Randolph Civil War veterans to be honored Saturday

RANDOLPH — On Saturday Oct. 3 at 1 p.m. at the Randolph Cemetery there will be a ceremony honoring the last four Civil War Union soldiers from Randolph.

Edward Leicy is the last soldier from Cedar County and he is joined by Frederick Weber, NH Dowling and John McClain as long time citizens of Randolph.

Leicy died at his son’s rural Sholes home June 5, 1939 at the age of 93. He was Cedar County’s last surviving member of the Union Army.

According to the Randolph Times Enterprise front page obituary, Leicy had called his daughter, Mrs. Fred Caster, earlier in the day about spending some time with her. The Casters arrived at Charles Leicy’s home, and Mrs. Caster talked with her father, who was sitting on the front porch.

“With his hat and coat on, he stepped into his bedroom, sat on the bed, said “Oh, My,” sighed and dropped back on the bed dead.”

Descendants of each soldier’s family will be in attendance for Saturday’s ceremony.

This dedication is presented by the Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War - Department of Nebraska. The SUVCW members have one or more ancestors that were Civil War veterans.

The group is identifying the last union soldier from each of Nebraska’s 93 counties.

A bronze medallion or new GAR star flag holder will be placed at each grave. Each medallion will have a QR code linked to the SUVCW website that will have a listing of Nebraska’s Last Soldiers.

Norm Weber, Wisner, was instrumental in organizing the event. Weber’s family roots run deep in the Ranolph area. Four generations of Webers called Randolph home.

Norm’s dad is a Randolph High grad. His great grandfather, Frederick Weber, is one of the Civil War vets being honored Saturday,

Weber said Saturday’s ceremony here will mark the fifth county they have been able to hold the ceremony in.

The plan is to have a similar ceremony in all 93 of Nebraska’s counties.

Weber first became interested in Civil War history in 1996 when his hometown of Wisner held its centennial.

He began doing research and soon discovered he had relatives who fought in the war.

He then joined the Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War. He currently serves as the Harrison Camp Commander.

The Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War is a fraternal organization dedicated to preserving the history and legacy of heroes who fought and worked to save the Union. Organized in 1881 and chartered by Congress in 1954, the organization is the legal successor to the Grand Army of the Republic.