Bantam Legion Honors Andrew McGurk

When the Tyler-Seward-Kubish Post 44 American Legion assembles at the All Wars Memorial on Route 202 in Bantam on Saturday, January 4, they will honor Civil War Army veteran Andrew McGurk as the January Veteran of the Month. The 10 a.m. program will begin with the retirement of the flag of December’s Veteran of the Month, Korean War U.S. Air Force Sergeant Malcolm Ford, Jr. McGurk’s flag will fly at the memorial until Saturday, February 1, when it will be retired.

Andrew McGurk was born October 8, 1835 in Dunfern-Line Fife County Scotland, the son of James and Emily (Brown) McGurk. After his parents separated, his mother migrated to the United States along with Andrew and his sister. Upon arrival in the States, they settled in Pleasant City, Ohio.

Andrew McGurk was mustered into a federalized National Guard Unit, Company "C" of the 161st Ohio Regiment. The 161st was rushed south to aid in the defense of Washington, DC, which at that time was greatly threatened by Confederate forces, due to the fact that many of the Garrison Union troops in the city had been transferred to General Grant’s Army of the Potomac. McGurk’s unit was eventually deployed as railroad and supply train guard personnel in the West Virginia and Maryland areas. In August 1864, soon after the emergency in the Washington area had passed, the 161st Regiment was returned to Ohio and McGurk was honorably discharged on September 2, 1864. At that time the 161st was released from federal service.

Throughout his life Mr. McGurk worked as a weaver, a trade that he learned in Scotland. He was married on December 7, 1866 to Margaret Ann Oliver, and at the time of his death on May 16, 1907, he was survived by his wife and seven children. He is buried in Summerfield, Ohio, the community where he spent much of his life after coming to America. Andrew McGurk was the great-grandfather of Terrence McGurk of Litchfield, who is the current Commander of Tyler-Seward-Kubish Post 44.

Information for honoring a veteran in Post 44’s Veteran of the Month program may be obtained by contacting Art St. John at 860-567-0607. Honorings are now being scheduled for the latter part 2003 and all of 2004.