Tombstone Iconography: Albert Gilbert's U.S. flag

U.S. flag images traditionally have been used sparingly on tombstones in Lucas County and in nearly all instances help commemorate young men who died while in service to their country. The earliest date from soon after the Civil War; a majority of the later ones, from immediately after World War I.

This flag appears on the worn cenotaph in LaGrange Cemetery, Cedar Township, of Albert Gilbert, who died at the age of 26 of typhoid fever on Dec. 26, 1862, at Prairie Grove in far northwest Arkansas, in the days following the Dec. 7 Battle of Prairie Grove. Although that battle ended in stalemate, it did secure northwest Arkansas for the Union.

The inscription, weathered after 150 years of exposure to the elements, identifies Albert as a private in Company H, 1st Iowa Volunteer Cavalry, as the husband of Philena and as the son of William and Elizabeth.

Albert's remains would have been buried initially near where he died, but most likely were recovered after war ended and reburied among the unknowns at Springfield National Cemetery in southwest Missouri. The LaGrange cenotaph, one of many across Lucas County, was erected to ensure that he was not forgotten. His name also appears on the Civil War memorial erected immedately after the war in Evans Cemetery, some distance to the south at the intersection of Lucas, Monroe, Appanoose and Wayne counties and commemorating men of the neighborhood from all four counties.

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Albert was a native of Indiana, born Jan. 6, 1836, and came west to Iowa with his parents and siblings when he was 18, in 1854. The family lived east of LaGrange --- located on the Lucas-Monroe county line --- in Jackson Township, Monroe County.

On Aug. 26, 1858, he married Philena Goltry, daughter of Nathaniel and Elizabeth, in Lucas County and they settled down to farm in Jackson Township, near his parents. Their two children were born there --- Ira Jacob on Jan. 20, 1860, and Elizabeth J. on July 11, 1861.

Albert enlisted as a private in the 1st Regiment of Iowa Volunteer Cavalry on Aug. 18, 1862, at Chariton, and was mustered into Company H on Sept. 30, 1862, at Davenport.

Like most volunteer cavalrymen, Albert provided his own horse and saddle and when he died three months later, both were listed on the inventory of personal belongings sent to his widow. Most likely, both were sold to another soldier in his unit.

During the third year after her husband's death, on Sept. 12, 1865, Philena married James H. Sellers. They became the parents of three children, Ella (married Amhra E. Whitten), Margaret (married George K. Hellyer), and William D., who married Alma Hall and raised a large family in Lucas County.

Margaret Gilbert died at the age of 9 on Nov. 26, 1870, and was buried near her father at LaGrange. Ira married Emily Ann Lewis and lived with his family first in Monroe County and then near Russell in Lucas County. He died Aug. 19, 1926, and is buried in the Russell Cemetery.

Philena died at the age of 77 on March 5, 1918, at the home of Ira and Emily, and was buried not far from Albert's cenotaph at LaGrange. James Sellers was buried there beside her after his death on March 5, 1920, at the home of his daughter, Ella, in Greeley, Colorado.