Fayette County PA Archives Biographies.....Dushane, Captain Joshua Milton December 25, 1827 - ????
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File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Marta Burns marta43@juno.com September 20, 2024, 6:51 pm

Source: Gresham and Wiley, 1889: Biographical & Portrait Cyclopedia, Fayette Co, PA, page 433
Author: John H. Gresham & Samuel T. Wiley

    Captain Joshua Milton Dushane, who nobly fought in defense of the Union
during the darkest days of the Nation's history, and whose life has been
one of activity and energy, was born Christmas day, 1827, in Westmoreland
county, Penna, and is a son of Joshua DuShane and Mary McCormick DuShane.
    Joshua DuShane was born near Gettysburg, Adams county, Penna, in 1797.
He was a fine teacher in his day, proficient in the languages and was a
good surveyor.  He married Mary McCormick, daughter of James McCormick;
the latter came from Ireland to Broad Ford in about 1790.  He and his
eldest son James McCormick served in the War of 1812.  James McCormick Sr
had the following children: James McCormick Jr, John McCormick, William
McCormick and Mary McCormick.
    Captain DuShane's paternal grandfather, Andrew DuShane, was a French
Huguenot who fled from his native land on account of religious
persecution, brought with him his father, two sisters, Rachel DuShane and
Sarah DuShane, and located in New Castle county, Delaware.  When the War
of the Revolution broke out, Andrew and his father joined the patriot
band, fought in many battles, and the father died while in the service.
They both belonged to the "Delaware Blues."
    Andrew DuShane married Elizabeth Davis of near the battlefield of
Brandywine, Delaware county.   They had born to them four children: Isaac
DuShane, Joshua DuShane, Elizabeth DuShane and Rachel DuShane.  Joshua
DuShane died in April, 1878.
    Captain J M DuShane was one of ten children born to his parents: Francis
DuShane, Elizabeth DuShane, Samuel DuShane, Nancy DuShane, Margaret
DuShane, Joshua M DuShane, Robert DuShane, Jane DuShane, Newton DuShane
and Martha DuShane.   He was married December, 1850, to Jane Collins,
daughter of James Collins and sister to Colonel John Collins.  To them
have been born five children: James D DuShane, Mary DuShane, Eliza
DuShane, Samuel H DuShane and Anna DuShane.  He received his education in
the common schools of New Alexandria, Westmoreland county, Penna, and
there learned the tinner's trade.
    In 1850 he removed to Connellsville and opened a hardware and tinning
establishment, conducted the same for eight years when he removed to
Somerset county, Penna, where he remained until 1862.  In that year he
returned to Connellsville and recruited Company H, the only Fayette
county company in the One Hundred and Forty-second Regiment Pennsylvania
Volunteers, and was commissioned its captain.
    The regiment became part of the First Brigade, Third Division, First
Corps, which was terribly slaughtered at the battle of Fredericksburg and
again at Gettysburg.  At the battle of Gettysburg, in the evening of the
first day's fight, Captain DuShane was twice wounded, and with most of
his company taken prisoner by the Confederates; was confined in Libby
prison from July, 1863, to July, 1864, when he was removed and kept in a
stockade, Macon, Georgia, until July 28; was then taken to Charleston,
placed under the fire of the Union guns that were playing around South
Carolina's metropolis.
    This ordeal he passed in safety, and was next taken to Columbus, South
Carolina, thence to Wilmington, and with several hundred other officers
exchanged, arrived in Annapolis, March 1, 1865.  While at Richmond, he was
captured and searched by the Confederates, but they failed to find $500
he had secreted.  With this money, from time to time he purchased small
quantities of provisions for himself and comrades, and thus survived
through a long and terrible captivity and escaped death from starvation.
On his return home he entered the revenue service and served six years as
a gauger in the twenty first district.  In 1872 he assisted in organizing
the Youghiogeny Bank at Connellsville, and in 1873 was elected its
president, holding the position for eight years.  He is now a stockholder
in the same bank.  In 1878 he became a member of the firm Boyts, Porter &
Company, founders and machinists of Connellsville.  He owns a beautiful
farm near Connellsville, is also engaged in farming and stock raising,
speculates in real estate, and is now the president of the Building and
Loan Association at Connellsville.
    For two terms he served as burgess of Connellsville; has been a member of
the council and school director.  He is a P G in the Odd Fellows, a member
of W F Kurtz Post, No 104, G A R and has been twice commissioned major of
the National Guards of Pennsylvania.  The J M DuShane Camp, No 77, is
named for him.  He has attended many republican state conventions.  He was
at LaFayette Hall, Pittsburgh, at the convention of 1856, and witnessed
the birth of the republican party.  Reared a Covenanter, but being a
Presbyterian in belief, he united with that church in 1874.  Captain
DuShane has lead a busy life, and has been of great benefit to the
community in which he lives.  He was a gallant soldier, and as a
gentleman, is held in the highest esteem by all who know him.

Additional Comments:
Originally submitted 2000.

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