GAR Post 117

Capt. Edward F. Cooper Killed in Action, Civil War 1865

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Edward Ferdinand Cooper was born on 23 November 1840, in Ohio. His parents are Joseph & Sarah A. (Sturges) Cooper. Joseph and Sarah had eight children: Sturges Herbert, Anna Marie, William Henry, George Endicott, Edward Ferdinand, Charles Pettit, Albert Brooks, and Charlotte Elizabeth.

Edward F. Cooper was one of four brothers who served during the Civil War. Edward F. Cooper served in the Thirteenth Ohio Volunteer Cavalry, Fourth and Fifth Independent Battalions, Company B. He had attained the rank of Captain (Capt). On the morning of 9 April 1865, after more than a week of heavy campaigning with the Confederates, Capt. Cooper was mortally wounded in the battle of Appomattox Court House. This was very much near the surrender of Robert E. Lee. Capt. Edward F. Cooper was said to be the last officer to die in the Army of the Potomac before Lee’s surrender.

It was April 9, 1865, time 10 o’clock in the morning, and the place was Appomattox Court House and the battle had begun. On this morning the 13th Ohio Volunteer Cavalry lost a number of men on this last day, among them was Captain Edward F. Cooper, who was the last officer to be killed in the Army of the Potomac. He fell just before the flag of truce appeared. But before he expired he learned of the surrender of Lee.

From: HISTORY AND ROSTER OF THE FOURTH AND FIFTH INDEPENDENT BATTALIONS
AND THIRTEENTH REGIMENT…
By HOWARD ASTON

Capt. Edward F. Cooper’s brother, Charles Cooper, served in B Company as well.
Edward F. Cooper died in action on 9 April 1865, and was originally buried in Liberty Church, Virginia. He was reinterred at Poplar Grove National Cemetery, Dinwiddie County, Virginia.
Marion, Ohio, has no Honor Roll for the Civil War, yet he is remembered on the walls of the Soldiers & Sailors Chapel, at the Marion Cemetery. His name is in Column 58, under 13th Reg. OVC.

Also, when Marion’s Civil War veterans organized a Grand Army of the Republic Post (G. A. R.), it was named in Honor of two of the Cooper brothers that died during the Civil War, “G. A. R., Cooper Post #117.” Sturges H. Cooper was the first killed and his brother, Edward Cooper, may have been the last Marion Soldier Killed in Action during the Civil War.

Pvt. Herbert Cooper Killed in Action, Civil War 1861

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Sturges Herbert “Bert” Cooper was born about 1835. His parents are Joseph & Sarah A. (Sturges) Cooper. Joseph and Sarah had eight children: Sturges Herbert, Anna Marie, William Henry, George Endicott, Edward Ferdinand, Charles Pettit, Albert Brooks, and Charlotte Elizabeth.

Sturges Herbert “Bert” Cooper was a member of the Fourth Ohio Volunteer Infantry (O. V. I.), during the Civil War. Cooper was a member of Company K. Cooper was one of four Cooper brothers who served their country during the Civil War. Sturges H. Cooper enlisted and was mustered into K Company, Fourth Ohio Volunteer Infantry, on 4 June 1861. This was the first company organized in Marion, Ohio, for the Civil War. It was organized by Albert H. Brown. On 18 June 1861, Pvt. Cooper was ordered by Colonel Andrews to transfer to the Band.

Sturges H. Cooper was a Private (Pvt.) and served in the band as a Musician First Class. Pvt. Cooper was the first Marion soldier killed in action during the Civil War. He was shot by rebel snipers, on 18 July 1861, at Beverly, West Virginia.

“Bert Cooper, a member of the Fourth Ohio Regiment, and the leader of the band, and who was sent by his general some six miles distant to see another member, was killed. Just before arriving at his destination he was shot dead by concealed Rebels, one shot taking effect in his face, and another in his heart, which of course killed him instantly. He was buried, where he was stationed, in Western Virginia.”

