PDC Downey will contact the Department webmaster to update this site as information comes in. Be sure to check this site before embarking on time-consuming research. Someone else may have already completed the search in your county. Feel free to volunteer to search in a county or counties.
This information can also be posted here so we can know who is handling the
various parts of the state.
As the information is received for each veteran, we shall post them on this
website by county. Thank you in advance for any research you may wish
to share with us.
KAYS
Funeral services for William Kays, 92, Anderson county's last veteran of the Union army in the War Between the States, were held Monday, Dec. 30, 1935 at the Goshen Baptist church near the Mercer line and burial was in the Lawrenceburg cemetery.
Kays fought in many of the battles throughout the south among which was the engagement at Perryville, this state. He was with General Sherman on his memorable march to the sea, starting at Chattanooga and extending to Savannah.
Co-incident with the death of Mr. Kays, for several years the last of the soldiers who wore the blue, is the fact that there is but one of the Confederate veterans left in Anderson county, Buck Routt. Mr. Kays is survived by three daughters, Mrs. John Strange, Anderson county; Mrs. W. M. Robinson, Washington county and Mrs. I. Rogers, Mercer county; four sons, Lowry, Charles, John Holly and Clyde Kays, Anderson county; four sisters, Mrs. Lizzie Burns and Mrs. Samantha Stratton, Anderson county, Mrs. Nannie Gritton, Harrodsburg, and Mrs. Maggie Sharp, Lexington, and a brother, Rev. U. G. Kays, Harrodsburg.
(HH Fri Jan 3, 1936)
ROUTT
Lawrenceburg Loses Last Soldier Of South
Wesley L. Routt, better known as “Uncle Buck Routt,” 98 years of age, died last Saturday afternoon at his home near the Kentucky river on the Harry Wise extension road, in Anderson county. Funeral services were held at the Hebron church Sunday afternoon, conducted by Rev. M. D. Morton, pastor of the Sand Spring Baptist church.
With the passing of Uncle Buck, Anderson county has lost its last confederate soldier, as he was the last of those Anderson countians who fought under the confederate flag.
(Harrodsburg Herald Fri May 22, 1942)
My apologies, but I need to make a quick correction to my previous message. The article was in the Kentucky Post for 4-27-1940, on page 1 (not the Cincinnati Post).
---- RLMMy name is Richard McCormick. I have recently been doing some research about the Civil War in Northern Kentucky and just found an article about the last Civil War vetern who lived in Campbell County.
His name is John Clark (I've seen no middle initial) and he was the last veteran in the county, per the Cincinnati Post of 4-27-1940. (I do have a copy I can forward if you wish).
He was in Company D of the 16th Kentucky Infantry.
His date of birth is in May 1843. His death certificate actually says May 1, 1844, but his headstone and the 1900 Bracken County census shows 1843. I have not been able yet to look for further sources to confirm which year is correct, but the newspaper article indicated he was 96 when he passed away. If May is the correct month, then 1843 is the correct year.
His place of birth was Bracken County, Ky.
He died on April 26, 1940 at his home in Campbell County. The death certificate lists the city as Alexandria.
He is buried in the Oakland Cemetery in Grant's Lick, Kentucky, per the newspaper article, and I did find the gravestone (there are actually 2 - one for him, with his unit information on it, then a newer one which includes his wife's name.) I did take some photos of it and will have them in an electronic format if you wish to see them.
I hope this is the information you need, but please let me know if you need anything else.
George W Carroll, 117 USCI Co D; born 25 Dec, 1838; died 28 June, 1949. He was born a slave in Owenton, Ky. He was 111 when he died and was buried in Mason Cemetery, Warsaw, Ky. Info furnished by Timothy Ward. I found this on the Ohio SUVCW web site. Steve Clifford, Dept. of Ky. Graves Reg. Officer.
Garrard’s Only Confederate Dies
Jacob A. Trumbo, 95, died at his home in the Camp Dick Robinson section of Garrard Sunday after a brief illness. He was the last of those in that county who fought for the South in the Civil War. He was born in Bath county and enlisted in the Confederate army at Versailles in 1861 and was a member of the guard of forty which with Jefferson Davis was captured at Washington, Ga., at the close of the war. In 1902, when he retired from farming, he bought a home at Camp Dick Robinson and had lived in it since. He is survived by four children.
(Harrodsburg Herald Fri Oct 10, 1941)
HOUP
Robert D. Houp, 95, last of the surviving veterans of the War Between the States in Jessamine county and one of the last in Kentucky, died at his home in Wilmore Monday, Feb. 25. He suffered a stroke of paralysis two weeks ago.
Mr. Houp had been a member of General Grant’s army.
He is survived by his wife, Mrs. Mary W. Houp; three daughters, Mrs. Everett Vander Muler, Detroit, Mich.; Mrs. George Swim, Cincinnati, and Mrs. Mary Jane Rue, High Bridge; six sons, Fleming and Henry Houp, High Bridge; J. D. Houp, Paducah; Claude Houp, Lexington; C. O. Houp, Louisa, Miss., and Willis Houp, Muncie, Ind., and three stepdaughters, Mrs. A. Woods and Mrs. Lydia Blake, Jessamine county, and Mrs. Ward Gay, Indianapolis, Ind.
Funeral services at the Wilmore Baptist church at 2 o'clock Wednesday afternoon, conducted by the Rev. C. L. Walker, and military rites were held at the Wilmore cemetery.
