Joseph B. Carr

August 15, 1828 - February 25, 1895

from The New York Times, February 25, 1895:

GEN. JOSEPH B. CARR DEAD Troy Mourns the Death of a Dis- tinguished Citizen. BRAVE SOLDIER AND ABLE CIVILIAN Three Times He Was Elected to the Responsible Position of Sec- retary of State of New-York.

TROY, N.Y., Feb. 24.--The flags upon the City Hall and the State Armory in this city are at half mast in recognition of the death of Major General Joseph B. Carr of Troy. Gen. Carr died at his home on Fifth Avenue at 10 o'clock this morning, after an illness of long standing, though he was confined to his bed only about six weeks. A cancer, which had its inception in the cheek and which later spread to the jaw and throat, was the cause of death. Gen. Carr was operated upon several times for the removal of the cancer at St. Luke's Hospital, New-York. Just before he took to his bed the General went to New-York to undergo another operation, but the sur- geon refused to operate, as the cancer's growth had extended to vital organs, and death under the knife would probably have resulted. The General returned to this city knowing that his death warrant had practically been signed, but he met the issue with such courage that even his friends were unable from his bearing to learn that he had been obliged to give up hope. A few days after this the grip, which later developed into pleurisy, attacked the patient, and assisted the cancer in causing death. For two weeks Gen. Carr lay at the point of death, but his strong constitution fought away the ravages of disease until this morning. Death came peacefully, and the end was quiet. Although death was generally expected, the news was in the nature of a shock, for Gen. Carr was one of Troy's best-known citizens, and commanded the respect of every one. He was prominent not only in the city's business and social life, but had attained State and National recognition in military and political matters. He had held many positions of responsibility and trust, and in none had he ever been found wanting. His sturdy, upright character and manliness were everywhere recognized, and the city had always been proud that he was one of her citizens. Major Gen. Joseph B. Carr was born in Albany, Aug. 15, 1828. His parents came from Ireland in 1824, and settled in the capital city. Being persons of moderate means, the lad received what education could be had at the district schools, and at an early age he was apprenticed to a cigarmaker. He was alert and energetic, and it was not many years before he was a manufacturer of cigars. He was thus en- gaged when the civil war of the rebellion broke out, and he went to the front. From early manhood he displayed a strong taste for the military, and his ca- reer in the milltia was an enviable one. The Republican Guards of Troy, to which city Mr. Carr had removed some years pre- vious, was the first step in his military life. Mr. Carr in 1849 offered himself as a can- didate for a position in the ranks, and for a year carried a musket. By his conduct and efficiency, he won the commission of Second Lieutenant. From that time for- ward his progress was rapid. On July 10, 1859, he was made commandant of the Twenty-fourth Regiment, New-York State Militia, which he retained until the break- ing out of the war. Col. Carr was one of the first to offer his services to his coun- try, and on May 10, 1861, he was elected Colonel of the Second New-York Volun- teers, and on the 18th of the same month left Troy at the head of his command for Fort Monroe, reaching there on the 24th and being the first, it is said, to encamp on Virginia soil. Col. Carr participated in the battle of Big Bethel, shortly after- ward. Before he had yet won his star, Col. Carr was placed in command of the celebrated "Jersey Brigade," and led that organiza- tion throughout the historical engagements of the Orchard and Malvern Hill. On the 7th of September, 1862, on the personal rec- ommendation of Gen. Hooker, "for gallant and meritorious services in the field," Col. Carr was promoted by President Lincoln to the position of Brigadier General of Vol- unteers. At Bristoe Station--one of the hardest-fought battles of the war--his gal- lantry was conspicuous and he earned for himself the sobriquet of "the hero of Bris- tow." He was engaged at Bull Run and Chantilly, and at Fredericksburg and Chan- cellorsville his gallantry was so marked that special mention of him was made in the reports. At the battles of Brandy Station and Kelly's Ford, he commanded a division, add- ing to his laurels. Subsequently he served with equal credit in the Army of the James, and at the surrender of Lee was transferred to City Point, which post was commanded by him for some time. On June 1, 1865, President Johnson commis- sioned him Major General by brevet for gallant and meritorious service during the war. Soon after the war Gen. Carr returned to Troy, and started a large establishment for the manufacture of chains, a work that he had since engaged in. In 1879 he was nominated by the Republicans for Sec- retary of State, his majority over Allan C. Beach, Democrat, being 1,875. In 1881 his plurality for the same office was 18,022 over W.A. Purcell. In 1883 Gen. Carr was re-elected for the third time by a plurality of 16,583, and had the distinction of running 30,000 ahead of his ticket, the Democrats electing the other four State officers by an average of 15,000. It was this set of State officers which had, as the State Board of Canvassers, to pass upon the returns for Presidential Electors. The result was very close, and Gen. Carr was asked what he intended to do. He replied: "If Mr. Cleveland has a plurality, large or small, he will get it. The same is true of the other candidates; no matter whether friend or foe, with me he is to have justice." In 1885 Gen. Carr went on the Republican ticket again, this time for Lieutenant Gov- ernor, but was defeated with the rest of the ticket. Gen. Carr was brought up a Roman Catholic, but when about middle age, he went into the Masonic fraternity, and was advanced to the highest orders, in- cluding the Knights Templar degree. When he ran for office some fanatics raised a cry against him that he was a deserter from his Church, and his enemies went so far as to get out insulting posters and have them stuck up on fences. These were printed in black, with a large red cross in the centre. Gen. Carr was most liberal in his religious views, but, because of these politico-religious attacks, many votes were lost to him when he last ran for public office. After his retirement from public life he lived quietly. He submitted to several painful operations for removal of cancer from the cheek, which disease finally caused his death. At the time the State militia was reor- ganized by the retiring of the superfluous officers of divisions and forming the guard into five brigades, Gen. Carr was in com- mand of the Third Division. This included all the military organizations of the State in the territory extending from Spuyten Duyvil to Canada and from the Hudson to Syracuse.

Maintained by Sue Greenhagen.
E-mail: greenhsh@morrisville.edu

Joseph B. Carr

August 15, 1828 - February 25, 1895

from The New York Times, February 25, 1895: