George Washington ALBEE

ALBEE, KETTRING, WIEGMAN

Posted By: Sarah Thorson Little (email)
Date: 5/28/2009 at 09:59:43

December 30, 1845 -- January 4, 1938

Last Estherville Civil War Veteran Is Called

Geo. W. Albee, 92, Dies at Spirit Lake Hospital After Short Illness; Funeral Held Today

Funeral services for George Washington Albee, 92, Estherville's last surviving civil war veteran were held this afternoon. There was a short prayer service at the Sternborg funeral chapel at one o'clock and the rites proper were held at the Methodist Episcopal church at one-thirty with Rev. F. W. Ortmeyer, pastor of the church, in charge. Interment was made in the Ocheydan cemetery beside his wife. The American Legion accorded him full military honors, attending the services in a body and providing a color escort, pall bearers and buglers at the grave. Acting as pall bearers were G. M. Donovan, J. Monroe, Art Bringle, I. C. Nichols, Leland Case and Glenn Pullen. Color bearers were Harry Adams, W. M. Roberts, L. E. Thomas and M. E. Huckaba. On the firing squad were Leo Brawford, Wallace Westbrook, Gordon Griffis, Wm. V. Hiles, Arthur Fossum, Melvin Warren, A. J. Knepper, Emanuel Stavros, and Andrew Peterson. Taps were sounded by bugler, Henry Paulson.

Mr. Albee was a well known figure in Estherville. Although he had retired from active work when he moved to this city in 1926 to make his home with his son H. G. Albee, he was in excellent health and took a great deal of interest in the affairs of the town. He was always on hand for patriotic occasions and almost every one knew him.

Mr. Albee was born on Dec. 30, 1845 at Perth, Fulton county, New York. He migrated when two and one-half years old with his parents by canal boat and across the Great Lakes to Pardeeville, Wis. He grew to manhood on the farm. On Dec. 21, 1863 at 17 years of age, he enlisted in Co. E 2nd Wisconsin volunteer cavalry. He served as private around Memphis, Tenn. and Vicksburg, Miss., for nearly two years and was discharged at Austin, Texas on Nov. 15, 1865. At the close of the war he returned to his Wisconsin home, then moved to LaPorte City, Iowa in 1869. He taught school for a couple of years until his marriage in 1871 to Mary Ann Kettring. They started farming. In 1881, the family moved to Goldfield where the family of five sons and a daughter were raised. In 1903, Mr. and Mrs. Albee retired and moved into Goldfield, and in 1904 to Harris. There the good wife passed away on May 27, 1923 and was buried in the Ocheydan cemetery. In 1926, Mr. Albee came to Estherville to reside with his son and with the exception of short visits with his other children has remained here. It was on a visit at the home of his son A. E. Albee at Eagle Grove that he was taken with his last sickness about three weeks ago. His son here sent the ambulance for him and he was cared for until a few days ago at their home. At that time he was taken to the hospital at Spirit Lake where he died yesterday morning at 2 a. m.

Four sons survive the passing of Mr. Albee. They are A. E. of Eagle Grove; D. J. of Long Lake, Minn.; J. S. of St. Paul, Minn.; and H. G. of Estherville. Another son M. E. Albee, Shell Lake, Wis.; and a daughter, Mrs. E. C. Wiegman, Claude, Texas had preceded their father in death.

Source unknown, Estherville, Iowa
ca. January 1938