(Harrodsburg Herald Fri Feb 27, 1942)
ROBINSON
Taps has sounded for the last veteran of the Civil War residing in Mercer county. William Robinson, born November 7, 1844, died July 7, 1939 at his home in the west section of the county. He had reached the ripe age of 94 years and seven months.
Mr. Robinson was a native of Mercer county, the son of James Porter and Comencie Beasley Robinson. He served three years in the Union Army during the War Between the States in the 11th Kentucky Cavalry in which he enlisted in 1861. He had been a member of the Masonic order for 63 years. He was a well known farmer of the section where he resided, and for many years operated a threshing outfit all over Mercer and adjoining counties, which gave him a wide circle of friendships among farmers of the community.
Owing to his advanced years his health had been declining for some time before he was called. He was twice married. His first wife was Sarah Margaret Beasley, and his second, was Mollie Barnett. He is survived by five daughters, three sons, 53 grandchildren, 76 great-grandchildren and eight great-great-grandchildren. The daughters surviving are Mrs. James Dorsey, Harrodsburg; Mrs. Howard Shewmaker, Mrs. Clarence McClane, Mrs. Silas Releford, Mrs. Edgar Robinson, all of the Duncan section, and the sons, Bob Robinson, Jefferstown; James Robinson, Duncan and Bert Robinson, of Sinai.
Mr. Robinson joined Bethel Baptist church in September 1938 and his funeral was held there Sunday afternoon at 2:30 o'clock, conducted by the pastor, the Rev. Charles W. Knight, assisted by the Rev. Leroy Tracy of Grapevine church, the Rev. Carmen Savoll, pastor of the Baptist church at Cornishville. Burial in Bethel cemetery with six grandsons, as pallbearers, Callie Barnett, Lonie Robinson, William Releford, Fred Robinson, F. D. Robinson, Lester Satterly. Masonic rites at the grave were by the T. N. Wise Lodge of Dugansville, and the American Legion tendered him full military honors at the grave. It is said that more than a thousand persons attended the funeral.
(“Harrodsburg Herald” Fri Jul 14, 1939)
Job M. Kerns was the oldest vetran of the Civil war when he died May 25, 1942, at the age of 94 years, 2 months and 5 days, according to the the local paper in Somerset Kentucky, County of Pulaski. I am not sure if he was the Last Soldier. His funeral service was held in the First Babtist Church, with Reverand D. L. Hill officiating. Burial was in the city cemetary. Job's great great grandson visited the grave site in 2002 and found the marker and site in fine shape.
Job was born in Wayne County and spent his entire life in Wayne, Clinton and Pulaski Counties. 49 days before his death he spoke at the local Army Day celebration on April 6, and spoke of marching through Somerset during his enlistment in the Union Army. When he enlisted in the Union Army he listed his occupation as farmer. In later life he taught school and engaged in various other enterprises. He was a loyal member of the Babtist Church, a 50 year member of the Masonic Lodge, and a staunch Democrat.
Job was married three times and had three sons with his first wife Sara J. Gibbons Kerns, who died in 1902. All three sons preceded Job in death.
Last Soldier information of his service during the Civil War.
Job M. Kerns, 30th Regiment of the Kentucky Mounted Infantry, Company "C", 7th Corporal, length of service 1863-1865 and seperated from service because enlistment was up.
Born March 20, 1848 in Wayne County Kentucky; Died May 25, 1942 in Somerset Kentucky, County of Pulaski and buried in the Somerset City Cemetary, along side his wife Eliza, who died October 13, 1948.
The above information comes from the family Bible, Vetrans Administration post card of March 1935 concerning his pension, his discharge papers dated 18 April 1865, his death certificate and newspaper articles that contained some misspelled words and names applied to the incorrect people.
Thank you for performing this important project, before too may people
misplace family information or it is destroyed though accidents or
carelessness. I look forward to seeing the project completed and the very
interesting stories from of the Sons and Daughters of the Union Vetrans of
the Civil War about their ancestors.
Jim Kerns
1612 N. 21st
Boise, Idaho 83702
208-342-3371
jimkerns@unions-america.com
WILLIAMS
TAPS FOR LAST UNION VET IN WASHINGTON COUNTY
Mr. Jesse Rodman Williams, age ninety-two years, died Sunday morning, June 11, 1933 at the home of his daughter, Mrs. R. G. Hays in Springfield, his death following a protracted illness of infirmities incident to age.
The son of Thomas Head and Sarah Rodman Williams, deceased was born September 18, 1841, in the Mt. Zion section of Washington county and spent the greater portion of his life in the vicinity of his birth. At the outbreak of the Civil War, Mr. Williams enlisted and served through that conflict between the States as a member of Company D. Tenth Regiment, Kentucky Infantry, being actively engaged in numerous conflicts. He was honorably discharged and cited because of distinguished service in behalf of the cause.
Returning to his native heath following the close of the bloody hostilities in 1865, Mr. Williams wooed and won the hand of Miss Susan Bishop, with whom he was united in marriage December 16, 1886. To this happy union seven children were born, two of the number dying in infancy. Another son, Bruce Williams, died several years ago. Those surviving are Mrs. J. N. Hays, Bloomfield; Charles M. Williams, Mt. Zion; Dr. Rodman Williams, Tatham Springs, and Mrs. R. G. Hays, Springfield, with whom he had been making his home for some time. He also leaves twenty-three grandchildren, eighteen great-grandchildren and one brother, Walter Williams, Washington county.
(“Harrodsburg Herald”, Fri Jun 23, 1933)