Memorial Day traditions have come and gone in Chariton as the years passed. The practice of strewing flowers on the surface of Spring Lake to commemorate those lost at sea, for example, disappeared when Spring Lake did --- its waters drained into the Chariton River by a breech in the dam.
Patriotic and other organizations no longer gather for their own memorial services in area churches --- even a city-wide Memorial Day program is a thing of the past.
But the Chariton Volunteer Fire Department carries on, donning dress uniforms on the Sunday morning before what now is Memorial Day Monday for a march to the cemetery and a brief program at the firefighter memorial, above, dedicated in 1963.
And departmental flags bearing the image of Old Betsy, the department's 1883 Silsby Steamer, still are placed in custom-made flag holders not only in the Chariton Cemetery but also in nearby rural cemeteries where veterans of the department are buried.
This is the tombstone of Elias Wren and his wife, Elida. Elias was an English-born coal miner who located in Lucas when the mines opened there in 1879, then eventually settled in Chariton --- where he joined the fire department. He died of heart failure on April 7, 1900, at the age of 56. Although his descendants have moved on, he still is remembered annually by descendants of his fellow firefighters.
Back in 1908, a crowd estimated by The Chariton Patriot at 2,000 gathered in the Chariton Cemetery on the Sunday afternoon following Memorial Day to witness the annual firefighter memorial --- crowds are somewhat smaller these days. Keep in mind that a crowd of similar size had gathered at the courthouse, cemetery and Methodist Church the previous day for community Memorial Day services led by the Grand Army of the Republic.
Chariton's 35 firefighters began their 1908 Sunday observance at 10:30 in the morning --- meeting in dress uniform at the engine house and then marching to the Swedish Lutheran Church behind the Lucas Martial Band, which had taken an early train into town from the west to participate.
At the church, "a splendid memorial sermon was preached by the Rev. O.A. Elmquist. Beautiful music was rendered by the choir and a solo sung by Miss Minnie Lindquist." Pastor Elmquist had chosen for his subject, "Death Brings Glory" based on the text John 12:23-24.
In the afternoon, the firefighters reassembled at the engine house at 1:30 p.m. for the march to the cemetery, led again by the Lucas Band with the crowd following on foot or in buggies.
Not far inside the cemetery gate, the procession stopped at the grave of Ed Penick where a brief program was held featuring numbers by the band, two selections by a male quartet and another memorial address by the Rev. Mr. Elmquist, who had been made an honorary firefighter for the occasion.
Then the following graves of fallen brethren were decorated: Ed Penick, M.A. Hatcher, James Ogelsby, Robt. Coles, Calvin Bradrick, Ed. Q. Douglass, Charles Johnson, Mill Manning, George Storie, S.B. Tinkham, Wm. Lane, George Sydebotham, Henry Helms, John E. Bently, Wm. Culbertson, Henry Hervey, Stant Howard, Ely Wren, Robert Larson, Frank McMains, Ellis Lyman and Dan Mickle.
Memorial flags were placed at these same graves --- and many more --- when firefighters gathered at the cemetery on Monday evening, this week.
After the 1908 program at the cemetery, the crowd dispersed but the firefighters and the band regrouped and marched to the home of Ephraim Badger in southeast Chariton to pay their respects. Ephraim, a charter member of the department, had been ill and was unable to leave his home. He died later on that year, on Sept. 22, 1908, at the age of 71. and his grave was among those decorated by his comrades a year later --- and every year since.
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