Colonel Edward Carolan

Col. Edward Carolan, chief engineer of the Michigan State Soldier’s Home, was born in county Mayo Ireland, May 23, 1846, a son of James and Bridget Carolan. When the colonel was a child of three years his parents took him to England, where he was left with relatives for two years, while his parents came to America to seek a home. They located in Washington county, N.Y., gathered their family together, and engaged in farming for five years, and in 1856 came to Grand Rapids, Mich., and immediately afterward purchased a farm in Bryon township, Kent county, not very far from the city. On this farm the boyhood years of young Edward were passed at work suited to his age, and there, also, he attended the district school, and subsequently entered the Grand Rapids schools, where his elementary education was completed. The parents subsequently re-moved to Big Rapids, where the mother died at about the age of sixty years, when the father went to live with a daughter at Cadillac, where he passed the remainder of his life.

Edward Carolan began life for himself by sailing lake Michigan, and was thus employed until the Civil war broke out, when he enlisted in company B, Fourteenth Michigan volunteer infantry, and served four years in the western army. His first engagement was at Corinth, but he participated in all the principal campaigns which his regiment took a part. He was at Tuscumbia, Ala., Nashville, Stone River and Columbia, Tenn., where the regiment was mounted and was on scouting duty through all middle Tennessee for eleven months. Mr. Carolan re-enlisted in January, 1864, was allowed a furlough home, and after rejoining his old brigade, started on the Atlanta campaign, dis-mounted, and took part in every engagement until the fall of that southern stronghold. The regiment was engaged at Kenesaw Mountain, and rejoined the army in time to participate in the battle of Jonesboro, Ga. They then started on the march to the sea, and Mr. Carolan was captured at Louisville, Ga., and imprisoned at Florence, S. C., for five months, when he was released on parole and finally discharged under general order. The colonel reached home April, 1865, but was not mustered out until August following. Settling down to the pursuits of peace, the colonel purchased a few teams and engaged in general hauling in Grand Rapids but after a year or two sold out and went to Altoona, Pa., and became an apprentice to an uncle, to learn the machinist’s trade. Two years later he returned to Michigan and shipped on the revenue cutter William P. Pleasanton on Lake Michigan, served one year, and the next year served on board the Hayes, a lighthouse supply boat. After this he engaged in stationary engineering ashore, chiefly in saw-mills in Michigan, at various points in the state. After several years passed in this work, failing health compelled his retirement.  After about four years’ rest comparatively as manager of Grand Army park on Chippewa lake, he returned to engineering, and was employed at the Star Flouring mills in Grand Rapids until 1891, when he was appointed by the state to his present position at the Home, where he has the superintendent of all the machinery and repair work, at a good salary. Col. Carolan was married in Grand Rapids, in 1869, to Miss Mary Ann Cummings, who was born five miles west of the city, in Walker township, of Irish parentage. Four children have blessed this union, of whom William, a married man, is an engineer in a flouring-mill in Minnesota; Thomas, also married, is engaged in the steam-fitting business in Grand Rapids, and Nellie and Minnie are still at home. The family are devoted members of the Catholic church, and in politics the colonel is independent. The colonel is a member of the John A. Logan post, No. I, G.A.R., of which he is past post commander, and is the present senior-vice-commander; he is also a member Daisy lodge, No. 46, B. P. O. E. He is a member of the William P. Innis command, Union Veteran Union. The colonel was a brave and faithful soldier, who was never absent from his post of duty, and a civilian has been equally as faithful and useful. The title of colonel is given the subject by the position he holds at the Soldier’s home, by the state.