Home > United States of America > Iowa > Clarke County > Field Cemetery > William Jackson Gracy

William Jackson Gracy

Birth	:	11 Feb 1841 Bond County, Illinois, USA
Death	:	8 May 1928 Osceola, Clarke County, Iowa, USA
Burial	:	Field Cemetery, Clarke County, USA
Coordinate	:	41.1506004, -93.8606033
Inscription	:	PVT 15 Iowa Inf 1st Inf, Mississippi Marine Brigade.
Description	:	The History of Madison County, Iowa, 1915, by Herman Mueller. Although William J. Gracey is still living upon a farm on section 33, Ohio township, he has retired from active life and is enjoying a period of leisure. He was born in Boone county, Illinois, on the 11th of February, 1841, a son of James Taggart and Alipher (McGahey) Gracey. The father was born in North Carolina, of Irish ancestry, and the mother in South Carolina, also of Irish stock, but their marriage occurred in Boone county, Illinois. In 1856 they located in Ohio township, Madison county, Iowa, where the... Read More	The History of Madison County, Iowa, 1915, by Herman Mueller. Although William J. Gracey is still living upon a farm on section 33, Ohio township, he has retired from active life and is enjoying a period of leisure. He was born in Boone county, Illinois, on the 11th of February, 1841, a son of James Taggart and Alipher (McGahey) Gracey. The father was born in North Carolina, of Irish ancestry, and the mother in South Carolina, also of Irish stock, but their marriage occurred in Boone county, Illinois. In 1856 they located in Ohio township, Madison county, Iowa, where the father entered one hundred and twenty acres of land on section 34. He devoted the remainder of his life to its cultivation and both he and his wife passed away upon the homestead. William J. Gracey remained under the parental roof until the outbreak of the Civil war and attended the public schools in the acquirement of an education. After he became old enough he worked upon the homestead during the summers and thus early became familiar with agricultural pursuits. On the 26th of September, 1861, when a young man of twenty years, he enlisted at Osceola, Iowa, in Company I, Fifteenth Iowa Volunteer Infantry, under Colonel Read, and he participated in the battles of Shiloh, Bolivar, Tennessee, and Iuka, Jackson and Corinth Mississippi, and was also under fire in a number of skirmishes. On the 23d of February, 1865, he was mustered out at St. Louis and honorably discharged from military service after which he returned to Madison county, Iowa, where he resumed farming. In 1868 he removed to the farm where he now has and in 1869 purchased forty acres. He subsequently added eighty acres and now owns a good farm of one hundred and twenty acres. The advance in the price of and is illustrated by the fact that he paid five dollars an acre for the first forty acres, ten dollars for the next forty and sixty dollars for the last forty acres that he purchased. He operated his farm until 1900, when he rented it to his son and he and his wife are now living in honorable retirement upon the homestead. He was a general farmer and stock-raiser and as he was industrious and enterprising and as he avoided extravagance he added to his capital from time to time and now has sufficient of this world's goods to insure him of comfort during the remainder of his life. In April 1868, Mr. Gracey married Miss Rebecca E. Bratton, a daughter of Jacob and Mary Ann (Hunt) Bratton. To Mr. and Mrs. Gracey have been born the following children. Mary Levisa married John Goodrich, a farmer of Clarke county this state, and they have six living children, Jesse, Lillian, Rosa, Elmer, Ray Frank and Harry. Emery, a farmer of Clarke county, married Miss Emma Sinn and they have three children living, Lester, Lewis and Harold. Alonzo, a farmer of Ohio township, married Ada Scott, who died leaving a son Cleland. Following her demise he was again married, his second wife being Miss Lillian Marquist. Frank, an agriculturist of Ohio township married Miss Susie Jones, by whom he has four children, Doyle, Pansy, Merrill and Benton. Bert born March 10, 1880, resides upon the homestead with his parents. He married Miss Grace Jones and they have three children, Glenn, Isabelle and Blanche. Herman, born April 16, 1882, is now farming near Osceola, Iowa. He married Miss Gertrude Hock and following her demise wedded Miss Emma Steaman. He