MAHAN, John R - CW - Putnam

Source: Greencastle Banner-Times 4 Jan 1894 p 1

Last evening at 7:20 o’clock one of the oldest of Greencastle’s citizens departed this life. We refer to the death of Colonel John R. Mahan. Mr. Mahan had been ill for some time. For a year his health has been gradually failing and in the last few months he rarely was able to leave his home. Nervous exhaustion was the immediate cause of his death.  Mr. Mahan was in his 70th year and was one of the best known men in the county. He came to this city with his father when a boy in 1824 was raised here and spent nearly all his life in the county.  He was one of the closest and best financiers in the county and by strict attention to business emassed a fortune of considerable size, variously estimated from $75,000-$100,000 in value. The tax duplicates of the county bear this out as he was one of the heaviest tax payers if not the heaviest in Putnam. He was a stockholder in the First national Bank for a long time and two years ago was elected a director in that institution. In military affairs Mr. Mahan took an active part and in the call to arms in the early 60s was among the first to respond. In the organization of troops he was very active and was a close confidant of General Morton.  He saw considerable field duty, however. Col. Mahan was Lt. Col. of the 14th Indiana regiment. He resigned Jan 30, 1862 and entered 55th Indiana Regimen tin July of the same year. Aug 13, 1862 he entered the 115th as colonel and commanded the brigade consisting of the 115th, 116th, 117th and 118th regiments in the campaign of Tennessee. He was mustered out February 1864. Mrs. Mahan, the aged consort of the deceased has been sick herself with pneumonia and la grippe for several weeks but has been much better for the past few days. She was able to leave her bed at the time of the death of her husband and was one of the party at his bedside, calmly assisting in making his last moments as comfortable as possible. Mrs. MB Lake of Indianapolis the local relatives and Miss Ellen Nelson, the faithful servant were present at the death scene. Miss Nelson for 22 years, has been the confidential housekeeper and near servant of Mr. and Mrs. Mahan. The funeral will be under the military ritual of the GAR.  The post will meet at 7 o’clock tomorrow evening to make final arrangements. The funeral will occur Saturday at 1 o’clock p.m. - kbz

Source: Indianapolis News 4 January 1894

Source: Greencastle Banner-Times 11 Jan 1894 p 3

Dept. Ind GAR

Death has again invaded our ranks. Col. John R. Mahan has passed away from the sphere of human activities.  In his career in life he was distinguished as a citizen and soldier. He achieved his measure of distinction as the logical result of merit. As a citizen, during the period of his active public life, he was recognized as possessing ability of a high order, which being coupled with a character for sterling, unyielding integrity, caused him to be recognized as a man of influence and one to be trusted as a safe leader and adviser.  This confidence of his fellow citizens in his capacity and integrity was never misplaced or abused. Though holding positions of important responsibility and trust, he always vindicated the confidence reposed in him by his fellow citizens. For three score and ten years his life in this community justifies the high esteem in which he was held by those who knew him.  He achieved distinction as a soldier.  Valiant, prudent, patriotic, loyal, he possessed those fundamental characteristics of the true citizen soldier in a marked degree. He entered the army when in the full prime of manhood and when he had already become distinguished for those properties of mind and heart that would justify his being selected as an officer and to fill positions of  high trust and responsibility. He was consequently early given the second rank in one of the regiments then being recruited. Later he was given the coloneley of a regiment; and still later being again commissioned colonel of a regiment, he, during a most ardulous and severe campaign, had command of a brigade. As a soldier, he was obedient and faithful in the discharge of every duty assigned him by his superior officers. It could not be said that any plan or purpose, where he was in any way responsible failed or was frustrated by any lack on his part to respond promptly, intelligently and faithfully to the orders of those in superior command, if it were possible to execute what was desired at his hands. As an officer, while he required sufficient discipline in his command to insure all the requisite development and training of those qualities that inure to the character of the good soldier, he was preeminently popular among his men. They trusted, respected and loved him. They would have followed him wherever he would have said, ‘Come.”  He was one of them. He suffered their privations as they would have enjoyed his bounties had he any to dispense. No wonder the good officer with a kind and sympathetic heart should be loved and trusted by his men. Each individual, comparatively helpless when taken alone, under necessarily strict discipline, must look to his officers for care and direction and for protection in time of danger. Col. Mahan exemplified in his career as an army officer, those requisites of the true officer and man, and he had his reward – his men loved him. At the close of the war Col. Mahan sheathed his sword, surrendered his commissions and returned to the peaceful pursuits of an American citizen. He never again entered public life but in the shadow of his own vine and fig tree enjoyed the fruits of the victory he had given so much of abilities and time to achieve. Shortly after the close of the war he was prominently identified with the movement to erect a soldier’s monument in Forest Hill cemetery and was president of the association that had in charge the matter of the construction of that monument. For many years he was an invalid and on that account was constrained to be in large measure a recluse. But every good work and every patriotic and worthy measure had his hearty endorsement. A true Christian gentleman, possessing to the close of his life a lively interest in all that pertained to the interest and advance ment of his country and his fellow citizens, he passed the closing period of his life quietly and we may hope with the trust that the reward of the faithful citizen-soldier and Christian was awaiting him.  May it be said of our comrad,e “Soldier, rest! They warfare o’er Dream of Fighting Fields no more; Sleep the sleep that known not breaking, Morn of toil nor night of waking.”  Our comrade is fallen. We can but bow in submission to that Providence who doeth all things well, and trust that though “the golden bowl is broken and the silver cord is loosed,” he has beyond the dark river of death entered into a glorious reward. We extend to sorrowing friends our sincere sympathy in the loss of a valued friend counsellor and associate. Our most sacred sympathy is reserved to be extended to her who was his faithful wife and companion during all his mature life. For her our tears are shed, for her our hearts bleed. To her, if possible, we would come and hold up her hands in the hour of her heart’s travail. Dear, wounded heart for his sake we share her griefs and would fain make her sorrows lighter. May her declining and lonely days be blessed with  a sense that he who has gone out of her life has left a blessed memory behind; that sympathizing friends are mourning with her; and that they may be runited where parting are no more and sorrow have an end. James T. Denny; WH Ragan; Jonathan Birch …

Source: Crawfordsville Daily Journal Wednesday, 10 January 1894

Col. John R. Mahan, of Greencastle, and a gentleman well known in this city, died last Thursday and was buried on Saturday. He was one of the substantial citizens of Putnam County. During the war he was lieutenant colonel of the 14th Regiment, colonel of the 115th, and commanded a brigade during the latter part of his service. - thanks to s for sending this one