Albert Lea Evening Tribune Newspaper Archives
May 05, 1961 Page 14

Albert Lea Evening Tribune (Newspaper) - May 5, 1961, Albert Lea, MinnesotaFreeborn County and the Civil War (4) —Troubles Continue After the War (Last of a 4-Part Series) By L. W. SPICER At the close of the Civil War the veterans returned to their homes. Some had saved enough money to pay up the balance due on their pre-emption claims, others took claims on a homestead according to the Homestead Act which was passed during the war. Several veterans returned with the loss of a limb and others were in poor health and rem a i n e d in that condit i o n the rest of their lives. Some lived only a short time after coming dates on several tombstones in the county reveal today. Among the 400 who served from Freeborn County, there were 32 who were between the ages of 41 and 48, one was 52 with the rest in their teens and 20's. There was one 15-year-old, Ole Anderson from Hartland. He se r v e d with Company B of the 17th Wisconsin, an Irish Regiment. He died at Atlanta, Aug. IO, 1864. Many Wounded There were more than 75 veterans who were discharged for disability during the later part of the war due to severe wounds and sickness. There were many who were wounded, recov e r e d, and subsequently returned to action. It was not easy for a returning Veteran to adjust to civilian life SPICER home, as the A MEMORIAL DAY PARADE DOWN BROADWAY MAY 30, 1898 ... Large Building in Background at Clark and Broadway is The Old Opera House —many changes had taken place. Times were tough as was typified by a letter received at the “Standard” office and later published. The writer exp r e s s e d his thanks to his fellow soldiers and the good people of Albert Lea for the patronage of being employed to cut stove wood with his hand buck saw. He received SI.25 per week and in this way was able to make his expenses. This man had once been a member of the State Legislature and COUNTY’S WAR MONUMENT ...Dedicated May 30, 1914 a postmaster of Albert Lea. He was Benjamin J. House. Pension Passed During President Harrison’s administration a Pension Bill was passed. This covered all veterans suffering from any disability whether or not received from military service, and also the widows. There is no mention made in county records until September, 1866, of what was done by the local government for widows. The first such account autho r i z e d George Ruble to appropriate $50 for the benefit of a family of a deceased veteran of the Sec o n d Cavalry and $40 to the widow of a veteran of the Fourth R e g i-ment. Later small sums were allowed to a few other widows. In 1883 there were living in Freeborn County 101 veterans and 15 widows who received a total of $809 per month, or an average each of less than $8. These amounts were gradually increased. Veterans Group Formed The Grand Army of the Repub lie was organized in 1866 and when Gen. John Logan was the commander in 1869 he issued an order that the members of the organization initiate campaigns in their communities to repair to the burial places of their fellow veterans on May 30 for the purpose of honoring and decorating the graves of their fellow sol d i e r s with flans and Rowers. Toe Albert Lea Post, named for Capt. Robson, was organized over the present Barlow-Spicer Drug Store, Jan. 20, 1881. It was called Minn. No. 5. Fifteen years later the post had 125 members and it was estimated at the trme that 219 men who had served in the Union Army were then living in the county. Later posts were organized at Alden, Glenville and at Hartland-New Richland. During the early existence of these posts the members often enjoyed a joint picnic. Members were active in seeing that the graves of veterans were honored and taken care of. Veteran graves can be seen today in 32 well-kept cemeteries and in IO abandoned cemeteries located in the county. Monument Erected As a reminder of the sacrifices of the many men who served in the Union Army, a monument was erected on the Freeborn County Courthouse lawn with the inscription: “Erected by the citizens of Freeborn County in memory of Union soldiers and sailors in the War of 1861-65. Dedicated to Robson Post No. 5 GAR, Memorial Dya, May 30, 1914.” Erection of this memorial was made possible by contributi o n s from the citizens of the city and county and aided by the city and county governments. The base of this structure is of white Vermont granite, 28 ft. high. On the sides are bronze medallions of Lincoln and Logan ami on the top a Civil War soldier. Total weight is 28 tons and the cost was some $3,600 —a small, but yet significant, tribute to those men who gave the ultimate for their country. Protection Provided Each working day during t h e past year Federal meat inspectors of the U. S. Department of Agriculture kept about a million pounds of unfit meat from reaching U. S. Consumers. On the other hand, meat from more than 107 million animals was inspected and approved at 1,396 meat-packing establishments in 572 cities. This vital protection of the National meat supply is provided by USDA’s Agricultural Research Service at the cost of about a penny a month per person. GETTING AT IT—David Nelson, rural Glenville, plows down corn stubble to start another crop season which he hopes will )Di be as good as the last one. Nelson, 21, won the State Star Crops Farmer honors recently. He will re-receive the award in Paul May 8. St. Ban Paint Odor The odor of paint is unpleasant. You can remove the odor while painting if you put one tablespoon of vanilla into one gallon of paint. It will not harm or change color of the paint. HE A LU) A VS OMS A HASP POY TO HANDLE *