is the father of two children, Cleo and Dale. Mr. Gracey is a democrat and for four years was a director of school district No. 6. He is a sincere Christian and holds membership in the Church of God at Prairie Grove, as does his wife. He was one of the organizers of the post of the Grand Army of the Republic at Truro and continued to belong to that organization until it surrendered its charter. For forty-seven years he and his wife have lived upon the homestead and they have many interesting reminiscences of events and conditions of the early days in this county. He hauled lumber from John Smith's sawmill at Prairie Grove to build the first courthouse in Osceola and with Tom Glascow played the violin for a dance in the courthouse when it was completed. As Mr. Gracey was in his younger days one of the best known violinists of Madison county, his services were in demand m St. Charles, Winterset, Murray, Osceola and other places and he sometimes played for as many as five dances in a week. His wife picked blackberries on Squaw creek and took them into Osceola, but the people there did not know that they were edible having never seen any before. She had used them in Ohio and when she found them growing wild in Clarke county recognized them. For many years Mr. Gracey and his wife were numbered among those who in doing well the work that fell to their lot in the development of their farm aided in the advancement of agricultural interests of the county. They are now living retired, however, and their son Bert farms the homestead. He raises a good grade of shorthorn cattle and Duroc Jersey hogs, which he feeds and sells, and he also carries on general farming, meeting with deserved success in both phases of his work. Note: I do not know who the informant was for the above article, but it does contain some errors in facts. William Jackson Gracey was born in Bond Co., IL. It also states that Williams parents, James Taggert Gracey and Alipher McGahey were married in Boone Co., IL. It is recorded in Volume A, Page 122 Bond Co., IL that James and Alipher's marriage occurred on March 09, 1833 in Bond Co., IL. Military History: On February 07, 1898, the Record and Pension Office, War Department returned to the Commissioner of Pensions a report that “William J. Gracey, Co. I, 15th Iowa Infantry was enrolled January 28, 1862 and Discharged December 31, 1862, by reason of re-enlistment in the 1st Infantry, Mississippi Marine Brigade. It has been determined from evidence before this department that charges of desertion on May 3 & 31.1964 are erroneous.” Private William J. Gracey Certificate of Disability Discharge signed February 23, 1863, making the charges of desertion on November 09, 1863 also erroneous. Note: According to the military paperwork, William was documented as AWOL, when in fact he had transferred companies. Obituaries The Osceola Sentinel, Osceola, Iowa May 10, 1928, Page 1 Another Veteran called. After having been confined to his bed for three years as the result of a stroke of paralysis William Jackson Gracey, 87 years of age, passed away in Osceola at the home of his daughter, Mrs. Mary L. McCormick (sic) at 5:30 Tuesday evening. The deceased came to Clarke county from Illinois in 1855. He therefore was one of this county's earliest settlers. He was one of the Clarke county boys who enlisted at Osceola in the 15th Iowa regiment in 1861, and he served with the noted unit until the close of the war. He was wounded at Corinth, but as soon as he was able he again joined his comrades. His departure leaves but few of the Shiloh boys in Osceola. He is survived by his devoted life companion and five sons and one daughter. Funeral services will be conducted by the Rev. Mr. McKee of Osceola from the Christian church in Truro at 2:00 o'clock this Thursday afternoon. Interment will be made in the Fields cemetery. The Osceola Sentinel, Osceola, Iowa May 10, 1928, Page 7 Wm. Jackson Gracey, aged 87 yrs. 5 months and 27 days, died at home of his daughter in the northeast part of town, Tuesday evening at 6 o'clock. Mr. Gracey was a veteran of the civil war. Funeral services will be held from the Christian church In Truro at 2 p. m. today (Thursday) and interment will be made in the Fields cemetery in Washington township. Rev. John W. McKee will have charge of the services.

frequently asked questions (FAQ):

