The funeral of the late Henry I. Cutsinger, who died at his home near this city, on the morning of the 4th [March, 1904], was held at the M. E. Church, at 1:30 p.m., Sunday, the 6th under the auspices of Low Post No. 343, G.A.R. of which Mr. Cutsinger was an honored member; Rev. A. E. Hamilton pastor of the church preaching the sermon. The attendance, the condition of the weather considered, was remarkably large, attesting the fact of the esteem in which the deceased was held in the community in which he had spent so many years.
The obituary, prepared and read at the funeral by a comrade, gives the more or less detail the events most prominent in the history of Mr. Cutsinger and given in full below. No more need, he said here along this line, only to refer the reader to it. At the close of the religious services, at the church, a heavy rain was falling, as it had been doing since morning only in less volume, so the memorial exercises of the Post that usually take place at the cemetery, were performed in the church, after which the remains, followed by the relatives, such of the friends as cared to face the storm, were removed to our beautiful cemetery where the interment took place. Appropriate music was rendered by the choir.
Henry I. Cutsinger was bon in Jackson County, Ind., in 1843, and died near Newman, Ill., March 4, 1904. At the age of ten years he had the misfortune to lose his father, and his mother afterward remarried and the family removed to the state of Kentucky, and remained there until the dark clouds of war arose threatening the peace of the country when they returned to Indiana, Henry remaining behind. But soon the disturbed condition of the country rendering it unsafe for him to remain for he was a unionist, tho only a boy, he secretly left, and struck out for the north and finally arrived in the vicinity of Columbus, Ind., in the early spring of 1861. In the following year, Aug. 20th he entered the service of his country becoming a member of Co. E., 93rd Regt. Ind. Infy., and at once with his command, marched to the front, and for three long bloody years, he endured the hardship incident to the life of a soldier, on the march in the camp and upon the bloodstained fields of strife, faithfully and uncomplainingly. Mr. Cutsinger was a prisoner of war and was confined in the loathsome prison pens of Andersonville for many months, suffering the horrors of a thousand deaths. His term of enlistment expiring he was mustered out of service, August 10, 1863, and he returned to his home in Indiana.
On February 9th following he was joined in marriage with Miss Indiana A. daughter of T. J. and Nancy McQueen, at Columbus, In. who preceded him to the spirit world two years or more [January 17, 1901]. To this happy union 13 children were given, viz.: Eddy, Malett, George, Minnie, Dempt, Millard, Nannie, Emma, Katie, Dotty, Blossom, Charles and Logan. Five of whom, Malett, George, Nannie, Blossom and Charles passed to the ‘great beyond” before the father was called away.
In 1869 Mr. Cutsinger came to Illinois, and settled first a few miles northeast of Oakland, on a farm remaining in that vicinity until the spring of 1884, when he moved to the place where the rest of his days were spent, and where “he laid his armor down” and “fell in sleep that knows no waking.” Shortly after his marriage, Mr. Cutsinger became concerned about his spiritual condition sought and obtained pardon and united with the Separate Baptist Church near Columbus, Ind., and sometime after his removal to this state there being no organization of his church convenient, he united with the U. B. at Otterbein Chapel, just south of this city, and for a time was one of its active members, and up to his last sickness and death, while not so frequent in the attendance upon the means of grace, he continued to practice the precepts of his divine Master, and was in all his dealing with his fellows honorable, just and upright and caring out to the full the principles of the Golden Rule. So he was a good neighbor, a kind husband and an indulgent father and in all those relations he will be missed. He was a member of Lowe post No. 323 G.A.R. of this city and of the association of ex-prisoners of war, at whose meetings, of both orders, he took great delight in attending, and was always present when possible for him to do so.
Mr. Cutsinger’s health began to fail perceptibly in June last from a combination of diseases, with which he battled bravely and hopefully too, up to near the last hours, bearing the pain and suffering which at times were severe patiently and with dignity. He leaves to mourn his departure besides the immediate members of his own family above named, a large number of relatives, here and elsewhere, and many friends for all were such who ever came in business or social contact with him. To all of them, and especially to the stricken and sorrowing family, the deepest sympathy and condolence of this entire community are extended.
Contributed by: Shelli Steedman