The writer of this piece, Susan LeFleur, is the Recording Secretary and Librarian for the Rochester Historical Society. This is the first piece is a series of Rochester history briefs.

Rochester has a number of monuments scattered throughout town. One, the Civil War Monument across from the Town Hall. One soldier honored on the monument is George Henry Randall. 

Randall was born on a large family farm on July 23, 1842. It was there, tending to the horses, cows and crops, that he learned a work ethic that would last a lifetime.

At the age of 20, he joined the Union Army, serving for 33 months in both Company E. 44th infantry and later the cavalry. He served with General Banks at New Orleans and later with Philip Henry Sheridan, participating in some 15 engagements. 

The battle of Fisher Hill at Shenandoah, he once said, brought him the closest to death when he heard the whistle and whisk of air as a bullet passed his cheek and right shoulder. 

When the war ended, he was mustered out and returned to the family farm. He married Harriet E. LeBaron, raised his family and eventually moved to a farm of his own. 

He never shied from hard work, as a 1928 news article pointed out. At the age of 86 he was still doing most of the farming without help, chopping wood for the winter, etc. 

A member of the North Rochester Church, he served as a deacon for 57 plus years. George was proud of his military service and for many years threw himself a birthday party inviting fellow members of the R. A. Pierce Post 190 G. A. R. In 1939 in a grand ceremony, he was inducted into the George N. Alden Post 20 of the United American Veterans. He was the oldest member of that organization in this part of the country.  

During his lifetime, Randall became the oldest resident in Rochester and the town presented him with the Boston Post Cane which he held onto until his death in December 1939. His son, Edgar, later moved to Freetown where he also became a holder of the Boston Post Cane.