The Sons of the Union Veterans of the Civil War – Robert Finch Camp No. 14 honored Corporal Royal Bradford Teachout with graveside ceremony at Maple Hill Cemetery in Clarion (Melrose Township) on Saturday, June 22, 2024.
Royal Bradford Teachout – recorded as the last surviving Civil War veteran in Charlevoix County when he passed away at the age of 94 on November 1, 1937. He had been a member of the Lombard Grand Army of the Republic (GAR) Post #170 in Petoskey. That GAR post was disbanded in 1940 following the death of its last member, Private Ira Stewart who was honored as the last veteran of the Civil War buried in Emmet County.
Teachout was born June 2, 1843, in Hillsdale County, Michigan to Sgt. Enoch Peck Teachout and Maria Wealthy Hopkins Teachout.
He first enlisted and mustered in on August 4, 1862, for a three -year term, serving in Battery B, Ohio 1st Light Artillery. He mustered out on a surgeon’s certificate of disability on August 13, 1863, at Murfreesboro, Tennessee. Teachout then reenlisted on August 31, 1864, at Camden (Hillsdale County), Michigan and mustered in that September to Company G, Michigan 11 Cavalry as a Private and later promoted to Corporal. He mustered out on June 16, 1865, at Knoxville, Tennessee.
Royal Teachout married Amanda D. Mason on December 13, 1863, and the couple had six known children. She passed away August 11, 1924, and is also buried in Maple Hill Cemetery.
The task of documenting the final resting places of Civil War Soldiers in the state of Michigan began over 140 years ago by the Department of Michigan Grand Army of the Republic (GAR). At the beginning of the new millennium, the combined research and tireless effort of the Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War and their friends, and especially the Archives of Michigan, resulted in over 20,000 records retained at the Department (state) and at the National level from the Department of Michigan.
At the present time, the Graves Registration Database contains over 60,000 records, including all known Civil War soldiers buried in Michigan from any units, as well as any Michigan soldiers that are buried anywhere. We also include the burial places of veterans of any war from the American Revolution through the Spanish American War if they are reported to us.
The Sons of the Union Veterans of the Civil War – Department of Michigan was chartered on June 24, 1884. There are 20 Camps and over 350 members throughout both of Michigan’s peninsulas representing the interests of the Grand Army of the Republic and honoring the memory of those who “wore the blue” in defense of our nation.
Robert Finch Camp No. 14 is the oldest, active Camp in the Department of Michigan, dating from March 26, 1914. Camp 14 is named for Sgt. Robert Finch, who served in the First Michigan Sharpshooters. Camp No. 14 represents sixteen Northern Michigan counties. Camp No. 14 originally was based in Grand Rapids until it petitioned to relocate to Traverse City, a convenient location for members and potential members in the area.
The GAR was the preeminent veterans’ organization formed at the close of the Civil War. It was active until 1956 when it dissolved following the death of its last member.
