CORINTH, April 2 (Special)—J. Henry Shippee, 91-year-old veteran of the Civil War, and brother of Albert Shippee of Oak street, this village, is dead. The remarkable man whose trip half way across the continent, unaccompanied, two years ago attracted considerable attention here, died this morning [Apr. 2, 1930] at the home of his niece, Mrs. Anna Willett, Wilmington, Vt., where he spent the winter months. Details of his late illness and death were lacking in a telegram received here by relatives advising of his passing.
The body will arrive in this village tomorrow afternoon and will be taken to the Shippee home in Oak street. Arrangements for the funeral will not be completed until tomorrow.
Mr. Shippee was born and reared in Halifax, Vt. At the age of 22, or on the 7th day of May, 1861, two days after his 22d birthday, he enlisted in Co. A, 2d Vermont Volunteers; the first enlisted man credited to the town of Wilmington, and the last to be discharged from service to be returned to that town. One of Mr. Shippee's prized possessions is a testimonial certificate issued by the State of Vermont in 1873, in testimonial of his service during the war of the Rebellion.
Mr. Shippee's first wound was received on the 4th day of the 7-day fight of Cold Harbor. He was discharged on the first of November, 1862, and upon his recovery he re-entered the service. On September 6, 1863, he received his second wound at Cold Harbor and the third came during the charge on Petersburg on April 2, 1865. One of his three brothers who took up arms for the Union cause also received three wounds, and the other two were each wounded twice.
Mr. Shippee's discharge came to him on the 19th of November, 1865, after which he returned to Wilmington. He remained there two years, then migrated westward, settling in Iowa. Later he moved to Nebraska, then to Colorado and finally to California. His most interesting years, Mr. Shippee states, were spent in Colorado, where he lived in mining camps, then at the very height of their boom. He was a constable for a number of years in Red Cliff and a Marshall for Delta county, Colorado, for three years. Although never wounded while enforcing the laws of the then wild and wooly state, Mr. Shippee tells of a number of close calls and interesting experiences with the desperate characters who infested the western camps.
For the past 20 years Mr. Shippee has devoted his time to traveling to some extent and visiting relatives in various parts of the country; and to "taking it easy" in the four soldiers' homes in which he has lived in all, a number of years.
The homes in which he has been an inmate are: Colorado State; Battle Mountain, South Dakota; California State and the National Military Home of Kansas.
He was the great grandfather of some 75 children, and the great great grandfather of six more.
Source: Saratogian (Saratoga Springs, N.Y.). New ser., v. 60, no. 77 (Apr. 2, 1930), p. 7, J. Henry Shippee, 91-year-old Civil War veteran dies.
CORINTH, April 4 (Special)—The body of J. Henry Shippee, 91 year old Civil War veteran who died early yesterday morning [Apr. 3, 1930] in Wilmington, Vt., arrived in this village yesterday afternoon and was removed to the home of his brother, Albert Shippee, Oak street.
The funeral was held this afternoon [Apr. 4, 1930] at 2 o'clock in the First Presbyterian church; the Rev. Royal E. MacGowan, S. T. B., officiating. The body was placed in the receiving vault in the Corinth Rural Cemetery, pending burial later in the spring in the Lynwood Cemetery, Conklingville.
Mrs. Anna Willett, niece of Mr. Shippee, at whose home he died, accompanied the body to this village.
Source: Saratogian (Saratoga Springs, N.Y.). New ser., v. 60, no. 79 (Apr. 4, 1930), p. 11, Funerals of four local residents.
CORINTH, April 5. (Special)—Final tribute to a Union soldier of the Civil war who had passed the age of four score and the, was paid yesterday afternoon [Apr. 4, 1930] in the First Presbyterian church, this village, in the funeral service for J. Henry Shippee, who died early Wednesday morning [[Apr. 2, 1930] at the home of his niece, Mrs. Anna Willett, Wilmington, Vermont.
A large number of relatives and friends of the aged veteran assembled at the church during the funeral service, which was conducted by the Rev. Royal E. MacGowan, S. T. B. The Rev. Mr. MacGowan also preached a brief funeral sermon and conducted the committal service at the vault in the Corinth Rural Cemetery where the body was placed.
During the service in the church Mrs. James Sanger and Mrs. E. M. Jenks of this village sang: Nearer My God to Thee and Gathering Home.
Burial will be later in the spring in the Baptist cemetery at Conklingville.
The bearers yesterday were: Rex Brogue, Arthur Judge, Harold Mills, Harmon Hills, Earl Balcom and James Kenyon.
Source: Saratogian (Saratoga Springs, N.Y.). New ser., v. 60, no. 80 (Apr. 5, 1930), p. 9, Final tribute to J. Henry Shippee, old war veteran.