Obituary of John Maley, grandfather of Clayton Dwyer, from 1929 edition of The Haverhill Gazette (precise date unknown):

 

John Maley, 86, of Grand Army Dies Suddenly

End Comes to Member of Major How Post at His Home

CIVIL WAR VETERAN

GETS FINAL CALL

 

            John Maley, 86, Civil War veteran and junior vice-commander of Major How Post, G.A.R., died suddenly late yesterday forenoon at his home, 379 Salem Street, Bradford. The funeral will be held from the home of his daughter, Mrs. Herbert W. W. Downes, 329 South Main Street, tomorrow afternoon. Rev. James Malcolm-Smith, rector of Trinity Episcopal Church, will officiate. The Grand Army ritual service will be conducted by members of Major How Post. Burial will be in Elmwood Cemetery.

            Mr. Maley had been seriously ill for a few days with angina pectoris…(portion of text in Gazette clipping illegible at this point)…Dr. Thomas N. Stone, who had been caring for him, was called and attributed death to heart trouble.

            Mr. Maley was one of the few veterans of the Civil War in this vicinity who had experiences in a Confederate prison spending some time in the Belle Isle and Andersonville prison pens. He enlisted in the service with Co. H, 19th Massachusetts Infantry on July 13, 1863. He joined his regiment at Greenfield whence it went to Warrenstown, Va. He was with it on its campaign on the Rappadam River and was in the thickest of the fray with the Confederates at Bristol Station. He was in the retreat at Bull Run, he was taken prisoner. He was first taken to Pemberton prison and later to the famous Belle Isle Prison in Virginia. After several months there, he was informed with others that he was to be sent home.

            No sooner were they removed from the prison when they learned they must go to the dreaded Andersonville in Georgia. Here Mr. Maley began to learn the horrors which were practiced there. He saw his healthy companions become living skeletons. After living several months under horrible conditions, Mr. Maley got word he was to be sent back to the Union lines. In March 1865, he rejoined the northern ranks at Wilmington, N.C., in such a weak condition that he was at the point of death. He was sent from there to Munson’s Hill, Va., where he rejoined his regiment.

            He was mustered out of the service June 31, 1865 at Munson’s Hill and in the same year he received his honorable discharge from the army at Readville.

            Mr. Maley was born in Newburyport Jan. 6, 1843 and was one of six children born to James and Catherin (Gallagher) Maley. He was descended from a long line of fighters, many of his ancestors having served in the Revolutionary War, the War of 1812 and the Mexican War. His father and brother were Civil War veterans and a son saw active service in the Spanish War. Following the death of his mother at the age of two, the family…(remainder of obituary lost)

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