Honouring William Larkin: A Civil War Veteran from Offaly

William Larkin Was Born In Banagher, County Offaly, Ireland in 1828.

He Was A Member Of The 49th Wisconsin Infantry For 9 Months in 1865.

In 1969 Loretto Paul Applied For A Military Headstone For Her Grandfather.

William Larkin (1828-1888) – Find a Grave Memorial

While researching the US Civil War service of Banagher born William Larkin we came across a document that reveals how his grave in Keyesville, Richland County, Wisconsin has a special marker confirming his military service. More than 100 years after his period of service in the Union army his granddaughter, Loretto Pauls, made an application to the Memorial Division of the US Army in Washington DC and her request was quickly granted. In September 1969 she received confirmation that her Grandfather would soon have a flat granite stone detailing his Civil War service to go alongside the large headstone that already adorned his grave. It was that original large headstone that had initially drew us to the name of William Larkin as it confirms his earlier mentioned birthplace of Banagher, Kings County (Offaly) in Ireland.

Application form for a headstone or marker for Civil War soldier William Larkin, detailing his service information, lineage, and request for placement at St. Mary's Keyesville Cemetery in Richland Center, Wisconsin. — U.S., Headstone Applications for Military Veterans, 1861-1985 – Ancestry.com

A weathered gravestone belonging to William Larkin, indicating his birth date as February 13, 1828, and death date as February 22, 1888, aged 60 years and 9 days.

William Larkin (1828-1888) – Find a Grave Memorial

William Larkin served in Company E of the 49th Wisconsin Infantry Regiment from February 1865 to November 1865. His regiment were mainly involved in garrison and guard duty during those closing months of the US Civil War and while they did not see any combat the regiment did lose 54 men to disease during that period. The last of the 49th were eventually mustered out of service on the 8th November 1865. Maybe William Larkin did not think his length of service was worthy enough of recognition and this could explain how, on his death in 1888, his grave did not have any indicators that here lay a Civil War Veteran. His Granddaughter obviously thought very differently and she made sure that her Grandfather got official recognition from the state for his service in the Union cause.

Loretto Pauls lived to the age of 99 before passing away in April of 1995 and is buried in Saint Anthonys Cemetery, Germantown in Richland County Wisconsin. Just as she once took the time to honor her Grandfather’s service during the Civil War we now take the time to belatedly thank her for her efforts in recognizing the service of Banagher born William Larkin.