The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1929-12-18
LanbertOn



The thinning ranks of Civil War
veterans and of the earliest pioneers
of Lamberton, suffered further loss
in the death of William p. French,
on December 7th, at the Old Soldiers
Home, Fort Smelling. The body was
brought to Lamberton for burial and
it was with a feeling of deep respect
for his contribution to our country
during the days of 81 and feeling
of loss of an early pioneer, that the
old friends followed his body from
the Kuegel funeral parlors to the
grave where the flag he loved, draped
his casket and members of the Amer
lean Legion, o. C. Getting, E. L. An
derson, DR.. Ranseen, DR.. R. H. Ran
seen, DR.. C. C. Walker, DR.. R. o.
Stolberg and H. R. Otis, acted as pail
bearers. Rev. Reed spoke in tribute
of the love we bear toward those who
preserved the Union and of another
who was being laid in his windowless
house of clay. Otto Wilt sounded
taps, while Civil War veteran, A.
L. Lang, comrade of the deceased,
and two Spanish war veterans, John
Wallace, color bearer, and Henry
Meyer, attended. All of his children,
four sons, George of Minneapolis,
William of Lacrosse, Wis.,, Elmer
and Thomas of Minneapolis were pre-
sent at the last rites. They with
eleven grandchildren and two great
grandchildren survive him.
Mr.. French was born in Arkansas,
sc years ago next February. Later
as boy he lived in Iowa, going from
there to Wisconsin where on the 10th
of December, 1861 he enlisted at
Portage in Co. E. End Wisconsin
Cavalry, in the same Company that
Antoine Cooler, deceased, also of
Lamberton, had enlisted in. Mr..
French served with distinction in
several major battles, including that
of Vicksburg, where he was captured
and thrown into a rebel prison. His
experiences there were tragic. Shot
through both legs, he was home for a
short time, but re-enlisted on Jan. l.,
1864 and was discharged with honor
on June "a, 1865, serving all told,
three and half years.
Following his discharge he went to
Iowa where he was united in mar
riage to Sarah Ayres Shaker of Wav-
erly. Here one son, George was born,
before the long trek by oxen and rid
ing in covered wagon, was made to
Minnesota and to Lamberton, where
he homesteaded on a section adjoin-
ing the present Pfarr farm. He con-
tinued to make his home there and in
Lamberton until ten years ago when
he entered the Old Soldiers Home.
His wife passed away many years
ago, when his boys were small. In
1891 he was married again to Mrs.
Mary Earl, mother of Mrs. Louis
Hammond, who also preceded him in
death. His days at the Old Soldiers
Home were pleasant.
A suit case full of mats and twin
es of different shades gave mute tes-
timony of the way his time had been
employed. He was ill but a week.
A slight cold developed on Sunday
and on Thursday he was taken to the
Old Soldiers hospital, death occurring
Saturday morning. Of a genial dis
position, his friends were many.
Services were held at the Fort Shell
ing chapel Monday with a regulation
military service, conducted by sur
viving members of the G. A. R. The
pail bearers were members of the
American Legion. The G.. A. R.,
about 80 in number and fifty men,
bers of the Relief Corp attended in a
body. A soloist rendered special