BY HENRY G. FARLEY, PRESIDENT, BRADFORD COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY

Daily Review

Towanda, PA

 March 17, 2012

 

Not long ago I was standing in the State Road Cemetery legally known as "Ireland's Catholic Cemetery." This graveyard is situated in Standing Stone Township between Mercur and Herrickville on the State Road. I was amazed that I could get to the graveyard on a February day and it was warm enough to spend some time looking at the GAR (Grand Army of the Republic) American Flag holders on so many of the graves.

The Grand Army of the republic was a fraternal organization composed of veterans of the Union Army, U.S. Navy, U.S. Marines and U.S. Revenue Cutter Service who served in the American Civil War. Since were are observing the sesquicentennial of the Great Rebellion 1861-1865 over the next few years I thought I would tell the story of some of our Bradford County Irish soldiers who served our country well in this struggle.

One of the first grave stones that one encounters in the State Road cemetery is that of John and Mary Hurley Hurley, (yes, her maiden name was Hurley). John and Mary came to Standing Stone Township sometime in the 1830's their farm was just across the road from the State Road cemetery going back towards Mercur the farm house still stands today.

John Hurley was 106 years old when he died Sept. 10, 1879. One of the most significant things listed on their grave stone is the death of their son Arthur at Andersonville Prison in 1863 aged 28 years. John and Mary were the parents of nine children Charles, John, Timothy, Ellen, Patrick, Mary, Julia, Peter and Daniel.

Interestingly enough, this past summer and fall I was contacted by descendants of Daniel, Patrick and Mary Hurley all living in different parts of the country, Washington State, California, New York State and Virginia, all of these folks were trying to put the pieces of the Hurley family story together. Through one of the descendants, I was able to acquire a copy of Arthur Hurley's Civil War records that state that he was a private under Captain Hanna Company C of the 57th Regiment of Pennsylvania Volunteers, born in Ireland, was 24 years old; 5 feet 11 inches high; dark complexion, gray eyes, black hair, and by occupation a farmer, who joined for service and was enrolled on the 25th day of September 1861 at Towanda by Captain Pack for a period of three years, and mustered into the service of the United States on the 29th day of October, 1861 at Harrisburg by Captain Dodge. A further page in the record states that Arthur died August 25, 1864 at Andersonville, Georgia of dysentery while a prisoner of war.

Another page in the record states that he was captured at Gettysburg, Pa. on July 2, 1863, and confined at Richmond, Va., July 21, 1863 confined at Andersonville on March 24, 1864. Admitted to hospital Andersonville, Ga. on Aug. 17, 1864 where he died Aug. 25, 1864 of dysentery. and buried in Andersonville, Ga., grave 6845.

Arthur's Veterans Record of Burial card from the Bradford County Veterans Affairs office lists him as being buried at State Road, but we know from the war records that he is in fact buried in Andersonville. His Veterans Affairs office card also states that his rank was that of corporal.

The Hurley story goes on. Arthur's sister Ellen married Sylvester Conklin, son of Albert and Margaret Conklin of Potterville. Sylvester enlisted as private, I, 141, Aug. 21, 1862; transferred to 57th Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteers. Sylvester is listed in Hurley family history as a soldier in the Union Army who deserted the Army and his wife and went west. Ellen Conklin lived with her parents and siblings on the State Road farm until her death.

Sylvester is listed in his brother Dr. Gustavus Conklin's obituary in 1925 as living in Swanton, Ohio. Mary VanOrder of Ithaca a descendant of Mary Ann Hurley Allen stated the following about Sylvester Conklin:

"He was Ellen's husband a soldier in the Union Army - was in Andersonville Prison with Arthur Hurley. Arthur's time was up so he let Sylvester Conklin take his release and he stayed and died. Sylvester Conklin deserted his wife and went West did not return home."

Mary Ann Hurley married William W. Allen of Wysox on June 11, 1865 in Wysox. William was the son of Moses Coolbaugh and Electa Bennett Allen. He was born June 23, 1836, and died Dec. 14, 1925 at the home of his daughter Anna Allen Lynch in Athens and is buried in the Epiphany Cemetery in Sayre. William Allen served in the Civil War from Sept. 15, 1861 through Aug. 20, 1863 he was a Private in Company "C" 57 Pennsylvania Volunteers. He was listed as missing at Chancellorsville May 3, 1863 on the Veterans Burial Card. After the War William Allen worked as a carpenter and was one of the project manage

John and Mary Hurley's son Daniel who became a prominent local politician lived to the ripe old age of 102.

The Hurley family still has descendants in the area today one who is remembered by most Towanda residents is Kathryn "Katie" Hurley 1913-1991 who worked as a nurse at The Mills Hospital and then Towanda Memorial for 44 years. Her brother Joe was killed in World War II and the grandchildren of her brother Paul still live in the area.

Just across the path from the Hurley plot in the cemetery is the family plot of Edmond and Ellen Hurley Madden. I am not sure of the Madden relationship to the John Hurley family but I am sure there is one. Edmond was from County Roscommon, Ireland and Ellen like John and Mary Hurley Hurley was from County Cork, Ireland. The Maddens had a son Daniel C. Madden, his grave stone reads “Killed at the battle of Cold Harbor, Va. on June 3, 1865”. His actual death date must have been June 3, 1864 as that was the time that the battle of Cold Harbor took place. Daniel Madden was 22 years old when killed.

Other Civil War soldiers buried in the State Road Cemetery or at least have a headstone there are, Michael Meloy, born at Easton, Pa., July 2, 1841 the son of Michael and Hannah Meloy, killed at the battle of Gettysburg on July 2, 1863, 22 years 10 months and 16 days old. Lieutenant William Meehan, Born December 24, 1843, County Clare, Ireland wounded at the battle in front of Petersburg, Va. on March 31, 1865 died April 18, 1865 in Washington, D.C.

Patrick Kane of Standing Stone Township was born in Londonderry, Ireland Nov. 16, 1827 the son of Hugh and Margaret McCloskey Kane. Patrick and his brother Michael served 30 days in Company D Eight Regiment Pennsylvania Militia. Charles McCrossen and Thomas McCrossen enlisted from Wyalusing, Oct. 28 1862, and they served in the Pennsylvania Volunteers Company D, 171 until Aug. 8, 1863.

The last Soldier from the Irish Catholic Cemetery area in this story is Edward Moon. Edward's father Arthur Moon was disabled and applied for his sons War Pension. The story of Edward is well told in the application. Edward Moon died Nov. 10, 1863 at Turner's lane Hospital in Philadelphia of typhoid fever. He was a sergeant in Company "B" 20th Regiment Pennsylvania Calvary. According to Arthur Moon, Edward was his sole means of support as he had been injured many years before in a cave in while working on the construction of the North Branch Canal. Arthur Moon states in his application that he married Edward's Mother Mary Hughes in April of 1831 in New York City. Arthur and Mary Hughes Moon lived in Asylum Township where Mary died April 25, 1850. Arthur purchased property in Standing Stone Township in 1854 and paid on it until 1861 when he moved there. Arthur married Margaret ? after the death of his first wife and had four more children so between both marriages he had ten children. Edward Moon is not listed in "Our Boys in Blue," Clement F. Heverly's History of Bradford County men in the Civil War but he most certainly was one of our own and stands out with the rest of those brave young men who left their rural farm homes to defend our nation. Arthur Moon was awarded a dependent father pension of $8 a month Jan. 26, 1884.