*Note: What this obit does not say is that Henry Clay Bagley 1st married Elizabeth Louise Coon on 25 Jul 1869 in Cass Co. Iowa and the 5 children he had from this union, Mary Jane "Mae", George Washington, John Albert, Thomas Lee, & James Winfield Bagley.

I do not know the circumstances but he left his family behind in Iowa for his life in St. Paul, Nebraska. It saddens me that his 1st family was never mentioned in his obituary. Anyone with information on this family please contact me.

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St. Paul, Howard Co., Nebraska

From "The Phonograph" – page 1
Dated: March 4, 1931

War Veteran and Early Pioneer is Called by Death

Full Military Burial Given Henry Clay Bagley Thursday; A Deserving Tribute

Eighty-Six Years of Age

After a lingering illness covering a period of several months, and ailments incident to advanced age, Henry Clay Bagley, veteran of the civil war and pioneer of Howard county, passed to his reward on Tuesday, February 24th, 1931, having reached the advanced age of 86 years, one month, and three days.

The following brief obituary has been handed to The Phonograph:

Henry Clay Bagley was a native of Indiana, born on January 21, 1845. From Indiana he moved at an early age to the state of Illinois. War clouds were gathering during his boyhood days and he was but fifteen when the clash of arms came between the North and South, and like many another youth his soul was fired with the struggle over the slavery question. Leaving home he entered the ranks of the Union Army as a drummer boy, and served in that capacity without being recognized as a soldier.

His war record, after being recognized as a member of the army, was that he enlisted on the 16th day of March at Canton, Illinois. Mustered into the U.S. Service as a recruit in Company K, 7th Regiment of the Volunteer Cavalry for a period of 3 years on the 14th day of April, 1864, at which time he was a resident of Putnam, Fulton County, Illinois. He was mustered out of the army on Sept. 25, 1865, at Springfield, Illinois. At this closing period of the war Comrade Bagley was just past his twentieth year, so that his Civil War service was at an early period in his life.

After the war he moved to Iowa and in 1881 he came to Nebraska and located on a homestead north of St. Paul, where he resided until his death. He was one of a few retaining land which had been in their possession since obtaining a government patent. At St. Paul he found the lady of his choice, and married Miss Ruth Collins, to which union was born on son, Roy Bagley. Mr. Bagley has been engaged in farming and stock raising since he homesteaded here, and was known to his friends as an accommodating neighbor and true friend.

The Phonograph editor has known "Hank" Bagley for more than twenty-five years and we would say that the above brief obituary does not tell the story of his whole life.

He was one of the men who endured the hardships of pioneer life in the west and he did his share to make things better for those who came after. He always took a great deal of interest in public affairs and many times he voiced his protest against the way things were conducted in an official manner in the community. He aspired to fill the office of county commissioner and county sheriff in years gone by, but he was never able to land the nomination for office, proving that while he had good ideas of how official affairs should be conducted he was not a good enough politician to land an office. He was too outspoken in many things to be what is termed a successful politician.

A number of years ago Mr. Bagley conceived the idea of making a big recreation park near his home, on the banks of the North Loup river, but the venture failed for lack of sufficient patronage. For the past several years he lived quietly at his home, enjoying his declining years in peace and comfort.

Most men who have served their country in war are willing to tell about it, but that was not so of Mr. Bagley. He served in the Civil war, but it was only recently, comparatively speaking, that anyone outside his immediate family knew anything about that service for his country in the time of stress. For many years the list of old soldiers, veterans of the civil war, was printed and sent out, but the name of Mr. Bagley was not in the list. Some years ago Mr. Bagley was granted a pension for his services in the civil war and through that fact it became known that he had served his country in that war.

The funeral was held from the home on Thursday afternoon at two o'clock, Rev. W.J. Primrose officiating. A fine funeral oration was delivered and several vocal selections rendered. The beautiful casket was draped with the flag of his country, and a large number of members of the American Legion were in attendance, many of them being in uniform. A firing squad gave a salute of three guns as the remains were about to be lowered to the last resting place in Elmwood cemetery, and taps were sounded by the bugler of the local post. The old veteran who did not parade his patriotism before his fellowmen was buried with full military honors. It was a fitting tribute to him. Six old friends and neighbors were the pall bearers and a large line of cars followed the remains from his late home to his final resting place. May he rest in peace.


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