Vitals: Obit: Joshua Torrance, 1844 - 1925: Lower Tyrone Twp. Fayette Co

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JOSHUA TORRANCE

	Joshua Torrance, 81 years, eight months and six days old, the last Civil War
veteran in Lower Tyrone township, died Friday evening, November 27, 1925, at 6:30
o'clock at the home of his daughter, Mrs. James M. Murtland, in Lower Tyrone
township following a brief illness.
	Mr. Torrance was a life resident of the township.  He was born March 21, 1844, in
the old Torrance homestead, the son of John Huston and Rebecca Torrance, both
deceased.  When 17 years of age, he enlisted in the Federal Army and was a member of
Company B 86th Regiment, Pennsylvania volunteers.  Mr Torrance was wounded twice and
also captured by the Confederates.  He spent two months in Libby Prison and 11
months in Andersonville Prison.
	He was married over half a century ago, taking Miss Caroline Hagerman of that
township for his wife.  she died in 1901.  Mr Torrance was a republican in politics
and served as school director, tax collector and auditor of Lower Tyrone
township..  He was the first mail carrier on the free rural delivery for the
township and he held that post for 12 years.  the last time he was elected as
auditor he declined to serve on account of his age.
	Mr. Torrance was the oldest member and also charter member of the Dawson Grange. 
He was also a member of the Northern Fayette County Good Roads Association, formerly
the Dawson-Tyrone-Scottdale Good Roads Association; member of the Tyrone Presbyterian
church for 65 years and also Colonel Ellsworth Post, Grand Army of the Republic, of
Scottdale.
	The survivors are: two sons, Edward H. Torrance of Greensburg and J. Clayton
Torrance of Scottdale, and two daughters, Mrs. Rena Brallier of Connellsville and
Mrs. James Murtland of Lower Tyrone township; five grandchildren, Mrs. W. A.
Sechrist of Connellsville, Mrs. Howard Marsh of Homestead, E. L. K. Torrance of
Owensdale, James Gene Torrance of Scottdale, and two great grandchildren, Mrs. W. A.
Sechrist of  Connellsville and Dorothy Torrance of Owensdale.
	Funeral services were held at the Murtland home Sunday afternoon with the Rev. F.
B. Shaw officiating.  Interment was in Cochran Memorial cemetery at Dawson.  Members
of Milton J. Newmyer Post, of Dawson, and Emory Lewis Pratt Post, of Vanderbilt, both
American Legion, composed a military escort and firing squad.

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(GRIM REAPER)

JOSHUA TORRANCE

Rev. Dr. E. B, Shaw, pastor of the East Liberty Presbyterian Church of Vanderbilt,
was in charge of the funeral service for Joshua Torrance, last Civil War veteran of
Lower Tyrone township,  who died Friday evening at the home of his daughter, Mrs.
James M. Murtland, that was held Sunday afternoon.  The aged war veteran was buried
in the Cochran Cemetery at Dawson with full military honors.  The services were held
at the Murtland home at 2o'clock.  Members of the Tyrone Presbyterian choir sang "One
By One,"  "Nearer My God to Thee" and "The City Four Square."  Pallbearers were W. D.
Hixon, A. Oldland, George Eicher, David Galley, Frank Newcomer and George Ruffcorn. 
Floral tributes were many and beautiful.  At the grave, Milton J. Newmyer Post of
the American Legion of Dawson conducted its ritual.  Stanley Mong acted as chaplain,
Laban Shallenberger was in charge.  Bugler John Wilson of Emery Lewis Pratt Post at
Vanderbilt sounded taps.  The firing squad was composed of William T. Brown, George
G. Cochran, James Gibson, Stanley Mong, Laban Shallenberger, D. A. Ansell, Domer
Shallenberger, Raymond Ellenberger, Henry Brown, Andrew Luxner, Earl Cottom, Frank
Van Horn, Curtis Sechrist, Irwin McDonald, Theodore VanHorn and Sam Able of the
Newmyer Post and John Wilson, Patsy Donadio and Jesse Pratt of the Vanderbilt
post.  William Bowers, member of the G. A. R. post of Perry township was also
present.
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