Obituary of a Civil War Veteran

        With eyes "front" and with steady stride, George W. Corn, aged Civil War veteran of Rappsburg entered the Valley of Death this morning. Just as bravely as he marched into battle with Union forces, just as courageously as he marched with Sherman to the sea did this beloved Lawrence county veteran face his final response to taps.

        Mr. Corn died at the age of 96 years, 2 months and 14 days on the same farm on which he was born. The end came after serious illness of five weeks, following stroke of paralysis, but right up until his fatal illness, Mr. Corn maintained his mental and physical faculties. His condition was such, regardless of his advanced age, that he "made" his own garden last summer. His death reduced to eight the number of surviving Civil War veterans in Lawrence county.

        He was born at Rappsburg on a farm that has been in his family for over a century. His father and mother, the late James and Mary Higgins Corn, occupied the old homestead and a spring was dug there over one hundred years ago by the pioneers is still running and is one of the wonder spots of the neighborhood. He was the last of sixteen children born to his parents and he spent the greater part of his life on the old homestead, where he died at 8:30 today. He enlisted in the Union Army June 22, 1863 with Company I, First Regiment of Heavy Artillery of Ohio and later transferred to the infantry. He was in several engagements, headlined by his joining General W. T. Sherman's march to the sea. In memory of that march he named his only son Sherman, who now resides on the family home place.

        Following discharge from the Union Army at Knoxville on July 25, 1865, Mr. Corn and Cynthia Mary Carroll of Lincoln county, W. Va., were united in marriage later in the same year. They resided in West Virginia for a brief period, then returned to the Corn home farm to live out their lives. Mr. Corn lived to see his parents die, a great sorrow came into his life at the death of his beloved life's mate in 1898, and his fifteen brothers and sisters also preceded him in death. He is survived by his only son, Sherman Corn of Rappsburg, two daughters, Maggie at home and Mrs. Jennie Miller of Rappsburg, five grandchildren, Clarence of Ironton, Everett of Willowood, Alfred of Huntington, Mrs. O. M. Lemaster and Mrs. Robert Haslip, both of Westmoreland, W. Va. One grandson, Raymond Corn, was killed in Huntington, W. Va. in recent years.

        Mr. Corn was the last surviving uncle of Judge E. E. Corn of Ironton. He was joined in service in the Union Army during the Civil War by three brothers, all of whom served valiantly. He had been a member of the Masonic order for seventy years and Waterloo Lodge 532 F. and A. M. will conduct last services, which will be held in New Zion Baptist church with Phillips directing. Other particulars have not been arranged but the body will be returned to the home place this evening.

        The death of Mr. Corn struck the Rappsburg community with sorrow for he was one of the district's most beloved and best known residents.

Ironton Evening Tribune, 28 April 1938, Thursday, Page 2.