Orlando LeValley, Last of Civil War Verterans, is Dead
Passed away at Farm Home Near Caro on Monday at Age of 99
Orlando LeValley, the Michigan Department Commander of the Grand Army of the Republic, died at his Tuscola County home, 5 miles west of Caro, on Monday at 7:45 a.m. He was 99 years of age and is the last of the 90,018 Michigan veterans of the was between the North and South
Mr. LeValley was born in Marathon Township, Lapeer County, Sept. 19, 1848. He was a lad of 13 when the Civil War began. Nevertheless, he responded to President Lincoln's first call for volunteers. Too young, they told him.
A few days after his sixteenth birthday, in 1864, he tried again. "I ran away to Flint with two other youngsters", Le Valley recalled. This time he took no chances. He said he was 18 and was accepted.
Assigned to Company E, 23rd Michigan infantry, he arrived in time to fight at Franklin, Tennessee, and other closing battles in that area under Maj. Gen. George H. Thomas, "The Rock of Chickamauga"
Mr. Le Valley on October 3, 187, at Vassar was united in marriage with Hannah J. Titus and in 1876 they moved to the farm in Fairgrove Township on the Gilford Road west of Caro, which has ever since been the veterans home. Mrs. Le Valley died in 1918. That was when he was 70 and his six children told LeValley he ought to slow down
But he ignored their advice. The nation was at was needed food. He kept on farming. He planted some blue spruce seedlings and remarked: "I'll live to see them grown".
He was right. With his daughters he had his picture taken in front of the full-grown blue spruce trees last summer before he went to the state encampment.
In failing health for the past year his daughter, Mrs. David Hutchinson, had been caring for him. However, his illness did not prevent him from attending the State G. A. R. encampment at Grand Rapids June 25-27 last year, which was a one-man show since he was the only Civil War veteran left to attend.
Five of his children survive him, the others being-a son, Sylvester and Mrs. Eva Colbert, Mrs. W. R. Kirk and Mrs. John Dunham. He also leaves 15 grandchildren and 29 great grandchildren. Three of his grandchildren served in World War II.
Funeral services were held Thursday afternoon in the Caro Methodist Church. Burial was in the Fairgrove cemetery in charge of Caro American Legion and V. F. W. posts.
04-23-1948

     

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