James C. Welstead Camp No. 3
Fremont, Nebraska (North Central Nebraska)
Camp Officers:
Camp Commander: Terry Zastera
Sr. Vice Commander: Brandon Barth
Jr. Vice Commander: Clifford Hadley
Secretary/Treasurer: Paul Hadley, PDC
Counsel: Tim Hadley, Clifford Hadley, Brandon Barth
Camp Namesake
GAR McPherson Post 4, 1925. Front: J. B. Archard, Frank Wickwire, C. B. Veazie, J. W. Goff, J. A. Welton, W. P. Foote
Back: L. D. Richards, A. S. Mossman, F. E. Tilson, J. H. Welstead, Mrs Wintersteen
Named in honor of James C. Welstead, Co. I, 136th New York Infantry. Member of GAR McPherson Post No. 4, Fremont and last living GAR member in Dodge County.
James C. Welstead was born February 20, 1844 in Alleghany Co., NY. He enlisted at the age of 18 on August 30, 1862 at Nunda, NY as a private. On September 25, 1862, James was mustered into Company I, NY 136th Infantry.
The 136th the “Ironclads,” left the state of New York on Oct. 3; was assigned to the 2nd brigade, 2nd (Steinwehr’s) division, 11th corps; went into winter quarters with the corps at Stafford, Va.. James fought in the so-called “Mud March” following the Battle of Fredricksburg. The battle lasted through three days and three nights of rain. James contracted pneumonia and chronic diarrhea and was discharged from General Hospital, Alexandria, Va., Feb. 4, 1863.
He homesteaded in the Cedar Bluffs area in 1873, one of the earliest pioneers in the region. James was a member of McPherson Post #4, G.A.R., in Fremont and it’s last surviving member. He was also the oldest living GAR member in Dodge county. He died Feb. 7, 1940, just short of his 96th birthday. He is buried in Ridge Cemetery in Fremont.
Source: The Lincoln Star, Feb 8, 1940, CivilWarData.com