Vancleave - Aaron
Source: Crawfordsville Daily Journal 2-10-1913
Browns Valley Feb 10 -- This morning at half past 7 at his home here Aaron VanCleave aged 81 a vet of the Civil War died of the diseases incident to old age. He has resided here for the last 20 years and prior to that time he resided on a farm SW of Crawfordsville. His wife died some years ago and since that time he has resided with his surviving children who are unmarried. Three sons, Charley Vancleave of New Market, William and Rees at home and one daughter, Eva at home, survive. He had been in failing health since the middle of the summer and has been bedfast for 4 or 5 months. Mr. Vancleave was a Union soldier during the Civil War, being a member of Co. C 4th Ind Inf. He was discharged from service just before the battle at Franklin Tenn which was one of the bloodiest of the war. When he found that the battle was going to be fought though he had just been honorable discharged from and further service, he shouldered his musket and went into the fight. His captain told him it was going to be a hard fight but Aaron was not in any way daunted by this information. He declared that his country needed his services and he would help lick the Rebs once more. He lived through the battle and then came home. Not long ago when he saw that his days were numbered he told a friend, Dumont Kennedy of Crawfordsville that when he was buried he wanted this epitaph placed on his monument. Here lies a soldier and a man. The funeral will take place in the Browns Valley Baptist Church Tues morning at 10:30 and will be conducted by Rev. SK Fuson of Marshall.
Source: Crawfordsville Daily Journal 2-14-1913
Those that went from Crawfordsville to Browns Valley on Tuesday on the Vandalia to attend Aaron Vancleave's funeral were Dumont Kennedy, Levi Coons and Anderson McMains. Mr. McMains stated to the scribe (Maple Corner) that they fought in the war of the rebellion side by side and said he was a good soldier, that he never flinched at a call. He said he saw him whip the largest man in their regiment by the name of Howard that weighed 225 pounds. He gave him a flogging for kicking his frying pan over when he had his meat about fried. Howard jumpe don him the second time when he was stooped over washing the mud off of him. He said it was a hard fight. They were both big, stout men. Mr. McMains stated when he give him the second trimming Vancleave jumped up and cracked his heels together and said they could not ride the bay horse.