Hiram Randall Gale was Washington State's last resident Civil War veteran. Born in Vermont, he moved with his family to Galesville, Wisconsin shortly after his father died. In January 1865 he joined Company K, 46th Wisconsin Infantry, and served for the last nine months of the war in railroad guard duty. After the war he was successively a grocer, a newspaper editor, a real estate salesman, and an entrepreneur. About 1888, after the death of his first wife, a child, and his mother, he moved from Minnesota to Washington Territory. He lived at Tacoma, Allyn, Bremerton, Olympia, Seattle, and American Lake. Three of his four children survived him, but none of his wives (he was married three times) are buried with him. Hiram was notable for his work with the Grand Army of the Republic. His first major office, commander of Navy Yard Post #110 at Charleston, was in 1904. In 1914 he was department commander for Washington and Alaska. He held numerous other offices in the GAR. In 1945-1946, he served as the GAR's Commander-In-Chief, presiding over the last major National Encampment and ensuring that the last officers elected would serve perpetually. Hiram stood alone after 1943 as Washington's Civil War survivor. He was featured in the May 1949 Life Magazine article on the last 68 survivors nationally. He moved to American Lake's VA Hospital seven months before his death. His cremains were interred at Evergreen-Washelli for Memorial Day, 1951. A large marker over his burial plot, which stands at the top of the Veterans Memorial Section near the carillon, has been restored to honor his 170th birthday and the 150th birthday of the GAR.
Hiram Randall Gale was Washington State's last resident Civil War veteran. Born in Vermont, he moved with his family to Galesville, Wisconsin shortly after his father died. In January 1865 he joined Company K, 46th Wisconsin Infantry, and served for the last nine months of the war in railroad guard duty. After the war he was successively a grocer, a newspaper editor, a real estate salesman, and an entrepreneur. About 1888, after the death of his first wife, a child, and his mother, he moved from Minnesota to Washington Territory. He lived at Tacoma, Allyn, Bremerton, Olympia, Seattle, and American Lake. Three of his four children survived him, but none of his wives (he was married three times) are buried with him. Hiram was notable for his work with the Grand Army of the Republic. His first major office, commander of Navy Yard Post #110 at Charleston, was in 1904. In 1914 he was department commander for Washington and Alaska. He held numerous other offices in the GAR. In 1945-1946, he served as the GAR's Commander-In-Chief, presiding over the last major National Encampment and ensuring that the last officers elected would serve perpetually. Hiram stood alone after 1943 as Washington's Civil War survivor. He was featured in the May 1949 Life Magazine article on the last 68 survivors nationally. He moved to American Lake's VA Hospital seven months before his death. His cremains were interred at Evergreen-Washelli for Memorial Day, 1951. A large marker over his burial plot, which stands at the top of the Veterans Memorial Section near the carillon, has been restored to honor his 170th birthday and the 150th birthday of the GAR.
Gravesite Details
marker dedicated 1953, restored 2016
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