In The Daily Freeman-Journal dated May 10, 1938, an article appeared on the death of the last Civil War veteran in Hamilton County, some 73 years after the end of the war.

It marked the end of an era in local history; these veterans had played such active and important roles in this community. Business owners, mayors, school superintendents, county officials, judges, husbands, fathers; so many of the critical positions that determine the course of a city were filled by these men that had served to preserve the Union long years past.

The name of the last Civil War vet in our county was Elon Lee, a resident in Our Neighborhood.

Elon Lee was born in 1840 in Elkhart, Wisconsin. His parents had moved to Elkhart from upstate New York and raised their two boys in the growing area west of Kenosha.

Elon was the older of the two sons and, in 1861, enlisted in Company A of the 10th Wisconsin Infantry Regiment. He was soon on his way south, heading into Kentucky; a few months later he fought in the campaign to capture Huntsville, Alabama.

The long marches and terrible weather of a winter campaign wore him out physically and Elon was discharged with disability in late May of 1862. Returning home to Elkhart, he recuperated and, two years later, enlisted for a 100-day term with Company G of the 134th Illinois Infantry. He again traveled to Kentucky and was assigned to garrison duty in the city of Columbus until he was mustered out in October of 1864.

Elon entered college in Chicago and graduated in 1868. Shortly thereafter he married Anna Bastin, the sister of his college roommate. He and Anna lived with family on the farm outside Elkhart for a year before Elon became the superintendent of schools for a Wisconsin county, while also running a lumber yard.

In 1874, the Lees moved to Webster City, where Elon purchased the former Spahn & Rose lumber yard located at 508 Des Moines Street.

Elon and Anna lived at 304 North Willson Avenue and enjoyed entertaining guests. An article from The Daily Freeman-Journal, dated May 18, 1936, tells of his 96th birthday; the guest list includes Miss Charlotte Crosley and Wesley Martin, both close friends of Mr Lee.

Elon Lee died two years later, after fracturing his right leg in a fall at home.

While he lived in Webster City, Elon was very active in the local Grand Army of the Republic post. At the time of his death, he was looking forward to participating in the local Memorial Day activities to be held in a few weeks, as well as a GAR reunion in Washington, D.C., that summer.

Mr. Lee and the other veterans that reside in Our Neighborhood are part of why I enjoy walking the paths through Graceland. It’s difficult not to be grateful for my country, state and city with neighbors like them …

Our Neighborhood is a column by Michael Eckers focusing on the men and women whose presence populates Graceland Cemetery in Webster City.