The following article is courtesy of the Grand Army Tribune, Northwest Edition, dated July, 2000. Publisher/Editor: Ken B. Richmond

Civil War hero Jesse T. Barrick has always been a part of the Tahoma National Cemetery, even though his body was buried in an unmarked Pasco grave for over 75 years. His name and the names of the state's other Medal of Honor winners appear on the cemetery's avenues or traffic circles.

Barrick was awarded the Medal of Honor March 3, 1917. His was the first of only three issued that year, and no new Medals have since been issued to a living or deceased Civil War veteran. An Ohio native, Corporal Barrick joined Company H of the 3rd Minnesota Infantry. Buried in Pasco, Washington, in 1923, Barrick received the Medal of Honor for single- handedly capturing two well-armed Confederate officers in 1864. He was then 23.Recently, Barrick's remains and his name came together at Washington's only national cemetery, making him the only Civil War veteran or Medal of Honor recipient to be buried there.

A Pasco police officer's research traced Barrick to the Pasco cemetery. Barrick's distant relatives then gave permission to disinter his body for reburial at Tahoma.Cemetery officials have learned that his wife, Sarah, was also a Civil War veteran - an Army nurse. She is buried in an unlocated grave in Mukilteo. Because it's unlikely her body will he found, the cemetery will memorialize her on the back of her husband's headstone.

Sarah A. Strang Barrick Born July 23, 1842; died Jan. 10, 1928 Married Jesse Barrick Aug. 24, 1861 Served as an army nurse in the Civil War Sept. 1861 to Feb. 1862

The following information was obtained from the Jesse Barrick file at the National Archives in Washington, D.C.

Sarah A. Strang was born at Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island on July 23, 1842. She married Jesse Barrick on Aug. 24, 1861 at the house of William N. Owen, Justice of the Peace in Faribault, Rice County, Minnesota. The witnesses were Daniel Russell and Rachael Barrick. Sarah Barrick served as an army nurse employed by Dr. Wedge, Reg. Surgeon, 3rd, Minn. Vol. Inf. from September 1861 to February 1862 when she was honorably released at Camp Jenkins, Ky. Her service was rendered in Fort Snelling, Minn. Post Hosp. and in Camp Hospital at Camp Jenkins, Ky.

Sarah and Jesse had six children including two daughters and four sons. Harvey J. was born in 1862; Dorothy was born in 1866; Lewis E. was born in 1869; Alice L. was born in 1874. They were all born in Rice County, Minnesota. J.J. was born in 1879, and Harry L. was born in 1884, both in Douglas County, Minnesota.

It is not known where Sarah lived from February 1862 until October 1864 when her husband was discharged from the army. His declaration for pension dated June 26, 1912 states that he lived in Minnesota until 1909. Based on the birth of their children Sarah and Jesse probably lived in Faribault, Rice County, Minnesota from 1864 until at least 1870 or perhaps 1874. According to Minnesota Land Records: On March 10, 1870 Jesse G. Barrick signed for 80 acres in Section 11, 117 North Township, 31 West Range, at the Fifth Principal Meridian in the Greenleaf Land Office as a cash sale. On April 1, 1871 Jesse G. Barrick signed for 80 acres in Section 11, 117 North Township, 31 West Range, at the Fifth Principal Meridian in the Litchfield Land Office as a homestead entry original.

In 1889 their address was Hudson, Douglas County, Minnesota. In 1909 they moved to the State of Washington. In 1912 they were living in Pasco, Franklin County, Washington. From 1915 to at least 1920 their address was Suquamish, Kitsap, Washington. Sarah listed her address as Pasco, Franklin County, Washington in December of 1923. On June 29th, 1920 Sarah Barrick applied for a nurse's pension. She was 78 years at that time. The declaration states that she was employed by Dr. Wedge, Reg. Surgeon, 3rd, Minn. Vol. Inf. as a nurse and served under the name of Sarah Barrick from September 1861 to February 1862 when she was honorably released at Camp Jenkins, Ky. Her service was rendered in Fort Snelling, Minn. Post Hosp. and in Camp Hospital at Camp Jenkins, Ky. The declaration states that her husband's name is Jesse Barrick and he is drawing a pension under certificate no. 445,243. Her residence was Suquamish, Kitsap County, Washington at that time.

She applied for widow's pension Dec. 6, 1923. Jesse had died November 3, 1923. The declaration states that she had applied for a nurse's pension but was not qualified on account of the period of time served. The declaration was stamped accepted on Dec. 13, 1923. At the time of Jesse's death in November their children were living across the country. Dorothy Garwood lived in Pasco, Washington; Lewis E.Barrick lived in Oakland, California; Harry L. Barrick lived in Seattle, Washington; Harvey J. Barrick, lived in Haislaw, Wisconsin; Alice L. Fairfield lived in Everett, Washington; and J.J. Barrick lived in Duluth, Minnesota in 1923.

There is a report from the Finance Division dated Feb. 23, 1928 that Sarah's last pension payment was Jan. 4, 1928 because she died Jan. 10, 1928. An item in the Pasco Herald, Thursday, January 19, 1928: Mrs. Sarah A. Barrick. Word was received here this week of the passing on January 11th at Seattle, of Mrs Sarah A. Barrick. Mrs Barrick will be remembered here as having spent considerable time at the home of her daughter, Mrs. Dorothy L. Garwood when the latter lived in Riverview. Mrs. Barrick was born in Charlotteltown, P. I. and attainted the ripe old age of 83 years and 6 months. She is survived by six cheldren, four sons and two daughters. The sons are L. A. Barrick of Oakland, Calif., H.J. Barrick of Harshaw, Wis., I. J. Barrick of Duluth, Minn., Harry L. Barrick of Seattle, and the daughters are Mrs. Alice Fairfield of Seattle and Mrs. Dorothy L. Garwood of Long, Beach California.

In memoriam

CPL/2LT Jessie T. Barrick

Co. H, 3rd Minnesota Infantry

Photographs by Jeff Henningfield