Barney McBrarty – Buried in a Wisconsin State Veterans’ Cemetery – In an Unrecorded and Unmarked Grave

I studied the state veterans’ cemetery in King, WI, for over 9 years – and I’m still at it.  It was originally known as the “Home Cemetery” as it first served the burial needs of the Wisconsin Veterans Home across the street; it is now known as the Central Wisconsin Veterans Memorial Cemetery (CWVMC).

From the very beginning, I was haunted by the probability that individuals had been buried in this cemetery in unmarked graves.  The probability is based on my accruing knowledge of chronically poor record-keeping, lost burial records, and both apathetic attitude on the part of – and deliberate obfuscation by – state employees responsible for the cemetery.

In 2017, I conducted a specialized research project, which conclusively identified TWO (2) combat veterans of the Civil War, who are buried at CWVMC in un-documented graves – and neither grave is marked in honor of their military service.

Bernard William “Barney” McBrarty is the first of these two veterans.  He was a first generation Irish-American; his parents arrived in Philadelphia on 4 Sep 1824.  He had at least five (5) siblings and his three (3) brothers also served during the Civil War – all survived.

He served with the Union Army in both the infantry and artillery, then served in the Union Navy.

He first enlisted on 30 Aug 861 in New York City and his surname was recorded as “McBrady”.  He was assigned as a Private in the 25th New York Infantry, but was later detached to the 5th US Artillery for eight (8) months.  He mustered out at expiration of service on 10 Jul 1863 in New York City.

He next enlisted as an Ordinary Seaman in the Union Navy.  According to his personal recollection, he enlisted on 20 Nov 1863 in Nashville, TN.  He stated that he served on the USS General Thomas – a steamship gunboat that battled along the Tennessee River in Alabama.  He was discharged on 20 Sep 1865.  No Union Navy records could be found, but because his Navy service was documented on his pension card, it can be presumed that this service was confirmed by the then stringent Pension Bureau.

During the last 35 years of his life, he went on sort of a “tour” of federal Homes for Disabled Soldiers.  He was a resident in nine (9) out of 12 Homes: Milwaukee, WI; Hampton, VA; Danville, IL; Johnson City, TN; Dayton, OH; Marian, IN; Hot Springs, SD; Bath, NY; and Leavenworth, KS.  The homes in Maine, Oregon, and California may have been just too far away.

He applied to enter the Wisconsin Veterans Home in King on 21 Jun 1921 at the age of 78.  On his application, he claimed:

• He had been living in De Pere for the past 4 years and in Wisconsin for the past 8 years
• He gave his service in the 25th NY INF, but not in the Union Navy
• He was receiving a pension of $50 per month
• He was widowed and had no living children

Normally a requirement, his application was not signed by “two citizens who can attest to his good character”. Truth be known, his character may not have been spotless.

Earlier in life, he always named his brother, Edward, as his next-of-kin; but, Edward had died in 1906.  When asked to whom his possessions should be given upon his death, he answered there was “no one to leave it to”.  In fact, all of his siblings had died before 1921.

He died on 19 Feb 1923 at the Wisconsin Veterans Home.  And, according to the Home’s records and his Waupaca County death record:

He was buried at the Home Cemetery on 23 Feb 1923.

I know more about the CWVMC than anybody on the planet, but I don’t know where Private McBrarty is buried in the CWVMC – neither does the state of Wisconsin.

While there are two (2) graves egregiously marked with “UNKNOWN” headstones, it is impossible to know whether McBrarty is buried in either one of them.  There is no definitive evidence he is buried in one of them.

Almost 96 years after his burial, there is little hope that we can learn his actual gravesite.  There is no headstone installed at the CWVMC for this combat veteran, and based on the state of Wisconsin’s stated policy, there never will be a headstone for him at the CWVMC.