The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1906-07-12
OBITUARY.

sudden death OF Captain A. Ii. PulSlfer OF
Brooklyn, y. Y. at his cottage near the
kenniston shore, Lake George, Monday
morning, July 2nd. He had arrived with
his family July Goth for the summer and
their baggage had not arrived at the time
OF his death. 1t was very gratifying to his
friends to know that he could be permitted
10 die in this beautiful spot that he loved SO
well. Indeed, it seemed that fate had
decreed that it should be so, for he fell a
greater anxiety to reach here than ever be
fore and on that beautiful morning as he
stood On the lawn in front OF his cottage
conyeIsing with some men al work on the
li-hWay, with a smile on his fps and a joke
on his tongue. he passed instantly into the
presence Of his maker. Captain PulSifer
Was born In the -uWu Of 81 field, Mass, in
-s2, anu was consequently = years OF age.
Wien he was quite young his palelts n.ov-
Ell To- Lowell, Mass, where he grew 10
mauluod ami learned -aA trade NJ Al iron
plate worker and p.p4-lgJer, AMI was work
.ug in Brooklyn, \. . Al the breaking out
ol -hr Rebellion. He Immediately returned
10 Lowell ana Joined one of the first regi-
mrnts to leave his nat - State for the front
and at the close Of war was a captain in the
2nd Massachusetts Heavy Artillery. He
participated in many battles and among
them the capture Of Fort Marion, \. G.,
The battle OF Colerain, \. C., and many
others. In $50, Al the close Of the war, he
married Miss Frances Shibles Of Morrill,.
Two children were born to them. Charles
H. Pulsifer and Mrs. Edward Taylor, both
Of Brooklyn, y. y, and both with their
mother, survive him and We're with him at
the time of his death. The funeral was an
innovation, different from anything ever
seen here The body was not placed in the
casket until after the services, but was
placed in a reclining position on couch,
resting slightly on his right side in life
like position, neatly attiTed in suit of
black, and with the exception OF rose as d
bouttOniere there were no flowers on or about
the body The lower part OF the body was
covered with the American flag. over him,
extending from the top OF the couch TO
the ceiling, was d canopy Of native t1oW-
ers and ferns artistically arranged by
Mr., /. e. Gritfis, formerly Of Boston, a
decorator of much taste. The deceased
bore no trace of sickness or suffering and
looked to the writer as natural as when he
tirSt knew him more than 10 years ago.
When the friends entered the room and saw
the remains reclining in this beautiful bow
er, with Mrs, PulSifer sitting in rocking
chair at his head, with her hand resting on
his shoulder, with his son, daughter and
son-in-law facing him as + in conversation,
they could not refrain from exclaiming,
"FIow beautlful.' Beautiful in a Simplic-
ity which touched the heart and caused
the tears to How. The only thing to mar
the occasion on this 4th Of July morning
was the storm raging outside. The Sp aker
for the occasion was J. O. Johnson Of this
town, who was chosen by the family OF the
deceased not for his eloQuence or brilliant
attainmentS, but because Of his long ac-
quantance with Capt. PulSifeT and OF the
strong tie of friendship that had existed be-
tween the families for many years. The
address was reminiscent and in the form Of
a narrative. The speaker said that u years
ago next October, Plymouth, North Caro-
lima, was recaptured from the enemy by the
navy alone without any aid from the army.
Indeed, the army was so far away that II
took them three days to reach Us and the
navy held ii for that time. The first troops
to relieve the naval forces from the provost
duty of the town were SIX companies OF the
ID Massachusetts Heavy Artillery and
Ranson's Battery and the senior in com
mand was Captain Alfred H. Pulsifer of
the ID Heavy. He remained in command
OF the garrison there during the winter OF
1864 and S65. He was a genial. whole
souled officer and was highly appreciated
by the officers of the navy 10 whom he ex-
tended very many favors, including fresh
provisions, which the army could obtain out
side the lines while We Of the navy could
not. 4 strong friendship grew up between
them and it was with feeling OF reluctance
that they grasped hands for the last time, as
they thought, in June, 1865, for the war was
over and we were ordered home. with the
shius to 90 out Of commission. Bnt the
fates had ordered it differently, 1t was
this way, A few years before the war OF
the Rebellion Miss Frances ShibleS of Nor
rill. Maine. went to brooklyn TO live with
her uncle, Capt. Robert Poterfeld, who at
one time lived at North Searsmont in this
county While there she became acquainted
with Alfred II. pu.sifer, who was working
at his trade there, and at the close OF the
war N 1865 they were married, ana IN 1866
as if by fate's decree, the speaker also mar
RED young lady from the town OF Morrill,,
and the two girls were fast friends and had
been from childhood, and that friendship,
strengthened by the marriage of the speak
er's wife's brother to the sister OF Mrs Pull
sifer has existed from The time they were
little tots going bare footed to school to-
gether. They had been like Damon and
Pythas for nearly 20 years and will CON
tinue to the end, no doubt. 1t is the de-
sire OF the family that the closing remarks
Of the speaker be published. for the many
! friends in Morrill, and Knox who would
! have been at the funeral were kept away
| by the storm on that day They were as fcl-
| lows
! Captain puSifer had seen hundreds OF
men die on the battle h-Id, surrounded by
| all the horrors OF fratracldal war. 1hey
| could not know that their beloved country,
| for which they gave their lives, would ever
to look only upon the sad spectacle OF
| states discordant, beliigerent and dren ched
| in fraternal blood. But for him, under the
providence of God, he was TO see the happy
| close of the war and to return from the bat
! tie field with the country again united on 4