Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1914-03-03
HENRY CORDES DIES
IN LENKERVLLE
TContinued from First Page1


Mr.. Cordes' illness had been discussed
in and about the Courthouse, but the
announcement of his death was re-
ceived with distinct shock through
out county circles.
' Mr.. Cordes was secretary Of the
Board of Prison Inspectors and it is
likely that the board will take appro-
pirate action at it's regular meeting
on Thursday Many Of the county
officials will attend the funeral,
which will be held Saturday afternoon
at o'clock, with services at his home
and burial in Oak Hill Cemetery.
The former prison inspector is sur
vived by his widow and two children,
a son Ray and a daughter. Mrs. B. w.
Jury. Mrs. Cordes is a daughter of
William Shader. formerly of this city.
Born In Germany
Mr.. Cordes was native of Bremen,
Germany. He came to this country
while a young man. Incidentally he
brought with him knowledge of how
to use a rifle. His ability to shoot won
him many laurel while in the Union
Army. In later years he was the in
separable companion of William B.
Meetch, prison inspector; Harry w.
FMeetch, his son, and ]. Harry Stroup,
on famous shooting trips to various
parts of the country.
For thirty years the elder Meetch
and Mr.. Cordes were hunting COM
panions, and the wilds of West Vir-
ginia, the Carolinas, the Virginia
marshes New Brunswick and other
parts of Canada were stamping
ornrn6c for fhaQa hlInfCnoan ~
Cordes was an unusually good wing
shot, a unique characteristic, by the
way, because he had the use of but
one arm.
Won Spurs During War
The veteran prison inspector was
famous in Grand Army circles and he
won his spurs during the bitterest
battles of the Civil War. The fact
that in later years Mr.. Cordes shot
with his right arm was due to the
fortunes of war. His left arm was
shot away at Jonesboro. S. c., during
the war.
AS a Grand Army man Mr.. Cordes
was known all over the country. Since
1882 he served as commander of Kill
patrick Post, No. 212, Milersburg,
and frequently he attended the great
G. A. r. encampments. OF the thirty
odd thousand boys of yesteryear who
gathered at Gettysburg last July, none
was more enthusiastic, perhaps, than
the veteran commander of Millers-
burg. And Millersburg post will fire
a final salute and sound TAPS" over
the body of it's commander.
Prominent Republican
Mr.. Cordes was one of the most
prominent Republicans in the upper
end of the county and he always bore
large part in the activities of the
county government. In 1894 he was
elected poor director and served for
six years. After his term as poor di-
rector he was chosen as a member of
the prison board and served until his
death. His place, by the way, will
likely be filled by the County Com
missioners tomorrow.
While Mr.. Cordes served as q school
director in his home township, other
civic duties to which he was elected
included the office of Justice OF the
peace. He was the unanimous choice
for the place last Fall. However, he
didn't serve, as his commission was
never lifted.
If Mr.. Cordes was widely known in
G.. A. r. and county circles, his fame
as railroader was much more gen.
eral. In his early days he served as
a telegraph operator at Marysville,
and left that service to enter the
Union army. He was numbered in
one of the first companies to be mus
tered into service at Camp Curtin.
After his return from the war Mr..
Cordes again went into the railroad
service and up until the last five or six
years he acted as assistant train dis
patcher at Millersburg. He was re-
tired about five years ago.
Mr.. Cordes was a member of the
Lutheran Church of Millersburg and
was we'll known in Odd Fellows
circles.