SCHULER, Joseph 1845-1935

SCHULER

Posted By: Jerry D Schuler (email)
Date: 3/24/2012 at 00:33:08

Source (1) Waterloo Daily Courier, Waterloo, Iowa; Monday 18 February 1935
Joseph Schuler Obituary.

Joseph Schuler, Cavalryman in Civil War, Dies --- Believed Last Survivor of his Troop; Funeral to be Wednesday --

Joseph Schuler, 89 of 2808 Lafayette Street, who fought as a Union cavalryman through six states during the Civil War, died at 9:20 P.M. Sunday at Presbyterian Hospital. He was believed to be the last survivor of Troop B Fourth Iowa Cavalry and was the son of pioneer settlers in Barclay Township, Black Hawk County. He was weakened by an attack of influenza a month ago, entered the hospital Monday, February 11.

-- Came here in 1855 --

Joseph Schuler son of John and Catherine Schuler, was born September 24 1845, in Allentown, Pa., one of a family of eight children; four boys and four girls.

When he was three years old he moved to Stepenson County, Illinois, and on May 10, 1855, the family arrived in Barclay Township, having made the journey by ox team and covered wagon. John Schuler had entered 80 acres on Camp Creek, in the township, the year before, but sold this at a premium and entered another 80 acres in Section 6, in the northwest part of the township. Here he build his log cabin.

-- Enlisted in 1863 --

Joseph Schuler's older brother, George, enlisted in the fall of 1862 in Company C. Thirty-first Iowa Infantry. On December 20, 1863, Joseph, just past 18, enlisted with 20 others from the vicinity. His father had been a Cavalryman in Germany, and Joseph chose this branch. The recruits went by sled from Waterloo to Iowa City then by train to Davenport, and down the Mississippi River to the battlefront. The regiment was stationed near Vicksburg and later near Memphis, from which point in made raids into Missouri and Mississippi. In a battle June 10 1864, near Gunstown, Mississippi the northern troops were defeated and Schuler narrowly escaped capture. A comrade, Ephraim Shaffer, of Black Hawk County, who had stopped to aid a wounded man, was captured and died in prison.

-- In the saddle 54 hours. --

Schuler, one of the cavalryman covering the retreat, was in the saddle for 54 hours without food or drink. In the fall of 1864 the regiment was stationed in Kentucky, and pushed across the Tennessee River for raids in Tennessee and Alabama. He helped storm the Confederate fortifications at Salma, Ala. In the spring of 1865 he took his first prisoner at Columbus, Ga. The end of the war found Schuler at Macon, Ga.
He was mustered out August 25 at Davenport.

-- Farmed in Lester Township --

Joseph and his brother, George, bought a quarter section of land in Lester Township, across the road from their parents homestead, from George W. Miller for $5.50 an acre. They broke and fenced the land. Joseph cutting posts from a white oak timber tract on the Wapsipinicon River.

In April, 1870, Joseph married Miss Diana Trumbauer, in Barclay Township. She had come from Pennsylvania with her parents in 1864. They farmed in Lester Township until they moved to Waterloo, January 1 1903. He purchased an acreage on lower Lafayette Street (2808) and continued to raise food for his table. He accumulated land holdings in Lester Township, also a tract in North Waterloo that later was platted into lots. He had only two weeks' schooling. He was a member of the Free Methodist church.

-- Seven Children Survive --

Surviving beside his widow are: four daughters, Mary C. Wildhagen, 518 Pleasant Avenue; Mrs. M.F. Peterson, 719 Riehl Street; Mrs. John E. Ferguson, 122 California Street; and Mrs. Thomas W. Munson, 2720 Lafayette street; three sons, Edwin E. Schuler, 308 French Street; David D. Schuler, 227 Ash Street; Joseph J. Schuler, 2808 Lafayette Street; 12 grandchildren, 19 great grandchildren and one sister, Mrs. Conrad Schuck, Parkersburg, Iowa. Three sons and one daughter preceded him in death. His brother George died in April 1933 at Bristow, Iowa.

Funeral services will be at 1:30 P.M. Wednesday at Peterson Bros.' Chapel. Rev. Mark Shockey, Pastor of Free Methodist Church, officiating, assisted by Rev. Joseph Riley. Members of the Sons of Union Veterans will be casket bearers. Ritualistic services of the Grand Army of the Republic, and of the Woman's Relief Corps, will be in New Barclay Cemetery.

Source (2) For more information on Joseph Schuler civil war travel read " Forrest at Brice's Cross Roads" by Edwin C. Bearss, Morningside Bookshop, Dayton Ohio 1991.
Source (3) Memorial Hail, West 5th, (in brick building) Waterloo Iowa, photo of Joseph Schuler.