Honoring the Military Fallen from Ford County

These brave men from Ford County gave their lives in military service. We remember their sacrifice and service to our nation. This list compiles known casualties across major conflicts. Ford County is a small rural area, so numbers are modest but meaningful.

Civil War (1861-1865)

Soldiers from Company K, 76th Illinois Infantry (Ford County residences) who died:

• Alkine, Isaac (Private, Paxton): Killed at Jackson, Miss., July 7, 1864. 

• Bishop, James R. (Private, Paxton): Corporal; drowned July 22, 1864. 

• Bloomfield, Robert (Private, Paxton): Killed at Natchez, Sep. 22, 1863. 

• Blythe, David (Private, Paxton): Died at Cairo, Nov. 14, 1863. 

• Bratten, Elijah (Private, Ash Grove): Killed at Jackson, Miss., July 7, 1864. 

• Clawson, Jonathan G. (Corporal, Ash Grove): Died at Lagrange, Tenn., Dec. 4, 1862. 

• Crawford, William (Private, Paxton): Died at White River, Ala., Oct. 12, 1864. 

• Dops, Peter S. (Private, Paxton): Died at Memphis, Mar. 21, 1863. 

• Edgar, James C. (Private, Paxton): Died at Lagrange, Tenn., Dec. 10, 1862. 

• Harris, Hiram B. (Private, Ash Grove): Died at Oxford, Miss., Dec. 17, 1862. 

• Hawkins, Elisha (Recruit, Ash Grove): Died July 7, 1864, of wounds. 

• Hedworth, Robert (Private, Paxton): Died at Paxton, Ill., Dec. 15, 1863. 

• Hussey, Henry B. (Corporal, Ash Grove): Sergeant; killed at Blakely, Ala., Apr. 9, 1865. 

• Kathiser, Nicholas (Recruit, Paxton): Died at Vicksburg, Jun. 4, 1864. 

• King, William B. (Private, Loda): Died at Holly Springs, Miss., Dec. 10, 1862. 

• McCullough, James E. (Private, Paxton): Killed at Jackson, Miss., July 7, 1864. 

• Nail, Oliver P. (Private, Ash Grove): Died at Columbus, Ky., Oct. 5, 1862. 

• Newlin, Bobse (Private, Paxton): Died at Bolivar, Tenn., Nov. 8, 1862. 

• Newlin, William (Corporal, Paxton): Died at Moscow, Tenn., Feb. 5, 1863. 

• Pierpont, Leonard (Private, Paxton): Corporal; died at Galveston, July 17, 1865. 

• Rowley, Samuel T. (Private, Ash Grove): Killed at Jackson, Miss., July 7, 1864. 

• Russell, Aaron (Private, Ash Grove): Died at Lagrange, Tenn., Nov. 16, 1862. 

• Schofield, William E. (Sergeant, Loda): Died at Memphis, May 18, 1863. 

• Sivy, Jackson (Private, Paxton): Killed at Jackson, Miss., July 7, 1864. 

• Stamp, Theodore (Private, Paxton): Killed at Jackson, Miss., July 7, 1864. 

• Thomas, George W. (Private, Ash Grove): Died at Lagrange, Tenn., Dec. 3, 1862. 

• Travis, George B. (Private, Paxton): Died in Hancock Co., O., Nov. 16, 1864. 

• Vanhorn, Isaac C. (Private, Ash Grove): Died at Memphis, Feb. 21, 1863. 

• Vaughn, Joel L. (Private, Ash Grove): Died at St. Louis, Apr. 11, 1863. 

Spanish-American War (1898)

• Vincent A. Flora (Paxton) — Pvt, Co. L, 3rd Illinois Infantry. Died of illness (pneumonia) at Camp Thomas in 1898. First documented Spanish-American War death from Ford County.

Philippine Insurrection / Philippine-American War (1899–1902)

• Henry Newell Way (Gibson City) — 2nd Lt, 4th U.S. Infantry (West Point Class of 1899). Killed in action August 28, 1900, at Villa Vieja (near Abra), Philippines. Son of Civil War veteran Virgil G. Way. Battery Way on Corregidor was later named in his honor.

World War I (1917–1918)

From local honor rolls and 1929 Illinois records:

• Merle Olson (Kempton) — KIA in France, 1918 (129th Infantry)

• Lloyd C. Blute

• Clarence J. Bremer

• Martin F. Brosnahan

• Charles Preston Carson (Navy)

• Claude E. Couger

• Jasper Lee Custer

• Heiko Harl Dickman

• John Columbus Donahue

• F. L. Hammerstrand (Medical Corps)

• Albert P. Johnson

• Carl Albert Johnson

• Perle E. Johnson

• Reuben Johnson

• Orville Larson

• L. Natterstead

• James Richard O'Hare

• Lora A. Parker

• John Gerdes Schutte

World War II (1941–1945)

From official War Department Honor List:

• Aellig, Wilmer E. — PVT, KIA

• Boma, James V. — TEC3, DNB

• Brokate, William R. — PVT, KIA

• Brotherton, C. W. — PFC, FOD

• Cool, Jack P. — 2nd Lt, DOW

• Cusick, Clyde H. — PFC, KIA

• Davis, Eugene H. — S/Sgt, DNB

• Davis, Lloyd H. — TEC5, DNB

• Edmonds, Elmer C. — PVT, DNB

• Frank, John A. — S/Sgt, DNB

• Fultz, Charles J. — SGT, DOW

• Hilligoss, George D. — TEC5, KIA

• Hudson, Charles N. — S/Sgt, DNB

• Hummel, Kenneth B. — S/Sgt, KIA

• Huston, John H. — 1st Lt, KIA

• Musselman, Walter A. — S/Sgt, DOW

• Nelson, Kent — COL, DNB

• Noland, Howard O. — PVT, KIA

• Parks, Buford E. — S/Sgt, KIA

• Price, Garvin W. — PFC, DNB

• Reep, John D. — 2nd Lt, DNB

• Ropp, Edward — PFC, KIA

• Rosenbaum, William C. — PVT, KIA

• Schnoor, Jens P. — TEC5, KIA

• Siddens, Charles E. — T/Sgt, KIA

• Stevens, Bennie A. — PFC, KIA

• Stine, Everett F. — 2nd Lt, KIA

• Varner, Edward V. — PVT, DNB

• Varner, Elza E. — PFC, DNB

• Walker, Benjamin P. — PFC, KIA

• Williams, William V. — PVT, KIA

Korean War (1950–1953)

• James Robert Duffin — PO3, U.S. Navy. Died November 29, 1950.

Vietnam War (1959–1975)

• Roy James Bultman (Thawville) — PFC, Army, KIA September 3, 1966

• William Eugene Campbell (Gibson City) — SP4, Army, died August 2, 1969

• Edward A. Ketchum (Paxton) — KIA 1969

• William H. Little (Roberts) — died 1970

• Richard Clair Malone (Kempton) — 2LT, Army, KIA May 7, 1967

Lest We Forget.

These heroes from Ford County, Illinois, embody courage and duty. Their names deserve to be remembered in our communities, at local memorials, and by future generations.Share this to honor them.

Thank you to all who served and sacrificed.