Letter from Virgil D. Anderson to James H. Anderson
Dated 6 August 1861

The final resting place appears to be somewhere in West Virginia. I have not yet identified the location and it may well be that he was never reinterred to a war cemetery. From Anderson’s letter we see he may be buried in West Virginia.

Marion does not have a Civil War Honor Roll, but he is remembered with his name on the Soldiers’ & Sailors’ Memorial Chapel, at the Marion Cemetery; on Column 5 under the “4th Regiment O. V. I., Company K,” inscribed: “Cooper, S. H.”

Also, when Marion’s Civil War veterans organized a Grand Army of the Republic Post (G. A. R.), it was named in honor of two of the Cooper (Sturges and Edward) brothers that died during the Civil War, “G. A. R., Cooper Post #117.” Sturges H. Cooper was the first killed and his brother, Edward Cooper, may have been the last Marion Soldier Killed in Action during the Civil War.

Valentine Lapham Civil War Veteran, Marion Firefighter and Inventor

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Valentine Lapham was born on 9 May 1842, near Carpenters Corners, Marion County, Ohio. His parents are Arthur & Matilda (Faurot) Lapham.

Valentine Lapham enlisted into the Ohio Volunteer Infantry (OVI) on 26 July 1862, in Marion, Ohio. He was serving in E Company, 96th Regiment, OVI. Company E was raised in Marion County. It mustered into service with the 96th Regiment in Delaware County, Ohio, on 29 August 1862. The 96th was under the command of Lieutenant Colonel A. H. Brown, of Marion, Ohio.

The 96th lost heavily in the attack on Arkansas Post and then took part in the siege of Vicksburg. Throughout the term of its enlistment it was engaged in the war in the West. It marched 1,683 miles; was transported by boat 7,686 miles; and by rail 517 miles; making a grand total of 9,886 miles.

From History of Marion County, Ohio

Valentine Lapham moved through the ranks to serve as a First Sergeant. On 19 August 1863 he was promoted to the rank of Second Lieutenant; on 1 September 1863 he was promoted to First Lieutenant and then to Captain on 25 July 1864.

Valentine Lapham participated in the battles at Chickasaw Bluffs (Opening battle for Vicksburg), Arkansas Post aka the Battle Fort Hindman, Dallas Station Raid, Battle of Opelousas, Battle of Bayou Bourbeux Carrion Crow aka Battle of Carrion Crow Bayou, and the Battle of Sabine Crossroads aka the Battle of Mansfield. It was on 8 April 1864, at the Battle of Sabine Crossroads, that Lt. Lapham was wounded by gun shot. He returned home to recuperate and was promoted to Captain.

Captain Valentine Lapham returned to the regiment and promptly returned to active service. He was in command of a company during the siege and capture of Forts Gaines & Morgan, Mobile Bay, Alabama.

Captain Valentine Lapham was mustered out of service on 17 November 1864. He returned to Marion County, Ohio. In 1865 Valentine Lapham went to Illinois and married Ettie (Burkholder). The remained there until he returned to Marion.

On 1 April 1878, Elected as City Marshal of Marion. then later that month, on 11 April 1878, The Marion Daily Star reported that T. C. Bowen was nominated and confirmed as Solicitor and Chief of Fire Department. Also, nominated and confirmed were V. Lapham as Engineer of Fire Steamer, Con Maloy as Teamster, J. Cochran & A. BenVenuti as Night Watchmen.
On 17 April 1878, Council voted for his wages as Marshal to be $40/month. It seems he wore many hats and kept himself engaged in the community.

The engineer, Lapham, resided on Bellefontaine Ave., slept at home and rode to the fires on his horse, while only the driver slept at the station.

From Phil Reid’s History of the Marion Fire Department

On 20 December 1881, Lapham served as Postmaster in Marion, and served until 1884. He was also to serve as the first Commander of the Cooper Post Grand Army of the Republic (GAR), Marion Post.

Sometime around 1890, Lapham moved himself and his family to Chicago, Illinois. While in Chicago the city directory listed the following occupations: Employed as Tool Maker, Machinist, Pattern Maker, Salesman, Superintendent.

