COBURN, John S (1846-1928)

COBURN, HERRICK, SAWYER

Posted By: Kathy Weaver (email)
Date: 6/30/2017 at 12:40:57

Malvern Leader
May 3, 1928
Thursday

J.S. COBURN ANSWERS TAPS
Silver City Veteran Answers Call Last Thursday Morning: Was Last Member To Be Mustered Out

Covering a period of sixteen years past, the old boys in blue in the Silver City vicinity have been dropping out of the ranks and off the scene of action at the average rate of one a year. Sixteen years ago the records show there were sixteen. Death last Thursday morning claimed the last one of the little band when the summons came to J.S. Coburn.

Up to a few months ago, "Uncle Jack", as he was called, was among the chipperest boys in town. Agile, straight as an arrow, fleet of foot. He divided time between Silver City and Council Bluffs during the past two or three years taking a room in the Neumayer hotel where other old comrades were quartered and where all enjoyed themselves together. But some months ago Uncle Jack began failing. He came home. During the past winter he was out on the street but little and when he did come out walked with a cane and moved slowly. During the late winter he contracted the flu and was unable to throw it off. He became discouraged toward the last and expressed the hope that he might drop off some night while he slept. The night before his death he was taken quite bad and a doctor was called and quieted him. In the morning when the members of the son's family with whom he lived got up and had breakfast, he seemed quiet and they did not try to arouse him, thinking to let him rest. An hour later they found that he was dead.

John S Coburn was born August 8, 1846, in Carrol county, Kentucky, and died April 26, 1928, in Silver City, Iowa, aged 81 years, eight months, and eighteen days.

In the spring of 1862 when he was but a lad of sixteen, Mr. Coburn joined the Union army, enlisting in the 13th Kentucky Infantry. He was with General Burnsides in east Tennessee and took part in the siege of Knoxville in the fall of 1863. In the following spring the 13th Kentucky joined General Sherman's army and was with this division during the march to Atlanta and through Georgia. It was while thus engaged that Mr. Coburn was struck on the head by a piece of shell and his skull was fractured. His final discharge was at Louisville, Kentucky, on September 28, 1865.

After the war he came west and during a part of that time he was a stage driver between Denver and FairPlay, Colorado. In 1875 he came to Mills county, Iowa, where on July 4, 1876, he was united in marriage to Miss Stella Herrick. To this union four children were born, three of whom survive. They are Elery G Coburn of Council Bluffs, Mrs. C.W. Sawyer, and Will O. Coburn of Silver City. He was preceded in death by his life companion who passed away December 9, 1915.

Uncle Jack had been a continuous resident of Silver City since 1875, a period of more than fifty years. Besides the two sons and one daughter named above, there are left to mourn four grandchildren; Mrs. Royal Coffman of Kansas City, Kenneth and Max Sawyer and Bobbie Coburn, all of Silver City, together with a host of friends.

The funeral was held Sunday afternoon, with military honors. Gordon May Post of Silver City were in charge. An escort of six Legionnaires as honor guards and pall bearers marched beside the funeral car. In the church three color bearers stood at attention throughout the entire service and at the grave the salute of honor was fired. The sermon was preached by the Rev. T.J. Rees, former pastor of the Baptist church of Silver City, now at Pawnee City, Nebraska. The floral offering was profuse. Interment was in the Silver City cemetery.