by ALBION, N.Y. — A Forgotten Civil War Veteran Finally Honored Thanks to Two Local Students
A Civil War soldier who had gone unrecognized for over a century is finally receiving the honor he deserves — all thanks to the determination of two middle school students in Albion.
Daniel Walterhouse, a veteran of the 4th Michigan Volunteer Infantry, was buried in an unmarked grave in 1910 at the Orleans County Almshouse cemetery. For 113 years, his final resting place remained unknown and unmarked.
That changed when eighth graders Kendall Peruzzini and Mary McCormick took on the challenge of uncovering his story. Over the summer, they spent four weeks researching Walterhouse’s life, tracing his journey from the Civil War to his burial in Orleans County.
“I’ve always really liked digging through history and stuff,” said Peruzzini, reflecting on the project.
The idea came about when Tim Archer, their former teacher, received a call from George Wilkinson, a Civil War researcher in Michigan. Wilkinson had been trying to locate Walterhouse’s grave but hit a dead end. Knowing Archer had led students on similar history projects before, he reached out for help.
Walterhouse had enlisted to fight for the Union in his 30s and saw intense action during the war. He was even captured by Confederate forces but managed to escape. Later, he returned to Orleans County. With no family support and little money, he ended up living at the county almshouse. He spent years trying to secure a military pension for a serious leg injury he suffered in battle, but he never received it. He died poor and was buried without a headstone.
With Archer’s guidance, McCormick and Peruzzini dove into records from the town clerk’s office, census data, death certificates, and national archives. Bit by bit, they pieced together Walterhouse’s life story and confirmed his burial site.
Their hard work paid off when they secured a proper military headstone through local and federal channels.
“It’s so amazing,” said McCormick. “I’m just so happy we got to honor him because he’s done so much for us.”
A special ceremony was held in Albion to unveil the new headstone, complete with a military salute to honor Walterhouse and other veterans. Thanks to two young historians, a once-forgotten hero now has a permanent place of honor.
