OBIT: John R. GARDEN, 1919, Altoona, Blair County, PA

Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by JRB

Copyright 2006.  All rights reserved.
http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm
http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/blair/
_________________________________________ 

MAJOR JOHN R. GARDEN SUMMONED BY DEATH
Well Known Civil War Veteran, Citizen and Retired P.R.R. Clerk Died This 
Morning

  Major John R. Garden, well known Civil war veteran and retired P.R.R.
clerk, died this morning at 12:10 o'clock at the Altoona hospital,
after an illness since February 17, when he was admitted to the
institution from his home, 1113 Eighth avenue.  The cause of death has
not been determined.  The news of his demise will be received with
sincere regret and sorrow by the host of friends that knew him
personally or through recognition of his military personality.  He was
born on Jun 9, 1842, at Philadelphia, and attended the public schools
there.  His father was a printer and at the age of 12 John was taken to
Lancaster, where his father published the Morning Herald and
Pennsylvania Telegraph.  At the age of 14 Garden went to work for the
Pennsylvania company at Greensburg, where a brother was a civil
engineer.  Later John was transferred to this city, where he served his
apprenticeship as a carpenter.  Mr. Garden served throughout the Civil
war, going with company H when the first call from troops was issued
and later enlisting in company M, Sixty-second Pennsylvania volunteers,
then in company K, Ninety-first Pennsylvanians.  In 1861, he was made a
sergeant, and when he was discharged finally, he was a first
lieutenant.  After the war, he formed the Keystone Zouaves, the first
independent military company in the state, containing sixty members.
He was promoted from a captaincy to majorship and was later advocate
general and finally quarter-master general on the staff of General
James A. Beaver.
  In 1868, he took as his wife Kate Benner, of this city, and they have
resided ever since at 1113 Eighth avenue.  After the war, Mr. Garden
worked in the local P.R.R. yard a month, then was transferred to the
Twelfth street offices and on December 14, 1900, he was sent to the car
shop offices where he had been up until his retirement in 1912.  He is
survived by his wife and two children, William, of Philadelphia, and
Mrs. Mary Freeman, of Washington, D.C.  Funeral arrangements will be
announced later.

Altoona Tribune, Saturday morning, February 22, 1919, page 14