On April 22, 1948, Orlando LeValley died at his farm outside Caro, Mich. The longtime farmer, who had enlisted in the 23rd Michigan Infantry Regiment as a 16-year-old in 1864, was the last of the 90,000 Michigan veterans of the Civil War to die. The press reported that LeValley had outlived his wife, Hannah, by 30 years, and one of their six children. He left 15 grandchildren (three of whom had served in World War II) and 29 great-grandchildren. LeValley, who had enjoyed telling people that he heard President Lincoln’s second inaugural address while on furlough in 1865, was just five months shy of 100 when he died.
Source : Richard Bak, “Last Man Standing”, Hour Detroit, August 2012.
For a related story, search Joseph Clovese.