Gettysburg battlefield. He did not serve in the Civil War, but when his two brothers were wounded in action he went to Fort Schuyler to nurse them.