Illinois Civil War Muster and
Descriptive Rolls Database:
Van Fleet, Alfred - Pvt - Co K
- 8 IL US CAV
Residence, Victor, DeKalb Co, IL; Join, 7Sep1861;
Age, 18; Born, IL
Height; 6' 2"; Hair, brown; Eyes, blue;
Complexion, dark
Reenlisted as a veteran - 20Dec1863
Mustered out as Sergeant - 17Jul1865
Honor Roll of State of Illinois, Illinois Veteran's
Commission, Oct 1, 1956:
Van Fleet, Alfred -
Sgt - Co K - 8 IL Cav
Died, 01Dec1916; Buried, Oakwood
Cemetery, Joliet, Will Co, IL, Section 20
Headstone Reading
Will County Illinois USGenWeb
Necrologist Reports (© 2002
The ILGenWeb Project All Rights
Reserved):
Published Obituaries:
Joliet
Evening
Herald -Saturday, December 9,
1916 -Front Page
Alfred
Van Fleet, 74 years old, a
pioneer resident and manufacturer of Joliet,
died in a hospital in Seattle, Wash.,
yesterday.
Mr. Van Fleet was injured
Thanksgiving Day, when an automobile in which he was riding overturned. With him at the time were his daughter, Mrs.
Grace Walker and her husband, both of who were injured.
Mr. Van Fleet was taken to the city hospital
and while there contracted pneumonia, which caused his death.
He was born in Fairview,
Ill. January 14, 1843.
In 1861, at the age of 18, he enlisted in Company K,
Eighth Illinois Cavalry,
and assigned to the army of the Potomac, and
took part
in the battles of Antietam, Fredericksburg,
Wildnerness, Gettysburg,
Spottsylvania Court House, and was also at the siege of Petersburg.
He was struck by a shell in the
battle of Frederick City,
and lost one horse, shot from under him.
For bravery in the service he was given a commission of
sergeant.
After the war he engaged in farming
in DeKalb county.
He devised the first machine for
the manufacture of barbed wire, and came to Joliet
in 1878, to put his machine into operation.
He became superintendent of the Lock Stitch company. Later he went to the Joliet Manufacturing
company as its superintendent.
While with the company, he formed a
partnership with his son, under the name of the Van Fleet Manufacturing
Company, and later became interested with the W.E. Pratt Manufacturing
Company. Both industries grew up
together, and today 600 men are employed by them.
Mr. Van Fleet helped found the old
mission at Ohio and Park
avenue, of which the Second Presbyterian church was an
outgrowth. He was a charter member and
officer of this church.
He was a member of Bartleson Post,
G.A.R.
Several weeks ago Mr. Van Fleet
left Joliet, to spend the
holidays
with his daughters, Mrs. Grace Walker, of Seattle,
and Mrs. Mary Hunt, of Tacoma.
Besides them, he is survived by one
son, [unreadable] J., two brothers, W. [unreadable] and [unreadable] of
Joliet, and one sister, Mrs. C.M.
Magruder, of Kansas.
The body will be brought to Joliet
for burial.
Additional Biographical Material: