Civil War Nurse Lydia Weager Stewart

I did some exploring at www.fultonhistory.com and found obituaries for some Civil War nurses from our area. One such nurse was Mrs. Lydia Stewart. GAR Post #37 was named for her husband Charles H. Stewart, a Colonel in Company G of the 19th NY Volunteers. In 2005, I was able to obtain scanned copies of the charter for this Auburn NY Post from the NY Archives in Albany, which listed 61 members by name. This and other GAR Post information can be found at http://www.cayugacounty.us/portals/0/history/military/stewart_37.html

MRS. LYDIA A. W. STEWART, CIVIL WAR NURSE, DIES - Aged Auburn Woman Passes Away After a Lingering Illness—Funeral to Be H e l d Tomorrow. SPECIAL t o THE POST-STANDARD. — AUBURN. May 21. —Mrs. Lydia Anne Weager Stewart, 84, widow of Colonel Charles H. Stewart, died at her home, No. 4 John Street, today after a lingering illness. Mrs. Stewart served during the Civil War as a nurse, while her husband, for whom the Charles H. Stewart G. A. R. Post was named, was gaining renown on the battle line. She is survived by one son, Charles C. Stewart of New Haven, Conn., and a sister, Miss Jane Conger of San Gabriel, Cal. The funeral will be held at the house Sunday at 3 o'clock. Rev. Charles Gorman Richards, pastor of the First Presbyterian Church officiating. The Women’s Relief Corps, of which Mrs. Stewart was a member, and other G. A. R. organizations will attend in a body and take part in the burial services at Fort Hill Cemetery. Syracuse Post Standard Saturday, May 22, 1915.

A second obituary provides a bit more detail:

1915 MRS. LYDIA A. STEWART DEAD

Shock Fatal to Widow of Army Officer living here nearly 70 years.

Following an apopleptic stroke suffered Saturday from which she never regained consciousness, Mrs. Lydia A. Stewart, 84, widow of the late Colonel Charles H. Stewart, died early this morning at her home, No. 4 John Street. For nearly 70 years Mrs. Stewart had resided in Auburn.

The deceased, although a remarkably active woman all her life, had been in failing health for the past eight months. Hers was a life of action such as few women have experienced.

For some time during the Civil War she braved the dangers and hardships of the battlefield as a nurse, fighting against the yellow fever which at times broke out in the army of the North. She worked side by side with her husband, the late Colonel Stewart, who passed away in May 1874 when all Auburn went into mourning.

Both the Charles H. Stewart Post, No. 37, G. A. R., and the C. H. Stewart Relief Corps, No. 11. were named after Mrs. Stewart's illustrious husband.

The deceased was a member of the Eastern Star Lodge here. She was born in Amsterdam, N. Y., January 22, 1831, and removed to this city when a girl. She was active in church work as well as taking part in the activities of the Relief Corps.

Her maiden name was Lydia A. Weager.

Mrs. Stewart is survived by one son, Charles C. Stewart of New Haven, Conn., and one sister, Mrs. Jane Conger of San Gabriel, Calif.

Funeral services will be held from the family home, No. 4 John Street, Sunday afternoon at 3 o'clock, the -Rev. Charles Gorman Richards, D. D., pastor of the First Presbyterian Church officiating. Burial will be made in Fort Hill Cemetery.