149 years later, vet honored in Rochelle

OREGON – At the annual Memorial Day services at Riverside Cemetery in 2013, John and Sandy O’Rorke learned about Civil War veteran James Butterfield of Rochelle, who died when the SS Sultana exploded on the Mississippi River.

The O’Rorkes had a relative, also from Rochelle, who had died when a ship sank during the war. Could it be the same ship, they wondered?

After much research and help from local historian Otto Dick, it was determined that the O’Rorkes’ ill-fated relative, James O’Rorke, was on a ship that went down off Cape Hatteras near North Carolina.

“We thought James was lost in history,” John O’Rorke said.

As it happens, he served in the 92nd Illinois Infantry from 1862 until his death in 1865.

After being held captive for a year in the infamous Andersonville Prison, he was put aboard the steamer General Lyon, bound for New York. It exploded, and nearly all on board perished.

“James probably received no honor at all,” Sandy O’Rorke said. “His name was even misspelled [O’Rooke or O’Roorke] throughout his service.”

Upon learning the truth about O’Rorke’s service and his untimely death, Sandy and John decided to give him the funeral he never had.

During a rededication ceremony Saturday at St. Patrick’s Catholic Cemetery in Rochelle, they presented a headstone on James O’Rorke’s behalf. The governing body for such events, the Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War, conducted the service.

“We cannot do enough honor for the boys in blue,” said Terry Dyer, past state commander of the Sons of the Union. “They were the ones that made us the United States of America.”

Dyer was among a 12-member contingent of the Grand Army of the Republic and its auxiliary on hand to carry on the 133-year old tradition of recognizing and honoring Civil War vets. It was their third dedication this year.

“Our main purview is finding these men and identifying head stones and looking after monuments,” said Dyer, whose members are based in Rockford.

James O’Rorke was born in Ireland, one of six children of Hugh and Mary Carson O’Rorke. The family moved to Rochelle in 1859, and many descendants who still live in the area were at Saturday’s ceremony.

“This is a wonderful thing that was done,” said 85-year old Betty O’Rorke of Rochelle, who raised 10 children with her husband, Paul.

Rob Berkenes traveled from Des Moines, Iowa, to observe the dedication. He has a website dedicated to the 92nd Infantry, which originated in Freeport and included soldiers from Carroll, Stephenson and Ogle counties.

“To me, this is important,” Berkenes said. “An authentic GAR ceremony keeps alive the memory. I was thrilled to find someone like Sandy interested in it.”