Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1915-11-23
MIR. LUCE STILL ALIVE.
Attended the Recent National G. A. r.
Encampment at Washington.

The letter published below will be
read with interest by readers of the
PILOT, coming as it does from one
who is. .Solwell known aSthe writer, and
which relates to one who lived here
in the long ago.
Benjamin Harrison Franklin HUI
bert Luce was a resident of this city
in the latter part of the SOS and
early COS, leaving here shortly
after the close of the war. He worked
at various things and found enough
to keep him busy. He also ot1iciated in
the Methodist church when occasion
required. He was a soldier during
the civil war, serving his country
long and faithfully. Mr.. Luce was
large, strong, able-bodied man, strict
! ly temperate and an industrious and
popular citizen. He was a married
man, and the father of large family.
| His name was familiar one in this
valley among the earlier residents.
He had a kindly disposition and was
man of the best of impulses-in
! fact was friend indeed to friend
| in need. Many old-time citizens of
the present generation remember his
kindly attributes. He not only went
into the war but took one of his boys
who was about Is years of age, who
became an expert in drum corps.
Washington, d. c., Nov Is, 1915.
DEAR GENE:
During the recent G. A. r. en-
campment week | had the pleasure
of meeting an old soldier, ninety-two
years of age, and as the old gentleman
formerly resided in WauSau, away
back in the days when you and Will
Scholteld used to play marbles,
thought the old residents who so
proudly speak of living in Wausau in
those early days, would like to receive
news of one of their old acquain-
tanceS.
Rev. b. +. II. Luce is now preach
ing the gospel in ard around Seattle,
Wash, and as he is the subject of
this letter | must state that he re-
lated to me some very interesting
incidents that occurred in Wausau
during the early pioneer days.
Rev. Luce was one Of the interest
ing figures in the G. A. r. parade on
account Of his advanced age, be being
the oldest man in the line of march;
and the fact that he covered the en-
tire route with boy scouts accom-
panying him, created considerable
curiosity. His appearance would at
tract attention anywhere, as he is
about six feet four inches tall and
wears long gray beard. He walks
erect and glories in his ability to ac-
cOmplish hard tasks at his age. He
emphasized the fact that he made
the trip all alone from the state of
Washington to the National Ca pital
to take an active part in the encamp-
ment.
Rev. Luce spent several days in
Washington sightseeing before re-
turning to his far western home, and
it was while going through the
Government Printing office he learned
that former Wausau men were on
duty there for Uncle Sam. The old
soldier being decorated with numer-
Gus G. A. r. badges the guide noticed
one in particular that read "Wiscon-
sim" He informed Rev. Luce that
George Tuttle of Wausau was located
in the Purchasing Department, and
the guide states that Mr.. Luce i'm
mediately lost all interest in continu-
ing the office sightseeing trip further
and requested that he be ushered
into the presence of Mr.. Tuttle, Rev
Luce advising the guide that he
knew Mr.. Tuttle's father.
l shall always remember with pride
and satisfaction our conversation and
the deep interest Rev. Luce showed
in talking over Wausau early-day ex-
periences. He stated that he and my
| fpther RATED lumber down the Wis
consin river and that they had many
exciting experiences going over big
Bull Falls" He talked about the old
residents in Wausau in general and
one of the first men he mentioned
was Buck Barnes, a pioneer lum-
herman whom l presume you remem-
ber. He called to memory the names
of Single. Plumer, Gallon, Kelly,
Thayer, and others, in alluding to old
acquaintances. When | asked him
if he remembered Mark Barnum, the
editor, he said: why, 1 carried Mark
Barnum Off the battlefield" At this
period of my interesting chat with
the old gentleman, l informed him
that Mark Barnum, Jr., a son of the
deceased editor of the early day pub
| licatiOn known as the Torch of
Liberty" was employed in the Govern
ment Printing office. l sent for
Mark and the old soldier seemed more
than pleased to meet him. l left him
with Mark and the latter informed
me that he found Rev. Luce a re-
markable man and very interesting.
Rev. Luce requested that when l
wrote to friends in Wausau | inform
the old residents that he is still in
the land of the living.
AS l parted with the old soldier he
gave me the following composition
his own handwriting which speaks
for itself;
Sixty-six years myself and wife
Have travelled along this busy life,
We shed our blood on the field Of the