Coopersville Observer, February 9, 1934

Hiram B. Knowlton passed away at Allendale at noon Tuesday, February 6, at the advanced age of ninety years. He had been ill for some time and his wife has also been very ill for some weeks. Mr. Knowlton was a veteran of the Civil War, and the last one residing in Allendale Township. He was an uncle of Mrs. George Legget of this city. Funeral services will be held at his late residence in Allendale, at 1:30 Friday afternoon, and burial in the Allendale Cemetery.

The Grand Haven Tribune says: When Mr. Knowlton was 83 years old the residents of Allendale placed a bronze plate on a large memorial boulder, commemorating his public spirit when he suffered the hardships of war and returned to give the remainder of his life to public service in the little community where he lived.

For many years the deceased was active in the Thurkettle Post, No. 388, in Allendale. But one by one his comrades were called to follow the boys who died in war and for many years he was the sole survivor. He was also a member of Amasa B. Watson Post No. 395, G. A. R.

He was a member of Company F of the Fifth Cavalry. He was in Custer’s Brigade and the old soldier recalled for many years vivid memories of Sheridan’s raid, the Battle of Winchester and the Kilpatrick Raid. He was a high private and was taken prisoner several times. He spent time in Libby Prison at Richmond, when small portions of stale johnnycake and pea soup made up the daily rations and many of the soldiers were sick from hunger.

He had lived in Ottawa County the greater part of his life, settling on a farm after the war. He was born in Chesterville, Maine. He came to this county when a boy. His parents having died, he was forced to shift for himself. He enlisted when 18 years old and saw three years of service. He was discharged in June 1865.

He was married to Emma D. Fellows Nov. 11, 1866. They lived in Robinson for 11 years and moved to the George Rice farm at Basa River in 1877. In 1911 they built the house at Allendale Center, where he died. Funeral services will be held from the home on Friday at 1:30 P. M., and burial will be in Allendale Cemetery. Rev. Amanda Flowers will officiate.

Mr. and Mrs. Knowlton never had any children of their own, but adopted five children: Eldrich of Jennison; Mrs. Fannie Thayer of Allendale, Mrs. Maude Zwiers, Mrs. Elsie Scott and Mrs. Leah Geldhof of Grand Rapids.

Holland City News, June 13, 1913

Both Fought at Gettysburg and They Go to the Reunion Together

H. E. Knowlton, of Allendale, one of the best-known old soldiers of Ottawa County, left Saturday with the Michigan delegation of G. A. R., for the battlefield of Gettysburg. Mr. Knowlton was accompanied by his brother, Fred Knowlton, of Stockton, California. For 67 years these brothers have been separated and have never seen each other although both fought in the Civil War and both participated in the Battle of Gettysburg. Not until this week did they meet, Fred Knowlton arriving in the county last Monday morning from Chicago. The next day the old soldier went out to his brother’s house by automobile and there was a joyous reunion.

In their early days, the parents of the Knowlton brothers, who lived in the little town of Farmington in the state of Maine, died, and the boys were separated. Hiram was brought to Michigan, and Fred was placed in the home of a New York family. When the Civil War broke out both went to the front. Hiram was with Custer in the Shenandoah Valley and at the Gettysburg fight. Fred was with a New York regiment and also fought at Gettysburg. At the time, neither of the brothers knew of the others existence. Their reunion here and at the great battlefield will be one of the most singular co-incidences of the wonderful reunion of the blue and gray at the scene of the conflict next week