BROWNTOWN — Even though there were no descendants of Green County’s last Civil War soldier buried in Lafayette County, about 40 people took time out of their Labor Day Weekend to help honor James Divan by attending a ceremony in his honor at Michael Cemetery Aug. 31 in Browntown. 

There to show their support, were numerous members of the Zilmer-Riley American Legion Post — and the man who was vital in making the ceremony happen — local Civil War history enthusiast Jon Rupp. 

“It was unbelievable,” Rupp said. “I had no idea what to expect.”

Divan enlisted in the Civil War in Monroe in September 1861 and was sent into the 5th Wisconsin Light Artillery. He fought in the siege of Corinth, Mississippi, the battle of Perryville, Kentucky and the battle of Stones River and Chattanooga, Tennessee. 

Divan came back to Green County in 1864, married Phoebe Hastings and lived on a farm outside Browntown before residing in Monroe for about 10 years. Divan died in 1936 at age 93.

Someone left Rupp a copy of the Fennimore Times, where he found an article about a last soldier ceremony the Sons of Union Veterans did in Boscobel June 8. 

Rupp immediately called Dave Daley, a member of Camp 15, based out of Wind Lake, and made the arrangements to honor Divan. 

The Sons of Union Veterans have eight camps throughout Wisconsin. Daley’s camp focuses on southeastern Wisconsin. Their objective is to have a last soldier ceremony in all 72 counties of the state. 

“They preserve the memory of a soldier who fought over 150 years ago to preserve the liberties we enjoy today,” Daley said.  “We do this to preserve the union. It’s important to pass that history down. Since they’ve all died, we’re the only group that carries on the memory of those soldiers.”