Albion, N.Y. (WHAM) — A Civil War soldier buried in Orleans County more than a century ago has finally received the recognition he deserves — all thanks to two dedicated eighth graders and their teacher at Albion Middle School.
Mary McCormick and Kendall Peruzzini, along with their teacher Tim Archer, took on a research project that led them to uncover the story of Daniel Walterhouse, a Union soldier who served in the Fourth Regiment of the Michigan Infantry. For over 100 years, his grave remained unmarked.
The journey began when Archer got a call from Michigan researcher George Wilkinson, who was trying to track down Walterhouse’s burial site but hit a dead end.
“He said, ‘I can’t find where this guy’s buried,’” Archer recalled. “He wanted to make sure every soldier was properly recognized, and his search pointed him to Orleans County.”
Motivated to help, Archer and his students dug deep into historical records — everything from town clerk documents to census forms and files from the National Archives. What they uncovered was a remarkable and tragic story.
Walterhouse joined the Union Army during the Civil War, fought in several major battles, was captured by Confederate forces, and eventually escaped. Along the way, he suffered serious injuries — including a stab wound to the leg and a crushed ankle after falling off a wagon. After returning to Michigan, he married but later became a widower.
He spent years fighting for a military pension due to his injuries but was repeatedly denied. In his later years, he ended up in the poorhouse — first in Niagara County where he was born, and later in Orleans County, where he had legal help. He died in 1910, still without the compensation he sought, and was buried without a headstone.
Thanks to the students’ research, they were able to confirm his final resting place at the Orleans County Almshouse. They worked with local officials and secured a headstone from Washington, D.C. to honor his memory.
“He’s done so much for us,” McCormick said. “It just feels really good — not just for him, but for all the people who’ve died without being recognized.”
The unveiling of Walterhouse’s new headstone was marked by a special ceremony, attended by dozens of people, including Civil War reenactors. For McCormick and Peruzzini, the experience was incredibly meaningful.
“It feels amazing. We’re just so happy and proud to have been a part of it,” they said.
Now, the once-forgotten grave stands as a tribute to a soldier who served his country — and to the students who made sure his story was remembered.
