Luray Buries Last Veteran of Civil War
(William McKendree Randal)

Luray, Mo., March 3 - Luray laid to rest Sunday, the last of its Civil War veterans, William Mc Kendree Randal, aged 92 years, 4 months, and 26 days.

Mr. Randle, a pioneer resident of Illinois, died last Friday at the home of his daughter, Mrs. E. H. Dennison, Sr., of Downing. He had been a resident of Luray for 20 years.

A namesake of Bishop McKendree, founder of the McKendree college in Illinois. Mr. Randal was born at Hulls Corner, near Kinderhook, Illinois, on October 2, 1843. At the age of two he was taken to near Albia, Iowa by his parents, Isham Asbury Randle and Frances Card Randle. The family traveled by ox cart. Troubled by the Indians, in the sparsely settled district, the Randles moved back to Illinois, to near Warsaw, a short time later.

As a youth of eighteen Mr. Randle enlisted as a musician, in Captain Berryman's Company E., I 18th Regiment of Illinois Volunteer Infantry, enrolling on August the 4th, 1862. Joining the Union colors, while on a trip into Warsaw to buy supplies. Mr. Randle served three years and two months under Grant and Sherman. Ill with fever, he was honorably discharged at Baton Rouge, Louisiana, October 1, 1865.

In the year 1875, Mr. Randle was detailed by the G. A. R. (Grand Army of the Republic, a civil war veterans' association), to place a flag on each comrade's grave on Memorial day, and beginning with that year, with four to honor, he continued the duty for sixty years.
During his absence in the war, the Randle family had moved to Luray, and the young soldier joined them, marrying Julia E. Harrison on October 7, 1869. To the union three children were born. The wife and one daughter preceded him in death.

Surviving are two children, Clyde Randle of Luray, and Mrs. Lutie Dennison of Downing; five grandchildren: Ruel Randle of Luray; E. H. Dennison, Jr., of Kirksville; Mrs. Ruby Selway, of Luray; Mrs. Ruth Rowe of Downing; and Mrs. Schupback, of Downing, and ten great grandchildren; also one brother, Sydney Wesley Randle, of Sacramento, California.