Malachi BuckleyVeteran

Private Malachi Buckley was born in Cork, Ireland in 1840. He arrived in the United States at New York City on June 23, 1855 by way of Liverpool on the ship Calhoun. He worked as a laborer and farmer until enlisting in the Union Army in January 1862. Buckley was mustered into Company D, 69th New York Infantry Regiment, part of the famous "Irish Brigade." He was wounded in action, losing a forearm on September 17, 1862 during the Battle of Antietam. Discharged from military service on May 8, 1863 Buckley spent time living in veterans’ homes in Ohio, New York, and Maine. He became a naturalized U.S. citizen on October 17, 1866. How he arrived in Westminster remains unknown. Buckley died in Westminster on March 4, 1895 without a burial place. Mary Shellman recalled, "They were going to take him out to Potters Field without even a word of prayer. I heard of it & got old Mr. Crouse to have a prayer & let them bury him in my lot." Buckley was buried in Mary Shellman’s lot, and his pallbearers were members of the Burns Post #13 Grand Army of the Republic.