Where is William Jackson Gracy's memorial?
William Jackson Gracy's memorial is located at: Field Cemetery, Clarke County, USA.
When did William Jackson Gracy death?
William Jackson Gracy death on 8 May 1928 in Osceola, Clarke County, Iowa, USA
Where are the coordinates of the William Jackson Gracy's memorial?
Latitude: 41.1506004
Longitude: -93.8606033

Family Members:

Parent

James Taggert “Jimmie” Gracey

(1811 - 1893)

Alapher McGahey Gracey

(1816 - 1893)

Spouse

Rebecca Elizabeth Bratton Gracey

(1844 - 1933)

Siblings

Mary E Gracey Jewett

(1835 - 1914)

Martha A. Gracey Conner

(1839 - 1907)

Joseph Slade Gracey

(1845 - 1917)

Alapher Jane Gracey Richardson

(1849 - 1928)

George M Gracey

(1856 - 1922)

Children

Lily Elnora Gracy

(unknow - 1867)

Mary Lavanche Gracey Goodrich

(1861 - 1930)

(1869 - 1962)

(1872 - 1952)

(1877 - 1881)

(1883 - 1964)

Flowers:

Nearby Cemetories:

1. Field Cemetery
Clarke County, USA
Coordinate: 41.1506004, -93.8606033

2. Hartman Cemetery
Ohio Township, Madison County, USA
Coordinate: 41.1911011, -93.8557968

3. Union Cemetery
Murray, Clarke County, USA
Coordinate: 41.1265000, -93.9115000

4. Ebenezer Cemetery
Walnut Township, Madison County, USA
Coordinate: 41.2005997, -93.9080963

5. Young Cemetery
Ohio Township, Madison County, USA
Coordinate: 41.2080994, -93.8227997

6. Fremont Cemetery
Clarke County, USA
Coordinate: 41.1330000, -93.7705000

7. Worthing Cemetery
Ohio Township, Madison County, USA
Coordinate: 41.2192001, -93.8094025

8. Cox Cemetery
Osceola, Clarke County, USA
Coordinate: 41.0722008, -93.8142014

9. Farson Cemetery
Ohio Township, Madison County, USA
Coordinate: 41.2399929, -93.8227221

10. New Virginia Cemetery
New Virginia, Warren County, USA
Coordinate: 41.1771220, -93.7349740

11. Peru Cemetery
East Peru, Madison County, USA
Coordinate: 41.2305984, -93.9393997

12. Bell Family Cemetery
Murray, Clarke County, USA
Coordinate: 41.0625267, -93.9240036

13. Jamison Cemetery
Jamison, Clarke County, USA
Coordinate: 41.1265000, -93.7263000

14. Vawn Cemetery
Osceola, Clarke County, USA
Coordinate: 41.0760498, -93.7514648

15. Viney Cemetery
South Township, Madison County, USA
Coordinate: 41.2638815, -93.8291110

16. Barney Cemetery
Monroe Township, Madison County, USA
Coordinate: 41.1641998, -94.0239029

17. Sayre Cemetery
South Township, Madison County, USA
Coordinate: 41.2747002, -93.8806000

18. Union Chapel Cemetery
Osceola, Clarke County, USA
Coordinate: 41.0811005, -93.7213974

19. King Cemetery
Scott Township, Madison County, USA
Coordinate: 41.2750015, -93.9160995

20. Saint Charles Cemetery
South Township, Madison County, USA
Coordinate: 41.2809982, -93.8209991

21. Maple Hill Cemetery
Osceola, Clarke County, USA
Coordinate: 41.0278015, -93.7794037

22. Murray Cemetery
Murray, Clarke County, USA
Coordinate: 41.0278015, -93.9456024

23. Beem Cemetery
Scott Township, Madison County, USA
Coordinate: 41.2625008, -93.9747009

24. Lorimor Cemetery
Lorimor, Union County, USA
Coordinate: 41.1128006, -94.0516968