Coopersville Observer, July 23, 1926

Coopersville’s Remaining Veterans of the Civil War  Second row, left to right— Thomas Toogood, S. D. Hutchins, John M. Park, A. C. Muzzall, John Jackson, John Spencer, Gregg Maxfield. First Row (seated left to right)— Philo P. Henderson, M. S. Creager, Chas. Nichols, A. J., Webster, Albert Bolt, Henry Ferguson. Guilford Taylor was unable to be with his comrades at the time this picture was taken because of illness. Young in Spirit  Philo P. Henderson, 89, is the oldest of the “boys” and John M. Park, 79, is the youngest.  Although all but three have passed the eightieth milestone in life, they are still young in spirit; take an active part in the life of the community, and could one have seen them as they gathered for their photograph, it would still be possible to find that same cheerful, laughing, matter-of-fact way, with which they endured the four long years of hardship.  Many are the interesting tales of soldier life and of pioneer life they tell. And often one hears of the terrible price which Polkton Township paid during the War of the Rebellion. Investigation of the records of Randall Post, compiled some years ago, shown that there were at one time one hundred forty-seven members here, one of the largest G. A. R. posts in this part of the state. In addition to this number, there were many veterans who never affiliated with any post.                                                                  Heavy Death Toll It is said that in 1864-1865, there were hardly enough able-bodied men left in Polkton Township, in which the village of Coopersville is now located, to till the land, which had been cleared out of the dense forests covering the county at that time. The remaining veterans, fourteen in number, state that this township alone suffered in casualties more than many entire counties in the state of Michigan and they can name scores of “boys” who left their homes never to return. Following are the names of the fourteen men whom Coopersville is proud to call “her own,” together with their ages and the company and regiment in which they served. Albert Bolt, 82, Co. H, Fourth Michigan Cavalry. M. S. Creager, 85, Co. D, First Regiment of Michigan Engineers and Mechanics. Henry Ferguson, 83, Co. D,  Sixtieth New York. Philo P. Henderson, 89, Co. H, Nineteenth Michigan Infantry. S.  D.  Hutchins, 80, Co. D, First Regiment of Michigan Engineers and Mechanics. John Jackson, 83, 13th Battery, Michigan Light Artillery. Gregg Maxfield, 83, Co. B, Fifth Michigan Cavalry. A. C. Muzzall 79, Co. A, Seventeenth Indiana Mounted Infantry. Charles Nichols, 80, Co. I, Sixteenth Michigan Infantry. John M. Park, 78, Co. H, Second Regiment Ohio Volunteer Cavalry. John Spencer, 83, Second Brigade, One Hundred Third Ohio Volunteer Infantry. Guilford Taylor, 79, Co. C, Third Michigan Infantry Volunteers.  Thomas Toogood, 88, Co. G, Twenty-first Michigan Infantry. A. J. Webster, 83, Co. I, Third Michigan Infantry. Mr. Taylor is one of the few surviving veterans of this regiment in this county, which was first recruited at President Lincoln’s first call for 300.000 volunteers.

Scanned and Transcribed by: Joan Van Spronsen
Created: 10 Jan 2010