Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1915-06-24
TAPS SOUNDED FOR
VETERAN II. G. FORD

Esteemed Townsman passed
Away Wednesday Morning
at Late Residence in
This City.
Henry Clay Ford, veteran of
the civil war, and one of the
oldest newspaper men in West
ern Iowa, died between seven
and eight o'clock Wednesday
morning, June l6.
MIR. Ford has been failing in
health quite noticeably the past
twelve months. His period of
critical illness goes back to on
ly about a week ago. Friday
he Iapsed into a comatose state
and during the time intervening
he has been unable to recognize
anyone, even the closest friends.
Henry Clay Ford was born in
Franklin, New York, July II,
1841, where he grew to young
manhood. He was early left an
orphan, his father being acct
dentally killed when Henry was
five years old, and his mother
dying three years later. An
uncle, DR.. Sullard. gave the boy
a home and reared him to man.
hood. Early in boyhood he
took up the work of a printer,
learning the trade in the shops
of his native town and county,
at Delhi and Schnectedy, New
York.
At the call for volunteers in
81 Mr.. Ford was not yet twen-
ty but he was early on the
ground to offer his services,
and perhaps not q man in west
ern Iowa saw more real service
in the four succeeding years
than he did. He enlisted with
Co. !, Tend New York Infantry,
under Captain Bob Johnson,
May 81, 1861, only a month af-
ter the first gun was fired. His
regiment was in the famous
Sickles brigade and fought from
Bull Run to Richmond through
all the battles that the Army of
the Potomac went through, the
most important engagements
being First and Second Bull
Run, Williamsburg, Chancel-
louisville, Cold Harbor, besides
hundreds of minor actions. He
was first wounded at Chancel-
louisville, where a bullet cut a
furrow through his scalp. At
Mine Run later he got another
through the calf of his leg. His
next experience with rebel led
was at Cold Harbor, where, be-
tween the awful first and Sec
ond lines of the Confederate
defense, where over 10000 of
the boys in blue went down, he
got four bullet holes Through
him and made up his mind that
he would have to quit. A long
hospital experience followed,
after months of which he was
finally mustered out at New
York and brought back home
to the old home in the hills. He
went in as private and came
out as Orderly Sergeant. His
company had twelve men killed
in their first engagement; and
saw service as hard and long as
any company in the war.
When the Post G. A. r at
Westside was organized, Mr..
Ford at the time being in the
newspaper business there, he
was its first commander. Later
he transferred to Carroll, and
afterwards to Woodbine, and
for number of terms was ad-
iutant of Eaton Post. He has
been a member of this Post
during all the years of his later
life.
Mr.. Ford has been a newspa.
per man all his life. His news
paper work in Iowa has been
in Lyons, West Side, Glidden,
Silver City, and Woodbine. His
Iabors during the leng years he
owned and edited the Twiner
will be remembered by all the
older residents of Wondbine
and Harrison county. 1t was
seven years ago this month that
he sold the Twiner to the pres
ent editor, since which time he
has lived retired life.
"Dad" Ford was always a re-
publican and he was glad of it.
He was also always a man, in
every meaning of the word.