(Obituary from the Capital Times, Jan. 30, 1940)

Col. Charles F. Moulton, 90, of 2422 Chamberlain Ave., died today at a Madison hospital after a long illness.

Col. Moulton was taken to the hospital Nov. 21 after he had suffered a fractured hip in a fall at his home. Although he had been in poor health prior to that time, he had retained his interest in the Grand Army of the Republic and civic affairs.

Survivors are a son, C.F. Moulton, and a brother, Ed Moulton, 82, Wauneta, Neb.

Funeral services will be held at 2 Thursday in the Fitch-Lawrence chapel, with the Rev. Francis J. Bloodgood of St. Andrew's Episcopal Church, officiating. Burial will be at Mazomanie.

Col. Moulton had had a long and colorful military and public career.

He enlisted for service in the Civil War at the age of 14, voted for Lincoln when he was 15, was sheriff of Dane County in 1897-1898, was sergeant-at-arms of the State Assembly at the 1927 and 1929 sessions, and had held numerous offices in veterans' organizations.

Col. Moulton was commander-in-chief of the Fairchild post for many years, was state department commander of the GAR in 1936 and 1937 and president of the Dane County GAR Memorial Association.

As commander-in-chief of the Fairchild post, Col. Moulton commanded a detachment of but two "boys in Blue" to attend the 71st Wisconsin encampment of the GAR here in 1937.

Col. Moulton enlisted for Civil War service at Caledonia, Wis., in 1864. He was born May 20, 1849, at Waterford, Wis. He later moved to Mazomanie with his family.

"Five consecutive generations of my family served under this country's colors," he said a few years ago.

"My great-grandfather fought in the Revolutionary War, my grandfather was in the War of 1812, my father served in the 1st Wisconsin Heavy Artillery in the Civil War, and my son fought in the World War.

"Where did I come in? I fought in the Civil War. Enlisted when I was 14. First I was in the infantry and then in the artillery.

"When I first enlisted in Co. K, 40th Wisconsin infantry, there were two of us. We flipped a coin. He won, so he carried a musket."

Later Col. Moulton re-enlisted as a dummer in Company F, 1st Wisconsin Heavy Artillery. This company served at Alexandria, Va., in Fort Willard and two other forts.

Col. Moulton years ago also told how he voted for Lincoln at the age of 15.

"Maybe you wonder how it happened. Well, I told them 'I can't vote, you know I'm not of age,' but my captain just said, 'Any man that is old enough to come into the Army is old enough to vote, and you go right ahead and vote.' So I voted.

"I had to miss the Spanish-American War," he continued, "because I was sheriff of Dane County at the time. I was elected in '96. But, believe me, I would have been there with both feet if I hadn't been sheriff.

"During the time I was sheriff, we had one of the bloodiest periods that Dane County has ever known. But I won't tell you anything about that. I'm not a bragger."

Information Source:
Capital Times, Jan. 30, 1940

Last Updated: 3 Nov 2022