GRAVESTONE TALK
MOSES EDGAR ORR
Captain
CIVIL WAR

While walking through the Reformed Church cemetery by the Court House in Hackensack known as ‘The Church on the Green’, I saw this name Moses Edgar Orr on a grave stone with information which tells quite a story. On the front it read, ‘MOSES EDGAR ORR SERVED IN THE CIVIL WAR FROM APR. 1861 TO FEB. 6, 1866 DISCHARGED AS CAPT. CO. D. 96 REGT. N.Y. VOL. INFT. Then under this, it had his year of birth and death, 1841-1906.   Moses Edgar Orr has been the only name I have found with a recorded record of his service during the Civil War on a head stone in Hackensack cemeteries. There may be other’s, but I have only seen this name.  The one line statement gives quite a bit of information.  Moses Edgar Orr joined the Army at age 20 in 1861 and he served the entire Civil War in the Infantry with a Regiment which saw combat action.  Moses Edgar Orr could have seen action at Fair Oaks, Cold Harbor, and even the siege on Richmond. 
Moses Edgar Orr rose to the rank of Captain during his service.   To know where his Company was moved during the whole war, we need only to look in history books, but to know Moses Edgar Orr’s experience, we need his testimony.  We can be certain Moses Edgar Orr experienced the Civil War in its entirety as few men can claim. 

          Below Moses Edgar Orr’s date of birth and death, his wife’s name is written, HELENA D. HIS WIFE 1839-1927.  Moses Edgar Orr died at age 65 and his wife died at age 88.  At the very bottom of the Front OF THE GRAVESTONE the family name is written, ORR.  This is a couple that besides enduring the Civil War, appears to have suffered many family sorrows.  On the back of the Grave Stone it reads:

THEIR CHILDREN:
EDGAR S. 1867-1884
MINNIE E. 1869-1869
A. LINCOLN 1872-1872
BENJAMIN S. 1878-1913

                                                  
The first child Edgar S., died at the young age of only 17, Minnie E. and A. Lincoln were either still born or died of some infant complications that could not be handled medically at the time, and the fourth child, Benjamin S. living the longest, dieing still very young by today’s standards, at the age of 35.         

                                                            Written by
                                                       Bob Meli
                                                          July 5, 2011