Daniel C. Bishard

BISHARD, GOOD, STUTSMAN ALSO STUTZMAN, GASKILL

Posted By: Kathy Gaskill (email)
Date: 9/13/2005 at 14:50:23

Daniel C. Bishard, 88 year old Civil War veteran, died last Saturday night (102927) at 12 o'clock at the home of his sister, Mrs. Sol Stutsman, 800 East University avenue. Mr. Bishard was born at Cambridge, Ohio, August 16, 1839. In 1859, together with his father and mother, brothers and sisters, he came to Des Moines. For some time he followed the occupation of stage driver, no railroad reaching Des Moines at that early date. Soon after the breaking out of the Civil war he enlisted in Company M, Eighth Iowa Cavalry. After several months of active service in the southern states he was taken prisoner and confined in Andersonville prison. Here, together with thousands of others, exposed to the torrid suns of summer and the cold, pitiless rains of winter, he remained for nine months. Of the 42,686 prisoners thrust into this infamous pen 12,853 were carried to their graves within one year. When Mr. Bishard was taken prisoner he weighed 180 pounds. Upon his release from prison near the close of the war he weighed less than 90 pounds. One of his knees injured by his horse falling upon him when he was taken prisoner, caused a slight lameness which remained through life.
After the close of the war he lived in Nebraska for a time. In 1873 he married Frances Miller of Beatrice, in that state. Shortly afterward he returned to Iowa and settled on a farm near Altoona. In 1884 he was elected recorder of Polk county, filling this position for two terms. Soon after he sold his farm and made his home in Altoona until his wife passed away in 1917. From this time he lived with his sisters, Mrs. Stutsman and Miss Anna Bishard, until his death.
The thirtieth general assembly of Iowa having appropriated ten thousand dollars for the purpose of erecting a monument at Andersonville, Governor Cummins appointed a committee of five members, each of whom had served three months or more in the prison, to select the site and erect the monument.
The commissioners met in the governor's office July 19, 1904, and organized by electing James A. Brewer chairman and Daniel C Bishard, secretary. Thus it happened that on November 16, 1906, at the dedication exercises of this monument Mr. Bishard, as secretary of the commission, once more visited the scene of his sufferings.
Funeral services were held at the home Monday afternoon at 3 o'clock. The services were in charge of Kinsman post, G. A. R.. with Rev. W. N Brooks of the Wesley M. E. Church officiating. Afterwards the remains were taken to the Canfield cemetery ten miles east of town, where they were buried beside the graves of his father and mother, his wife and two brothers, one of whom also fought under the stars and stripes.

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