Friday, August 13, 2021

Diminishing ranks of Lucas County Civil War veterans

The ranks of Lucas County Civil War veterans had thinned from hundreds to dozens by the afternoon of Memorial Sunday 1922 --- May 28 --- when surviving members of Daniel Iseminger Post 18, Grand Army of the Republic, and their auxiliary, the Woman's Relief Corps, gathered at the First Methodist Church in Chariton for their annual service of remembrance.

No reporter was on hand, but we do know that the sermon was entitled, "The Struggle for Manhood," and that two days later, on May 30, the veterans and the auxiliary marched from the courthouse to the Chariton Cemetery to mark Memorial Day.

Someone did have the presence of mind to make sure that Harold Hedger, of the Hedger Studio, was on hand to record this image of the group on Sunday, posed on the front steps of the church. This original print of that large image has survived in the Lucas County Historical Society collection.

No one here is identified, but the image is clear and sharp --- descendants who know what their ancestors looked like most likely would be able to locate them in it.



1 comment:

Unknown said...

Thank you for posting this information. I’ve checked your blog a few times in the last couple of years, but missed this one. My great great grandfather was Joe R Landes, and it seems that led a historical life, having served in the Iowa 6th Infantry in the Civil War, and then acting as Sheriff of Lucas County for a time. My grandmother spoke of him often when I was young, but her pictures of him and letters they exchanged have unfortunately been lost. If you have any tips of where I could learn more, please feel free to let me know. In the meantime, I will see if I can find an older photo of him on Ancestry- my guess is that since he was still alive when this photo was taken, he has to be in there somewhere! Many thanks- Jen Burk.