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WHO WAS - Joseph M. Proper
in Plum Township
Venango County, Pennsylvania
By H. W. Strawbridge May 9, 1956

Joseph M. Proper was born November 13, 1830, just north of Diamond. His parents were Samuel and Catherine Kightlinger Proper and he was one of several brothers and sisters.

He spent his childhood on the farm now owned by Lloyd Kightlinger. When he was about 14 years old he was a typhoid fever patient. Prior to the Civil War he worked at both farming and lumbering.

On July 20, 1861, Joseph enlisted in Troop D, 6th Regiment of the U. S. Cavalry at Pittsburgh. AT the time of his enlistment he was six feet in height, had black hair and gray eyes.

The hearing in one ear was somewhat affected because of the heavy firing and exploding shells at Gettysburg. He was injured when thrown from his horse while delivering a dispatch in the night prior to the famous Union underground explosion at the Petersburg line in July, 1864. It is said that one time he rode along the front lines and, just for the fun and sheer risk of it, waved his hand at the Confederate troops. They didn't fire a shot at him.

He was discharged at camp in the field in Virginia on August 20, 1864. Immediately after the war he rode at the head of a post-war rally march between Chapmanville and Diamond.

He was always proud of his war service. He was remembered as a find rider, sitting upright on his horse while riding through Diamond. When taking a load of children to a Sunday School picnic, he wore his war sashes and he delighted the children by using his whip as a sword and going through the saber drill.

He married Elmira Cheney on June 17, 1866, Justice of the Peace L. P. Green in Troy Township performing the ceremony. They had three children: S. Burdell Proper, Mrs. Florence Steadman and Blanche Proper. The last named was scalded to death. Mrs. Proper died on June 2, 1882.

Mr. Proper bought a part of his father's large farm in 1867 and on which he erected a set of buildings. This is the present Mrs. K. D. McElhaney farm. He sold a one-half-acre plot on the southeast corner of his farm to the school board for $50 on Aug. 6, 1869. This was the Diamond school location.

He married a second time on Feb. 17, 1888, his second wife being Caroline McCalmont. They finally retired from farming, turning the farm over to his son, Burdell. Then Mr. Proper bought the present Marion Thompson house, where he spent the remainder of his life.

Mr. Proper was a staunch Republican. In fact, he once got up from the sick bed to go with a neighbor, J. M. Shriver, to vote at the old Plum Center school house.

He had heart trouble during his latter years. On the evening of June 8, 1908, he was retiring for the night at 9:45 o'clock when he fell to the floor of his bedroom and expired before medical aid could reach him.

The old soldier was taken to the U. B. Church for the funeral. His widow died January 19, 1917, at Slippery Rock, and the remains were brought to Diamond for burial.

Transcribed by Penny Kulbacki Minnick
minnick862@verizon.net

Disclaimer:there may be errors due to transcription ofinformation from both early and late (current contributors) work.