Co. A, 4th Iowa Calvalry, Civil War

DIED

FAIRCHILD—At the Soldiers’ Home in Marshalltown, Iowa, on Tuesday morning, May 8, 1894, of heart trouble, Mr. John Fairchild, aged 61 years, 11 months and 23 days.

John Fairchild was born in Jedbug, Rocksbroughshire, Scotland, May 17, 1832. At an early age he enlisted as piper in the 92nd Gordon Hilanders and served for a long time in the British army. After leaving the service of his native country he came directly to the United States, and at the breaking out of the rebellion he enlisted in Co. “A” 4th Iowa Calvalry, and after a long service of hardship and privation, with more or less active field service, he was captured by the rebels and suffered the tortures of Andersonville for six long weary months, at the end of which he was honorably discharged and returned to his home and friends a physical wreck of his former self, and his once strong and vigorous constitution so completely undermined that the remaining years of his life were very miserable. Twenty-four of his old army comrades now live at Fremont, Iowa, while many less robust have passed on before him.

He was married to Miss Rosa B. Smith of Clayton county, Iowa, on April 7, 1868, soon after removing to Cedar county that state and two years later to Sioux City. From there he removed his family in a short time to Lincoln county, South Dakota, where he used his soldiers right and homesteaded one hundred and sixty acres of land, residing upon it until he secured his patent. He came to Blair in 1875, since which time he has continuously resided here. His wife died and was buried in the Blair cemetery on April 7, 1892, just fourteen years after their wedding day.

Six children was the result of this union, three boys and three girls, four of whom reside in Blair, viz: James, John, Edith and Mrs. Helen Viele, while Byron is in Minnesota and Norma is in Iowa, both living with foster parents.

Mr. Fairchild was an honored member of John A. Dix Post of the Grand Army, and has always prided himself as voting the same as he shot—or in other words the straight republican ticket. He drew a meager pension of $4 per month from the government, and with the close of 1893 his health being so miserably poor he decided to avail himself of the advantages and medical skill at the Iowa Soldiers Home at Marshalltown and was admitted to that institution about Feb. 1. His death occurred from enlargement of the heart, which has troubled him seriously since his return from the war.

He was a brave soldier, a loyal and patriotic citizen, a kind and indulgent husband and father, and an accommodating neighbor. But death is no respector of persons. One by one the old veterans are responding to the last roll call and passing over to their reward. As time rolls on their ranks are thinning and the cemeteries are more rapidly filling with our nation’s honored dead. Soon none of that vast army of brave and true men who achieved such wonderful success on the battle fields of the south in the darkest days of the history of our nation, will be left to tell the story. The camp fires around which they are wont to assemble to sing their old songs and rehearse their many and varied experiences, will soon cease to be kindled, but the memory of their noble deeds will live on and on long years after the generation now born has passed away.

At the next meeting of the Washington County Veteran Association Mr. Fairchild with many other old comrades who have regularly attended these meetings for years will be missed from the number, but will not be forgotten. Owing to the suddenness of his death the remains were interred at the Soldiers Home, but will be taken up later and placed by the side of his wife in the Blair cemetery.

Veteran

Death of John Fairchild

On yesterday morning the sad news reached this city that John Fairchild had died at the Soldiers’ Home at Marshalltown, Iowa, of enlargement of the heart.

About one week ago word was received that he was suffering from the above disease, but no apprehension was felt that the end was so near.

He was about 62 years old, and was an old resident of this city, having moved here with his family in 1874. The deceased enlisted as a private in Co. A, 4th Iowa cavalry at the beginning of the late war. He was a member of the John A. Dix’s Post G.A.R., of this city, and was at one time the commander of the Post. His remains will be interred in the cemetery at the Soldiers’ home in Marshalltown.

He leaves two daughters and two sons to mourn his death, who have the sympathy of their friend.

~~~ Obituary courtesy of the Washington County Genealogical Society. Newspaper clippings on file in the Blair Public Library at Blair, Nebraska.~~~