Tuscaroras Mourn Death
of Last Iroquois Who
Fought in Civil War
Alvis David Hewitt, Descendant of Old Family,
Had Brilliant War Record;
Last Member of Sanborn G.A.R. Post
Tuscarora Indian tribesmen planned today to turn out in large
numbers tomorrow afternoon for the funeral of Alvis David
Hewitt, 95, last survivor of 285 Iroquois who fought for the
union in the Civil War, whose death occurred at his home on
the Mount Hope road, Tuscarora Indian Reservation, near Sanborn,
yesterday. Mr. Hewitt was the last survivor of Alexander Mabon
Post, No. 125, Grand Army of the Republic, of Sanborn.
Funeral services will be held at 2 o'clock tomorrow afternoon
at the Tuscarora Baptist church, on the reservation, where Mr.
Hewitt was assistant pastor for 22 years. The Rev. Frank N.
Taft, of Sanborn, will officiate. Sanborn Post, No. 969,
American Legion, will have charge of services at the grave in
Mount Hope cemetery.
Mr. Hewitt was a veteran of Gettysburg and Bull Run and was
wounded at Spotsylvania Court House. He was a member of the
Turtle clan of the Six Nations and claimed descent from the
Alvis family, prominent in the Tuscarora nation during its
colonial days abode in North Carolina.
He is survived by a son, Silas Hewitt, with whom he lived on
the Tuscarora Reservation; a brother, John N. B. Hewitt,
ethnologist in the Smithsonian Institution, Washington D.C.;
a sister, Mrs. Cassanda Williams, of Angola, N.Y.; several
grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.
Mr. Hewitt was a son of the late Dr. David Hagh Hewitt, who
was a well known Indian herb doctor among the early settlers
of Niagara county, and the late Liza Johnson Hewitt, and was
born on the Tuscarora Indian reservation May 9, 1843. At the
age of 19, he enlisted with the Union Army in Co. B, 131st New [151st NYSV]
York Volunteer infantry, and was wounded twice during the
battle of Spotsylvania.
The urge for a military service was inherited from a grandfather
who served in the Queen's Own regiment stationed at Ft. George,
Ont. The veteran served in 16 different engagements during the
war and possessed a sniper's badge presented to him for hitting
a bull's eye at a distance of 100 yards.
During the battle of Locust Grove he was but a few feet from the
flag bearer, who headed a massed V formation of the Confederate
colors, when he fell. Mr. Hewitt put his foot on the staff, tore
the flag off, and stuffed it inside his shirt intending to keep
it as a souvenir. After the battle he told the captain, who took
the flag saying he would take care of it for him. However, he never
saw it again as it was sent to Washington and all flags were
later exchanged with the enemy. About 40 years later a package
bearing a Washington post mark was received by Mr. Hewitt at
Sanborn post office. Opening it he found a large flag the
stars and stripes.
After the war he worked his farm on the reservation, but his
wounded hip made it impossible to continue. He joined a troup of
young Indian musicians and traveled for two years with the
Rodan and Hamilton road show.
Later, becoming interested in religious work, he served as
assistant pastor of the Tuscarora Baptist church for 22 years
and held the same position with the Pleasant Valley church on
the Cattaraugus reservation for three years. He was associated
with the City Mission at Niagara Falls for nine years.
Maintained by Sue Greenhagen.
E-mail:
greenhsh@morrisville.edu