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July 2005: Thoughts on the Cemetery
Since the last issue of the “Crier”, Memorial Day has come and gone, also, the dedication of the new “Veteran’s Plaza” in the cemetery. If you readers haven’t seen it yet, do so by all means. It’s at the main entrance to the cemetery. You will see a refurbished monument, that holds the Gettysburg Address, a refurbished mount for the canon, a new flagpole, a paving of the area, and perhaps most important, a new display case with a Plexiglas top which contains the names of all the veterans that are buried in the cemetery and whose names we read on Memorial Day. Those veterans who joined the service from Hampton but are not buried here, are also on the list. All this through the efforts of “Crier” editor, Jane Cady. It represents a mountain of research in a variety of sources. If it is known where a veteran is buried, this is listed. If there is something unusual, this is also indicated. This is a wonderful thing for our town to have and it is a godsend for people like me, who dabble in genealogy. All of this was instigated by Jane Cady in memory of her mother, specifically, and her family in general.
Jane suggested that I devote a column to the cemetery and the veterans buried there. Good idea! I got busy getting together information about these subjects, especially on the programs and organizations that have been involved over the years. Not a particularly easy task for me. I’m not noted for my organization skills.
There exists a cloudy, almost legendary story about the first burial in Hampton. Whether it was on the site of the present cemetery is not known. Probably not. In any case the accounts say it was a woman who died on a steamboat passing through. One account says her name was Geraldine, no last name reported. Another account says the steamboat’s name was Geraldine and the woman’s name was unknown. Nothing like starting out this column on a firm basis of fact.
We don’t know how or when the present site of the cemetery was chosen, but it was early in Hampton’s history. Some of the gravestones are very old, some in the 1830s, many in the 1840s. Many are illegible or close to it. Many more are broken and some are missing. It seems, that over the years, those in charge of the cemetery found it more expedient to throw a fallen stone into the ravine rather than go to the trouble of resetting it. It seems to me that it could make a good Master’s Thesis to find the old stones and write about them. It would have to be someone with a high tolerance for poison ivy.
After the Civil War the Union soldier’s veterans organization, the Grand Army of the Republic (GAR) took charge of the graves of veterans. We have 60 in our cemetery. They are easy to spot with their characteristic rounded top. Not necessarily so easy to read, again, time is taking it’s toll.
It was the Civil War that inspired Memorial Day. It was originally a holiday to honor Civil War veterans and only in the 20th century that the honors were extended to the veterans of all wars. In Hampton the GAR Post was William McDaniel Post # 595. HHS recently was given the drum the Post used. It was donated by Ronald Taylor. Ask to see it next time you are in Black’s Store.
The early Memorial Day ceremonies were conducted by the Auxiliary of the Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War. Our present ceremony is patterned after theirs, the chief difference being that instead of assembling in front of Black’s Store for the reading of the names of veterans, they marched up the hill to the cemetery for that part of the ceremony. We have photos of the octogenarian Civil War vets walking up the hill. Aren’t we sissies nowdays?
The Society has been decorating the graves since 1985. We are indebted to Hampton Boy Scout Troop 384 for doing this—not an easy task with no idea of where the veterans graves were. In fact, it was Dan Ryerson, as an Eagle Scout project who drew maps of the cemetery and indicated where the veterans graves were. Thanks Dan, wherever you are now. Also, Steve Verdick raised the money and had flag holders made as another Eagle Scout project. Thanks to you Steve. Its been about 20 years since these things were done. Since then we have a lot more veteran’s graves. At this time the WWII veterans are leaving us fast. Which is scary for me. Next on the list are the Korean War vets which includes yours truly. We need another Steve Verdick.
Years ago a man named Edgar Lee Masters wrote poems about the people in some cemeteries down south of us. It made a great book. He called it “Spoon River Anthology”. The people in our cemetery also have great stories. It is interesting to contemplate some of the stories and wish we knew what they were.