While in Chicago we find he had filed for a patent with a Thurman Wallace for “SPRINKLER HEAD FOR FIRE EXTINGUISHERS.” This patent was published on 4 April 1894, listing Valentine Lapham as the inventor. There is also a patent published under his name on 21 February 1898, for “SPRINKLER HEAD FOR FIRE EXTINGUISHERS.” It appears his time as a firefighter in Marion remained on his mind with his inventions.

Valentine Lapham died on 2 November 1920, in Chicago, Illinois. It appears he was cremated, and his ashes were given to his daughter by Oak Woods Cemetery in Chicago.

Valentine Lapham is remembered for his military service on the walls of the Soldiers’ & Sailors’ Memorial Chapel, at the Marion Cemetery; Column 37, 96th OVI, Lapham, V.

Cpl. Thomas J. Moon, Sr. – Civil War Veteran

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Thomas J. Moon, Sr. was born in October of 1836, in Pennsylvania. Thomas came to Marion, Ohio, in 1852. On 30 March 1865, Thomas married Mary (Kraner), in Marion, Ohio. Thomas was employed as a butcher. Thomas J. Moon enlisted in Company K, 4th Ohio Volunteer Infantry, on 6 June 1861, in Marion, Ohio. He would serve with the 4th O. V. I., until he voluntarily transferred to the 4th United States Artillery, A Battery. He served under First Lieutenant Alonzo H. Cushing, at Gettysburg. Lt. Cushing was later awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions at the Battle of Gettysburg. Moon attained the rank of Corporal (Cpl.) and was Commander of Caissons, with the 4th United States Artillery. Cpl. Moon was later mustered out of service at Cole Harbor, Virginia, on 6 June 1864.

As many as a quarter of Cushing’s artillerymen were Ohioans. The previous October, 39 members of the 4th Ohio transferred voluntarily to the battery, and at least 12 others joined prior to July 1863. Typical of these volunteers was Corporal Thomas Moon of Marion, commander of Cushing’s caissons. After 16 months’ infantry service he concluded he “did not like walking & carrying a gun and knapsack.” The sentiment was shared by Private James H. Patterson, formerly of Company E, 4th Ohio. He became one of the battery’s two buglers.

From Buckeye Blood: Ohio at Gettysburg By Richard A. Baumgartner

Moon returned to Marion, Ohio where he married and raised his family. He was listed as a grocer and farmer, while living in Big Island Township. In the 1880 Federal Census, he listed nine children in the household. Moon and wife would have 13 children together.
Thomas Moon was Honored by the Grand Army of the Republic, Cooper Post 117, in 1913, for his “Courage & Honor” at the Battle of Gettysburg. While with Cushing’s Artillery, Corporal Thomas Moon was assigned to the right after Pickett’s Charge. Cpl. Moon was one of the soldiers that carried Lt. Alonzo H. Cushing bloody body back to the rear. At the bivouac site, Moon was ordered along with three privates to lay Alonzo’s body on the ground nearby, where they covered it with a piece of tarpaulin or a shelter tent.

Award of recognition given to Thomas J. Moon, by the GAR Post 117. Photo shared by Allen Wandling. Mr. Wandling owns the collection of Moon/Cushing relics.

Thomas J. Moon, Sr. died in 1914, and is buried in Frame Cemetery, Meeker, Ohio.
Thomas J. Moon is remembered on the Wall of the Soldiers & Sailors Memorial Chapel, in the Marion Cemetery, in Column 2 Top, with “4 Reg U. S. AR.”

Thomas J. Moon died while writing an autobiography. If you wish read it follow this link to the Thomas J. Moon Autobiography.

By August 1911, the following original members of K Company were still living.
William M. Camp, Frank R. Saiter, Sampson Apt, D. D. Booker, Ansona Benvenuti, John J. Hale, John Hardy, Samuel E. Hain, Edmond Kirny, Hiram Miley, Thomas J. Moon, John O’Brien, Ralph Spring, Joseph Short, Isaac Welchhone (or Welchance) and Fred Eskopp.

Collection shared by Allen Wandling.
Alonso Cushing’s Revolver (part of the Wandling collection)